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

130621Z Dec 02


                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ2947

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FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8340
INFO AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 
AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH 
AMEMBASSY VATICAN
AMEMBASSY VIENTIANE 
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 002969 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
C O R R E C T E D COPY (PARA 2 MARKING ADDED) 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL VT VM HUMANR RELFREE
SUBJECT:  UPDATE FROM GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE ON RELIGION 
 
REF:  A. VATICAN 5803     B. HANOI 2862 
 
-     C. STATE 235694     D. HANOI 1885 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HANOI  02969  01 OF 02  300349Z 
-     E. HCMC 1270        F. HANOI 2628 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  SUMMARY.  GVN OFFICIALS CLAIMED THAT THE RECENTLY 
CONCLUDED NATIONAL BUDDHIST CONFERENCE WAS ENTIRELY 
INDEPENDENT OF GOVERNMENT CONTROL, BUT ADMITTED THAT THE GVN 
MUST APPROVE ITS CONVOCATION AND HAD FINAL SAY ON ITS 
ELECTED NEW LEADERS AND ORDINATIONS (OR PROMOTIONS) OF MONKS 
AND NUNS.  PLANS FOR ANOTHER CATHOLIC SEMINARY (NOW 
DESCRIBED AS A "BRANCH" OF THE HO CHI MINH CITY SEMINARY) 
SEEM TO BE ON HOLD AS CATHOLICS SEARCH FOR A NEW SITE.  THE 
GVN HAS ALREADY APPROVED A SEMINARY FOR THE RECENTLY LEGAL 
SOUTHERN EVANGELICAL CHURCH OF VIETNAM (SECV) BUT THE SECV 
HAS NOT TAKEN STEPS TO SET ONE UP YET.  NEITHER THE SECV NOR 
ITS NORTHERN COUNTERPART (ECVN) HAS ASKED THE CRA FOR 
PERMISSION TO RECEIVE NEW MEMBERS FROM ETHNIC MINORITY 
CHURCHES IN THE CENTRAL OR NORTHWEST HIGHLANDS, WHICH THEY 
SHOULD IN PRINCIPLE BE ABLE TO DO AS LONG AS THEY ARE "LEGAL 
CHURCHES," ACCORDING TO GVN OFFICIALS.  THE ECVN IS WELCOME 
TO REQUEST PERMISSION TO HOLD ITS LONG-AWAITED NATIONAL 
CONFERENCE, BUT HAS NOT DONE SO, OFFICIALS CLAIMED.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (SBU) IN A MEETING WITH POL/C ON DECEMBER 11, NGUYEN THE 
DOANH, DIRECTOR OF EXTERNAL RELATIONS OF THE GOVERNMENT 
COMMITTEE ON RELIGION AFFAIRS (CRA), AND TRAN KHANH DU, THE 
CRA'S DIRECTOR OF BUDDHIST AFFAIRS, PROVIDED AN UPDATE ON 
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS RELATED TO BUDDHIST, CATHOLIC, AND 
PROTESTANT GROUPS IN VIETNAM.  POL/C NOTED THAT THE USG WAS 
APPROACHING A DECISION ABOUT DESIGNATION OF "COUNTRIES OF 
PARTICULAR CONCERN" UNDER THE INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS 
FREEDOM ACT, AND HAD BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT RECENT NEGATIVE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HANOI  02969  01 OF 02  300349Z 
REPORTS REGARDING VIETNAM (REF C), WHICH AMBASSADOR HAD 
ALREADY DISCUSSED WITH FOREIGN MINISTER NGUYEN DY NIEN (REF 
B) AND WHICH HE PLANNED TO RAISE SOON WITH CRA CHAIRMAN LE 
QUANG VINH.  (NOTE:  EMBASSY HAS PENDING REQUESTS TO MEET 
WITH BUDDHIST, CATHOLIC, AND PROTESTANT LEADERS SEPARATELY.) 
 
BUDDHISTS 
--------- 
 
¶3.  (U)  THE FIFTH NATIONAL BUDDHIST CONGRESS MET IN HANOI 
DECEMBER 4-5, ELECTING ITS NEW LEADERSHIP AND DEVELOPING 
GOALS FOR THE UPCOMING FIVE YEARS, AS WELL AS ORDAINING 
AND/OR PROMOTING 967 MONKS AND NUNS.  DU ADMITTED THAT THE 
BUDDHIST SANGHA OF VIETNAM WAS REQUIRED TO "REQUEST 
PERMISSION" FROM THE GVN -- BY A FORMAL LETTER TO PRIME 
MINISTER PHAN VAN KHAI -- TO HOLD THESE CONGRESSES, BUT 
CLAIMED THAT PERMISSION WAS AUTOMATICALLY GIVEN, WITH THE 
CRA PROVIDING APPROPRIATE NOTIFICATION TO "LOCALITIES."  THE 
GVN DID NOT PROVIDE ANY FINANCIAL SUPPORT, DU NOTED, AND 
EVEN CHARGED THE BUDDHISTS RENT FOR USE OF THE SOVIET-ERA 
HALL OF CULTURE IN DOWNTOWN HANOI, ONE OF THE FEW VENUES BIG 
ENOUGH FOR THE 1,000-PLUS ATTENDEES. 
 
¶4.  (U)  DU STRESSED THAT, WHILE GVN OFFICIALS ATTENDED THE 
OPENING CEREMONY, THEY DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN ENSUING 
DISCUSSIONS NOR HAVE ANY RIGHT TO VOTE ON LEADERSHIP AND 
OTHER ISSUES.  HE SAID THAT THE LEADERSHIP ELECTIONS 
FEATURED MORE CANDIDATES THAN SEATS, A DEMOCRATIC 
DEVELOPMENT.  IN RESPONSE TO PERSISTENT QUESTIONING, DU 
ADMITTED FINALLY THAT THE BUDDHISTS WERE OBLIGED TO SEND THE 
FINAL LISTS OF NEW LEADERS TO THE GVN FOR "APPROVAL," BUT 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        HANOI  02969  01 OF 02  300349Z 
CLAIMED THAT THIS PROCESS WAS ALSO PRETTY MUCH AUTOMATIC. 
THE GVN HAD NOT VETOED ANY INDIVIDUALS FROM THIS CONGRESS' 
CHOICES, NOR COULD DU RECALL THE GVN HAVING DONE SO AT 
EARLIER CONGRESSES (ALTHOUGH DOANH ADMITTED THE GVN HAD DONE 
SO WITH EARLIER CATHOLIC CONGRESSES). 
 
¶5.  (U)  DU CLARIFIED THAT MANY OF THE 967 ORDINATIONS 
INVOLVED CLERICAL PROMOTIONS, SUCH AS FROM "THE VENERABLE" 
TO "THE MOST VENERABLE."  DU SAID THAT THESE DECISIONS, AS 
WELL AS ORDINATIONS OF NEW MONKS AND NUNS, WERE MADE BY THE 
BUDDHIST HIERARCHY, BUT CONFIRMED THAT THE CRA PLAYED A ROLE 
IN "ASKING THE OPINIONS OF LOCALITIES" ABOUT THE MERITS OF 
THESE INDIVIDUALS BEFORE PROVIDING THE GVN'S FORMAL 
BLESSING.  HE SAID IT WAS "RARE" NOT TO APPROVE. 
 
CATHOLICS 
--------- 
 
¶6.  (U)  DOANH EXPRESSED THE GVN'S SATISFACTION WITH THE 
RECENT APPOINTMENT (REF A) OF A NEW BISHOP FOR HAIPHONG AND 
A COADJUTOR BISHOP IN CAN THO.  (HE DID NOT MENTION THE 
APPOINTMENT OF A SUCCESSOR TO THE BISHOP OF KON TUM.)  HE 
CONFIRMED THAT THE VATICAN HAD THE FULL AUTHORITY TO APPOINT 
BISHOPS, WHILE THE ROLE OF THE GVN WAS MERELY TO "OFFER 
OPINIONS."  HE CLAIMED THAT THE DECISION ON THESE NEW 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ2948 
 
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      EB-00    UTED-00  VC-00    H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00 
      L-00     VCE-00   AC-01    NSAE-00  NSCE-00  OIC-02   OMB-01 
      PA-00    PM-00    PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00     SP-00    SS-00 
      STR-00   TEST-00  TRSE-00  T-00     USIE-00  PMB-00   PRM-00 
      G-00     SAS-00     /008W 
                  ------------------1DE54C  300350Z /30 
R 130621Z DEC 02 
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8341 
INFO AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 
AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH 
AMEMBASSY VATICAN 
AMEMBASSY VIENTIANE 
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 HANOI 002969 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
 
APPOINTMENTS HAD BEEN MADE BEFORE THE OCTOBER VISIT OF 
VATICAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINSTER CELESTINO MIGLIORE, NOT AS A 
RESULT OF HIS DISCUSSIONS HERE.  DOANH ADDED THAT THERE HAS 
BEEN SOME DISCUSSION WITH THE VATICAN ABOUT A SUCCESSOR TO 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HANOI  02969  02 OF 02  300350Z 
AILING CARDINAL PAUL JOSEPH PHAM DINH TUNG (WHOSE STAFF HAS 
TOLD EMBASSY HE IS TOO ILL TO MEET WITH POL/C), BUT NO 
DECISION HAD BEEN MADE YET. 
 
¶7.  (U)  DOANH REITERATED THE GVN'S DETERMINATION TO 
CONTINUE TO IMPROVE RELATIONS WITH THE VATICAN, AND NOTED 
GROWING "GOODWILL" ON BOTH SIDES.  HE DESCRIBED THIS PROCESS 
AS PART OF THE GVN'S OVERALL EFFORTS TO BECOME "FRIENDS WITH 
EVERYONE IN THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY," HOWEVER. 
 
¶8.  (U)  WHEN ASKED ABOUT PROGRESS IN THE OPENING OF A 
SEVENTH CATHOLIC SEMINARY (WHICH GVN OFFICIALS TOLD EMBOFFS 
LAST YEAR HAD BEEN APPROVED AT THE CENTRAL LEVEL BUT FACED 
SOME RESISTANCE BY PROVINCIAL AUTHORITIES), DOANH CLAIMED 
THAT THE PLANS WERE NOT FOR A SEPARATE NEW SEMINARY PER SE, 
BUT RATHER FOR A "BRANCH" OF THE EXISTING -- BUT OVERCROWDED 
-- SEMINARY IN HO CHI MINH CITY.  INITIALLY, THE CATHOLICS 
HAD HOPED TO OPEN THE BRANCH IN DONG NAI PROVINCE (WHICH IS 
WHERE MANY OF THE 1954-ERA CATHOLICS FROM THE NORTH ARE 
CENTERED), BUT THESE PLANS HAVE NOW FALLEN THROUGH, DOANH 
CLAIMED, WITHOUT OFFERING A CLEAR EXPLANATION OF WHY OTHER 
THAN CITING "LOCAL DIFFICULTIES" OVER LAND.  HE SAID THAT 
THE CATHOLICS HAD NOT YET OFFERED ANY NEW PROPOSAL ON A 
DIFFERENT SITE, BUT THE PROJECT IN PRINCIPLE CONTINUED TO 
HAVE GVN APPROVAL. 
 
PROTESTANTS 
----------- 
 
¶9.  (U)  DOANH ALSO CLAIMED THAT THE GVN HAD ALREADY 
APPROVED IN PRINCIPLE A PROPOSAL BY THE SECV TO OPEN A 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HANOI  02969  02 OF 02  300350Z 
SEMINARY FOR PASTORS IN HO CHI MINH CITY, BUT THAT THE SECV 
HAS NOT DONE SO YET.  HE NOTED THAT THE SECV WAS STILL BUSY 
SETTING UP ITS OFFICES (NOTE: AFTER WINNING GVN RECOGNITION 
ONLY IN 2001 AND HOLDING ITS FIRST CONGRESS IN SUMMER 2002), 
AND PREDICTED THAT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A SEMINARY -- 
ESPECIALLY RECRUITMENT OF QUALIFIED FACULTY -- WOULD STILL 
TAKE TIME.  HE MAINTAINED THAT THIS PROCESS WAS "NOW UP TO 
THE SECV." 
 
¶10.  (U)  DOANH CLAIMED THAT THE ECVN HAD NOT YET ASKED FOR 
PERMISSION TO HOLD ITS NATIONAL CONGRESS (THE LAST WAS IN 
1988), BUT ADDED THAT "THE GVN HAS NO REASON TO OPPOSE" IF 
IT RECEIVES SUCH AN APPLICATION.  HE CLAIMED NOT TO 
UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM BEHIND CONVENING THE ECVN'S CONGRESS 
AND ELECTING A NEW OFFICIAL ECVN LEADERSHIP. 
 
¶11.  (U)  DOANH SAID THAT, AS FAR AS HE WAS AWARE, NEITHER 
THE SECV NOR THE ECVN HAD RECEIVED APPLICATIONS FROM ETHNIC 
MINORITY CHURCHES OR "ASSOCIATIONS" (CHI HOI) TO AFFILIATE 
WITH EITHER ORGANIZATION, NOR HAD THE SECV OR ECVN NOTIFIED 
THE CRA OF ANY SUCH DECISIONS.  (NOTE: PER REFS E AND F, 
BOTH THE SECV AND ECVN ARE PROCESSING AND/OR HAVE ALREADY 
APPROVED SOME REQUESTS.  END NOTE)  HE SAID THAT "IN 
PRINCIPLE" SUCH EXPANSIONS WOULD NOT POSE A PROBLEM, AS LONG 
AS THE NEW MEMBERS WERE "LEGAL CHURCHES."  HE STRESSED THAT 
ETHNIC MINORITIES WERE "EQUAL CITIZENS" AND HAD THE SAME 
RIGHTS AS OTHER VIETNAMESE, INCLUDING FREEDOM OF RELIGION. 
HE WAS VAGUE ABOUT HOW HOUSE CHURCHES COULD BECOME LEGAL 
CHURCHES ENTITLED TO MEMBERSHIP IN THE ECVN OR SEVN, OTHER 
THAN NOTING A REQUIREMENT FOR A CERTAIN NUMBER OF MEMBERS. 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        HANOI  02969  02 OF 02  300350Z 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶12.  (SBU)  WHILE TRUMPETING FREEDOM OF RELIGION, THE CRA 
TAKES ITS OVERSIGHT ROLE SERIOUSLY, AND REMAINS EXPLICITLY 
INVOLVED IN ALL MAJOR ORGANIZATIONAL ISSUES FOR THE MAIN 
RELIGIOUS GROUPINGS.  THIS LIKELY REFLECTS LESS A DEEP- 
ROOTED DISTRUST OF RELIGION BY THE GVN OR COMMUNIST PARTY OF 
VIETNAM (CPV) AS MUCH AS A FIRM LENINIST ORIENTATION ABOUT 
THE NEED TO REGULATE AND SUPERVISE ALL SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS 
IN THE INTEREST OF "NATIONAL SOLIDARITY" AND THE NEED TO 
MAINTAIN STRONG POLITICAL CONTROL. 
BURGHARDT 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED