US embassy cable - 02HOCHIMINHCITY1270

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HO CHI MINH CITY 001270 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/BCLTV, DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, PGOV, PREF, SOCI, KIRF, VM, RELFREE, HUMANR, ETMIN 
SUBJECT: CENTRAL HIGHLANDS: FREEDOM OF RELIGION OR FREEDOM FROM IT, IN DAK LAK AND GIA LAI PROVINCES 
 
REF: A) HCMC 00131  B) HCMC 00739  C) HCMC 01227 
 
1. (SBU) SUMMARY.  DURING A RECENT TRIP TO DAK LAK AND GIA 
LAI PROVINCES IN THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS, THE CONSUL GENERAL 
MET WITH THEIR RESPECTIVE COMMITTEES ON RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS 
(CRA).  IN THESE MEETINGS, CRA OFFICIALS DESCRIBED THE 
ACTIVITIES OF THE SOUTHERN EVANGELICAL CHURCH OF VIETNAM 
(SECV) IN FORWARDING APPLICATIONS FOR PROTESTANT CHURCH 
RECOGNITION; DISCUSSED CRA PLANS FOR THE UPCOMING CHRISTMAS 
SEASON; OUTLINED "UNETHICAL" PRACTICES ON THE PART OF SOME 
HOUSE CHURCH LEADERS; AND GAVE UPDATES ON RELIGIOUS 
ACTIVITIES IN THEIR PROVINCES.  THE CG INQUIRED ABOUT 
REPORTS OF HOUSE CHURCH CLOSINGS AND ARRESTS.  THE CRAS 
EITHER CLAIMED NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROBLEMS, OR SAID IF THE 
PROBLEM INVOLVED "UNREGISTERED CONGREGATIONS", IT FELL UNDER 
THE PURVIEW OF "OTHER AGENCIES."  END SUMMARY. 
 
DAK LAK PROVINCE 
---------------- 
2.  (U)  EMBOFF AND CONGENOFFS MET WITH MR. VO VAN TAI, 
CHAIRMAN OF THE DAK LAK COMMITTEE ON RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS (CRA) 
ON NOVEMBER 25.  PROTESTANTS IN DAK LAK BELONG EITHER TO THE 
GVN-RECOGNIZED SECV, OR THE UNREGISTERED CHRISTIAN 
FELLOWSHIP, SEVENTH DAY ADVENTISTS, CHRISTIAN EVANGELICAL, 
OR PENTECOSTAL SECTS.  MR. TAI DESCRIBED PROTESTANTISM IN 
DAK LAK AS HISTORICALLY TAINTED BY A "DEGA" POLITICAL AGENDA 
FOR AN AUTONOMOUS STATE.  HE NOTED THAT THE "ECONOMIC 
ADVERSITY" CAUSED BY THE PROLONGED DROP IN COFFEE PRICES 
CONTRIBUTED TO SOCIAL PROBLEMS.  HE CALLED THE "BREAKDOWN OF 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HO CHI  01270  01 OF 03  110458Z 
THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GVN, CAMBODIA, AND THE UNHCR 
UNFORTUNATE." 
 
3. (U)  DAK LAK CRA CHAIRMAN TAI TOLD EMB/CONGENOFFS THAT AN 
SECV REPRESENTATIVE COMMITTEE (RC) HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED IN 
THE PROVINCE.  ITS CHARTER SPECIFIES THE NUMBER OF 
FOLLOWERS, PASTOR/MISSIONARY CREDENTIALS, ETC. THAT ARE 
NEEDED IN ORDER TO REQUEST REGISTRATION AS AN SECV CHURCH. 
ACCORDING TO MR. TAI, APPLICATIONS FROM TWO CONGREGATIONS 
(ONE ETHNIC MINORITY, ONE VIETNAMESE KINH) ARE UNDER 
CONSIDERATION NOW.  THE SECV RC HAS PASSED ITS 
RECOMMENDATION TO THE CRA, WHICH WILL DO FIELD INSPECTIONS 
OF THE CONGREGATIONS AND THEN PASS ITS RECOMMENDATIONS TO 
THE PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE.  SINCE THESE ARE THE FIRST TWO 
APPLICATIONS THE DAK LAK CRA HAS RECEIVED, TAI SAID HE IS 
NOT CERTAIN HOW LONG THE PROCESS WILL TAKE.  HE APPEARED 
CONFIDENT, HOWEVER, THAT BY THE TIME OF A RETURN CONGENOFF 
VISIT (ANYWHERE FROM 2-6 MONTHS), THERE WOULD BE TWO NEW 
REGISTERED CHURCH CONGREGATIONS IN DAK LAK. 
 
4.  (U) FOR CHRISTMAS 2002, THE DAK LAK CRA PLANS TO MEET 
WITH THE BISHOP, PRIESTS, PASTORS AND SECV BOARD OF 
DIRECTORS (IN HCMC) TO REVIEW THE YEAR'S ACHIEVEMENTS IN 
SOCIO-ECONOMIC POLICIES, ORDAINING NEW PRIESTS, BUILDING NEW 
FACILITIES, ETC.  ACCORDING TO CRA DIRECTOR TAI, HE 
"COMMUNICATES CANDIDLY WITH THE RELIGIOUS DIGNITARIES" AS TO 
WHAT GOOD HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED AND ALSO THE "NOT SO GOOD." 
HE SAID THE DAK LAK PROVINCIAL CRA INSTRUCTS DISTRICT 
AUTHORITIES TO DO THEIR BEST TO MEET RELIGIOUS BELIEVERS' 
EXPECTATIONS FOR HELP IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION, AS A MEANS 
OF CREATING "SOME EMPATHY BETWEEN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        HO CHI  01270  01 OF 03  110458Z 
RELIGIOUS GROUPS."  MR. TAI SAID THAT HE AND HIS COMMITTEE 
VISIT THE REGISTERED (CATHOLIC) CHURCHES WITH GIFTS DURING 
THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS. 
 
5.  (U) DAK LAK CRA CHAIRMAN TAI NOTED THAT SOME PROTESTANT 
HOUSE CHURCH LEADERS HAD ALLEGEDLY ENGAGED IN UNETHICAL 
PRACTICES.  ACCORDING TO MR. TAI, BELIEVERS HAD CALLED THE 
CRA'S ATTENTION TO SOME PASTORS WHO HAD COLLECTED DONATIONS 
AND SPENT THEM ON THEMSELVES WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF THEIR 
CONGREGATIONS.  HE ALSO STATED THAT SOME GVN-PROVIDED RELIEF 
SUPPLIES HAD BEEN DIVERTED BY A FEW PASTORS FOR THEIR 
PERSONAL USE.  HE SAID THERE WERE REPORTS THAT "DEGA" 
PROTESTANTS IN PARTICULAR USED DONATIONS TO PURCHASE MOBILE 
PHONES AND MOTOR VEHICLES. 
 
6.  (U) QUERIED ABOUT EVENTS IN EAKAR DISTRICT, MR. TAI SAID 
HE WAS AWARE OF TWO BUDDHIST PAGODAS THERE, BUT NO 
(RECOGNIZED) CHURCHES.  THERE IS A TEMPORARY SITE FOR 
(RECOGNIZED) CATHOLIC WORSHIP, BUT THERE IS NO SECV- 
RECOGNIZED PASTOR.  WHEN PRESSED, HE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT EAKAR 
AUTHORITIES HAD CRITICIZED SOME PROTESTANT FOLLOWERS "FOR 
BAD PRACTICES", BUT WOULD NOT ELABORATE.  DAK LAK CRA 
CHAIRMAN TAI ACCEPTED AN UNDATED "NON-PAPER" LIST OF CASES 
(REF B) ALLEGEDLY INVOLVING DOZENS OF DETENTIONS, "CHURCH 
CLOSINGS", ETC., BUT DID NOT MAKE A COMMITMENT TO FOLLOW UP 
ON EVERY CASE.  HE DID OFFER TO BRING THE CG TO EAKAR 
DISTRICT ON HER NEXT TRIP TO DAK LAK.  (NOTE: POST WILL 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ4866 
 
PAGE 01        HO CHI  01270  02 OF 03  110458Z 
ACTION EAP-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AID-00   AMAD-00  CIAE-00  SRPP-00  DS-00 
      EB-00    ED-01    OIGO-00  FBIE-00  UTED-00  VC-00    HHS-01 
      H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00    L-00     VCE-00   AC-01 
      NSAE-00  NSCE-00  OIC-02   OMB-01   OPIC-01  PA-00    PER-00 
      PM-00    PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00     SP-00    STR-00   TEST-00 
      TRSE-00  USIE-00  PMB-00   DSCC-00  PRM-00   DRL-02   G-00 
      NFAT-00  SAS-00     /010W 
                  ------------------15DB07  110833Z /38 
P 110440Z DEC 02 
FM AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7212 
INFO AMEMBASSY HANOI PRIORITY 
ASEAN COLLECTIVE 
SECDEF WASHDC 
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 03 HO CHI MINH CITY 001270 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/BCLTV, DRL 
 

 
PAGE 02        HO CHI  01270  02 OF 03  110458Z 
FROM IT, IN DAK LAK AND GIA LAI PROVINCES 
 
FOLLOW UP ON THE LIST AND TAKE HIM UP ON THE OFFER.) 
 
7.  (U)  MR. TAI ACKNOWLEDGED THAT "DUE TO LACK OF EDUCATION 
AT THE DISTRICT, COMMUNE, AND VILLAGE LEVELS, SOMETIMES 
MISTAKES ARE MADE.  WE DO INSPECTIONS AND TRY TO CORRECT 
MATTERS WHEN WRONGDOINGS ARE CALLED TO OUR ATTENTION." 
(NOTE: NATIONAL-LEVEL COMMITTEE ON RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS 
OFFICIALS HAVE INDICATED THAT THE CURRENT DECREE ON RELIGION 
ONLY ALLOWS THEM TO SUGGEST CORRECTIONS, NOT REQUIRE THEM. 
THE GVN IS WORKING TO REVISE THE DECREE.  END NOTE.) 
ACCORDING TO MR. TAI, WHILE THE PROVINCE'S 412 "SUB- 
ASSOCIATIONS (UNREGISTERED HOUSE CHURCHES) ARE NOT 
APPROPRIATE, IN REALITY THEY ARE ACCEPTED." 
 
8.  (U) WHEN ASKED TO IDENTIFY DAK LAK'S BIGGEST CHALLENGE 
FOR 2003 AND IN THE LONG-TERM, CRA CHAIRMAN TAI CITED 
IMPROVING ETHNIC MINORITY LIVING CONDITIONS -- TO EQUAL, OR 
COME CLOSER TO THAT OF THE VIETNAMESE KINH IN THE PROVINCE. 
TO MEET THIS CHALLENGE, HE IS CONVINCED THAT FOREIGN JOINT 
VENTURES AND INVESTMENT ARE NEEDED. 
 
GIA LAI PROVINCE 
---------------- 
9.  (U) MOVING TO GIA LAI, CG MET WITH THE DEPUTY CHAIRMAN 
OF THE COMMITTEE ON RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS (CRA), MR. MAI KIM 
DONG, ON NOVEMBER 26.  HE RELATED THAT AN SECV 
REPRESENTATIVE COMMITTEE (RC) HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED THERE, 
CONSISTING OF TWO ETHNIC MINORITY PASTORS AND ONE VIETNAMESE 
KINH PASTOR.  THE GIA LAI SECV RC'S CHARTER STRESSES 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HO CHI  01270  02 OF 03  110458Z 
"SERVING CHRIST, THE PEOPLE, AND THE NATION."  GIA LAI 
PROVINCE HAS THREE REGISTERED SECV "ASSOCIATIONS" 
(CHURCHES), WITH TWO MORE APPLICATIONS PENDING.  IN ORDER TO 
APPLY FOR RECOGNITION, A CONGREGATION MUST HAVE 100 OR MORE 
MEMBERS, BUT MR. DONG SAID HE BELIEVED THE SECV RC CHARTER 
LEFT OPEN THE POSSIBILITY FOR "SUB-ASSOCIATIONS" TO COMBINE 
AND APPLY.  HE ESTIMATED THAT THERE WERE 312 SUB- 
ASSOCIATIONS IN THE PROVINCES, AND SAID THEY WERE ALL 
"OPERATING NORMALLY."  ACCORDING TO HIM, THERE ARE ABOUT 
94,000 PROTESTANTS IN GIA LAI. 
 
10.  (U) DEPUTY CHAIRMAN DONG POINTED OUT THAT WHILE "DEGA" 
BELIEVERS WORSHIP JESUS, THEY HAVE BROKEN WITH THE SECV RC 
AND ARE NO LONGER RECOGNIZED BY THE SECV.  ACCORDING TO HIM, 
THE SECV BELIEVES HAVING "DEGA" MEMBERS WILL NEGATIVELY 
AFFECT THEIR OPERATIONS. 
 
11.  (U) REGARDING OTHER RECOGNIZED RELIGIOUS FOLLOWERS IN 
GIA LAI, MR. DONG COUNTED NEARLY 76,000 CATHOLICS WHO 
WORSHIP IN 40 CHURCHES.  HE TOLD EMB/CONGENOFFS THERE WERE 
TWO PRIESTS STUDYING IN THE U.S. RIGHT NOW. (NOTE: WHILE 
PRIESTS/MONKS/NUNS FROM REGISTERED RELIGIONS ARE ALLOWED TO 
TRAVEL OVERSEAS, POST KNOWS FOR A FACT THAT AT LEAST IN 
HCMC, MANY "UNREGISTERED" HOUSE CHURCH PASTORS REGULARLY 
TRAVEL ABROAD. END NOTE.)  BUDDHISTS IN GIA LAI NUMBER 
NEARLY 66,000.  SIXTEEN NEW PAGODAS WERE OPENED IN 2002, FOR 
TOTAL OF 70.  ACCORDING TO MR. DONG, THERE ARE 10 MONKS 
STUDYING IN THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA RIGHT NOW, AND 300 OTHER 
MONKS AND NUNS WHO ARE IN VARIOUS STAGES OF TRAINING IN GIA 
LAI PROVINCE.  HE CHARACTERIZED THE BUDDHISTS AS "POOR 
COMPARED TO THE CATHOLICS," SO THE PROVINCE WOULD PROVIDE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        HO CHI  01270  02 OF 03  110458Z 
TRANSPORTATION FOR THEIR DELEGATES TO THE BUDDHIST CONGRESS 
IN HANOI THIS MONTH.  ALTHOUGH ONE OF OUR ESCORTS WAS 
NUDGING MR. DONG TO WRAP IT UP, DONG PROCEEDED TO SAY THERE 
WERE ABOUT 1000 SEVENTH DAY ADVENTISTS AND CHRISTIAN 
EVANGELICAL BELIEVERS IN GIA LAI - SEPARATE FROM THE SECV - 
AS WELL AS ABOUT 3000 CAO DAI BELIEVERS. 
 
12.  (U) WHEN ASKED TO IDENTIFY GIA LAI'S BIGGEST CHALLENGE 
FOR 2003 AND THE LONG-TERM, CRA DEPUTY CHAIRMAN DONG 
SIDESTEPPED THE QUESTION BY SAYING HIS COMMITTEE "ONLY 
APPROVES PROPOSALS FROM THE SECV RC."  ACCORDING TO HIM, THE 
CRA ONLY DEALS WITH "REGISTERED CHURCH PROBLEMS.  OTHER 
AGENCIES DEAL WITH UNREGISTERED CONGREGATIONS." 
 
13.  (U) BOTH DAK LAK CRA CHAIRMAN TAI AND GIA LAI CRA 
DEPUTY CHAIRMAN DONG APPEARED PROUD OF THE NATIONAL CRA 
PUBLISHING HOUSE, ESTABLISHED IN 1999.  MR. TAI PRODUCED A 
BROCHURE DETAILING THE DOZENS OF MATERIALS IN STOCK. 
ACCORDING TO MR. DONG, THE SECV "HAS APPLIED" TO HAVE THE 
NATIONAL CRA PUBLISHING HOUSE PRINT THE OLD AND NEW 
TESTAMENTS IN THE JARAI AND BAHNAR ETHNIC MINORITY 
LANGUAGES.  PROTESTANT MATERIALS AND WRITINGS BY CATHOLIC 
BISHOPS WHO PREACH IN ETHNIC MINORITY LANGUAGES ARE ALSO 
SOUGHT AFTER, BUT NONE HAS BEEN PUBLISHED YET.  VIETNAMESE- 
LANGUAGE VERSIONS OF THE BIBLE ARE ALREADY AVAILABLE. 
 
COMMENT 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ4865 
 
PAGE 01        HO CHI  01270  03 OF 03  110458Z 
ACTION EAP-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AID-00   AMAD-00  CIAE-00  SRPP-00  DS-00 
      EB-00    ED-01    FBIE-00  UTED-00  VC-00    HHS-01   H-01 
      TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00    L-00     VCE-00   AC-01    NSAE-00 
      NSCE-00  OIC-02   OMB-01   OPIC-01  PA-00    PM-00    PRS-00 
      ACE-00   P-00     SP-00    IRM-00   STR-00   TEST-00  TRSE-00 
      USIE-00  PMB-00   DSCC-00  PRM-00   DRL-02   G-00     NFAT-00 
      SAS-00     /010W 
                  ------------------15DB0B  110833Z /38 
P 110440Z DEC 02 
FM AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7213 
INFO AMEMBASSY HANOI PRIORITY 
ASEAN COLLECTIVE 
SECDEF WASHDC 
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 03 OF 03 HO CHI MINH CITY 001270 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/BCLTV, DRL 

 
PAGE 02        HO CHI  01270  03 OF 03  110458Z 
FROM IT, IN DAK LAK AND GIA LAI PROVINCES 
 
------- 
14.  (SBU) BOTH MR. TAI AND MR. DONG CITED ECONOMIC 
PROBLEMS, LARGELY DUE TO THE DROP IN INTERNATIONAL COFFEE 
PRICES, AS THE CAUSE FOR ETHNIC MINORITY VILLAGERS' POOR 
LIVING CONDITIONS.  ENSUING PROTESTS AND FLIGHTS TO CAMBODIA 
WERE INCITED BY "HOSTILE FORCES" IN THE U.S. (REF A). 
HOWEVER, COMPARED TO PREVIOUS VISITS, THE TONE WAS NOT AS 
STRIDENT OR HOSTILE.  ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ABOUT CHURCH 
CLOSINGS AND DETENTIONS WERE CAREFULLY WORDED TO INDICATE 
THAT THE COMMITTEES ON RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS WERE ONLY 
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE "RECOGNIZED" SECV. 
 
15.  (SBU) GVN RECOGNITION OF THE SECV IN APRIL 2001 
PERMITS THE REGISTRATION OF SECV CHURCHES.  THERE HAS BEEN 
NO RUSH OF CENTRAL HIGHLANDS CONGREGATIONS TO REGISTER.  NO 
DOUBT THERE ARE MANY REASONS FOR THIS, AS DAK LAK AND GIA 
LAI PROVINCES PROCESS THEIR FIRST REGISTRANTS.  PROVINCIAL 
AUTHORITIES AND THE PROTESTANT HOUSE CHURCHES ARE WARY OF 
EACH OTHER - HOW MUCH CONTROL/OVERSIGHT WILL BE EXERCISED; 
CAN THEY TRAIN ADEQUATE NUMBERS OF PASTORS; WILL THEY BE 
ALLOWED TO FOLLOW THEIR RELIGIOUS CONSCIENCES (DAK LAK'S MR. 
TAI WAS ADAMANT THAT WHILE PRAYER IS FINE, HUNGER STRIKES 
ARE NOT).  EVEN IF THE PROVINCIAL SECV RCS HAVE DIVORCED 
THEMSELVES FROM "DEGA" ELEMENTS (ESPECIALLY IN GIA LAI), 
THIS DOES NOT ERASE YEARS OF ENMITY.  THE 100-MEMBER MINIMUM 
IS HARD TO ACHIEVE IN THE SPARSELY POPULATED PARTS OF THIS 
REGION, THOUGH IT APPEARS INDIVIDUAL CONGREGATIONS CAN 
COMBINE FOR LARGER NUMBERS FOR REGISTRATION PURPOSES. 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HO CHI  01270  03 OF 03  110458Z 
16.  (SBU) POST DOES NOT ANTICIPATE THAT MANY CONGREGATIONS 
WILL APPLY FOR RECOGNITION IN THE NEAR FUTURE, AS THEY WILL 
WANT TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS TO THE FIRST REGISTRANTS. 
THIS WILL SET UP A PROTRACTED PERIOD OF CONTENTION AND/OR 
CONFRONTATION IN THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS, AS THE BOUNDARY 
BETWEEN THE LEGAL RIGHT OF VIETNAMESE CITIZENS TO WORSHIP IN 
THEIR HOMES AND THE GVN REQUIREMENT THAT ALL CHURCHES BE 
REGISTERED IS TESTED.  YAMAUCHI 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED