VZCZCXRO3694
RR RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHHI #2040/01 3390159
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 050159Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6826
INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH 4017
RUEHZS/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE
RUEHROV/AMEMBASSY VATICAN 0036

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 002040 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MLS, DRL/IRF, DRL/AWH 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KIRF VM
SUBJECT: USCIRF MEETING WITH VIETNAM'S COMMITTEE ON RELIGIOUS 
AFFAIRS 
 
HANOI 00002040  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
1.(SBU) Visiting Commissioners from the United States Commission on 
International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) discussed religious freedom 
with Committee on Religious Affairs Chairman Nguyen The Doanh on 
October 22.  Doanh pointed to significant progress made on religious 
freedom in Vietnam as a result of the Prime Minister's 2005 
Directive on Religion.  He acknowledged there is more to be done, 
particularly in training local officials and in registering house 
churches more quickly.  He offered to investigate any reports of 
forced renunciations, which he said are clearly against the law and 
policy of Vietnam.  End summary. 
 
2.(SBU) Doanh began the meeting by noting that one could find 
shortcomings in Vietnam's religious situation but that it was 
important to have a dialogue and share ideas.  If the delegation 
sees the Buddhist pagodas overflowing with believers during the 
first and fifteenth of every lunar month, USCIRF members would get a 
better sense of the importance of religion in Vietnamese life, Doanh 
said. 
 
3.(SBU) USCIRF Chairman Michael Cromartie thanked Doanh for the work 
of CRA and said the USCIRF delegation was following up on agreement 
in the June meeting of Presidents Bush and Triet to continue a 
dialogue on religious freedom.  Cromartie said almost 600 Hmong 
Protestant churches in the northwest had sought registration but 
only 50 had received official recognition.  Hundreds of southern 
Protestant house churches had seen their requests for recognition 
unanswered or denied. 
 
4.(SBU) Doanh responded that the Prime Minister issued a directive 
on registration of religions in localities on February 9, 2005.  Now 
in the Central Highlands there are around 1,000 recognized meetings 
points and, by the end of the year, there will be 100 in the 
Northwest.  Vietnam has many religions but pays close attention to 
the Protestants because there are so many denominations, Doanh said. 
 The number of Protestants in Vietnam is on the rise particularly in 
mountainous areas with poor communications so there are shortcomings 
in the relations between local churches and authorities as well as 
the response by the local authorities to national guidance. 
 
5.(SBU) Cromartie asked if house churches could continue their 
activities if the local People's Committee did not respond to their 
requests for registration within the stipulated 30 days.  Doanh 
responded that, in theory, if there is no response the churches 
should have the right to continue their activities normally. 
 
6.(SBU) Commissioner Preeta Bansal asked whether the GVN's openness 
to recognizing different sects of Protestantism also extended to 
Buddhists organizing independently of the national Vietnam Buddhist 
Sangha (VBS).  Doanh responded that the VBS was established in 1981 
in accordance with the wishes of Vietnam's Buddhists and that their 
nine denominations are represented, including the United Buddhist 
Church of Vietnam.  Doanh said in theory other independent Buddhist 
groups could be recognized, but it would depend on the structure and 
goals of the organizations. 
 
7.(SBU) Commissioner Felice Gaer asked about a GVN training manual 
saying that abnormally rapid conversions must be "subdued."  This 
was supposed to be revised and Gaer asked if this had been done. 
Doanh said the manual still has many shortcomings but it has been 
revised.  Several thousand local-level officials have been trained 
regarding religious activities. 
 
8.(SBU) Commissioner Don Argue noted he had been to Vietnam three 
years ago and that the progress made on religious freedom in that 
time was very encouraging.  He said the Prime Minister's directive 
had helped but there were still isolated reports of forced 
renunciations by police.  Doanh responded that the GVN is strongly 
opposed to any violence to renounce faith - this is not in 
accordance with GVN policy or laws.  If any such cases are reported, 
CRA will work closely with local authorities to address them.  The 
Prime Minister's directive must be implemented at all levels, and 
meetings and conferences are organized to explain it, with special 
training for local police.  CRA does not have branches at the local 
level, but the police do so they have a special obligation to 
implement the law. 
 
9.(SBU) Commissioner Argue said he had direct contacts with 
Protestant groups in Vietnam and that they were very pleased with 
this progress - they only want to practice religion, not be 
political spokespeople.  Their frustration is the slow pace of 
registration and inconsistency in how this is carried out in 
different provinces.  Doanh agreed that this was an issue, and said 
improving the situation was a gradual process. 
 
 
HANOI 00002040  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
10.(SBU) Commissioner Gaer said there are credible reports that 
local officials deny educational and medical benefits to converts 
and asked whether this was endorsed by CRA.  Doanh responded that 
CRA is tasked with working out the body of laws on religion and that 
all are equal under the law.  There may be cases where there is 
discrimination, but if the CRA is apprised of the facts, then it 
would strongly oppose such discrimination.  He asked USCIRF to 
provide detailed information on these allegations so CRA could 
investigate. 
 
11.(SBU) Commissioner Gaer asked whether the changes in Vietnam on 
religious freedom were the result of international pressure.  Doanh 
said Vietnam pays attention to the views of the international 
community but decisions for the Vietnamese people must be made by 
the Vietnamese people.  Vietnam's social and economic achievements 
over the past twenty years have laid a solid basis for changes in 
spiritual life. 
 
12.(SBU) Doanh noted he had worked for CRA for 27 years and that 
with recent progress he had never seen a better state of religious 
freedom in Vietnam.  He said that of course he is not completely 
satisfied with GVN policy - life changes quickly so the policy must 
be updated to reflect those changes.  He cited Ho Chi Minh's 
statement that the state must help its people have a good life both 
materially and spiritually. 
 
Michalak