VZCZCXRO7939
RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHHI #1128/01 1690819
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 180819Z JUN 07
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5676
INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH 3264
RHEHNSC/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 001128 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MLS AND DRL/IRF 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM KIRF PREL PGOV VM
SUBJECT: CRA EXPLAINS DELAYS IN IMPLEMENTING RELIGION LAW IN THE 
NORTH 
 
REF: A) HANOI 1109 
 B) HANOI 273 
 C) HANOI 150 
 D) 06 HANOI 3059 
 
HANOI 00001128  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1. (SBU) On June 14, Poloff met with the GVN Committee on Religious 
Affairs (CRA) and discussed delays in the registration of religious 
congregations in the North and Northwest Highlands and aspects of 
the spread of Protestantism among ethnic minority communities.  CRA, 
which has operational responsibility for implementation of the GVN's 
Legal Framework on Religion established in 2004 and 2005, told us 
that the GVN was purposely proceeding more cautiously in the North 
as Protestantism is "newer" there.  CRA is concerned about potential 
conflict between ethnic minority traditionalists and recent 
Christian converts and the stability of family life in largely rural 
communities.  CRA's "roadmap" in the North, therefore, focuses first 
on further training of district and provincial-level officials and 
then registration of congregations of the nationally recognized 
Evangelical Church of Vietnam North (ECVN).  In a third phase, the 
GVN will register non-ECVN congregations.  Despite this long-term 
plan, our CRA interlocutors emphasized that families are now allowed 
to practice "non-registered" religions freely in their homes. 
 
¶2. (SBU) While we are concerned about the GVN maintaining its 
momentum in legalizing and registering religious groups, we see no 
backpedaling on religious freedom nor a lack of commitment at the 
national level.  We believe the trend in the North, and nationwide, 
remains largely positive.  Numbers of congregation registrations and 
religious denomination recognition certificates continue to grow, 
and the emphasis on training of provincial authorities is a good 
one.  End summary. 
 
 
Meeting had Protestantism Focus 
------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) On June 14, Poloff met with Dang Tai Tinh, Director of the 
International Cooperation Department and Tran Manh Hung, Deputy 
Director of the Protestantism Department of the GVN Committee on 
Religious Affairs (CRA).  The purpose of the meeting was to get an 
update on recent religious developments and to discuss delays in 
registration, under the GVN Legal Framework on Religion procedures, 
of religious congregations in the North and Northwest Highlands. 
CRA focused its discussion on Protestant organizations.  Although we 
tried to raise some of the issues surrounding Buddhist organizations 
in Vietnam at this meeting, the CRA officials suggested we discuss 
such issues on another occasion. 
 
 
Recent Religious Developments 
----------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) CRA interlocutors told Poloff that the GVN has now 
"nationally recognized" the Baha'i Faith in Vietnam.  (Note: 
"national recognition" is the highest level of GVN approval given 
after one year of national level registration and certification of 
religious activities End note.)  In terms of the rapid growth of 
Protestantism in Vietnam, CRA said that there are approximately one 
million Protestants in Vietnam and the GVN officially recognizes two 
Protestant organizations at a national level - the Evangelical 
Church of Vietnam North (ECVN) and the larger and older Southern 
Evangelical Church of Vietnam (SECV).  National-level recognition is 
now pending for three other Protestant organizations - the United 
World Mission Church, the Seventh Day Adventists and the General 
Baptist Conference.  CRA told us that this should occur in early 
2008 when the GVN gives final approval to the groups' respective 
management boards and they have completed one year of operation 
under their respective national level registrations. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Hung said that currently the CRA is providing instructions 
to the following five religious organizations so that they can 
register nationally, as opposed to local-level registration: the 
Christian Inter-Fellowship Church; the Pentecostal Church; the 
Baptist Church; the Mennonite Church; and the Presbyterian Church. 
Once these denominations complete their registration procedures, 
they will be granted a national certificate of religious 
operation/activities.  One year later, the GVN will review and 
consider whether to officially recognize these denominations (as 
required by the 2004 Ordinance on Religion and Belief). 
 
 
Update on the Central Highlands 
------------------------------- 
 
 
HANOI 00001128  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶6. (SBU) CRA divides Vietnam into three geographic zones - the 
South, the Central Highlands, and the North, including the Northwest 
Highlands.  In terms of the Central Highlands, CRA reports that 
since the 2004 establishment of the Legal Framework on Religion, 
there are 849 total Protestant congregations, of which eighty 
percent are registered. According to CRA, there have been nine 
churches built and 30,000 bibles printed in the Ede ethnic language. 
 Tinh told us this progress took several years to achieve in the 
Central Highlands, an area in which Protestantism is more entrenched 
than in the North. 
 
 
Factors to Consider in the North 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶7. (SBU) Our CRA interlocutors emphasized that the registration of 
congregations in the North will take more time and resources as 
Protestants further integrate into the communities there.  Tinh 
pointed out that Protestantism is "much newer in the North" and most 
of the Protestants in the North are ethnic Hmong, who have a strong 
"cultural heritage" and traditions.  The CRA is very concerned about 
"conflict" both within individual families and among families in 
villages and communes - between converted Christian believers and 
traditional ancestor worshippers.  He said this can often happen 
between parents and children and tear the family life apart. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Tinh told us the GVN is very concerned about preserving 
unity and integrity in Vietnam, and that in order for the GVN to 
ensure religious freedom, "we must look at preserving stability and 
protecting traditions."  He said the GVN will take specific steps to 
avoid "bad interactions" between "believers" and "non-believers" in 
the North. 
 
¶9. (SBU) He added that the GVN sees other "security issues" around 
groups and sects from the South coming to recruit in the North. 
With this in mind, CRA has developed a "roadmap" for proceeding with 
further implementation of the legal framework in the North.  First, 
CRA will register ECVN-affiliated congregations.  Following that, 
they will support registrations in the North for groups that are 
"recognized in the South."  Finally, registrations will be processed 
for "non-recognized organizations."  In the interim, CRA emphasized 
to Poloff that all religious groups, registered or unregistered, are 
allowed to "practice their religion freely in their homes."  Tinh 
told us there are 300 non-ECVN-affiliated Protestant groups 
nationwide. 
 
¶10. (SBU) CRA cites 45 Protestant congregations registered in the 
North since adoption of the Legal Framework in 2004.  A total of 31 
congregations had been registered by the end of 2006, and 14 since 
January 1, 2007.  In order to speed up the pace of EVCN 
registrations, CRA has been planning more training sessions for 
district and provincial level officials, where there still appears 
to be some confusion on procedures.  CRA told us they plan 41 more 
training sessions in the North by the end of the year. 
 
 
Vatican Relations Progressing Like Molasses 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶11. (SBU) On the subject of Vietnam-Vatican relations, Tinh was not 
forthcoming.  The Vietnam-Vatican relationship is "growing," and 
both governments have agreed to "establish a working committee" to 
further promote the relationship.  He would not commit to a definite 
date when this "committee" will begin its work.  When asked why the 
GVN rejected two Vatican-endorsed bishopric nominees earlier this 
year (Ref. A), Tinh said only that this was an "internal matter" 
between the two governments. 
 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶12. (SBU) Despite some defensive comments and delays on 
registrations in the North, the trend on religious freedom and 
implementation of the Legal Framework on Religion in the North 
continues to be largely positive.  Although we cannot confirm all 
the statistics, the number of registrations is slowly increasing and 
the emphasis on the training of local authorities should help 
eliminate local obstacles.  While we remain concerned about any GVN 
excuses for delays, we do not see any national-level lack of 
commitment to or "backpedaling" on religious freedom and 
implementation of the Legal Framework on Religion in Vietnam.  We 
expect the situation in the North to continue its gradual 
improvement.  End comment. 
 
ALOISI