US embassy cable - 00HANOI2421

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PROGRESS TOWARD PROTESTANT RECOGNITION

Identifier: 00HANOI2421
Wikileaks: View 00HANOI2421 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Hanoi
Created: 2000-11-02 07:02:00
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Tags: PHUM KIRF PREL VM HUMANR RELFREE
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

020702Z Nov 00

2000HANOI02421 - UNCLASSIFIED
 
 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTO2743

PAGE 01        HANOI  02421  020714Z 
ACTION EAP-00   

INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AID-00   ACQ-00   CIAE-00  SRPP-00  DS-00    
      FBIE-00  UTED-00  VC-00    TEDE-00  INR-00   VCE-00   NSAE-00  
      IRM-00   SS-00    DSCC-00  DRL-02   NFAT-00  SAS-00     /002W
                  ------------------99C224  020714Z /38    
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 1233
INFO NSC WASHDC
SECDEF WASHDC
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI//J5/FPA//
DIA WASHDC
ASEAN COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS HANOI 002421 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/BCLTV, DRL/CRT, DRL/IRF, INR 
NSC FOR GENE CHRISTY 
SECDEF FOR ISA/LSTERN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, KIRF, PREL, VM, HUMANR, RELFREE 
SUBJECT: PROGRESS TOWARD PROTESTANT RECOGNITION 
 
 
1. THIS IS AN ACTION MESSAGE FOR DRL/CRT. 
 
2. THE GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE ON RELIGION ON OCTOBER 21 
RELEASED A COMMUNIQUE ANNOUNCING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HANOI  02421  020714Z 
"MOBILIZATION BOARD" OF 25 PROTESTANT MINISTERS TO PREPARE 
FOR A CONGRESS THAT WOULD OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZE SELECTED 
PROTESTANT ("TIN LANH") CHURCHES IN THE SOUTH AND CENTER OF 
THE COUNTRY.  THIS STEP HAS BEEN DISCUSSED FOR SOME TIME, 
AND WE BELIEVE THIS IS A PRECURSOR TO THE GVN'S RECOGNIZING 
THE "TIN LANH" (GOOD NEWS) CHURCHES IN THE SOUTH.  (NOTE: 
CURRENTLY THE GVN RECOGNIZES "PROTESTANTISM" AS ONE OF ITS 
SIX OFFICIALLY APPROVED RELIGIONS, BUT ONLY ABOUT A DOZEN 
"TIN LANH" PROTESTANT CONGREGATIONS HAVE OFFICIAL STATUS. 
END NOTE.) 
 
3. A LEADER OF ONE OF THE LARGE "TIN LANH" CHURCHES IN HO 
CHI MINH CITY TOLD A VISITING UK PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION 
RECENTLY THAT HE EXPECTED THAT RECOGNITION COULD COME 
"BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR."  WHILE WE ARE UNCERTAIN AS TO 
WHEN THIS WILL TAKE PLACE, THE RELEASE OF THE COMMUNIQUE IS 
THE FIRST OFFICIAL CONFIRMATION THIS IS COMING CLOSER TO 
REALITY. 
 
4. ACTION REQUEST FOR DRL/CRT:  WE WOULD RECOMMEND INCLUDING 
A MENTION OF THE COMMUNIQUE IN THE HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT, FOR 
EXAMPLE:  "IN OCTOBER THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE ON 
RELIGION RELEASED A COMMUNIQUE ANNOUNCING THE ESTABLISHMENT 
OF A "MOBILIZATION BOARD" OF 25 PROTESTANT MINISTERS TO 
PREPARE FOR A CONGRESS THAT WOULD OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZE 
SELECTED "TIN LANH" PROTESTANT CHURCHES IN THE SOUTH AND 
CENTER OF THE COUNTRY.  ONCE FINALIZED, THIS STEP IS 
EXPECTED TO GRANT TO THESE "TIN LANH" CHURCHES THE SAME 
LEGAL STANDING CURRENTLY HELD BY THE ROUGHLY DOZEN 
RECOGNIZED "TIN LANH" CONGREGATIONS IN THE NORTH." 
PETERSON 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HANOI  02421  020714Z 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
 


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