US embassy cable - 04HOCHIMINHCITY1386

UNCLAS HO CHI MINH CITY 001386 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, SOCI, PREL, PGOV, KIRF, VM, ETMIN, HUMANR, RELFREE 
SUBJECT: CONTROVERSIAL KONTUM PASTOR FANS RELIGIOUS CONTROVERSY 
 
REF:  HANOI 2886 
 
1.  (U) On November 4 post received from EAP/BCLTV an electronic 
copy of letter from Kon Tum Mennonite Pastor Nguyen Cong Chinh 
dated October 26 containing two highly inflammatory allegations: 
 
-- in late September, Kon Tum provincial police detained and 
tortured seven new converts for three days, forcing them to sign 
documents renouncing their faith; and, 
 
-- in mid-October, police in the town of Pleiku (located in the 
neighboring province of Gia Lai, some 40 kilometers from Kon Tum) 
detained four pastors affiliated with a local Mennonite church 
and, after four days of "unrelenting pressure," forced them to 
sever their ties to the Mennonite church and to renounce their 
faith.  Per reftel, Pastor Chinh has been involved in a land 
dispute with Kon Tum authorities, which led to the demolition of 
his home, which he used as a house church, on September 20. 
 
2. (SBU) Two reliable religious contacts in HCMC and in Gia 
Lai Province -- which borders Kon Tum Province -- told us November 
4 that their understanding of what occurred in Kon Tum and Pleiku 
belies Pastor Chinh's claims.  With regard to the Kon Tum 
incident, our contacts can confirm that the seven individuals were 
summoned for police questioning over a period of four days because 
of their relationship with Pastor Chinh.  They were allowed to go 
home each day after questioning. 
 
3. (SBU) Our contacts told us that -- as far as they understand -- 
there was no police effort to compel renunciation of faith in Kon 
Tum.  Rather the police ordered the seven not to assemble in 
unauthorized locations, but rather to worship in recognized 
churches.  Our HCMC source added that he has been in regular 
contact with Pastor Chinh and that, during these conversations, 
Pastor Chinh has never made any allegations of forced 
renunciation.  Neither source has any information regarding police 
brutality in Kon Tum. 
 
4. (SBU) Our Gai Lai contact -- based in Pleiku -- told us that 
the church and the four pastors that Chinh mentioned in his letter 
were not affiliated with the Vietnamese Mennonite church, but with 
the officially-recognized Southern Evangelical Church of Vietnam 
(SECV).  According to our contact, after Chinh met with the four 
SECV members, the police summoned the four for "informational 
interviews".  There was no police brutality, according to our Gai 
Lai contact.  He added that the SECV is "upset" that Pastor Chinh 
is muddying the waters in Pleiku, particularly as it has been 
making progress in building a better relationship with local 
authorities. 
 
5. (SBU) Comment:  The fact that two reliable contacts, both of 
whom have been critical of the GVN practices on religion in the 
past, are at odds with Pastor Chinh speaks volumes.  Pastor Chinh 
appears to be increasingly willing to distort the truth in an 
effort to agitate for greater religious freedom in Vietnam.  In 
the process it appears that he is not only bringing down the wrath 
of local authorities on himself and his followers, but also 
threatening to undermine the efforts of other religious groups in 
the sensitive Central Highlands. 
 
WINNICK