LAND RIGHTS ACTIVIST DEMONSTRATION, HO CHI MINH CITY (HCMC)

UNCLAS HO CHI MINH CITY 000294 DEPARTMENT FOR DS/IP/EAP, DS/TIA/ITA, DS/TIA/PII E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ASEC VM SUBJECT: LAND RIGHTS ACTIVIST DEMONSTRATION, HO CHI MINH CITY (HCMC) REF: HO CHI MINH 276 On April 15, 2009, outside the U.S. Consulate Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC),Vietnam, approximately 30 land rights activists from Tien Giang province peacefully demonstrated against what they claim to be unfair compensation for their land by the Government of Vietnam (GVN). The demonstration began at 9:45pm directly outside the U.S. Consulate, where demonstrators held up signs and sat on the sidewalk. Additional police support arrived within 5 minutes and convinced the demonstrator to move across the street. The demonstrators moved across the street from the Consulate at 10:25am, then departed the area via bus at 11:25am. On April 16, 2009, outside the U.S. Consulate Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC),Vietnam, approximately 20 land rights activists from Tien Giang, Ben Tre, Long An, and An Gian provinces peacefully demonstrated against what they claim to be unfair compensation for their land by the Government of Vietnam (GVN). The demonstration began at 10:45pm directly outside the U.S. Consulate, where demonstrators held up signs and sat on the sidewalk. Additional police support arrived within 5 minutes and again convinced the demonstrator to move across the street from the Consulate. Within 20 minutes of moving across the street, the demonstrators departed the area of foot escorted by police. A diplomatic note (dipnote) was sent last week to the GVN regarding previous land rights demonstrations and the need for a designated demonstration area on the opposite side of the street from the Consulate. The GVN has been responsive to the dipnote and the last two demonstrations have been moved to suitable areas across the street from the Consulate. FAIRFAX