US embassy cable - 02HANOI2090

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 002090 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV, PRM, AND DRL/IRF 
 
E.O. 12958; DECL.  08/27/2012 
TAGS: PHUM, PGOV, PREF, PINS, PREL, KIRF, SOCI, VM, ETMIN, HUMANR, RELFREE 
SUBJECT: DAK LAK PROVINCE UPDATE ON RELIGIOUS 
HARASSMENT 
 
REF:  HCMC 0394 
 
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CLASSIFIED BY:  CONSUL GENERAL HO CHI MINH CITY EMI 
LYNN YAMAUCHI FOR REASON 1.5  (D) 
 
1.  (C)  SUMMARY:  A PROTESTANT PASTOR FROM DAK LAK 
PROVINCE RECENTLY MET WITH CONGENOFFS TO DISCUSS THE 
CURRENT SITUATION THERE, WHICH HE CHARACTERIZED AS THE 
PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT ATTEMPTING TO "ERADICATE" 
PROTESTANTISM.  HE SAID PROTESTANT FAMILIES WERE NOW 
FORBIDDEN TO WORSHIP TOGETHER IN GROUPS AND HAD BEEN 
TOLD - AT LEAST IN ONE VILLAGE -- THEY COULD NOT 
TRAVEL OUTSIDE THE PROVINCE.  HE BELIEVES IT IS 
BECAUSE PROVINCIAL AUTHORITIES FEAR THESE VILLAGERS 
WILL TRAVEL TO HO CHI MINH CITY TO TELL THE CONSULATE 
GENERAL ABOUT THEIR SITUATION.  AT THE SAME TIME, HE 
ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE HAD BEEN NO PHYSICAL VIOLENCE 
- NO BEATINGS, BROKEN FINGERS, ETC., AS WE HAVE HEARD 
IN OTHER CENTRAL HIGHLANDS CASES.  THE PASTOR WAS 
AMBIVALENT ABOUT THE VALUE OF USG TRAVEL TO THE 
HIGHLANDS, NOTING "IT INCREASES PROBLEMS FOR US."  AT 
THE CONCLUSION OF THE 90-MINUTE MEETING, THE PASTOR 
ASKED CONGEN FOR "FUNDS" TO HELP DEFRAY THE COST OF 
HIS TRIP TO HO CHI MINH CITY TO IMPART THIS 
INFORMATION.  END SUMMARY 
 
2.  (C)  PASTOR Y SIOK NIE (ALSO CALLED BY HIS 
CHRISTIAN NAME, "STEVENS") WAS INTRODUCED TO 
CONGENOFFS BY A HO CHI MINH CITY CONTACT, DR. SIU YA 
KOP (ALSO CALLED BY HIS CHRISTIAN NAME, "DR. JAKUB"), 
WHO IS FAIRLY WELL KNOWN TO POST.   JAKUB SAID THE 
PASTOR WAS HIS BROTHER-IN-LAW. 
 
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3.  (C)   ACCORDING TO PASTOR STEVENS, RECENTLY DAK 
LAK PROVINCIAL AUTHORITIES AT ALL LEVELS (PROVINCIAL, 
DISTRICT, COMMUNE, VILLAGE, HAMLET) HAVE CRACKED DOWN 
ON PROTESTANTS WHO ARE PRACTICING OUTSIDE THE "LEGAL" 
BOUNDARIES OF A RECOGNIZED RELIGION.  CURRENTLY, ONLY 
TWO (ONE ETHNIC MINORITY AND ONE VIETNAMESE KINH) 
PROTESTANT CHURCHES OUT OF THE 400-PLUS CONGREGATIONS 
WERE APPROVED.  STEVENS IMPLIED, BUT DID NOT 
SPECIFICALLY STATE, THAT THIS WAS BY CHOICE OF THE 
CHURCH/CONGREGATION, NOT BECAUSE THE COMMITTEE FOR 
RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS OR ANY GOVERNMENT ENTITY HAD 
REJECTED AN APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL.   PROTESTANT 
FAMILIES HAVE BEEN WARNED BY AUTHORITIES NOT TO 
WORSHIP TOGETHER AT HOUSE CHURCHES OR IN TRADITIONAL 
"RONG" MEETING HOUSES.  BUT IN FACT, STEVENS SAID THEY 
CONTINUED TO DO SO WITHOUT INTERFERENCE. 
 
