VZCZCXRO0249
RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHHI #0944/01 2270832
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 140832Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8306
INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH 5010
RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 000944 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MLS, DRL/IRF 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KIRF PHUM PREL VM
 
SUBJECT: Harassment of Protestants in Vietnam's Thanh Hoa Province 
 
Ref: Hanoi 0558 
 
HANOI 00000944  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  In recent months, post has received reports of 
three separate incidents of harassment by local authorities of two 
Full Gospel Church congregations in Thanh Hoa Province to the south 
of Hanoi.  While post has yet to independently confirm the reports, 
the sources are reliable and post has a high degree of confidence in 
the information.  While provincial officials' have indicated that 
they would investigate these incidents, post continues to try to 
engage provincial and national level officials on these cases. 
 
¶2. (U) The Full Gospel Church is a Pentacostal denomination not 
affiliated with the Protestant Evangelical Church of Vietnam - North 
(ECVN).  While the Full Gospel Church central office is located in 
Ho Chi Minh City, the individual congregations are part of a 
National Association of 19 regional groups.  Church leaders report 
that some congregations have been registered and built churches. 
 
Full Gospel Church Pastor Reports Harassment 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Pastor Nguyen Trung Ton, leader of a house church belonging 
to the Protestant Full Gospel Church, told poloffthat on April 20, 
2008, police in Quang Yen commune of Quang Xuong district issued 
administrative punishment to prayer session participants at his 
house church in Yen Co village.  One week later on April 27, local 
police cut the lock on the door of Pastor Ton's house church and 
entered, detained members of church, gave out 100,000 VND fines 
orally, and confiscated the pension book of one congregation member. 
 The next day, the commune police returned and threw stones at his 
house, and then pushed into house trying to find him.  Pastor Ton 
reports that the police officers were aggressive and threatening 
with both his wife and mother.  On Sunday, May 4, local police 
reportedly waited at traffic points to try to stop people from 
arriving for a prayer session.  Only three were able to make it to 
Pastor Ton's house.  Civil security officials then intervened, 
threatened the three attendees and tried to confiscate their 
bicycles. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Pastor Ton reports that while things were quiet for the 
rest of May and June, on July 6, 2008, local police and officials 
surrounded his house church and locked prayer session participants 
inside from 9 am to 2 pm.  Three members left the house church at 2 
pm and were assaulted 200 meters away from the church.  The 
assailants allegedly included the local youth association chief and 
a local policeman. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Pastor Ton states that although the church tried to apply 
for registration, the commune People's Committee refused to receive 
the registration application, stating that the church is not 
following the correct procedures.  But when he requested the 
instructions, the commune People's Committee stated that district 
and provincial officials have not supplied them. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Pastor Ton added that on several occasions during the 
incidents in April, he called the provincial police, who promised to 
help but then did nothing.  He recounted that in December 2007, the 
provincial police recommended that he report the congregation's 
intention to hold Christmas services to commune authorities in 
advance so as to be transparent about their activities.  But when he 
did so, the commune People's Committee then stated that the 
congregation did not have permission to gather for Christmas. 
Pastor Ton stated that they now ignore the provincial police's 
advice to inform the commune authorities in advance because it makes 
no difference. 
 
¶7. (SBU) A second Full Gospel Church congregation also reported 
incidents of harassment in July.  Pastor Nguyen Duc Dung of Quang 
Linh commune, Quang Xuong district, told us that on July 11, commune 
police and officials disrupted a baptism and directed insults at 
him.  He was then hit in the face by the deputy chief of commune 
police.  Following this incident, on July 12, commune police 
threatened members of the church in an attempt to prevent them from 
participating in church activities.  Pastor Dung added that he 
applied to register his congregation in 2007, but is still awaiting 
approval. 
 
¶8. (SBU) In response to the above reports, post sent a letter to 
Thanh Hoa provincial authorities on July 16 requesting a full 
investigation of these incidents and punishment of any official 
found in violation of the legal framework on religion.  On July 21, 
Pastor Ton reported that the Thanh Hoa provincial police called him, 
promising him that they would travel to Quang Xuong district to 
investigate the case. However, Pastor Ton has now provided 
information on two subsequent incidents: 
 
-- On the morning of July 20, 2008, the chief officer from the local 
police and security guards from Yen Phu village, Quang Yen commune, 
 
HANOI 00000944  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
came to the house of a church member, Mr. Nguyen Van Thinh, and 
verbally harassed him and three other members of the church while 
they prepared to go to services.  Shortly thereafter, Pastor Ton and 
his 14-year-old son arrived at Mr. Thinh's house and were assaulted 
by local security guards, who were encouraged by the chief of the 
local police.  Thirty minutes later, a disabled member of the 
church, Mr. Do Quang Hoa, arrived at Mr. Thinh' house and was also 
assaulted. 
 
-- On the morning on July 29, 2008, two friends of Pastor Ton came 
to his home.  Thirty minutes later, local policemen and security 
guards arrived and surrounded his house until late in the evening. 
 
 
¶9.  (SBU) As post attempts to get more information from provincial 
officials were unsuccessful, we have now sent a letter to the 
national Government Committee on Religious Affairs (CRA), formally 
requesting their investigation of the situation in Quang Xuong 
district of Thanh Hoa Province. 
 
¶10. (SBU) Comment:  The reported incidents are a disappointing step 
backward, particularly as Thanh Hoa provincial authorities seemed to 
be in line with national government policy on implementing the legal 
framework on religion (reftel).  The reports of incidents at the 
local level, shortly after provincial officials confirmed the full 
implementation of the legal framework on religion in Thanh Hoa 
province, highlights yet again the disconnect between the various 
levels of government bureaucracy in Vietnam.  District and commune 
officials in this location in Thanh Hoa province are either ignorant 
of national level policy and laws, or are willfully disregarding 
them, knowing that they will not be punished.  Post continues to 
press CRA and senior GVN officials to increase their attention and 
efforts to fully implement the legal framework on religion. 
 
MICHALAK