US embassy cable - 02HANOI559

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 HANOI 000559 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV AND DRL/RF 
DEPARTMENT PASS TO USCIRF 
 
SECDEF FOR ABLAGG 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL 03/12/2012 
TAGS: PHUM, KIRF, SOCI, VM, HUMANR, ETMIN, RELFREE 
SUBJECT:  USCIRF MEETINGS WITH RELIGIOUS FIGURES IN 
HANOI 
 
REF:  A. HANOI 432  B. HANOI 443 
 
      C. HO CHI MINH CITY 236  D. HO CHI MINH CITY 237 
      E. HO CHI MINH CITY 238 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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1.  (U ) CLASSIFIED BY RAYMOND F. BURGHARDT, 
AMBASSADOR; REASON 1.5(D) 
 
2. (C)  SUMMARY:  THE COMPLEX AND EVOLVING 
INTERRELATIONS BETWEEN RELIGION AND GOVERNMENT IN 
VIETNAM CAME TO LIGHT IN UNOFFICIAL MEETINGS BETWEEN A 
DELEGATION FROM THE U.S. COMMISSION FOR INTERNATIONAL 
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM (USCIRF) AND TWO HANOI RELIGIOUS 
FIGURES.  WHILE INDIVIDUAL CONGREGATIONS OF THE 
OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED HANOI-BASED EVANGELICAL CHURCH 
OF VIETNAM (ECVN) OPERATE WITH FEW RESTRICTIONS, THE 
GVN HAS NOT PERMITTED THE ECVN'S LEADERSHIP TO MEET 
SINCE 1988.  THE GVN SEEMS TO REGARD THE ACTING 
CHAIRMAN WITH SOME SUSPICION AND WILL NOT RECOGNIZE 
ANY LEADERSHIP CHANGES.  MEANWHILE, THE MONKS AT 
HANOI'S HISTORIC ONE PILLAR PAGODA ARE THE FOCUS OF A 
COMPLICATED STRUGGLE PRIMARILY INVOLVING FACTIONS OF 
THE RECOGNIZED BUDDHIST CHURCH AND THE LOCAL 
GOVERNMENT.  THIS STRUGGLE HAS DRAWN IN THE DOMESTIC 
AND INTERNATIONAL PRESS, AND A PROMINENT DEMOCRACY 
ACTIVIST.  REFTELS REPORT ON THE USCIRF DELEGATION'S 
OTHER MEETINGS IN HANOI AND HO CHI MINH CITY.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
3.  (C)  ON FEBRUARY 22, USCIRF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 
STEVEN MCFARLAND AND ANALYST JOHN TAI, ACCOMPANIED BY 
EMBOFFS, MET PASTOR AU QUANG VINH OF THE ECVN AT THE 
PROTESTANT CHURCH IN HANOI.  PASTOR VINH SAID THAT HE 
WAS THE ACTING CHAIRMAN OF THE ECVN, BUT THAT SINCE 
HIS STATUS HAD NOT BEEN APPROVED BY THE GVN HE WAS 
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PAGE 03        HANOI  00559  01 OF 03  120747Z 
SPEAKING TO THE DELEGATION IN HIS ROLE AS THE PASTOR 
OF THE ECVN CONGREGATION IN HANOI.  PASTOR VINH STATED 
THAT HIS FELLOW PASTORS IN THE ECVN REQUESTED THAT HE 
BECOME ACTING-CHAIRMAN OF THE ECVN MANAGEMENT COUNCIL 
AFTER THE DEATH OF THE INCUMBENT IN 1999.  HE SAID 
THAT THE GVN HAS NOT ALLOWED THE COUNCIL TO MEET SINCE 
1988, DESPITE ANNUAL ECVN REQUESTS.  HE SAID THAT THE 
GVN NEVER GAVE A REASON FOR DENYING PERMISSION TO 
MEET.  DUE TO HIS UNOFFICIAL STATUS PASTOR VINH 
CLAIMED THE GVN SUBJECTED HIM TO ADDITIONAL SCRUTINY 
AND QUESTIONING.  HE SAID THAT THE GVN HAD LABELED HIM 
A "REACTIONARY" ELEMENT IN THE EARLY 1990'S AFTER HE 
HELPED PUBLISH A HMONG LANGUAGE BIBLE WITHOUT 
AUTHORIZATION. 
 
