VZCZCXRO0578
PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHHI #2570/01 2781045
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 051045Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3628
INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH 1924
RUEHZS/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 002570 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MLS AND DRL/IRF 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM KIRF PREL PGOV VM
SUBJECT: Religious Freedom: CRA Chairman Discusses Recent Progress 
 
Ref: Hanoi 2399 
 
HANOI 00002570  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  During an October 5 meeting with the Charge, 
Committee on Religious Affairs Chairman Ngo Yen Thi described GVN 
efforts to accelerate registrations of Protestant congregations in 
the North.  The late September conference for northern local 
officials was described as a success:  officials from provinces with 
"pilot registrations" pledged to accelerate registrations, and 
provinces without pilot registrations are initiating the pilot phase 
this month.  Thi expects the number of registered churches in the 
north to rise quickly in the near future and promised to provide 
more details on projections in one week's time.  Thi said the CRA is 
using radio broadcasts in the north to get the word out on the 
registration process; expressed the CRA's willingness to cooperate 
with and assist the ECVN to build its capacity to travel to and work 
in the north; and outlined recent progress in southern Vietnam and 
the Central Highlands.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) The Charge met October 5 with GVN Committee on Religious 
Affairs (CRA) Chairman Ngo Yen Thi to press for quicker progress in 
the area of religious freedom.  The Charge opened by noting the 
intense interest in the USG and Congress in this matter, 
particularly as little time remains before U.S. International 
Religious Freedom Ambassador-at-Large John Hanford has to make his 
recommendation on Vietnam's status as a Country of Particular 
Concern (CPC).  Although there is recognition of the progress made 
to date in Vietnam, as reflected in the International Religious 
Freedom Report, there are also significant concerns. 
 
¶3. (SBU) In particular, more churches and congregations in the north 
need to be registered, and, as Ambassador Hanford described during 
his August visit, registrations for 100 churches and congregations 
is an appropriate and reachable target, the Charge continued.  In 
addition to receiving an update on registrations in the north, the 
Charge also sought from Chairman Thi a readout of the CRA-organized 
late-September meeting with northern provincial officials. 
 
Northern Registrations 
---------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Chairman Thi responded that the conference for northern 
officials was held in Hanoi on September 28.  Its purpose was to 
evaluate the pilot church/congregation registration program and 
allow officials from provinces in which the pilot registration 
program had begun to share their experiences with officials from 
those provinces that had not yet had any pilot registrations.  To 
date, 20 churches/congregations have registered under the pilot 
registration program (two more than the CRA had previously 
reported).  As a result of the conference, the provinces that have 
participated in the pilot program -- Lao Cai, Lai Chau, Yen Bai, Bac 
Kan and Thai Nguyen -- pledged to immediately accelerate the 
registration of churches/congregations through the end of the year. 
Furthermore, thanks to the conference, those provinces that have not 
yet had pilot registrations -- Thanh Hoa, Tuyen Quang, Cao Bang and 
Dien Bien -- would undertake a number of registrations in October. 
To assist these provinces, the CRA will send officials to work with 
local authorities.  "By the end of the year, we hope to have more 
than just 10's of registered churches and congregations," Thi said. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Pressed by the Charge for an estimated number of 
registrations, as well as a timetable for them, Chairman Thi 
consulted a spreadsheet and said that Thanh Hoa plans to have two 
pilot registrations (in the next 10 days), Tuyen Quang will register 
three, Cao Bang will register three and Dien Bien will register two. 
 Regarding those provinces with existing pilot registration 
programs, Thi said the numbers would be higher, but are harder to 
estimate.  He pledged to provide us with further information in one 
week's time.  However, "there should be a rapid number of new 
registrations, as Deputy Prime Minister Truong Vinh Trong exhorted 
the participants in the September conference to do so," Thi said. 
 
GVN Using Radio, Other Media to Get the Word Out 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶6. (SBU) In response to the Charge's question about how the GVN and 
the CRA are getting the message out about the registration process 
in the north, Chairman Thi said that the CRA primarily uses local 
radio broadcasts.  Where feasible, it also uses newspapers and 
television broadcasts, he said. 
 
Relations with ECVN 
------------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) The Charge asked how the CRA's relationship with the 
Evangelical Church of Vietnam - North (ECVN) has evolved as these 
pilot registrations progress, and whether the CRA and ECVN are now 
working more closely and collaboratively together.  Chairman Thi 
responded that the CRA always engages with the relevant religious 
 
HANOI 00002570  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
organization, whether the ECVN in the north or the Southern 
Evangelical Church of Vietnam (SECV) in the south and Central 
Highlands.  Between the two, Thi admitted that relations with the 
SECV are much closer and that the CRA has had more success in 
facilitating the group's work in the Central Highlands.  The ECVN, 
because of "internal problems" and a "shortage of human resources," 
does not often send its pastors to northern provinces, so their work 
has been slower than that of the SECV (reftel).  For example, 
although the ECVN provided a list of 150 "mature" congregations, it 
has not yet been able to travel to all of them.  However, when the 
ECVN does travel to the provinces, the CRA does everything it can to 
facilitate meetings with local officials.  Thi then volunteered that 
the CRA understands that the ECVN must become stronger, and the CRA 
will provide technical and other assistance to the ECVN to "improve 
the organization's capacity to travel to and work in the north." 
 
National Regulations on Registering 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) On the subject of national regulations that guide 
registrations, Chairman Thi said that the implementing decree of the 
Ordinance on Religion and Belief is the basic regulation. 
 
Developments in Southern, Central Vietnam 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) Repeating some previously reported information, Chairman 
Thi said that there have been many positive developments elsewhere 
in Vietnam.  For example, in the Central Highlands, 73 congregations 
have been recognized and 718 places of worship have been registered. 
 On September 26, Dak Lak Province had eight new pastors ordained 
(in Phuc An Commune in Krong Pa District).  The province also began 
a second theological training course for 40 individuals, Thi said. 
Authorities in the south recently issued religious activities 
certificates to three religious groups (the United World Church, the 
Association of Meditative Buddhist Home Followers and the Four 
Gratitudes) and allowed the Baptists and Mennonites to register, he 
continued.  Other groups, such as the 7th Day Adventists, 
Pentecostal Church and Baha'i, will also be registered soon.  As for 
central Vietnam, the recent typhoon has delayed the registration of 
churches and congregations, but there should be good news in October 
and November, Thi pledged. 
 
¶10. (SBU) In closing, Thi noted that the CRA is now working on 
regulations to guide the religious activities of foreigners who come 
to Vietnam to do business or reside, "but who practice a religion 
that does not exist here."  He implied that the new regulations will 
permit worshippers of religions "not yet recognized" by the GVN to 
be able to apply for permission to hold services.  The Charge 
concluded by promising that the Mission will meet with Chairman Thi 
in one week to learn more about upcoming registrations in the north 
and other progress that the CRA will hopefully have to report. 
 
ALOISI