4.  (C)  PASTOR STEVENS ALSO TURNED OVER VIETNAMESE- 
LANGUAGE DOCUMENTS, WHICH WERE TESTIMONIES FROM OTHER 
PROTESTANT BELIEVERS ABOUT THEIR TREATMENT BY THE 
POLICE.  WHILE ALL THE INDIVIDUALS ALLEGED HARASSMENT 
- PHONE CALLS, VISITS TO THEIR HOMES OR WORKPLACES, 
PRESSURE TO RENOUNCE THEIR FAITH OR ACKNOWLEDGE THAT 
IT IS ILLOGICAL, CONFISCATION OF RELIGIOUS ITEMS - 
THERE WERE NO COMPLAINTS OF PHYSICAL HARM.  OTHER 
DOCUMENTS WERE LETTERS OF PROTEST SENT TO VARIOUS 
COMMUNIST PARTY AND GVN AGENCIES, NOTABLY THE CENTRAL 
PROPAGANDA COMMITTEE, THE COMMITTEE ON RELIGIOUS 
AFFAIRS, THE DAK LAK PROVINCIAL PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE, 
AND THE DAK LAK PROVINCIAL COMMITTEE ON RELIGIOUS 
AFFAIRS.  THE WRITERS HAD RECEIVED EITHER NO RESPONSE 
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OR A RESPONSE DIRECTING THEM TO MAKE A POLICE REPORT, 
ACCORDING TO STEVENS. 
 
5.  (C)  ONE UNSIGNED DOCUMENT, PERHAPS A PAGE TAKEN 
FROM A SCHOOL NOTEBOOK, CONTAINED NOTES FROM A COURSE 
CONDUCTED BY THE PROVINCIAL COMMUNIST PARTY'S 
PROPAGANDA COMMITTEE.   THE WRITER SAYS THAT OPPONENTS 
OF THE VIETNAMESE REGIME ARE "PUPPETS OF THE AMERICAN 
EMPIRE."  FURTHER, THE OPPONENTS' GOAL IS TO DIVIDE 
VIETNAM INTO FOUR PARTS - H'MONG, DEGA, KHMER KROM, 
AND CHAMPA.  THE GVN IS "AWARE THAT THE DEGA 
PROTESTANTS CHANGED THEIR NAME TO TAY NGUYEN 
PROTESTANTS AFTER THE FEBRUARY 2001 DISTURBANCES." 
THE GVN'S OBJECTIVE IS TO ERADICATE PROTESTANTISM BY 
2005, ACCORDING TO THESE NOTES. 
 
6.  (C)  PASTOR STEVENS CLAIMED THAT EA KAR VILLAGERS 
HAD BEEN FORBIDDEN TO TRAVEL OUTSIDE DAK LAK PROVINCE. 
HE HIMSELF HAD OBTAINED PERMISSION TO TRAVEL TO HCMC 
UNDER THE GUISE OF VISITING HIS SON HERE.  HE SAID HE 
SUSPECTED THE REAL REASON AUTHORITIES DID NOT WANT 
VILLAGERS TO TRAVEL TO HCMC WAS BECAUSE THEY FEARED 
THEY WOULD GO TO THE CONSULATE AND RELATE THEIR 
SITUATION. 
 
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                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ5574 
 
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ACTION EAP-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AID-00   AMAD-00  ACQ-00   CIAE-00  DINT-00 
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      FBIE-00  VC-00    HHS-01   H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00 
      LAB-01   L-00     VCE-00   AC-01    NSAE-00  OIC-02   OMB-01 
      OPIC-01  PA-00    PM-00    PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00     SP-00 
      STR-00   TRSE-00  USIE-00  PMB-00   DSCC-00  PRM-00   DRL-02 
      G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00     /011W 
                  ------------------DE7B02  271017Z /38 
R 271003Z AUG 02 
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 7386 
INFO AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH 
AMEMBASSY VIENTIANE 
NSC WASHDC 
USMISSION GENEVA 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 HANOI 002090 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV, PRM, AND DRL/IRF 
 
 
7.  (C)  PASTOR STEVENS ALSO ASKED CONGENOFFS WHY THEY 
WERE NOT ABLE TO COME TO AN EASTER SUNRISE SERVICE AT 
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HIS CHURCH JUST OUTSIDE BUON ME THUOT, THE DAK LAK 
PROVINCIAL CAPITAL.  HE SAID THAT CONGREGATION MEMBERS 
HAD BEEN INFORMED OF THE VISIT AND HAD PREPARED A 
WELCOME.  ON EASTER MORNING, THEY WERE TOLD THAT 
CONGENOFFS WERE "DELAYED", BUT THEY WAITED UNTIL 
MIDNIGHT JUST IN CASE.  [CONGEN NOTE: PER REFTEL, 
AMBASSADOR BURGHARDT, CG, AND CONGENOFFS TRAVELED TO 
THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS OVER THE EASTER WEEKEND OF MARCH 
30-31.  THE EXTERNAL RELATIONS OFFICE IN HCMC HAD 
INFORMED CONGEN THAT KON TUM PROVINCE WOULD RECEIVE 
THEM FOR AN EASTER CHURCH SERVICE, BUT TO SPLIT UP THE 
GROUP BETWEEN KON TUM AND BUON ME THUOT (FIVE HOURS 
APART BY CAR) WOULD BE A LOGISTICAL PROBLEM.  WHETHER 
THIS DECISION WAS EVER CONVEYED TO DAK LAK PROVINCE 
AUTHORITIES, OR WHETHER THERE IS A MORE NEFARIOUS 
REASON BEHIND THIS BREAKDOWN IN COMMUNICATION, WE DO 
NOT KNOW.  END NOTE.]   CONGENOFFS APOLOGIZED FOR THE 
MISUNDERSTANDING AND DISAPPOINTMENT, WHILE EXPRESSING 
SURPRISE, SINCE WE HAD BEEN INFORMED OF THE KON TUM 
DECISION TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE TRIP TOOK PLACE. 
 
