US embassy cable - 02HANOI2598

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HANOI 002598 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PINS, SOCI, VM, TIP 
SUBJECT:  ORGANIZING THE MASSES:  WOMEN AND YOUTH 
 
REF:  A.  01 HANOI 2402    B.  HANOI 1199 
 
1.  (U) SUMMARY.  VIETNAMESE "MASS ORGANIZATIONS" FOR WOMEN 
AND YOUNG PEOPLE ARE INCREASINGLY CHANGING THEIR FOCUS AWAY 
FROM BEING ONE-WAY COMMUNIST PROPAGANDA TOOLS TO BECOMING 
MORE DYNAMIC INSTITUTIONS REPRESENTING THE INTERESTS OF 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HANOI  02598  01 OF 03  281014Z 
THOSE POPULATIONS AND ENGAGING IN IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTAL 
WORK, OFTEN WITH OUTSIDE DONOR ASSISTANCE.  THEIR CONTINUED 
EXISTENCE DEMONSTRATES BOTH THE COMMUNIST PARTY'S COMPULSION 
TO MONITOR AND CONTROL THE PEOPLE OF VIETNAM AND, MORE 
INTERESTINGLY, INSTITUTIONAL RESILIENCE IN ADAPTING TO NEW 
REALITIES.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  (U)  UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF THE VIETNAM FATHERLAND FRONT 
(VFF), THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF VIETNAM (CPV) HAS A NETWORK OF 
ABOUT 30 "MASS ORGANIZATIONS" THAT RUN FROM THE NATIONAL 
LEVEL DOWN TO VIRTUALLY EACH VILLAGE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY 
(REF A).  VETERANS, FARMERS, SENIOR CITIZENS, LABORERS, ETC. 
ALL HAVE THEIR OWN ORGANIZATIONS, WHICH SERVE NOT ONLY TO 
CONVEY CPV POLICY DOWNWARD BUT ALSO IN PRINCIPLE TO PROTECT 
THE RIGHTS AND INTERESTS OF THOSE GROUPS AND GIVE THOSE 
POPULATIONS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CHANNEL THEIR CONCERNS 
UPWARDS.  THESE ORGANIZATIONS ALSO PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE 
IN THE SELECTION OF CANDIDATES FOR THE 2002 NATIONAL 
ASSEMBLY ELECTION (REF B). 
 
BIG NUMBERS 
----------- 
 
3.  (U)  WITH WOMEN REPRESENTING 52% OF THE TOTAL POPULATION 
AND PEOPLE UNDER 25 ALSO MORE THAN HALF OF THE TOTAL 
POPULATION, THE VIETNAM WOMEN'S UNION (VWU) AND VIETNAM 
YOUTH FEDERATION (VYF) REPRESENT TWO "POWERHOUSE" MASS 
ORGANIZATIONS.  ACCORDING TO VICE PRESIDENT NGUYEN PHUONG 
MINH, TOTAL VWU MEMBERSHIP IS 11 MILLION WOMEN.  (BY 
CONTRAST, TOTAL CPV MEMBERSHIP IS UNDER 3 MILLION.) (NOTE: 
EXCLUDING GIRLS UNDER 18 --THE AGE AT WHICH WOMEN CAN JOIN - 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HANOI  02598  01 OF 03  281014Z 
- THIS WOULD MEAN THAT ALMOST HALF OF ALL ELIGIBLE WOMEN ARE 
AT LEAST NOMINAL VWU MEMBERS.  END NOTE)  MEMBERSHIP FEES 
ARE NOMINAL -- ABOUT 500 DONG (3 US CENTS) A MONTH. 
SUBSCRIPTION TO THE WEEKLY "VIETNAMESE WOMEN'S NEWSPAPER" IS 
AN ADDITIONAL 80,000 DONG (UNDER US $6) PER YEAR.  THERE IS 
ALSO A GLOSSY "WOMEN OF VIETNAM IN REVIEW" MAGAZINE IN 
ENGLISH.  (MS. MINH IS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF BOTH 
PUBLICATIONS.) 
 
4.  (U)  WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE VYFU -- WHICH INCLUDES 
THE HO CHI MINH COMMUNIST YOUTH UNION, THE YOUTH PIONEERS, 
THE VIETNAM ASSOCIATION OF STUDENTS, AND, MOST RECENTLY, THE 
VIETNAMESE COUNCIL OF YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS -- ARE A TOTAL OF 
9 MILLION MEMBERS, VYF VICE PRESIDENT TRAN DAC LOI TOLD 
POL/C.  THEIR AGES RANGE FROM 9 (WHEN THEY MAY JOIN THE 
PIONEERS; VIRTUALLY 100 PCT OF STUDENTS DO) TO ABOUT 35, 
WHEN THEY MUST STEP DOWN FROM VYF POSITIONS AND MEMBERSHIPS. 
THE 4 MILLION MEMBER-STRONG HO CHI MINH COMMUNIST YOUTH 
UNION IS USUALLY SEEN AS THE TESTING GROUND FOR WOULD-BE CPV 
MEMBERS; 67,926 YOUTH UNION MEMBERS JOINED THE CPV IN 2001, 
COMPARED TO ONLY 46,000 IN 1996, ACCORDING TO THE OFFICIAL 
MEDIA.  MEMBERSHIP IN THE HCM YOUTH UNION IS BY WRITTEN 
APPLICATION ONLY, ALONG WITH RECOMMENDATION BY A CURRENT 
MEMBER. 
 
WOMEN BRANCHING OUT 
------------------- 
 
5.  (U)  BEFORE THE "DOI MOI" ERA BEGAN IN 1986, THE VWU WAS 
PRIMARILY A MOUTHPIECE TO EXPLAIN CPV DECISIONS AND 
PROPAGANDA LINES TO WOMEN, MS. MINH ADMITTED.  SINCE THEN, 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        HANOI  02598  01 OF 03  281014Z 
HOWEVER, VWU HAS ALSO MOVED TO UNDERTAKE A VARIETY OF MORE 
ACTIVIST PROGRAMS, SHE CLAIMED.  FOR EXAMPLE, BEGINNING IN 
1997, THE VWU HAS JOINED WITH THE GVN IN ADDRESSING 
TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS.  UNDER THE GVN'S ACTION PLAN FOR 
TRAFFICKING PREVENTION, THE VWU HAS USED ITS WIDESPREAD 
COMMUNITY PRESENCE TO RAISE AWARENESS OF TRAFFICKING IN 
PERSONS AND TO HELP IMPLEMENT PROGRAMS TO REDUCE THE 
SUSCEPTIBILITY OF VULNERABLE GROUPS TO TRAFFICKING, AS WELL 
AS TO COOPERATE WITH GVN AGENCIES IN ASSISTING VICTIMS AND 
IN INVESTIGATING AND PROSECUTING TRAFFICKERS.  MS. MINH 
NOTED VWU RECEIVES SOME FOREIGN NGO FUNDING; ONE PROJECT IN 
QUANG NINH PROVINCE PROVIDES HOUSING AND EMPLOYMENT FOR 
WOMEN WHO HAVE RETURNED AFTER HAVING BEEN TRAFFICKED AND/OR 
TRICKED INTO FAKE MARRIAGES IN NEIGHBORING CHINA.  (THE USG, 
WORKING THROUGH THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MIGRATION 
AND THE ASIA FOUNDATION, WILL ALSO BE PROVIDING FUNDING FOR 
TRAFFICKING PROJECTS IMPLEMENTED BY PROVINCIAL AND LOCAL 
WOMEN'S UNIONS.) 
 
6.  (U)  POVERTY REDUCTION IS ANOTHER KEY TARGET FOR VWU, 
GIVEN THE HIGH PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN WHO LIVE IN POVERTY, 
ACCORDING TO MS. MINH.  VWU -- THROUGH ITS LOCAL CHAPTERS -- 
OFFERS MODEST CAPITAL FUNDS AS WELL AS SAVINGS PROGRAMS TO 
ENCOURAGE RURAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP, SHE EXPLAINED.  HEALTH IS 
ANOTHER PRIORITY; VWU COOPERATES WITH THE MINISTRY OF PUBLIC 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ9034 
 
PAGE 01        HANOI  02598  02 OF 03  281014Z 
ACTION EAP-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AID-00   ACQ-00   CIAE-00  DINT-00  DODE-00 
      DOEE-00  SRPP-00  DS-00    ED-01    FBIE-00  UTED-00  VC-00 
      HHS-01   H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   L-00     VCE-00   AC-01 
      NSAE-00  NSCE-00  OMB-01   OPIC-01  CAEX-01  PA-00    PER-00 
      PM-00    PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00     SP-00    IRM-00   TEST-00 
      TRSE-00  USIE-00  ECA-00   PMB-00   DSCC-00  PRM-00   DRL-02 
      G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00     /009W 
                  ------------------FF1EBC  281014Z /38 
R 280957Z OCT 02 
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 7938 
INFO AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 
AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH 
AMEMBASSY VIENTIANE 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 03 HANOI 002598 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
HEALTH IN ORGANIZING CAMPAIGNS PRIMARILY ABOUT FAMILY HEALTH 
(I.E., INOCULATIONS) AS WELL AS FAMILY PLANNING.  MS. MINH 
SAID THAT VWU "MOTIVATORS" SPREAD THE WORD -- AS WELL AS 
WRITTEN MATERIALS -- ABOUT THE LATTER, AND CLAIMED THAT "IN 
URBAN AREAS, THIS IS NO LONGER A PROBLEM."  SHE ADMITTED 
THAT CONSIDERABLE CHALLENGES REMAINED IN THE COUNTRYSIDE TO 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HANOI  02598  02 OF 03  281014Z 
CONVINCE FARMERS TO LIMIT THEIR FAMILY SIZE TO TWO CHILDREN. 
AS A SPECIAL "INCENTIVE," SHE ADDED, VWU HAS A NETWORK OF 
"CLUBS" FOR FAMILIES WHO HAVE LESS THAN THREE CHILDREN.  AN 
EVEN NEWER INTEREST FOR VWU IS PROTECTION OF THE 
ENVIRONMENT, MS. MINH DESCRIBED, BUT ADMITTED THAT ITS 
ACTIVITIES IN THIS AREA WERE STILL NASCENT. 
 
7.  (U)  THE VWU IS ALSO EXPANDING INTERNATIONALLY, WITH 
RELATIONS WITH 880 ORGANIZATIONS IN 66 COUNTRIES AROUND THE 
WORLD, MS. MINH BOASTED.  THE VWU ASSISTS IN RECEIVING 
"HUNDREDS" OF WOMEN'S DELEGATIONS EACH YEAR, SHE ADDED. 
WITH MODEST FUNDING (ABOUT USD 8,000 EACH) FROM THE NEW 
ZEALAND GOVERNMENT, VWU RUNS INCOME GENERATION PROJECTS IN 
HAI DUONG PROVINCE (POTTERY) AND HUNG YEN PROVINCE (MUSHROOM 
CULTIVATION).  SWEDEN'S SIDA HAS GIVEN VWU USD 450,000 FOR A 
PROJECT ON "ENHANCING GENDER EQUALITY AND ECONOMIC POWER FOR 
WOMEN," INCLUDING A FOCUS ON IMPROVING VWU'S ADMINISTRATIVE 
CAPACITY AT THE GRASSROOTS LEVEL. 
 
PROMOTING YOUNG TALENT -- AND GETTING INTO BUSINESS 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
8.  (U)  VYF'S LOI DESCRIBED ITS MAIN OBJECTIVES AS 
PROMOTING THE INTERESTS OF THE YOUTH OF VIETNAM, EDUCATING 
THEM ON "POSITIVE, PRO-ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP," MOBILIZING YOUTH 
IN POLITICAL, SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND DEVELOPMENTAL 
ACTIVITIES, AND CONTRIBUTING TO THE "DEFENSE OF THE 
HOMELAND."  LOI NOTED THAT THE VYF -- WHICH, LIKE THE VWU, 
OPERATES AT THE NATIONAL, PROVINCIAL, DISTRICT, AND VILLAGE 
LEVEL -- ENCOURAGES EDUCATION BOTH IN AND OUT OF SCHOOL, AND 
PROVIDES SOME SCHOLARSHIPS FOR ESPECIALLY POOR YOUNG PEOPLE. 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HANOI  02598  02 OF 03  281014Z 
THE VYF ATTEMPTS TO RECOGNIZE "YOUNG TALENT" BY OFFERING 
AWARDS AND ASSISTANCE IN FINDING JOBS, HE EXPLAINED.  AS A 
COMPLEMENT TO REGULAR CLASSROOM EDUCATION, VYF ACTIVITIES 
INCLUDE LITERACY PROGRAMS, LIFE-LONG LEARNING MODELS, AND 
VOCATIONAL SKILLS TRAINING, HE ADDED. 
 
9.  (U)  A GROWING PRIORITY FOR VYF OVER THE PAST DECADE HAS 
BEEN PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR SELF-EMPLOYMENT BY SCHOOL 
LEAVERS, INCLUDING SMALL-SCALE CAPITAL LOANS AND KNOWLEDGE 
TRANSFERS.  (NOTE:  THIS IS A CLEAR RECOGNITION THAT THE 
PRIVATE SECTOR WILL NEED TO CREATE VIRTUALLY ALL OF THE NEW 
JOBS NECESSARY FOR THE GROWING WORKFORCE OVER THE COMING 
DECADE AS WELL.  END NOTE)  THE FOUNDING OF THE COUNCIL OF 
YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS -- NOW WITH 1,650 MEMBERS -- UNDER THE 
VYF IN 2002 WAS A SIGNAL OF THE GROWING IMPORTANCE OF THIS 
SECTOR.  IT NOW OPERATES IN 30 CITIES AND PROVINCES; LOI 
CLAIMED THAT THE "COLLECTIVE VALUE" OF THE PRODUCTS OF THESE 
ENTERPRISES WAS USD 4 BILLION.  VICE CHAIRMAN PHUONG HUU 
VIET OF THE COUNCIL, WHO IS ALSO A NEW DELEGATE TO THE 
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, SEPARATELY TOLD POL/C THAT THESE 
ENTERPRISES RUN THE GAMUT FROM BICYCLE REPAIR BOOTHS TO BEER 
HALLS TO INVESTMENT BROKERAGES (LIKE HIS OWN). 
 
10.  (U)  APART FROM ENCOURAGING THESE ENTREPRENEURS, THE 
VYF ALSO RUNS A YOUTH VOLUNTEER PROGRAM, LOI ADDED.  MORE 
THAN 3 MILLION YOUTHS TOOK PART IN ACTIVITIES UNDER THIS 
PROGRAM DURING THE SCHOOL HOLIDAYS IN 2002, HE CLAIMED, 
INCLUDING EFFORTS AIMED AT POVERTY ALLEVIATION, ILLITERACY 
ERADICATION, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, BLOOD DONATIONS, AND 
HELP FOR NATURAL DISASTER VICTIMS.  HE ALSO NOTED THAT THIS 
PROGRAM ALSO HIRES YOUNGSTERS TO TAKE PART IN RE-BUILDING OF 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        HANOI  02598  02 OF 03  281014Z 
"MONKEY BRIDGES" IN THE MEKONG RIVER DELTA AND IN ENGAGING 
IN NATIONAL ROAD CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, INCLUDING THE NEW 
NATIONAL HO CHI MINH HIGHWAY.  HE STRESSED THAT THE LATTER 
ACTIVITIES WERE INDEED PAID LABOR, NOT VOLUNTARY OR 
INVOLUNTARY SERVICE. 
 
11.  (U)  VYF IS ALSO ENGAGED IN A VARIETY OF HEALTH 
PROJECTS, RANGING FROM COMBATING DRUG ABUSE, EDUCATING ABOUT 
HIV/AIDS, FAMILY PLANNING, AND ENCOURAGING PHYSICAL FITNESS, 
ACCORDING TO LOI.  THE VYF RUNS A NETWORK OF "YOUTH PALACES" 
(MANY OF WHICH SEEM TO HAVE BEEN LEASED OUT TO DISCOS AND 
KARAOKES), AS WELL AS TWO PUBLISHING HOUSES, "THANH NIEN" 
(YOUTH) NEWSPAPER, YOUTH RADIO, YOUTH TV PROGRAMS, AND YOUTH 
INSTITUTES (FOR RESEARCH AND TRAINING) IN HANOI AND HO CHI 
MINH CITY.  THEIR REVENUES HELP SUSTAIN THE VYF, ALTHOUGH 
LOI ADMITTED THAT THE BIGGEST CHUNK OF ITS BUDGET COMES FROM 
THE STATE. 
 
COMMENT:  A CHANGING ROLE IN CHANGING TIMES 
------------------------------------------- 
 
12.  (U)  VIRTUALLY EVERY CITIZEN OF VIETNAM IS ELIGIBLE FOR 
MEMBERSHIP IN ONE OR ANOTHER OF THE MANY MASS ORGANIZATIONS 
UNDER THE VFF.  IN EARLIER TIMES, PARTICIPATION AND 
ATTENDANCE WAS MORE-OR-LESS COMPULSORY, AS THE CPV CHANNELED 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ9035 
 
PAGE 01        HANOI  02598  03 OF 03  281014Z 
ACTION EAP-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AID-00   ACQ-00   CIAE-00  DINT-00  DODE-00 
      DOEE-00  SRPP-00  DS-00    ED-01    FBIE-00  UTED-00  VC-00 
      HHS-01   H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   L-00     VCE-00   AC-01 
      NSAE-00  NSCE-00  OMB-01   OPIC-01  CAEX-01  PA-00    PER-00 
      PM-00    PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00     SP-00    IRM-00   TEST-00 
      TRSE-00  USIE-00  ECA-00   PMB-00   DSCC-00  PRM-00   DRL-02 
      G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00     /009W 
                  ------------------FF1EBF  281014Z /38 
R 280957Z OCT 02 
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 7939 
INFO AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 
AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH 
AMEMBASSY VIENTIANE 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 03 OF 03 HANOI 002598 
 
SIPDIS 
 
ITS MESSAGE AND PRIORITIES THROUGH THE LEADERSHIP OF THESE 
ORGANS AT THE FOUR MAJOR LEVELS DOWN TO THE COUNTRYSIDE.  IN 
TODAY'S FREER SOCIETY, WITH MORE CHOICES ABOUT LEISURE 
ACTIVITIES AND MORE IMPERATIVES TO WORK FOR A LIVING RATHER 
THAN DEPEND ON EMPLOYMENT IN THE STATE SECTOR, FEWER PEOPLE 
ARE LIKELY INTERESTED IN OR ABLE TO SUSTAIN ACTIVE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HANOI  02598  03 OF 03  281014Z 
MEMBERSHIP.  BUT THE ORGANIZATIONS LIVE ON, IN PART AS A 
LEGACY OF THE CPV'S OVERSIGHT OF THE "MASSES," AS WELL AS 
OCCASIONALLY STILL VOICING THE CPV'S PROPAGANDA LINE, SUCH 
AS IN THE NUMEROUS RALLIES AGAINST THE DRAFT VIETNAM HUMAN 
RIGHTS ACT IN THE US CONGRESS IN 2001, OR MORE RECENTLY, 
PROTESTS AGAINST POSSIBLE US MILITARY ACTIONS AGAINST IRAQ. 
(THE VWU'S MINH EXPLAINED THE LATTER AS SOMETHING HAVING 
DIRECT IMPACT ON WOMEN, HENCE THE VWU'S "NEED" TO PROTEST.) 
MORE INTERESTINGLY, HOWEVER, THESE ORGANIZATIONS HAVE 
ADAPTED TO THE CHANGING REALITIES OF POST-"DOI MOI" VIETNAM, 
INCREASINGLY FOCUSING ON HANDS-ON DEVELOPMENTAL EFFORTS AND 
RAISING THEIR OWN FUNDING FROM INTERNATIONAL DONORS AND/OR 
THEIR OWN ENTERPRISES.  THE INSTITUTIONAL RESILIENCE OF 
THESE ORGANS, PLUS THEIR LONG-STANDING NETWORK OF NATIONWIDE 
OFFICES, GUARANTEE A CONTINUED IF CHANGING ROLE BOTH FOR THE 
VWU AND THE VYF IN THE COMING DECADE. 
BURGHARDT 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED