DAS MARCIEL MEETS HANOI ARCHBISHOP, DISCUSSES CHURCH LAND

UNCLAS HANOI 001057 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/MLS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM KIRF PREL PGOV VM SUBJECT: DAS MARCIEL MEETS HANOI ARCHBISHOP, DISCUSSES CHURCH LAND DISPUTES REF: HANOI 1007 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. FOR INTERNAL USG USE. NOT SUITABLE FOR INTERNET POSTING. ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. EAP DAS Scot Marciel had a very warm meeting with Archbishop Joseph Ngo that focused on Catholic land rights claims in Hanoi. The Archbishop reviewed the Catholic Church's long-running attempts to regain its land and the lack of response from the government. He criticized the police's use of force against parishioners at the Thai Ha parish prayer vigils and the public misinformation campaign by local media. The Archbishop confirmed that priests in the Archdiocese had read from the pulpit a statement of church support of the Thai Ha parishioners. The stakes continue to rise, with thousands of Thai Ha parishioners attending vigils; on September 10, four more parishioners were arrested, bringing the total number to seven. END SUMMARY. Archbishop on Catholic Land Rights -------------- ¶2. (SBU) In a September 10 meeting with visiting EAP DAS Scot Marciel, Archbishop Ngo Quang Kiet explained that the Archdiocese has applied to reclaim land every year since 1995, but emphasized that the Church only sought the return of land that is currently unused or is being used for "insignificant" purposes. He commented that the GVN built many schools and hospitals on what used to be Catholic Church property and that the Church has not attempted to reclaim these properties. What is particularly upsetting to parishioners is when the government attempts to sell disputed property for speculative purposes. [Comment: Increasing property values in part at least explain the general up tick in ownership disputes, not just those involving former Church land. End comment.] In 2002, Vietnam's Episcopal Council asked formally for previously held land to be returned in order to conduct necessary Church activities, but has never received a response from the GVN. ¶3. (SBU) Regarding the Thai Ha parish (reftel),the Archbishop explained that the land belonging to the monastery does not directly fall under the Archdiocese. He stated that the parish is interested in finding a resolution to the ongoing dispute. But he said this was impossible while the state-controlled media continued its slanderous attacks on the Catholic Church and the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) continued to hold parishioners in detention. He stated that under present circumstances, the parish had no other recourse than to continue the prayer vigils. ¶4. (SBU) The Archbishop affirmed the fraternal communion that the Archdiocese has with the Thai Ha parish and criticized the state-controlled media for spreading misinformation about the parish and the prayer vigils. He also disparaged the government's use of force, including electric batons and tear gas, on peaceful parishioners. In response, all eighty-two priests in the Archdiocese signed a letter condemning the GVN's brutal actions and use of force. This letter was read from the pulpit in all churches within the Archdiocese. ¶5. (SBU) Turning to the other high-profile Church land dispute in Hanoi involving the former Papal Nuncio residence at Nha Chung, the Archbishop noted that the GVN had refused to discuss the property until last December's large-scale prayer vigils at the site near Hanoi's largest church. These demonstrations continued until the beginning of the Tet holiday, when the authorities offered to discuss the return of Church property. However, once the parishioners stopped their prayer vigils, negotiations became harsh and unproductive, the Archbishop remarked. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶6. (SBU) The Thai Ha issue remains unresolved and both sides continue to raise the stakes. The twice-daily prayer vigils continue unabated and attendance has exceeded several thousand parishioners for the past 12 days. Catholic Bishops from outside Hanoi have been traveling to the parish with their parishioners to show solidarity and some have had their buses turned away by the MPS. On September 10, police arrested a further four parishioners, nominally in response to the earlier destruction of a brick wall at the disputed property. According to Thai Ha parish priests, the total number of parishioners in jail is currently seven.