Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06HANOI2570
2006-10-05 10:45:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Hanoi
Cable title:  

Religious Freedom: CRA Chairman Discusses Recent Progress

Tags:  PHUM KIRF PREL PGOV VM 
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VZCZCXRO0578
PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHHI #2570/01 2781045
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 051045Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3628
INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH 1924
RUEHZS/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 002570 

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STATE FOR EAP/MLS AND DRL/IRF

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM KIRF PREL PGOV VM
SUBJECT: Religious Freedom: CRA Chairman Discusses Recent Progress

Ref: Hanoi 2399

HANOI 00002570 001.2 OF 002


UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 002570

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/MLS AND DRL/IRF

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM KIRF PREL PGOV VM
SUBJECT: Religious Freedom: CRA Chairman Discusses Recent Progress

Ref: Hanoi 2399

HANOI 00002570 001.2 OF 002



1. (SBU) Summary: During an October 5 meeting with the Charge,
Committee on Religious Affairs Chairman Ngo Yen Thi described GVN
efforts to accelerate registrations of Protestant congregations in
the North. The late September conference for northern local
officials was described as a success: officials from provinces with
"pilot registrations" pledged to accelerate registrations, and
provinces without pilot registrations are initiating the pilot phase
this month. Thi expects the number of registered churches in the
north to rise quickly in the near future and promised to provide
more details on projections in one week's time. Thi said the CRA is
using radio broadcasts in the north to get the word out on the
registration process; expressed the CRA's willingness to cooperate
with and assist the ECVN to build its capacity to travel to and work
in the north; and outlined recent progress in southern Vietnam and
the Central Highlands. End Summary.


2. (SBU) The Charge met October 5 with GVN Committee on Religious
Affairs (CRA) Chairman Ngo Yen Thi to press for quicker progress in
the area of religious freedom. The Charge opened by noting the
intense interest in the USG and Congress in this matter,
particularly as little time remains before U.S. International
Religious Freedom Ambassador-at-Large John Hanford has to make his
recommendation on Vietnam's status as a Country of Particular
Concern (CPC). Although there is recognition of the progress made
to date in Vietnam, as reflected in the International Religious
Freedom Report, there are also significant concerns.


3. (SBU) In particular, more churches and congregations in the north
need to be registered, and, as Ambassador Hanford described during
his August visit, registrations for 100 churches and congregations
is an appropriate and reachable target, the Charge continued. In
addition to receiving an update on registrations in the north, the
Charge also sought from Chairman Thi a readout of the CRA-organized
late-September meeting with northern provincial officials.

Northern Registrations

--------------


4. (SBU) Chairman Thi responded that the conference for northern
officials was held in Hanoi on September 28. Its purpose was to
evaluate the pilot church/congregation registration program and
allow officials from provinces in which the pilot registration
program had begun to share their experiences with officials from
those provinces that had not yet had any pilot registrations. To
date, 20 churches/congregations have registered under the pilot
registration program (two more than the CRA had previously
reported). As a result of the conference, the provinces that have
participated in the pilot program -- Lao Cai, Lai Chau, Yen Bai, Bac
Kan and Thai Nguyen -- pledged to immediately accelerate the
registration of churches/congregations through the end of the year.
Furthermore, thanks to the conference, those provinces that have not
yet had pilot registrations -- Thanh Hoa, Tuyen Quang, Cao Bang and
Dien Bien -- would undertake a number of registrations in October.
To assist these provinces, the CRA will send officials to work with
local authorities. "By the end of the year, we hope to have more
than just 10's of registered churches and congregations," Thi said.


5. (SBU) Pressed by the Charge for an estimated number of
registrations, as well as a timetable for them, Chairman Thi
consulted a spreadsheet and said that Thanh Hoa plans to have two
pilot registrations (in the next 10 days),Tuyen Quang will register
three, Cao Bang will register three and Dien Bien will register two.
Regarding those provinces with existing pilot registration
programs, Thi said the numbers would be higher, but are harder to
estimate. He pledged to provide us with further information in one
week's time. However, "there should be a rapid number of new
registrations, as Deputy Prime Minister Truong Vinh Trong exhorted
the participants in the September conference to do so," Thi said.

GVN Using Radio, Other Media to Get the Word Out
-------------- ---


6. (SBU) In response to the Charge's question about how the GVN and
the CRA are getting the message out about the registration process
in the north, Chairman Thi said that the CRA primarily uses local
radio broadcasts. Where feasible, it also uses newspapers and
television broadcasts, he said.

Relations with ECVN
--------------


7. (SBU) The Charge asked how the CRA's relationship with the
Evangelical Church of Vietnam - North (ECVN) has evolved as these
pilot registrations progress, and whether the CRA and ECVN are now
working more closely and collaboratively together. Chairman Thi
responded that the CRA always engages with the relevant religious

HANOI 00002570 002.2 OF 002


organization, whether the ECVN in the north or the Southern
Evangelical Church of Vietnam (SECV) in the south and Central
Highlands. Between the two, Thi admitted that relations with the
SECV are much closer and that the CRA has had more success in
facilitating the group's work in the Central Highlands. The ECVN,
because of "internal problems" and a "shortage of human resources,"
does not often send its pastors to northern provinces, so their work
has been slower than that of the SECV (reftel). For example,
although the ECVN provided a list of 150 "mature" congregations, it
has not yet been able to travel to all of them. However, when the
ECVN does travel to the provinces, the CRA does everything it can to
facilitate meetings with local officials. Thi then volunteered that
the CRA understands that the ECVN must become stronger, and the CRA
will provide technical and other assistance to the ECVN to "improve
the organization's capacity to travel to and work in the north."

National Regulations on Registering
--------------


8. (SBU) On the subject of national regulations that guide
registrations, Chairman Thi said that the implementing decree of the
Ordinance on Religion and Belief is the basic regulation.

Developments in Southern, Central Vietnam
--------------


9. (SBU) Repeating some previously reported information, Chairman
Thi said that there have been many positive developments elsewhere
in Vietnam. For example, in the Central Highlands, 73 congregations
have been recognized and 718 places of worship have been registered.
On September 26, Dak Lak Province had eight new pastors ordained
(in Phuc An Commune in Krong Pa District). The province also began
a second theological training course for 40 individuals, Thi said.
Authorities in the south recently issued religious activities
certificates to three religious groups (the United World Church, the
Association of Meditative Buddhist Home Followers and the Four
Gratitudes) and allowed the Baptists and Mennonites to register, he
continued. Other groups, such as the 7th Day Adventists,
Pentecostal Church and Baha'i, will also be registered soon. As for
central Vietnam, the recent typhoon has delayed the registration of
churches and congregations, but there should be good news in October
and November, Thi pledged.


10. (SBU) In closing, Thi noted that the CRA is now working on
regulations to guide the religious activities of foreigners who come
to Vietnam to do business or reside, "but who practice a religion
that does not exist here." He implied that the new regulations will
permit worshippers of religions "not yet recognized" by the GVN to
be able to apply for permission to hold services. The Charge
concluded by promising that the Mission will meet with Chairman Thi
in one week to learn more about upcoming registrations in the north
and other progress that the CRA will hopefully have to report.

ALOISI