US embassy cable - 01HOCHIMINHCITY1083

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HO CHI MINH CITY 001083 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV AND EAP/PD/JMARTIN 
DEPARTMENT ALSO FOR DRL 
DEPARTMENT ALSO FOR INR/EAP/SEA AND INR/IL/B 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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CINCPAC FOR FPA 
SECDEF FOR ISA/EA/LSTERN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, PINR, VM, DPOL, HUMANR 
SUBJECT: VISIT WITH DISSIDENT TRAN VAN KHUE 
 
REF: HANOI 02197 
 
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: ON 11 SEPTEMBER, CONGENOFF MADE AN 
UNANNOUNCED CALL AT THE RESIDENCE OF MR. TRAN VAN KHUE, 
THE CO-DRAFTER OF A REQUEST TO THE VIETNAMESE 
GOVERNMENT TO ESTABLISH A "PEOPLE'S ASSOCIATION" TO 
HELP FIGHT CORRUPTION.  KHUE AND SEVERAL OTHER PERSONS 
IN HANOI INVOLVED WITH THIS REQUEST WERE RECENTLY 
SUBJECT TO QUESTIONING AND HARASSMENT BY THE POLICE 
(REFTEL).  KHUE HAS NOT BEEN ARRESTED, BUT HAS BEEN 
SUBJECT TO TWICE-DAILY INTERROGATION SESSIONS BY LOCAL 
AUTHORITIES SINCE HIS EXPULSION FROM HANOI ON 5 
SEPTEMBER.  KHUE'S PHONE LINE HAS BEEN CUT AND HIS 
COMPUTER CONFISCATED.  HE STATED THAT THE POLICE MAY 
CHARGE HIM WITH ATTEMPTING TO CREATE AN ANTI-GOVERNMENT 
ASSOCIATION.  THE CONVERSATION TOOK PLACE WITHOUT 
INTERFERENCE OR PARTICIPATION BY POLICE, AND ENDED 
AFTER ONE HOUR WHEN KHUE WAS SUMMONED FOR HIS AFTERNOON 
QUESTIONING SESSION.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (SBU) KHUE TOLD CONGENOFF HE HAD TRAVELED TO HANOI 
FROM HIS HOME IN HCMC ON 22 JULY TO MEET WITH SEVERAL 
OTHER ACTIVISTS WHO REPORTEDLY WERE QUESTIONED BY 
POLICE IN HANOI ON SEPTEMBER 5 IN RELATION TO THE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HO CHI  01083  01 OF 02  200353Z 
REQUEST TO FORM A "PEOPLE'S ASSOCIATION."  (PRESS 
ACCOUNTS REPORTED THAT POLICE BROUGHT IN AS MANY AS 15 
PERSONS FOR QUESTIONING REGARDING KHUE'S LETTER).  KHUE 
IS THE ONLY SOUTHERNER AMONG THEM, ALTHOUGH HE CLAIMS 
THAT "MANY PEOPLE" AT THE SOCIAL SCIENCE INSTITUTE IN 
HCMC WHERE HE FORMERLY WORKED SUPPORT THEIR CAUSE. 
WHEN ASKED ABOUT HOW HE HAD COME TO KNOW THE 
INDIVIDUALS IN HANOI, KHUE WAS VAGUE.  HE STATED THAT 
THEY HAD KNOWN EACH OTHER FOR A LONG TIME: "THEY VISIT 
ME, I VISIT THEM."  HE WOULD NOT ELABORATE ON THE 
NUMBER OF PERSONS HE HAD MET WITH IN HANOI GROUP OR 
NAME ANY OTHER INDIVIDUALS IN THE SOUTH ASSOCIATED WITH 
THE REQUEST. 
 
