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| Identifier | Subject | Date | Office | Classification | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 00HANOI2047 |
MEETING WITH THICH THAI HOA [...] No summary [...] |
2000-09-14 10:18:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KIRF KPAO PREL PGOV VM UNGA HUMANR RELFREE |
| 00HANOI2421 |
PROGRESS TOWARD PROTESTANT RECOGNITION [...] THIS IS AN ACTION MESSAGE FOR DRL/CRT. 2. THE GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE ON RELIGION ON OCTOBER 21 RELEASED A COMMUNIQUE ANNOUNCING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HANOI 02421 020714Z "MOBILIZATION BOARD" OF 25 PROTESTANT MINISTERS TO PREPARE FOR A C [...] |
2000-11-02 07:02:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM KIRF PREL VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 01HANOI1217 |
A/S KELLY DISCUSSION WITH FM NIEN: REGIONAL ISSUES, BTA, DISSIDENTS [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: ON MAY 18, FOLLOWING ARF MEETINGS IN HANOI, ASSISTANT SECRETARY KELLY MET WITH VIETNAMESE FOREIGN MINISTER NIEN AND TOOK THE OCCASION TO VOICE STRONG CONCERNS AT THE REPORTED ARREST ON MAY 17 OF OUTSPOKEN HUE-BASED CATHOLIC PRIEST NGUYEN VAN LY, AND THE REPORTED SUMMONS OF UN [...] |
2001-05-18 10:32:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV PHUM VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 01HANOI1388 |
EMBASSY REPRESENTATIONS ON ACTIONS AGAINST DISSIDENTS; WHAT DRIVES THE GVN? [...] (SBU) REFTEL PROVIDES LATEST AVAILABLE INFORMATION ON GVN ACTIONS AGAINST SENIOR MONKS OF THE UNIFIED BUDDHIST CHURCH OF VIETNAM (UBCV). THE AMBASSADOR AND OTHER EMBASSY/CONGEN OFFICIALS HAVE WEIGHED IN AT VARIOUS LEVELS, URGING THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE DETENTION ORDER BE LIFTED FROM THICH QUA [...] |
2001-06-08 04:57:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KIRF VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 01HANOI2088 |
STAFFDEL REES MEETINGS WITH SRV OFFICIALS ON RELIGIOUS AND MINORITY AFFAIRS [...] (SBU) SUMMARY. COUNSEL TO THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS JOSEPH REES AND CHIEF OF STAFF TO THE HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER BRIAN GUNDERSON MET WITH OFFICIALS OF THE GVN'S COMMITTEE ON RELIGION AND THE COMMITTEE FOR ETHNIC MINORITIES AND MOUNTAINOUS AREAS AUGUST 10, ACCOMPANIED BY [...] |
2001-08-27 06:11:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PREF PHUM VM HUMANR ETMIN RELFREE |
| 01HANOI2136 |
STAFFDEL REES VISIT TO CATHOLIC CHARITY IN HCMC [...] (U) CLASSIFIED BY: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES ROBERT PORTER. CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HANOI 02136 01 OF 02 300933Z REASON: 1.5 (B) AND (D). 2. (C) SUMMARY: IN A MEETING WITH STAFFDEL AT A SHELTER FOR GIRLS IN HCMC, A CATHOLIC NUN DESCRIBED A GRADUAL TENDENCY ON THE PA [...] |
2001-08-30 08:19:00 | Embassy Hanoi | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM KIRF VM RELFREE HUMANR |
| 01HANOI2150 |
STAFFDEL MEETING AND ATTEMPTED MEETING WITH RELIGIOUS FIGURES IN HCMC [...] (U) CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D'AFFAIRES ROBERT PORTER. REASON: 1.5 (B) AND (D). 2. (C) SUMMARY: ON AUGUST 14, STAFFDEL REES MET IN HCMC WITH HOA HAO RELIGIOUS ELDER TRAN HUU DUYEN WHO PASSED A LIST OF 20 HOA HAO PRISONERS, SOME OF WHOM MISSION PREVIOUSLY HAD BEEN UNAWARE. ON THE SAME DAY, THE [...] |
2001-08-31 06:53:00 | Embassy Hanoi | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM KIRF VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 01HANOI2152 |
STAFFDEL MEETING WITH ETHNIC MINORITY UNIVERSITY STUDENTS [...] (U) CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE DQAFFAIRES ROBERT PORTER. REASON: 1.5 (B) AND (D). 2. (C) SUMMARY: ETHNIC MINORITY STUDENTS DESCRIBED TO STAFFDEL REES THE FEBRUARY/MARCH UNREST IN THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS, EXPRESSED CONCERN OVER THE PEOPLE SEEKING REFUGE IN CAMBODIA, NOTED GOVERNMENT EFFORTS TO SOLVE [...] |
2001-08-31 07:54:00 | Embassy Hanoi | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PINS PGOV KIRF VM CB ETMIN HUMANR RELFREE |
| 01HANOI2591 |
IMPACT OF VHRA DEBATE ON PROTESTANTS [...] (U) CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D'AFFAIRES ROBERT C. PORTER, REASON: 1.5 (D) 2. (C) SUMMARY. REACTION IN VIETNAM TO THE VIETNAM HUMAN RIGHTS ACT MAY HAVE CREATED A NEW OBSTACLE FOR POSSIBLE LEGAL RECOGNITION OF AN UNDERGROUND BAPTIST GROUP. THE ATMOSPHERE ALSO APPARENTLY REMAINS TOO "SENSITIVE" [...] |
2001-10-09 10:42:00 | Embassy Hanoi | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM SOCI PREL PINS VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 01HANOI2658 |
HANOI MUSLIM COMMUNITY RETICENT ON RECENT EVENTS [...] (U) HANOI'S TINY VIETNAMESE MUSLIM COMMUNITY (NO MORE THAN A COUPLE OF DOZEN PEOPLE) HAS NOT NOTICEABLY REACTED TO THE SEPTEMBER 11 TERRORIST ACTS IN THE US AND SUBSEQUENT INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE UNDER OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM, ACCORDING TO THE RESIDENT MANAGER OF HANOI'S SOLE MOSQUE. THE O [...] |
2001-10-12 11:26:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PINS KPAO PTER VM HUMANR CTERR RELFREE |
| 01HANOI2740 |
POTUS VISIT AND BTA STIMULATED PROTESTANT [...] (U) CLASSFIED BY POLITICAL COUNSELOR SCOTT D. BELLARD, REASON 1.5 (D) 2. (C ) THEN-PRESIDENT CLINTON'S VISIT TO VIETNAM IN NOVEMBER 200 CAUSED THE SRV TO FACILITATE PROTESTANT CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HANOI 02740 190724Z CHURCH EFFORTS TO REGISTER, ACCORDI [...] |
2001-10-19 07:12:00 | Embassy Hanoi | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PINS PREL PGOV VM RELFREE HUMANR ETMIN BTA |
| 01HANOI2789 |
FATHER NGUYEN VAN LY: WHY AND WHAT NEXT [...] (U) CLASSIFIED BY POL/C SCOTT BELLARD, REASON: 1.5 (D) 2. (C) SUMMARY. FATHER LY'S HARSH SENTENCE STEMS FROM THE VERY DIFFERENT PERCEPTIONS THE VIETNAMESE HAVE CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HANOI 02789 01 OF 02 241032Z ABOUT RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AND THE BOUNDARIES [...] |
2001-10-24 10:20:00 | Embassy Hanoi | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PINS PREL VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 01HANOI2884 |
GVN'S REACTION TO FATHER LY AND TRAN KHUE [...] CLASSIFIED BY POL/C SCOTT D. BELLARD, REASON 1.5 (D) 2. (U) SUMMARY: THE GVN EXPLAINS ITS STERN TREATMENT OF THOSE IT DEEMS "POLITICAL" ACTIVISTS SUCH AS FATHER LY AND TRAN KHUE IN TERMS OF DEFENDING NATIONAL UNITY. THE GVN SEEMS PARTICULARLY SENSITIVE TO ITS OWN CITIZENS' CRITIQUES WH [...] |
2001-11-05 09:41:00 | Embassy Hanoi | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV PINS VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 01HANOI2924 |
HOA HAO MONK THREATENING IMMOLATION [...] (SBU) ON NOVEMBER 8, CONGEN POLOFF CONTACTED TWO HOA HAO BUDDHIST ELDERS IN HCMC TO CONFIRM DETAILS OF A NOVEMBER 6 PRESS RELEASE BY A U.S.-BASED HOA HAO ORGANIZATION THAT A HOA HAO MONK WAS THREATENING SELF-IMMOLATION. POLOFF CALLED TRAN HUU DUYEN, A HOA HAO ELDER WHO WAS RELEASED FROM PRIS [...] |
2001-11-08 09:49:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KIRF VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 01HANOI2949 |
CATHOLIC COMMUNITIES ALONG ROUTE ONE [...] (U) CLASSIFIED BY ROBERT C. PORTER, JR., CHARGE D'AFFAIRES, A.I., REASON: 1.5 (D) 2. (C) SUMMARY. EVIDENCE OF CATHOLIC LIFE ALONG ROUTE ONE BETWEEN HO CHI MINH CITY AND HANOI IS ABUNDANT IN MANY SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL LOCATIONS BUT TENDS TO DIMINISH FARTHER NORTH. BISHOPS AND PRIESTS REPOR [...] |
2001-11-13 06:37:00 | Embassy Hanoi | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM SOCI PREL VM RELFREE HUMANR ETMIN |
| 01HANOI2962 |
NHAN DAN ON FATHER LY'S SENTENCE [...] (U) A SIGNED COMMENTARY UNDER THE HEADLINE OF "NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO INTERFERE" IN NHAN DAN, THE LEADING PARTY DAILY NEWSPAPER, ON NOVEMBER 13 DENOUNCED FOREIGN MEDIA COVERAGE, ESPECIALLY BY RFI AND BBC, REGARDING THE 15 YEAR UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HANOI 02962 [...] |
2001-11-14 01:19:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM SOCI PINS VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 01HANOI313 |
LARGE-SCALE PROTESTS END IN CENTRAL HIGHLANDS, 20 DEMONSTRATORS ARRESTED [...] (U) CLASSIFIED BY ACTING DCM ROBERT DRY; REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D). 2. (C) SUMMARY: REPORTS FROM THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS PROVINCES OF GIA LAI AND DAKLAK SUGGEST LARGE-SCALE DEMONSTRATIONS HAVE ENDED FOLLOWING THE ARRESTS OF AT LEAST 20 PROTESTERS. THOUSANDS OF VIETNAM'S ETHNIC MINORITIES PRO [...] |
2001-02-09 10:49:00 | Embassy Hanoi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM SOCI PINR VM RELFREE HUMANR ETMIN |
| 01HANOI3269 |
VIETNAM: "RIGHTS OF PERSONS" EMPHASIZED AT THE CONSULTATIVE GROUP OF DONORS MEETING [...] SUMMARY: AT THE CONSULTATIVE GROUP OF DONORS MEETING IN HANOI ON DECEMBER 7-8, THERE WAS A WELCOME MESSAGE FROM DONORS ON THE ISSUE OF "RIGHTS" WRIT LARGE. THE CONSISTENCY AND THE CLARITY OF THE STATEMENTS BY BOTH INDIVIDUAL DELEGATIONS AND NGOS ARE WORTH NOTING. WHILE IT IS CLEAR THAT FOR [...] |
2001-12-17 09:13:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM ELAB ECON EAID VM RELFREE HUMANR ETMIN |
| 01HANOI3273 |
QNEW CHALLENGES FOR THE RECENTLY RECOGNIZED PROTESTANTS [...] (U) CLASSIFIED BY POL/C SCOTT D. BELLARD, CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HANOI 03273 01 OF 02 171030Z REASON 1.5 (D) 2. (C) SUMMARY: ACCORDING TO TWO CREDIBLE SOURCES, SINCE OFFICIAL GVN RECOGNITION OF THE SOUTHERN EVANGELICAL CHURCH OF VIETNAM (SECV) IN APRIL, [...] |
2001-12-17 10:06:00 | Embassy Hanoi | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV PINS VM KRIF HUMANR RELFREE |
| 01HANOI396 |
CENTRAL HIGHLANDS APPEAR CALM; VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES MONITORING CLOSELY [...] (U) CLASSIFIED BY ACTING DCM ROBERT DRY; REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D). 2. (C) SUMMARY: THE CAPITALS OF THE TWO KEY CENTRAL HIGHLANDS PROVINCES OF GIA LAI AND DAKLAK HAVE STABILIZED, WITH NO MORE DEMONSTRATIONS SINCE THE WEEKEND OF FEB. 10- 11. POLICE AND MILITARY PRESENCE REMAINS HEAVY IN THE [...] |
2001-02-16 12:06:00 | Embassy Hanoi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM SOCI PINR VM RELFREE HUMANR ETMIN |
| 01HANOI496 |
DISSIDENT FATHER NGUYEN VAN LY AT HIS CHURCH UNDER VIRTUAL HOUSE ARREST [...] (C) SUMMARY: DISSIDENT CATHOLIC PRIEST NGUYEN VAN LY IS UNABLE TO LEAVE HIS CHURCH COMPOUND IN HUE UNDER CONDITIONS RESEMBLING HOUSE ARREST. A PARISH PRIEST IN HO CHI MINH CITY TOLD VISITING REP. SENSENBRENNER FEBRUARY 24 THAT FATHER LY HAS BEEN HELD UNDER "HOUSE ARREST" SINCE HE SUBMITTED WR [...] |
2001-03-02 11:24:00 | Embassy Hanoi | CONFIDENTIAL | KIRF PHUM PREL VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 01HANOI598 |
DIFFERENT VIEW OF HIGHLAND EVENTS [...] (U) CLASSIFIED BY DENNIS G. HARTER, CHARGE D'AFFAIRES, REASONS: 1.5 B AND D. 2. (C) SWEDISH DCM TOLD CHARGE SHE BELIEVED THE REPORTS OF UNREST IN THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS HAVE BEEN HIGHLY EXAGGERATED AND BELIEVES FIRST DEMONSTRATIONS OCCURRED IN LATE JANUARY WELL BEFORE PUBLICITY OF FEBRUARY [...] |
2001-03-14 09:24:00 | Embassy Hanoi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM KIRF SOCI VM ETMIN HUMANR RELFREE |
| 01HANOI900 |
PROTESTANT LEADERS REPORT DESTRUCTION OF CHURCH IN CENTRAL HIGHLANDS, BUT CANNOT CONFIRM DEATHS [...] (U) CLASSIFIED BY POLITICAL COUNSELOR JAMES BRUNO; REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D). 2. (C) SUMMARY: VIETNAMESE PROTESTANT CHURCH SOURCES WITH EXTENSIVE LINKS TO THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS INFORM US THAT RESIDENTS OF GIA LAI PROVINCE, PARTICULARLY, FACE DIFFICULT CONDITIONS, WITH HEAVY POLICE AND SECURIT [...] |
2001-04-17 08:37:00 | Embassy Hanoi | SECRET | PGOV PHUM PREF PREL PINR VM RELFREE HUMANR ETMIN |
| 01HOCHIMINHCITY1040 |
BUDDHIST IMMOLATION IN DANANG [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: THE PARIS-BASED INFORMATION BUREAU OF THE UNIFIED BUDDHIST CHURCH OF VIETNAM (UBCV) AND SEVERAL INTERNATIONAL NEWS SERVICES REPORTED THAT A UBCV LAY BUDDHIST SUPPORTER COMMITTED SUICIDE BY IMMOLATION IN DANANG ON SEPTEMBER 2 TO PROTEST REPRESSION OF THE BANNED UBCV. BUDDHIST OF [...] |
2001-09-05 09:26:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KIRF VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 01HOCHIMINHCITY1201 |
FATHER NGUYEN VAN LY SENTENCED TO 15 YEARS [...] LOCAL MEDIA REPORTED THAT FATHER NGUYEN VAN LY, CATHOLIC PRIEST ARRESTED MAY 17, STOOD TRIAL ON OCTOBER 19 IN THUA THIEN HUE PROVINCE. THE PROVINCIAL PEOPLE'S COURT HANDED DOWN A SENTENCE OF 15 YEARS IMPRISONMENT TO FATHER LY - TWO YEARS FOR DISOBEYING THE "ADMINISTRATIVE PROBATION" (HOUSE AR [...] |
2001-10-23 04:07:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM KIRF VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 01HOCHIMINHCITY1266 |
HOA HAO MONK COMES DOWN FROM THE TREE [...] (U) REFTEL REPORTED THAT ON NOVEMBER 6, HOA HAO BUDDHIST MONK NAM LIEM, OF AN GIANG PROVINCE IN THE MEKONG DELTA, HAD CLIMBED UP A TREE NEAR HIS PAGODA CARRYING A KNIFE AND A CONTAINER OF GASOLINE. HE WAS THREATENING TO IMMOLATE HIMSELF TO PROTEST LOCAL POLICE ENTERING HIS PAGODA AND MAINTAIN [...] |
2001-11-09 09:12:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KIRF VM RELFREE HUMANR |
| 01HOCHIMINHCITY1272 |
RELIGIOUS GROUPS AVOID CONFRONTATION IN CENTRAL HIGHLANDS PROVINCE [...] No summary [...] |
2001-11-13 08:26:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KIRF PGOV PREL PINR VM ETMIN HUMANR RELFREE |
| 01HOCHIMINHCITY1304 |
UPDATE ON HOA HAO MONK WHO CLIMBED THE TREE [...] (U) REF B REPORTED THAT ON NOVEMBER 6, HOA HAO MONK NAM LIEM HAD CLIMBED A TREE IN THE COMPOUND AT HIS PAGODA IN THE MEKONG DELTA CARRYING A CAN OF GASOLINE AND A KNIFE AND THREATENING SUICIDE TO PROTEST LOCAL POLICE ACTIONS AGAINST HIM. REF A REPORTED THAT ON NOVEMBER 9, LIEM CAME DOWN FROM [...] |
2001-11-16 09:28:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KIRF VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 01HOCHIMINHCITY1381 |
RANKING POLITBURO MEMBER TALKS ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS, BILATERAL RELATIONS [...] SUMMARY: AS THE FOURTH-RANKING MEMBER IN VIETNAM'S POLITBURO, HO CHI MINH CITY'S COMMUNIST PARTY SECRETARY NGUYEN MINH TRIET IS A MAJOR POLITICAL FORCE. IN A MEETING WITH CONSUL GENERAL, TRIET EMPHATICALLY DEFENDED VIETNAM'S RECORD ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND RELIGIOUS FREEDOM. BUT HE INVITED CG TO [...] |
2001-12-12 00:22:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM KIRF PINR PREL VM RELFREE HUMANR ETMIN |
| 01HOCHIMINHCITY1411 |
PROTESTANTS WARNED NOT TO "CAUSE PROBLEMS" AT CHRISTMAS [...] (SBU) SEVERAL HCMC PROTESTANT "HOUSE CHURCH" LEADERS TOLD POLOFF ON DECEMBER 19, THAT LOCAL POLICE HAD CALLED THEM IN INDIVIDUALLY DURING THE WEEK OF DECEMBER UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HO CHI 01411 211152Z 9, TO WARN THEM NOT TO USE CHRISTMAS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO [...] |
2001-12-21 11:31:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KIRF VM ETMIN HUMANR RELFREE |
| 01HOCHIMINHCITY260 |
NOTES ON FATHER NGUYEN VAN LY FROM OFFICIAL VIETNAMESE MEDIA SOURCES [...] SUMMARY: FATHER NGUYEN VAN LY SUBMITTED WRITTEN TESTIMONY HIGHLY CRITICAL OF THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT TO THE COMMISSION FOR INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, WHICH HELD HEARINGS IN WASHINGTON ON FEBRUARY 13. FATHER LY HAS SINCE BEEN PLACED UNDER HOUSE ARREST AND HAS BEEN THE TARGET OF EXTREME [...] |
2001-03-12 01:50:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM KIRF PINR VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 01HOCHIMINHCITY488 |
A BIT OF CAO DAI HISTORY [...] POLOFF RECENTLY MET WITH A CAO DAI RELIGIOUS ELDER WHO RELATED AN ANECDOTE REGARDING THE INDOCHINA TALKS HELD IN GENEVA IN 1954. THE SOUTHERN DELEGATION (WHICH INCLUDED ONE CAO DAI REPRESENTATIVE) ATTEMPTED TO MEET PRIVATELY WITH THE VIET MINH DELEGATION HEADED BY PHAM VAN DONG AND PHAN ANH. [...] |
2001-04-26 06:48:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 01HOCHIMINHCITY603 |
UPDATE ON ARREST OF DISSIDENT CATHOLIC PRIEST AND THREATS TO BUDDHIST, HOA HAO DISSIDENTS [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: AS REPORTED REFTEL, POLICE IN THUA-THIEN HUE PROVINCE ARRESTED FATHER LY ON MAY 17. VIETNAM NEWS MEDIA REPORTED THE ARREST, INCLUDING SOME FOOTAGE SHOWN ON A LOCAL PROVINCIAL NEWS CHANNEL. THERE ARE CONFLICTING REPORTS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT PARISHIONERS ATTEMPTED TO PREVENT THE [...] |
2001-05-18 10:27:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 01HOCHIMINHCITY631 |
THICH QUANG DO'S MARCH 29 LETTER [...] REF C REPORTED THAT DISSIDENT UBCV BUDDHIST MONK THICH QUANG DO TOLD GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS THAT IF THICH HUYEN QUANG, UBCV PATRIARCH, WAS NOT ALLOWED TO RETURN TO HCMC FROM DETENTION IN QUANG NGAI PROVINCE, THEN DO WOULD GO TO UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HO CHI 00631 [...] |
2001-05-25 02:04:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 01HOCHIMINHCITY632 |
PROMINENT BUDDHIST MONK SETS DEADLINE IN SHOWDOWN WITH AUTHORITIES [...] (U) SUMMARY: ON MAY 21, THICH QUANG DO SENT A LETTER TO GOVERNMENT LEADERS IN HANOI URGING THEM TO ISSUE A DOCUMENT ALLOWING UBCV PATRIARCH THICH HUYEN QUANG TO RETURN TO HCMC. IN THE LETTER, DO SAID THAT IF THE DOCUMENT WAS NOT ISSUED BY JUNE 7, HE WOULD GO TO QUANG NGAI PROVINCE (WHERE QUAN [...] |
2001-05-25 02:05:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM VM RELFREE HUMANR |
| 01HOCHIMINHCITY684 |
TENSIONS REMAIN HIGH IN STANDOFF WITH BUDDHISTS [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: TENSIONS REMAIN HIGH IN HCMC AND HUE AS POLICE MAINTAINED TIGHT SURVEILLANCE OVER SEVERAL PAGODAS WHOSE RESIDENTS INCLUDE MONKS LOYAL TO THE BANNED UNIFIED BUDDHIST CHURCH OF VIETNAM (UBCV). UBCV MONKS FROM VARIOUS LOCATIONS IN SOUTHERN VIETNAM HAD PLANNED TO CONGREGATE IN CENT [...] |
2001-06-07 09:28:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KIRF VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 01HOCHIMINHCITY688 |
UPDATE ON ARREST OF FATHER NGUYEN VAN LY [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: A RELIABLE CATHOLIC SOURCE IN HCMC SAID THAT FATHER NGUYEN VAN LY BEGAN A HUNGER STRIKE WHEN HE WAS ARRESTED ON MAY 17. ON MAY 29 OR MAY 30, POLICE TRANSFERRED HIM FROM JAIL TO A MILITARY HOSPITAL IN HUE. FATHER LY REPORTEDLY REFUSED TO ACCEPT INTRAVENOUS SOLUTIONS, BUT EVENTUA [...] |
2001-06-08 07:37:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KIRF VM RELFREE HUMANR |
| 01HOCHIMINHCITY699 |
BUDDHIST TENSIONS CONTINUE [...] SBU) SUMMARY: REFTELS REPORTED THE HOUSE ARREST OF UBCV BUDDHIST THICH QUANG DO AFTER HE CALLED FOR UBCV BUDDHISTS TO TRAVEL UNAUTHORIZED TO QUANG NGAI PROVINCE ON JUNE 7 WITH THE PURPOSE OF RETURNING UBCV PATRIARCH THICH HUYEN QUANG FROM CONFINEMENT IN QUANG NGAI TO HCMC. AS MANY AS 100 BUDD [...] |
2001-06-11 03:20:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KIRF VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 01HOCHIMINHCITY734 |
UPDATE ON CONTINUING BUDDHIST TENSIONS [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: ON JUNE 7, ABOUT 100 MONKS, NUNS AND SUPPORTERS OF THE OUTLAWED UNIFIED BUDDHIST CHURCH OF VIETNAM (UBCV) ATTEMPTED TO TRAVEL TO QUANG NGAI PROVINCE TO MEET WITH UBCV SUPREME PATRIARCH THICH HUYEN QUANG AND TAKE HIM TO HCMC. POLICE IN HUE HAD WARNED THEM NOT TO GO, AND MOST OF [...] |
2001-06-15 09:03:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KIRF VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 01HOCHIMINHCITY754 |
VIETNAM'S CATHOLIC CO-REDEMPTRIX ORDER [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: ON MAY 23, POLOFF VISITED WITH PRIESTS OF THE VIETNAMESE CATHOLIC ORDER OF CO- REDEMPTION IN HCMC. ALTHOUGH ONLY TWO OF ITS MEMBERS ARE CURRENTLY IN PRISON, THE ORDER HAS BEEN AMONG THE MOST PERSECUTED OF VIETNAM'S RELIGIOUS GROUPS SINCE 1975. IT STILL OPERATES AN "UNDERGROUN [...] |
2001-06-20 02:22:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KIRF PINR VM RELFREE HUMANR |
| 02HANOI1222 |
RELIGIOUS REGULATION STRUCTURE IN VIETNAM [...] (U) SUMMARY: RELIGIOUS REGULATION IN VIETNAM IS CHARACTERIZED BY AN EVOLVING BUREAUCRATIC AND LEGALISTIC APPROACH. WHILE THE SRV CONSTITUTION PROTECTS RELIGIOUS BELIEF (AND NON-BELIEF), THE GVN THOROUGHLY REGULATES RELIGIOUS GROUPS AND RELIGIOUS PRACTICE UNDER THE PREMISE OF MAINTAINING TH [...] |
2002-05-15 10:42:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KIRF PGOV PHUM SOCI VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 02HANOI1256 |
AMBASSADOR'S COURTESY CALL ON THE CARDINAL [...] (U) SUMMARY: THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN VIETNAM HAS SEEN A NUMBER OF IMPROVEMENTS IN THE LAST TEN YEARS, BUT IS SEEKING MORE, ACCORDING TO CARDINAL TUNG, ARCHBISHOP OF HANOI. THE GVN HAS MADE IT EASIER FOR THE CHURCH TO RECRUIT AND TRAIN NEW PRIESTS AND TRANSFER PRIESTS FROM PLACE TO PLACE, BUT [...] |
2002-05-17 07:40:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KIRF VM RELFREE HUMANR |
| 02HANOI1274 |
ACTIVISM OVER RELIGIOUS PROPERTY COMPLAINTS [...] (U) CLASSIFIED BY SCOTT BELLARD, POL/C; REASON 1.5(D) 2. (C) SUMMARY: ACCORDING TO ONE CRITIC, LOCAL AUTHORITIES IN SOME PLACES REFUSE TO RETURN PAGODA AND CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HANOI 01274 01 OF 02 200744Z TEMPLE LAND APPROPRIATED BEFORE AND AFTER 197 [...] |
2002-05-20 07:37:00 | Embassy Hanoi | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM SOCI KIRF VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 02HANOI1454 |
EVANGELICAL PASTOR'S VIEWS ON HOUSE CHURCHES AND RELIGIOUS [...] (C) PASTOR NGUYEN HONG QUANG, CHAIRMAN OF THE MENNONITE CHURCH AND MEMBER OF THE VIETNAM EVANGELICAL FELLOWSHIP OF HOUSE CHURCHES (VEF), CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HANOI 01454 060431Z RECENTLY VISITED THE CONGEN. THE VEF IS NOT REGISTERED WITH THE GVN AND IS THEREF [...] |
2002-06-06 04:29:00 | Embassy Hanoi | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM KIRF SOCI VM ETMIN HUMANR RELFREE |
| 02HANOI1653 |
RESEARCHING RELIGION AT THE PARTY SCHOOL [...] (U) SUMMARY. A SEVEN YEAR-OLD CENTER AT THE MAIN PARTY SCHOOL FOCUSES ON THE ROLE OF RELIGION IN VIETNAMESE HISTORY AND PRESENT, AND HELPS TO EDUCATE UP-AND-COMING PARTY UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HANOI 01653 01 OF 02 011003Z MEMBERS AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ABO [...] |
2002-07-01 09:46:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PGOV PINS SOCI VM RELFREE DPOL HUMANR |
| 02HANOI1885 |
PROTESTANT SEMINARY TO OPEN? [...] (U) CLASSIFIED BY POL/C SCOTT BELLARD, REASON: 1.5 (D) 2. (C) DURING A LUNCHEON WITH POL/C AND POLOFF ON JULY 26, ACTING HEAD OF THE EVANGELICAL CHURCH OF VIETNAM- NORTH (ECVN) REVEREND AU QUANG VINH (PLEASE PROTECT) SAID THAT THE EVANGELICAL CHURCH OF VIETNAM-SOUTH (ECVS [...] |
2002-07-29 09:25:00 | Embassy Hanoi | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PINS VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 02HANOI2090 |
DAK LAK PROVINCE UPDATE ON RELIGIOUS [...] (C) SUMMARY: A PROTESTANT PASTOR FROM DAK LAK PROVINCE RECENTLY MET WITH CONGENOFFS TO DISCUSS THE CURRENT SITUATION THERE, WHICH HE CHARACTERIZED AS THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT ATTEMPTING TO "ERADICATE" PROTESTANTISM. HE SAID PROTESTANT FAMILIES WERE NOW FORBIDDEN TO WORSHIP TOGETHER IN GRO [...] |
2002-08-27 10:03:00 | Embassy Hanoi | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV PREF PINS PREL KIRF SOCI VM ETMIN HUMANR RELFREE |
| 02HANOI2255 |
CONGEN MEETING WITH THICH HUYEN QUANG [...] (U) CLASSIFIED BY EMI L. YAMAUCHI, CG; REASON 1.5(B) 2. (SBU) SUMMARY: CONSUL GENERAL AND POLOFF VISITED THICH HUYEN THQ (THQ) AT THE PHUOC QUANG PAGODA IN QUANG NGAI PROVINCE ON SEPTEMBER 6. THQ WAS CANDID AND FEISTY IN DESCRIBING HIS HEALTH AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF HIS CONFINEMENT. HE [...] |
2002-09-17 08:45:00 | Embassy Hanoi | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM KIRF PGOV VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 02HANOI2369 |
MEETING WITH AFM HUNG [...] (U) CIRF: IN A MEETING WITH AMBASSADOR ON OCTOBER 2 (SEPTEL WILL COVER DISCUSSION OF THE TRIAL OF NGUYEN THI NGOC HANH), ASSISTANT FOREIGN MINISTER NGUYEN DUC HUNG EXPRESSED THE GVN'S "DISAPPOINTMENT" OVER THE RECENTLY REPORTED RECOMMENDATION OF THE US COMMISSION FOR INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS [...] |
2002-10-01 10:46:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PHUM PINS ETRD VM APEC RELFREE HUMANR |
| 02HANOI2628 |
PRESSURE ON HIGHLAND PROTESTANTS [...] (U) CLASSIFIED BY POL/C SCOTT BELLARD; REASON 1.5(D) 2. (C) SUMMARY: PROTESTANT CONTACTS REPORT CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HANOI 02628 01 OF 03 310933Z SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASED DIFFICULTIES IN THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS PROVINCE OF DAK LAK, WITH CONDITIONS FOR P [...] |
2002-10-31 09:23:00 | Embassy Hanoi | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM KIRF VM HUMANR ETMIN RELFREE |
| 02HANOI2862 |
DISCUSSING RELIGIOUS FREEDOM WITH FM NIEN [...] (U) SUMMARY. AMBASSADOR EXPRESSED CONCERN TO FM NIEN ABOUT RECENT REPORTS OVER ABUSES OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOMS IN THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS IN PARTICULAR, AND WARNED ABOUT A UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HANOI 02862 01 OF 02 291001Z POSSIBLE DESIGNATION OF VIETNAM AS A "C [...] |
2002-11-29 09:35:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED | KIRF PHUM PREL VM ETMIN HUMANR RELFREE |
| 02HANOI2951 |
LEADING JESUIT ASSESSES CHURCH/STATE RELATIONS [...] (U) CLASSIFIED BY CG EMI YAMAUCHI; REASON 1.5(D). 2. (C) SUMMARY. CONSUL GENERAL AND POLOFF RECENTLY MET CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HANOI 02951 01 OF 02 120440Z WITH FATHER TOAN, FATHER SUPERIOR OF THE SOCIETY OF JESUS, TO DISCUSS HIS VIEWS ON THE CURRENT STA [...] |
2002-12-12 04:02:00 | Embassy Hanoi | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV KIRF VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 02HANOI2969 |
UPDATE FROM GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE ON RELIGION [...] (SBU) SUMMARY. GVN OFFICIALS CLAIMED THAT THE RECENTLY CONCLUDED NATIONAL BUDDHIST CONFERENCE WAS ENTIRELY INDEPENDENT OF GOVERNMENT CONTROL, BUT ADMITTED THAT THE GVN MUST APPROVE ITS CONVOCATION AND HAD FINAL SAY ON ITS ELECTED NEW LEADERS AND ORDINATIONS (OR PROMOTIONS) OF MONKS AND NUNS [...] |
2002-12-13 06:21:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV PREL VT VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 02HANOI3055 |
THE DILEMMA OF THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS [...] (U) THIS IS A JOINT EMBASSY/CONGEN MESSAGE. 2. (SBU) SUMMARY: THE REAL STORY OF THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS IS A LONG-TERM STRUGGLE FOR MODERNIZATION AND DEVELOPMENT IN A REGION DEFINED BY ETHNIC RESENTMENT, ECONOMIC IMBALANCE, POVERTY AND ISOLATION, LAND ISSUES, RELIGIOUS DIFFERENCES, INTOLER [...] |
2002-12-23 09:36:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV PINS PREL SOCI VM HUMANR ETMIN RELFREE |
| 02HANOI3108 |
VIETNAM CONSULTATIVE GROUP MEETING: A REALISTIC [...] (U) SUMMARY: THE TENTH VIETNAM CONSULTATIVE GROUP OF DONORS (CG) MEETING TOOK PLACE IN HANOI DECEMBER 9-11, 2002. DONORS AT THE MEETING, CO-CHAIRED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF VIETNAM (GVN) AND THE WORLD BANK, EXPRESSED CONTINUED SUPPORT TO THE GVN'S ACTION PROGRAM FOR 2002-2007 AND URGED VIETNAM [...] |
2002-12-31 06:32:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED | EAID EFIN ETRD ECON PREL VM HUMANR ETMIN RELFREE SOE FINREF |
| 02HANOI528 |
VIETNAM'S CENTRAL HIGHLANDS: WHAT DID WE [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: DURING A 2.5-DAY VISIT TO DAK LAK, GIA LAI, AND KON TUM PROVINCES, CONGENOFFS MET WITH MONTAGNARD RETURNEES FROM CAMBODIA AND WITH PROVINCIAL PEOPLE'S COMMITTEES. REFTELS A ARE THE DETAILED ACCOUNTS. THESE ARE OUR CONCLUSIONS. ECONOMIC HARDSHIP AND LAND DISPUTES SEEM TO BE [...] |
2002-03-07 10:04:00 | Embassy Hanoi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREF PHUM PREL PGOV PINS SOCI VM CB ETMIN HUMANR RELFREE |
| 02HANOI559 |
USCIRF MEETINGS WITH RELIGIOUS FIGURES IN [...] (U ) CLASSIFIED BY RAYMOND F. BURGHARDT, AMBASSADOR; REASON 1.5(D) 2. (C) SUMMARY: THE COMPLEX AND EVOLVING INTERRELATIONS BETWEEN RELIGION AND GOVERNMENT IN VIETNAM CAME TO LIGHT IN UNOFFICIAL MEETINGS BETWEEN A DELEGATION FROM THE U.S. COMMISSION FOR INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM (U [...] |
2002-03-12 07:22:00 | Embassy Hanoi | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM KIRF SOCI VM HUMANR ETMIN RELFREE |
| 02HANOI579 |
HOW NOT TO MAKE FRIENDS [...] (U) CLASSIFIED BY RAYMOND F. BURGHARDT, AMBASSADOR; REASON 1.5(D) CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HANOI 00579 01 OF 02 140555Z 2. (C) SUMMARY: GVN ACTIONS HINDERED CONTACT BETWEEN RELIGIOUS LEADERS IT DID NOT HAND PICK AND THE U.S. COMMISSION FOR INTERNATIONAL R [...] |
2002-03-14 05:29:00 | Embassy Hanoi | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PREL PGOV SOCI VM RELFREE HUMANR |
| 02HANOI652 |
CENTRAL HIGHLANDS: NO PUNISHMENT FOR MOST [...] (U) CLASSIFIED BY CONSUL GENERAL EMI LYNN YAMAUCHI, HO CHI MINH CITY, FOR REASONS 1.5 (D). 2. (C) SUMMARY: A RELATIVELY MODERATE PASTOR FROM THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS SAID THE GVN IS WORKING TO IMPROVE THE SITUATION FOR ETHNIC MINORITIES, ALTHOUGH PROBLEMS REMAIN. HE BELIEVES THE OVERWHELMING [...] |
2002-03-20 11:16:00 | Embassy Hanoi | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PREF PGOV PINS SOCI PREL KIRF VM CB ETMIN HUMANR RELFREE |
| 02HANOI791 |
VISIT TO MONTAGNARD RETURNEES: THE OLD [...] (C) DURING A VISIT TO THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS MARCH 30 - APRIL 3, I MET WITH MANY WHO HAD CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HANOI 00791 01 OF 02 031025Z RETURNED FROM REFUGEE CAMPS IN CAMBODIA, BOTH UNDER UNHCR AUSPICES AND "SPONTANEOUSLY." AT THE TWO VILLAGES IN GIA LAI [...] |
2002-04-03 09:50:00 | Embassy Hanoi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREF PREL CB VN ETMIN HUMANR RELFREE |
| 02HOCHIMINHCITY1140 |
HOA HAO MONK DEFIES GOVERNMENT ORDER AND CLIMBS A [...] (SBU) ON NOVEMBER 7, CONTROVERSIAL HOA HAO MONK NAM UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HO CHI 01140 110628Z LIEM (VO THANH LIEM) CLIMBED A TREE INSIDE THE COMPOUND OF HIS PRIVATE PAGODA FOR THE THIRD TIME IN EIGHT YEARS (SEE REFTEL), AFTER LOCAL AUTHORITIES GAVE HIM THREE [...] |
2002-11-11 03:15:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV SOCI KIRF VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 02HOCHIMINHCITY1270 |
CENTRAL HIGHLANDS: FREEDOM OF RELIGION OR FREEDOM FROM IT, IN DAK LAK AND GIA LAI PROVINCES [...] (SBU) SUMMARY. DURING A RECENT TRIP TO DAK LAK AND GIA LAI PROVINCES IN THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS, THE CONSUL GENERAL MET WITH THEIR RESPECTIVE COMMITTEES ON RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS (CRA). IN THESE MEETINGS, CRA OFFICIALS DESCRIBED THE ACTIVITIES OF THE SOUTHERN EVANGELICAL CHURCH OF VIETNAM (SECV) IN [...] |
2002-12-11 04:40:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV PREF SOCI KIRF VM RELFREE HUMANR ETMIN |
| 02HOCHIMINHCITY131 |
"DEGA PROTESTANTISM" AND THE U.S. CONNECTION [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: AN ETHNIC MINORITY LEADER FROM GIA UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HO CHI 00131 01 OF 02 080617Z LAI PROVINCE RECENTLY DESCRIBED TO POLOFF A COMPLEX WEB OF SHIFTING LOCAL ALLIANCES AMONG THE ETHNIC GROUPS IN VIETNAM'S CENTRAL HIGHLANDS. MIXING RELIGION W [...] |
2002-02-08 05:38:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KIRF PREF PREL PGOV SOCI VM CB ETMIN HUMANR RELFREE |
| 02HOCHIMINHCITY39 |
CHRISTMAS IN THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS: TOLERANCE AND REPRESSION FOR ETHNIC MINORITY PROTESTANTS [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: ACCORDING TO TWO ETHNIC MINORITY LEADERS, ETHNIC MINORITY PROTESTANTS IN THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS ENCOUNTERED A MIXTURE OF TOLERANCE AND REPRESSION BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES AT CHRISTMASTIME. THERE WERE ALLEGED INCIDENTS OF SEVERE POLICE ABUSE IN SOME VILLAGES, BUT IN OTHER VILLAGES, AU [...] |
2002-01-15 14:16:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PREF PGOV PINS SOCI PREL KIRF VM CB RELFREE HUMANR ETMIN |
| 02HOCHIMINHCITY390 |
CROSSES, CADRES, AND CONVERSATIONS IN THE [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: PLAIN WHITE CROSSES DREW THE ATTENTION OF CONGEN OFFICERS AS WE DROVE THROUGH THE CENTRAL HIGHLAND PROVINCE OF DAK LAK. A COFFEE BREAK IN NHAN CO COMMUNE IN DAK LAP DISTRICT ALLOWED FOR CASUAL CONVERSATION WITH SEVERAL OF THE VILLAGERS. LOCAL SECURITY OFFICERS KEPT INSERTING T [...] |
2002-04-16 08:10:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM KIRF PREF SOCI VM CB ETMIN HUMANR RELFREE |
| 02HOCHIMINHCITY394 |
EASTER SUNRISE SERVICE IN THE CENTRAL [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: AN EASTER SUNRISE SERVICE PACKED THE COMPOUND OF A 90-YEAR-OLD WOODEN CHURCH WITH THOUSANDS OF ETHNIC MINORITY CATHOLIC WORSHIPPERS FROM VILLAGES IN KON TUM PROVINCE IN VIETNAM'S CENTRAL HIGHLANDS. THE TWO-HOUR SERVICE, CONDUCTED ENTIRELY IN ETHNIC LANGUAGES, INCORPORATED TRIBAL [...] |
2002-04-17 09:43:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM KIRF PREF SOCI VM CB RELFREE HUMANR ETMIN |
| 02HOCHIMINHCITY400 |
ASSEMBLIES OF GOD IN VIETNAM: STILL AN "UNDERGROUND ORGANIZATION" [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: THE SUPERINTENDENT FOR THE 22,000-STRONG UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HO CHI 00400 01 OF 02 190630Z FULL GOSPEL ASSEMBLIES OF GOD (AOG) IN VIETNAM SAID HE WOULD WELCOME GOVERNMENT RECOGNITION OF THE GROUP, BUT EXPECTED IT TO REMAIN AN "UNDERGROUND ORGA [...] |
2002-04-19 05:45:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KIRF VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 02HOCHIMINHCITY695 |
HOA HAO RELIGION THRIVING AGAIN IN VIETNAM [...] SUMMARY: FOLLOWERS OF VIETNAM'S HOA HAO RELIGION HAVE ENJOYED CONSIDERABLE FREEDOM TO WORSHIP SINCE THE GVN GRANTED OFFICIAL RECOGNITION IN 1999 TO THIS PREVIOUSLY OUTLAWED BUDDHIST SECT. DURING A JUNE 23-25 VISIT TO AN GIANG PROVINCE IN THE MEKONG DELTA, POLOFF VISITED A SPARKLING NEW HOA H [...] |
2002-07-15 04:50:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM KIRF VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 02HOCHIMINHCITY719 |
DISSIDENT HOA HAO MONKS UNDER HEAVY POLICE [...] SUMMARY: PROVINCIAL PLAINCLOTHES POLICE PREVENTED POLOFF FROM MEETING WITH A DISSIDENT HOA HAO MONK IN AN GIANG PROVINCE IN THE MEKONG DELTA. POLICE SAT IN ON POLOFF'S MEETING WITH ANOTHER DISSIDENT MONK IN THE SAME PROVINCE, BUT FAILED TO INTIMIDATE HIM OR STOP HIM FROM SPEAKING HIS MIND. [...] |
2002-07-19 06:29:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM KIRF VM RELFREE HUMANR |
| 02HOCHIMINHCITY759 |
PROTESTANT PROBLEMS IN KON TUM PROVINCE [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: AN ETHNIC MINORITY PROTESTANT PASTOR AND ONE OF HIS CONGREGATION MEMBERS TRAVELED TO HO CHI MINH CITY TO TELL CONGENOFFS OF AN ASSAULT BY 20-PLUS VILLAGERS IN THAT CENTRAL HIGHLANDS PROVINCE OF KON TUM THIS PAST APRIL. THE PASTOR SAID THE VILLAGERS WHO ATTACKED THEM HAD ACTED O [...] |
2002-07-29 06:44:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KIRF SOCI VM ETMIN HUMANR RELFREE |
| 03HANOI1316 |
New Religious Affairs Chief's Views on Tasks [...] (SBU) Summary: New Chairman of the GVN Committee on Religious Affairs (CRA) Ngo Yen Thi told Ambassador on May 28 that CPV Central Committee Resolution Seven on religion is the most important issue currently for the CRA. His overall goal as head of the CRA, in light of the Resolution, is t [...] |
2003-05-30 08:35:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV KIRF VM HUMANR ETMIN RELFREE |
| 03HANOI1320 |
REVIEWING BILATERAL RELATIONS WITH DEPUTY [...] (SBU) Summary. Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Nguyen Tan Dung and the Ambassador (accompanied by DCM Porter and poloff) held a two-hour discussion on bilateral issues on May 27. The meeting received generally positive coverage in the state-controlled print and broadcast media. Dung highlight [...] |
2003-05-30 09:43:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PHUM KIRF OEXC ECON ETRD VM RELFREE HUMANR |
| 03HANOI135 |
Vietnam on Religious Freedom [...] (SBU) Summary: In two recent meetings with the Ambassador, GVN officials discussed religious freedom issues originally raised by Ambassador Hanford at the November 2002 Human Rights Dialogue in a frank manner, but had little specific information. The most welcome news was that the Southern [...] |
2003-01-16 09:26:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PREL KIRF VM ETMIN HUMANR RELFREE |
| 03HANOI1535 |
In the Hoa Hao Heartland [...] (SBU) Summary: The south's An Giang province includes members of almost all of Vietnam's religious communities, but is the homeland of the indigenous Hoa Hao Buddhist sect which, according to GVN figures, comprises almost 40% of the province's two million residents. The GVN-recognized Hoa [...] |
2003-06-18 23:59:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KIRF PGOV VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 03HANOI155 |
DESIGNATION OF COUNTRIES OF PARTICULAR CONCERN [...] (SBU) Embassy understands that a recommendation from Ambassador Hanford to the Secretary on designation of Countries of Particular Concern under the International Religious Freedom Act is imminent and would like to weigh in arguing against a possible designation of Vietnam. 2. (SBU) Ref [...] |
2003-01-17 09:17:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PREL SOCI VM RELFREE HUMANR |
| 03HANOI1554 |
Khmer and Cham in Vietnam -- [...] (U) Summary: The Mekong Delta province of An Giang on the Cambodian border is home to members of all of Vietnam's recognized religious faiths and two of its larger ethnic minorities, the Khmer and the Cham. The Khmer follow Theravada Buddhism, while most Vietnamese Buddhists belong to the [...] |
2003-06-20 09:27:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM KIRF PGOV SOCI VM ETMIN HUMANR RELFREE |
| 03HANOI1556 |
TRAINING CATHOLIC PRIESTS IN NORTHERN VIETNAM [...] (U) SUMMARY. Hanoi's Catholic seminary offers training to over 200 would-be priests over a seven year period. Local Committees on Religious Affairs screen out some candidates, allegedly on grounds of "personal conduct." Virtually all graduates become priests; a small percentage is able to c [...] |
2003-06-20 09:35:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KIRF PGOV VM RELFREE HUMANR |
| 03HANOI1687 |
PROTESTANTS CLAIM MORE HARASSMENT [...] (U) Summary. Unconfirmed reports continue to indicate efforts by local authorities to pressure ethnic minority Protestants in some locations to renounce their faith. These reports claim at least one recent murder and more detentions. Some ethnic minority Protestants have reportedly also ha [...] |
2003-07-03 07:44:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PINS SOCI VM RELFREE HUMANR ETMIN |
| 03HANOI1698 |
IMPLEMENTING PARTY RESOLUTIONS ON [...] (SBU) Summary. According to CPV and GVN authorities in Hanoi and the Northwest Highlands, new CPV resolutions on ethnic minorities and religion do little more than reiterate long-standing policies, while nonetheless trying to elevate attention to these issues and the need for better implemen [...] |
2003-07-03 09:49:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PINS PGOV VM ETMIN HUMANR RELFREE |
| 03HANOI175 |
Central Committee on minorities, religious, land [...] (SBU) Summary. The second session of the 7th plenum of the Communist Party of Vietnam's (CPV) 9th Central Committee (CC) apparently focused on key human rights issues of national solidarity, treatment of ethnic minorities, implementation of religious policy, and land use. The CC as well as [...] |
2003-01-22 09:07:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM PINS SOCI VM HUMANR ETMIN RELFREE DPOL |
| 03HANOI1821 |
REDUCTION IN FATHER LY'S SENTENCE [...] (U) This is an action request -- see para 3. 2. (U) Court officials in Ha Nam province on July 17 confirmed media reports that the court had reduced the cumulative 15 years sentences of Catholic Father Nguyen Van Ly by five years in recognition of his "good behavior" in prison. Court o [...] |
2003-07-17 09:48:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PREL VM RELFREE HUMANR |
| 03HANOI1864 |
UPDATE ON PRISONERS OF CONCERN [...] (U) On July 21, the MFA's International Organizations Department provided an update dated July 17 on 28 persons of concern, whose names had been on a longer list provided by the Embassy earlier this year, covering both religious and political prisoners. The MFA's information is quoted below [...] |
2003-07-22 09:28:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PREL VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 03HANOI1932 |
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM THRU THE LENS OF A DAK LAK VILLAGE [...] (U) This is a joint Hanoi/HCMC reporting cable. 2. (SBU) Summary: On July 25, during an otherwise tightly controlled visit to the Central Highlands (septels), the Ambassador, Emboffs, and ConGenoffs made an unscripted visit to a mostly Protestant ethnic minority M'nong village along [...] |
2003-07-30 08:37:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KIRF PHUM PGOV PREF SOCI VM ETMIN HUMANR RELFREE |
| 03HANOI2077 |
CURRENT RELIGIOUS SITUATION - THE OFFICIAL VIEW [...] (U) Summary: Officials from the Government Committee on Religious Affairs and the Ho Chi Minh Political Academy's Centers on Human Rights and Religious Studies have reiterated that Vietnamese are free to practice religion, that the GVN not only permits the practice of religion but actively su [...] |
2003-08-15 09:47:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PGOV VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 03HANOI2287 |
RELIGION IN VIETNAM - THREE CONTRASTING VIEWS [...] (SBU) Summary: In meetings on September 4 in Hanoi with DRL/IRF's William Inboden, prominent Buddhist, Protestant, and Catholic leaders provided personal perspectives on the religious situation in Vietnam that ranged from rosy to troubled. (Ref a reported on EAP/BCLTV's discussions with reli [...] |
2003-09-10 00:22:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PGOV VM RELFREE HUMANR ETMIN |
| 03HANOI2310 |
IMPRISONMENT OF A HMONG PROTESTANT [...] (U) A reliable Vietnamese Protestant source has provided what appear to be genuine court documents related to the prosecution and conviction of a Hmong Protestant named Ma A Chau (also known as Mua A Chau), who had earlier (reftel) been reported to have been detained in Lai Chau province on [...] |
2003-09-11 10:15:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM KIRF PGOV VM RELFREE HUMANR ETMIN |
| 03HANOI2532 |
Vietnamese Catholics install new Bishop [...] (U) In an open air ceremony in Son Tay town of Ha Tay province (adjacent to Hanoi), Vietnamese Catholics formally installed Father Anton Vu Huy Chuong as Bishop of Hung Hoa diocese, which covers most or all of the provinces of Ha Tay, Son La, Lai Chau, Lao Cai, Yen Bai, and Phu Tho. As note [...] |
2003-10-01 09:58:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PGOV SOCI VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 03HANOI2546 |
Regulating religion [...] (SBU) Summary. Vietnamese continue privately to debate the contents -- but not the merits -- of a new formal ordinance on religion that would supersede existing Government-issued regulations with a more definitive and, it is hoped, clearer version, to be passed by the National Assembly Stan [...] |
2003-10-03 05:51:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV SOCI VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 03HANOI2610 |
FOREIGN MINISTRY COMMENTS ON WHEREABOUTS OF UBCV [...] (SBU) On October 10, Charge and Acting POLOFF met with Assistant Foreign Minister Nguyen Duc Hung to express our concern about the apparent police actions this week to interfere in the travel of Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang, his deputy Thich Quang Do, and sev [...] |
2003-10-10 10:57:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PHUM VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 03HANOI3277 |
GVN'S RECENT ENGAGEMENT ON HUMAN RIGHTS, RELIGION [...] (SBU) Summary: The Government of Vietnam is making some effort to engage the USG and other foreign governments more actively on human rights and religious freedom issues. European Union member diplomats spoke positively of the GVN's interaction in their human rights dialogue, and said it had [...] |
2003-12-18 11:14:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM KIRF PREL PGOV VM ETMIN HUMANR RELFREE |
| 03HANOI3351 |
FOLLOWING UP ON DPM KHOAN VISIT WITH VFM BANG [...] (SBU) Summary. Ambassador and Pol/C met with Vice Foreign Minister Le Van Bang on December 24 to follow up on issues from Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan's visit, about which the Vietnamese leadership appears clearly pleased. MFA will issue an invitation letter to Peace Corps. MFA will also [...] |
2003-12-29 10:14:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL VM HUMANR CVR RELFREE |
| 03HANOI541 |
DECEMBER 2002 GASSING INCIDENT IN LAI CHAU [...] (SBU) Summary: Reports of a gas attack on Hmong Protestants in Lai Chau province on December 29, 2002 appear to have a basis in fact. However, the gas appears to have been something like pepper spray or tear gas rather than more lethal poison gas as claimed in some reports. There are no c [...] |
2003-03-07 08:47:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KIRF PINS VM HUMANR ETMIN RELFREE |
| 03HANOI551 |
Reported attempts at forced renunciation of faith [...] (SBU) A reliable contact within the Evangelical Church of Vietnam - North (ECVN) provided Embassy with copies of 13 handwritten letters from Hmong Protestants in the Northwest Highlands province of Lao Cai, detailing harassment by local authorities and attempts at forced renunciation of faith [...] |
2003-03-07 09:21:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KIRF PINS SOCI VM ETMIN HUMANR RELFREE |
| 03HANOI592 |
Religion in Lao Cai and Yen Bai - Different Stories [...] (U) Summary: Local officials in two mountainous, predominantly minority northwestern provinces appear to be taking differing approaches towards religion. Lao Cai officials talked a cautious and rigid line while trying to explain how they have supported religious practice within legal guide [...] |
2003-03-12 03:07:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM KIRF SOCI PGOV VM ETMIN HUMANR RELFREE |
| 03HANOI807 |
Thich Huyen Quang Tarries in Hanoi [...] (SBU) Thich Huyen Quang, Patriarch of the pre-1975 United Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV), explained to emboffs on April 1 that he had not yet returned to Quang Ngai province because senior GVN officials still wished to meet with him. He noted that he had been "invited" to stay for such m [...] |
2003-04-01 23:39:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PGOV KIRF VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 03HANOI842 |
The Prime Minister and Thich Huyen Quang [...] (U) Vietnamese media, including television on April 2 and all major newspapers including the Communist Party of Vietnam's flagstaff "Nhan Dan" and the military's "Quan Doi Nhan Dan" on April 3, gave prominent coverage to an April 2 meeting between Prime Minister Phan Van Khai and Thich ("Mos [...] |
2003-04-03 10:14:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PGOV KIRF VM RELFREE |
| 03HOCHIMINHCITY1000 |
UNITED BUDDHIST CHURCH OF VIETNAM: GENERAL SECRETARY [...] (SBU) Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) General Secretary Thich Tue Sy told ConGen today that he has been placed SIPDIS under a two-year administrative detention, effective October 11. He confirmed that Thich Nguyen Ly and Thich Thanh Huyen -- two other UBCV monks riding in the van [...] |
2003-10-14 13:34:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM SOCI PGOV PREL KIRF VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 03HOCHIMINHCITY1009 |
LEGAL PROTESTANTS HOLD UNAUTHORIZED MEETING: WANT [...] (SBU) In violation of their own GVN-approved charter, approximately 400 legal pastors and another 400 "lay volunteers" of the Southern Evangelical Church of Vietnam (SECV) met in Ho Chi Minh City September 10-11. While the 2001 charter allows for only one conference every four years, the lead [...] |
2003-10-16 14:29:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV SOCI PREL KIRF VM RELFREE HUMANR |
| 03HOCHIMINHCITY1010 |
STILL NO OFFICIAL DETENTION ORDERS FOR TOP UBCV MONKS [...] (SBU) Continuing to work the few remaining telephones that haven't been cut off or rerouted, ConGen received confirmation today that Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang is in good condition at his pagoda, although he is being closely watched. While neither he [...] |
2003-10-16 14:37:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM SOCI PGOV PREL KIRF VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 03HOCHIMINHCITY1059 |
A/S DEWEY IN VIETNAM CENTRAL HIGHLANDS: LAM DONG [...] (SBU) Summary: In recent meetings with Lam Dong provincial authorities, PRM Assistant Secretary Dewey expressed strong U.S. concern about the treatment of ethnic minorities and a lack of religious freedom for unregistered Protestant house churches. Lam Dong officials stressed that the pract [...] |
2003-10-30 11:46:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREF PHUM PGOV PREL PINS SOCI KIRF VM CB RELFREE HUMANR ETMIN |
| 03HOCHIMINHCITY1087 |
AMBASSADOR HANFORD CALLS ON LOCAL OFFICIALS, LEGAL [...] (SBU) Summary: In an October 18 meeting with Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom John Hanford, three leaders of the GVN-recognized Southern Evangelical Church of Vietnam (SECV) urged continued, focused USG pressure on the GVN to relax restrictions on unregistered house chur [...] |
2003-11-06 11:18:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV PREL SOCI KIRF VM RELFREE HUMANR |
| 03HOCHIMINHCITY1093 |
MIXED PICTURE ON HOUSE CHURCHES IN AMBASSADOR HANFORD'S [...] (SBU) Summary: In meetings with several Protestant house church pastors and "victims" of religious oppression during his visit to HCMC, Ambassador at Large for Religious Freedom John Hanford heard several credible-sounding reports of arrests, beatings, forced renunciations, and church closures [...] |
2003-11-08 07:18:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV PREF PREL SOCI KIRF VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 03HOCHIMINHCITY1100 |
BALANCING ETHNIC AND RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY IN SOC TRANG AND [...] (SBU) Summary: DCM (then Charge) and ConGen Poloff visited Soc Trang and Tra Vinh Provinces during October 1-3, to examine firsthand the situation for the ethnic Khmer in the Mekong Delta, in light of continuing reports of discrimination from sources overseas. Situated in an area that once be [...] |
2003-11-10 07:29:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM ECON PGOV PREL EINV ETRD SOCI KIRF VM RELFREE HUMANR ETMIN |
| 03HOCHIMINHCITY111 |
HCMC PASTORS: CHRISTMAS CELEBRATED WITHOUT [...] (SBU) Summary: Despite a stream of reports from U.S. sources proclaiming a new "crackdown" on Protestant worshippers in the Central Highlands and elsewhere in Vietnam over the Christmas holidays, conversations with well- connected pastors in HCMC over the past weeks revealed surprisingly fe [...] |
2003-02-06 09:22:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV PREL SOCI KIRF VM HUMANR ETMIN RELFREE |
| 03HOCHIMINHCITY1141 |
CA MAU PROVINCE: AT THE END OF THE LINE, BUT BLESSED BY [...] (SBU) SUMMARY. Lying at the southern tip of Vietnam, Ca Mau is one of the country's more isolated provinces. Heavily dependent upon aquaculture, especially shrimp, the province has enjoyed strong recent economic growth. While the province actively touts its natural resources and advantages, [...] |
2003-11-21 11:06:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM ECON SOCI PGOV PREL EFIS VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 03HOCHIMINHCITY1143 |
AMBASSADOR HANFORD INVESTIGATES ABUSES IN THE CENTRAL [...] (SBU) Summary: Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom John Hanford traveled to Gia Lai and Dak Lak provinces from October 20-22 to meet with local officials and gain a firsthand view of conditions for Protestant worship in Vietnam's Central Highlands. Raising the specter of C [...] |
2003-11-24 11:12:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV PREF PREL SOCI VM RELFREE HUMANR ETMIN |
| 03HOCHIMINHCITY1215 |
PROTESTANT POSSIBLY BEATEN, DETAINED FOR DISTRIBUTING [...] (SBU) SUMMARY. At least one Protestant religious worker in Ho Chi Minh City was reportedly beaten and detained on December 9 for involvement in the distribution of religious leaflets designed to look like official Southeast Asia (SEA) Games pamphlets. Other Protestant leaders held a "sit-in" [...] |
2003-12-10 12:49:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV PREL SOCI VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 03HOCHIMINHCITY1222 |
SEA GAMES RELIGIOUS PAMPHLET INCIDENT FOLLOW-UP [...] (SBU) SUMMARY. ConGenoffs met with Pastor Nguyen Hong Quang on December 11, 2003, to discuss the events of December 9-10 (reftel). Quang was also accompanied by the allegedly beaten religious worker. An agreement between Protestants and police had reportedly resulted in the release of all b [...] |
2003-12-11 11:12:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PREL PGOV SOCI VM RELFREE HUMANR |
| 03HOCHIMINHCITY235 |
A LONG TIME COMING: PROTESTANT SEMINARY OPENS IN HCMC [...] (U) In keeping with longstanding GVN promises to allow the opening of a new Protestant seminary, the leaders of the Southern Evangelical Church of Vietnam (SECV) recently inaugurated their new Institute of Bible and Theology before a crowd numbering close to 1000 at their main HCMC church. ( [...] |
2003-03-11 11:40:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM SOCI KIRF VM RELFREE HUMANR |
| 03HOCHIMINHCITY251 |
MENNONITES TURN UP THE VOLUME ON COMPLAINTS OF [...] (SBU) In a flurry of conversations with ConGenoffs over the past week, a Mennonite church leader and several of his colleagues have lodged serious complaints of stepped-up religious repression by government officials. The allegations include arrests, beatings, destruction of property, and si [...] |
2003-03-18 03:27:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PREF MOPS SOCI PGOV PREL KIRF VM HUMANR ETMIN RELFREE |
| 03HOCHIMINHCITY337 |
CHURCH AND STATE MAINTAIN BALANCE IN TAY NINH PROVINCE [...] (U) On a recent one-day trip to meet with provincial and Cao Dai Church leaders in Tay Ninh Province, the Ambassador came away with a mostly positive impression of the current state of health of both the province and the religion which predominates there. Tay Ninh, while still on the fringes [...] |
2003-04-08 11:21:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV ECON PHUM PREL ETRD EINV VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 03HOCHIMINHCITY412 |
SHOTGUN WEDDING: UBCV AND VBS TOGETHER AT LAST? [...] (SBU) Summary: In a meeting with the Consul General on May 9, Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang spoke hopefully of a new openness on the part of the GVN toward efforts to unite the UBCV with the officially recognized Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS). The Pat [...] |
2003-05-09 18:14:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV SOCI VM RELFREE HUMANR |
| 03HOCHIMINHCITY426 |
AMBASSADOR'S VISIT TO VINH LONG [...] SUMMARY: On May 5, 2003, Ambassador Burghardt, DPO, and Conoff traveled to Vinh Long province in the Mekong Delta with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Country Representative Chris Gilson. The Ambassador met with representatives of the provincial People's Committee and Union of Friendship Organi [...] |
2003-05-13 10:52:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED | EAID PGOV ECON VM ETMIN HUMANR RELFREE |
| 03HOCHIMINHCITY450 |
KON TUM: STILL STRUGGLING..... AND GOING NOWHERE FAST [...] (SBU) Returning to Kon Tum for the first time in a year, the Consul General found little changed in the poorest and least developed of the four Central Highlands provinces. While poverty continues to be the biggest story in Kon Tum, local officials seemed hopeful that construction of new hig [...] |
2003-05-20 13:38:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV ECON PHUM PREL SOCI ETRD EINV VM HUMANR ETMIN RELFREE LABOR |
| 03HOCHIMINHCITY468 |
THE YIN AND YANG OF THE SEA STAR CATHOLIC SEMINARY [...] (SBU) Summary: The Ambassador met with Father Tran Thanh Phong, director of the Nha Trang Sea Star Seminary during a visit to Khanh Hoa province, May 15-17. During the discussion, which took place in a large, well- maintained reception hall, Father Phong was careful not to explicitly critic [...] |
2003-05-31 08:44:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KIRF SOCI VM RELFREE HUMANR |
| 03HOCHIMINHCITY475 |
THICH QUANG DO UNDER "ADMINISTRATIVE [...] (U) The Most Venerable Thich Quang Do remains under "administrative surveillance," based on a decree, which although dated June 1, 2001, in fact has an effective time period of September 3, 1998 until September 3, 2003. Post has seen at least one press release denouncing Thich Quang Do's co [...] |
2003-06-02 13:49:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KIRF PGOV PHUM VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 03HOCHIMINHCITY491 |
INVITATIONS TO "DISCUSS" RELIGION IN DAK LAK PROVINCE [...] (SBU) On May 29, ConGen Poloff and Pol/Econ assistant met with a reliable contact regarding the situation of unregistered religious minority groups in Dak Lak province. The contact gave ConGenoff a collection of written materials -- some official-looking original documents and several photoc [...] |
2003-06-05 02:35:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PHUM PGOV VM KIRF ETMIN HUMANR RELFREE |
| 03HOCHIMINHCITY520 |
PROTESTANTS IN QUIET STAND OFF WITH POLICE OVER NEW HOUSE [...] (SBU) A group of 50-100 Protestant believers has been working around the clock for two days to construct a new (unrecognized) branch church in HCMC, in defiance of local police and government officials. The situation has remained peaceful thus far, but at least one pastor on the scene has en [...] |
2003-06-10 13:14:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV SOCI VM RELFREE HUMANR |
| 03HOCHIMINHCITY551 |
POLICE QUESTION BUILDER AS CHURCH CONSTRUCTION CONTINUES [...] (SBU) Mr. Le Van Dung, unofficial contractor for a Protestant house church currently under construction in HCMC's District 2 (reftel), met with police this morning in response to a third invitation to discuss his activities at the site. The first invitation, delivered June 9, summoned him to [...] |
2003-06-17 11:51:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV SOCI VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 03HOCHIMINHCITY585 |
THICH QUANG DO -- HOW FREE AT LAST? [...] (SBU) Summary: During a June 30 meeting with Consul General, recently "released" United Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) deputy Thich Quang Do launched into a two- hour plus discourse on religion, democracy, freedom, and capitalism. Confirming press reports, he said he would soon attempt [...] |
2003-06-30 17:44:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM SOCI PGOV PREL EAID EINV KIRF VM RELFREE HUMANR |
| 03HOCHIMINHCITY65 |
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM: THE VIEW THROUGH THE VISA [...] (SBU) Consular associate recently interviewed a Korean missionary affiliated with the Global Mission Society of the Presbyterian Church in Korea for a nonimmigrant visa (NIV). The applicant, who described himself as a missionary pastor with an "underground" Protestant church, said he conducte [...] |
2003-01-16 09:56:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | CVIS PHUM PGOV PREL SOCI KIRF VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 03HOCHIMINHCITY650 |
Leader of the Hue Branch of the Outlawed United [...] (SBU) An influential leader of the Hue branch of the outlawed UBCV discussed his views with DPO and A/PAO on the current state of the Buddhist Church, the status of Thich Huyen Quang, and the need for continued U.S. pressure on the GVN to allow greater religious freedom. The meeting was marr [...] |
2003-07-18 07:48:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KIRF PGOV PHUM PREL SOCI VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 03HOCHIMINHCITY670 |
VIETNAM: THICH QUANG DO VISITS THICH HUYEN QUANG [...] (SBU) The Venerable Thich Quang Do, Deputy Head of the banned Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV), met with UBCV Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang at the Nguyen Thieu Monastery in Quy Nhon July 15-20. This was Thich Quang Do's first trip outside of HCMC since being placed under "probationary [...] |
2003-07-24 11:56:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL KIRF SOCI VM RELFREE HUMANR |
| 03HOCHIMINHCITY691 |
SURPRISING REVELATIONS ON PROTESTANTS IN CENTRAL [...] (SBU) Summary: While the official rhetoric seemed to focus on respect for religion and the importance of meeting the "spiritual needs" of the people during the Ambassador's recent visit to Dak Lak and Lam Dong provinces, local Protestant church leaders told a story of continuing limits on or [...] |
2003-08-01 00:13:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV PREF SOCI KIRF VM HUMANR ETMIN RELFREE |
| 03HOCHIMINHCITY710 |
PROTESTANT CHURCH CAN STAY -- FOR NOW [...] (SBU) Summary: The HCMC People's Committee has decided that an illegally constructed Protestant church in the Thu Thiem area of District 2 can remain open as a house of worship, pending approval of the required permits. While city officials made clear that they hold both church leaders and [...] |
2003-08-06 12:58:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV SOCI PREL KIRF VM RELFREE HUMANR |
| 03HOCHIMINHCITY766 |
POLICE RAID "ILLEGAL" HOUSE CHURCH IN HCMC DURING A/S [...] (SBU) Summary: Just prior to the return of Assistant Secretary Eugene Dewey to Ho Chi Minh City from the Central Highlands on Monday, August 18 (septels), ConGen HCMC learned of an altercation at an unrecognized "illegal" Protestant house church in the city's District 11. According to reliabl [...] |
2003-08-21 12:56:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PREL SOCI PGOV KIRF VM HUMANR ETMIN RELFREE |
| 03HOCHIMINHCITY770 |
A/S DEWEY PRESSES HO CHI MINH CITY LEADERSHIP ON [...] (SBU) Summary. A/S Dewey raised issues of religious freedom during several official meetings in Ho Chi Minh City on August 19. Describing the GVN's record as uneven in the Central Highlands provinces he had visited, he registered disappointment that even in HCMC, there were sporadic reports of [...] |
2003-08-23 07:41:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PREL PREF SOCI PGOV VM RELFREE HUMANR |
| 03HOCHIMINHCITY784 |
MORMONS MAKE BID FOR A QUIET COMEBACK IN HCMC [...] (SBU) Summary: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) has recently taken steps to reestablish a "branch" in HCMC, pending approval of its June request to local government officials that Vietnamese members be allowed to meet regularly on Sundays. While efforts to receive recogn [...] |
2003-08-27 12:44:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM SOCI PGOV VM KIRF HUMANR RELFREE |
| 03HOCHIMINHCITY833 |
A/S DEWEY IN VIETNAM'S CENTRAL HIGHLANDS: KON TUM [...] (U) Summary: In a visit to Kon Tum Province, PRM Assistant Secretary Dewey met with Provincial People's Committee Chairwoman Y Veng and with the province's Committee on Ethnic Minority and Religious Affairs. He also visited a village in Ia Sia commune where 15 UNHCR- repatriated ethnic mino [...] |
2003-09-09 06:04:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREF PHUM PGOV PREL PINS SOCI KIRF VM CB RELFREE HUMANR ETMIN |
| 03HOCHIMINHCITY836 |
POTENTIAL P1 REFUGEES TO STAND TRIAL FOR ESPIONAGE [...] (SBU) Summary: Mrs. Nguyen Thi Hoa, Mr. Nguyen Truc Cuong and Mr. Nguyen Vu Viet -- the niece and nephews of jailed Catholic priest Father Nguyen Van Ly -- will go on trial in Ho Chi Minh City People's Court for "espionage" on September 10. Under Article 80 of the Criminal Code, "espionage" [...] |
2003-09-09 13:18:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PREF PREL PGOV SOCI VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 03HOCHIMINHCITY842 |
A/S DEWEY VISIT TO VIETNAM'S CENTRAL HIGHLANDS: [...] (SBU) Summary: PRM Assistant Secretary Dewey visited Gia Lai Province in the Central Highlands on August 16-17. His meeting with Provincial People's Committee Chairman Ha was cordial, with a frank exchange of ideas on treatment of ethnic minorities and freedom of worship. Ha said that at le [...] |
2003-09-10 08:46:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREF PHUM PGOV PREL PINS SOCI KIRF VM CB HUMANR ETMIN RELFREE |
| 03HOCHIMINHCITY933 |
UNLICENSED PROTESTANT HOUSE CHURCH REPORTEDLY TORN DOWN [...] (SBU) In what looks to be a replay of recent events surrounding an illegally constructed house church in District 11 of HCMC (reftels), Post has received information regarding the possible destruction of a small Seventh Day Adventist house church at No.42 Binh Loi, Binh Khanh, Can Gio Distric [...] |
2003-09-26 10:05:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV SOCI PREL RELFREE HUMANR |
| 03HOCHIMINHCITY942 |
UBCV LEADERS MEET DESPITE GVN INTERFERENCE [...] (SBU) Leaders of the banned Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) met September 18-20 in Binh Dinh Province, according to UBCV Deputy Thich Quang Do, despite some overt GVN efforts to prevent the meeting from taking place. This is the first time the UBCV leadership has been able to gathe [...] |
2003-10-01 01:24:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM SOCI PGOV PREL VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 03HOCHIMINHCITY978 |
POLICE DISRUPT TRAVEL OF UBCV LEADERS TO HCMC [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Police apparently stopped United Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) leaders Thich Huyen Quang, Thich Quang Do and Thich Tue Sy from leaving Binh Dinh Province to drive to Ho Chi Minh City on October 8 (local time). Although various reports differed on details, there was genera [...] |
2003-10-08 13:41:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KIRF SOCI PGOV PREL VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 03HOCHIMINHCITY993 |
UBCV LEADERS IN LIMBO: INQUIRIES CONTINUE CONCERNING [...] (SBU) ConGen has confirmed that UBCV leaders Thich Huyen Quang, Thich Quang Do and Thich Tue Sy were detained by police on October 9 in Khanh Hoa Province about 10 km north of the provincial capital Nha Trang. They had left Thich Huyen Quang's pagoda in Binh Dinh Province to travel to HCMC t [...] |
2003-10-10 13:29:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KIRF SOCI PGOV PREL VM RELFREE HUMANR |
| 04HANOI1081 |
LATEST FROM COMMITTEE ON RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS [...] (SBU) Summary. The Committee on Religious Affairs (CRA) has sent its own officials to investigate recent unrest in the Central Highlands, which it believes stemmed mostly from land issues. UNHCR was also blamed for encouraging Montagnards to flee into Cambodia. "Most" Protestant congregat [...] |
2004-04-15 06:13:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV PHUM PREF VM ETMIN HUMANR RELFREE |
| 04HANOI1094 |
Ha Giang remains sore spot for Protestants [...] (U) A leader of the Evangelical Church of Vietnam-North has provided additional details about three Protestant figures in Ha Giang province in the Northwest Highlands who had been arrested (reftel) as well as information about an additional arrest, as follow: -- Ly Sin Quang, 28 years old, [...] |
2004-04-16 09:28:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KIRF PREL VM RELFREE HUMANR ETMIN |
| 04HANOI1113 |
MFA "EXPLAINS" CENTRAL HIGHLANDS SITUATION [...] (U) The MFA invited diplomatic missions to an April 19 briefing by Vice Foreign Minister Le Cong Phung on the situation in the Central Highlands (text of statement in para 4). Ambassador and poloff attended and met afterwards separately with VFM Phung to deliver reftel demarche and discuss [...] |
2004-04-19 10:45:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PREF PREL PINS VM ETMIN HUMANR RELFREE |
| 04HANOI155 |
CODEL BROWNBACK: FOCUS ON RELIGION [...] (U) Summary: In a series of official meetings in Hanoi on January 8, Senator Samuel Brownback expressed concerns about continuing, and perhaps increasingly severe, measures to restrict religious freedom in Vietnam. He urged the Government of Vietnam to act quickly to end these restrictions, s [...] |
2004-01-16 09:34:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KIRF PREL PGOV ETRD EAGR VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 04HANOI1604 |
REVIEWING HUMAN RIGHTS WITH DPM DUNG [...] (SBU) Summary. In a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Dung on June 3, Ambassador urged Vietnam to take steps on human rights and religious freedom, inter alia, that would create a good environment for high level visits from Vietnam. Dung acknowledged problems in implementation of "clear" [...] |
2004-06-04 06:56:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PREF PHUM IZ VM CTERR ETMIN HUMANR RELFREE |
| 04HANOI1727 |
FURTHER REDUCTION IN FATHER LY'S SENTENCE [...] (U) The Foreign Ministry on July 17 confirmed media reports that the Nam Ha Provincial Court had further reduced by five years the sentence of Father Thadaeus Nguyen Van Ly in tribute to his satisfactory compliance with the regulations of the Nam Ha prison. Father Ly had originally been sen [...] |
2004-06-17 09:54:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KIRF PREL VM RELFREE HUMANR |
| 04HANOI174 |
STAFFDEL MCCORMICK'S TRIP TO HANOI: EXPANDING [...] SUMMARY: During Staffdel McCormick's official meetings January 6-8 with the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), National Assembly (NA), Government Committee on Religious Affairs (CRA), and Office of the Government (OOG), the delegation agreed on the value of an expanded U.S.-Viet [...] |
2004-01-26 09:33:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED | OREP PHUM ETRD EAID VM RELFREE HUMANR HIV AIDS |
| 04HANOI1871 |
VIETNAMESE ACADEMICS RETAIN SUSPICIONS OF THE U.S. [...] (U) SUMMARY: At least some Vietnamese think tankers continue to view the United States with suspicion, both regarding our international strategy in general and actions more specifically toward Vietnam. Much of the domestic sensitivities by these academics nowadays relate to efforts by "hos [...] |
2004-07-02 07:29:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL SOCI VM ETMIN RELFREE CTERR |
| 04HANOI2009 |
TEXT OF VIETNAM'S NEW ORDINANCE ON RELIGION [...] (U) Following is an unofficial Embassy translation of Vietnam's new Ordinance on Belief and Religion. //Begin text// Ordinance on Belief and Religion Pursuant to the 1992 Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, which was amended and supplemented under Resolution No. 51/2001/Q [...] |
2004-07-19 10:04:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PGOV KJUS KIRF VM RELFREE HUMANR |
| 04HANOI2208 |
GVN PROVIDES AUSTRALIA UPDATES ON DETAINEES [...] (SBU) During its annual human rights dialogue with the Government of Australia (Ref. A), the GVN provided information and case details about every individual on a list of prisoners of concern previously delivered by the Australian Embassy in Hanoi. An Australian diplomat recently provided a c [...] |
2004-08-11 09:55:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PREL PGOV AS VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 04HANOI2430 |
STAFFDEL JANUZZI MEETINGS ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOM [...] (SBU) Summary: During meetings with Senate Foreign Relations Committee staff member Frank Januzzi in Hanoi on September 1, a Catholic Church leader and a GVN Committee for Religious Affairs (CRA) official depicted a steadily improving situation for religious believers in Vietnam. Of note, the [...] |
2004-09-03 05:32:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM KIRF PGOV VM ETMIN HUMANR RELFREE |
| 04HANOI2434 |
GVN EXPLAINS NEW ORDINANCE ON RELIGION [...] (U) Summary: According to Nguyen Thanh Xuan, Deputy Chairman of the GVN's Committee for Religious Affairs, Vietnam's Ordinance on Religion (reftels) - which will take effect on November 15 - was modeled on precedents from within Vietnam as well as on similar laws from other countries, includin [...] |
2004-09-03 08:33:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM KIRF PGOV VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 04HANOI2435 |
Ambassador's August 31 Farewell Call on DPM Vu [...] (SBU) Summary: During his August 31 farewell call on Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan, the Ambassador underlined the importance of bilateral strategic dialogue and urged Vietnam to strengthen law enforcement and related cooperation, take positive steps in the areas of human rights and religious [...] |
2004-09-03 08:34:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV PINR ETRD VM HUMANR RELFREE WTO CNARC |
| 04HANOI2506 |
MFA: DON'T DESIGNATE VIETNAM CPC [...] (U) Summary: The GVN characterizes the release of nine prisoners of concern under the National Day amnesty, the recognition of 25 evangelical protestant churches in the Central Highlands, the pending recognition of five more by the end of the year, and the accommodating treatment of SFRC staff [...] |
2004-09-13 09:56:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV PREL KIRF VM RELFREE HUMANR |
| 04HANOI2595 |
Ambassador's September 16 Meeting with Assistant [...] (SBU) Summary: The Ambassador met for the first time September 16 with Assistant Foreign Minister (and Americas Department Director General) Nguyen Duc Hung. Following a brief discussion of VFM Phung's upcoming U.S. visit and Vietnam's efforts to reach out to members of Congress, the issue o [...] |
2004-09-16 09:48:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR VM RELFREE HUMANR |
| 04HANOI2692 |
VIETNAM: AMBASSADOR PRESENTS HIS CREDENTIALS TO [...] SUMMARY: The Ambassador presented his credentials to Vietnamese President Tran Duc Luong on September 27. Both agreed that there had been much progress in the nine years since relations had been reestablished, but there was a need to continue to broaden and deepen the relationship. President [...] |
2004-09-28 09:03:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL VM APEC HUMANR RELFREE |
| 04HANOI2742 |
CORRESPONDENCE FROM GVN'S COMMISSION ON RELIGIOUS [...] Embassy received October 4 identical letters from the Government of Vietnam's Commission on Religious Affairs addressed to the "Department of State," DRL/IRF Ambassador Hanford and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. Embassy pouched the letters to EAP/BCLTV, Registration [...] |
2004-10-05 10:06:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PREL KIRF VM RELFREE HUMANR |
| 04HANOI2757 |
MFA CONCERNED ABOUT VNHRA, LOOKING FORWARD TO [...] (U) Summary: During an hour-long discussion October 6, Vice Foreign Minister Le Van Bang told the Ambassador that the GVN, while concerned about the possible passage of the Human Rights Act in the Senate, was still looking forward to a visit to the United States by Prime Minister Phan Van Khai [...] |
2004-10-07 07:15:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PHUM PREF CASC CVIS KPOW OTRA OVIP VM KICC HUMANR RELFREE WTO HIV AIDS |
| 04HANOI2856 |
CATHOLICS DEDICATE NEW CATHEDRAL [...] (U) Summary: A large number of Catholic bishops, priests and believers celebrated the dedication of a new cathedral in Lang Son City on October 2. The dedication comes after a long period of difficult relations between the Catholic Church and provincial authorities in Lang Son and is reflect [...] |
2004-10-21 06:25:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM KIRF VM HUMANR ETMIN RELFREE |
| 04HANOI2870 |
EAP DAS Huhtala's October 21 Meeting with Senior [...] (SBU) Summary: During an October 21 meeting with Senior Vice Foreign Minister Le Cong Phung, EAP Deputy Assistant Secretary Marie Huhtala underlined the need for Vietnam to SIPDIS take concrete steps to improve its religious freedom situation, particularly in the run-up to next year's event [...] |
2004-10-22 04:36:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV PHUM KIRF VM RELFREE HUMANR BTA WTRO APEC CTERR |
| 04HANOI2879 |
EAP DAS Marie Huhtala's October 22 Meeting with [...] (SBU) Summary: During an October 22 meeting with Communist Party External Affairs Commission (Western Europe and North America) Director Pham Tien Nhien, EAP DAS Marie Huhtala expressed U.S. support for Vietnam's WTO accession, urged Vietnam to engage in greater operational law enforcement co [...] |
2004-10-25 02:03:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV PHUM VM HUMANR RELFREE BTA |
| 04HANOI2886 |
Bulldozed Mennonite Church [...] (SBU) Summary and Comment: Multiple contacts in the official and non-recognized Protestant communities confirmed that local authorities tore down an "unofficial" Mennonite church in Kontum Province September 24, as reported October 22 by Human Rights Watch. However, it appears that the actio [...] |
2004-10-25 09:31:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KIRF VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 04HANOI291 |
SUPPORTING DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS: VIETNAM [...] No summary [...] |
2004-02-03 06:43:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PREL PGOV ELAB KDEM VM ETMIN HUMANR LABOR RELFREE TIP |
| 04HANOI2946 |
The Ambassador's October 28 Call on Prime Minister [...] (SBU) Summary: Meeting officially for the first time October 28, the Ambassador and Prime Minister Phan Van Khai spent over an hour discussing the overall bilateral relationship, trade and commercial matters, health cooperation, religious freedom and human rights issues, Montagnards in the Ce [...] |
2004-11-01 09:40:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV PHUM KIRF ECON ETRD EINV VM HUMANR RELFREE ETMIN HIV AIDS WTO |
| 04HANOI3047 |
DCM MEETS WITH COMMITTEE FOR RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS [...] (SBU) On November 8, the DCM met with Committee for Religious Affairs (CRA) Chairman Ngo Yen Thi to deliver Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom John Hanford's response to Thi's letter complaining about Vietnam's designation as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) (ref A). [...] |
2004-11-10 04:44:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KIRF PHUM PREL RELFREE HUMANR |
| 04HANOI3069 |
GVN EAGER TO CONCLUDE WTO NEGOTIATIONS, [...] (U) Summary: Vice Foreign Minister Le Van Bang told the Ambassador that a visit by Prime Minister Phan Van Khai was possible at the end of the first half of 2005, and discussed possible steps to "create the proper atmosphere" for the visit. As one step, the GVN would like to see a conclusion [...] |
2004-11-12 11:29:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PHUM PREF OTRA OVIP MASS ETRD EAID EINV VM KICC WTO RELFREE HUMANR ETMIN |
| 04HANOI3083 |
GVN MISSES DEADLINE FOR RELIGION DECREES [...] (SBU) Vietnam's new Ordinance on Religion came into effect on November 15, but the GVN has yet to issue the necessary decrees detailing how the ordinance is to be implemented (Ref A). Sources within the Committee for Religious Affairs (CRA) indicated to us that the implementing decrees are pe [...] |
2004-11-15 23:58:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KIRF PGOV VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 04HANOI3218 |
DAS DUGAN MEETS WITH PARTY, PRACTITIONERS ON [...] (SBU) Summary: During November 23 meetings in Hanoi, a Communist Party official told DRL DAS Elizabeth Dugan that the Party upholds freedom of religion in Vietnam and stressed that the country's thriving religious life is proof of this. However, the official said that Protestantism has been v [...] |
2004-11-30 07:10:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM KIRF PREL PGOV VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 04HANOI3246 |
AMBASSADOR VISITS VIETNAM'S SOUTH-CENTRAL COAST [...] (SBU) Summary: The Ambassador visited the south-central coast of Vietnam and found economic development plans in their infancy. Senior officials called for U.S. investment and humanitarian assistance. The Ambassador raised religious freedom, HIV/AIDS, and educational and cultural exchanges an [...] |
2004-12-03 11:09:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV ECON EINV PREL SOCI ETRD VM HUMANR RELFREE HIV AIDS |
| 04HANOI3257 |
NORTHERN PROTESTANT CHURCH HOLDS LONG AWAITED [...] (SBU) Summary: The Evangelical Church of Vietnam: North (ECVN) held its first National Congress in 20 years December 1-2. The meeting allowed the Church to name a new leadership board, appoint two new pastors and make progress on rewriting the ECVN's charter. The new leadership indicated tha [...] |
2004-12-06 08:38:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KIRF PREL PGOV VM ETMIN HUMANR RELFREE |
| 04HANOI327 |
RESURGENCE OF TRADITIONAL BELIEF CELEBRATIONS [...] (U) Summary. The expansion of religious freedoms and resurgent interest in local culture over the past two decades has also sparked new pride in local folk belief and led to the resurgence of large, well-organized festivals dedicated to local gods and heroes. Poloffs attended one major fes [...] |
2004-02-06 09:53:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM SOCI PGOV VM RELFREE |
| 04HANOI3301 |
Congressman Chabot Meets with Foreign Ministry, [...] (SBU) Summary: Congressman Steve Chabot met separately December 13 with Vice Foreign Minister Le Van Bang and National Assemblyman Vu Xuan Hong. Representative Chabot thanked Vietnam for its efforts in the fullest possible accounting of MIA's and urged the GVN to take further steps to advanc [...] |
2004-12-13 10:21:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV PHUM KIRF ECON ETRD EINV OTRA VM HUMANR IPROP RELFREE |
| 04HANOI3392 |
GVN Warns of Christmas Unrest in the Central [...] (SBU) Summary: Assistant Foreign Minister and Americas Department Director General Nguyen Duc Hung called in the Charge December 24 to warn of a "plot" to cause unrest in the Central Highlands -- specifically the provinces of Dak Lak, Kon Tum and Gia Lai -- and encourage ethnic minorities to [...] |
2004-12-24 04:30:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV PHUM PREF KIRF VM CB CTERR ETMIN HUMANR RELFREE |
| 04HANOI3417 |
VIETNAM ENGAGES THIRD COUNTRIES ON HUMAN RIGHTS [...] (SBU) Summary: Vietnam has been actively engaging third countries in formal exchanges on human rights issues, including hosting the annual Canada-China-Norway human rights forum, carrying out a bilateral discussion on the death penalty with EU countries and conducting the bi-annual EU-Vietnam [...] |
2004-12-29 04:13:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PREL EU VM ETMIN HUMANR RELFREE |
| 04HANOI351 |
STAFFDEL FLICKNER'S TRIP TO VIETNAM [...] SUMMARY: During Staffdel Flickner's visit to Vietnam January 10-15, the delegation met with the Office of the Government (OOG), during which its Vice Minister expressed his appreciation for U.S. assistance, requested continued support, and asked for continued dialogue on human rights and rel [...] |
2004-02-10 04:07:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED | OREP EAID ETRD PHUM VM HUMANR RELFREE HIV AIDS |
| 04HANOI383 |
MORE ALLEGATIONS OF HARRASSMENT OF PROTESTANTS IN [...] (SBU) Summary: Sources in the Protestant community in northern Vietnam continue to provide the Embassy with cases of alleged abuse by local authorities. The claims range from petty harassment of believers to two accusations of rape in the Northern Highlands province of Lai Chau. While the [...] |
2004-02-12 09:28:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KIRF PREL VM ETMIN HUMANR RELFREE |
| 04HANOI555 |
OPEN 2003 LETTER FROM FATHER LY TO US CONGRESS [...] (U) In a January 8 meeting in Hanoi, Vice Minister of Public Security Le Van Huong gave Senator Samuel Brownback a copy of an open letter in Vietnamese to the US Congress dated June 27, 2003 by imprisoned Catholic Priest Nguyen Van Ly (Ref A). The letter, the text of which follows in para 3, [...] |
2004-02-26 07:42:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KIRF PREL OREP VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 04HANOI710 |
GVN UPDATES ON SITUATION FOR RELIGIOUS BELIEVERS [...] (SBU) Summary: During recent meetings in Hanoi with DRL/IRF's Dr. Will Inboden, Government of Vietnam (GVN) officials reiterated firmly that religious freedom already exists in Vietnam, but also noted progress on a new ordinance for religion, as well as new training classes on religion for loc [...] |
2004-03-10 04:32:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM KIRF PREL PGOV VM ETMIN HUMANR RELFREE |
| 04HANOI711 |
POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS FOR NORTHERN PROTESTANT CHURCH [...] (SBU) Summary: The situation for the Evangelical Church of Vietnam: North (ECVN) continues slowly to improve, with the long-delayed appointment of an ethnic minority preacher in Lang Son province as well as concrete steps towards holding a general congress soon. The meeting, which would be th [...] |
2004-03-10 05:32:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM KIRF PREL PGOV VM RELFREE HUMANR ETMIN |
| 04HANOI712 |
GVN CONFIRMS CENTRAL HIGHLANDS DECREE ON CHURCHES [...] (U) Summary: The Government Committee on Religious Affairs (CRA) envisions its December 2003 decree on relations with the Southern Evangelical Church of Vietnam (SECV) as reestablishing a "normal" situation for the Protestants in the Central Highlands. The CRA sees the approval of ten new con [...] |
2004-03-10 08:27:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM SOCI PREL PGOV KIRF VM ETMIN HUMANR RELFREE |
| 04HANOI729 |
NORTHERN CATHOLICS RELY ON TIES SOUTH, ABROAD [...] (SBU) Summary: The Catholic Church remains strong in the northern provinces of Nam Dinh and Ninh Binh, the historic heartland of Catholicism in Vietnam. With government acceptance, the Church is expanding the number of clergy, renovating colonial-era churches, and planning new charitable pro [...] |
2004-03-12 01:37:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM SOCI PREL PGOV KIRF VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 04HANOI86 |
JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES SEEK OFFICIAL REGISTRATION [...] (SBU) Summary: The Jehovah's Witnesses maintain a small network of unregistered churches across Vietnam. In urban areas, they have developed working relationships with authorities that allow them to operate unofficially, although smaller congregations in rural areas report some harassment. [...] |
2004-01-13 09:34:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED | KIRF PHUM VM RELFREE |
| 04HANOI916 |
HUE POLICE RUN INTERFERENCE IN MEETINGS WITH [...] (SBU) Summary: A political reporting trip to Hue by Embassy poloff and congenoff was marred by police obstruction of attempted meetings with non-recognized religious figures. These unfortunately successful attempts at blocking access are more damaging to GVN credibility on religious freedom [...] |
2004-04-01 10:13:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM SOCI PREL PGOV KIRF VM RELFREE HUMANR |
| 04HANOI962 |
VFM BANG ON UPCOMING VISITS, HUMAN RIGHTS, SHIPS [...] No summary [...] |
2004-04-06 09:56:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL OVIP PHUM MARR VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 04HANOI998 |
LETTERS FROM FATHER NGUYEN VAN LY [...] (U) During the January visit of Senator Brownback, Father Nguyen Van Ly provided his staff with copies of letters -- written while in prison, in Vietnamese -- that he had written to Parliamentary audiences in Europe and the U.S. and to the Catholic hierarchy in Vietnam. (Reftel provides tr [...] |
2004-04-09 09:57:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PREL KIRF VM RELFREE HUMANR |
| 04HOCHIMINHCITY1123 |
PASTOR REPORTED DETAINED ON CAMBODIAN BORDER [...] (SBU) Embassy and Congen have received reports over the last few days that Pastor Tran Mai was detained on August 29 while attempting to enter Vietnam from Cambodia in the border town of Chau Doc, An Giang province. Pastor Mai is a leader of the Inter-Evangelistic Movement in Ho Chi Minh City [...] |
2004-09-01 12:13:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV KIRF VM HUMANR ETMIN RELFREE |
| 04HOCHIMINHCITY1129 |
VIETNAMESE PASTOR TRAN MAI RELEASED FROM DETENTION [...] (SBU) We spoke with Pastor Tran Mai, at home and in good health on September 7, and confirmed his release on September 6 after eight days detention. The pastor said he was unclear as to why he was detained at the Cambodia/Vietnam border on August 29 (ref a). He stated that, as on previous occa [...] |
2004-09-07 11:19:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM SOCI PREL PGOV KIRF VM RELFREE HUMANR |
| 04HOCHIMINHCITY1140 |
STAFFDEL JANNUZI FOCUSES ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN [...] (SBU) Summary: During a visit to the Central Highland Province of Pleiku September 2 to 4, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Staffer Jannuzi focused on religious freedom issues, particularly among the region's ethnic minorities. The response of local GVN officials to Jannuzi's call for great [...] |
2004-09-09 10:52:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM SOCI PREL PGOV KIRF VM HUMANR ETMIN RELFREE |
| 04HOCHIMINHCITY1204 |
SUBDUED REACTION TO IRF REPORT IN SOUTHERN VIETNAM [...] (SBU) Summary: Media coverage and official reaction in Southern Vietnam to the decision to designate Vietnam a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) has been muted. While the HCMC press faithfully carried Hanoi-issued editorials on CPC, there was no "piling on," i.e., no effort to supplement wi [...] |
2004-09-24 12:43:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KPAO PGOV PHUM PREL PROP OPRC VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 04HOCHIMINHCITY1240 |
RELIGIOUS ISSUES IN DANANG [...] (SBU) Summary: During a visit to Danang September 30 and October 1, religious leaders from GVN-recognized Catholic and Protestant denominations painted a picture of provincial leadership that is tolerant of organized religion. While bemoaning their lack of "complete religious freedom," they t [...] |
2004-10-05 12:23:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM SOCI PREL PGOV KIRF VM RELFREE HUMANR |
| 04HOCHIMINHCITY1308 |
AMCIT PASTOR AND 17 HMONG DETAINED IN RELIGIOUS TRAINING [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: HCMC authorities on October 11 detained two Protestant pastors, one of whom was an American citizen, and 17 ethnic Hmong Protestant deacons from Northern Vietnam attending a Bible training class at a private house in HCMC. Police told the participants their meeting was illegal. [...] |
2004-10-19 12:20:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM CASC SOCI PREL PGOV KIRF VM ETMIN RELFREE |
| 04HOCHIMINHCITY1359 |
KHANH HOA PROVINCE: DELAYED DEVELOPMENT [...] (SBU) Khanh Hoa Province on Vietnam's central coast is attempting a development strategy based on tourism, seafood and maritime transport. Geography, natural resources, and workforce give the province excellent development potential and some infrastructure investment is underway. However, a [...] |
2004-10-27 11:40:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON PGOV ETRD EINV SOCI PHUM PREL KIRF KPAO VM SOE HIV AIDS RELFREE |
| 04HOCHIMINHCITY1386 |
CONTROVERSIAL KONTUM PASTOR FANS RELIGIOUS CONTROVERSY [...] (U) On November 4 post received from EAP/BCLTV an electronic copy of letter from Kon Tum Mennonite Pastor Nguyen Cong Chinh dated October 26 containing two highly inflammatory allegations: -- in late September, Kon Tum provincial police detained and tortured seven new converts for three days [...] |
2004-11-04 13:57:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM SOCI PREL PGOV KIRF VM ETMIN HUMANR RELFREE |
| 04HOCHIMINHCITY1388 |
GVN AND HCMC RELIGIOUS LEADERS CONSULT ON NEW LEGAL [...] (SBU) Summary and Comment: GVN officials in Ho Chi Minh City are in the process of consulting with the religious community in southern Vietnam on new draft implementation guidelines for Vietnam's new religious ordinance. These officials are also making overtures to Vietnam's evangelical Protes [...] |
2004-11-05 00:45:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM SOCI PREL PGOV KIRF VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 04HOCHIMINHCITY1422 |
CONTROVERSIAL VIETNAMESE MENNONITE PASTOR CONVICTED IN [...] (SBU) According to Pham Dinh Nhan (strictly protect), a leader of the Vietnam Evangelical Fellowship (VEF), an association of house church groups, in a trial the morning of November 12, the HCMC Criminal Court sentenced controversial Mennonite Pastor Nguyen Hong Quang to three years imprisonme [...] |
2004-11-12 10:47:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM SOCI PREL PGOV KIRF VM RELFREE HUMANR |
| 04HOCHIMINHCITY1464 |
RELIGIOUS ISSUES IN CENTRAL HIGHLANDS PROVINCE OF DAK LAK [...] (SBU) Summary: Officials in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak are keeping a tight lid on religious activities, particularly in the Protestant community. According to GVN- recognized Southern Evangelical Church of Vietnam, only 4,300 of 125,000 believers worship in "official" churches; [...] |
2004-11-23 12:13:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL SOCI KIRF PHUM VM KREF HUMANR ETMIN RELFREE |
| 04HOCHIMINHCITY1468 |
DAS DUGAN VISITS UBCV BUDDHIST LEADER IN HCMC [...] (SBU) Summary: Thich Quang Do, Secretary General of the outlawed United Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) told DRL DAS Elizabeth Dugan that he strongly opposes the GVN communist government. In his first meeting with USG officials since he was placed under de facto "pagoda arrest" in October [...] |
2004-11-24 09:47:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM SOCI PREL PGOV KIRF VM RELFREE HUMANR |
| 04HOCHIMINHCITY147 |
GVN DECREE ON NORMALIZATION OF PROTESTANTISM IN THE [...] (SBU) A December decree from the GVN National Committee on Religious Affairs, provided to ConGen by the Dak Lak province Representative Board of the Southern Evangelical Church of Vietnam (SECV), promised new steps to "normalize" the operation of Protestant churches in the Central Highlands. [...] |
2004-02-13 09:17:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV PREL SOCI VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 04HOCHIMINHCITY1482 |
AMBASSADOR VISITS UBCV PATRIARCH THICH HUYEN QUANG [...] (SBU) Summary: The Ambassador visited the Most Venerable Thich Huyen Quang, Patriarch of the banned Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV), at Quy Nhon General Hospital November 21. Thich Huyen Quang confirmed that he remains under unofficial pagoda arrest, although local officials arranged [...] |
2004-11-26 08:34:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM SOCI PREL PGOV KIRF VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 04HOCHIMINHCITY1494 |
DRL DAS DUGAN IN HCMC: HUMAN RIGHTS, RELIGION, WOMEN'S [...] (SBU) Summary: Religious leaders and human rights dissidents told DRL DAS Dugan that despite strict GVN controls, they have seen improvement in human rights and religious freedom. They welcomed continued pressure on Vietnam but cautioned against sanctions. Recognized religious groups planned [...] |
2004-12-01 04:19:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM SOCI PREL KIRF PREF PGOV VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 04HOCHIMINHCITY1528 |
VIETNAM'S SOUTHERN ECONOMIC TRIANGLE SUCCESS [...] (SBU) Summary: Consul General and ConGen team traveled to Dong Nai and Binh Duong provinces to examine the two provinces' economic performance that is double the national average. Local officials credit their economic success to 1990's policy decisions creating the southern economic zones. I [...] |
2004-12-13 10:52:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EINV ETRD EFIN ECON PREL PGOV VM PHUM KIRF SOE RELFREE HUMANR |
| 04HOCHIMINHCITY153 |
CIRFDEL SURVEYS RELIGION IN VIETNAM: MEETINGS IN HANOI [...] (SBU) Local religious leaders offered up fewer specific complaints of violent or coercive acts of religious oppression and called for greater activism during meetings with a delegation from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) in January. While some government offici [...] |
2004-02-13 11:13:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM SOCI PREL PGOV OTRA KIRF VM RELFREE HUMANR |
| 04HOCHIMINHCITY1590 |
CHRISTMAS IN VIETNAM'S CENTRAL HIGHLANDS [...] (SBU) Summary: According to contacts in the Catholic and Protestant communities, Christmas services in the Central Highlands provinces of Gia Lai and Kontum were numerous and peaceful, although under heavy police and military scrutiny. In contrast, Protestant services in Dak Lak province were [...] |
2004-12-28 10:16:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM SOCI PREL PGOV PREF KIRF VM ETMIN HUMANR RELFREE |
| 04HOCHIMINHCITY210 |
MORE FRIEND THAN FOE? THE CHAM MUSLIMS OF AN GIANG [...] (SBU) SUMMARY. An Giang Province's small ethnic minority Cham Muslims expressed delight at U.S. interest in them and a willingness to meet again. Poloff informally visited three Cham Muslim mosques on February 20, 2004, meeting with lay followers and one Imam. The Cham shared current inform [...] |
2004-03-02 09:46:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM SOCI PREL PGOV VM KIRF RELFREE ETMIN |
| 04HOCHIMINHCITY232 |
LATEST CLAIMS OF "RELIGIOUS OPPRESSION" DON'T WASH [...] (SBU) On March 4, ConGen received information from U.S.-based sources that Vietnamese public security officers had surrounded the home of Mennonite Pastor Nguyen Hong Quang in District 2 of HCMC, at 16:15 local time on March 2. The security officials were alleged to have ordered everyone who w [...] |
2004-03-05 10:51:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM SOCI PREL KIRF VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 04HOCHIMINHCITY252 |
HOW NOW HOA HAO? RELIGION IN AN GIANG PROVINCE [...] (SBU) SUMMARY. The leadership of the government-recognized Hoa Hao Administrative Council (HHAC) provided a predictably positive report on the condition of the indigenous Hoa Hao faith in Vietnam, during PolOff's recent visit to An Giang Province. The HHAC, recognized by the GVN in 1999, was [...] |
2004-03-09 09:38:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV PREL SOCI KIRF VM RELFREE HUMANR |
| 04HOCHIMINHCITY255 |
HO CHI MINH CITY OPENS THE DOOR TO CATHOLIC CHARITABLE [...] (SBU) In a small dinner on March 1 at his 100-year-old residence, Cardinal Pham Minh Man, Archbishop of HCMC, told the Consul General that he had just received a letter from Ho Chi Minh City authorities seeking assistance in dealing with the growing HIV/AIDS problem. The letter, signed by the [...] |
2004-03-09 13:12:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM SOCI PGOV PREL KIRF VM HIV AIDS RELFREE |
| 04HOCHIMINHCITY303 |
CLAIMS OF CHURCH CLOSURES AND BEATINGS IN CENTRAL [...] (U) Summary: Protestant sources reported that while the overall religious situation in the Central Highlands was still showing signs of improvement, as evidenced by six new ordinations, additional cases of house church closures, destruction of church properties, and arrests and beatings of tho [...] |
