US embassy cable - 05HOCHIMINHCITY687

UNCLAS HO CHI MINH CITY 000687 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, SOCI, PREL, PGOV, KIRF, VM, RELFREE, HUMANR 
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON IMPRISONED MENNONITE PASTOR NGUYEN HONG QUANG 
 
 
1.  (SBU) Le Thi Phu Dung, wife of imprisoned Mennonite pastor 
Nguyen Hong Quang, told us June 23 that she has just returned from 
visiting her husband in his new prison in Dak Lak Province.  Quang 
was transferred from Bo La prison in Binh Duong Province, adjacent 
to Ho Chi Minh City, to Dac Trung prison in Cu Mga district, Dak 
Lak on June 10.  (Dac Trung prison is about 10 kilometers from 
Buon Me Thuot, the provincial capital.)  Dung told us that her 
husband seemed thinner and complained of some skin and stomach 
problems, for which he requested the family send medicine. 
Otherwise, he appeared lucid and normal.  She said that the final 
member of the "Mennonite Six," preacher Pham Ngoc Thach, remained 
in Bo La prison. 
 
2. (SBU) Quang told his wife that he was housed in a communal cell 
with over 100 prisoners.  He complained about being bullied and 
physically abused by the gang leaders in the cell.  Quang said he 
was slated to begin a prison labor detail soon with other inmates. 
Dung said that the prison administration in Dak Lak is allowing 
her to send Quang food and supplies, a welcome change of policy 
from his old prison. 
 
3. (SBU) Dung also reported that police harassment of her house 
church resumed on Sunday, June 19, following a two-week lull.   On 
June 19, police interrupted the Sunday service for 16 persons. 
Police did not detain any worshipers, but summoned Dung for an 
"informational interview."  During that discussion, which took 
place on June 21, the police informed her that her congregation 
was not allowed to gather at that particular site because of 
"security concerns."  Officials did not offer Dung an alternative 
meeting point. 
 
4. (SBU) Meanwhile, officials of the HCMC Committee for Religious 
Affairs confirmed that they have received and are considering the 
registration application of a faction of the Vietnam Mennonite 
Church headed by Pastor Nguyen Quang Trung under the new legal 
framework on religion.  (Note: "Registration" legally grants the 
Mennonite group headed by Pastor Trung limited rights including: 
organizing religious services, conducting ceremonies, carrying out 
missionary work and preaching at registered religious 
establishments, but it is still short of official "recognition" 
for the denomination.  End note) 
 
5. (SBU) Comment:  We continue to press HCMC officials to cease 
their harassment of Pastor Quang's house church. Nonetheless, it 
remains an exception to an improved atmosphere for house churches 
throughout southern Vietnam over past months.  Quang's treatment 
in prison -- labor and being placed in a group cell -- is standard 
treatment for regular prisoners in Vietnam.  In cases of political 
prisoners, such as Father Nguyen Van Ly or Nguyen Dan Que, the 
democracy and human rights activists were held in smaller cells, 
often in solitary confinement, and were not required to perform 
prison labor. 
 
WINNICK 
 
 
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