US embassy cable - 05HOCHIMINHCITY762

UNCLAS  HO CHI MINH CITY 000762 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV, DRL/IRF 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, KIRF, VM, HUMANR, RELFREE 
SUBJECT: PARTIAL DEMOLITION OF MENNONITE PASTOR'S HOME 
 
REF:  04 HCMC 823 
 
1. (SBU) Summary:  HCMC District 2 authorities demolished a 
portion of imprisoned Mennonite Pastor Nguyen Hong Quang's (ref A) 
home July 19.  Local authorities state that the home violated 
zoning laws and that the forced demolition was in accordance with 
the law.  Poloffs stressed at the neighborhood, city and central 
levels that the international community may see this action as 
religious persecution and that the demolition may harm U.S.- 
Vietnam bilateral relations.  Acting CG made the same points to 
the HCMC External Relations Office (ERO).  The city and central 
authorities understood these points but neighborhood officials 
would not move past the narrow focus of the zoning laws.  End 
Summary. 
 
2. (SBU) HCMC Poloffs were inundated by phone calls and e-mails 
July 19 from religious leaders and neighbors of imprisoned 
Mennonite Pastor Nguyen Hong Quang, reporting the demolition of a 
portion of his HCMC home by local authorities.  Poloffs traveled 
to District 2 where the Quang family resides but arrived at the 
home after the property had been pulled down.  Approximately 37 
square meters, mostly what the authorities regard as illegal 
portions, of Quang's home were demolished. 
 
3. (SBU) Pastor Quang's wife, Ms. Dung Phu Thi Le, stated that 
local authorities arrived at 7 am, escorted by police and firemen. 
They read a citation describing the building violation and began 
the process of tearing the back of the house down.  She claims 
that she had been notified of the violation in 2002 and 2004 but 
that it was for a smaller portion of the home than what was torn 
down.  (Note: The documents given to Poloffs by Le indicate that 
all of the portion of the structure demolished was in violation of 
zoning laws.  End note.)  Both administrative notices gave 
approximately 10 days to remove the structure.  Ms. Le also 
received a warning in August 2002 informing her that the back 
portion of the home would be "forcibly removed."  However, no GVN 
action was taken at the time.  Ms. Le said that she had discussed 
the structure frequently with local authorities and disagrees that 
it is illegal.  In January 2005, she sent a letter to the People's 
Committee noting her objection.  She asserts that the back of the 
house is a non-permanent structure and was built to keep water 
from the stream, which runs behind the home, from entering the 
dwelling. 
 
4. (SBU) Ms. Le believes that this action was taken because a 
neighbor, who is the local representative for the GVN authority, 
has a money dispute with Pastor Quang and has lobbied district 
authorities for the demolition.  In addition to the neighbor's 
influence, local authorities have tried to discourage religious 
meetings in the home. 
 
5. (SBU) Poloffs met with the District 2 People's Committee 
subsequent to the meeting with Ms. Le.  Despite our unannounced 
arrival, District 2 personnel agreed to meet with us.  The Vice 
Chief of Staff stated that he was at the home prior to the 
demolition and had read the citation to Ms. Le.  He added that 
authorities had given Quang and Le ample notice, pointing to the 
administrative notices of 2002 and 2004.  The Vice Chief noted 
that he had met with Le on June 28 and told her that the structure 
would be removed in 15 days.  He stressed that this action had 
become necessary because of the complaints lodged by the 
neighbors.  Many had to remove illegal portions of their homes and 
had criticized authorities for allowing Le to maintain the home 
addition.  He emphasized that this was not the destruction of a 
church but rather the razing of illegal construction attached to a 
private citizen's home. 
 
6. (SBU) Poloff noted the zoning violation but expressed concern 
over the local authorities' actions to demolish the home addition 
in the shadow of the new Ordinance on Religion.  It is well known 
that the home is used for a place of worship by the Mennonites and 
this event did not show goodwill or the facilitation of religious 
practices in house churches.  While the GVN may contend that it 
was an administrative procedure, the international community may 
view it as religious repression.  Giving visibility to this house 
church in the context of such a demolition would harm the 
bilateral relationship, which is something both the GVN and USG 
want to avoid. 
 
7. (SBU) Acting CG raised the demolition with the Ho Chi Minh City 
External Relations Office July 20.  While acknowledging that there 
was an outstanding zoning issue, the Acting CG stressed that since 
this home is used by religious followers, its partial demolition 
will be viewed outside Vietnam as the destruction of a place of 
worship.  Citing the recent progress of the GVN in implementing 
religious reforms to address concerns raised when Vietnam was 
designated a Country of Particular Concern for religious freedom, 
the Acting CG also requested that ERO flag for District 2 
authorities the image the demolition would convey to the 
international community and the implications for bilateral 
relations in the aftermath of PM Khai's visit and as Vietnam 
 
strives for WTO accession.  The ERO representative expressed 
understanding of this point and also noted the need for Vietnamese 
authorities to be sure they act in accordance with the law and can 
explain the basis for their actions. 
 
8. (SBU) Hanoi Poloff raised the issue of Pastor Quang's house 
July 19 with Le Dzung, Acting Section Chief, America's Department, 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  Dzung said he had not heard about 
the incident, but agreed that it is possible that international 
observers would perceive the action as some sort of punishment 
regardless of the legal legitimacy of the action.  He promised to 
report the issue to the MFA's leadership.  Poloff also spoke July 
19 with Lt. Col Nguyen Tuyen of the Ministry of Public Security, 
making the same points.  Tuyen said he understood the USG's 
concern and would find out more about the case.  July 20, a more 
senior officer from MPS contacted Poloff to explain that the 
demolition at Quang's house was legal and done according to a 
plan, which had been communicated "some time earlier."  The 
illegal construction at Quang's house is in "a designated 
municipal development area," the MPS officer explained.  "Other 
residences in the vicinity with similar illegal construction were 
torn down already," he added.  MPS had consulted with the HCMC 
People's Committee that morning, the officer said, and found out 
that a ConGen officer had been there and asked questions.  "We 
confirmed that the People's Committee is acting according to the 
law," the MPS officer said. 
 
9. (SBU) Comment: The administrative notices shared with Poloffs 
indicate that additions to Pastor Quang and Ms. Le's home violated 
zoning laws and that appropriate administrative procedures were 
taken prior to the forced demolition of a portion of the home -- a 
point on which local authorities base their insular view of the 
issue.  While HCMC ERO and central authorities are more astute -- 
the rare intervention of senior MPS officials with local 
authorities reflected the GVN's desire to avoid misunderstandings 
-- it is not clear what impact outside authorities will have on 
the future actions of District 2 officials dealing with the 
Quangs. 
 
CHERN 
 
 
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