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

170740Z May 02

2002HANOI01256 - UNCLASSIFIED
 
 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ5636

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ACTION EAP-00   

INFO  LOG-00   AID-00   AMAD-00  CIAE-00  DODE-00  SRPP-00  EB-00    
      EUR-00   UTED-00  H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00    L-00     
      NSAE-00  NSCE-00  OIC-02   OPIC-01  PER-00   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     /006W
                  ------------------AFCF91  170746Z /38    
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 6493
INFO AMEMBASSY VATICAN
AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 
AMEMBASSY VIENTIANE 
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI
AMEMBASSY ROME

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 001256 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV AND DRL/RF 
 
DEPARTMENT PASS TO USCIRF 
ROME FOR EMBASSY VATICAN 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958:  NA 
TAGS: PHUM KIRF VM RELFREE HUMANR
SUBJECT:  AMBASSADOR'S COURTESY CALL ON THE CARDINAL 
 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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REF:  A.  01 HANOI 2517     B.  01 HANOI 2949 
 
¶1.  (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 
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH STILL NEEDS MANY MORE PRIESTS.  SOME OF 
THE CHURCH'S CURRENT PROBLEMS ARE WITH LOCAL AUTHORITIES, 
NOT NATIONAL.  ACCORDING TO THE CARDINAL, THE GVN RECOGNIZED 
THAT RELIGION WAS A BASIC NEED OF THE PEOPLE AND THAT THERE 
WERE FEWER SOCIAL PROBLEMS IN AREAS WITH MANY RELIGIOUS 
BELIEVERS.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  THE AMBASSADOR, TOGETHER WITH DCM AND EMBOFFS, 
MADE HIS FIRST CALL ON PAUL JOSEPH CARDINAL PHAM DINH TUNG, 
ALSO ARCHBISHOP OF HANOI, AT THE ARCHBISHOP'S HOUSE IN HANOI 
ON MAY 15.  (NOTE:  THIS IS THE FIRST TIME CARDINAL TUNG HAS 
MET EMBOFFS SINCE OCTOBER 1, 2001 -- REF A -- APPARENTLY DUE 
TO HEALTH REASONS. END NOTE)  WHILE ACKNOWLEDGING PROGRESS 
IN RECENT YEARS, THE CARDINAL SAID THAT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH 
WANTS MANY MORE IMPROVEMENTS IN ITS SITUATION.  WHILE THE 
CHURCH DESIRES MORE PRIESTS, CARDINAL TUNG HIGHLIGHTED THAT 
THERE ARE NOW ALMOST 3000 PRIESTS IN VIETNAM, WHICH HE 
DESCRIBED AS "A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE."  THE CARDINAL ALSO 
STATED THAT IT IS NOW EASIER TO TRANSFER PRIESTS, EVEN 
BETWEEN REGIONS, AND THAT IT HAS BECOME EASIER TO RECRUIT 
SEMINARIANS.  HOWEVER, THE CHURCH IS LOOKING FOR ADDITIONAL 
IMPROVEMENTS ON ALL OF THESE ISSUES.  MANY MORE PRIESTS ARE 
NEEDED, THE CARDINAL EMPHASIZED, AND THE CATHOLIC CHURCH 
WOULD LIKE TO BRING IN NEW SEMINARIANS EVERY YEAR, RATHER 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HANOI  01256  01 OF 02  170746Z 
THAN EVERY OTHER YEAR AS THE GVN CURRENTLY ALLOWS.  (NOTE: 
OVER THE PAST TEN YEARS THE PACE OF SEMINARY ADMISSIONS HAS 
QUICKENED FROM ONCE IN FIVE YEARS, TO THREE YEARS, TO THE 
CURRENT TWO YEARS.  END NOTE.)   MORE PRIESTS ARE NEEDED NOT 
JUST TO SAY MASS, BUT ALSO TO CARRY OUT SOCIAL 
RESPONSIBILITIES AND PUBLISH JOURNALS, AMONG OTHER DUTIES, 
THE CARDINAL ADDED. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  THE CARDINAL STATED THAT THE NUMBER OF CATHOLIC 
BELIEVERS HAS INCREASED SUBSTANTIALLY OVER THE LAST SEVERAL 
YEARS, BUT THAT THE NUMBER WAS INCREASING MORE SLOWLY AMONG 
THE YOUTH.  (NOTE:  THE NUMBER OF VIETNAMESE CATHOLICS IS 
GENERALLY THOUGHT TO BE IN EXCESS OF SIX MILLION.  END 
NOTE.)  HE ATTRIBUTED THE INCREASE TO: MARRIAGE INTO THE 
CHURCH; INDIVIDUALS SEARCHING FOR "DIVINE TRUTH"; AND, 
FRIENDSHIP.  THE ATTITUDE OF "INTELLECTUALS" TOWARDS THE 
CHURCH HAS ALSO IMPROVED, CARDINAL TUNG CLAIMED.  THE CHURCH 
HAS BEEN ABLE TO SUPPORT THE INCREASING NUMBER OF BELIEVERS 
THROUGH CATECHISM, HE SAID, AND ALSO BECAUSE THE GVN HAS 
ALLOWED THE CHURCH TO PRINT AND DISSEMINATE INFORMATION MORE 
WIDELY. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  THE AMBASSADOR NOTED THAT THERE ARE CONSTRAINTS 
ON RELIGION IN VIETNAM, BUT THAT INDIVIDUALS ARE GENERALLY 
ABLE TO WORSHIP FREELY, WITH PAGODAS, CHURCHES, AND 
TRADITIONAL TEMPLES FILLED WITH PEOPLE.  THE CARDINAL 
REMARKED THAT THE VIETNAMESE ARE A SPIRITUAL PEOPLE, A 
CHARACTERISTIC THAT GIVES CATHOLICS CONFIDENCE TO SPREAD 
THEIR BELIEF.  HE STATED THAT THE TRADITION OF PAYING 
RESPECT TO ONE'S ANCESTORS WAS IMPORTANT IN CREATING FAITH- 
BASED THINKING.  IN RESPONSE TO THE AMBASSADOR'S QUESTION, 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        HANOI  01256  01 OF 02  170746Z 
THE CARDINAL ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH ACCEPTED 
TRADITIONAL VIETNAMESE FOLK PRACTICES SUCH AS PAYING RESPECT 
TO ANCESTORS.  THE CHURCH ALSO HAS WORKING LEVEL CONTACTS 
WITH OTHER LEGALLY RECOGNIZED RELIGIONS, FOR INSTANCE 
COOPERATING WITH PROTESTANTS TO PRINT BIBLES. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  ACCORDING TO THE CARDINAL, THE GVN, OVER THE LAST 
TEN YEARS, HAS DEVELOPED A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE 
CHURCH'S POSITIVE INFLUENCE ON SOCIAL ISSUES.  HE CITED THE 
CHURCH'S ROLE IN POVERTY AND HUNGER REDUCTION AS WELL AS 
FIGHTING SOCIAL VICES.  HE SAID THAT GVN OFFICIALS HAD TOLD 
HIM THAT THEY HAD NOTICED LESS CRIME IN AREAS WITH MANY 
RELIGIOUS BELIEVERS. 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  SOME OF THE REMAINING PROBLEMS THE CARDINAL 
BROUGHT UP ARE WITH SOME LOCAL, NOT NATIONAL, AUTHORITIES. 
IT IS EASIER FOR THE CHURCH TO CARRY OUT SOCIAL SERVICES IN 
SOUTHERN VIETNAM, HE NOTED.  WHILE MANY WOMEN HAD BECOME 
NUNS IN RECENT YEARS, THEY FACED "PROBLEMS" IN OTHER PLACES, 
HE ADMITTED.  (NOTE:  BY LAW, PROVINCIAL PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE 
CHAIRMEN AUTHORIZE ENTRY INTO RELIGIOUS ORDERS.  REF B 
DESCRIBES THE PROBLEMS OF WOULD-BE NUNS IN DANANG.  END 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ5635 
 
PAGE 01        HANOI  01256  02 OF 02  170746Z 
ACTION EAP-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   AID-00   AMAD-00  CIAE-00  DODE-00  SRPP-00  EB-00 
      EUR-00   UTED-00  H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00    L-00 
      NSAE-00  NSCE-00  OIC-02   OPIC-01  PER-00   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     /006W 
                  ------------------AFCF94  170746Z /38 
R 170740Z MAY 02 
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 6494 
INFO AMEMBASSY VATICAN 
AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 
AMEMBASSY VIENTIANE 
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI 
AMEMBASSY ROME 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 HANOI 001256 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV AND DRL/RF 
 
DEPARTMENT PASS TO USCIRF 
ROME FOR EMBASSY VATICAN 
 
SENSITIVE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HANOI  01256  02 OF 02  170746Z 
NOTE.) 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  REGARDING VATICAN RELATIONS, THE CARDINAL (WHO 
SPENT SEVERAL WEEKS IN ROME WITH SEVERAL OTHER VIETNAMESE 
BISHOPS EARLIER THIS YEAR) SAID THAT THE POPE TOLD THEM THAT 
MANY OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH'S ISSUES IN VIETNAM WOULD BE 
SOLVED THROUGH "DIALOGUE."  THE CARDINAL SAID THAT HE HAD 
APPLIED TO THE GVN FOR A PAPAL VISIT THREE OR FOUR YEARS 
AGO, BUT THE GVN HAD REPLIED THAT IT NEEDED MORE TIME "TO 
PREPARE PROPERLY FOR THE VISIT OF SUCH AN IMPORTANT 
INTERNATIONAL FIGURE."  THERE ARE STILL NO FORMAL RELATIONS 
BETWEEN THE VATICAN AND THE GVN.  (HIS AIDES SUBSEQUENTLY 
POINTED TO THE SITE OF THE ONE-TIME RESIDENCE OF THE PAPAL 
NUNCIO, ADJACENT TO THE ARCHBISHOP'S HOUSE; THE RESIDENCE 
HAS BEEN TORN DOWN, THE SITE EXPROPRIATED, AND PLANS 
DEVELOPED TO BUILD AN ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX, THEY CLAIMED.) 
BURGHARDT 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED