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

211131Z Dec 01

 2001HOCHI01411 - UNCLASSIFIED
 
 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ4442

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ACTION EAP-00   

INFO  LOG-00   AID-00   AMAD-00  CIAE-00  DODE-00  SRPP-00  EB-00    
      UTED-00  H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00    LAB-01   L-00     
      NSAE-00  NSCE-00  OIC-02   OPIC-01  PC-01    PRS-00   P-00     
      SP-00    SS-00    STR-00   TEST-00  TRSE-00  USIE-00  PRM-00   
      DRL-02   G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00     /008W
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FM AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5812
INFO AMEMBASSY HANOI PRIORITY 
AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH

UNCLAS HO CHI MINH CITY 001411 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV AND EAP/PD/MSPEER 
DEPARTMENT ALSO FOR DRL/IRF 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM KIRF VM ETMIN HUMANR RELFREE
SUBJECT: PROTESTANTS WARNED NOT TO "CAUSE PROBLEMS" AT CHRISTMAS 
 
 
¶1. (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 "CAUSE PROBLEMS FOR THE GOVERNMENT."  THE PROTESTANT 
LEADERS SAID THEY INTERPRETED THIS WARNING NOT AS A 
PROHIBITION ON RELIGIOUS CHRISTMAS GATHERINGS, BUT 
RATHER AS A CAUTION NOT TO CRITICIZE THE GOVERNMENT AT 
ANY LARGE PUBLIC GATHERINGS AT CHRISTMAS TIME.  THEY 
EXPECT TO GO AHEAD WITH A PLANNED GATHERING OF UP TO 
1000 PROTESTANTS AT A CATHOLIC CHURCH IN THE CITY WHOSE 
PRIESTS HAVE AGREED TO LET THEM "BORROW" THE CHURCH FOR 
THE PROTESTANT CHRISTMAS SERVICE. 
 
¶2. (SBU) THE PROTESTANT LEADERS WERE AWARE THAT ON 
DECEMBER 11, SEVERAL PROTESTANT PASTORS FROM VIETNAM'S 
CENTRAL HIGHLANDS WERE SUMMONED TO HANOI TO HEAR A 
SIMILAR WARNING.  THE VIETNAM NEWS AGENCY REPORTED THAT 
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SPEAKER NGUYEN VAN AN HAD ASKED THE 
PASTORS TO "CONVEY HIS MERRY CHRISTMAS WISHES TO THE 
PROTESTANT COMMUNITY IN THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS," BUT 
ALSO WARNED THEM TO "STAY VIGILANT AND FIGHT BAD 
ELEMENTS WHO ABUSE RELIGION TO UNDERMINE NATIONAL 
UNITY."   SEPARATELY, A RELIABLE PROTESTANT SOURCE TOLD 
EMBASSY POLOFF THAT THE GVN COMMITTEE ON RELIGION HAD 
SUMMONED SIX CENTRAL HIGHLAND ETHNIC MINORITY LEADERS 
OF THE RECENTLY LEGALIZED SOUTHERN EVANGELICAL CHURCH 
OF VIETNAM TO HANOI FROM DECEMBER 7-16 FOR MEETINGS 
WITH VARIOUS GVN OFFICIALS. 
 
¶3. (SBU) THE MONTAGNARD FOUNDATION, INC., BASED IN 
SOUTH CAROLINA, PUT OUT A PRESS RELEASE THAT INCLUDED A 
PLEA TO PRESIDENT BUSH AND THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY 
TO MONITOR AN EVENT IN THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS WHERE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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"HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF HILL TRIBE MONTAGNARDS WILL 
UNITE IN A PEACEFUL PRAYER VIGIL TO CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS 
AND CALL FOR AN END TO MARTIAL LAW BY HANOI'S COMMUNIST 
AUTHORITIES AND TO RESPECT HUMAN RIGHTS AND RELIGIOUS 
FREEDOM IN VIETNAM."  THE MONTAGNARD FOUNDATION 
ALLEGEDLY WAS INVOLVED IN ORGANIZING ETHNIC MINORITY 
DEMONSTRATIONS IN THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS LAST FEBRUARY 
AND MARCH.  A RELIABLE PROTESTANT SOURCE TOLD POLOFF 
THAT THE MONTAGNARD FOUNDATION WAS INVOLVED IN 
ORGANIZING A PROTESTANT CELEBRATION OF APPROXIMATELY 
2000 ETHNIC GIA RAI MINORITY PERSONS IN CHU A THAI 
VILLAGE IN GIA LAI PROVINCE LAST CHRISTMAS.  (COMMENT: 
POST BELIEVES IT IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY THE ETHNIC MINORITY 
PROTESTANTS COULD ORGANIZE A SIMILARLY LARGE GATHERING 
THIS CHRISTMAS BECAUSE OF THE CONTINUING EMPHASIS ON 
SECURITY BY PROVINCIAL AND DISTRICT AUTHORITIES IN THE 
AREA.  END COMMENT.) 
 
¶4. (SBU) THE HCMC PROTESTANT LEADERS SAID THEY HAVE 
HEARD FROM PROTESTANT PASTORS IN OTHER PROVINCES WHO 
HAVE ALSO BEEN WARNED NOT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF 
CHRISTMAS TO "CAUSE PROBLEMS."  THEY SAID THEY WERE 
UNAWARE OF ANY PLANNED LARGE GATHERING IN THE CENTRAL 
HIGHLANDS.  THEY EMPHASIZED THAT THEIR OWN CHRISTMAS 
SERVICE IN HCMC WILL BE A RELIGIOUS CELEBRATION AND 
WILL NOT TOUCH ON POLITICS IN ANY WAY. 
 
YAMAUCHI 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED