VZCZCXRO1842
OO RUEHHM
DE RUEHHI #1390/01 3541041
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 191041Z DEC 08 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8895
INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH 5415

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 001390 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MLS and DRL/IRF 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL KIRF VM
 
SUBJECT: Human Rights and Religious Freedom in Hue 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY.  The DCM marked the 60th anniversary of the 
Universal Declaration of Human Rights by meeting with the Archbishop 
of Hue, as well as dissident priests from the banned political 
movement Bloc 8406 and leaders of the Unified Buddhist Church of 
Vietnam.  The Archbishop stressed the positive trajectory of 
religious freedom in Vietnam, as well as the strengthening of 
relations between the GVN and the Vatican, and praised provincial 
officials for resolving land disputes and returning Church property 
at the La Vang pilgrimage site.  By contrast, the dissident priests 
and monks decried the lack of political and press freedom in 
Vietnam.  END SUMMARY. 
 
Views of the Archbishop of Hue 
------------------------------ 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Archbishop Eitenne Nguyen Nhu The and the Auxiliary Bishop 
of Hue Francois Xavier Le Van Hong met with the DCM on December 9. 
The Archbishop asserted that the Vatican and government of Vietnam 
need each other.  The Vatican wants to establish relations to assist 
members of its flock, while the GVN wants to boost its international 
credibility by joining the 177 countries that currently have 
relations with the Holy See.  Declaring that the Catholic Church in 
Vietnam is very different from the Catholic Church in China, the 
Archbishop explained that unlike in China, in Vietnam the Catholic 
Church has authority to send local leaders to the Vatican for 
meetings.  The Archbishop speculated that the Vatican will not wait 
to establish ties until after moving forward with China.  At the 
same time, he said that he does not believe the Pope will visit 
Vietnam if relations have not yet been established. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Regarding the overall situation of religious freedom, the 
Archbishop stressed the positive trajectory of the country and said 
that progress continues year by year.  He highlighted in particular 
the growing freedom of the past two years of Protestant churches, 
progress the Catholic Church welcomes. 
 
Positive Results on Land Disputes 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The Archbishop praised efforts by provincial and local 
officials to work with the Church to resolve land disputes in An 
Bang parish by authorizing a land swap.  The Archbishop considered 
the matter closed and emphatically stated that "there is no 
dispute."  The Archbishop also applauded the efforts of provincial 
officials to return 16 hectares of land to the Church around the La 
Vang pilgrimage site; he said he was hopeful the Church would 
receive the formal land use certificate by the end of the year.  He 
said that local officials hope to turn the area into a "spiritual 
tourism center" and noted that efforts are now being made to build 
new roads and provide better access to the area. 
 
Don't Lecture or Impose Sanctions on Vietnam 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) When asked what the U.S. could do to improve the situation 
of Religious Freedom in Vietnam, the Archbishop responded pointedly 
that the United States could help a lot, but should not impose 
sanctions on Vietnam or try and force the GVN's hand.  He stressed 
that it is important for the United States to respond to the 
situation as "constructively" as possible and to treat Vietnam as an 
equal partner.  The Archbishop continued by asserting that when the 
U.S. lectures to GVN officials they get defensive because Vietnam is 
a small country. 
 
Dissident Priests Speak out on Human Rights 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) The DCM met with dissident priests Father Phan Van Loi and 
Father Nguyen Huu Giai, who expressed markedly different views. 
Father Loi stressed his belief that the Catholic Church in Vietnam 
is not free because it is not allowed to provide formal educational 
training or to open schools, except for kindergartens.  He also 
stressed that the church is not allowed to own its own newspaper, 
publishing house, radio or television station, nor is it allowed to 
own land.  When asked his thoughts about the Thai Ha land dispute 
and why the Vatican has chosen not to get involved, Father Giai 
stated, "the Vatican is far away and is acting diplomatic."  In 
contrast to the Archbishop's optimistic assessment of the An Bang 
dispute, Fathers Loi and Giai stated that while the local parish had 
received assurances from local officials, the deal was not yet 
complete since the new parcel of land has yet to be handed over. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Responding to an inquiry about imprisoned Hue dissident 
Father Nguyen Van Ly, Father Loi said that Fr. Ly's family members 
continue to visit him regularly, most recently two weeks ago.  Loi 
affirmed that Father Ly remains of "sound mind and sound body" and 
said that two Catholic priests had received permission to visit and 
minister to Father Ly in prison around Christmas.  Stressing their 
roles in Bloc 8406, Loi and Giai estimated there were approximately 
 
HANOI 00001390  002 OF 002 
 
 
18 other priests whom they claimed were sympathetic to their cause 
but were too afraid to speak out publically. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Father Loi, who was imprisoned for six years (1981-1987) 
for his outspoken political views and remained under house arrest 
from 2001 to 2004, stated that he is currently not allowed to 
participate in mass with the congregation, and suggested that the 
Church may not want him there because of pressure from the GVN.  He 
said that while he is no longer officially under house arrest, 
police maintain a presence near his home.  Father Giai, who was 
imprisoned from 1982-1988, said that he is allowed to travel freely 
but is followed.  A self-proclaimed "internet addict," Father Loi 
said he gets around government efforts to cut his internet 
connection by subscribing to Wi-Fi.  He is one of five editors of 
the independent online magazine "Freedom of Speech." (Note: two 
other editors, Father Ly and Nguyen Van Dai, are currently in jail, 
and two others, Father Tin and Nguyen Khac Toan, are subject to 
constant surveillance.  END NOTE.) 
 
UBCV Takes a Hard Line Against GVN 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) The DCM also met with Venerable Thich Thien Hanh, 
Secretary General of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) 
Institute of the Sangha and Head of the UBCV Provincial Board in 
Hue, along with Venerable Thich Chi Thang, at the Bao Quoc Pagoda in 
Hue also on December 10.  Hanh thanked the DCM for her inquiry after 
the health of Patriarch Thich Quang Do and said that he is very 
healthy and doing well. 
Hanh was less patient when asked to describe the UBCV's current 
situation, noting that it was the fourth or fifth time he had done 
so with USG representatives.  He said that the UBCV faces many 
difficulties and that the goal of the GVN is to abolish the UBCV. 
The GVN claims, falsely according to Hanh, that the Buddhist Church 
North and UBCV merged in 1981 to create the Vietnamese Buddhist 
Sangha.  He stressed that those who represented the UBCV during the 
talks were not actually UBCV monks, but were Communist monks 
appointed by the government.  Asked to provide examples of more 
current persecution, Hanh complained bitterly about GVN treatment of 
Buddhists who had attended the funeral this year of former Patriarch 
Thich Huyen Quang and said that the GVN had prevented many from 
participating and even prohibited the word "patriarch" on banners on 
floral arrangements presented at the funeral. 
 
¶10.  (SBU) Hanh dismissed any suggestion that the UBCV should 
attempt to register as a religion, arguing that this would 
delegitimize the Church.  He said that in effect the Church had 
informally asked to be recognized by the government through open 
letters to senior government officials.  Asked what the United 
States could do to increase religious freedom, Hanh stated that 
change would only occur if the United States aggressively pressed 
Vietnam.  He encouraged the United States to redesignate Vietnam as 
a Country of Particular Concern and to push Vietnam on human rights. 
 He also urged the United States to affirm Vietnam's sovereignty 
over the Spratly and Paracel islands. 
 
Michalak