8.  (C)  COMMENT:  CONGEN NOTES THAT THESE ABOVE 
STORIES OF HARASSMENT ARE SIMILAR, THOUGH LESS 
DRAMATIC, THAN PREVIOUS ONES THAT WE HAVE REPORTED ON. 
THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT RELIGIOUS HARASSMENT 
CONTINUES IN SOME PARTS OF THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS. 
HOWEVER, THE PASTORS AND BELIEVERS THERE SEEM TO 
CONSIDER ALL HARASSMENT - AS ABHORRENT AS IT MAY BE - 
TO BE PERSECUTION.  WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE VALUE OF USG 
VISITS TO THE TROUBLED PROVINCES, PASTOR STEVENS WAS 
FORTHRIGHT:  "YOUR VISITS CREATE MORE PROBLEMS FOR US, 
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BUT WE REALIZE IT IS PART OF YOUR DUTY TO GO 
INVESTIGATE SITUATIONS."  WHEN PRESSED AS TO WHETHER 
HE MEANT WE SHOULD MAKE NO FURTHER VISITS, STEVENS 
BECAME AMBIVALENT:  "WELL, THEY WILL NEVER ALLOW YOU 
TO SEE THE TRUTH, BUT WE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU HAVE TO 
MAKE YOUR OWN DECISION ABOUT THE VALUE OF A VISIT." 
 
9.  (C)  OF FURTHER CONCERN WAS THE REQUEST FOR MONEY. 
THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT ANY OF OUR FIRST OR 
SECONDHAND SOURCES HAD REQUESTED FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE 
FOR THEIR "TRAVEL COSTS." CONGEN UNDERSTANDS THAT LIFE 
IS HARD FOR HOUSE CHURCH PASTORS, ESPECIALLY IF THEIR 
CONGREGATION'S NUMBERS ARE DIMINISHING DUE TO 
HARASSMENT.  HOWEVER, THE REQUEST FOR USD$33 FOR 
TRAVEL EXPENSES WAS HIGH - FOR A PROVINCE WHERE THE 
AVERAGE PER CAPITA INCOME IS UNDER USD$250. 
CONGENOFFS EXPLAINED THEY COULD NOT PAY FOR TRAVEL 
COSTS, AND IN ANY CASE WOULD NOT WANT ANY SUGGESTION 
OF AN APPEARANCE OF THE USG PAYING FOR INFORMATION. 
CONGENOFFS URGED PASTOR STEVENS TO FOLLOW HIS OWN 
CONSCIENCE ON PROVIDING INFORMATION TO US.  CONGENOFFS 
ALSO SAID THEY COULD NOT SET A PRECEDENT BY DONATING 
PERSONAL MONIES TO THE PASTOR.  CONGEN CONTINUES TO 
BELIEVE THAT RELIABLE SECONDHAND INFORMATION AND 
DOCUMENTS CARRIED DOWN FROM THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS ARE 
VALUABLE REPORTING MATERIALS, AND WOULD BE DISMAYED IF 
THESE SOURCES DRIED UP.  DR. JAKUB EXPRESSED SHOCK AT 
HIS BROTHER-IN-LAW'S REQUEST, AND EMPHATICALLY TOLD 
CONGENOFFS AFTER THE MEETING AND IN A FOLLOW UP PHONE 
CALL THAT HE HAD HAD NO IDEA PASTOR STEVENS WOULD ASK 
FOR MONEY. 
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10.  (C)  IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS, CONGENOFFS HAVE 
RECEIVED A NUMBER OF E-MAIL AND FAX MESSAGES FROM 
PROTESTANT PASTORS ABOUT EVERY POLICE DETENTION (SOME 
LASTING AN HOUR OR LESS), "INVITATION TO APPEAR AT THE 
POLICE STATION," HOUSE SEARCH (THE POLICE SOMETIMES 
CARRY AWAY TELEVISION SETS, RADIOS, ETC.), OR PHONE 
CALL WARNING PEOPLE "NOT TO FOLLOW DANGEROUS/ILLEGAL 
RELIGIONS."  MESSAGES SOMETIMES COME ANONYMOUSLY VIA 
THE MESSAGING DEVICE ON CONGENOFFS MOBILE PHONES.  CG 
HCMC IS SYMPATHETIC TO THESE CONCERNS, BUT LACKS THE 
RESOURCES TO FOLLOW UP ON EACH REPORT OR TO TRACK DOWN 
THE ANONYMOUS ONES.  THESE INCIDENTS ARE ALL RECORDED, 
AND WILL BE REFLECTED IN OUR ANNUAL FREEDOM OF 
RELIGION REPORT. 
 
PORTER 
 
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