US embassy cable - 02HANOI2628

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 HANOI 002628 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV AND DRL/IRF 
 
E.O. 12958:  DECL 10/31/2012 
TAGS: PHUM, KIRF, VM, HUMANR, ETMIN, RELFREE 
SUBJECT: PRESSURE ON HIGHLAND PROTESTANTS 
 
 
1.  (U)  CLASSIFIED BY POL/C SCOTT BELLARD; REASON 
1.5(D) 
 
2. (C)  SUMMARY:  PROTESTANT CONTACTS REPORT 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASED DIFFICULTIES IN THE CENTRAL 
HIGHLANDS PROVINCE OF DAK LAK, WITH CONDITIONS FOR 
PROTESTANTS DESCRIBED AS THE MOST RESTRICTIVE SINCE 
THE LATE 1970'S.  HMONG PROTESTANTS IN THE 
NORTHWESTERN PROVINCE OF LAI CHAU REPORT 
"CONSIDERABLE" PRESSURE TO RENOUNCE THEIR FAITH, WHILE 
IN THE NEIGHBORING PROVINCE OF LAO CAI,  DISTRICT 
AUTHORITIES ALLOW PROTESTANTS TO PRACTICE THEIR 
RELIGION PRIVATELY.  THESE DEVELOPMENTS HIGHLIGHT THE 
BROAD VARIATIONS IN TREATMENT PROTESTANTS RECEIVE FROM 
AUTHORITIES IN DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS.  THE NORTHERN 
EVANGELICAL CHURCH OF VIETNAM (ECVN) IS ATTEMPTING 
FORMALLY TO ACCEPT SEVERAL HUNDRED MOSTLY HMONG 
CONGREGATIONS INTO ITS RANKS, ALTHOUGH THE GVN MAY NOT 
PERMIT THIS.  END SUMMARY. 
 
3. (C)  IN THREE SEPARATE MEETINGS FROM OCTOBER 12 TO 
OCTOBER 18, PROTESTANT HOUSE CHURCH LEADER PASTOR 
"STEPHEN" AND A THIRD COUNTRY NATIONAL (TCN) WHO HAS 
REQUESTED THAT HIS NAME NOT BE USED INFORMED POLOFF OF 
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS AFFECTING VIETNAM'S CHRISTIANS, 
ESPECIALLY PROTESTANTS IN THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS AND 
NORTHWEST HIGHLANDS.  BOTH SOURCES HAVE PROVIDED 
RELIABLE INFORMATION TO THE MISSION IN THE PAST. 
PASTOR STEPHEN NOTED THAT HIS INFORMATION WAS MOSTLY 
SECOND-HAND, PASSED TO HIM FROM PROTESTANT PASTORS AND 
LEADERS IN THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS AND NORTHWEST WHO 
LOOK TO HIM FOR LEADERSHIP AND ASSISTANCE.  THE TCN 
IDENTIFIED HIS SOURCES AS AN EDE PASTOR, Y KEH 
(PHONETIC), WHOM HE SAYS HE HAS KNOWN FOR OVER THIRTY 
YEARS, AS WELL AS VARIOUS PROTESTANTS IN HANOI WHOM HE 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HANOI  02628  01 OF 03  310933Z 
CALLED "LONG-STANDING ASSOCIATES." 
 
CENTRAL HIGHLANDS 
----------------- 
 
4.  (C)  PASTOR STEPHEN DESCRIBED A THREE-DAY 
CONFERENCE DURING JULY IN DAK LAK IN WHICH GVN 
AUTHORITIES REACHED A DECISION TO "PURIFY 
PROTESTANTISM IN VIETNAM."  HE CLAIMED THAT THIS MEANT 
"DESTROYING," OR AT LEAST "LIMITING" PROTESTANTISM. 
HE REPORTED THAT PROVINCIAL AND DISTRICT-LEVEL 
PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE LEADERS FROM KON TUM, GIA LAI, LAM 
DONG, AND DAK LAK PROVINCES ATTENDED THE MEETING, BUT 
SAID THAT HE DID NOT KNOW IF NATIONAL-LEVEL OFFICIALS 
PARTICIPATED.  THE INFORMATION, HE INDICATED, CAME 
FROM SECRETLY CHRISTIAN OFFICIALS WHO HAD ATTENDED THE 
MEETINGS.  SEPARATELY, THE TCN CLAIMED THAT LOCAL 
SECURITY OFFICIALS WERE TELLING SOME PROTESTANT 
BELIEVERS IN THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS THAT INSTRUCTIONS 
TO ACT AGAINST THEM CAME FROM THE NATIONAL LEVEL. 
 
DAK LAK 
------- 
 
5.  (C)  BOTH PASTOR STEPHEN AND THE TCN SAID THAT THE 
SITUATION IN DAK LAK HAD BECOME "DRAMATICALLY WORSE" 
SINCE AUGUST.  THE TCN OPINED THAT THIS WAS SOMEWHAT 
SURPRISING BECAUSE GIA LAI HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN 
GENERALLY TOUGHER AGAINST PROTESTANTS.  ACCORDING TO 
HIS SOURCE Y KEH, DAK LAK AUTHORITIES PROHIBIT ALL 
MEETINGS, CLOSELY CONTROL MOVEMENT BY BOTH ETHNIC 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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MINORITIES AND MAJORITY KINH, AND GENERALLY MAINTAIN 
TIGHTER CONTROL, MORE SO THAN AT ANY TIME SINCE THE 
LATE 1970'S.  THE TCN REVIEWED THREE DIFFERENT 
INCIDENTS IN WHICH PEOPLE HAVE REPORTEDLY 
"DISAPPEARED" IN DAK LAK. 
 
6.  (C) IN THE FIRST "DISAPPEARANCE," REPORTED 
ORIGINALLY BY THE WIFE OF A HOUSE CHURCH PASTOR, A 
DISTRICT PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE IN DAK LAK INVITED THE 
PASTOR TO DINNER IN EARLY AUGUST -- AN "ODD" EVENT, 
ACCORDING TO THE TCN.  THE PASTOR NEVER RETURNED FROM 
THE DINNER, ALTHOUGH THE PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE CLAIMED 
THAT HE HAD LEFT IN GOOD CONDITION AND EVEN SHOWED HIS 
WIFE AN UNSPECIFIED DOCUMENT THAT THE PASTOR HAD 
PURPORTEDLY SIGNED DURING THE DINNER. 
 
7.  (C)  IN THE SECOND INCIDENT, DISTRICT-LEVEL POLICE 
IN DAK LAK DETAINED ABOUT 240 PERSONS AT A SUNDAY 
GATHERING ON EITHER AUGUST 18 OR AUGUST 25.  IT IS 
UNCLEAR WHETHER THIS WAS A WORSHIP SERVICE, BUT ALL 
THOSE GATHERED WERE REPORTEDLY ETHNIC MINORITY 
PROTESTANTS.  AUTHORITIES RELEASED "MOST" WITHIN A FEW 
HOURS TO A FEW DAYS, BUT, AS OF MID-OCTOBER, 47 HAD 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ2415 
 
PAGE 01        HANOI  02628  02 OF 03  310933Z 
ACTION EAP-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   AID-00   AMAD-00  CIAE-00  DODE-00  SRPP-00  EB-00 
      H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00    LAB-01   L-00     NSAE-00 
      NSCE-00  OIC-02   OPIC-01  PRS-00   P-00     SP-00    IRM-00 
      SS-00    STR-00   TRSE-00  USIE-00  PRM-00   DRL-02   G-00 
      NFAT-00  SAS-00     /007W 
                  ------------------0136D7  310933Z /38 
P 310923Z OCT 02 
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7971 
INFO USMISSION GENEVA 
AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 
AMEMBASSY VIENTIANE 
AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH 
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 03 HANOI 002628 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV AND DRL/IRF 
 
 
NOT RETURNED HOME.  POLICE HAVE NOT ACKNOWLEDGED 
HOLDING THEM.  THEIR ASSOCIATES FEARED THAT THEY HAD 
"DISAPPEARED." 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HANOI  02628  02 OF 03  310933Z 
8.  (C)  ON AUGUST 28, IN M'DRAK DISTRICT IN 
NORTHEASTERN DAK LAK, SECURITY FORCES REPORTEDLY 
ATTEMPTED TO DETAIN A HOUSE CHURCH PASTOR AND HIS TWO 
ADULT SONS.  A GROUP OF LOCAL PEOPLE GATHERED AND 
PREVENTED THE AUTHORITIES FROM CARRYING OUT THEIR 
PLANS.  THE AUTHORITIES LEFT, BUT LATER RETURNED WITH 
REINFORCEMENTS.  A TOTAL OF ABOUT 120 LOCAL RESIDENTS 
GATHERED TO PROTECT THE PASTOR AND HIS SONS.  IN THE 
ENSUING "DONNYBROOK," AS THE TCN DESCRIBED IT, ONE 
VILLAGER WAS SHOT IN THE FOOT OR THE LEG (APPARENTLY 
THE WOUND WAS NOT SERIOUS) AND AUTHORITIES DETAINED 
ALL 120 VILLAGERS.  AGAIN, AUTHORITIES QUICKLY 
RELEASED MOST, BUT AS OF MID-OCTOBER, BETWEEN 20 AND 
30 HAD NOT RETURNED HOME.  AUTHORITIES HAVE NOT 
ACKNOWLEDGED DETAINING THEM.  THE PASTOR AND HIS SONS 
ALSO REPORTEDLY HAVE NOT BEEN SEEN SINCE AUGUST 28. 
 
THE HMONG 
--------- 
 
9.  (C)  ALSO IN AUGUST, ACCORDING TO THE TCN, HMONG 
"SPONTANEOUS MIGRANTS" WHO HAD MOVED TO THE CENTRAL 
HIGHLANDS FROM THEIR HOMES IN THE NORTHWEST HIGHLANDS 
BEGINNING IN THE MID- TO LATE-1990'S, RECEIVED VISITS 
FROM OFFICIALS OF THEIR HOME PROVINCES.  THESE 
OFFICIALS, WITH COOPERATION FROM CENTRAL HIGHLANDS 
AUTHORITIES, WERE REPORTEDLY TRYING TO INDUCE THE 
HMONG TO MOVE BACK TO THE NORTHWEST.  THE TCN SAID 
THAT IT WAS NOT CLEAR WHAT MEANS THEY WERE USING TO 
CONVINCE THE HMONG TO DO THIS.  SO FAR, NONE OF THE 
HMONG ARE THOUGHT TO HAVE ACCEPTED THE INVITATION TO 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HANOI  02628  02 OF 03  310933Z 
RETURN TO THE NORTHWEST HIGHLANDS.  (NOTE:  AT LEAST 
SOME REPORTS SUGGEST THAT THE PRIMARY REASON THE HMONG 
MOVED TO THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS WAS TO HAVE MORE 
FREEDOM TO PRACTICE PROTESTANTISM.  END NOTE.) 
 
A BRIGHTER PICTURE IN LAU CAI 
----------------------------- 
 
10.  (C)  ACCORDING TO PASTOR STEPHEN, DURING THE 
SUMMER, POLICE IN BAO YEN DISTRICT OF LAU CAI INFORMED 
LOCAL HMONG PROTESTANTS THAT, WHILE THEY COULD NOT 
GATHER TO WORSHIP, THEY COULD PRACTICE THEIR FAITH IN 
THEIR HOMES.  POLICE ARE REPORTEDLY HONORING THIS 
ARRANGEMENT, BASED ON THE GVN'S CURRENT DECREE ON 
RELIGION. 
 
FOUR FAMILIES FROM DIEN BIEN DONG 
--------------------------------- 
 
11.  (C)  ACCORDING TO PASTOR STEPHEN, ON APRIL 12, 
2001, OFFICIALS OF DIEN BIEN DONG DISTRICT OF LAI CHAU 
CAME TO PHINH GIANG VILLAGE AND URGED THE FIVE 
PROTESTANT FAMILIES AMONG THE 40 FAMILIES IN THE 
VILLAGE TO RENOUNCE THEIR FAITH "BECAUSE THE VILLAGE 
IS NOT PROTESTANT."  ONE FAMILY COMPLIED, BUT THE 
OTHER FOUR REFUSED.  THE AUTHORITIES THEN TOLD THE 
FOUR FAMILIES THAT THEY HAD TO LEAVE THE VILLAGE. 
POLICE AND MILITIA REPORTEDLY THREW ALL OF THEIR 
BELONGINGS OUT OF THEIR HOUSES AND BEAT ONE OF THE 
FAMILY HEADS, MUA BUA SINH, UNTIL BLOOD CAME FROM HIS 
MOUTH AND NOSE. SINH'S WIFE REPORTEDLY FINALLY 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        HANOI  02628  02 OF 03  310933Z 
PERSUADED HIM TO LEAVE AND THE FOUR FAMILIES GATHERED 
THEIR BELONGINGS AND DEPARTED FOR A VILLAGE IN DIEN 
BIEN PHU DISTRICT, AN HOUR'S WALK AWAY.  PASTOR 
STEPHEN CLAIMED TO HAVE HEARD THIS ACCOUNT FROM MUA 
BUA SINH'S BROTHER AND ALSO GAVE POLOFF COPIES OF 
SEVERAL LETTERS OF COMPLAINT THE FAMILIES WROTE TO 
VARIOUS GVN OFFICIALS. 
 
12.  (C)  DIEN BIEN PHU DISTRICT OFFICIALS REPORTEDLY 
DID NOT ALLOW THE FAMILIES TO REGISTER THEIR 
RESIDENCES IN THAT DISTRICT AND HAVE SOMETIMES 
HARASSED THEM AS WELL.  PASTOR STEPHEN SAID THAT MUA 
BUA SINH EVENTUALLY DIED ON JULY 8, 2002 AS A RESULT 
OF THE APRIL 12, 2001 BEATING, ALTHOUGH HE WAS UNABLE 
TO EXPLAIN WHY THE BEATING WAS DIRECTLY RELATED TO 
SINH'S DEATH.  PASTOR STEPHEN GAVE POLOFF A PHOTO OF 
SINH'S CORPSE.  SINH'S WIDOW AND SIX CHILDREN MOVED TO 
SON LA PROVINCE LATER IN JULY, FOLLOWED IN AUGUST BY 
TWO OF THE OTHER FAMILIES.  THE THREE FAMILIES HAVE 
NOT BEEN ABLE TO REGISTER THEIR RESIDENCE IN SON LA 
PROVINCE EITHER, BUT OFFICIALS THERE REPORTEDLY LEAVE 
THEM ALONE.  MUA BUA SINH'S BROTHER'S FAMILY IS 
REPORTEDLY STILL IN DIEN BIEN PHU DISTRICT. 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ2418 
 
PAGE 01        HANOI  02628  03 OF 03  310934Z 
ACTION EAP-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   AID-00   AMAD-00  CIAE-00  DODE-00  SRPP-00  EB-00 
      H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00    LAB-01   L-00     NSAE-00 
      NSCE-00  OIC-02   OPIC-01  PRS-00   P-00     SP-00    IRM-00 
      SS-00    STR-00   TRSE-00  USIE-00  PRM-00   DRL-02   G-00 
      NFAT-00  SAS-00     /007W 
                  ------------------0136E1  310934Z /38 
P 310923Z OCT 02 
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7972 
INFO USMISSION GENEVA 
AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 
AMEMBASSY VIENTIANE 
AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH 
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 03 OF 03 HANOI 002628 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV AND DRL/IRF 
 
TUAN GIAO DISTRICT IN LAI CHAU 
------------------------------ 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HANOI  02628  03 OF 03  310934Z 
13.  (C)  PASTOR STEPHEN REPORTED THAT IN EARLY 
OCTOBER THE LEADERS OF FIVE PROTESTANT HOUSE CHURCHES 
IN TUAN GIAO DISTRICT OF LAI CHAU HAD MET HIM IN HANOI 
AND DESCRIBED EVENTS IN THEIR DISTRICT.  THERE HAD 
BEEN 21 PROTESTANT HOUSE CHURCHES IN THE DISTRICT, BUT 
BEGINNING EARLY IN 2002, AUTHORITIES BEGAN PRESSURING 
THEM TO ABANDON THEIR FAITH.  SECURITY FORCES, 
INCLUDING "REGULAR POLICE" AND "BORDER POLICE," 
ACCORDING TO PASTOR STEPHEN, HAVE BEEN APPEARING EVERY 
WEEK AT HOUSE CHURCH SERVICES TO TELL WORSHIPPERS THAT 
"THOSE WHO DO NOT DENY CHRIST ARE ANTI-COMMUNIST," 
THAT "PROTESTANTISM IS AN AMERICAN RELIGION," AND THAT 
"IF YOU INTEND TO KEEP YOUR FAITH YOU SHOULD LEAVE AND 
GO TO AMERICA."  THE APPARENT LEADER OF THIS CAMPAIGN 
WAS THE VICE-CHIEF OF THE PROVINCIAL POLICE.  PASTOR 
STEPHEN SAID THAT 16 OF THE HOUSE CHURCH CONGREGATIONS 
ARE NOW DEFUNCT, BUT THAT THE OTHER FIVE ARE STILL 
OPERATING. 
 
THE ECVN REACHES OUT TO HMONG HOUSE CHURCHES 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
14.  (C)  THE TCN TOLD POLOFF THAT THE OFFICIALLY 
RECOGNIZED ECVN'S GOVERNING BOARD HAD DECIDED IN MID- 
SEPTEMBER TO TAKE MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONS FROM HMONG 
HOUSE CHURCHES.  (NOTE:  THE ECVN ELECTED THE CURRENT 
BOARD IN 1988; ONLY THREE OF THE FIVE MEMBERS ELECTED 
THEN ARE STILL ALIVE, BUT THE ECVN HAS NOT BEEN 
PERMITTED TO HOLD NEW ELECTIONS OR HOLD A CONGRESS. 
END NOTE.)  THE ECVN RECEIVED OVER 300 APPLICATIONS 
AND, BY OCTOBER 16, THE BOARD HAD APPROVED 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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APPLICATIONS FROM 204 HMONG CONGREGATIONS IN LAI CHAU, 
22 IN LAO CAI, AND ONE NON-HMONG CONGREGATION IN THAI 
NGUYEN.  THE BOARD STILL HAD ABOUT 100 APPLICATIONS TO 
CONSIDER.  THE TCN SAID THAT HE DID NOT KNOW IF ANY 
WERE REFUSED.  ON OCTOBER 20, THE TCN PROVIDED CONGEN 
HCMC POLOFF A LIST OF THE 227 APPROVED CONGREGATIONS, 
ALONG WITH A SAMPLE APPLICATION LETTER FROM ONE HMONG 
CONGREGATION DATED JULY 17, 2002 AND AN ECVN APPROVAL 
FORM FOR ANOTHER CONGREGATION DATED OCTOBER 9, 2002. 
THE 227 CONGREGATIONS LISTED RANGED IN SIZE FROM 470 
TO 25 MEMBERS.  THE ECVN CURRENTLY CLAIMS ABOUT 8,000 
MEMBERS IN ONLY 14 CONGREGATIONS.  THE ECVN HAS NOT 
INFORMED THE GVN ABOUT THIS ACTION YET, THE TCN 
STATED.  COMMENTING ON THIS UNUSUALLY BOLD MOVE, THE 
TCN SAID THAT THE ECVN BOARD PROBABLY FELT THAT IT 
"HAD NOTHING TO LOSE." 
 
15.  (C)  COMMENT:  THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THERE 
REMAIN WIDE DISPARITIES BETWEEN HOW AUTHORITIES IN 
DIFFERENT PROVINCES, EVEN IN DIFFERENT DISTRICTS, 
TREAT PROTESTANTS IN THEIR JURISDICTIONS.  THE ECVN'S 
MOVE TO INTEGRATE HMONG PROTESTANT HOUSE CHURCHES 
REFLECTS THE INDEPENDENCE THE CHURCH HAS ASSERTED IN 
REFUSING TO ACCEPT THE GVN'S CONDITIONS FOR HOLDING AN 
ANNUAL MEETING SINCE 1988.  ECVN TIES TO THE HMONG 
DATE BACK AT LEAST TO THE EARLY 1990'S.   THE ECVN'S 
INFORMAL LEADER, PASTOR AU QUANG VINH OF HANOI, HAS 
EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTIES WITH THE AUTHORITIES SINCE 
1994, WHEN HE HELPED PUBLISH AN UNAUTHORIZED HMONG 
LANGUAGE BIBLE.  THE GVN HAS CLAIMED THAT THE HMONG DO 
NOT REALLY UNDERSTAND PROTESTANTISM AND ARE OFTEN 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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DECEIVED BY CHARLATANS SEEKING THEIR OWN BENEFIT.  THE 
ECVN ACTIONS FORMALLY TO WELCOME HMONG HOUSE CHURCHES 
MAY BRING THIS ISSUE TO A NEW BOIL. 
BURGHARDT 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL