Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 143912 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
AORC AS AF AM AJ ASEC AU AMGT APER ACOA ASEAN AG AFFAIRS AR AFIN ABUD AO AEMR ADANA AMED AADP AINF ARF ADB ACS AE AID AL AC AGR ABLD AMCHAMS AECL AINT AND ASIG AUC APECO AFGHANISTAN AY ARABL ACAO ANET AFSN AZ AFLU ALOW ASSK AFSI ACABQ AMB APEC AIDS AA ATRN AMTC AVIATION AESC ASSEMBLY ADPM ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG AGOA ASUP AFPREL ARNOLD ADCO AN ACOTA AODE AROC AMCHAM AT ACKM ASCH AORCUNGA AVIANFLU AVIAN AIT ASECPHUM ATRA AGENDA AIN AFINM APCS AGENGA ABDALLAH ALOWAR AFL AMBASSADOR ARSO AGMT ASPA AOREC AGAO ARR AOMS ASC ALIREZA AORD AORG ASECVE ABER ARABBL ADM AMER ALVAREZ AORCO ARM APERTH AINR AGRI ALZUGUREN ANGEL ACDA AEMED ARC AMGMT AEMRASECCASCKFLOMARRPRELPINRAMGTJMXL ASECAFINGMGRIZOREPTU ABMC AIAG ALJAZEERA ASR ASECARP ALAMI APRM ASECM AMPR AEGR AUSTRALIAGROUP ASE AMGTHA ARNOLDFREDERICK AIDAC AOPC ANTITERRORISM ASEG AMIA ASEX AEMRBC AFOR ABT AMERICA AGENCIES AGS ADRC ASJA AEAID ANARCHISTS AME AEC ALNEA AMGE AMEDCASCKFLO AK ANTONIO ASO AFINIZ ASEDC AOWC ACCOUNT ACTION AMG AFPK AOCR AMEDI AGIT ASOC ACOAAMGT AMLB AZE AORCYM AORL AGRICULTURE ACEC AGUILAR ASCC AFSA ASES ADIP ASED ASCE ASFC ASECTH AFGHAN ANTXON APRC AFAF AFARI ASECEFINKCRMKPAOPTERKHLSAEMRNS AX ALAB ASECAF ASA ASECAFIN ASIC AFZAL AMGTATK ALBE AMT AORCEUNPREFPRELSMIGBN AGUIRRE AAA ABLG ARCH AGRIC AIHRC ADEL AMEX ALI AQ ATFN AORCD ARAS AINFCY AFDB ACBAQ AFDIN AOPR AREP ALEXANDER ALANAZI ABDULRAHMEN ABDULHADI ATRD AEIR AOIC ABLDG AFR ASEK AER ALOUNI AMCT AVERY ASECCASC ARG APR AMAT AEMRS AFU ATPDEA ALL ASECE ANDREW
EAIR ECON ETRD EAGR EAID EFIN ETTC ENRG EMIN ECPS EG EPET EINV ELAB EU ECONOMICS EC EZ EUN EN ECIN EWWT EXTERNAL ENIV ES ESA ELN EFIS EIND EPA ELTN EXIM ET EINT EI ER EAIDAF ETRO ETRDECONWTOCS ECTRD EUR ECOWAS ECUN EBRD ECONOMIC ENGR ECONOMY EFND ELECTIONS EPECO EUMEM ETMIN EXBS EAIRECONRP ERTD EAP ERGR EUREM EFI EIB ENGY ELNTECON EAIDXMXAXBXFFR ECOSOC EEB EINF ETRN ENGRD ESTH ENRC EXPORT EK ENRGMO ECO EGAD EXIMOPIC ETRDPGOV EURM ETRA ENERG ECLAC EINO ENVIRONMENT EFIC ECIP ETRDAORC ENRD EMED EIAR ECPN ELAP ETCC EAC ENEG ESCAP EWWC ELTD ELA EIVN ELF ETR EFTA EMAIL EL EMS EID ELNT ECPSN ERIN ETT EETC ELAN ECHEVARRIA EPWR EVIN ENVR ENRGJM ELBR EUC EARG EAPC EICN EEC EREL EAIS ELBA EPETUN EWWY ETRDGK EV EDU EFN EVN EAIDETRD ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ ETEX ESCI EAIDHO EENV ETRC ESOC EINDQTRD EINVA EFLU EGEN ECE EAGRBN EON EFINECONCS EIAD ECPC ENV ETDR EAGER ETRDKIPR EWT EDEV ECCP ECCT EARI EINVECON ED ETRDEC EMINETRD EADM ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID ETAD ECOM ECONETRDEAGRJA EMINECINECONSENVTBIONS ESSO ETRG ELAM ECA EENG EITC ENG ERA EPSC ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EIPR ELABPGOVBN EURFOR ETRAD EUE EISNLN ECONETRDBESPAR ELAINE EGOVSY EAUD EAGRECONEINVPGOVBN EINVETRD EPIN ECONENRG EDRC ESENV EB ENER ELTNSNAR EURN ECONPGOVBN ETTF ENVT EPIT ESOCI EFINOECD ERD EDUC EUM ETEL EUEAID ENRGY ETD EAGRE EAR EAIDMG EE EET ETER ERICKSON EIAID EX EAG EBEXP ESTN EAIDAORC EING EGOV EEOC EAGRRP EVENTS ENRGKNNPMNUCPARMPRELNPTIAEAJMXL ETRDEMIN EPETEIND EAIDRW ENVI ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC EDUARDO EGAR EPCS EPRT EAIDPHUMPRELUG EPTED ETRB EPETPGOV ECONQH EAIDS EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM EAIDAR EAGRBTIOBEXPETRDBN ESF EINR ELABPHUMSMIGKCRMBN EIDN ETRK ESTRADA EXEC EAIO EGHG ECN EDA ECOS EPREL EINVKSCA ENNP ELABV ETA EWWTPRELPGOVMASSMARRBN EUCOM EAIDASEC ENR END EP ERNG ESPS EITI EINTECPS EAVI ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID ELTRN EADI ELDIN ELND ECRM EINVEFIN EAOD EFINTS EINDIR ENRGKNNP ETRDEIQ ETC EAIRASECCASCID EINN ETRP EAIDNI EFQ ECOQKPKO EGPHUM EBUD EAIT ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ EWWI ENERGY ELB EINDETRD EMI ECONEAIR ECONEFIN EHUM EFNI EOXC EISNAR ETRDEINVTINTCS EIN EFIM EMW ETIO ETRDGR EMN EXO EATO EWTR ELIN EAGREAIDPGOVPRELBN EINVETC ETTD EIQ ECONCS EPPD ESS EUEAGR ENRGIZ EISL EUNJ EIDE ENRGSD ELAD ESPINOSA ELEC EAIG ESLCO ENTG ETRDECD EINVECONSENVCSJA EEPET EUNCH ECINECONCS
KPKO KIPR KWBG KPAL KDEM KTFN KNNP KGIC KTIA KCRM KDRG KWMN KJUS KIDE KSUM KTIP KFRD KMCA KMDR KCIP KTDB KPAO KPWR KOMC KU KIRF KCOR KHLS KISL KSCA KGHG KS KSTH KSEP KE KPAI KWAC KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KPRP KVPR KAWC KUNR KZ KPLS KN KSTC KMFO KID KNAR KCFE KRIM KFLO KCSA KG KFSC KSCI KFLU KMIG KRVC KV KVRP KMPI KNEI KAPO KOLY KGIT KSAF KIRC KNSD KBIO KHIV KHDP KBTR KHUM KSAC KACT KRAD KPRV KTEX KPIR KDMR KMPF KPFO KICA KWMM KICC KR KCOM KAID KINR KBCT KOCI KCRS KTER KSPR KDP KFIN KCMR KMOC KUWAIT KIPRZ KSEO KLIG KWIR KISM KLEG KTBD KCUM KMSG KMWN KREL KPREL KAWK KIMT KCSY KESS KWPA KNPT KTBT KCROM KPOW KFTN KPKP KICR KGHA KOMS KJUST KREC KOC KFPC KGLB KMRS KTFIN KCRCM KWNM KHGH KRFD KY KGCC KFEM KVIR KRCM KEMR KIIP KPOA KREF KJRE KRKO KOGL KSCS KGOV KCRIM KEM KCUL KRIF KCEM KITA KCRN KCIS KSEAO KWMEN KEANE KNNC KNAP KEDEM KNEP KHPD KPSC KIRP KUNC KALM KCCP KDEN KSEC KAYLA KIMMITT KO KNUC KSIA KLFU KLAB KTDD KIRCOEXC KECF KIPRETRDKCRM KNDP KIRCHOFF KJAN KFRDSOCIRO KWMNSMIG KEAI KKPO KPOL KRD KWMNPREL KATRINA KBWG KW KPPD KTIAEUN KDHS KRV KBTS KWCI KICT KPALAOIS KPMI KWN KTDM KWM KLHS KLBO KDEMK KT KIDS KWWW KLIP KPRM KSKN KTTB KTRD KNPP KOR KGKG KNN KTIAIC KSRE KDRL KVCORR KDEMGT KOMO KSTCC KMAC KSOC KMCC KCHG KSEPCVIS KGIV KPO KSEI KSTCPL KSI KRMS KFLOA KIND KPPAO KCM KRFR KICCPUR KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNNB KFAM KWWMN KENV KGH KPOP KFCE KNAO KTIAPARM KWMNKDEM KDRM KNNNP KEVIN KEMPI KWIM KGCN KUM KMGT KKOR KSMT KISLSCUL KNRV KPRO KOMCSG KLPM KDTB KFGM KCRP KAUST KNNPPARM KUNH KWAWC KSPA KTSC KUS KSOCI KCMA KTFR KPAOPREL KNNPCH KWGB KSTT KNUP KPGOV KUK KMNP KPAS KHMN KPAD KSTS KCORR KI KLSO KWNN KNP KPTD KESO KMPP KEMS KPAONZ KPOV KTLA KPAOKMDRKE KNMP KWMNCI KWUN KRDP KWKN KPAOY KEIM KGICKS KIPT KREISLER KTAO KJU KLTN KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KEN KQ KWPR KSCT KGHGHIV KEDU KRCIM KFIU KWIC KNNO KILS KTIALG KNNA KMCAJO KINP KRM KLFLO KPA KOMCCO KKIV KHSA KDM KRCS KWBGSY KISLAO KNPPIS KNNPMNUC KCRI KX KWWT KPAM KVRC KERG KK KSUMPHUM KACP KSLG KIF KIVP KHOURY KNPR KUNRAORC KCOG KCFC KWMJN KFTFN KTFM KPDD KMPIO KCERS KDUM KDEMAF KMEPI KHSL KEPREL KAWX KIRL KNNR KOMH KMPT KISLPINR KADM KPER KTPN KSCAECON KA KJUSTH KPIN KDEV KCSI KNRG KAKA KFRP KTSD KINL KJUSKUNR KQM KQRDQ KWBC KMRD KVBL KOM KMPL KEDM KFLD KPRD KRGY KNNF KPROG KIFR KPOKO KM KWMNCS KAWS KLAP KPAK KHIB KOEM KDDG KCGC
PGOV PREL PK PTER PINR PO PHUM PARM PREF PINF PRL PM PINS PROP PALESTINIAN PE PBTS PNAT PHSA PL PA PSEPC POSTS POLITICS POLICY POL PU PAHO PHUMPGOV PGOG PARALYMPIC PGOC PNR PREFA PMIL POLITICAL PROV PRUM PBIO PAK POV POLG PAR POLM PHUMPREL PKO PUNE PROG PEL PROPERTY PKAO PRE PSOE PHAS PNUM PGOVE PY PIRF PRES POWELL PP PREM PCON PGOVPTER PGOVPREL PODC PTBS PTEL PGOVTI PHSAPREL PD PG PRC PVOV PLO PRELL PEPFAR PREK PEREZ PINT POLI PPOL PARTIES PT PRELUN PH PENA PIN PGPV PKST PROTESTS PHSAK PRM PROLIFERATION PGOVBL PAS PUM PMIG PGIC PTERPGOV PSHA PHM PHARM PRELHA PELOSI PGOVKCMABN PQM PETER PJUS PKK POUS PTE PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PERM PRELGOV PAO PNIR PARMP PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PHYTRP PHUML PFOV PDEM PUOS PN PRESIDENT PERURENA PRIVATIZATION PHUH PIF POG PERL PKPA PREI PTERKU PSEC PRELKSUMXABN PETROL PRIL POLUN PPD PRELUNSC PREZ PCUL PREO PGOVZI POLMIL PERSONS PREFL PASS PV PETERS PING PQL PETR PARMS PNUC PS PARLIAMENT PINSCE PROTECTION PLAB PGV PBS PGOVENRGCVISMASSEAIDOPRCEWWTBN PKNP PSOCI PSI PTERM PLUM PF PVIP PARP PHUMQHA PRELNP PHIM PRELBR PUBLIC PHUMKPAL PHAM PUAS PBOV PRELTBIOBA PGOVU PHUMPINS PICES PGOVENRG PRELKPKO PHU PHUMKCRS POGV PATTY PSOC PRELSP PREC PSO PAIGH PKPO PARK PRELPLS PRELPK PHUS PPREL PTERPREL PROL PDA PRELPGOV PRELAF PAGE PGOVGM PGOVECON PHUMIZNL PMAR PGOVAF PMDL PKBL PARN PARMIR PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PDD PRELKPAO PKMN PRELEZ PHUMPRELPGOV PARTM PGOVEAGRKMCAKNARBN PPEL PGOVPRELPINRBN PGOVSOCI PWBG PGOVEAID PGOVPM PBST PKEAID PRAM PRELEVU PHUMA PGOR PPA PINSO PROVE PRELKPAOIZ PPAO PHUMPRELBN PGVO PHUMPTER PAGR PMIN PBTSEWWT PHUMR PDOV PINO PARAGRAPH PACE PINL PKPAL PTERE PGOVAU PGOF PBTSRU PRGOV PRHUM PCI PGO PRELEUN PAC PRESL PORG PKFK PEPR PRELP PMR PRTER PNG PGOVPHUMKPAO PRELECON PRELNL PINOCHET PAARM PKPAO PFOR PGOVLO PHUMBA POPDC PRELC PHUME PER PHJM POLINT PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PAUL PHALANAGE PARTY PPEF PECON PEACE PROCESS PPGOV PLN PRELSW PHUMS PRF PEDRO PHUMKDEM PUNR PVPR PATRICK PGOVKMCAPHUMBN PRELA PGGV PSA PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PGIV PRFE POGOV PBT PAMQ

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 04HOCHIMINHCITY673, RELIGIOUS FREEDOM MAKES SLOW PROGRESS IN HUE

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #04HOCHIMINHCITY673.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
04HOCHIMINHCITY673 2004-05-18 00:31 2011-08-26 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Consulate Ho Chi Minh City
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HO CHI MINH CITY 000673 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV, DRL/IRF 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM SOCI PREL PGOV KIRF VM HUMANR RELFREE
SUBJECT: RELIGIOUS FREEDOM MAKES SLOW PROGRESS IN HUE 
 
REF:  A) Hanoi 916 B) HCMC 76 
 
Summary 
------------ 
 
1. (SBU) Both religious leaders and government officials in 
Thua Thien-Hue Province expressed a generally positive 
outlook on religious freedom during recent official 
meetings.  However, Embassy and Consulate General officers 
were prevented from making unannounced visits to dissident 
Buddhist and Catholic clerics by apparent police measures 
(ref A).  In discussions with both Catholic and Protestant 
leaders, Missionoffs noted a willingness to compromise with 
provincial officials in order to achieve specific goals. 
This seems to have yielded some positive results, although 
obstacles remain.  End Summary. 
 
Official View - No One Should Abuse Religious Freedom 
--------------------------------------------- --------------- 
---------- 
 
2. (SBU) Meeting with Hanoi poloff and HCMC conoff during 
their March 29-31 trip to Hue, Mr. Le Ba Hoang, Deputy 
Director of the provincial Committee on Religious Affairs 
(CRA) underscored freedom of religion guarantees under 
Article 17 of the Vietnamese Constitution.  But, he 
cautioned, no one has the right to abuse freedom of 
religion.  Mr. Hoang gave an overview of the scope and 
variety of believers in the province.  The largest group is 
the Buddhists, whose 550,000 believers comprise about half 
the population of the province.  A total of 1400 religious 
staff, including 764 monks and 162 nuns, administered some 
454 pagodas, although Hoang said his definition of pagoda 
included some very simple places of worship.  The Senior 
Buddhist Seminary in Hue -- opened in 1997 -- graduates 200 
students per class with the equivalent of a Bachelor of Arts 
in Buddhism, some of whom later go on to higher study 
overseas.  Moreover, the last ten years have seen four 
"designation" ceremonies, in which more than 400 members 
were selected to be trained for leadership roles within the 
Buddhist hierarchy. 
 
3.  (SBU) Responding to inquiries about Hue's most prominent 
activist monk -- Thich Thien Hanh, of the outlawed United 
Buddhist Church of Vietnam -- Hoang's stance was 
unequivocal.  Thich Thien Hanh had been a member of the 
provincial management board of Vietnam from 1981 until 1992, 
Hoang said, and his 1992 resignation was an "internal 
Buddhist matter."  Since then, Thich Thien Hanh had been a 
"subversive presence."  Hoang called the UBCV a "splinter 
group, intending to spread propaganda against the 
government."  When asked if missionoffs might meet with 
Thich Thien Hanh, Mr. Hoang stated that we did not request 
to see him, and so it had not been arranged, but that in any 
case, "seeing him would do no good for Buddhism."  When 
asked to clarify this, Mr. Hoang replied with a Vietnamese 
proverb: "A monk without a robe is not a monk; a person with 
a robe might not be a monk." (Note:  Officers had attempted 
to meet with Thich Thien Hanh the day before, but were 
blocked by police action.  Generally speaking, Mission 
informs provincial authorities of meetings with GVN 
officials, but not of plans to meet with private individuals 
including religious leaders.  End Note.) 
 
4.  (U) The Catholic Church is comparatively small, with 
four dioceses ministering to 52,000 believers, according to 
Hoang.  There are 99 priests and 531 monks and nuns serving 
104 churches within the region.  Both Mr. Hoang and Hue 
Archbishop Nguyen Nhu The noted the Catholic Seminary in Hue 
-- reopened in 1994 -- trains priests to serve in 3 
provinces:  Thua Thien-Hue, Da Nang, and Kon Tum.  Hoang 
claimed that seminary staff alone decided who was to be 
admitted for study, but Archbishop The stated there was an 
unofficial government "quota" of 10 students for each area, 
leading to class sizes of 30 every other year.  Hoang 
claimed that the number of seminary students meets -- and 
would soon exceed -- the requirements for priests for the 
three provinces.  Archbishop The agreed that the need for 
parish priests would soon be met, but mused that his 
government counterpart did not understand that priests do 
not just perform rites and rituals, but are also vital to 
charitable and humanitarian activities.  He said the 
Catholic Church still hoped to increase the number of 
seminarians in order to expand Church operations in these 
other areas. 
 
5.  (SBU) Following up on a U.S. Commission on International 
Religious Freedom (USCIRF) delegation's attempted visit to 
activist priest Father Phan Van Loi in January (ref B), 
Missionoffs asked Hoang about meeting with Loi.  The request 
was met with mock confusion.  Hoang claimed never to have 
heard of any priest by that name.  When it was established 
that we did have the right to visit and speak with any 
private citizen, however, Mr. Hoang said that the CRA does 
not recognize Father Loi as a priest, but that nevertheless 
he would try to arrange an official visit if and when we 
returned to the region.  Archbishop The commented later 
that, as Loi had been ordained in Bac Ninh province, Father 
Loi was "not affiliated with the diocese."  The status of 
Father Nguyen Van Ly raised more serious concerns.  Mr. 
Hoang said he wondered, "who controlled him," as Ly was a 
"threat to National Security" for his outspoken comments. 
Hoang claimed that Ly's imprisonment had nothing to do with 
his religious actions, but was a result of Ly's having used 
the pulpit "to lie about the government," and that he "tried 
to turn his parishioners against the government."  He 
further claimed that the Catholic Church in Vietnam did not 
support Father Ly. 
 
Catholic and Protestant leaders cautiously optimistic 
--------------------------------------------- --------------- 
---- 
 
6. (SBU) Archbishop The gave a guardedly optimistic report 
about the Catholic Church's relationship with provincial 
authorities.  Ten years ago, he said, the situation was very 
difficult.  Now, "the practice of religious belief and 
religious study" are relatively unhindered.  In general, 
Archbishop The said, they have a "cordial relationship" with 
the authorities, who are "becoming more cooperative." 
Problems remain, however, and he noted that "religious 
associations" -- for example women's and youth groups -- are 
still very restricted, and cannot meet and operate freely. 
He felt that bureaucracy and government red tape are the 
main obstacles to continuing improvement.  For example, a 
charitable clinic at Kim Long staffed by Catholic nuns has 
had problems in receiving drugs before their expiration 
date.  As they are generally donated just prior to this 
date, the delays in processing them through customs in 
Vietnam have led to whole shipments becoming unusable. 
Sister Nguyen Thi Dien, the director of the clinic, said she 
felt sure that there was no discrimination present in these 
delays, but that it was merely bureaucratic in nature. 
Archbishop The also noted that it took four years of 
consistent effort to receive approval to build a Catholic 
"Service Center" -- a conference and study center -- which 
was due to open very soon.  The inaugural event for the 
center would be a conference for the Episcopal Council of 
Catholics April 26-28. 
 
7. (SBU) Archbishop The did describe a number of outstanding 
disputes with the State over Church property.  In Thien An, 
107 hectares of Church land has apparently been seized, and 
is slated to be developed into an "amusement center," most 
likely a water park.  Hoang of the CRA stated that, since 
the land was bought by the Church under the Diem regime, it 
is "subject to redistribution."  Archbishop The said 
although this project is "environmentally questionable," the 
chances that the Church will get that land back are very 
slim.  Archbishop The also talked about a church in Ke Sung, 
where a road is being built across parish land, very close 
to the front of the church building.  Hoang said that the 
road was a necessary project given the province's overall 
plan for infrastructure development, but added that because 
the church at Ke Sung would be affected by this project, it 
would receive "preferential compensation".  He noted that 
the church was not opposed to the road itself, but its 
concern revolved around safety issues, and the potential 
damage to the "spiritual environment."  Speaking more 
broadly, Hoang likened the situation to the time period 
immediately following the American Revolution, saying that 
"in order to bring about equality in society" it was 
necessary to implement limited "land reform." 
 
8. (SBU) Pastor Ma Phuc Hiep, of the government recognized 
Protestant Church in Hue, was largely positive in his 
comments.  He noted the Protestant Church is small in Hue, 
with only 380 believers, and said that strong Buddhist 
traditions in the region made it difficult to attract new 
converts.  He said that the CRA had been very fair, 
especially given the c's small numbers, and that Protestants 
have been able to pursue community outreach programs and 
some charitable work, although they would like to expand 
their charitable activities.  The Church has facilitated 
three recent visits by doctors and chemists from overseas in 
order to hold medical clinics and perform operations.  Their 
ability to do these kinds of charitable works, despite such 
a modest congregation, was due in part to donations from 
Vietnamese Americans.  Hiep noted that there were 
unrecognized Pentecostal congregations in Hue, but said he 
was not aware of any difficulties encountered by these house 
churches.  When asked why he felt that Protestants were 
receiving such favorable treatment in comparison with some 
other religious groups, Pastor Hiep offered that 
"Protestants have not done anything to break the legal 
strictures," and therefore find themselves free to practice. 
Taking poloff and conoff on a private tour of his church, 
Hiep said that there had been "many problems with the 
Communists" in the past, but agreed that the situation had 
improved. (Note:  It appears that Hiep felt more comfortable 
speaking to officers when the Embassy translator and other 
church members were not present.  End Note) 
 
Comment 
------------ 
 
9. (SBU) While the Catholics and Protestants appeared 
frustrated with the attitudes of local authorities, it 
appeared that both were taking an approach of patient 
cooperation in order to ensure their ability to operate.  In 
the end, it seems many church leaders have come to the 
conclusion that while progress was slow -- at times glacial 
-- it was nonetheless progress, and they have chosen to 
focus on commonalities and cooperation in the belief that 
this would best serve their believers in the province. 
WHITE