US embassy cable - 03HOCHIMINHCITY842

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 HO CHI MINH CITY 000842 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR A/S DEWEY; EAP/BCLTV; DRL/IRF 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREF, PHUM, PGOV, PREL, PINS, SOCI, KIRF, VM, CB, HUMANR, ETMIN, RELFREE 
SUBJECT:  A/S DEWEY VISIT TO VIETNAM'S CENTRAL HIGHLANDS: 
GIA LAI PROVINCE 
 
REFS:  A) 02 HCMC 0249   B) HCMC 0450 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary:  PRM Assistant Secretary Dewey visited 
Gia Lai Province in the Central Highlands on August 16-17. 
His meeting with Provincial People's Committee Chairman Ha 
was cordial, with a frank exchange of ideas on treatment of 
ethnic minorities and freedom of worship.  Ha said that at 
least five more Protestant churches would receive approval 
to operate before the end of the year.  Mr. Dewey also 
attended a "registered" Protestant church service in Pleiku 
on Sunday morning, which provided a dramatic example of the 
strength of legally authorized Protestant worship in the 
province.  Discussions with the pastor, however, revealed 
that much of the Protestant community in Gia Lai is still 
unrecognized and underground. 
 
2.  (SBU) Driving through Gia Lai province, A/S Dewey made 
unscheduled stops at two ethnic minority villages, which 
demonstrated the unevenness in economic development and 
religious freedom in the province.  Clearly, the GVN is 
making a better effort to improve local infrastructure and 
the lives of local ethnic group inhabitants.  It also seemed 
apparent that the practice of Christianity, both Catholicism 
and legally recognized Protestantism, is occurring, often 
relatively unhindered.  At the same time, there were 
troubling signs that those who worship at unregistered 
Protestant churches are continuing to face harassment and 
that quite a few Protestants believe they experience 
discrimination in accessing social services and education. 
End summary. 
 
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A CONFIDENT CHAIRMAN: MORE CHURCHES TO BE APPROVED 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
3.  (U) Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugee 
and Migration Affairs Gene Dewey visited Gai Lai province in 
the Central Highlands on August 16-17.  The DCM, Acting CG 
HCMC, RRS Chief HCMC, and EAP/BCLTV officer Charles Jess 
accompanied him on the trip.  He began with a meeting with 
Provincial People's Committee Chairman Nguyen Vi Ha.  In his 
hour-long discussion with Mr. Dewey, he came across as 
cordial, outgoing, and candid (although in previous 
encounters with the Ambassador and Consul General, he 
exhibited varying degrees of hostility and openness).  Mr. 
Dewey focused the exchange on ethnic minority returnees from 
Cambodia and freedom of worship in the province. 
 
4.  (U) Mr. Ha made many of the now-familiar points 
concerning preferential government policies for ethnic 
minorities (reported in previous HCMC and Hanoi cables).  As 
examples, he named provision of basic household supplies, 
access to low-cost health and education facilities.  Ha 
admitted that some ethnic minority people had fled to 
Cambodia because they felt they experienced religious 
repression or because of poor conditions in their villages. 
He observed that decades of war in Vietnam had made it 
difficult for the GVN to care for its people as well as 
other governments cared for their citizens.  He stressed, 
however, his "firm belief" that "overseas outside forces" 
had enticed most of them, promising money and a better life 
in another country.  Ha asserted that the "activities of 
such anti-government and anti-revolution groups caused 
confusion" among the villagers.  Indeed, according to Ha, 
many individuals who had been resettled overseas now sent 
messages back home saying they were not making lots of money 
and could better understand the difficulties of living 
overseas.  Ha said that these outside forces were primarily 
organized under the banned Dega movement, the activities of 
which were considered a threat to Vietnam. 
 
5.  (U) In reply, A/S Dewey stressed that the USG does not 
support the Dega movement and recognizes the territorial 
integrity of Vietnam.  He noted that the USG sees two 
totally different categories of people -- a relatively small 
group of Dega political activists who might attempt to 
misuse religious belief for political gain, and a much 
larger group of genuinely sincere, non-political Protestant 
worshipers.  He sought Mr. Ha's assurance that GVN 
authorities, too, recognized this difference and would treat 
the devout worshipers more fairly.  Mr. Ha responded that 
they recognized the distinction and in fact the province 
would register five more Protestant churches in the near 
future.  A/S Dewey said this was welcome news, which would 
hopefully relieve some pressure on ethnic minorities.  Mr. 
Dewey also expressed the hope that there might also be 
opportunities for the USG, NGOs and other aid groups to help 
improve conditions in Gia Lai Province.  Mr. Ha said that he 
would welcome such humanitarian assistance as long as it was 
offered unconditionally and did not harm Vietnam's security. 
Areas of possible assistance would be medical supplies for 
two provincial hospitals and vocational training for ethnic 
minority groups. 
 