4.  (C)  PASTOR VINH DESCRIBED THE ECVN'S ORGANIZATION 
IN 14 CONGREGATIONS SCATTERED AROUND NORTHERN VIETNAM. 
THERE ARE THREE IN HAIPHONG AND EIGHT IN OTHER 
NORTHERN TOWNS AND CITIES.  THE 14 GOVERNMENT 
RECOGNIZED CONGREGATIONS ALSO INCLUDE THREE GROUPS OF 
ETHNIC HMONG AND GIAY IN NORTHWESTERN PROVINCES.  HE 
ADDED THAT THREE OF THESE GROUPS DO NOT HAVE PASTORS 
OR CHURCH BUILDINGS, BUT THAT THEY HAVE SOME LAY 
LEADERS.  HE ALSO SAID THAT WHILE THE GVN HAS NOT 
ALLOWED THE ECVN TO OPERATE A TRAINING FACILITY SINCE 
1993, HE TRAINS PASTORS ANYWAY, IN SECRET.  PASTOR 
VINH SAID THAT THE ETHNIC KINH CONGREGATIONS AVERAGE 
ABOUT 1000 MEMBERS AND THAT THE MINORITY CONGREGATIONS 
ARE CONSIDERABLY LARGER.  HIS OWN CONGREGATION IN 
HANOI NUMBERS ABOUT 800, MOSTLY YOUNG PEOPLE.  BY 
CONTRAST, A FEW YEARS AGO, IT WAS A RELATIVELY OLD 
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GROUP AND ONLY NUMBERED ABOUT 150. 
 
5.  (C)  DESPITE THE PROBLEMS FACED BY THE ECVN, 
PASTOR VINH SAID THAT HE FELT THE OVERALL SITUATION 
FOR RELIGIOUS BELIEVERS IN VIETNAM IS CONSIDERABLY 
BETTER THAN IT WAS TEN YEARS AGO.  IN RESPONSE TO A 
QUESTION FROM MCFARLAND, PASTOR VINH VOICED DOUBT THAT 
U.S. SANCTIONS WOULD HAVE A BENEFICIAL EFFECT ON 
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN VIETNAM.  HE SAID THAT HE THOUGHT 
DIALOGUE HAD BROUGHT GOOD RESULTS SO FAR AND EXPRESSED 
FAITH THAT THE SITUATION WOULD CONTINUE TO IMPROVE. 
HE ALSO NOTED THE IRONY THAT SEEMING GVN DISAPPROVAL 
OF THE PROTESTANT CHURCH APPEARED TO BOTH ATTRACT THE 
CURIOUS AND STRENGTHEN THE FAITH OF BELIEVERS.  (NOTE: 
POLOFF WAS NOT PRESENT DURING THE ENTIRE CONVERSATION 
BETWEEN PASTOR VINH AND THE USCIRF DELEGATION.  END 
NOTE.) 
 
6.  (C)  ON FEBRUARY 21, THE ENTIRE DELEGATION 
INCLUDING COMMISSIONER FIRUZ KAZEMZADEH, STEVEN 
MCFARLAND, AND JOHN TAI, ACCOMPANIED BY EMBOFFS, 
VISITED ONE PILLAR PAGODA AND ASKED TO SPEAK WITH THE 
ABBOT.  AFTER A FEW MINUTES THICH TAM KIEN, WHO 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ3820 
 
PAGE 01        HANOI  00559  02 OF 03  120747Z 
ACTION EAP-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AID-00   AMAD-00  CIAE-00  SRPP-00  EB-00 
      ED-01    OIGO-00  E-00     HHS-01   H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00 
      IO-00    LAB-01   L-00     NSAE-00  NSCE-00  OIC-02   OPIC-01 
      PC-01    PRS-00   P-00     SP-00    SS-00    STR-00   TRSE-00 
      USIE-00  PRM-00   DRL-02   G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00     /010W 
                  ------------------72F133  120747Z /38 
P 120722Z MAR 02 
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5747 
INFO SECDEF WASHDC 
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 03 HANOI 000559 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV AND DRL/RF 
DEPARTMENT PASS TO USCIRF 
 
SECDEF FOR ABLAGG 
 
DESCRIBED HIMSELF AS THE ASSISTANT ABBOT AND THE 
JUNIOR OF THE TWO MONKS AT ONE PILLAR PAGODA, APPEARED 
AND SAID THAT THE ABBOT WAS NOT PRESENT, BUT THAT HE 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HANOI  00559  02 OF 03  120747Z 
COULD SPEAK TO THE DELEGATION.  AFTER INTRODUCTIONS, 
MCFARLAND ASKED THICH TAM KIEN ABOUT REPORTS THAT THE 
GVN WAS TRYING TO REPLACE THE PAGODA'S ABBOT.  THE 
MONK REPLIED THAT THIS WAS TRUE AND THAT THE 
AUTHORITIES WERE TRYING TO REMOVE HIM AS WELL.  HE 
SAID THAT HE HAD BEEN THE ONLY STUDENT OF THE FORMER 
ABBOT, WHO DIED IN JULY 1996.  THE NEW ABBOT HAD 
ADOPTED HIM AS HIS STUDENT, BUT THE ABBOT'S 
ASSIGNMENT TO ONE PILLAR PAGODA WAS TECHNICALLY 
"TEMPORARY" AND HE WAS ALSO THE ABBOT OF ANOTHER HANOI 
PAGODA. 
 
7.  (C)  THICH TAM KIEN SAID THAT EFFORTS TO REPLACE 
THE TWO MONKS AT ONE PILLAR PAGODA REPRESENTED NOT 
ONLY A STRUGGLE BETWEEN DIFFERENT FACTIONS OF THE 
CENTRAL BUDDHIST SANGHA (CBS--THE OFFICIALLY 
RECOGNIZED BUDDHIST ORGANIZATION), BUT AN EFFORT OF 
THE BA DINH DISTRICT (A SUBDIVISION OF HANOI) 
GOVERNMENT TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE PAGODA.  THICH TAM 
KIEN CITED "DECISION LETTER 927 OF THE BA DINH 
PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE" DATED JULY 27, 1999 IN WHICH THE 
LOCAL AUTHORITIES ASKED THE ABBOT TO LEAVE ONE PILLAR 
PAGODA ON THE GROUNDS OF HIS AGE AND RESPONSIBILITY 
FOR TWO PAGODAS.  THICH TAM KIEN CLAIMED THAT THE CBS 
AND BA DINH DISTRICT WISHED TO ASSIGN THICH THANH 
PHUC, WHOM HE DESCRIBED AS THE CHIEF RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS 
REPRESENTATIVE IN THE DISTRICT AND AS SOMEONE CLOSE TO 
LOCAL AUTHORITIES, TO ONE PILLAR PAGODA.  IN ANSWER TO 
A QUESTION FROM MCFARLAND, THICH TAM KIEN SAID THAT 
THE DISTRICT AUTHORITIES HAD NO ROLE IN DECIDING WHO 
THE ABBOT SHOULD BE. 
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PAGE 03        HANOI  00559  02 OF 03  120747Z 
 
