VZCZCXRO8791
PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHNH
DE RUEHHM #1035/01 3300638
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 250638Z NOV 08
FM AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5173
INFO RUEHHI/AMEMBASSY HANOI PRIORITY 3454
RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 5402

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HO CHI MINH CITY 001035 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MLS, DRL/AWH AND DRL/IRF 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV KIRF PHUM VM
SUBJECT: MENNONITES HOLD FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN HCMC 
 
REF: A) HCMC 967   B) HCMC 917 AND PREVIOUS   C)HCMC 651 
 
HO CHI MIN 00001035  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. Summary (SBU) On November 15, the Vietnam Mennonite Church 
(VMC) became the latest Protestant denomination to celebrate 
their first General Assembly since achieving national-level 
registration in September 2007.  Mennonite leaders from around 
the world, including the United States, attended the official 
opening ceremonies together with an array of GVN officials from 
HCMC, Hanoi and the provinces.  In the historical overview 
provided to attendees, the VMC made note of difficulties 
overcome after 1975, as well as divisions formed between 
Mennonite sects in 2004 over the issue of whether to proceed 
with national registration.  The Mennonites are the third 
congregation to hold a General Assembly in the last two months, 
marking continued progress on the registration and recognition 
of Protestants in Vietnam (ref A and B). End summary. 
 
¶2. (U) In a ceremony filled with lively musical performances and 
shared goodwill among GVN officials, Mennonite leaders and 
pastors from several other Protestant faiths, the Vietnam 
Mennonite Church (VMC) kicked off their first General Assembly 
in HCMC on November 15.  The group of over 200 participants 
included pastors, evangelists and followers from 24 different 
provinces.  After several rousing hymnals and dance performances 
by youth groups, VMC President, Reverend Nguyen Quang Trung, 
thanked GVN officials for their support in helping the VMC 
achieve national-level registration.  Large floral wreaths from 
the Ministry of Public Security (MPS), several Protestant 
congregations and Committee for Religious Affairs (CRA) offices 
in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and the provinces attested to the 
widespread official support the VMC has achieved.  GVN guests 
included Deputy Director Nguyen Thanh Xuan from the National 
CRA, HCMC CRA Director Huynh Ngoc Thanh and an array of 
officials from city, district and provincial offices.  Mennonite 
representatives from Zimbabwe, Cuba, Japan, Indonesia, 
Switzerland, Canada and the U.S. were also present. 
 
¶3. (SBU) CRA Deputy Director Xuan congratulated the VMC, noting 
that the "new era of reform" in Vietnam has created a more 
supportive environment for religious groups in Vietnam, and that 
the Prime Minister has recognized the need for spiritual support 
and guidance that Protestant groups have brought to their 
followers.  He praised the strong Protestant values that have 
contributing to the positive growth of Vietnamese society, 
including charity, diligence and humanitarianism.  Xuan 
concluded his speech by quoting from Corinthians 1:13, which 
emphasizes love as the most important expression of faith and 
service.  U.S. Mennonite leaders, several of whom had been 
missionaries in Vietnam during the war, welcomed their 
Vietnamese brethren back to the international community of 
Mennonites and looked forward to greater cooperation and 
exchanges with the VMC as the organization carried out its 
global mission. 
 
51 Years In Vietnam 
------------------- 
¶4. (SBU) Church leaders were quick to point out that the General 
Assembly was actually the second held in Vietnam since the VMC 
was founded 51 years ago, albeit the first since the group 
achieved national registration.  The Eastern Mennonite Mission 
first came to Vietnam and established the Vietnam Mennonite 
Church (VMC) in 1957.  From 1957 to 1975, VMC acquired in 
properties in HCMC and Can Tho for offices, churches, training 
centers and schools.  After 1975, many VMC pastors left Vietnam 
and in 1978, the GVN took over all the church's properties.  All 
religious activities went underground.  In 1983, Reverend Trung 
and his fellow pastors began rebuilding the church's membership 
and re-establishing meeting points.  With the help of the 
Eastern Mennonite Mission, the VMC opened bible and theological 
training classes in HCMC and Quang Ngai from 1999 to 2004.  They 
also began carrying out charity work again, including carrying 
out flood relief in the Mekong Delta and funding corrective eye 
operations in Quang Ngai. 
 
VMC Division Over Decision to Register 
-------------------------------------- 
¶5. (SBU) The Mennonites went through an internal schism in 2004 
when three congregations broke from the VMC over the issue of 
whether to pursue official registration and recognition under 
the GVN's legal framework on religion.  The congregations, one 
of which was led by Reverend Nguyen Hong Quang, the VMC's Vice 
President and General Secretary, were opposed to proceeding with 
registration because the organization had already received legal 
status in 1964.  At that time, Reverend Quang's congregation 
also wanted to wait until he had been released from prison (he 
was arrested for disturbing the peace and resisting arrest in 
2004).  Reverend Quang, a long-time political activist, 
colleague of Dr. Nguyen Dan Que and signatory to the Bloc 8406 
manifesto, continues to lead his own separate Mennonite 
congregation in HCMC.  Reverend Nguyen Cong Chinh of the Central 
 
HO CHI MIN 00001035  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
Highlands province Gia Lai was also formerly affiliated with 
Quang's Mennonite sect, but has since formed his own umbrella 
Protestant group, the Vietnamese People's Evangelical Fellowship 
(VPEF), which claims to represent over 60 different Protestant 
congregations and all 54 ethnic minority groups (ref C).  The 
rest of the congregations, led by VMC President Trung, proceeded 
to register under the legal framework on religion. 
 
¶6. (SBU) As of Sep 1, 2008, the VMC now have 90 congregations 
(with 26 registered, 30 processing registrations and 34 pending 
registrations), four chapels, 138 clergy and 6,123 followers. 
3,923 followers are ethnic minorities, including members of the 
Bahnar, Stieng, Kor, H're, and Jarai minority groups.  Binh 
Phuoc province has the largest number of congregations (22) and 
followers (1,340).  The VMC opened a theological training center 
and launched the first theological courses in early 2006, 
providing training for new and current pastors and evangelists. 
 
¶7. (U) This cable was coordinated with Embassy Hanoi. 
FAIRFAX