Freedom of religion is not simply based on the quantity of churches

I am much disturbed to learn that Mr. Scott Marciel, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Southeast Asia of U.S. Department of State testified to the U.S Congressional House Committee on Foreign Affairs on November 6, 2007 that "Whereas Vietnam has made only halting progress in advancing political freedoms, on religious freedom, the country has made real, significant improvements."

Based on such a view, the U.S. government would disagree that it is necessary to reinstate Vietnam to the list of Countries of Particular Concerns (CPC). In addition responding to Congressman Bill Delahunt, chairman of the Congressional Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights and Oversight, Mr. Scott Marciel has said "The U.S. has received reports showing that Hanoi allowed registration of hundreds of Churches in Vietnam, leading to believe that freedom of religion in Vietnam has been improved".

Members of Hoa Hao Buddhism - On Hunger Strike to Protest Violation of Freedom of Religion in Vietnam

Freedom of religion is not simply based on the quantity of churches, Buddhist organizations formed or registration of temples. It is the practice or expression of any belief which is generally recognized as a fundamental of human rights.

The fact is, in order for the Vietnamese people to practice their spiritual traditions, they need to have government permission, either in the form of registration of an official organization or a license in itself. This practice of registration and licensing has already proved to be against the basic principal of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which defines freedom of religion and belief in Article 18: "Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance."

In a country where totalitarianism rules, the simple number of registered religious organizations means nothing. The regime can produce thousands of registered groups to advance political purposes and gain international recognition but fundamentally, freedom of religion itself cannot improve. The Hanoi government has loudly and proudly announced to the international community that they have more than 600 media outlets. These numbers have increased significantly but there is still no freedom of press in Vietnam . Recently the organization for press freedom, Reporters Without Borders stated that Vietnam ranks 162nd of 169 nations in level of censorship and freedom of press.

Vietnam tolerates independent press as much as religious organizations, that is to say, quite poorly. Any practice of religion beyond government control is systematically banned and persecuted. The Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam is among those groups persecuted. Leading members, the Most Venerable Thich Huyen Quang and the Most Venerable Thich Quang Do continue to endure either house arrest, police restraints and surveillance, harassment and limitation of individual movements. Pastors Nguyen Hong Quang, Nguyen Cong Chinh of the independent Mennonite Christian Church have been harassed, and members beaten and threaten repeatedly. Christian houses, operating separately from the state- approved church have been repeatedly wiped out.

When the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom's delegation visited human rights lawyer Le Thi Cong Nhan's jail cell in October, 2007. They witnessed decent conditions that Nhan had been sharing with 20 criminal inmates in a 55m2 room, which were not as crowded as had been reported. But the U.S. commissioners did not know that 2 hours prior to their visit, the jail guards had already moved 10 prisoners out of Nhan's cell, asked the prisoners to clean up the cell well and provided all with new floor mats. Such deceptive practices of the government are very common in Vietnam .

Jailed human rights lawyer and practicing Christian Nguyen Van Dai was initially refused his Bible. Due to requests from the U.S Commissioners, the Hanoi government eventually relented, but the Ministry of Security' s magazine, the Security' s People Online "Cong An Nhan Dan Online", later misleading reported on October 2007 that Dai would not only allow to have his Bible but also promote his religion to fellow inmates since his detention.

For the Hanoi government, the end justifies any means. The U.S. needs to realize that they are dealing with a country whose leaders do not honor their own words. Deception will not matter as long as it serves Communist party purposes.

The U.S. First Amendment states "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

In such regard, there exists no freedom of religion in Vietnam and neither would there in the United States if individuals or groups were forced to ask permission from a government to license their faiths, beliefs or worship practices.

Cong Thanh Do
November 15, 2007

* Sent to U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, International media, members of U.S. Representatives and Senators, U.S. Department of State and National Security Council.