This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.


2001HOCHI01201 - UNCLASSIFIED
 
 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTO1854

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ACTION EAP-00   

INFO  LOG-00   AID-00   AMAD-00  CIAE-00  INL-00   SRPP-00  EB-00    
      EUR-00   UTED-00  H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00    L-00     
      NSAE-00  OIC-02   OPIC-01  PC-01    PRS-00   P-00     SP-00    
      SS-00    STR-00   TEST-00  TRSE-00  USIE-00  SNIS-00  NISC-00  
      PRM-00   DRL-02   G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00     /007W
                  ------------------33B221  230454Z /38    
FM AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5630
INFO AMEMBASSY HANOI PRIORITY 
AMEMBASSY VATICAN 
USMISSION GENEVA 
ASEAN COLLECTIVE
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI
JICPAC HONOLULU HI
SECDEF WASHDC
DIA WASHDC
NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS HO CHI MINH CITY 001201 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV AND EAP/PD/MSPEER 
DEPARTMENT ALSO FOR DRL/IRF 
CINCPAC FOR FPA 
SECDEF FOR ISA/EA/ABLAGG 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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TAGS: PHUM KIRF VM HUMANR RELFREE
SUBJECT: FATHER NGUYEN VAN LY SENTENCED TO 15 YEARS 
 
REF: A. HANOI 2276  B. HCMC 0688 AND PREVIOUS  C. HCMC 
1134 
 
¶1. 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 ARREST) ORDERS HE WAS 
PLACED UNDER IN FEBRUARY, AND 13 YEARS FOR DAMAGING THE 
GOVERNMENT'S "UNITY POLICY."  IN ADDITION, THE COURT 
ORDERED ADMINISTRATIVE PROBATION, WHICH WILL CONFINE LY 
TO HIS PLACE OF RESIDENCE FOR 5 YEARS AFTER HE IS 
RELEASED FROM PRISON.  BOTH PROVINCIAL AND NATIONAL 
TELEVISION (VTV1) BROADCAST THE SENTENCING ON THE 
EVENING NEWS. 
 
¶2. FATHER LY HAS ALREADY SPENT 10 YEARS IN PRISON (FROM 
1981 TO 1991) FOR ANTI-REVOLUTIONARY ACTIVITIES.  IN 
NOVEMBER 2000, HE CIRCULATED A LETTER CHARGING THE 
GOVERNMENT WITH ABUSE OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.  IN 
FEBRUARY 2001, HE MET WITH DISSIDENT HOA HAO AND 
BUDDHIST LEADERS IN HUE TO ORGANIZE A "COUNCIL FOR 
INTER-RELIGIOUS UNITY" OUTSIDE OF GVN AUTHORITY.  ONE 
WEEK LATER, HE SUBMITTED WRITTEN TESTIMONY THAT WAS 
HIGHLY CRITICAL OF THE GVN TO THE U.S. COMMISSION ON 
INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.  ON FEBRUARY 14, THE 
PROVINCIAL PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE OF THUA THIEN HUE 
PROVINCE PUT HIM UNDER A HOUSE ARREST ORDER.  FATHER 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HO CHI  01201  230453Z 
LY, HOWEVER, CONTINUED TO SPEAK OUT DURING HIS SERMONS, 
HUNG BANNERS AT HIS CHURCH CALLING FOR RELIGIOUS 
FREEDOM, AND ATTEMPTED TO BREAK HIS HOUSE ARREST BY 
TRAVELING OUTSIDE HIS CHURCH COMPOUND. 
 
¶3. SEVERAL POLICEMEN ARRESTED FATHER LY EARLY IN THE 
MORNING OF MAY 17.  LATER THAT DAY, ACCORDING TO 
SEVERAL WITNESSES, APPROXIMATELY 300 POLICEMEN CAME TO 
THE CHURCH COMPOUND TO FORCIBLY DISBURSE A CROWD OF 300 
- 500 PERSONS, WHO WERE PROTESTING THE ARREST. 
 
¶4. ON OCTOBER 22, IN A MEETING WITH THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR 
OF THE AMERICAS DEPARTMENT OF THE MFA ON ANOTHER 
SUBJECT, EMBASSY POL/C RAISED FATHER LY'S SENTENCE, 
NOTED THE ADDITIONAL CONCERN THIS WOULD CREATE IN 
WASHINGTON, AND OBSERVED THAT THE VIETNAM HUMAN RIGHTS 
ACT WAS STILL PENDING BEFORE THE SENATE.  THE DEPUTY 
DIRECTOR MERELY REPEATED THE USUAL LINE THAT THE CASE 
WAS ABOUT CRIMINAL ACTIVITY AND NOT ABOUT RELIGIOUS 
FREEDOM.  CONGEN POLOFF WAS UNABLE TO REACH EITHER THE 
ARCHBISHOP OF HUE OR THE ARCHBISHOP OF HCMC FOR 
COMMENT.  (THE ARCHBISHOP OF HCMC IS CURRENTLY 
TRAVELING IN ROME.)  A CATHOLIC PRIEST IN HUE AND TWO 
OTHERS IN HCMC DECLINED TO TALK WITH POLOFF ABOUT THE 
SENTENCING.  ONE PRIEST SAID HE WOULD BE WILLING TO 
TALK WITH POLOFF "AFTER SOME TIME HAS PASSED." 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶5. POST BELIEVES THE HARSH SENTENCE MAY HAVE RESULTED 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        HO CHI  01201  230453Z 
IN PART FROM LY'S TESTIMONY TO THE U.S. COMMISSION ON 
INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.  THE GOVERNMENT 
TOLERATES SOME CRITICISM ABOUT CERTAIN POLICIES -- WHEN 
IT IS MADE CONSTRUCTIVELY AND IN PRIVATE.   FATHER LY'S 
DELIBERATE, PUBLIC CRITICISM OF THE GOVERNMENT -- SENT 
IN WRITTEN FORM TO A FOREIGN GOVERNMENT ENTITY - LED TO 
THIS HARSH GVN REACTION.  THE 15-YEAR SENTENCE IS 
SEVERE.  IN CONTRAST, POST NOTES THE "RINGLEADER" OF 
THIS YEAR'S ETHNIC DEMONSTRATIONS IN THE CENTRAL 
HIGHLANDS RECEIVED A 12-YEAR SENTENCE, AND OTHERS 
INVOLVED WITH THIS UNREST RECEIVED FAR LESS. 
 
YAMAUCHI 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED