GVN REPORT ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 HANOI 000638

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SUBJECT: GVN REPORT ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

REF: HANOI 582

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1. (SBU) On March 10, the GVN's Committee on Religious
Affairs (CRA) sent the Ambassador a report on religious
conditions in Vietnam in 2005 (unofficial translation in
paragraph 4). The first part of the report lists Vietnam's
achievements in promoting religious freedom in 2005, and the
second part focuses on developments for Protestants across
different regions. The report recognizes that Vietnam's
record is not perfect, but ultimately concludes that, one
year after the promulgation of the Ordinance on Religion and
the Prime Minister's Instruction on Protestantism, Vietnam's
religious conditions are better than ever.


2. (SBU) Comment: While we agree that conditions for
religious believers in Vietnam have significantly improved
over the past twelve months, the CRA report is more
interesting for what it omits rather than what it reports.
While making clear that much work remains to be done in the
Northwest Highlands, the report avoids comment on the CRA's
notable failure to induce local authorities there to follow
the GVN's religious policies, particularly as they pertain
to the registration of EVCN sub-congregations. It also
glosses over a number of unresolved problems in the Central
Highlands and elsewhere in southern and central Vietnam,
including the continuing closure of some SECV "meeting
points," local-level harassment of house churches and a slow
and uneven process of registration and recognition of church
organizations, particularly those affiliated with ethnic
minority groups.


3. (SBU) Comment, cont'd: The report also does not indicate
whether any local officials were reprimanded or punished for
violating the rights of religious believers. Furthermore,
it does not address continuing tensions in the Hoa Hao
community, the banning of the Unified Buddhist Church of
Vietnam (UBCV) or the long-pending request of the Catholic
Church to open another seminary in Dong Nai Province.
(Note: These last three issues were not part of the May
2005 exchange of letters. End Note.) According to the CRA,
this report is meant to be the province-by-province
breakdown of achievements in religious freedom that the CRA
promised to provide to Ambassador Hanford during his recent
visit (reftel),but does not meet that requirement.
Nevertheless, the fact that the CRA provided us with this
report shows an effort on their part to be responsive to our
religious freedom concerns. End comment.


4. (SBU) Begin unofficial translation of text:

TITLE: Religious Situation in Vietnam after One Year of
Implementation of the Ordinance on Religion and Belief and
the Prime Minister's Instruction on Protestantism.

Vietnam is a multi-religion and multi-ethnicity nation of
more than 80 million people from 54 ethnic groups. There
are six religions with about 20 million believers, 60,000
clergy and priests, 22,000 places of worship. Sixteen
religious organizations have been recognized, which are
operating in a normal manner. They are: the Catholic Church
of Vietnam, the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, the Evangelical
Church of Vietnam North (ECVN),the Southern Evangelical
Church of Vietnam (SECV),the Hoa Hao Buddhist Church, nine
Cao Dai Churches and two Muslim Representative Boards.

After one year of implementation of the Ordinance on
Religion and Belief and the Prime Minister's Instruction,
new developments regarding religious life in Vietnam have
been achieved.


I. Religious activities, including rites of worship and
celebrations of major religious events, were conducted in a
normal manner. Celebrations of Buddha's birthday,
Christmas, foundation anniversaries of Cao Dai and Hoa Hao
Buddhism and the observance of Ramadan all were conducted in
a solemn and respectful manner according to religious
rituals, attracting a large number of participants and
ensuring safety.

In 2005, the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha held rites of prayers
for those who sacrificed themselves during national
resistances, as well as common people who died of hunger in

1945.

The Episcopal Council of Vietnam conducted the 27th La Vang
pilgrimage festival that attracted tens of thousands of
participants; Catholic diocese and churches nationwide
conducted prayer sessions for Pope John Paul II; a
delegation of the Catholic Church of Vietnam traveled to

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Rome to attend his funeral and the installation of Benedict
XVI.

The ECVN held its 50th founding anniversary celebration,
conducting the General Spiritual Assembly for pastors,
preachers, lay preachers and believers. Christmas was
observed at numerous Catholic and Protestant communities in
remote places, especially in Central Highland localities
where many ethnic believers live.

Generally speaking, major religious events were celebrated
in a more solemn manner, attracting a large number of
participants who showed trust in the Party's and State's
religious policies.

II. Religious organizations were more pro-active with
respect to their own organizational consolidation,
promotions, appointments and transfers of religious clergy
and priests, according to their organizations' charters and
legal provisions. The Buddhist Sangha of Vietnam named
additional personnel to a number of functional departments
affiliated with their Executive Council, as well as
provincial departments for Buddhist Affairs; a number of new
provincial departments of Buddhist affairs were established.

The Catholic Church of Vietnam split the Xuan Loc Diocese
into Xuan Loc Diocese in Dong Nai Province, and Ba Ria
Diocese in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, the 26th Catholic
diocese in Vietnam.

With the approval of the Prime Minister, the Vatican
appointed Bishop Ngo Quang Kiet to be Archbishop of Hanoi;
Xuan Loc Auxiliary Bishop Nguyen Van Tram to be Bishop of Ba
Ria; Coadjutor Bishop Nguyen Thanh Hoan to be Bishop of Phan
Thiet; Priest Le Van Hong to be Auxiliary Archbishop of Hue;
Priest Vo Duc Minh to be Coadjutor Bishop of Nha Trang; and
Priest Nguyen Van De to be Auxiliary Bishop of Bui Chu.

In 2005, the SECV conducted its General Assembly for the
period of 2005-2009.

Other religious organizations such as Tien Thien and Chon Ly
Cao Dai Churches conducted congresses for their new
administrative terms, appointing dignitaries and additional
personnel to their executive boards at provinces.

The Hoa Hao Buddhist Church consolidated executive boards at
the grassroots level following its second-term congress.

The An Giang provincial Muslim Representative Board was
established and began operation.

According to formal statistics, some 800 priests received
nominations and promotions; 605 priests received
appointments; and 337 priests were transferred.

III. Activities to train religious dignitaries and priests
were maintained and expanded. Buddhist schools at the
intermediate and higher level received high numbers of
enrollment in the new school year. Buddhist academies are
accelerating preparations for the expansion of facilities
and improvement of training quality. Specially, the Vietnam
Buddhist Sangha is working on a plan to build up an Academy
on Khmer Hinayana Buddhism, which is supported by local
authorities. Catholic seminaries enrolled larger numbers of
students: the Hanoi Seminary now enrolls students every
year (instead of every two years),and the Sao Bien Seminary
in Nha Trang (of Khanh Hoa Province) opened short-term
classes for elderly priests to complete their training. The
SECV-affiliated Institute of Bible and Theology opened a
second training course, and enrollments doubled the number
of students attending the first course. The SECV Executive
Board also opened classes for ethnic pastors, preachers and
lay preachers who had not received training in Gia Lai, Dak
Nong and Dak Lak provinces. Classes on Hoa Hao Buddhist
philosophy were conducted, attracting a high number of
attendees. The An Giang provincial and Ho Chi Minh City
Muslim Representative Boards facilitated traveling to Mecca
of a number of Muslim believers and conducted a Koran
reading contest.

In 2005, 6,963 students graduated from schools run by
religious organizations; the number of new enrollments was
5,584, and the current number of attendees is 4,563.

IV. Publication of the Bible, prayer books and other
religious materials was maintained and met religious demand.
In 2005, the Publishing House for Religious Materials issued
permission for the publishing of 450 major items, with more

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than one million copies, and more than 60 other
publications. The ECVN received permission to publish its
monthly Fellowship Journal.


V. Expanded international relations with religious
organizations was encouraged and supported. At the
beginning of the year, a Buddhist delegation from France led
by the Most Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh returned to visit
Vietnam at the invitation of the International Buddhist
Affairs Department affiliated with the VBS. The delegation
spent three months in Vietnam, conducting religious
activities at places in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hue and
Binh Dinh Province. A delegation of various Vietnamese
religious dignitaries attended the ASEM Belief Exchange in
Bali of Indonesia. VBS sent a delegation of dignitaries to
attend the 4th Buddhist Summit Conference in Thailand. VBS
delegations paid visits to Cambodia and Laos to hold talks
on Buddhist affairs. VBS received and held talks with many
Buddhist and international delegations to discuss Buddhist
affairs in Vietnam.

The Episcopal Council of Vietnam joined the Asian Episcopal
Council and sent a delegation to attend the Young Catholics
Assembly. A Vatican delegation led by Cardinal Sepe visited
Vietnam at the invitation of the Episcopal Council of
Vietnam and attended a number of religious activties in the
dioceses they visited.

Relations etween the An Giang provincial and Ho Chi Minh
Ciy Muslim Representative Boards with regional Musli
organizations have been encouraged; there have een some
exchanges involving visits and financial assistance for the
reconstruction of places of worship and scholarships.

In 2005, 334 dignitaries and priests went abroad to attend
conferences, classes and religious activities.

VI. Charitable activities by religious organizations were
encouraged, with good results. Religious organizations
actively participated in social, charitable and educational
projects. Tens of thousands of people, including the
elderly, orphans, disadvantaged people and HIV-AIDS patients
enjoyed free medical care and treatment at various
establishments run by individual dignitaries/priests or
religious organizations.

VII. Local authorities facilitated requests concerning the
renovation, upgrading and construction of facilities
belonging to places of religious worship. Just within one
year, quite a number of Buddhist temples, churches and
religious places were upgraded or built. Notably, land has
been located for a number of Protestant congregations in
Central Highlands for the construction of churches.

According to formal statistics, in 2005, 242 establishments
of belief and religious worship were built; 320
establishments were upgraded and renovated.

VIII. Apart from formally recognized religious
organizations, a number of new religious organizations and
denominations, operating in a normal manner, conducted
religious activities at nearly 500 places of religious
worship and meeting points, and have 1.5 million believers
and over 5,000 dignitaries, priests and lay men. These not-
yet-recognized organizations include various Protestant
denominations, "Serene and Pure Land" Buddhist Association,
"Tu An Hieu Nghia" and the Bahai. The Government Committee
on Religius Affairs has been coordinating efforts with local
authorities to conduct examinations, working on instructions
regarding registration of religious activities, which may
facilitate recognition according to provisions of the
Ordinance on Religion and Belief.

TITLE: Situation of Protestantism in Vietnam after One Year
of Implementation of the Prime Minister's Instruction.

SUB-HEADING: Regarding the Central Highlands (including Five
Central Highlands Provinces and Binh Phuoc Province):

During one year of implementation of the Ordinance on
Religion and Belief, and especially the Prime Minister's
Instruction, religious activities by Protestant believers in
the five central highlands provinces and Binh Phuoc Province
took place in accordance with legal provisions.

Twelve SECV-affiliated Protestant congregations were
recognized; the total number of State-sanctioned Protestant
congregations in the region is now fifty.


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Seventeen sub-congregations have been established in Dak
Nong Province, which are expected to be recognized after six
months.

Some 684 Protestant groups have registered for activities
and permanent meeting points with authorities at the
grassroots level.

Three theological classes opened for thirty-five
participants from Dak Lak Province, forty-six from Gia Lai
Province and thirty-two from Dak Nong Province. Two classes
will be opened in Binh Phuoc and Lam Dong provinces.

Land has been allocated for the construction of churches for
five congregations, including three in Dak Lak Province and
two in Gia Lai Province; churches affiliated with Betel
congregation in Ia Hru commune, Chu Se district and Gia Lai
Province were inaugurated.

Authorities are considering an SECV request to publish the
Bible in ethnic languages, such as Jarai, Ede and Bana
languages.

SUB-HEADING: Up to December 2005, in the Central Highlands
and Binh Phuoc Province region:

Fifty congregations have been recognized. Seventeen sub-
congregations have been recognized. 684 groups have
registered for activities and permanent meeting points with
authorities at grassroots level.

The majority of SECV-affiliated Protestants in the Central
Highlands were able to practice their faith according to the
Ordinance on Belief and Religion and the Prime Minister's
Instruction.

In addition, authorities of Central Highlands provinces have
guided the registration of activities and meeting points for
a number of unrecognized Adventist and Christian and
Missionary Alliance (CMA) groups.

In 2005, local authorities guided and facilitated solemn and
peaceful Christmas celebrations at meeting points, and for
congregations and sub-congregations.

The Government Committee on Religious Affairs conducted
training classes on Protestantism for officials at the
grassroots level, and promoted the consideration process
regarding recognition of congregations and sub-congregations
and registration of meeting points of Protestant groups.

SUB-HEADING: Regarding the Northern Mountainous Region
(Northwest Highlands):

Results in implementing the Ordinance and the Instructions:

--Built a working plan to implement the Prime Minister's
Instructions regarding Protestantism in the Northwestern
region.

--Provided provinces with guidance on how to facilitate
religious activities at home.

--Prepared training documents for local cadres, while
working on instructions for authorities at the grassroots
level regarding registration of activities by religious
organizations in the second and third quarters of 2006.

SUB-HEADING: Regarding the ECVN:

--Provided guidance on legal procedures concerning their
request for a land use rights certificate with respect to
the property at 2 Ngo Tram (Note: This is the ECVN's
headquarters in Hanoi. End Note).

--Provided guidance on procedure regarding the re-
establishment of Thanh Hoa Protestant Church.

--Facilitated appointments of pastors-in-charge for
Haiphong, Thai Binh, Nam Dinh, Ha Nam, Phuc Yen and Ha Tay
congregations.

--Approved the publication of the Church's monthly
Fellowship Journal.

--Provided guidance on procedures for the establishment of
Thuy Nguyen sub-congregation affiliated with Haiphong Church
and Ha Long sub-congregation affiliated with Quang Ninh
Church.

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--Located land for Bac Son congregation (in Lang Son
Province) to construct a church.

CONCLUSION: In short, after one year of implementation of
the Ordinance and the Instruction, Vietnam's religious
conditions have significantly improved. Despite the fact
that there were difficulties in some locations at some
points, both in terms of religious activities and State-
management, the significant progress in terms of religious
activity confirmed the fact that Vietnam's policies of
respecting freedom of religion and belief have come into
life. Quite a number of believers and those among the
clergy are enjoying the insurance of State policies and
laws; [and are] working toward a "good life, good religion"
motto, contributing to the construction and defense of the
Socialist Republic of Vietnam, for the sake of a "rich
people, strong country, and just, democratic and civilized
society." End unofficial translation.

MARINE