Oct. 26, 2007
United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)
Contact:
Judith Ingram, Communications Director,
(202) 523-3240, ext. 127
WASHINGTON—A delegation from the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom concluded its visit to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City on Thursday and is scheduled to complete its talks in Vietnam over the next week. The delegation, led by Commission Chair Michael Cromartie, has held candid discussions with many government, religious, and civil society leaders, including Prime Minister Nguyen Tang Dung, Vice Minister for Public Security Nguyen Van Huong, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh, National Assembly Foreign Relations Chairman Nguyen Van Son, Committee for Religious Affairs Chairman Nguyen The Doanh, and Ho Chi Minh City People’s Council Chair Pham Phuong Thao.
Although it is not the Commission’s usual practice to issue press statements during its trips, the Vietnamese media have extensively covered Commission activities, including publishing an extensive transcript of the Commission’s meeting with Vice Minister for Public Security Huong.
Commissioners asked Vice Minister Huong to undertake full, impartial, and effective investigations into reported police abuses, including continued reports of forced renunciations of religion. The Vice Minister assured the Commission that he would take action against any police official engaged in forced renunciations of belief. He also promised to report back to the Commission about the March 2007 beating death of an ethnic minority Protestant.
The Commission urged the immediate release of several prisoners of concern, including Nguyen Van Dai, and Li Thi Cong Nhan, advocates for religious freedom and legal reform in Vietnam; Hoa Hao monks Vo Van Thanh Liem and Vo Van Thanh Long; and Fr. Nguyen Van Ly. Commissioners also asked to meet with Nguyen Van Dai and Li Thi Cong Nhan because of reports that they were being denied medicine and religious materials. Vice Minister Huong arranged for the Commission to meet privately with the two human rights defenders and to inspect their prison cells.
“These are two courageous young people who the government believes are national security threats,” said Michael Cromartie, Chair of the Commission. “We believe their peaceful advocacy for political reform, religious freedom, and human rights strengthens, rather than threatens, the Vietnamese state. We will continue to seek their immediate release.”
Vice Minister Huong promised the Commission that an overdue appeals court hearing for the two prisoners would happen soon. “We are confident,” said Cromartie, “that the sentences of Nguyen Van Dai and Li Thi Cong Nhan will be overturned on appeal.”
The Commission also continued to raise the issue of restrictions and abuses against Vietnamese Buddhists. Commissioners asked Prime Minister Dung to allow followers of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam, as well as Khmer, and Hoa Hao Buddhists to organize independently and carry out spiritual and charitable activities legally and outside the government-sanctioned Buddhist organizations. Commissioners pointed out that the Vietnamese government has allowed different Protestant denominations to carry out legal operations; the government should recognize similar diversity among Buddhists, Commissioners said.
Asked if he was willing to meet with the UBCV leadership to discuss creation of an independent organization, Prime Minister Dung indicated that he was willing to “meet with any religious leader” to discuss alleged problems and concerns.
The Commission later met with the UBCV’s spiritual leader Thich Quang Do in Ho Chi Minh City, where he accepted the Prime Minister’s invitation to meet, saying that he looked forward to discussing ongoing threats and restrictions against the UBCV.
The Commission delegation will continue to Hue, the Central Highlands, and Soc Trang Province over the next week. “Government officials have said that we can go anywhere and meet anyone,” said Cromartie. “We look forward to continued access and trust that there will be no reprisals against those we meet.”
Although it is not the Commission’s usual practice to issue press statements during its trips, the Vietnamese media have extensively covered Commission activities, including publishing an extensive transcript of the Commission’s meeting with Vice Minister for Public Security Huong.
Commissioners asked Vice Minister Huong to undertake full, impartial, and effective investigations into reported police abuses, including continued reports of forced renunciations of religion. The Vice Minister assured the Commission that he would take action against any police official engaged in forced renunciations of belief. He also promised to report back to the Commission about the March 2007 beating death of an ethnic minority Protestant.
The Commission urged the immediate release of several prisoners of concern, including Nguyen Van Dai, and Li Thi Cong Nhan, advocates for religious freedom and legal reform in Vietnam; Hoa Hao monks Vo Van Thanh Liem and Vo Van Thanh Long; and Fr. Nguyen Van Ly. Commissioners also asked to meet with Nguyen Van Dai and Li Thi Cong Nhan because of reports that they were being denied medicine and religious materials. Vice Minister Huong arranged for the Commission to meet privately with the two human rights defenders and to inspect their prison cells.
“These are two courageous young people who the government believes are national security threats,” said Michael Cromartie, Chair of the Commission. “We believe their peaceful advocacy for political reform, religious freedom, and human rights strengthens, rather than threatens, the Vietnamese state. We will continue to seek their immediate release.”
Vice Minister Huong promised the Commission that an overdue appeals court hearing for the two prisoners would happen soon. “We are confident,” said Cromartie, “that the sentences of Nguyen Van Dai and Li Thi Cong Nhan will be overturned on appeal.”
The Commission also continued to raise the issue of restrictions and abuses against Vietnamese Buddhists. Commissioners asked Prime Minister Dung to allow followers of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam, as well as Khmer, and Hoa Hao Buddhists to organize independently and carry out spiritual and charitable activities legally and outside the government-sanctioned Buddhist organizations. Commissioners pointed out that the Vietnamese government has allowed different Protestant denominations to carry out legal operations; the government should recognize similar diversity among Buddhists, Commissioners said.
Asked if he was willing to meet with the UBCV leadership to discuss creation of an independent organization, Prime Minister Dung indicated that he was willing to “meet with any religious leader” to discuss alleged problems and concerns.
The Commission later met with the UBCV’s spiritual leader Thich Quang Do in Ho Chi Minh City, where he accepted the Prime Minister’s invitation to meet, saying that he looked forward to discussing ongoing threats and restrictions against the UBCV.
The Commission delegation will continue to Hue, the Central Highlands, and Soc Trang Province over the next week. “Government officials have said that we can go anywhere and meet anyone,” said Cromartie. “We look forward to continued access and trust that there will be no reprisals against those we meet.”
19 comments:
Dear Uncle Sam if you are believe with vietnam,you will be loosing your reputation in south east Asia once again,please help free Cambodia ,Lao and Kampuchea krom that will be less devil and enemies of the United States ,please remember who are loyal with you in Vietnam war as Mhong,Khmer krom and Lo Nol people in Cambodia they need you now.
Dear, USCIRF Delegation:
Khmer Krom said...... we wished to draw the world’s attention to these act of “HEINOUS CRIMS”, especially the use of toxic chemical against the innocent Khmer Krom people as well as Cambodian, displaced people all over the country. The action of the Yuon Hanoi in Kampuchea Krom, it stated, violated fundamental human rights, international law and the United Nations Charter. Khmer krom deeply regretted that Yuon Hanoi continued to disregard repeated calls for an immediate end to its hostile acts against Khmer Krom and again demanding that “Yuon Hanoi immediately stop committing these murderous acts”.
Khmer Krom abroad,
Discus about religions with Vietnam,ha ha Uncle Sam you must out of your mind ,the Viet Tmil it has never has religious ,they will need B52 to spread all over Vietnam again to free Lao ,Kampuchea Krom and Cambodia
Oh, shut the fuck up. Vietnam is not anti-religion. They are just Anti-evil KKF agent who hide behind religion. Furthermore, all religions are open in Vietnam, pending authorization from all officials, national and local.
Dear, USCIRF Delegation:
Honorable Commissioner Chair Michael Cromartie,
Khmer Krom wished to draw the USCIRF Delegation attention to these act of “HEINOUS CRIMS”, especially the use of toxic chemical against the innocent Khmer Krom people as well as Cambodian, displaced people all over the country. The action of the Yuon Hanoi in Kampuchea Krom, it stated, violated fundamental human rights, international law and the United Nations Charter. Khmer krom deeply regretted that Yuon Hanoi continued to disregard repeated calls for an immediate end to its hostile acts against Khmer Krom and again demanding that “Yuon Hanoi immediately stop committing these murderous acts”.
Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
Adopted by the U.N. General Assembly
(9 December 1948)
Article I. The Contracting Parties confirm that genocide, whether committed in time of peace or in time of war, is a crime under international law which they undertake to prevent and to punish.
Article II. In the present Convention, genocide means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such:
a) Killing members of the group;
b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;
c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;
d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;
e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.
Article III. The following acts shall be punishable:
a) Genocide;
b) Conspiracy to commit genocide;
c) Direct and public incitement to commit genocide;
d) Attempt to commit genocide;
e) Complicity in genocide.
Article IV. Persons committing genocide or any of the other acts enumerated in Article III shall be punished, whether they are constitutionally responsible rulers, public officials or private individuals.
Article V. The Contracting Parties undertake to enact, in accordance with their respective Constitutions, the necessary legislation to give effect to the provisions of the present Convention and, in particular, to provide effective penalties for persons guilty of genocide or of any of the other acts enumerated in Article III.
Article VI. Persons charged with genocide or any of the other acts enumerated in Article III shall be tried by a competent tribunal of the State in the territory of which the act was committed, or by such international penal tribunal as may have jurisdiction with respect to those Contracting Parties which shall have accepted its jurisdiction.
Article VII. Genocide and the other acts enumerated in Article III shall not be considered as political crimes for the purpose of extradition. The Contracting Parties pledge themselves in such cases to grant extradition in accordance with their laws and treaties in force.
Article VIII. Any Contracting Party may call upon the competent organs of the United Nations to take such action under the Charter of the United Nations as they consider appropriate for the prevention and suppression of acts of genocide or any of the other acts enumerated in Article III.
Article IX. Disputes between the Contracting Parties relating to the interpretation, application or fulfillment of the present Convention, including those relating to the responsibility of a State for genocide or for any of the other acts enumerated in Article III, shall be submitted to the International Court of Justice at the request of any of the parties to the dispute.
Best Regard,
Khmer Krom abroad,
Yeah, and I like to draw the USCIRF attention to Vietnam policy:
All those who's spread and preach evil KKF propaganda in Vietnam will be send to re-education camp without question.
This animal Viet troller @04:11AM&03:27AM pretending to be Khmer speaking for Khmer must be stopped at all cost. WE know who this animal is! Go home Viet troller! Go home Vietcong!
Get lost, Ah Tootless Khmer-Yuon spammer.
NO, the animal Viet troller that pretends to be Khmer on KI-Media @04:11AM, @03:27AM and @5:01AM must leave Khmer alone and go back to Hanoi where it belongs!
It is this Viet(namese) troller that SPAMS KI-Media.
KI-Media is none of the animal Viet trollers's business!
Now, Go home Viet troller!
Now, Go home Vietcong!
USCIRF must tell HANOI to get all of their Animal Viet trollers out of KI-Media and out of Cambodia.
Now, Go home Viet(namese) Troller!
Now, Go home Vietcong!
No, that will be Ah ugly evil toothless Khmer-Yuons.
This animal Viet troller pretending to be Khmer @6:43 AM must leave KI-Media because we know who this animal is...
Now, Go home Viet Troller!
Now, Go home Vietcong!
Call Rambo for help.
Nah that animal Viet troller is already a dead meat!
No such thing as a Viet dead meat, only Ah evil toothless Khmer-Yuon dead meat.
This is simply a theory of Physics: What goes up must come down.
1. The Vietcongs perished in thousands to chase the Americans out of SE, now the Vietcongs are bowing low to the Americans for their return. Shame!!!
2. The Vietcongs thought that they had written off Kampuchea-Krom for goods, and now the births of KKF and KKC are on the come-back to dig up the history of Funan and Khmer-Krom in the Mekong delta.
3. Not only Khmer-Krom in the Mekong delta are standing up, but there are the Montagnards, Chams, Hmongs, Tais in Champa Kingdom(central VN) are rising up against the Vietcongs' oppressions and atrocities.
4. Laos and Khmer Cambodians are starting to resist the Vietnamization of indochina by the Ho's and the Vietcongs'ideology.
Soon we will witness the "Vietnam" to turn into Annam--where histically in the surrounding Hanoi today. It already happened to the former Soviet Unions which had turned into today Russia.
"what goes up must come down" and this is true. Or History is true.
The Vietcong behave more like a puppy than a big dog when dealing with Uncle SAM! Ahahhahahhah
Yes! Madame
Yes! Sir
Yes! Yes! Yes!
Yes! This is just another cat and mouse game with Uncle SAM.
Bullshit, Vietcong is just one of the most moral and polite people in the region; that's all.
Hey, leave the khmer out of your shits, Ah stupid toothless Khmer-Yuon (10:26). Vietcong is our best Pal. You touch them, and you're dead meat. You got that?
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