US embassy cable - 04HANOI1209

UNCLAS HANOI 001209 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, VM, DPOL 
SUBJECT:  Another "success" for "democracy" in Vietnam 
 
Ref:  Hanoi 1116 
 
1.  (U)  Vietnamese voters went to the polls on Sunday, 
April 25 to vote for People's Councils at the provincial, 
district, and local levels (reftel).  According to a report 
from the Ministry of Internal Affairs carried by the CPV 
flagstaff newspaper "Nhan Dan" on April 27, overall turnout 
was an impressive (note -- and improbable -- end note) 99.7 
pct of eligible voters.  Three provinces -- Vinh Long, Dong 
Nai, and Thua-Thien Hue -- allegedly tied for best 
performance, with 99.9 pct turnout.  All provinces claimed 
turnouts of at least 95 pct.  Altogether, 51 million voters 
were said to have cast their polls to elect a total of 
311,930 representatives at the three levels. 
 
2.  (U)  As in National Assembly elections in 2002, local 
voting procedures demonstrated considerable flexibility, 
often with one member of a family able to cast all the 
family's ballots, contrary to election laws.  There was 
informal competition among the sub-district and local 
offices at which the ballots were cast for which would reach 
100 pct turnout soonest on voting day.   Not only were the 
old-fashioned propaganda loudspeakers in each neighborhood 
blaring exhortations to vote (along with catchy songs about 
voting), but local officials in many cases went from door-to- 
door to urge people to show up.  Some precinct officials 
also apparently picked up ballots in person from sick or 
otherwise infirm voters. 
 
3.  (U)  By 10:00 a.m., many voting centers in Hanoi were 
devoid of voters, although the local officials and 
volunteers were required to remain on site until 7 p.m., 
when polls officially closed.  Many of the workers were 
retired local officials and teachers, helped out by members 
of the Youth Federation in their distinctive blue shirts. 
National flags were flying throughout Hanoi as another 
indication of this "festive" day. 
 
4.  (U)  The "Nhan Dan" article also boasted about the 
conditions of "stability and order" that existed at all 
polling stations, even in "so-called hotspots."  It noted 
that voting in remote areas, including mountainous parts of 
the Central Highlands and the Spratly Islands troop 
deployments, began voting more than a week ago to overcome 
the problems of distance voting.  Results are expected to be 
announced on April 27. 
 
5.  (U)  Comment:  As in the 2002 National Assembly 
elections, voter apathy appeared strong, despite the claimed 
high turnout.  Voters appeared to understand the "duty" part 
of voting -- and probably worried about consequences of 
retribution from local officials if they failed to help 
their locality meet the high targets for turnout -- more 
than enjoyed their "right" to choose their local 
representatives.  Judging from the resumes posted at each 
polling center, a very large number of the candidates were 
local officials from a government organ or mass 
organization, rather than truly independent candidates. 
(According to Voice of Vietnam, only 1,065 of the 484,189 
candidates were independent candidates.)  Embassy predicts a 
strong majority of victories among CPV-member candidates. 
BURGHARDT