US embassy cable - 03HOCHIMINHCITY235

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HO CHI MINH CITY 000235 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
Department for EAP/BCLTV, DRL 
 
E. O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, SOCI, KIRF, VM, RELFREE, HUMANR 
SUBJECT: A LONG TIME COMING: PROTESTANT SEMINARY OPENS IN HCMC 
 
 
1.  (U)  In keeping with longstanding GVN promises to allow the 
opening of a new Protestant seminary, the leaders of the Southern 
Evangelical Church of Vietnam (SECV) recently inaugurated their 
new Institute of Bible and Theology before a crowd numbering close 
to 1000 at their main HCMC church.  (Classes will be held there 
temporarily until they receive approval for a separate campus.) 
The four-hour opening ceremony followed the basic outlines of a 
religious service, complete with hymns, prayers and sermons.  The 
only government official to speak was a representative of the 
Religious Affairs Committee, who read the decision authorizing the 
seminary.  Significantly, there was no other mention of the 
government during the remainder of the ceremony.  None of the 
speakers even acknowledged the government officials who attended 
the ceremony during their remarks, normally common practice in 
Vietnam. 
 
2.  (U)  The gathering was presided over by Acting SECV President 
Duong Thanh, a former Vice President who assumed office after the 
death of Reverend Pham Xuan Thieu in June 2002.  Among the many 
other speakers was an elderly, frail, and nearly blind former Vice 
Director of the pre-1975 Protestant seminary in Nha Trang, who 
delivered a fiery 20-minute sermon in a booming voice.  Those in 
attendance included a sprinkling of GVN and local officials, the 
SECV hierarchy, administrators from the seminary, and the first 50 
seminarians, many of whom had yet to be formally accepted by the 
GVN for admission.  Pastors, religious workers, and lay believers 
(some from distant provinces) made up the remainder of the crowd, 
which flowed out the main doors and down the stairs to the street. 
A handful of American religious workers outfitted with headphones 
for simultaneous interpretation were seated in the first few rows, 
next to a congratulatory flower wreath from the Fatherland Front. 
 
3.  (SBU)  Poloff recognized a number of non-SECV-affiliated 
pastors in the crowd, including some who have been generally 
critical of the recognized church for "selling out" to the 
government.  Most openly greeted Poloff in the aisles before and 
after the ceremony.  They said they regarded the seminary opening 
as a positive step, and one that should be publicly endorsed. 
Most had faith in the strength of the academic program as a 
grooming ground for future religious leaders, but doubted the 
program could be kept free of GVN control.  (Post note:  Classes 
began on February 17.  As of March 10, 38 of the promised 50 
students were enrolled, with only ten having received the required 
permission from their local authorities.  End note.)  While Pastor 
Thanh drew some praise for maintaining his patience and integrity 
in a difficult job, the SECV itself seemed to be viewed in a much 
more critical light by the unaffiliated house pastors. 
 
4.  (SBU)  During the lunch for 300-plus pastors/religious workers 
after the ceremony, several pastors with whom ConGenoffs spoke -- 
including those from the Central Highlands and adjacent coastal 
provinces -- seemed unconvinced this was a milestone in the 
overall context of religious freedom in Vietnam.  They described 
the general situation as somewhat improved over past years, but 
still highly problematic in certain locations.  Yet none could 
offer any firsthand accounts of harassment or oppression over the 
recent Christmas season.  They acknowledged they had been able to 
celebrate the holidays with their own congregations without 
government interference, even if they had heard second or 
thirdhand of problems in some of the more sensitive areas.  Some 
pastors said they had been required to obtain permission from 
their local authorities to attend this opening ceremony.  Others 
said they had decided to come even though they had never received 
permission.  (Post note: This inconsistency tracks with our 
general experience that enforcement of many -- if not most -- 
government regulations varies from province to province, even 
district to district, in the South.  End note.) 
 
5.  (U)  In the course catalogue for the new seminary, the English 
translation notes that the old Nha Trang Bible and Theological 
Institute was closed in December 1976 for political reasons.  The 
original Vietnamese says that classes were simply interrupted, 
without giving a reason why.  There is also a requirement that all 
seminarians study "Citizen Education."  The course description in 
English notes that "understanding of religious policy will help 
students know how to lead local congregations well." 
 
6.  (SBU)  Comment:  The long-awaited opening of a recognized 
Protestant seminary is a significant step in the development of 
the Protestant church in southern Vietnam.  That the inaugural 
ceremony was carried out in such a public manner, with widespread 
press coverage, is not surprising -- the GVN was happy to take 
credit for a good news story on religious freedom.  (GVN officials 
sat through this four-hour ceremony, even though they were openly 
stiffed.)  The fact that "illegal" house pastors made their 
presence unabashedly known, were genuinely complimentary about the 
seminary, and warmly greeted ConGenoffs, is indicative of the 
complexities and inconsistencies surrounding their criticism of 
GVN religious policies.  These house pastors agree that the 
opening of a Protestant seminary is a small but positive step down 
the long road toward SECV legitimacy in the eyes of "all 
believers." 
 
 
YAMAUCHI