VZCZCXRO8127
PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHNH
DE RUEHHM #0689/01 1791012
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 281012Z JUN 07
FM AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2810
INFO RUEHHI/AMEMBASSY HANOI PRIORITY 2001
RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 3011

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HO CHI MINH CITY 000689 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KIRF PREF PINR VM
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR TACKLES RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ISSUES IN THE FOOTHILLS 
OF THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS 
 
 
HO CHI MIN 00000689  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  On a June 6-8 trip to Dak Nong, Binh Phuoc 
and Tay Ninh provinces, leaders from the GVN-recognized and 
house church communities told the Ambassador that church members 
were free to worship and practice their faith.  However, the 
GVN-recognized Southern Evangelical Church of Vietnam (SECV) has 
encountered difficulties in organizing religious training 
courses in Binh Phuoc and Dak Nong for its predominantly ethnic 
minority membership.  The legalization process in both provinces 
also continues to drag; long-pending registrations and 
church-building permits for both the SECV and a house church 
organization were issued only shortly before the Ambassador's 
visit.  The Cao Dai Archbishop in Tay Ninh said he was satisfied 
with government treatment of his church.  Although Binh Phuoc 
and Dak Nong have lagged behind other provinces, behind even 
others in the Central Highlands, progress has been made.  With 
continued monitoring and interaction with local government 
officials, religious freedom issues should remain on track. End 
Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) In meetings in Cambodian-border provinces of Dak Nong, 
Binh Phuoc and Tay Ninh June 6 to 8, provincial Party 
Secretaries and People's Committee Chairmen told the Ambassador 
 
SIPDIS 
that they continued to make progress to ensure the religious 
freedoms of their citizens.  Binh Phuoc Party Secretary Nguyen 
Huu Luat claimed that his province has allowed religious 
trainers to conduct classes and that has facilitated the 
construction of worship places, although he did not give any 
specific details.  Dak Nong People's Committee Chairman Dang Duc 
Yen said that while the province would protect religious rights, 
it would not register a congregation that represented less than 
15 households.  The Ambassador stressed that there must be 
greater trust between religious groups and the provincial 
governments and urged that governments be as flexible as 
possible in the registration process. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Provincial leaders acknowledged that the registration 
process could be slow, but said that it was caused by "normal 
administrative delays."  They stressed that house church 
organizations would not be allowed to hold training courses in 
the province or build new churches until they were registered at 
the provincial level, as stipulated in the legal framework on 
religion.  The Ambassador emphasized the importance of helping 
religious groups ensure that they have well-trained spiritual 
leaders. 
 
The View From the Trenches 
 
-------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Representatives of the GVN-recognized Southern 
Evangelical Church of Vietnam (SECV) and other house church 
organizations told the Ambassador that the groups were able to 
hold religious services for their members, but legalization of 
churches and other aspects of managing church operations 
continued to be problematic.  Assembly of God (AOG) Chief Pastor 
Dieu Srong told the Ambassador that his 30 house churches in Dak 
Nong Province serving 1,654 ethnic minority followers have been 
operating normally.  However, government approvals for 
registration have been very slow.  After applying for 
registration in July 2006, the Pastor's own house church had 
only been officially registered one week before the Ambassador's 
visit.  Srong has not been able to gain permission to conduct 
religious training in Dak Nong.  Local authorities have told him 
that his church members would have to go to Ho Chi Minh City for 
courses.  He complained that AOG trainers who have come to the 
province in the past have faced harassment and questioning from 
the local police. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Conditions were similar for the SECV in Dak Nong 
province.  According to its chief provincial representative, 
Pastor Rmah Loan, the SECV has been able to hold regular Sunday 
services, as well as Christmas and Easter celebrations, without 
difficulty in its 142 meetings points serving 33,210 members. 
However, Dak Nong authorities were not particularly helpful in 
supporting his efforts to organize religious training courses. 
For example, only recently did local authorities relent and 
allow him to hold a five-month training course in his home in 
Dak Mil district for 35 ethnic minority students.  This decision 
came after many months of negotiations with local authorities 
who insisted that the pastor hold his course at a location of 
their choosing in the provincial capital of Gia Nghia even 
though the SECV did not have a significant presence there. 
Additionally, the SECV has had problems obtaining permits for 
construction of new churches.  In one district with over 800 
followers, district authorities have not given permission for 
the upgrade of an SECV chapel, stating that the congregation 
must be recognized first.  The congregation in question may be 
legalized in July.  A second building permit -- for the SECV's 
largest congregation in the province -- was pending since 
October, but finally approved in late May. 
 
HO CHI MIN 00000689  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶6. (SBU) During a visit to an ethnic minority SECV congregation 
in Binh Phuoc, Pastor Mo Long told the Ambassador that the 
provincial government was allowing the SECV to operate 177 
"meeting points" pending registration.  Three congregations have 
been recognized thus far.  (The SECV has 41,800 members in Binh 
Phuoc.)  In the presence of local officials and the media, the 
pastor told the Ambassador that the province could only register 
a congregation after it has a trained pastor or evangelist in 
charge.  This situation will improve soon, since the SECV in 
Binh Phuoc is running a pastoral training course for 62 students 
that will conclude in July.  The pastor noted that he has faced 
"difficulties" in traveling to many of the 177 unrecognized 
meeting points.  These congregations also have been unable to 
obtain permits for renovation and construction of church 
buildings. 
 
¶7. (SBU) In Tay Ninh, Cao Dai Archbishop Thuong Tam Thanh told 
the Ambassador that the Cao Dai have no problems practicing 
their faith.  Cao Dai church leaders work closely with national 
and local governments, who are responsive to their concerns. 
The Archbishop declined the Ambassador's offer to raise church 
issues in his meetings with the provincial officials.  Thanh 
explained that he has been able to manage the church's affairs 
adequately through the church's normal channels. (NOTE: The Cao 
Dai faith was founded in 1926 and claims over five million 
followers nationwide.  In Tay Ninh, the Cao Dai claim 600,000 
followers, roughly 80 per cent of the province's population. End 
Note) 
 
¶8. (SBU) Comment:  Binh Phuoc and Dak Nong are the two toughest 
provinces remaining in the HCMC Consular District on religious 
freedom issues.  Progress in both has been slower than elsewhere 
in the Central Highlands and the officials less predisposed to 
implement the legal framework on religion.  Nonetheless, even in 
these two provinces, the overall trend has been positive. 
Churches have been able to operate without severe harassment and 
the registration and recognition process has begun.  We are 
confident that, with our continued monitoring and, when needed, 
intercession with local governments, religious freedom progress 
will continue on track.  End Comment. 
WINNICK