3. (SBU)  AS REPORTED IN REFTEL, WHILE IN HANOI, KHUE 
AND PHAM QUE DUONG WROTE A REQUEST DATED SEPTEMBER 2 TO 
THE PRIME MINISTER, PARTY SECRETARY, AND PRESIDENT FOR 
PERMISSION TO ESTABLISH A "PEOPLE'S ASSOCIATION" 
AGAINST CORRUPTION.  KHUE ALSO WROTE A FLIER FOR PUBLIC 
DISTRIBUTION DESCRIBING THE PEOPLE'S ASSOCIATION AND 
RECRUITING MEMBERS.  THE FLIER WAS DISTRIBUTED ON 
NATIONAL DAY, 2 SEPTEMBER, IN HANOI AND THE NORTHERN 
PROVINCES, HE SAID, SPECIFICALLY MENTIONING THAI BINH 
AND HAI DUONG PROVINCES.  (NOTE: THAI BINH PROVINCE WAS 
THE SITE OF SIGNIFICANT DEMONSTRATIONS AGAINST LOCAL 
GOVERNMENT CORRUPTION IN 1997, AND REMAINS A TINDERBOX 
OF SORTS ON THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE.  END NOTE.)  IT IS 
NOT CLEAR HOW MANY OF THE FLIERS WERE DISTRIBUTED OR 
THE EXTENT OF THEIR DISTRIBUTION.  ACCORDING TO KHUE, 
DUONG ALSO POSTED THE REQUEST LETTER ON THE INTERNET AT 
WWW.THONGLUAN.COM.  (CONGENOFFS HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        HO CHI  01083  01 OF 02  200353Z 
ACCESS THIS SITE.  APPARENTLY THE GOVERNMENT HAS 
ALREADY BLOCKED IT WITH A FIREWALL.)  KHUE SAID THAT ON 
5 SEPTEMBER, THREE POLICE OFFICERS ESCORTED HIM TO THE 
AIRPORT IN HANOI AND PUT HIM ON A PLANE BACK TO HCMC. 
 
4. (SBU)  ACCORDING TO KHUE, WHEN HE ARRIVED BACK IN 
HCMC, THE LOCAL POLICE SEARCHED HIS HOME AND 
CONFISCATED HIS COMPUTER AND THE FLIERS HE HAD BROUGHT 
BACK WITH HIM.  EVERY DAY SINCE 6 SEPTEMBER, THE POLICE 
HAVE COLLECTED HIM AT 8 A.M. AND QUESTIONED HIM UNTIL 
11 A.M., AND AGAIN FROM 3-5 P.M.  THE QUESTIONS FOCUS 
ON HIS PERSONAL ASSOCIATIONS AND THE PURPOSE OF THE 
PEOPLE'S ASSOCIATION HE IS ADVOCATING.  KHUE HAS NOT 
HEARD DIRECTLY FROM HIS COMPATRIOTS IN THE NORTH AS HIS 
PHONE LINE HAS BEEN CUT, AND DOES NOT KNOW THEIR 
WHEREABOUTS, OR THOSE OF THE UNNAMED INDIVIDUALS WHO 
DISTRIBUTED THE FLIERS IN THE NORTHERN PROVINCES.  KHUE 
MENTIONED HEARING AN RFI RADIO BROADCAST ON 10 
SEPTEMBER WHICH REPORTED ON THE INVESTIGATIONS OF HIS 
COMPATRIOTS AND INCLUDED AN INTERVIEW WITH ONE OF "THE 
FOUNDERS" OF THE ASSOCIATION, NGUYEN THANH GIANG.  HE 
ADDED THAT HE HAD RECEIVED LETTERS FROM "PROVINCES, 
CITIES AND OVERSEAS" IN SUPPORT OF THE ASSOCIATION. 
 
 
5. (SBU) CONGENOFF ASKED KHUE WHY THE GOVERNMENT WAS SO 
SUSPICIOUS OF HIM AND HIS PROPOSED ASSOCIATION.  KHUE 
RESPONDED IRONICALLY THAT THE GOVERNMENT WANTS "TO KEEP 
A MONOPOLY ON FIGHTING CORRUPTION."  AND ACCORDING TO 
KHUE, WHILE THE VIETNAMESE CONSTITUTION STATES THAT ANY 
INDIVIDUAL MAY CREATE A REGISTERED ASSOCIATION, THE 
REALITY IS VERY DIFFERENT.  KHUE AND DUONG ALSO 
ADVOCATED FOR AN INDEPENDENT "ANTI-CORRUPTION 
NEWSPAPER" IN THEIR REQUEST. 
 
6. (SBU) KHUE MAINTAINS THAT HE HAS BEEN WRONGLY 
ACCUSED AND THAT HIS EXPULSION FROM HANOI AND 
INVESTIGATION BY THE POLICE "VIOLATE THE CONSTITUTION." 
HE CLAIMS THAT THE POLICE ARE SEEKING TO CHARGE HIM 
WITH WHAT AMOUNTS TO TREASON: THE FOUNDING OF AN ANTI- 
GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION.  HE STATES FURTHER THAT IF HE 
AND THE OTHERS ARE BROUGHT TO TRIAL, THEY WILL "SUE THE 
MINISTRY OF PUBLIC SECURITY."   BUT KHUE ADDED THAT HE 
BELIEVES THAT IN THE END AUTHORITIES WILL NOT BRING HIM 
AND THE OTHERS TO TRIAL BECAUSE, HE SAID, "WE WILL MAKE 
OUR CASE BEFORE THE PEOPLE." 
 
7. (SBU) THE MEETING TOOK PLACE IN THE BACK OF AN 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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ADVERTISING AGENCY RUN BY HIS NEPHEW ON A BUSY 
COMMERCIAL STREET IN HCMC'S DISTRICT FIVE.  DURING THE 
MEETING HIS SON CAME INTO THE BACK ROOM AND ASKED HIS 
FATHER IF IT WAS SAFE FOR HIM TO BE TALKING TO US. 
KHUE ASSURED HIM IT WAS.  THE MEETING ENDED AFTER ONE 
HOUR WITH THE ARRIVAL OF A LOCAL UNIFORMED POLICE 
OFFICER WHO SMILED AND SHOOK KHUE'S HAND.  BEHIND THE 
OFFICER WERE TWO MEN IN PLAINCLOTHES.  KHUE INFORMED 
CONGENOFF THAT HE WOULD NOW BE RETURNING TO THE POLICE 
STATION FOR QUESTIONING. 
 
BIONOTE 
------- 
 
8. (SBU) KHUE WAS PREVIOUSLY UNKNOWN TO CONGEN.  HE 
WORKED AT THE SOCIAL SCIENCES INSTITUTE IN HCMC AS A 
RESEARCHER UNTIL HE RETIRED IN 1996.  DURING THE 
MEETING HE BROUGHT OUT ONE OF THE BOOKS HE HAS 
AUTHORED, A COLLECTION OF CULTURAL ESSAYS PUBLISHED IN 
1996.  KHUE STUDIED THE HUMANITIES AT THE PEOPLE'S 
UNIVERSITY IN HANOI AND GRADUATED IN 1955.  PRIOR TO 
WORKING AT THE SOCIAL SCIENCES INSTITUTE, HE TAUGHT AT 
THE PEDAGOGICAL COLLEGE IN HCMC.  KHUE WAS QUIETLY 
INTENSE DURING THE MEETING, ANSWERING CONGENOFF'S 
QUESTIONS BUT NOT MAKING ANY STATEMENTS INDEPENDENT OF 
THE QUESTIONS. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
9. (SBU) COMMENT: KHUE'S IDEAS SEEM TO POST TO BE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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REFORMIST, RATHER THAN RADICAL.  IN VIETNAM, HOWEVER, 
THE MANNER IN WHICH PERSONS EXPRESS THEIR OPINIONS IS 
AS IMPORTANT AS THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED.  KHUE'S ACTIONS 
- HIS REQUEST TO ESTABLISH A "PEOPLE'S ASSOCIATION" AND 
THE DISTRIBUTION OF FLIERS RECRUITING SUPPORT IN 
SENSITIVE PROVINCES ON VIETNAM'S NATIONAL DAY - 
APPARENTLY HAVE TESTED THE LIMITS OF OFFICIAL 
TOLERANCE. 
 
WHITE 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED