US embassy cable - 02HANOI2975

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 HANOI 002975 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, SOCI, PINS, PGOV, VM, ETMIN 
SUBJECT:  WINNING THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF THE ETHNICS 
 
REF:  HANOI 2885 
 
1.  (SBU)  SUMMARY.  VIETNAM'S MULTI-ETHNIC SOCIETY REMAINS 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HANOI  02975  01 OF 04  160035Z 
HEAVILY DOMINATED BY THE MAJORITY ETHNIC KINH.  ETHNIC 
MINORITIES ARE OFTEN LOCATED IN ECONOMICALLY MARGINAL PARTS 
OF VIETNAM, ESPECIALLY THE MOUNTAINOUS AREAS IN THE NORTH, 
NORTHWEST, AND CENTRAL HIGHLANDS.  THE GVN HAS UNDERTAKEN A 
VARIETY OF PROGRAMS TO BRING GREATER SOCIO-ECONOMIC BENEFITS 
TO THESE AREAS, TO PROMOTE ETHNIC MINORITY CADRES, AND TO 
ENSURE PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION WITHIN THE NATIONAL 
ASSEMBLY.  THE EFFORTS BY THE GVN AND CPV TO EXTEND THEIR 
REACH AND TO PROVIDE SERVICES DOWN TO THE LOWEST 
ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS WITHIN THESE REMOTE AREAS IS 
IMPRESSIVE, BUT PROBABLY HAS AS MUCH TO DO WITH CREATING AND 
MAINTAINING SOCIAL ORDER AND POLITICAL CONTROL AS WITH 
ENSURING THE GENERAL WELL-BEING OF THESE MINORITY 
POPULATIONS.  ALTHOUGH OFFICIALS WOULD PROBABLY DENY IT TO 
THEIR LAST BREATH, MOST VIETNAMESE PROBABLY SEE ASSIMILATION 
AS A DESIRABLE GOAL, AS WELL AS A NATURAL PRODUCT OF 
MODERNIZATION.  WHILE TRYING ECONOMICALLY TO WIN THE HEARTS 
AND MINDS OF THE MINORITY POPULATIONS, AND POLITICALLY TO CO- 
OPT THEM INTO THE SYSTEM, THE NET RESULT WILL LIKELY BE MORE 
AND MORE ETHNIC MINORITIES WHO LOOK AND TALK LIKE EVERYONE 
ELSE, APART FROM SPECIAL FESTIVALS IN WHICH THEY WEAR 
"TRADITIONAL COSTUMES" AND PERFORM QUAINT ETHNIC FOLK DANCES 
AND SONGS.  THERE ARE, HOWEVER, REGIONAL DISPARITIES IN HOW 
FAR ALONG THIS PROCESS HAS ALREADY GONE.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  (U)  OFFICIAL GVN PROPAGANDA BOASTS OF VIETNAM'S ETHNIC 
DIVERSITY, WITH 54 MAJOR GROUPS, OF WHICH THE MAJORITY KINH 
COMPRISE OVER 85 PCT OF THE POPULATION.  THE CONSTITUTION 
(ARTICLE 5) GUARANTEES "EQUALITY, SOLIDARITY, AND MUTUAL 
ASSISTANCE AMONG ALL NATIONALITIES," AND ALSO "FORBIDS ALL 
ACTS OF NATIONAL DISCRIMINATION AND DIVISION."  ONLY FIVE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HANOI  02975  01 OF 04  160035Z 
ETHNIC MINORITY GROUPS HAVE OVER ONE MILLION PEOPLE, 
HOWEVER; FIVE OTHERS HAVE LESS THAN ONE THOUSAND PEOPLE, AND 
ANOTHER 14 GROUPS HAVE FEWER THAN 10,000 PEOPLE, ACCORDING 
TO OFFICIAL STATISTICS.  STATE PROPAGANDA STRESSES THAT "NO 
ETHNIC GROUP POSSESSES ITS OWN TERRITORY," THAT THERE ARE AT 
LEAST SOME ETHNIC MINORITIES LIVING IN ALL 61 PROVINCES AND 
CENTRALLY-CONTROLLED CITIES, AND THAT ONLY NINE PROVINCES 
HAVE MORE THAN 50 PCT OF THEIR POPULATION COMPOSED OF ETHNIC 
MINORITIES.   AS NOTED IN REFTEL (WHICH EXAMINED ETHNIC 
MINORITY EDUCATION), CAO BANG IN NORTHERN VIETNAM (WITH A 
310 KILOMETER BORDER WITH CHINA) HAS THE HIGHEST 
CONCENTRATION OF ETHNIC MINORITIES, MAKING UP 96.07 PCT OF 
THE PROVINCIAL POPULATION. 
 
THE VIEW FROM THE CENTER 
------------------------ 
 
3.  (U)  ACCORDING TO OFFICIALS AT THE ETHNIC MINORITIES 
COMMISSION, IN ADDITION TO EXTENSIVE PROGRAMS FOR EDUCATION 
AND FOR INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT (REFTEL), THE GVN ALSO 
OFFERS SPECIAL ASSISTANCE TO ETHNIC MINORITIES IN THE FORMS, 
INTER ALIA, OF: 
--  PRICE SUPPORTS TO EQUALIZE THE COSTS OF CERTAIN CONSUMER 
COMMODITIES; 
--  IN SOME LOCALITIES, DIRECT PAYMENTS OF UP TO 1 MILLION 
DONG (USD 70) PER FAMILY PER YEAR TO OFFSET HIGHER LIVING 
COSTS; 
--  SOME FREE NEWSPAPER SUBSCRIPTIONS; AND, 
--  SUBSIDIES FOR PHARMACEUTICALS IN SOME CASES, AND FREE 
CARE AT VILLAGE HEALTH CENTERS. 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        HANOI  02975  01 OF 04  160035Z 
4.  (U)  COMMISSION OFFICIALS HAVE CLAIMED IMPORTANT 
ECONOMIC PROGRESS VIS--VIS THE ETHNIC MINORITIES, AT LEAST 
SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE "DOI MOI" ECONOMIC RENOVATION 
PERIOD IN 1986.  "HALF" OF THE MINORITY POPULATIONS HAVE 
BEEN "FREED FROM POVERTY," A MUCH MORE DRAMATIC RATE OF 
IMPROVEMENT THAN IN THE PREVIOUS DECADES OF VIETNAMESE 
SOCIALISM, THEY NOTED.  AGRICULTURE HAS BEEN "MODERNIZED," 
WITH GREATER VARIETIES OF CROPS INTRODUCED.  HIGHER LEVELS 
OF EDUCATION HAVE PRODUCED "MORE INTELLECTUAL" RURAL 
RESIDENTS AMONG THE MINORITIES.  HOWEVER, OFFICIALS ADMITTED 
THAT "DISPARITIES WILL REMAIN" BETWEEN THE ETHNIC MINORITIES 
IN MOUNTAINOUS AREAS AND THE MAJORITY KINH, AND THAT THE 
STRUGGLE TO "RESOLVE THE PROBLEM OF SOCIAL EQUALITY" WILL 
CONTINUE TO POSE A CHALLENGE TO THE GVN.  NOTABLY, EVEN IF 
VIETNAM MEETS THE GVN TARGET OF BECOMING A DEVELOPED COUNTRY 
BY 2020, THE MOUNTAINOUS AREAS "IN REALITY" WILL NOT MAKE IT 
TO THIS LEVEL, OFFICIALS READILY CONFESSED.  ONE OF THE NEW 
CHALLENGES WILL BE TO BALANCE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION IN 
MOUNTAINOUS AREAS WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THEY ADDED. 
 
5.  (U)  OFFICIALS AT THE COMMISSION AND AT THE NATIONAL 
ASSEMBLY HAVE OFTEN CITED THE RELATIVELY HIGH NUMBERS OF 
ETHNIC MINORITIES (COMPARED TO THEIR PERCENTAGES OF THE 
POPULATION) WITHIN THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY.  IN THE MAY 19 
ELECTIONS, ALMOST 20 PCT OF THE CANDIDATES WERE ETHNIC 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ7688 
 
PAGE 01        HANOI  02975  02 OF 04  160036Z 
ACTION EAP-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AID-00   AMAD-00  ACQ-00   CIAE-00  DINT-00 
      DODE-00  DOEE-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 
      STR-00   TEST-00  TRSE-00  USIE-00  PMB-00   DSCC-00  PRM-00 
      DRL-02   G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00     /010W 
                  ------------------180D97  160036Z /38 
R 152357Z DEC 02 
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8347 
INFO AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 
AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH 
AMEMBASSY VIENTIANE 
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 04 HANOI 002975 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
 
MINORITIES.  61 PCT OF THESE CANDIDATES WON THEIR SEATS, 
PRODUCING A TOTAL OF 86 ETHNIC MINORITY DELEGATES (OUT OF 
498 TOTAL DELEGATES -- ABOUT 17 PCT).  NONG DUC MANH, 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HANOI  02975  02 OF 04  160036Z 
GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF VIETNAM (CPV), 
IS AN ETHNIC TAY FROM BAC KAN PROVINCE, AND THE HIGHEST 
RANKING ETHNIC MINORITY IN SRV HISTORY (OR VIETNAMESE 
HISTORY, FOR THAT MATTER).  HE IS THE SOLE ETHNIC MINORITY 
MEMBER ON THE CPV POLITBURO, ALTHOUGH THERE ARE TEN OTHERS 
ON THE 150-PERSON CPV CENTRAL COMMITTEE.  ONLY TWO AMONG THE 
30 GVN MINISTERS (OR EQUIVALENTS) ARE ETHNIC MINORITIES: 
KSOR PHUOC, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE ETHNIC MINORITIES 
COMMISSION, AND QUACH LE THANH, THE CHIEF STATE INSPECTOR. 
 
REALITIES IN THE NORTH:  CAO BANG 
---------------------------------- 
 
6.  (U)  OFFICIALS IN CAO BANG PROVINCE PAINTED A ROSY 
PICTURE OF INTER-ETHNIC HARMONY DURING POL/C'S NOVEMBER 
VISIT.  ETHNIC TAY MAKE UP THE PLURALITY OF THE POPULATION, 
WITH 40 PCT; ETHNIC KINH COMPOSE LESS THAN 5 PCT.  THEY 
CLAIMED THAT 80 PCT OF ALL CADRES IN THE PROVINCE CAME FROM 
ONE OF THE EIGHT ETHNIC GROUPS, WITH PERCENTAGES OF ETHNIC 
MINORITY CADRES EVEN HIGHER AT THE VILLAGE AND COMMUNE 
LEVELS.  A SIMILAR RATIO EXISTS WITHIN THE PROVINCIAL 
PEOPLE'S COUNCIL, WHILE 100 PCT OF ITS NATIONAL ASSEMBLY 
DELEGATES ARE ETHNIC MINORITIES, THEY CLAIMED.  (ACTUALLY, 
ONE CAO BANG NA DELEGATE -- NGUYEN HONG VINH, CPV CENTRAL 
COMMITTEE MEMBER AND STANDING DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE CC'S 
IDEOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS PRESIDENT OF 
VIETNAM JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION -- IS AN ETHNIC KINH.)  CAO 
BANG ALSO CLAIMED A 100 PCT TURNOUT RATE AT THE MAY 19 
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS (NOTE:  AN ASTONISHING FEAT 
ANYWHERE, MUCH LESS IN SUCH A MOUNTAINOUS AND REMOTE AREA. 
END NOTE). 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HANOI  02975  02 OF 04  160036Z 
 
7.  (U)  ACCORDING TO PROVINCIAL VICE CHAIRMAN HOANG VAN 
KHOI (HIMSELF AN ETHNIC TAY), THE VARIOUS ETHNIC GROUPS NOT 
ONLY INCREASINGLY LIVE IN MIXED COMMUNITIES BUT ALSO 
NOWADAYS MARRY EACH OTHER MORE FREQUENTLY.  (HE IS MARRIED 
TO AN ETHNIC KINH, WHO SPEAKS FLUENT TAY, HE SAID.)  HE 
CLAIMED THAT THERE WAS NOT, AND HAD NEVER HAD BEEN, ANY 
FIGHTING AMONG ETHNIC GROUPS.  THE CURRENT REALITY, HE 
NOTED, WAS THAT IT WAS MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT TO 
DIFFERENTIATE AMONG THE ETHNIC MINORITIES, SINCE VIRTUALLY 
ALL HAVE TURNED TO MORE "CONVENIENT" WESTERN-STYLE CLOTHES, 
AND SPEAK VIETNAMESE EXCEPT PERHAPS AT HOME.  LOCAL MARRIAGE 
TRADITIONS MIRROR THOSE OF THE MAJORITY KINH:  90 PCT OF 
BRIDES GO TO LIVE WITH THEIR HUSBAND'S FAMILIES, OFFICIALS 
CLAIMED. 
 
