US embassy cable - 05HOCHIMINHCITY169

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HO CHI MINH CITY 000169 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV, DRL, S/P (INBODEN), DRL/IRF 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, SOCI, KIRF, PREL, PGOV, VM, HUMANR, RELFREE 
SUBJECT: CG CALLS ON DISSIDENT NGUYEN DAN QUE; UPDATE ON FATHER LY 
 
REF:  A) HCMC 142 B) HCMC 160 
 
1. (SBU) Summary:  Recently amnestied democracy activist Nguyen 
Dan Que appeared healthy and relaxed when the CG visited him at 
his HCMC home on February 17.   He said that over the near term he 
plans to maintain a low-key profile but remains committed to 
encouraging Vietnam's transition to democracy.  He remains under 
police surveillance and says visitors' access may be restricted. 
Separately, the Bishop of the Hue (strictly protect) told us that 
amnestied prisoner of conscience Father Nguyen Van Ly is mentally 
and physically healthy and is receiving a large number of visitors 
at his temporary quarters on the grounds of the Bishop's residence 
in Hue. Although local authorities have rebuffed an initial 
request from the Bishop to reassign Father Ly to a parish in the 
diocese, the Bishop remains optimistic that he will overcome local 
resistance within the next three or four months.  End Summary. 
 
Call on Dr. Que 
--------------- 
 
2. (SBU) CG and PolOff called on Vietnam democracy activist Nguyen 
Dan Que at his home in District 5 of HCMC on February 17.  A 
robust and smiling Que told us during the hour-long meeting that, 
for the time being, he will adopt a low key profile, relax and 
analyze changes inside Vietnam and internationally that occurred 
during his two years of imprisonment.  He has refused a number of 
interview requests from foreign journalists. 
 
3. (SBU) Que emphasized that his sabbatical will be temporary and 
that he remains firmly committed to pushing Vietnam's "transition 
from Communism to Democracy."  He said he believes strongly that 
Vietnam's increasing international integration and its entry into 
rules-based structures such as the BTA and the WTO will inexorably 
weaken the Communist Party's hold over Vietnamese society. 
 
4. (SBU) Que said that prison authorities treated him well, better 
than other prisoners in MPS Prison #5 in northern Thanh Hoa 
province.  He was allowed to buy additional food, receive care 
packages and medicine regularly from his wife and even was 
provided a small stove in his cell.  Prison authorities largely 
left him alone and did not subject him to "self-criticism" 
sessions.  For news, Que was given only the official Party 
newspaper "Nhan Dan."  In general, Que noted that prison 
conditions, while basic, had improved significantly compared to 
the previous two times he had been imprisoned.  (Que observed that 
his cellmate, Tha Nho Den, led a peasant movement in Thanh Hoa 
province protesting expropriation of agricultural land.  Den's 
five-year sentence ends in 2006.) 
 
5. (SBU) Que said that his house and family remain under 
surveillance and their phone tapped.  He has been able to speak 
with his brother in Virginia at least twice since his release from 
prison on February 2.  He does not yet have internet at home, 
although he will apply for access soon.  Que is not aware of any 
written order subjecting him to house arrest or administrative 
detention.  However, police monitor his movements.   A case in 
point was the family's outing during Tet to their country home. 
Within two hours of their departure, Que's wife was contacted by 
police, who protested that she did not seek prior permission to 
leave HCMC.  While police allowed a Tet call from fellow dissident 
Tran Khue, Que believes they recently blocked Khue from visiting a 
second time. 
 
6. (SBU) The CG handed Que family pictures that his brother had 
passed to us via email.  Beaming at the pictures of his family, 
Que said that he has no plans to visit the U.S. as his place is in 
Vietnam to encourage its democratization.  He feared that if he 
left Vietnam to visit the U.S., the GVN would not let him return. 
Que said that no other foreign diplomatic representatives had 
contacted him since his amnesty; the CG said that he would 
encourage other members of the HCMC consular corps to visit. 
 
Status of Father Ly 
------------------- 
 
7. (SBU) Poloff on February 17 also met with Bishop of the Hue, 
Nguyen Nhu Thue (strictly protect) to discuss freedom of religion 
issues in his bishopric (septel) and to review the status of 
Father Nguyen Van Ly.  (Bishop Thue was in HCMC to attend a 
February 15 intra-faith HIV/AIDS prayer service - ref B.)  The 
Bishop told us that Father Ly is in good health and is residing at 
the Bishop's residence in Hue.  (Ly was serving in the Hue 
archdiocese prior to his arrest in 2001.)  He is receiving a large 
number of visitors from throughout the diocese, including quite a 
number of other priests.  The Bishop said that Ly remains under 
formal administrative detention and must seek prior police 
permission if he wishes to travel outside the city of Hue. 
 
8. (SBU) The Bishop already had contacted local authorities to 
request permission for Ly to be reassigned a parish, but was told 
that his administrative detention precluded his reassignment.  (On 
October 19, 2001, the Thua Thien Hue Provincial People's Court 
sentenced Father Ly to 15 years in prison for "damaging the 
Government's unity policy," and five years of administrative 
probation upon release from prison.)  Despite the formal five-year 
administrative detention order from the courts, the Bishop was 
confident that authorities would ease their objections and allow 
Ly to return to work as a priest within the next three or four 
months. 
 
9. (SBU) The Bishop said that Ly is physically and mentally fit. 
In his meetings with other priests, Ly reportedly has told them 
that he holds no grudge against his captors and is optimistic 
about the future.  The Bishop said that he would facilitate our 
meeting with Father Ly when we next visit Hue. 
 
 
WINNICK