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

140406Z Mar 02

2002HANOI00573 - UNCLASSIFIED
 
 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ1939

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      OPIC-01  PA-00    PC-01    PM-00    PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00     
      SP-00    IRM-00   SSO-00   STR-00   TEST-00  TRSE-00  USIE-00  
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FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 5766
INFO AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 
SECDEF WASHDC
NSC WASHDC
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 HANOI 000573 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV AND DRL 
 
SECDEF FOR ABLAGG 
 
E.O. 12958:  NA 
TAGS: SOCI ECON PHUM EAID PGOV VM
SUBJECT:  POVERTY AND REMINDERS OF WAR IN CENTRAL VIETNAM 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
 
PAGE 02        HANOI  00573  01 OF 04  140431Z 
 
¶1.  (U)  SUMMARY:  DIVIDED BY THE OLD DMZ, QUANG TRI AND 
QUANG BINH ARE UNITED IN POVERTY NOT SO MUCH BECAUSE OF 
WAR'S DESTRUCTION, BUT BECAUSE OF UNFAVORABLE GEOGRAPHY. 
REMOTE AND WITH LITTLE SURVIVING PRE-WAR INFRASTRUCTURE, 
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS AND A GREAT DEAL OF HARD 
WORK ARE ASSISTING BOTH PROVINCES TO OVERCOME THEIR POVERTY. 
THINLY STRETCHED LEADERSHIP CHALLENGES BOTH BUDDHIST AND 
CHRISTIAN FOLLOWERS IN THESE PROVINCES.  END SUMMARY. 
 
OBSCURE QUANG BINH STRUGGLES WITH POVERTY; EXPECTS HELP 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
¶2.  (U)  VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE QUANG BINH PROVINCIAL PEOPLE'S 
COMMITTEE, PHAN VIET DUNG, RECEIVED POLOFF AND POL FSN ON 
JANUARY 9, ALONG WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF HALF A DOZEN 
PROVINCIAL OFFICES.  THE VICE CHAIRMAN CALLED FOR US 
DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE, CITING THE MANY DIFFICULTIES QUANG 
BINH FACES, MOST NOTABLY THE HARSH WEATHER, GEOGRAPHICAL 
CONDITIONS, AND ITS REMOTENESS.  HE DID NOT DIRECTLY BLAME 
THE WAR AND ITS AFTERMATH FOR SLOW PACE OF DEVELOPMENT IN 
QUANG BINH, MERELY SAYING THAT, "THE WAR USED TO BE QUITE 
FIERCE HERE".  ACCORDING TO VICE CHAIRMAN DUNG, QUANG BINH'S 
PER CAPITA INCOME IS $200, ABOUT HALF THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. 
SOME 25 PERCENT OF THE POPULATION IS BELOW THE POVERTY LINE, 
WITH THE PERCENTAGE HIGHEST AMONG ETHNIC GROUPS LIVING IN 
REMOTE MOUNTAINOUS DISTRICTS.  HE SAID THE PROVINCE WAS 
STRIVING TO REDUCE THE POVERTY RATE TO 15 PERCENT IN THE 
YEAR 2002.  HE TOLD POLOFF THAT QUANG BINH NEEDED ASSISTANCE 
FROM NGOS, INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, AND FOREIGN 
EMBASSIES TO REACH THAT TARGET. 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HANOI  00573  01 OF 04  140431Z 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  WORLD WIDE FUND FOR NATURE (WWF) IS WORKING IN 
QUANG BINH TO HELP PRESERVE UNUSUAL LIMESTONE MOUNTAIN 
FOREST HABITAT NEAR THE LAO BORDER.  PART OF THE PROJECT, 
ACCORDING TO MARIANNE MELJBOOM, A RESIDENT WWF FIELD ADVISOR 
WHO SPOKE TO POLOFF AND POL FSN ON JANUARY 9, CONSISTS OF 
RESETTLING AND IMPROVING THE LIVELIHOODS OF A FEW DOZEN 
ETHNIC MINORITY FAMILIES CURRENTLY LIVING WITHIN THE 
BOUNDARIES OF A NATIONAL PARK.  MELJBOOM POINTED OUT THAT 
VERY LITTLE LOGGING HAS TAKEN PLACE IN THE PARK AND 
SURROUNDING AREAS, LEAVING THE FOREST LARGELY INTACT AND 
THAT TIGERS AND A LARGE VARIETY OF PRIMATES ARE STILL FOUND 
IN THE AREA. 
 
