US embassy cable - 05HANOI599

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HANOI 000599 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV AND DRL/IRF 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, KIRF, PREL, PGOV, VM, RELFREE, HUMANR, ETMIN 
SUBJECT: IRF AMBASSADOR AT LARGE HANFORD MEETS WITH GVN 
SECURITY OFFICIAL 
 
Reftels: A) 03 Hanoi 2897; B) Hanoi 353 
 
1. (SBU) Summary: Ambassador at Large for International 
Religious Freedom John Hanford met March 6 with Vice 
Minister for Public Security Nguyen Van Huong.  Huong 
objected to the designation of Vietnam as a Country of 
Particular Concern (CPC) and said many in the GVN were 
asking why they should cooperate with the USG on such issues 
as MIA recovery activities when they are criticized on 
religion.  Huong said he expects all the churches in the 
Central Highlands that have been closed will be allowed to 
open, expanded opportunities for religious training and the 
release of all religious prisoners "after one year."  Huong 
alleged that U.S. diplomats hold "secret meetings" with 
political activists and had encouraged Buddhist leader Thich 
Quang Do to test the restrictions placed upon him. 
Ambassador Marine responded that diplomats regularly and 
openly meet with political activists but only to gather 
information.  End Summary. 
 
2. (SBU) Accompanied by the Ambassador, DRL/IRF officer 
Matthew Schmolesky and Poloff, Ambassador Hanford began his 
March 6 meeting with Deputy Minister for Public Security 
Nguyen Van Huong by noting that many of the assurances on 
improvements in religious freedom that Huong had made during 
their previous meeting in October 2003 have been actualized 
(Ref. A).  Ambassador Hanford stated "I have a specific 
purpose for this visit at this time," and referred to his 
negotiations with the MFA.  Vietnam has taken a number of 
positive steps regarding religious freedom, and the USG 
wants to find a way to resolve the CPC issue that does not 
limit this momentum.  It is also important to set a positive 
atmosphere for the expected visits of Prime Minister Phan 
Van Khai to Washington this summer and of President Bush to 
the APEC meeting in Hanoi in the fall of 2006.  One of the 
USG's major concerns regarding religious freedom is that the 
policies promulgated in Hanoi are not always enacted in 
practice at the local level.  The USG also has concerns 
about certain prisoners in Vietnam, some of whom have been 
incarcerated for many years.  Ambassador Hanford also 
covered ongoing concerns about the closure of churches, 
forced renunciations of faith, the continued detentions of 
religious prisoners, and the physical abuse of religious 
believers.  He specifically raised the case of imprisoned 
Mennonite Le Thi Hong Lien, and asked she be released on 
humanitarian grounds. 
 
3. (SBU) Vice Minister Huong began his comments by noting 
that when he and Ambassador Hanford had first met, Vietnam 
was not designated as a CPC.  Vietnam has made improvements 
since then, but now is being chastised as a CPC.  It is 
frustrating to undertake these efforts and see no results. 
Religious believers constitute a quarter of the population 
of Vietnam.  The number of Protestants in Vietnam at the end 
of the war was quite small, but it has increased to as many 
as 600,000 today, he stated.  (Note: Other GVN officials 
stated there as many as one million Protestants in Vietnam. 
End note)  This is a reflection of the GVN's policy to 
respect religious freedom. 
 
4. (SBU) Vice Minister Huong alleged that much of the 
information that the USG uses to criticize Vietnam comes 
from "distorted sources" or from "radicals opposed to the 
GVN."  Those Protestant believers whom the GVN has arrested 
in the Central Highlands are "terrorists and members of 
FULRO," and were not detained as a result of their faith. 
Responding to Ambassador Hanford's inquiry, Vice Minister 
Huong said that there was no police involvement in the 2003 
death of Protestant believer Vang Seo Giao, but that Giao 
had drowned because he attempted to cross a river while 
intoxicated.  Ambassador Hanford asked if Giao had drowned, 
why had his brother been imprisoned for his involvement in 
his death?  Vice Minister Huong promised to provide the U.S. 
Embassy with the "whole file" on this case and offered to 
facilitate a visit by a Political Officer to investigate it 
further.  The GVN made a positive gesture by releasing 
Buddhist monk Thich Tien Minh from prison on the occasion of 
the Tet amnesty, but immediately afterward was criticized by 
the U.S. Commission for International Religious Freedom. 
Much attention is given to Mennonite Pastor Nguyen Hong 
Quang.  He is not a religious prisoner, but was arrested 
because he beat a police official.  "I strongly believe that 
all the prisoners (that the USG has raised) will be free by 
this time next year," Huong added.  Huong promised to 
provide the USG with the names of individuals before they 
are released and to notify the USG if they are to be 
arrested again as recidivists. 
 
5. (SBU) Vietnam has successfully separated members of FULRO 
from other Protestant followers, Huong asserted.  As a 
result, those churches in the Central Highlands that were 
closed because of separatist activity can be allowed to 
reopen.  The GVN plans to assist in the registration of 36 
new congregations in the Central Highlands.  In some cases, 
the GVN will provide land for the construction of new 
churches, although they are doing this quietly so as not to 
arouse the jealousy of other religious denominations.  There 
are currently 50 students at the Southern Evangelical Church 
of Vietnam's (SECV) seminary in Ho Chi Minh City, and "I 
would like this number to grow," Huong said.  He added that 
he could envision 600 seminarians in the future. 
 
