US embassy cable - 04HANOI3047

UNCLAS HANOI 003047 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV AND DRL/IRF 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KIRF, PHUM, PREL, RELFREE, HUMANR 
SUBJECT: DCM MEETS WITH COMMITTEE FOR RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS 
CHAIRMAN THI 
 
REF: A. SECSTATE 234238 
 
     B. HANOI 711 
 
1. (SBU) On November 8, the DCM met with Committee for 
Religious Affairs (CRA) Chairman Ngo Yen Thi to deliver 
Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom John 
Hanford's response to Thi's letter complaining about 
Vietnam's designation as a Country of Particular Concern 
(CPC) (ref A).  (Note: Thi has recently resumed work after a 
lengthy illness. End Note) 
 
2. (U) After receiving the letter and listening to the DCM's 
presentation of the U.S. Government's perspective, Thi spoke 
very broadly about what he perceived as the differences 
between GVN and USG attitudes towards regulating religion. 
"You look at specific and localized incidents of abuses and 
conclude that this Government does not protect religious 
freedom," he said.  "We do ensure religious freedom, but have 
problems of implementation at the local level."  Thi added 
that some people in Vietnam had created "false or evil" 
religions simply to gain followers, stressing that it is the 
duty of the Government to protect people from this.  The GVN 
is determined to protect freedom of religion, and realizes 
that there have been problems in some localities.  However 
before being able to correct these problems, the Government 
must have a solid basis of law in effect, Thi explained, the 
Ordinance on Religion and its implementing regulations, soon 
to come into effect, will provide that basis.  The DCM noted 
that in the United States, the Government does not make 
judgments about doctrine, but restricts individual members of 
religious groups only when they break laws.  "We do not start 
out with the view that a specific religion is wrong based on 
its teachings or beliefs," he told Thi. 
 
3. (U) Responding to DCM's urging for fewer restrictions, Thi 
noted developments on some specific issues.  In the Central 
Highlands, he said that provincial officials in Dak Lak and 
Gia Lai had agreed with plans to begin training courses for 
unlicensed preachers affiliated with the Southern Evangelical 
Church of Vietnam (SECV).  Both provinces are also 
considering applications to open new SECV congregations, and 
officials had recently provided land to two congregations in 
each province to construct new churches.  Further, officials 
are encouraging groups of worshippers with too few members to 
create an official congregation nonetheless to register their 
places of worship.  Thi added that the SECV is now recruiting 
a new class for the SECV seminary in HCMC.  He claimed that 
the Evangelical Church of Vietnam: North (ECVN) is close to 
holding a congress and that the only remaining issues are 
internal disputes.  (Note: The ECVN hopes to hold the long 
delayed congress, its first in 16 years, in early December. 
We understand that recent delays may be connected to CRA 
attempts to influence the nominations of Church leaders. Ref 
B. End Note)  Finally, Thi said that there are "four or five" 
unregistered Protestant organizations, as well as some other 
"indigenous religious groups," for which the CRA is 
considering official recognition. 
 
4. (U) Comment: The GVN continues its slow advance to expand 
the allowed scope of religion.  However the Government 
remains firm that this activity must take place within the 
official administrative framework.  Thi's view of religion as 
a potentially dangerous entity which requires close oversight 
is an interesting glimpse into the mindset of Vietnam's 
leadership. 
MARINE