¶4.  (U)  DONG HOI TOWN, THE CAPITAL OF QUANG BINH APPEARED 
VERY QUIET, EVEN SLEEPY.  THE LOCAL MARKET WAS MODERATELY 
BUSY, OFFERING A WIDE VARIETY OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, BUT 
THE TOWN'S STREETS WERE TRANQUIL ELSEWHERE.  THERE WERE FEW 
TOURISTS IN EVIDENCE.  INTERNET SERVICE APPEARED TO BE 
AVAILABLE ONLY AT A BRANCH POST OFFICE AND A HUE UNIVERSITY 
EXTENSION CENTER AND WAS FIVE TIMES MORE EXPENSIVE THAN IN 
HANOI.  COMPUTER CLASSES AT THE EXTENSION CENTER APPEARED 
FULL, HOWEVER.  THE BRICK RUINS OF DONG HOI'S OLD CATHOLIC 
CHURCH, PICTURED ON POSTCARDS AND IN HANOI'S MUSEUM OF THE 
REVOLUTION, WERE TURNED INTO A PARK IN 1997.  A PLAQUE BEARS 
AN ACCOUNT OF CHURCH'S DESTRUCTION BY AMERICAN BOMBERS IN 
¶1972.  THE PARK DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN MAINTAINED FOR 
SOME TIME.  THE PLANTER BOXES ARE CHOKED WITH WEEDS, THE 
ORNAMENTAL TREES HAVE DIED, AND THE PARK'S LIGHTS APPEAR TO 
HAVE BEEN BROKEN FOR A LONG TIME.  POLOFF FOUND USED 
SYRINGES ON THE GROUND NEAR WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        HANOI  00573  01 OF 04  140431Z 
CHURCH'S SANCTUARY. 
 
QUANG TRI IS OPEN AND USED TO FOREIGNERS 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (U)  THE MOST APPARENT CONTRAST BETWEEN QUANG BINH AND 
QUANG TRI IS THE DEGREE OF FOREIGN PRESENCE.  RESIDENT 
FOREIGNERS IN QUANG BINH ARE FEW AND TOURISTS SEEM RARE. 
SEVERAL FOREIGN NGO'S OPERATE AND HAVE STAFF IN QUANG TRI, 
BUT ONLY FEW WORLD WILDLIFE FUND EXPERTS LIVE IN AN OUTLYING 
DISTRICT OF QUANG BINH.  VISITS WITH SOME NGO STAFFERS IN 
QUANG TRI SHOWED THAT THEY HAD EXCELLENT WORKING 
RELATIONSHIPS WITH PROVINCIAL OFFICIALS.  FOREIGN TOURISTS 
AND BUSINESSES THAT CATER TO THEM ARE COMMON.  DONG HO TOWN 
HAD SEVERAL INTERNET CAFES.  ONE, THE DMZ CAFE, RUN BY AN 
ENGLISH-SPEAKING INDIVIDUAL WHO DESCRIBED HIMSELF AS AN ARVN 
VETERAN RESPONSIBLE FOR LIAISON WITH THE U.S. MARINE CORPS, 
BOASTED A CONNECTION SPEED TWICE AS FAST AS NORMALLY 
AVAILABLE IN HANOI. 
 
¶6.  (U)  WHILE POLOFF'S VISIT SEEMED TO GENERATE A HIGH 
LEVEL OF INTEREST IN QUANG BINH, WITH AS MANY AS FOUR 
PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT NOTE-TAKERS AT SOME MEETINGS, QUANG 
TRI'S RECEPTION WAS FRIENDLY, BUT RATHER LOW-KEY.  DURING A 
FIFTY-MINUTE MEETING, QUANG TRI PROVINCIAL PEOPLE'S 
COMMITTEE VICE CHAIRMAN NGUYEN DUC CHINH, SPENT AT LEAST TEN 
MINUTES DISCUSSING THE CONDITION OF SOME SURPLUS DEPARTMENT 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ1941 
 
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INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AID-00   CEA-01   CIAE-00  COME-00  CTME-00 
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      H-01     SSA-01   TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00    ITC-01   L-00 
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      SP-00    IRM-00   SSO-00   STR-00   TEST-00  TRSE-00  USIE-00 
      EPAE-00  ECA-00   PMB-00   DSCC-00  PRM-00   DRL-02   G-00 
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                  ------------------743EB1  140432Z /38 
R 140406Z MAR 02 
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 5767 
INFO AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 
SECDEF WASHDC 
NSC WASHDC 
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 04 HANOI 000573 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV AND DRL 
 
SECDEF FOR ABLAGG 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HANOI  00573  02 OF 04  140431Z 
 
OF DEFENSE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT DONATED TO THE PROVINCE IN 2001 
RELATED TO THEN-PRESIDENT CLINTON'S NOVEMBER 2000 VISIT TO 
VIETNAM.  VICE CHAIRMAN CHINH EXPRESSED APPRECIATION FOR THE 
DEFENSE ATTACHE OFFICE'S EFFORTS TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEMS. 
HE MENTIONED THE AFTERMATH OF THE WAR IN QUANG TRI, BUT 
EMPHASIZED THE PROVINCE'S DESIRE FOR MORE US INVESTMENT AND 
APPRECIATION OF ASSISTANCE TO DATE.  HE REPORTED THAT AS ONE 
OF QUANG TRI'S NATIONAL ASSEMBLY DELEGATES HE HAD VOTED FOR 
THE U.S.-VIETNAM BILATERAL TRADE AGREEMENT.  POLOFF NOTED 
THAT ONE OF THE PROVINCE'S ATTRACTIONS TO FOREIGN INVESTORS 
WOULD BE THE EXCELLENT WORKING RELATIONSHIP FOREIGN NGO'S 
SEEM TO ENJOY WITH THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT. 
 
QUANG TRI - HARD WORK TO TURN SAND INTO SOIL 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶7.  (U)  ON JANUARY 10, POLOFF AND POL STAFF VISITED A UNDP 
AND NORWEGIAN GOVERNMENT SUPPORTED LIVELIHOOD PROJECT AND 
RESETTLEMENT SITE ABOUT 30 KILOMETERS SOUTHEAST OF DONG HA 
TOWN.  THE PROJECT BENEFICIARIES, WE WERE TOLD, COME FROM A 
NEARBY FISHING VILLAGE ON THE COAST.  ACCORDING TO THE 
DEPUTY CHAIRMAN OF THE DISTRICT PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE, THE 
VILLAGE'S MEN FISH WHEN WEATHER PERMITS AND THE WOMEN SELL 
THE FISH IN LOCAL MARKETS.  THERE IS NO FISHING FOR SEVERAL 
MONTHS AND WITH NO LAND AND NO OTHER TRADES, THEY ARE 
EXTREMELY POOR, SAID THE DEPUTY CHAIRMAN.  THE LIVELIHOOD 
AND RESETTLEMENT PROJECT AIMS TO RECLAIM NEARBY BARREN LAND 
FOR AGRICULTURE AND THUS IMPROVE THE COMMUNITY'S STANDARD OF 
LIVING. 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HANOI  00573  02 OF 04  140431Z 
¶8.  (U)  UPON JOINING THE PROJECT, EACH HOUSEHOLD IS GIVEN A 
FEW HECTARES OF SANDY LAND  ONE TO TWO KILOMETERS INLAND. 
MUCH OF THE CENTRAL COASTAL REGION OF VIETNAM, INCLUDING THE 
PROJECT SITE, IS PLAGUED WITH HIGH WINDS AND "FLYING SAND" 
ALL YEAR ROUND. THERE IS LITTLE WATER DURING THE DRY SEASON, 
AND THE SOIL, CONSISTING ALMOST ENTIRELY OF WINDBLOWN SAND, 
IS INFERTILE AND WILL NOT HOLD WATER.  THERE IS ALMOST NO 
NATURAL VEGETATION AND THERE IS NO SIGN THAT ANYONE EVER 
TRIED TO FARM THIS LAND BEFORE. 
 
¶9.  (U)  BESIDES LAND, EACH FAMILY REPORTEDLY RECEIVES 
ENOUGH RICE AND CASH TO SUSTAIN THEM FOR SIX MONTHS.  THE 
FAMILIES ALSO RECEIVE TEN MILLION VND (USD 700) INTEREST 
FREE LOANS TO BUILD HOUSES, PUT IN WELLS, AND MAKE CAPITAL 
IMPROVEMENTS.  NO PAYMENTS ARE REQUIRED ON THE LOANS FOR TWO 
YEARS.  RECLAIMING THE LAND REQUIRES THAT THE FISHER-FOLK 
TURNED FARMERS PLANT WINDBREAKS (PRIMARILY HARDY PINES AND 
CASAURINAS) TO PROTECT THEIR CROPS FROM THE FLYING SAND AND 
TO STABILIZE THE SAND ENOUGH TO BEGIN CREATING SOIL.  AFTER 
THREE TO FOUR YEARS THE WINDBREAKS ARE TALL AND DENSE ENOUGH 
TO BE EFFECTIVE.  THE LABOR-INTENSIVE PROCESS OF TURNING 
SAND INTO SOIL BEGINS WITH ADDING PARTIALLY COMPOSTED RICE 
STRAW AND MANURE TO THE PLANTING BEDS.  THE NEW FARMERS HAVE 
TO TRAVEL SEVERAL KILOMETERS TO OBTAIN THESE INPUTS.  SWEET 
POTATOES ARE THE CROP OF CHOICE, ESPECIALLY IN THE 
BEGINNING, SINCE THEY ARE LESS VULNERABLE TO THE WIND, EASY 
FOR THE NOVICE FARMERS TO GROW, AND TOLERATE THE SAND.   THE 
FIRST PROJECT BENEFICIARIES BEGAN RECLAIMING LAND IN 1994. 
WHILE THEIR SOIL IS PERCEPTIBLY BETTER THAN THE UNRECLAIMED 
SAND, THEY STILL ADD JUST AS MUCH RICE STRAW AND MANURE AS 
THEY DID IN THE BEGINNING. 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        HANOI  00573  02 OF 04  140431Z 
 
¶10.  (U)  POLOFF AND POL FSN TALKED WITH A NUMBER OF 
PROJECT BENEFICIARIES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.  THE NEW PROJECT 
PARTICIPANT WE VISITED, A SINGLE MOTHER, OCCUPIED BARELY 
IMPROVED LAND.  THE SUN GLARING OFF THE WHITE SAND WAS 
PAINFULLY BRIGHT.  SHE SAID SHE SPENT MOST OF HER DAY MAKING 
RAISED PLANTING BEDS FOR HER SWEET POTATOES, ADMITTING IT 
WAS VERY HARD WORK.  SHE HAD NEVER FARMED BEFORE, SO SHE 
DEPENDED ON THE PROJECT'S TECHNICAL EXPERTS FOR ADVICE, SHE 
SAID.  A FEW HUNDRED METERS FURTHER INLAND WERE FARMS UNDER 
CULTIVATION FOR THREE TO FOUR YEARS.  WHILE THE SOIL SHOWED 
LITTLE SIGN OF IMPROVEMENT, THE FARMERS WERE GROWING SEVERAL 
DIFFERENT CROPS AND BEGINNING TO PLANT A FEW FRUIT TREES. 
WITH SOME SHELTER FROM THEIR WINDBREAKS, THEIR FARMSTEADS 
WERE A LITTLE MORE PLEASANT THAN THE STARK FIRST YEAR 
FARMER'S.  FINALLY WE VISITED A FARM UNDER CULTIVATION FOR 
SEVEN YEARS.  THE FAMILY THERE ENJOYED THE SHELTER OF TALL 
WINDBREAKS, GREW SEVERAL DIFFERENT CROPS, WAS RAISING DUCKS 
AND BEGINNING TO HARVEST CITRUS, AND HAD PLANTED COCONUT 
PALMS.  THEY EXPRESSED SATISFACTION WITH HOW THEIR SOIL WAS 
IMPROVING AND HOW THEIR STANDARD OF LIVING HAD IMPROVED. 
THEY SAID THEY HAD OBTAINED ADDITIONAL LOANS TO ADD ONTO 
THEIR HOUSE AND TO BEGIN MAKING CONCRETE ROOFING TILES. 
THEY SAID THAT THEIR OVERALL INCOME WAS OVER 12 MILLION VND 
(ABOUT USD 800) AND GROWING, FAR BETTER THAN IT HAD BEEN IN 
THE FISHING VILLAGE.  NEIGHBORING FARMS APPEARED TO BE 
SIMILARLY PROSPEROUS. 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ1942 
 
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ACTION EAP-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AID-00   CEA-01   CIAE-00  COME-00  CTME-00 
      ITCE-00  DOTE-00  SRPP-00  DS-00    EB-00    ED-01    EXME-00 
      E-00     FAAE-00  FBIE-00  UTED-00  VC-00    FRB-00   HHS-01 
      H-01     SSA-01   TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00    ITC-01   L-00 
      VCE-00   MOFM-05  MOF-01   AC-01    NSAE-00  OIC-02   OMB-01 
      OPIC-01  PA-00    PC-01    PM-00    PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00 
      SP-00    IRM-00   SSO-00   STR-00   TEST-00  TRSE-00  USIE-00 
      EPAE-00  ECA-00   PMB-00   DSCC-00  PRM-00   DRL-02   G-00 
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                  ------------------743EBC  140432Z /38 
R 140406Z MAR 02 
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 5768 
INFO AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 
SECDEF WASHDC 
NSC WASHDC 
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 03 OF 04 HANOI 000573 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV AND DRL 
 
SECDEF FOR ABLAGG 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HANOI  00573  03 OF 04  140432Z 
 
¶11.  (U)  ACCORDING TO THE DISTRICT DEPUTY CHAIRMAN, THE 
UNDP AND NORWEGIAN OFFICIALS WERE PLEASED WITH PROJECT'S 
RESULTS.  HE ADDED THAT MOST OF THE SETTLERS FOUND THE 
PROJECT USEFUL, AND THAT APPLICATIONS TO JOIN THE PROGRAM 
OUTSTRIP FUNDING.   WHILE THERE IS NO SHORTAGE OF 
UNRECLAIMED LAND, MOST OF THE FUNDING AT THIS POINT IS FROM 
REPAYMENT OF THE STARTUP LOANS, HE SAID.  THE LACK OF 
FUNDING HAS HINDERED THE LOCAL ADMINISTRATION FROM EXPANDING 
THE PROJECT, HE COMPLAINED; THUS, THE PROVINCE NOW HOPES FOR 
FUNDING FROM FOREIGN NGOS AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS TO 
CONDUCT SIMILAR PROJECTS IN THE AREA. 
 
MONKS AND NUNS ABSENT IN QUANG BINH, SCARCE IN QUANG TRI 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
 
¶12.  (SBU)  ACCORDING TO LOCAL OFFICIALS, THERE ARE JUST 6 
BUDDHIST TEMPLES IN QUANG BINH PROVINCE, AND NO RESIDENT 
MONKS OR NUNS. EXPLAINING THE SITUATION, PROVINCIAL 
DEPARTMENT FOR RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS AND MOUNTAINOUS REGIONS 
STAFF SAID NO ONE FROM QUANG BINH HAD EVER WANTED TO ENTER 
RELIGIOUS LIFE.  LATER, THICH CHANH LIEM, THE HEAD OF QUANG 
TRI'S PROVINCIAL BUDDHIST ASSOCIATION AND ABBOT OF CHAU 
QUANG PAGODA, CONFIRMED THAT THERE WERE FEW BUDDHISTS IN 
QUANG BINH, BUT DID RECALL THAT AT LEAST ONE FAMOUS LIVING 
MONK WAS A QUANG BINH NATIVE.  THICH CHANH LIEM SAID THAT 
QUANG TRI'S POPULATION WAS 70 TO 80 PERCENT BUDDHIST. 
HOWEVER, WHILE THERE ARE 170 SHRINES SCATTERED AROUND THE 
PROVINCE, THERE ARE ONLY THREE MAJOR PAGODAS, ALL IN DONG HO 
TOWN.  HE SAID THAT THE FACILITIES WERE IN POOR CONDITION. 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HANOI  00573  03 OF 04  140432Z 
MOREOVER, QUANG TRI HAD VERY FEW MONKS AND NUNS COMPARED TO 
OTHER PROVINCES.  THE ABBOT SAID THAT THE ASSOCIATION PLANS 
TO OPEN A SCHOOL TO TRAIN MONKS.  THEY HAVE NOT APPLIED FOR 
PERMISSION YET BECAUSE, ACCORDING TO THE ABBOT, THE 
AUTHORITIES REQUIRE THAT THE SCHOOL HAVE 50 - 60 STUDENTS, 
BUT THERE ARE ONLY ABOUT 30 CANDIDATES CURRENTLY AVAILABLE. 
 
LOTS OF CATHOLICS, BUT NOT MANY PRIESTS 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶13.  (SBU)  FOUR PROVINCIAL OFFICIALS ACCOMPANIED POLOFF AND 
POL STAFF TO A MEETING WITH THE PROVINCE'S SENIOR CATHOLIC 
PRIEST AT HUONG PHUONG PARISH NORTHWEST OF DONG HOI. 
ACCORDING TO PROVINCIAL RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS OFFICIALS AND THE 
PRIEST, THERE ARE ROUGHLY 85,000 CATHOLIC BELIEVERS AND 12 
PRIESTS (ABOUT ONE PER 7000 BELIEVERS) IN QUANG BINH'S 26 
PARISHES.  THE PROVINCE'S PARISHES ARE A SUBDIVISION OF THE 
DIOCESE OF VINH, ACCORDING TO THE PRIEST, WHO SAID AS 
CURATE, HE WAS ADMINISTRATIVELY IN CHARGE OF THE PROVINCE'S 
PARISHES BECAUSE THEY WERE TOO FAR FROM VINH FOR THE BISHOP 
TO MANAGE.  HE SAID THAT THE BISHOP VISITS EACH OF QUANG 
BINH'S PARISHES ONCE EVERY THREE YEARS.  HE ADDED THAT THE 
CATHOLICS INTEND TO APPLY TO FORM A NEW DIOCESE WHEN THEY 
HAVE ENOUGH PRIESTS."  HE DID NOT INDICATE WHEN THAT 
CONDITION WOULD BE MET.  THE PRIEST INDICATED THAT MOST 
CATHOLICS LIVE IN LARGELY CATHOLIC VILLAGES AND ARE FAIRLY 
CONCENTRATED GEOGRAPHICALLY.  THERE WAS ANOTHER CATHOLIC 
CHURCH ONLY TWO KILOMETERS FROM HUONG PHUONG.  HUONG PHUONG 
PARISH'S CHURCH BUILDING WAS ONLY A FEW YEARS OLD AND 
ACCOMMODATED 800 OR MORE PEOPLE FOR SUNDAY SERVICES.  THE 
PRIEST ALSO NOTED THAT NUNS PLAY A LARGE ROLE IN CHURCH 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        HANOI  00573  03 OF 04  140432Z 
EDUCATION.  HE SAID THAT HE WAS ON THE PROVINCE'S FATHERLAND 
FRONT COMMITTEE AND REMARKED THAT CATHOLICS IN QUANG BINH 
HAD BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN DEMONSTRATING THAT THEY WERE GOOD 
CITIZENS AND CONTRIBUTED TO NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION.  THUS, HE 
CONCLUDED, THEY WERE FREE TO PRACTICE THEIR RELIGION WITHOUT 
INTERFERENCE.  HOWEVER, WHILE HE EXPRESSED SATISFACTION WITH 
CURRENT PROGRAMS FOR TRAINING PRIESTS (QUANG BINH HAD ONLY 
SIX PRIESTS WHEN HE BECAME CURATE ABOUT TEN YEARS AGO), THE 
CHURCH COULD HAVE DONE MUCH BETTER FOR BELIEVERS HAD THEY 
MORE PRIESTS.  HE SAID THAT HE WAS NOT AWARE OF ANY 
PROTESTANTS IN THE PROVINCE. 
 
¶14.  (SBU)  FATHER TRAN VAN TUYEN MET POLOFF AND POL STAFF 
ON JANUARY 11 AT THE DONG HA TOWN PARISH CHURCH.  HE SAID 
THAT HE WAS ORDAINED IN 1968 IN HUE AND HAD BEEN IN HIS 
CURRENT PARISH FOR FOUR YEARS.  QUANG TRI'S ROUGHLY TWO 
DOZEN PARISHES SHARE NINE PRIESTS AND AVERAGE ABOUT 500 - 
600 MEMBERS.  THE PRIEST SAID THAT HIS PARISH IS QUITE LARGE 
AND THAT HE "COULD HARDLY HANDLE THE WORK."  HE SAID, 
NODDING AT THE PROVINCIAL PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVE 
PRESENT, THEY HAD APPLIED FOR A VICAR TO EASE THE PROBLEM, 
BUT HAD RECEIVED NO RESPONSE FROM THE AUTHORITIES.  HE 
ADDED, "OBVIOUSLY THERE IS JUST TOO MUCH WORK FOR ALL THE 
PRIESTS" IN QUANG TRI.  THEY ARE PART OF THE DIOCESE OF HUE 
AND A BISHOP VISITS EACH PARISH EVERY THIRD YEAR.  MOST OF 
THE CHURCH BUILDINGS, HE SAID, WERE DESTROYED DURING THE WAR 
AND ONLY A FEW HAVE BEEN REBUILT.  DONG HA PARISH'S CHURCH 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ1943 
 
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ACTION EAP-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AID-00   CEA-01   CIAE-00  COME-00  CTME-00 
      ITCE-00  DOTE-00  SRPP-00  DS-00    EB-00    ED-01    EXME-00 
      E-00     FAAE-00  FBIE-00  UTED-00  VC-00    FRB-00   HHS-01 
      H-01     SSA-01   TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00    ITC-01   L-00 
      VCE-00   MOFM-05  MOF-01   AC-01    NSAE-00  OIC-02   OMB-01 
      OPIC-01  PA-00    PC-01    PM-00    PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00 
      SP-00    IRM-00   SSO-00   STR-00   TEST-00  TRSE-00  USIE-00 
      EPAE-00  ECA-00   PMB-00   DSCC-00  PRM-00   DRL-02   G-00 
      NFAT-00  SAS-00     /020W 
                  ------------------743EBF  140432Z /38 
R 140406Z MAR 02 
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 5769 
INFO AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 
SECDEF WASHDC 
NSC WASHDC 
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 04 OF 04 HANOI 000573 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV AND DRL 
 
SECDEF FOR ABLAGG 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HANOI  00573  04 OF 04  140432Z 
 
BUILDING WAS ONLY TWO YEARS OLD, REBUILT WITH FUNDING RAISED 
BY A CATHOLIC PRIEST IN FRANCE, FATHER TUYEN REMARKED.  WHEN 
ASKED ABOUT PLANS FOR THE CHURCH BUILDING AT THE LA VANG 
PILGRIMAGE SITE NORTH OF DONG HO, FATHER TUYEN SAID THAT THE 
CATHOLIC CHURCH HAD REQUESTED, BUT NOT YET RECEIVED, 
PERMISSION TO UPGRADE THE SIMPLE ALUMINUM AND GLASS 
STRUCTURE LOCATED BEHIND THE RUINED FACADE OF THE CHURCH 
BUILDING DESTROYED LATE IN THE VIETNAM WAR.  FATHER TUYEN 
ALSO SAID THAT DONG HO'S ONE PROTESTANT FAMILY ATTENDED 
CATHOLIC SERVICES ON MAJOR HOLIDAYS. 
 
LEMONADE FROM LEMONS 
-------------------- 
 
¶15.  (SBU)  COMMENT:  POVERTY, DUE PRIMARILY TO POOR SOIL, 
UNFAVORABLE WEATHER, AND DISTANCE FROM TRADE CENTERS, IS THE 
DOMINANT FACTOR IN THESE TWO PROVINCES.  THE EAGERNESS OF 
QUANG TRI'S RESETTLED FISHING FAMILIES TO UNDERTAKE THE 
BACKBREAKING WORK OF TURNING BLOWING SAND INTO PRODUCTIVE 
FARMLAND INDICATES HOW POOR THIS PART OF VIETNAM IS.  WAR 
DAMAGE AND THE AFTEREFFECTS OF WAR CONTRIBUTE TO THIS 
POVERTY, BUT THE WAR'S LEGACY HAS ALSO BROUGHT ATTENTION TO 
QUANG TRI, IF NOT TO QUANG BINH.  PHYSICAL REMINDERS OF THE 
WAR, LIKE THE RUINS OF THE CHURCHES AT LA VANG AND DONG HOI, 
SEEM SOMEWHAT ANACHRONISTIC AND OUT OF STEP WITH THE OVERALL 
MESSAGE OF TRYING TO OVERCOME POVERTY WITH WHATEVER MEANS 
ARE OFFERED, THAT ONE HEARS IN THESE PROVINCES. 
BURGHARDT 
 
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