US embassy cable - 05HOCHIMINHCITY1202

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DISSIDENT HOANG MINH CHINH RETURNS TO VIETNAM

Identifier: 05HOCHIMINHCITY1202
Wikileaks: View 05HOCHIMINHCITY1202 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Consulate Ho Chi Minh City
Created: 2005-11-14 10:53:00
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Tags: PHUM SOCI PREL PGOV VM HUMANR
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS HO CHI MINH CITY 001202 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, SOCI, PREL, PGOV, VM, HUMANR 
SUBJECT: DISSIDENT HOANG MINH CHINH RETURNS TO VIETNAM 
 
REF:  HCMC  1155 
 
1. (SBU) Early on November 13 democracy activist Tran Khue called 
us to report that fellow dissident Hoang Minh Chinh and his wife 
had just returned from the United States.  Khue said airport 
police were trying to confiscate Chinh's passport and other 
personal documents, but Chinh refused, arguing that such a request 
was illegal.  Khue, democracy activist Do Nam Hai (aka Phuong 
Nam), and Chinh's son-in-law were at the airport to welcome the 
Chinhs. 
 
2. (SBU) Later on Sunday, Hai called us to report that after 3 
hours of discussion with the airport police, Chinh and his wife 
were released without surrendering their documents.  They will 
stay in HCMC for some time with their daughter's family. 
According to Hai, Chinh appeared much healthier after medical 
treatment in the U.S. and was "full of energy for fighting." 
Chinh is supposed to go back to the U.S. for a check-up in six 
months. 
 
3. (SBU) Comment:  Post will monitor the status of Chinh through 
contacts in the HCMC dissident community, but has no immediate 
plans to call on Chinh -- unless the authorities step-up their 
harassment.  A visit by USG officials shortly after his return to 
Vietnam might be construed as a provocation by hardliners -- who, 
per reftel, already are clamoring for Chinh's scalp -- and weaken 
the hand of moderates who argue that the best way for Vietnam to 
deal with Chinh is to ignore him. 
 
WINNICK 

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