2004-03-18 09:21:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM SOCI PREF PREL PGOV KIRF VM RELFREE HUMANR ETMIN |
| 04HOCHIMINHCITY315 |
LETTERS FROM HOA HAO DISSIDENT [...] (SBU) Summary. Leading HCMC-based Hoa Hao "dissident" Tran Huu Duyen recently provided Post with two letters detailing his views on the status of religious freedom and the Hoa Hao. One letter was addressed to the Consulate General and one to Congress. While few of his points are new, they pro [...] |
2004-03-22 13:09:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM SOCI PREL PGOV KIRF VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 04HOCHIMINHCITY336 |
FORMER UBCV MONK THICH TRI LUC: RELIEVED AT HIS RELEASE, [...] (SBU) Summary: Pham Van Tuong (protect), formerly known as Thich Tri Luc, met with CG and ConGenoffs for two hours on March 30, 2004, four days after his release from prison. The former monk from the banned Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) appeared to be in good physical and mental c [...] |
2004-03-31 00:44:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PREF SOCI PREL PGOV KIRF VM RELFREE HUMANR |
| 04HOCHIMINHCITY343 |
REPORTS OF HOUSE CHURCH CLOSINGS, BEATINGS, AND [...] (SBU) Summary: Three new Protestant contacts, introduced by a trusted HCMC-based source, shared information on several recent incidents in Kon Tum and Quang Ngai provinces with Poloff in two meetings in HCMC on March 31. At the first meeting, two lay pastors provided firsthand accounts of hou [...] |
2004-04-01 12:23:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM SOCI PREL PGOV KIRF VM ETMIN HUMANR RELFREE |
| 04HOCHIMINHCITY401 |
MONTAGNARDS PROTEST IN CENTRAL HIGHLANDS OVER EASTER [...] (SBU) Summary: ConGen HCMC has spoken with numerous sources in Ho Chi Minh City and the Central Highlands regarding reports of violence during demonstrations by ethnic minority residents ("Montagnards") of Dak Lak and Gia Lai provinces. The demonstrations began early on the morning of Saturda [...] |
2004-04-12 12:55:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV SOCI PREL KIRF VM HUMANR ETMIN RELFREE |
| 04HOCHIMINHCITY45 |
PASTOR BUI VAN BA TO STAND TRIAL [...] (SBU) Summary: The Ho Chi Minh City District 11 People's Court will try Pastor Bui Van Ba on the morning of January 13, 2004. Pastor Ba, of the Full Gospel Assembly, is charged with assaulting a police officer in the course of his duties. The charge stems from an August 18, 2003, altercati [...] |
2004-01-09 11:09:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KIRF PHUM PREL PGOV SOCI VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 04HOCHIMINHCITY507 |
HCMC ERO BRIEFS FOREIGN DIPLOMATS ON THE CENTRAL [...] (SBU) Summary: In a briefing for the Consular Corps on April 20, Director Le Quoc Hung of the Ho Chi Minh City External Relations Office (ERO -- the southern branch office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) blamed "extremist elements" inside and outside of Vietnam for demonstrations that turn [...] |
2004-04-23 03:57:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PREL PGOV PREF SOCI SCUL KIRF VM RELFREE HUMANR ETMIN |
| 04HOCHIMINHCITY510 |
PROTESTANTS CRITICIZE MFI ROLE IN CENTRAL HIGHLANDS [...] (SBU) Summary: Despite continued assertions from Human Rights Watch, the Transnational Radical Party, Montagnard Foundation, Inc. (MFI) and various other groups that police and military units brutally beat, raped, killed and arrested ethnic minority demonstrators in the Central Highlands durin [...] |
2004-04-23 18:13:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV PREF PREL SCUL SOCI KIRF VM HUMANR ETMIN RELFREE |
| 04HOCHIMINHCITY572 |
AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH UBCV LEADER THICH HUYEN QUANG [...] No summary [...] |
2004-04-30 00:13:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM SOCI PREL PGOV KIRF VM RELFREE HUMANR |
| 04HOCHIMINHCITY573 |
EMBASSY/CONGEN TEAM VISITS DAK LAK, ASSESSES EXTENT OF [...] (SBU) Summary: Embassy and ConGen poloffs discovered more questions than answers concerning reports of recent ethnic unrest (refs A and B), during an April 26-27 trip through the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak. While everyone from government officials to some of the protesters themselv [...] |
2004-04-30 00:14:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PREF PREL PGOV SOCI SCUL KIRF VM ETMIN HUMANR RELFREE |
| 04HOCHIMINHCITY673 |
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM MAKES SLOW PROGRESS IN HUE [...] (SBU) Both religious leaders and government officials in Thua Thien-Hue Province expressed a generally positive outlook on religious freedom during recent official meetings. However, Embassy and Consulate General officers were prevented from making unannounced visits to dissident Buddhist and [...] |
2004-05-18 00:31:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM SOCI PREL PGOV KIRF VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 04HOCHIMINHCITY751 |
HO CHI MINH CITY BUDDHISTS (OFFICIAL AND UN-) MARK [...] (U) Several thousand Buddhist believers joined hundreds of Buddhist monks and nuns at a June 1 dawn celebration of the 2548th anniversary of the Buddha's birth. The event featured speeches by various leaders of the government recognized Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) and local government offici [...] |
2004-06-03 01:03:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM SCUL PGOV PREL SOCI KIRF VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 04HOCHIMINHCITY752 |
PROTESTANT S0URCE DISCUSSES CENTRAL HIGHLANDS UNREST AND [...] (SBU) In a May 28 meeting with the Consul General, a reliable Protestant source reported that the April 10-11 Easter weekend unrest in the Central Highlands had resulted in the deaths of 10 ethnic minority persons in Gia Lai Province and another 190 in Dak Lak Province -- contrary to GVN claims [...] |
2004-06-03 01:03:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM SCUL PREL SOCI PGOV KIRF VM RELFREE HUMANR ETMIN |
| 04HOCHIMINHCITY758 |
LEGAL PROTESTANTS SEE MOVEMENT ON SEMINARY, NEW CHURCHES [...] (SBU) Several members of the Executive Board of the government- recognized Southern Evangelical Church of Vietnam (SECV) told the Ambassador they were moving ahead with plans for construction of a new seminary campus during a meeting last month at their offices in HCMC. The Protestant leaders [...] |
2004-06-04 13:31:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM SCUL PGOV PREL SOCI KIRF VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 04HOCHIMINHCITY76 |
CIRFDEL SURVEYS RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN VIETNAM: CATHOLICS [...] (U) Dr. Scott Flipse, senior policy analyst at the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) traveled through Hanoi, Hue, the Central Highlands, and Ho Chi Minh City on an official fact-finding mission from January 7-16. He was joined by Mr. George Phillips, from the office o [...] |
2004-01-28 00:34:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM SOCI PREL PGOV OTRA KIRF VM RELFREE HUMANR |
| 04HOCHIMINHCITY789 |
WELL KNOWN MENNONITE PASTOR DETAINED IN HCMC [...] (SBU) On the evening of June 8, ConGen HCMC received information from several reliable Protestant contacts that police in HCMC had "arrested" Mennonite Pastor Nguyen Hong Quang at his home in District 2. This followed earlier reports that police were searching the home, which doubles as an un [...] |
2004-06-09 13:12:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM SOCI PGOV SCUL PREL KIRF VM RELFREE HUMANR |
| 04HOCHIMINHCITY796 |
LOCAL PROTESTANTS TAKE CAUTIOUS APPROACH TO MENNONITE [...] (SBU) Summary: ConGen followed up with several local Protestant leaders on June 10, to obtain additional details on the June 8 detention of Mennonite pastor Nguyen Hong Quang (ref A) in HCMC. ConGen also obtained a copy of an official "announcement" of the arrest, which the District 2 police [...] |
2004-06-12 10:51:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM SOCI PGOV PREL KIRF VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 04HOCHIMINHCITY824 |
FORMER UBCV MONK TO PURSUE IMMIGRANT VISA AFTER [...] (SBU) Mr. Pham Van Tuong, formerly known as Thich Tri Luc while still a monk with the banned Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam, has confirmed that he is now scheduled to depart Vietnam on June 22 under UNHCR auspices for resettlement in Sweden. He will travel with his wife and child. Mr. Tuo [...] |
2004-06-18 13:08:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM CVIS PREF SCUL SOCI PREL PGOV KIRF VM RELFREE HUMANR |
| 04HOCHIMINHCITY84 |
CIRFDEL/STAFFDEL GROVE SURVEY RELIGION IN VIETNAM: [...] (SBU) The religious situation for Protestants in Gia Lai and Dak Lak provinces has seen some real improvements in the last three months, according to both government officials and Protestant leaders who met with two USG delegations in early January. Official registrations for new Protestant ch [...] |
2004-01-28 12:58:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM SOCI PREL PGOV OTRA KIRF VM ETMIN HUMANR RELFREE |
| 04HOCHIMINHCITY870 |
HCMC RELIGION COMMITTEE DISCUSSES DETAINED MENNONITE [...] (SBU) Summary: On June 23, ranking officials from the HCMC Committee for Religious Affairs (CRA) met with Vietnam Evangelical Fellowship (VEF) leader Pham Dinh Nhan (please protect) to admonish him over his activities on behalf of detained Mennonite Pastor Nguyen Hong Quang and, more general [...] |
2004-07-01 01:06:00 | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM SOCI PGOV SCUL PREL KIRF VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 05HANOI102 |
The Ambassador's January 13 Call on Foreign [...] (SBU) Summary: Meeting officially for the first time January 13, the Ambassador and Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien spent 40 minutes discussing the overall bilateral relationship, Vietnam's WTO accession, religious freedom, the Central Highlands and construction of the new Embassy compound. [...] |
2005-01-14 07:40:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV PHUM KIRF PREF PINR ECON ETRD EINV VM WTO RELFREE HUMANR ETMIN |
| 05HANOI1051 |
Religion in the NW Highlands [...] (SBU) Summary: The situation for religious believers remains difficult in Vietnam's Northwest Highlands, but there are signs of some improvements. During the Ambassador's April 20-24 trip to the region, officials in Dien Bien and Lai Chau Provinces said that there are no religious believers [...] |
2005-05-05 22:10:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV KIRF VM HUMANR ETMIN RELFREE |
| 05HANOI1105 |
PERSPECTIVES ON RELIGION IN THE NW HIGHLANDS [...] (SBU) Summary: Protestantism continues to grow rapidly in Vietnam's Northwest Highlands. Practitioners report few difficulties in Ha Giang and Lai Chau Provinces, but the situation in Dien Bien Province is more difficult. The introduction of Vietnam's new legal framework governing religion h [...] |
2005-05-12 07:14:00 | Embassy Hanoi | CONFIDENTIAL | KIRF PHUM VM ETMIN HUMANR RELFREE |
| 05HANOI1235 |
CHARGE GETS PM VISIT UPDATE FROM LE VAN BANG [...] (SBU) Summary: The Charge met with Vice Foreign Minister Le Van Bang May 25 and discussed ongoing plans for the Prime Minister's June visit to the United States. VFM Bang said that his first priority was to reach general agreement on a "joint statement," and relayed the GVN's requests for a [...] |
2005-05-27 09:01:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PHUM KIRF ETRD OVIP KPOW VM WTRO WTO RELFREE |
| 05HANOI1389 |
GETTING PASTOR TRUONG OUT OF THE ASYLUM [...] (SBU) Summary: Although Mission has seen some positive movement in the case of Baptist Pastor Than Van Truong -- his hospital recently reportedly determined that he no longer needs mental health care -- he nonetheless remains confined. The Ambassador will raise his case with Vice Minister of [...] |
2005-06-10 10:43:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PREL KIRF VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 05HANOI1416 |
The Ambassador's June 13 Meeting with the Prime [...] (SBU) The Ambassador met June 13 with Prime Minister Phan Van Khai to discuss the latter's upcoming trip to the United States and a number of pending issues, including Vietnam's WTO accession bid. The Prime Minister expressed his commitment to using his visit to construct the framework for fu [...] |
2005-06-14 09:20:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PHUM PGOV KIRF PINR MARR OVIP ETRD VM WTO HIV AIDS AFLU HUMANR RELFREE CNARC |
| 05HANOI1433 |
BRIGHT SPOTS AND TROUBLE SPOTS FOR RELIGION IN [...] (SBU) Summary and Comment: In recent months, Vietnam has made several significant reforms in its laws that govern religion and has taken a number of other positive steps for religious believers, including releasing several religious prisoners. Catholic and Protestant religious leaders state [...] |
2005-06-15 10:33:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV KIRF VM HUMANR RELFREE |
| 05HANOI1652 |
ANOTHER ROUND OF HUMAN RIGHTS DIALOGUES IN HANOI [...] (SBU) Summary: The Government of Vietnam (GVN) has recently begun new human rights dialogues with Switzerland and the Delegation of the European Commission to Vietnam and held a round of its semi-annual dialogue with the European Union. Both of the new dialogues focused largely on confidence [...] |
2005-06-24 07:02:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PREL PGOV VM HUMANR ETMIN RELFREE |
| 05HANOI2031 |
AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES WTO, APEC CONFERENCE, [...] (SBU) Summary: The Ambassador met August 8 with a senior official in the Prime Minister's office and used the occasion to highlight key points relating to Vietnam's WTO accession, the proposed joint U.S.-Vietnam APEC conference on export controls, human rights and religious freedom and the on [...] |
2005-08-09 10:49:00 | Embassy Hanoi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL ETRD PGOV PHUM PREF VM WTRO APEC WTO RELFREE HUMANR ETMIN |
| 05HANOI2073 |
MFA Delivers Information Sheet on Hoa Hao, [...] (SBU) MFA Americas Department Deputy Director Nguyen Ba Hung called in Pol/C on August 12 to hand over an information sheet on recent incidents involving the Buddhist Hoa Hao Church (Ref A), the Mennonites (Ref B) and Protestant churches in Vietnam's Southwest. Hung said that the GVN is conce [...] |
2005-08-12 11:22:00 | |||