8.  (U)  VICE CHAIRMAN KHOI AND OTHER SENIOR OFFICIALS 
DESCRIBED A PROVINCE THAT HAS "VERY LITTLE RELIGION," WHICH 
THEY ASCRIBED TO THE NON-RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS OF THE ETHNIC 
MINORITIES (AS OPPOSED TO THE MORE TRADITIONALLY BUDDHIST 
KINH, FOR EXAMPLE).  KHOI SAID THERE WERE "ONLY A FEW" 
BUDDHIST TEMPLES IN THE ENTIRE PROVINCE, ALTHOUGH THERE WERE 
SOME TRADITIONAL "HALLS" FOR ANCESTOR WORSHIP AND OTHER 
COMMUNAL "CULTURAL" ACTIVITIES.  HE CLAIMED THAT THERE WERE 
"NO" PROTESTANT CHURCHES, EVEN AMONG THE HMONG, AND ONLY 
"SOME" CATHOLIC CHURCHES, INCLUDING ONE LARGE FRENCH-ERA 
CHURCH PERCHED ON A HILLSIDE IN DOWNTOWN CAO BANG CITY. 
KHOI SAID HE BELIEVED THAT THERE WAS ONLY ONE CATHOLIC 
PRIEST IN THE ENTIRE PROVINCE. 
 
ANOTHER REALITY CHECK:  BAC KAN 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        HANOI  02975  02 OF 04  160036Z 
------------------------------- 
 
9.  (U)  OFFICIALS IN BAC KAN PROVINCE DESCRIBED A VARIETY 
OF RURAL DEVELOPMENTAL PROGRAMS TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF 
ETHNIC MINORITIES, WHO MAKE UP ABOUT 55 PCT OF THE TOTAL 
POPULATION, ACCORDING TO NATIONAL STATISTICS.  (NOTE: 
PROVINCIAL OFFICIALS CLAIMED THAT ETHNIC KINH MADE UP ONLY 
ABOUT 15 PCT OF THE PROVINCIAL POPULATION, WHILE ETHNIC TAY 
REPRESENTED 50 PCT OF THE TOTAL, BUT THE ETHNIC MINORITIES 
COMMISSION IN HANOI SUBSEQUENTLY INSISTED THAT ITS 
STATISTICS WERE MORE ACCURATE.  END NOTE)  THEY EXPRESSED 
HOPE THAT THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROVEN EXTENSIVE MINERAL 
RESOURCES WILL BE ATTRACTIVE TO FOREIGN INVESTORS (INCLUDING 
FROM THE U.S.), ALONG WITH THE PROCESSING OF BAC KAN'S LARGE 
TIMBER RESERVES.  THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THE DANGERS OF 
ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION IN THIS DEVELOPMENTAL PROCESS, AS 
WELL AS THE PROBLEMS CAUSED BY THE CURRENTLY POOR ROAD LINKS 
WITH HANOI AND OTHER MARKETS. 
 
10.  (U)  PROVINCIAL CADRES ARE VIRTUALLY ALL ETHNIC 
MINORITIES, OFFICIALS CLAIMED, WITH THE MAJORITY BELONGING 
TO THE TAY GROUP.  FOUR OUT OF BAC KAN'S SIX NEW NATIONAL 
ASSEMBLY DELEGATES ARE ETHNIC MINORITIES; THE TWO ETHNIC 
KINH DELEGATES ARE HANOI RESIDENTS (ONE IS DEPUTY PRIME 
MINISTER PHAM GIA KHIEM).  NATIVE SON NONG DUC MANH DID NOT 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ7689 
 
PAGE 01        HANOI  02975  03 OF 04  160036Z 
ACTION EAP-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AID-00   AMAD-00  ACQ-00   CIAE-00  DINT-00 
      DODE-00  DOEE-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 
      STR-00   TEST-00  TRSE-00  USIE-00  PMB-00   DSCC-00  PRM-00 
      DRL-02   G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00     /010W 
                  ------------------180D9D  160036Z /38 
R 152357Z DEC 02 
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8348 
INFO AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 
AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH 
AMEMBASSY VIENTIANE 
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 03 OF 04 HANOI 002975 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
 
RUN IN BAC KAN, BUT INSTEAD WAS A SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE FOR 
HANOI'S CONSTITUENCY #1. 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HANOI  02975  03 OF 04  160036Z 
11.  (U)  BAC KAN OFFICIALS, INCLUDING PROVINCIAL VICE 
CHAIRMAN NONG VAN LENH, CLAIMED "EXCELLENT" RELATIONS AMONG 
THE SEVEN MAIN ETHNIC GROUPS, INCLUDING INCREASING LEVELS OF 
INTER-MARRIAGE.  THEY NOTED "NO DISCRIMINATION" AMONG THE 
ETHNIC GROUPS, BUT ADMITTED THAT THE HMONG GROUP WAS LESS 
WELL INTEGRATED DUE PRIMARILY TO THEIR MORE REMOTE LOCATIONS 
AND LESS FREQUENT INTER-ACTION.  AS IN CAO BANG, BAC KAN 
OFFICIALS PORTRAYED THEIR PROVINCIAL POPULATION AS LARGELY 
NON-RELIGIOUS, APART FROM GENERALLY SHARED TRADITIONS OF 
ANCESTOR WORSHIP.  THEY CLAIMED THAT THERE WAS "LITTLE" 
BUDDHISM, AND ONLY "A FEW" CATHOLICS, WHO HAD NEITHER CHURCH 
NOR PRIEST.  AMONG THE HMONG (ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO EMIGRATED 
FROM CHINA IN OR SHORTLY AFTER 1979, THEY NOTED), THERE WERE 
SOME PROTESTANTS, BUT WITH NO FORMAL CHURCHES OR PASTORS. 
THEY ADMITTED THAT RELIGIOUS BROADCASTING IN THE HMONG 
LANGUAGE FROM THE PHILIPPINES WAS HAVING SOME IMPACT IN 
ATTRACTING NEW BELIEVERS, HOWEVER.  THEY ADDED THAT THERE 
HAD BEEN "NO REQUESTS" TO REGISTER ANY CHURCHES, NOR HAD 
THERE EVER BEEN "ANY PROBLEMS" WITH RELIGIOUS BELIEF, 
HOWEVER.  THEY CATEGORICALLY DENIED ANY EFFORTS BY OFFICIALS 
TO FORCE RELIGIOUS BELIEVERS TO RECANT. 
 
12.  (U)  OFFICIALS NOTED THAT SOME ETHNIC MINORITIES -- 
PRIMARILY TAY, HMONG, AND DAO -- FROM BAC KAN HAD BEEN AMONG 
THOSE WHO HAD MIGRATED IN RECENT YEARS TO THE CENTRAL 
HIGHLANDS, BUT DESCRIBED THESE AS STRICTLY "VOLUNTARY" RE- 
LOCATIONS.  "MANY" HAD SUBSEQUENTLY RETURNED IN RECENT 
YEARS, DESCRIBING EVEN GREATER HARDSHIPS IN THE CENTRAL 
HIGHLANDS, THEY NOTED, HOWEVER. 
 
COMMENT:  LOOKING MORE ALIKE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HANOI  02975  03 OF 04  160036Z 
---------------------------- 
 
13.  (SBU)  IN THESE MOUNTAINOUS AREAS, ALONG WINDING, 
RUDIMENTARY, AND SOMETIMES DANGEROUS "ROADS," THE OUTREACH 
OF THE GVN -- AND CPV -- IS FAIRLY IMPRESSIVE.  SCHOOLS, 
MEDICAL CLINICS, POST OFFICES, AND, INCREASINGLY, 
ELECTRICITY OFTEN REACH DOWN TO VERY REMOTE SETTLEMENTS, 
ALONG WITH THE PERVASIVE DUAL SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT AND PARTY 
CADRES.  THE GVN APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN METICULOUS AS WELL IN 
SETTLING UP THE FULL PANOPLY OF REPRESENTATIVE ORGANS -- 
"THE PEOPLE'S COUNCILS" -- DOWN TO THE LOCAL LEVEL.  THE 
2002 NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS WERE NOTABLE BY CLEARLY 
IDENTIFYING THE ETHNIC BACKGROUND OF ALL CANDIDATES AND IN 
RETURNING A SLIGHTLY HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF ETHNIC MINORITY 
DELEGATES THAN THEIR SHARE OF THE POPULATION WOULD 
STATISTICALLY WARRANT.  GVN OFFICIALS LIKE TO BOAST THAT 
SUCH RESULTS PUT VIETNAM AHEAD OF THE U.S. IN ENSURING FAIR 
REPRESENTATION OF ALL ETHNIC MINORITIES, AT LEAST WITHIN THE 
NATIONAL LEGISLATURE. 
 
14.  (SBU)  GVN AND CPV EFFORTS TO ORGANIZE DOWN TO THE 
GRASSROOTS LIKELY MORE PROFOUNDLY REFLECT THE CPV'S LENINIST 
MODEL THAN ITS CONCERN FOR THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC WELL- 
BEING OF THE ETHNIC MINORITIES -- ALTHOUGH SUCH CONCERN 
CLEARLY DOES EXIST.  UPON ACHIEVING FIRST INDEPENDENCE AND 
LATER NATIONAL UNIFICATION, THE GVN/CPV'S TOP PRIORITY WAS 
ON CREATING SOCIAL ORDER AND ENSURING UNCHALLENGED CPV RULE. 
GIVEN THE HISTORICAL ISOLATION OF SOME ETHNIC GROUPS -- AND 
IN SOME CASES, OPPOSITION TO THE CPV (ALTHOUGH SOME ETHNIC 
GROUPS, ESPECIALLY IN THE NORTH, WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE CPV 
EVEN IN ITS INFANCY) -- THE GVN AND CPV VIEWED A STRONG 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        HANOI  02975  03 OF 04  160036Z 
ORGANIZATIONAL NETWORK AS ESSENTIAL; IN MANY PLACES, SUCH AN 
OFFICIAL PRESENCE WAS ALSO UNPRECEDENTED.  THE ECONOMIC 
RESULTS MAY HAVE BEEN MARGINAL (AS ELSEWHERE IN VIETNAM) 
UNTIL THE DOI MOI ERA, BUT THE GVN HAS SINCE 1986 -- AND 
ESPECIALLY OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS -- DEVOTED EVER- 
HIGHER LEVELS OF RESOURCES AIMED AT THE MOUNTAINOUS AREAS. 
OFFICIALS ARE UNDOUBTEDLY RIGHT IN ASSESSING THAT THEY 
CANNOT ELIMINATE THE DISPARITIES WITH LOWLAND AREAS AND 
ESPECIALLY WITH URBAN CENTERS (THOSE GAPS MAY INDEED NOW BE 
WIDENING), BUT CURRENT EFFORTS ARE IN MANY CASES PAYING OFF 
IN IMPROVING LIVING STANDARDS AND IN WINNING SOME ADDITIONAL 
LOYALTY AND GRATITUDE AMONG MANY OF THE ETHNIC MINORITIES IN 
THE NORTH AND NORTHWEST. 
 
14.  (SBU)  THE COMBINED EFFECT OF VIETNAM'S TOP-DOWN SYSTEM 
AND ITS UNITARY EDUCATIONAL AND CADRE MODELS IS, INEVITABLY, 
GROWING ASSIMILATION OF THE ETHNIC MINORITIES, ALTHOUGH GVN 
OFFICIALS WOULD DENY EMPHATICALLY THAT THIS IS A GOAL.  AS 
MORE AND MORE ETHNIC MINORITIES TURN TO "WESTERN" GARB -- 
OFTEN NOTING HOW "UNCOMFORTABLE" TRADITIONAL CLOTHES ARE -- 
AND LEARN VIETNAMESE IN SCHOOL AND IN THE WORKPLACE, THEY DO 
LOOK AND ACT MORE AND MORE LIKE THE MAJORITY KINH. 
INCREASED INTER-MARRIAGE AND MOBILITY WILL HEIGHTEN THIS 
TREND.  THE GVN DOES WHAT IT CAN TO ENCOURAGE TRADITIONAL 
FESTIVALS (WHICH ITS TOURISM OFFICIALS RECOGNIZE CAN BE A 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ7690 
 
PAGE 01        HANOI  02975  04 OF 04  160036Z 
ACTION EAP-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AID-00   AMAD-00  ACQ-00   CIAE-00  DINT-00 
      DODE-00  DOEE-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 
      STR-00   TEST-00  TRSE-00  USIE-00  PMB-00   DSCC-00  PRM-00 
      DRL-02   G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00     /010W 
                  ------------------180D9F  160036Z /38 
R 152357Z DEC 02 
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8349 
INFO AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 
AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH 
AMEMBASSY VIENTIANE 
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 04 OF 04 HANOI 002975 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
 
 
GOOD MARKETING HOOK), CEREMONIAL WEARING OF TRIBAL CLOTHES 
(ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE TELEVISED NATIONAL ASSEMBLY EVENTS), 
AND PERFORMANCE OF ETHNIC SONGS AND DANCES, BUT THESE WILL 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HANOI  02975  04 OF 04  160036Z 
LIKELY MORE AND MORE BECOME QUAINT CULTURAL ODDITIES, RATHER 
THAN REPRESENT VIBRANT ETHNIC MINORITY TRADITIONS.  REGIONAL 
DISPARITIES, AS WELL AS POSSIBLY GREATER RESISTANCE TO 
CHANGE AMONG SOME ETHNIC GROUPS, WILL MAKE THIS AN UNEVEN 
PROCESS, HOWEVER. 
BURGHARDT 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED