AMBASSADOR'S FAREWELL CALL WITH POLITICAL ACTIVIST NGUYEN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HO CHI MINH CITY 000846 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM SOCI PREL PGOV ECON VM SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S FAREWELL CALL WITH POLITICAL ACTIVIST NGUYEN DAN QUE HO CHI MIN 00000846 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: On August 7, Ambassador Marine met with Dr. Nguyen Dan Que in Ho Chi Minh City to discuss the state of the democracy and human rights movement in Vietnam as well as to inquire after his health and treatment by the GVN since publication in mid-June 2007 of his critical op-ed in the Asian Wall Street Journal. Dr. Que said police surveillance has increased and authorities continue to block his phone and internet service. In spite of these difficulties, Que was simultaneously uncompromising in his criticism of GVN's lack of progress on human rights and hopeful about the democracy movement in Vietnam, which he feels is being bolstered by Vietnam's economic growth and global integration. The Ambassador asked Dr. Que for his views on what the USG and public should do in response to GVN actions and perceived human rights violations. Dr. Que stated that more trade, more fellowship and greater engagement are the keys to change in Vietnam. End Summary. DR. QUE DOING OK, STILL WITHOUT PHONE AND INTERNET -------------- -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Dr. Que was able to attend the meeting with Ambassador Marine at the Caravelle Hotel without interference from the authorities and expressed appreciation to the Ambassador for his efforts to promote better understanding and relations between the United States and Vietnam. The Ambassador inquired about Dr. Que's health and whether police surveillance and interference with his activities has increased since he wrote a highly critical op-ed carried by the Asian Wall Street Journal (WSJ) just prior to President Nguyen Minh Triet's June 22 meeting with President Bush. Dr. Que said his health is good, thanks in part to medication that his brother (prominent Vietnamese American democracy activist Dr. Nguyen Quoc Quan) sends from the United States. He thanked the Ambassador for his assistance in communicating with his family. Since his article was published in the Asian WSJ, Dr. Que said his internet service and telephone service have been blocked by GVN authorities. Dr. Que says that police surveillance has also increased now there are five secret police are stationed outside his home. When Ambassador asked whether Que had any future plans to visit the United States, Que said he still wished to see his brother in Virginia but he is afraid the GVN would not allow him to return to Vietnam afterwards. DR. QUE CALLS TRIET VISIT A FAILURE -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Ambassador Marine noted that in the past six-to-nine months, a number of activists have either been imprisoned or detained and asked Dr. Que about the effect of the GVN dissident crackdown on the democracy movement in Vietnam. Dr. Que said the crackdown has forced the democracy movement to splinter into smaller groups, knowing that if protesters were united they would be easier to repress. Dr. Que said there are more opportunities for simultaneous pressure on the GVN and all are reacting against what Que called the "tyranny of the regime." Que remarked the GVN talks about "people power" in public and in the media, but in reality they have not made any concrete changes in human rights policy. ¶4. (SBU) Dr. Que said that "everyone knows" President Triet's visit to the United States was not a political success for Vietnam. According to Dr. Que, the purpose of President Triet's visit was to garner USG support for the GVN's political reform plan and bring domestic and overseas Vietnamese communities closer together. Que said that, instead of getting praise, President Triet was reprimanded for GVN's human rights abuses by President Bush and the U.S. Congress. DEMOCRATIC CHANGE IS INEVITABLE -------------- ¶5. (SBU) When the Ambassador asked Que about the pace of democratic change in Vietnam, Que said internal change is dependent upon democratic progress in places like the Middle East, Africa and other parts of Asia. He noted the establishment of the ASEAN Human Rights Committee was an important sign of progress in Southeast Asia, and stressed that economic investment, increased trade, and increased fellowship will have the greatest impact on democratic change in Vietnam. Dr. Que believes that Vietnam's younger generation has a critical role in demanding freedom in Vietnam and that their interests are no different from youth around the world. Although younger Vietnamese seem outwardly accepting of social conditions in Vietnam, they are actually fearful underneath, he noted. ¶6. (SBU) When the Ambassador asked whether the Communist Party would ever consent to sharing power in the government, Que said he envisioned two paths of reform: either a change led by HO CHI MIN 00000846 002.2 OF 002 powerful government and business leaders who desire property rights reform in order to protect their newfound wealth, or change led by "peasants and workers" adversely affected by Vietnam's economic liberalization who then pressure the GVN for better laws to protect their rights. In either case, Dr. Que believes Vietnam must have clear and enforceable private ownership laws to sustain economic growth. Que also emphasized that the emergence of a rising middle class is a pre-condition for political change in Vietnam. He is firmly convinced that the WTO ascension will force the GVN to implement legal reforms necessary to maintain economic growth and address social inequities in Vietnam. MORE ENGAGEMENT IS KEY -------------- ¶7. (SBU) The Ambassador asked for Dr. Que's opinion about the view held by some that the USG and the American public should have less economic, social and political engagement with Vietnam in light of GVN human rights policies. Dr. Que emphasized that "more and more" trade, fellowship and economic engagement are the keys to influencing change in Vietnam. ¶8. (SBU) The Ambassador encouraged Dr. Que to maintain contact with the United States Mission, provided the contact did not create additional problems with the GVN authorities. Dr. Que quipped that, although surveillance has increased in recent months, he no longer gets harassing phone calls since the authorities disconnected his telephone. He also remarked that after imprisoning him for 20 years, the GVN finally realized their actions have had no effect on Que's activities or opinions and so, for the most part, they have left him alone. After taking his farewell with Ambassador Marine, POLOFF escorted Dr. Que to a nearby cafe where his son was waiting to take him home. ¶9. (U) This cable was coordinated with Embassy Hanoi and cleared by Ambassador Marine. FAIRFAX