USCIRF Visits Vietnam Again

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HANOI 000595 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/MLS, DRL/IRF and DRL/AWH E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL KIRF VM SUBJECT: USCIRF Visits Vietnam Again Ref Hanoi 500 HANOI 00000595 001.2 OF 003 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: In their fourth visit to Vietnam since 2002, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) repeated familiar criticisms of Vietnam's protections of religious freedom. In official meetings with high-ranking GVN officials, including Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem, GVN officials called on USCIRF to be more "objective" in its reporting on Vietnam and to report on the totality of religious freedom in Vietnam and not just alleged incidents of abuse. GVN officials also asked USCIRF to reconsider its recommendation of Country of Particular Concern (CPC) designation for Vietnam. The delegation met with numerous religious leaders and political dissidents during their two weeks in country. With near unanimity, the religious leaders noted an improved climate for religious freedom since Vietnam's removal as a CPC although problems remain. The GVN facilitated a trip to Nam Ha prison to meet with prisoners of concern Nguyen Van Dai and Father Nguyen Van Ly and also assisted in planning a four-day excursion in the Northwest Highlands for USCIRF staff (septel). End summary. ¶2. (SBU) Following up on their last visit to Vietnam 18 months earlier, a delegation from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF),led by Vice Chairman Cromartie and joined by Commissioner Talal Eid and three Commission staff, spent two weeks visiting Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and the Northwest Highlands from May 11-22 assessing the current situation of religious freedom in Vietnam. Meetings with the Central Government -------------- ¶3. (SBU) In Hanoi, USCIRF held official meetings with Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem, Government Committee for Religious Affairs Vice Chairman Nguyen Thanh Xuan, Vice Minister of Justice Hoang The Lien, Deputy Chairman of the Communist Party's Mass Mobilization Committee Nguyen Manh Hung and Chairman of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs Committee Nguyen Van Son. In Ho Chi Minh City, the delegation also met with Communist Party General Secretary Le Thanh Hai and Chairman of the People's Committee Le Hoang Quan. ¶4. (SBU) Most of the GVN officials above stressed the need for objectivity when reviewing Vietnam's religious freedom situation and complained that the Commission had unveiled a sharply critical annual report on Vietnam, recommending re-designation as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC),only ten days prior to their visit. DPM Khiem remarked that it was important to look at the picture of religious freedom in its totality and not merely focus on outlying problems. He noted that if one were to only focus on human rights abuses in the U.S., mentioning problems with Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo Bay and the FLDS Church in Texas, one would think that there are significant problems in the United States. ¶5. (SBU) All officials stressed the religious diversity of Vietnam, stating that it would be difficult to find another country in the region with the breadth and depth of different religious faiths including large indigenous religions like the Cao Dai and Hoa Hao. Xuan noted that Vietnam has recognized 31 separate religious organizations, including nine different Protestant denominations. Additionally, in the past three years local leaders have registered 1,165 separate meeting points for religious denominations in the Central Highlands, representing 85 percent of religious groups functioning in the area. He promised that the remaining 15 percent would be registered soon. ¶6. (SBU) Most officials were speaking from the same notes regarding Protestantism in the Northwest Highlands, commenting that it represented a "clash of cultures" due to its rapid expansion among ethnic H'mong and its differences with traditional beliefs of ancestor worship. Vice Chairman Xuan and CPV Mass Mobilization Committee's Deputy Hung both stressed the methodical nature of registration of congregations in this area of the country as well and noted that Protestantism in Vietnam has grown from only 300,000 followers in 1975 to close to two million followers today. ¶7. (SBU) Several officials highlighted the fact that three USCIRF Commissioners, including the Chair, chose not to travel to Vietnam at the last minute. Both DPM Khiem, CRA Vice Chairman Xuan and MOJ Vice Minister Lien stated that Vietnam was open to cooperation and dialogue relating to improving the ordinance on religion and belief and also regarding confirmation of specific cases of abuse. Meetings with Religious Leaders -------------- ¶8. (SBU) In Hanoi, the delegation met with recently elected ECVN President Rev. Nguyen Huu Mac; Most Venerable Thich Thanh Tu, Vice HANOI 00000595 002.2 OF 003 President of Executive Committee of the Vietnamese Buddhist Sangha; Archbishop Ngo Quang Kiet; and Pastor Nguyen Trung Ton, leader of the Full Gospel Church in Thanh Hoa Province. The delegation also went to the Thai Ha Parish to meet with parish priests and the eight Catholic parishioners convicted last year for destruction of property and disturbing the peace relating to large-scale prayer-vigils held last year in Hanoi. ¶9. (SBU) Each of the religious leaders noted the continued upward trend of freedom of religion in Vietnam over the past several years. Archbishop Kiet stressed the Catholic Church's desire to expand its charitable activities - such as running schools or hospitals. ECVN President Rev. Mac said that the ECVN hopes to see speedy registration of its congregations in the Northwest Highlands. He said that CRA had promised him that 200 new ECVN congregations would be recognized this year followed by 200 more the following year, with a goal of registering all outstanding congregations by 2011. Pastor Ton thanked the Embassy for intervening on behalf of the Full Gospel Church in Thanh Hoa province and noted that while he had experienced difficulties earlier his current situation is greatly improved. ¶9. (SBU) In HCMC, the delegation held two roundtables - one with nationally recognized Protestant denominations and another with house churches without national recognition. The following Protestant denominations were represented at the roundtable of nationally recognized Protestant denominations: Southern Baptist, Mennonite, Seventh-day Adventist, Presbyterian and Vietnam Baptist (Southern Grace). The following Protestant denominations were represented at the roundtable of unrecognized house churches: Assembly of God, United Baptist, United Gospel Outreach and United Presbyterian. ¶10. (SBU) Religious leaders at both roundtables noted that the government is paying more attention to religious freedom issues. Those churches that have sought and received national recognition commented that the situations of their individual congregations have improved following their national registration. However, pastors at both roundtables said that the law on belief and religion has not been implemented consistently throughout the country and that church registrations still take a long time. ¶11. (SBU) Additionally, the delegation met separately with the following religious leaders while in HCMC: Cardinal Pham Minh Man; unsanctioned Hoa Hao Buddhist leaders; SECV Church leadership in HCMC (President, Vice President and Treasurer); Pastor Siu Y Kim, SECV representative for the Central Highlands; Pastor Tran Th? Trung, Vietnam Good News Mission; Pastor A Dung, representative of the unsanctioned Mennonite Church; Pastor Nguyen Hong Quang, a leader of the unsanctioned Mennonite Church; and Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam Supreme Patriarch Ven. Thich Quang Do. ¶12. (SBU) Cardinal Man relayed that Catholic leadership in HCMC have begun to dialogue with the government on disputed church properties in HCMC. He also said that the Church is very close to getting a license to operate a HIV/AIDS treatment center. The Cardinal commented that international pressure on the GVN can be helpful but it must be done in the right way. Directly criticizing the GVN is not useful, he said. SECV leadership said that the church continues to grow in the Central Highlands, but that they still have 200 properties that were seized after 1975 that they would like returned. The unsanctioned Hoa Hao complained about continued difficulties and their inability to celebrate "disappearance day" of the church's founder. MPS officers attempted to stop the unsanctioned Hoa Hao leaders and Pastor Quang from meeting with USCIRF. Pastor Quang noted that churches that are viewed as "anti-government" experience the most difficulties. He said that persecution of Protestants has declined over the past several years due to international pressure. Thich Quang Do talked primarily about political issues relating to bauxite mining in the Central Highlands and Vietnam's acquiescence to China over territorial claims. Meetings with Political Dissidents -------------- ¶13. (SBU) In Hanoi, the delegation met with political dissidents Pham Hong Son, Nguyen Khac Toan, Le Quoc Quan, and the wife of imprisoned dissident Nguyen Van Dai. In HCMC, the delegation met with Dr. Nguyen Dan Que and the mother of imprisoned dissident Le Thi Cong Nhan. The delegation also wanted to meet with Do Nam Hai and attorney Le Tran Luat in HCMC but were unable to do so since both had been called in for questioning by the police. The above dissidents uniformly noted the decline in political freedoms over the past two or three years and called on the government to respect the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and the right to freedom of speech. The delegation also traveled to Nam Ha prison in Ha Nam province in order to meet with well-known prisoners of concern human HANOI 00000595 003.2 OF 003 rights lawyer Nguyen Van Dai and Bloc 8406 founder Father Nguyen Van Ly (reftel). ¶14. (U) Following the departure of both commissioners, the remaining USCIRF staff and PolOff traveled for four days in the Northwest Highland provinces of Son La and Dien Bien. The travel of USCIRF staff in the Northwest Highlands will be reported septel. ¶15. (U) The USCIRF delegation did not have an opportunity to clear this cable.