US embassy cable - 04HOCHIMINHCITY1422

UNCLAS HO CHI MINH CITY 001422 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, SOCI, PREL, PGOV, KIRF, VM, RELFREE, HUMANR 
SUBJECT: CONTROVERSIAL VIETNAMESE MENNONITE PASTOR CONVICTED IN 
HCMC 
 
REF:  A) HCMC 823; B) HCMC 232; C) HCMC 1388 
 
1.  (SBU) According to Pham Dinh Nhan (strictly protect), a leader 
of the Vietnam Evangelical Fellowship (VEF), an association of 
house church groups, in a trial the morning of November 12, the 
HCMC Criminal Court sentenced controversial Mennonite Pastor 
Nguyen Hong Quang to three years imprisonment.  While we have not 
yet seen the indictment, a June 15 diplomatic note from the HCMC 
External Relations Office (ERO) informed us that Quang was 
arrested for "instigating a disturbance of public order and 
systematically resisting law enforcement officers" (ref A).  (This 
would likely make the charge "resisting persons in the performance 
of their official duties", article 257 of the Penal Code.)  Five 
other members of Quang's unrecognized Mennonite Church were given 
sentences ranging from nine months to two years in prison on 
similar charges.  The case stems from a March 2004 incident when 
Quang and several followers were involved in an altercation with 
plainclothes police outside Quang's residence, which doubled as a 
house church (ref B). 
 
2. (SBU) In early November, the HCMC ERO denied our formal request 
to attend the trial, informing ConGen that attendance was not 
possible under Vietnamese law.  We subsequently were refused entry 
to the court on the morning of November 12. 
 
3. (SBU) According to Pastor Nhan, police "visited" his residence 
and that of other VEF leaders the evening of November 11.  Nhan 
surmised that the police sought to prevent the VEF from organizing 
in advance of the trial.  Late in the morning of November 12 after 
the police left, Pastor Nhan joined a small number of his 
followers outside the courthouse.  Their vigil was largely 
peaceful except for when one of the worshipers put on a white 
skullcap embroidered with a cross.  According to Nhan, at this 
point, the police approached Nhan and asked that the head covering 
be removed.  We understand the issue was resolved peacefully. 
 
4. (SBU) Nhan confirmed as authentic a letter dated November 5 
forwarded to diplomats from contacts abroad in which he and 21 
other VEF pastors called on the courts and the GVN to "immediately 
put a stop to slandering and smearing the good name and the human 
dignity of the Rev. Nguyen Hong Quang."  Terming the letter 
"mild," Nhan said that he had not intended for the letter to 
become public, adding that he could not control the actions of 
other VEF members.  Nhan said that he hoped that the letter's 
publication would not affect the VEF's budding dialogue with 
Vietnamese officials on the new legal framework on religion, due 
to come into effect on November 15 (ref C). 
 
5. (SBU) Comment:  Before his arrest in June, the firebrand Quang 
had become increasingly confrontational with local authorities. 
We have been encouraging our more moderate VEF contacts to strike 
a careful balance between supporting Quang and ensuring that they 
are not harmed by their association with the provocative pastor. 
This is particularly the case now, as our VEF contacts themselves 
acknowledge that the GVN -- for the first time -- is taking formal 
note of their concerns over the new legal framework on religion. 
 
WINNICK