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"Religious Freedom & Human Rights"

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Religious Freedom in Viet Nam

Rev. Peter Nguyen Huu Giai and Rev. Peter Phan Van Loi
To the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)

27-10-2007
In Viet Nam nowadays, basic human and civil rights are listed sufficiently in the Constitution. But they are almost defined vaguely or inadequately, restricted or rescinded by statutes, edicts, decrees and resolutions. In other words, they don't exist in real life for the real citizens.

1- In theory

In religious matters, you can see now in Viet Nam, many places of worship have been built, many ceremonies organized, many representatives of the religious supreme authority going inside or abroad to study or participate in conferences, many religious institutes opened. All these, naturally are with the permission and under the control of the government. But according to our opinion, religious freedom doesn’t consist in building churches or pagodas, in organising religious festivities, in welcoming religious dignitaries, in going abroad, even in opening the seminaries (such as propagandized by the Vietnamese Communist regime). All these liberties are external and secondary.

Smith Blasts Vietnam Government for Failure to Release Pro-Democracy Activists

Calls for Immediate Release of Political Prisoners and Passage of Smith-authored Vietnam Human Rights Act into Law

Washington, Nov 27 -

“Today’s decision by Vietnam’s Supreme Appeals Court to uphold bogus jail sentences for pro-democracy advocates Nguyen Van Dai and Le Thi Cong Nhan marks another in a series of sham trials and is further evidence that the regime in Hanoi continues to carry-out human rights abuses with impunity,” said U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) a leading human rights lawmaker in the U.S. Congress.

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen:

Testimony of Father Phan Van Loi

Hue, Vietnam
(translated and submitted by Committee for Religious Freedom in Vietnam)

Human Rights Concerns in Vietnam

November 6, 2007
House Committee on Foreign Affairs
Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight

The Vietnamese Religious Scene in 2007

Press Release: Rep. Lofgren Deeply Concerned Over Treatment of Peaceful Protestors in Vietnam

Rep. Lofgren Sends Letter to Vietnamese President
July 24, 2007

Washington, D.C. – Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) today sent a letter to Vietnamese President Triet, expressing her “serious disappointment regarding the treatment of the peaceful protesters in Ho Chi Minh City on July 18, 2007.” The letter, which calls on the Vietnamese President to personally explain the brutal crackdown on peaceful human rights activists, was also forwarded to Secretary of State Rice. The letter also states that Vietnam is failing to meet the human rights standards that the Unites States expects from its trading partners and that it must make a strong commitment to the promotion of human rights.

The complete text of the letter is below:

President Bush Attends Veterans of Foreign Wars National Convention, Discusses War on Terror

Kansas City Convention and Entertainment Center
Kansas City, Missouri

9:46 A.M. CDT

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. Please be seated. It's good to be with you again. I understand you haven't had much of a problem attracting speakers. (Laughter.) I thank you for inviting me. I can understand why people want to come here. See, it's an honor to stand with the men and women of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. (Applause.) The VFW is one of this nation's finest organizations. You belong to an elite group of Americans. (Applause.) You belong to a group of people who have defended America overseas. You have fought in places from Normandy to Iwo Jima, to Pusan, to Khe Sahn, to Kuwait, to Somalia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq. You brought security to the American people; you brought hope to millions across the world.

Foreign Affairs Committee Approves Smith Bill Promoting Human Rights Reform in Vietnam

Bill gives authority for sanctions if abuses continue

WASHINGTON-The House Foreign Affairs Committee today approved legislation authored by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) to promote human rights reform in Vietnam and hold the Vietnamese Government accountable for further human rights abuses.