6. (SBU) The recent Prime Minister's Instruction on 
Protestantism bans forced renunciations of faith and, 
further, Vietnamese law stipulates that public officials who 
abuse their position must provide compensation to their 
victims (Ref. B).  Provincial authorities will accurately 
implement these laws, Huong promised. 
 
7. (SBU) Vice Minister Huong claimed that Unified Buddhist 
Church of Vietnam (UBCV) leaders Thich Huyen Quang and Thich 
Quang Do have repeatedly taken hostile actions against the 
Government after refusing to join the Vietnam Buddhist 
Sangha along with the original leadership of the UBCV in 
1981.  "Since that time the UBCV is no longer legally 
protected," Huong said.  Since 2000 Thich Huyen Quang and 
Thich Quang Do have been under no form of detention or 
arrest, however.  If Thich Huyen Quang were to wish to visit 
the United States, he would be free to do so.  In response 
to Ambassador Marine's question, Vice Minister Huong 
acknowledged that Thich Quang Do is under travel 
restrictions as he remains under investigation for 
possession of state secrets.  This investigation continues 
because Thich Quang Do has been unwilling to meet with 
investigators to discuss the case.  Vice Minister Huong 
alleged that "Consulate General officials" had encouraged 
Thich Quang Do to defy these restrictions and attempt to 
visit Thich Huyen Quang, saying they promised to "give him 
support."  "I think Consulate General officials should not 
meet him and encourage him so much," Huong commented.  Huong 
also promised not to take any action against the UBCV "on 
religious grounds." 
 
8. (SBU) Vice Minister Huong said he is "not satisfied" by 
the designation of Vietnam as a CPC and added that the USG 
should be careful that further bilateral cooperation is not 
undermined by this issue.  Any actions taken regarding 
religious believers is thanks to the standing policies of 
Vietnam, not because of pressure from the United States  "We 
have taken into consideration the U.S. - Vietnam 
relationship" in making these changes, however.  The GVN is 
under pressure "from different directions" on this issue. 
For example, members of the National Assembly have inquired 
why the GVN cooperates with the USG on many issues, such as 
MIA recovery activities, while the USG continues to 
criticize the GVN.  Any sanctions coming from CPC would have 
a "negative impact" on relations, such as "on the MIA 
issue."  The GVN is waiting for the "good news" that the CPC 
issue "is over." 
 
9. (SBU) Specifically addressing Ambassador Marine, Vice 
Minister Huong said that the MPS provides security to the 
U.S. Mission and American diplomats operating in Vietnam. 
There also has been a good exchange of information on 
counterterrorism.  A successful visit by the Prime Minister 
to Washington may yield more results in this area.  However, 
the Ambassador should not meet secretly with "radicals" such 
as Tran Khue in Ho Chi Minh City.  Such actions make these 
individuals believe they have the support of the USG.  If 
the USG seeks any information about these people, it should 
make a request to the MPS for it.  The GVN also would like 
the USG to take action against "hostile" groups in the 
United States, including Kok Ksor, Vo Van Ai, Nguyen Huu 
Chanh and the Viet Tan party. 
 
10. (SBU) Ambassador Hanford responded that he welcomed Vice 
Minister Huong's promises that all churches closed in the 
Central Highlands would be allowed to reopen and register as 
they were shown not to belong to FULRO; that certain 
congregations would be aided in acquiring property; that all 
religious prisoners would be released within the next year; 
and that opportunities for the training of clerics would be 
expanded.  To rebut Hung's claim that no prisoners have been 
held for nearly two decades, Ambassador Hanford raised the 
case of Catholic Priest Nguyen Thien Phung, imprisoned since 
1987.  Vice Minister Huong responded that Phung had incited 
unrest against the local government and had even armed 
himself.  He is eligible for a reduction in sentence, but 
has continued to violate regulations while in prison and 
even fought against prison officials.  As a result, "his 
education must continue." 
 
11. (SBU) Ambassador Marine noted that cooperation on MIA 
recovery activities has long been a point of close 
cooperation between the USG and GVN.  The USG would 
appreciate the support of the MPS in expanding its ability 
to carry out these types of investigation and recovery 
activities in the Central Highlands.  The information that 
Consulate General officials had encouraged Thich Quang Do to 
break the law is incorrect.  Similarly, Huong's reference to 
secret meetings is unclear.  U.S. diplomats seek to meet 
 
SIPDIS 
with these individuals simply to gather information, nothing 
more.  The FBI is investigating the activities of Nguyen Huu 
Chanh and would appreciate any additional information that 
the MPS could provide on him.  If the GVN believes that the 
Montagnard Foundation has committed illegal activities, it 
should share specific details about these cases with the USG 
so that we can investigate the claims.  Under our political 
system, while we cannot tell Kok Ksor that he should not 
criticize Vietnam, we do express our beliefs to him that his 
actions are not helpful. 
MARINE