6.  (U) During the dinner that followed, Mr. Ha was self- 
assured, well-spoken and personable, although mostly hewing 
to standard GVN positions.  From his point of view, 
Vietnamese have a right to leave their country and seek a 
better life if they want to, but they should leave legally. 
Mr. Ha claimed that he knew of 60-70 cases where immigrant 
visa applicants had been interviewed by the ConGen, sold 
their property, quit their jobs, etc. but had still not 
received their visas from the USG.  In reply, A/S Dewey 
provided Chairman Ha with a ConGen list of 32 pending 
refugee resettlement cases from Gia Lai province.  These 
cases cannot proceed to final processing because the 
applicants have not received passports and exit permits from 
Gia Lai authorities.  Mr. Dewey expressed the hope that both 
governments could work to eliminate such obstacles and 
delays in the immigration visa and refugee resettlement 
processes. 
 
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SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICE IN PLEIKU CITY 
------------------------------------ 
 
7.  (SBU) On Sunday morning August 17, A/S Dewey attended a 
Protestant church service at Pleiku Roh Church in Pleiku 
City, the provincial capital.  The pastor, Mr. Siu Y Kim 
(protect), had met Mr. Dewey in Ho Chi Minh City the 
previous Friday evening.  Pastor Kim is one of only five 
recognized Protestant ministers in Gia Lai. 
 
8.  (SBU) When Mr. Dewey arrived at the house church, there 
was no apparent sign of the church or a service in progress, 
even though this is one of the few "registered" churches in 
the province.  But after being led around back and up a 
flight of stairs, he discovered a congregation of over 150 
worshipers, mostly from the Jarai ethnic minority, filling a 
small hall and flowing out the balcony in the back, with a 
choir in mid-song.  Mr. Dewey and his group stayed for the 
remainder of the two-hour service, conducted in Vietnamese 
and Jarai.  In the hymns and prayers, the congregation 
demonstrated a fervor of belief all the more striking for 
the relatively difficult conditions under which they gather. 
Pastor Kim gave a sermon inveighing against overindulgence 
in alcohol and stressing that Protestants want to preserve 
Jarai culture, although not to the extent of worshiping 
traditional gods in place of the Christian God.  (Post Note: 
Some officials in Pleiku claim that Protestant ministers are 
speaking out against Jarai culture and even advocating 
burning down traditional places of worship.) 
 
9.  (SBU) In his sermon, Pastor Kim also mentioned he had 
received a call that morning from an "unrecognized" house 
church 20 kilometers away in Plei Klan village.  Police had 
raided this church and arrested several individuals.  Pastor 
Kim asked his congregation to pray for them.  The 
juxtaposition of Pastor Kim's "registered" service in 
progress, with prayers for an "unregistered" house church, 
was a reminder of the inconsistent application of freedom of 
worship in Gia Lai province. 
 
10.  (SBU) Following the service, A/S Dewey and Pastor Kim 
(protect) spoke again about conditions for Protestants in 
Gia Lai.  Mr. Kim claimed there are over 100,000 believers 
in the province, but the GVN recognizes only five of 400 
house churches - including the one visited.  Before 1975, 
according to him, there were 34 Protestant churches (formal 
church buildings) in Gia Lai; now there are none. 
Government publishing companies do not print Bibles in the 
Jarai dialect, but Pastor Kim said with support from 
overseas Vietnamese, Jarai Protestants have run off at least 
10,000 photocopies of pre-1975 Jarai-language versions. 
(Post Note: As a follow-up, the ConGen learned that as soon 
as the American delegation left, five policemen present 
during the service questioned the pastor as to why the 
foreigners were there and what they had asked.  However, no 
threats were made.  End note.)  In a conversation with the 
DCM, one of the other church members said while the 
congregation felt relatively safe, secure and un-harassed 
while worshipping within the church compound, members 
experienced "discrimination" as soon as they left the 
compound. 
 
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UNSCHEDULED VILLAGE STOPS IN GIA LAI 
------------------------------------ 
 
11.  (U) After departing the house church, A/S Dewey drove 
nine hours from Pleiku to Lam Dong province through parts of 
Gia Lai and Dak Lak provinces.  While passing through rural 
southern Gia Lai province en route to Dak Lak, A/S Dewey 
made a couple of unscheduled stops at ethnic minority 
villages chosen at random in Chu Se district (Gia Lai).  The 
first stop was at Plei Phung village, Ia Phang commune, Chu 
Se district.  (Post Note: As the ConGen vehicles turned off 
the main highway to enter the village, a man on a motorbike 
stopped the delegation.  Likely the local security cadre, he 
said foreigners were not allowed to visit ethnic minority 
villages unless they had permission from the commune 
People's Committee.  A/S Dewey expressed his disappointment 
to our External Relations Office and Gia Lai People's 
Committee escorts.  After some discussion, the People's 
Committee escort called Chairman Ha, who approved this visit 
to the village.  End Note.) 
 
12.  (U) Plei Phung village, about 60 km south of Pleiku 
city, is home to about 50 families.  On the dirt road 
leading to Plei Phung, which is off the national highway, we 
saw a school and holes for electricity poles.  The villagers 
pointed to them as indications of government efforts to 
improve their lives.  Our group split into two to walk 
around the village. 
 
13.  (SBU) A/S Dewey spoke with a Jarai man in his mid- 
thirties with two children - one in the elementary school 
and the other a toddler.  The villager said his family made 
its living by growing rice as a main crop, in addition to 
pepper, cotton and corn.  Cotton and corn are his cash 
crops, while he keeps the rice to feed the family.  He was 
unhappy with his current circumstances and asked Mr. Dewey 
for assistance.  He said that living standards in Plei Phung 
village are low.  There is no electricity (yet) or running 
water.  Several families share a well.  The villager said if 
his children got sick, he would take them to a nearby clinic 
or to the district hospital.  Doctors/nurses do not make 
house calls.  He is Catholic, and his family usually goes to 
a church at the commune center six kilometers away, as there 
is no church in Plei Phung.  He had no complaints about 
freedom of religious worship. 
 
14.  (SBU) Leaving Plei Phung village, A/S Dewey stopped at 
Kenh San village, eight km from Plei Phung.  This village 
belongs to Ia Le commune, Chu Se district.  Another 
"watcher" on motorbike stopped delegation vehicles at the 
village gate, saying there were sick animals in the village 
that might affect our health.  Still, he allowed us to enter 
the village after a ConGen FSN explained that we were 
accompanied by provincial People's Committee officials and 
that we had just been permitted to visit a neighboring 
village. 
 
15.  (SBU) Kenh San village appeared to be more bustling and 
economically sound.  It is active and wealthier than Plei 
Phung.  There were street venders, small grocery stores and 
coffee shops lining the hard dirt main road.  Kenh San was 
recently electrified, but villagers still use well water. 
Villagers said they go to a nearby clinic or hospitals at 
the district center or in Pleiku.  A/S Dewey stopped at a 
large house where children had gathered to watch television. 
The homeowner was happy to talk with our group members.  A 
Jarai man in his sixties, he said that many residents in the 
village are Catholics, who attend church at the commune 
center every Sunday.  Believers go by motorcycles or 
together in small trucks.  He said he had no problems 
practicing his faith.  Regarding the local economy, he said 
the villagers work in the fields, growing rice, black 
pepper, corn, and sweet potatoes.  They also raise chicken 
and pigs.  Village lands are "far away in the forest", so 
the village owns an elephant.  Villagers take turns keeping 
the elephant and using it to transport their harvested 
crops.  Traders come to the village to buy the villagers' 
products.  In brief conversations with other residents of 
Kenh San, most did not complain about religious freedom 
issues.  One young man, however, indicated that some of the 
Protestants felt they were discriminated against in 
obtaining access to certain advanced medical or educational 
facilities. 
 
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COMMENT 
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16.  (SBU) For the most part, provincial and local officials 
treated A/S Dewey and his delegation cordially and with less 
suspicion than they had exhibited on some Embassy and ConGen 
visits to the Central Highlands in recent years.  There were 
fewer obvious security officials in tow and those who did 
accompany the delegation generally did not obstruct its 
activities.  Officials also showed some flexibility in 
handling the delegation's sudden requests to deviate from 
the pre-arranged itinerary in order to visit randomly-chosen 
villages along the way.  Visits by the Ambassador and 
frequent visits by ConGen HCMC over the past two years have 
broken through some of the barriers to discussions on human 
rights and religious freedom, but we should not kid 
ourselves.  There will be no overnight philosophical 
epiphany here.  Change in the Central Highlands - so removed 
from easy transportation and communication links - will be 
gradual and closely tied to economic development and 
education. 
 
17.  (SBU) As was the case with previous USG visitors, the 
delegation witnessed a mixed picture on religious freedoms 
and treatment of ethnic minorities.  Clearly, the GVN is 
making a concerted effort to improve local infrastructure 
and the lives of local ethnic group inhabitants.  It was 
also apparent that the practice of Christianity, both 
Catholicism and "legal" Protestantism, occurs relatively 
freely.  There are plans to approve more registered 
churches.  At the same time, there were troubling signs that 
those who worship at unregistered Protestant churches do 
face harassment and that a number of Protestants believe 
they are discriminated against when it comes to accessing 
social services and education. 
 
18.  (SBU) Although there were fewer GVN "minders" than on 
previous trips, they were present and tried to monitor 
conversations that the delegation had with villagers. 
Despite these minders, some brave and outspoken villagers 
discussed discrimination and harassment by local officials 
with us. 
 
19.  (U) People's Committee Chairman Ha has told previous 
visitors that he would welcome "unconditional" U.S. 
assistance in his province, but subsequent Mission attempts 
to follow up were unsuccessful.  Nonetheless, Mission will 
again explore the possibility of undertaking humanitarian or 
development projects. 
 
20.  (U) A/S Dewey did not have a chance to review this 
cable before his departure. 
 
YAMAUCHI