8.  (C)  THICH TAM KIEN SAID THAT HE WROTE A LETTER 
FOR HIS NEW MASTER REFUSING THE DISTRICT'S REQUEST 
THAT THE ABBOT LEAVE.  HE SAID THAT THE CENTRAL GROUP 
WITHIN THE CBS WANTED TOTAL CONTROL OF THE PAGODA, SO 
THEY DEMOTED HIM AND STRIPPED HIM OF HIS RANK ON THE 
GROUNDS OF AN UNSPECIFIED VIOLATION OF BUDDHIST 
MORALS.  THICH TAM KIEN SAID THAT HE WENT TO HIS 
ORIGINAL MASTER IN HO CHI MINH CITY WHO ADVISED HIM TO 
FILE A WRITTEN COMPLAINT WITH THE BOARD THAT TOOK 
ACTION AGAINST HIM ASKING THEM FOR PROOF OF THE CHARGE 
AND TO RE-INSTATE HIM IF THEY WOULD NOT.  HE SAID THAT 
THERE HAD BEEN NO OFFICIAL ACTION SINCE THEN AND THAT 
HE KEPT HIS TITLE AND RANK. 
 
9.  (C)  ON APRIL 30, 2000, THICH TAM KIEN CLAIMED HE 
RECEIVED A LETTER FROM "LOCAL AUTHORITIES" STATING 
THAT IF HE DID NOT LEAVE, THEY WOULD ASK "OTHER 
FORCES" TO PHYSICALLY REMOVE HIM FROM ONE PILLAR 
PAGODA.  HE SAID THAT THE LETTER ONLY MENTIONED HIM 
NOT HIS MASTER.  HE SPECULATED THAT THE LOCAL 
AUTHORITIES DID NOT WANT TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST THE 
ABBOT BECAUSE THEY FEARED HUMAN RIGHTS COMPLAINTS, 
NOTING THAT THE ABBOT HAD A NETWORK OF CONTACTS IN THE 
U.S. AND FRANCE.  NOW HE WAS BEGINNING TO INHERIT THIS 
NETWORK FROM HIS MASTER, HE SAID.  NONETHELESS, THICH 
TAM KIEN CLAIMED THAT THE VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE 
DISTRICT THREATENED HIM WITH PHYSICAL HARM IF HE DID 
NOT RESIGN.  HE RECOUNTED THAT THE THREAT GOT OUT ON 
THE INTERNET AND WAS PICKED UP BY THE BBC, PROMPTING 
THE DISTRICT CHAIRMAN TO MEET WITH JOURNALISTS TO 
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PAGE 04        HANOI  00559  02 OF 03  120747Z 
"CLARIFY" THE SITUATION.  CONSEQUENTLY, HE SAID THAT 
NOW LOCAL AUTHORITIES COULD NOT MOVE THEM BECAUSE OF 
INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION.  ASIDE FROM THE INTERNATIONAL 
SUPPORT THE TWO MONKS HAVE RECEIVED, THICH TAM KIEN 
CLAIMED THAT HIGH-RANKING MONKS IN HO CHI MINH CITY, 
INCLUDING HIS ORIGINAL MASTER, ARE ON THEIR SIDE. 
MOREOVER, HE SAID THAT TUOI TRE NEWSPAPER, THE 
OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE HO CHI MINH CITY YOUTH LEAGUE, 
HAD ADVOCATED THEIR CAUSE.  FINALLY HE ADDED THAT 
DEMOCRACY ACTIVIST PHAM QUE DUONG HAD INTERVENED IN 
SOME WAY, CLAIMING THAT DUONG HAD ALSO HELPED STOP 
DESTRUCTION OF THE PAGODA SEVERAL YEARS AGO TO MAKE 
MORE ROOM FOR THE NEARBY MUSEUM DEDICATED TO HO CHI 
MINH. 
 
10.  (C)  THICH TAM KIEN CONCLUDED BY ASKING THE 
USCIRF DELEGATION TO TAKE UP THREE POINTS WITH THE GVN 
ON BEHALF OF HIS MASTER AND HIM: 
-- TO "ABOLISH THE ILLEGAL ORDINANCE AND DECISION OF 
BA DINH DISTRICT" ABOUT THE PAGODA 
-- TO REQUEST THAT HIS MASTER BE APPOINTED THE 
PERMANENT ABBOT OF ONE PILLAR PAGODA 
-- TO OFFICIALLY TRANSFER HIS RESIDENCE REGISTRATION 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ3821 
 
PAGE 01        HANOI  00559  03 OF 03  120747Z 
ACTION EAP-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AID-00   AMAD-00  CIAE-00  SRPP-00  EB-00 
      ED-01    OIGO-00  E-00     HHS-01   H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00 
      IO-00    LAB-01   L-00     NSAE-00  NSCE-00  OIC-02   OPIC-01 
      PC-01    PRS-00   P-00     SP-00    SS-00    STR-00   TRSE-00 
      USIE-00  PRM-00   DRL-02   G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00     /010W 
                  ------------------72F139  120747Z /38 
P 120722Z MAR 02 
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5748 
INFO SECDEF WASHDC 
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 03 OF 03 HANOI 000559 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV AND DRL/RF 
DEPARTMENT PASS TO USCIRF 
 
SECDEF FOR ABLAGG 
 
AND OFFICIAL RELIGIOUS REGISTRATION TO ONE PILLAR 
PAGODA. 
THE DELEGATION MADE NO REPLY TO THICH TAM KIEN'S 
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PAGE 02        HANOI  00559  03 OF 03  120747Z 
REQUEST.  SEPARATELY, ON FEBRUARY 23, MCFARLAND ASKED 
THICH THANH TU, THE SECOND RANKING OFFICIAL IN THE 
CBS, ABOUT THE STATUS OF ONE PILLAR PAGODA'S ABBOT. 
THICH THANH TU REPLIED, "HE IS STILL THERE," BUT WOULD 
NOT COMMENT FURTHER. 
 
11. (C)  COMMENT:  PASTOR VINH HAS EXPRESSED 
RELUCTANCE TO MEET WITH EMBOFFS IN THE PAST, CITING 
PROBLEMS HE HAS WITH THE POLICE.  WHILE HE POINTED OUT 
A NUMBER OF THE ECVN'S PROBLEMS, MOST NOTABLY ITS 
INABILITY TO MAKE OFFICIAL DECISIONS SINCE 1988, HIS 
OVERALL APPRAISAL WAS CLEARLY POSITIVE.  THICH TAM 
KIEN'S ACCOUNT GAVE AN UNEXPECTED GLIMPSE INTO THE 
COMPLEXITY OF THE CBS'S INTERNAL MACHINATIONS AND 
INTERACTIONS WITH LOCAL AUTHORITIES.  THICH THANH TU'S 
SUCCINCT, "HE IS STILL THERE," MAY INDICATE A DE FACTO 
CBS DECISION TO LEAVE THE ABBOT WHERE HE IS.  PARTS OF 
THICH TAM KIEN'S STORY ARE DIFFICULT TO VERIFY AND IT 
IS EVEN MORE DIFFICULT TO KNOW HIS ENTIRE AGENDA, AS 
COMMISSIONER KAZEMZADEH POINTED OUT.  DURING THE YOUNG 
MONK'S CONVERSATION WITH THE DELEGATION HE APPEARED TO 
DECIDE TO GIVE THE DELEGATION MORE AND MORE DETAIL, 
REPEATING SOME OF HIS EARLIER POINTS IN MORE DEPTH. 
HIS MENTION OF PHAM QUE DUONG'S ASSISTANCE AND HIS 
UNSOLICITED CITATION OF DUONG'S ADDRESS AND CELL PHONE 
NUMBER WAS SURPRISING.  DUONG, ONE OF THE AUTHORS OF 
THE SEPTEMBER 2001 PROPOSAL TO ESTABLISH AN NGO 
CORRUPTION WATCHDOG GROUP, IS A RELATIVELY HIGH 
PROFILE ACTIVIST AND CRITIC OF THE GVN AND CPV WHO 
USED TO BE EDITOR OF THE ARMY'S POLITICAL JOURNAL. 
END COMMENT. 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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12.  (U)  THE USCIRF DELEGATION WAS UNABLE TO REVIEW 
THIS CABLE BEFORE THEY LEFT VIETNAM. 
BURGHARDT 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL