VZCZCXRO6315
PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHHI #1764/01 1930948
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 120948Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2722
INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY PRIORITY 1487
RUEHZS/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HANOI 001764 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MLS, DRL/IRF 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KIRF PHUM PGOV HUMANR VM
SUBJECT: LETTER TO AMBASSADOR HANFORD - SIX PROTESTANT CHURCHES 
REGISTERED IN THE NORTH 
 
Ref: Hanoi 1466 
 
HANOI 00001764  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) On July 12, the MFA's Americas  Department forwarded a 
letter (full text in para. 3) from Chairman Ngo Yen Thi of the GVN's 
Committee on Religious Affairs (CRA) to Ambassador-at-Large for 
International Religious Freedom John Hanford relating the CRA's 
concerns that we will accept a recent Committee on International 
Religious Freedom (CIRF) recommendation to retain Vietnam as a 
Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for religious freedom 
violations.  Accompanying the letter is an attachment (full text in 
para. 4) listing various religious freedom developments in the 
Northwest and Central Highlands regions and in Ho Chi Minh City over 
the last few months. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Of particular note is the news in the attachment that six 
Evangelical Church of Vietnam North (ECVN) house churches in the 
Northwest Highlands are now registered:  two in Lai Chau Province 
and four in Lao Cai.  CRA officials state that the Lai Chau 
congregations were registered on June 29 and July 3.  However, the 
Lao Cai churches are actually not yet registered, but a "decision is 
pending," they said.  These house church registrations are 
consistent with the CRA's stated desire of registering eight total 
congregations as a pilot project by the end of July (reftel).  The 
remaining two of the eight will be in Ha Giang Province, according 
to the CRA.  We will confirm these registrations with the ECVN as 
soon as possible.  End Summary and Comment 
 
¶3. (SBU) BEGIN VERBATIM TEXT OF LETTER (GVN TRANSLATION): 
 
The Government's Committee 
for Religious Affairs 
------------------- 
Hanoi, 26 June, 2006 
 
H.E. John Hanford III 
U.S. Ambassador at large 
for International Religious Freedom 
 
Dear Ambassador, 
 
On behalf of the Committee for Religious Affairs of the Socialist 
Republic of Vietnam and for myself, I would like to send you my 
sincere greetings. 
 
It was brought to my attention that on 4th of May 2006, the U.S. 
Committee for International Religious Freedom has submitted to the 
U.S. State Department a report recommending keeping Vietnam in the 
list of "Countries of Particular Concerns" (CPC).  We view this as a 
regrettable action and would like to share with you some of my 
thoughts as follows: 
 
In recent years, you and your colleagues have paid working visits to 
Vietnam.  I believe that the exchanges and meetings that you made 
with Vietnam's leaders from central and local authorities, religious 
organizations and dignitaries have helped you understand and witness 
the Government and State of Vietnam's efforts in respecting and 
assuring the rights to religious freedom for its citizens, meeting 
the spiritual needs of the people while respecting the traditions 
and customs of the nation. 
 
At the Vietnam - U.S. Human Rights Dialogue in Hanoi last February, 
you acknowledged the positive improvements in the religious 
situation in Vietnam and expressed that you would suggest to the 
U.S. Secretary of State to withdraw Vietnam from the CPC list. 
 
There is an increasing number of U.S. and European delegations 
coming to Vietnam, including most recently the Institute of Global 
Engagement (IGE) mission, and the recent delegation of Vietnam's 
religious dignitaries that went to Washington for a dialogue on 
religious freedom in Washington, D.C.  The objective views and 
exchanges at these visits from both sides showed a common 
recognition that that the situation of religion and belief 
practicing of the followers, most notably in Central Highlands, is 
remarkably improved. 
 
The Northwest provinces have witnessed positive changes. Many 
training seminars on the implementation of the recent policies and 
legislations on religion affairs, especially Decree 01, were 
organized for the local authorities officials.  The registration of 
religious worship groups has also been quickened. 
 
Local authorities are carrying out registration of religious 
practice as stated in the Ordinance on Belief and Religion in order 
to recognize legal status for religious organizations once they meet 
required conditions. 
 
In this early June, delegations from European Union and Institute 
for Global Engagement visited Central Highlands (Dak Lac, Gia Lai) 
 
HANOI 00001764  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
and Northwest provinces (Lao Cai, Lai Chau) and witnessed first hand 
changes in religious life of believers living in these areas. 
 
These improvements are the results of the implementation of policies 
on religious affairs of the Government of Vietnam, as well as 
efforts of central and local authorities in implementing policies by 
way of organizing seminars to promulgate the Ordinance on Belief and 
Religion and the Prime Minister's Instruction on Protestantism. 
 
I hope that during your next visit to Vietnam, you will continue to 
see positive and clear results of the implementation of Vietnam's 
religious policies. 
 
I wish that my aforementioned views would present you with a clearer 
picture of the religious situation in Vietnam and hope that you will 
show your goodwill by recommending the U.S. State Department to 
remove Vietnam from the CPC list.  This will contribute to the 
betterment of Vietnam - U.S. relations, for the interest of our two 
countries' peoples and to the success of President Bush's visit to 
Vietnam at the end of this year. 
 
I look forward to receiving good news from you. 
 
I wish you health, happiness and success. 
 
Sincerely yours, 
 
Ngo Yen Thi 
Chairman, Committee for Religious Affairs 
 
END VERBATIM TEXT OF LETTER 
 
¶4. (SBU) BEGIN VERBATIM TEXT OF ATTACHMENT (GVN TRANSLATION): 
 
(Title) DEVELOPMENTS IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS 
 
Central Highlands 
 
- As of 30-6-2006, there have been 60 chapter churches recognized 
(Dak Lak 8, Gia Lai 29, Lam Dong 17, Dak Nong 3), of which 12 were 
recognized during the first 6 months of 2006 and 700 worship places 
registered with 185.709 religious followers actively practicing. 
There were another more than 600 worship places registered for 
practice during the Noel Holidays. 
 
- The Church has ordained 12 pastors and restored pastorships to 7 
pastors, 21 missionaries and accepted 22 students to attend the 1st 
and 2nd Seminar of the Biblical and Theology Institute (Gia Lai 7, 
Lam Dong 8, Dak Lak 7) 
 
- Local authorities have given lands and processed legal documents 
for the construction of churches and worshiping places for 10 
chapter churches, of which 5 are newly built. The Bible has been 
printed in three languages: E-de, Ba-na and Gia-rai for ethnic 
minority worshipers. 
 
Northwest 
 
-Conferences were held to promulgate Decree 01 and Plan 05 in Lai 
Chau, Lao Cai for local officials from the village levels and up. 
 
-6 new worshiping places have been registered: 
 
- Lai Chau: 2 places: 1) Than Chi Ho Village, Hong Thu Commune, Sin 
Ho District with 37 families, 218 individuals (100 percent H'Mong 
Ethnics, Protestants), 2) Cung Mo Phin Village, Lan Nhi Thang 
Commune, Tam Duong District: 44 families with 281 individuals (100% 
H'Mong Ethnics, Protestants) 
 
- Lao Cai: 4 places: 1) Khe Den 1 Village, Thai Nien Commune, Bao 
Thang District with 25 families, 98 individuals; 2) Khe Den 2 
Village, Thai Nien Commune, Bao Thang District with 33 families, 107 
individuals, 3) Xin Chai and Vi Ma Tren Villages, Phong Hai Commune, 
Bao Thang District, with 64 families; 4) Ai Nam Village, Phong Hai 
Commune, Bao Thang District with 90 families, 484 individuals. 
 
- Local authorities plan to step up the pace of registration during 
the last 6 months of the year. 
 
- Other provinces are also in the implementation process. 
 
Ho Chi Minh City 
 
- A meeting was organized for religious organizations that have not 
been registered 
 
- City authorities have registered the Mennonite Church of Viet Nam, 
Baptist Benevolence Church and Christian Gospel Church. 
 
HANOI 00001764  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
 
Other developments 
 
- The central and local authorities continue to step up the pace of 
the registration process of chapter churches and solve the problem 
of attaining worshiping places for religious followers. 
 
- Activities during the religious holidays are more diversified and 
numerous. 
 
- Due to more simplified procedures, there has been an increased 
ease in a number of areas, including the reconstruction of 
worshiping places, recruitment of students for training of religious 
leaders, ordination and reorganization of religious organization. 
 
-Religious Publishing House published more than 130 books during the 
first 6 months. 
 
-Applications being reviewed for 3 others religious organizations. 
 
END TEXT OF ATTACHMENT 
 
MARINE