Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 97115 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ETRD EAGR ETTC EAID ECON EFIN ECIN EINV ELAB EAIR ENRG EPET EWWT ECPS EIND EMIN ELTN EC ETMIN EUC EZ ET ELECTIONS ENVR EU EUN EG EINT ER ECONOMICS ES EMS ENIV EEB EN ECE ECOSOC EK ENVIRONMENT EFIS EI EWT ENGRD ECPSN EXIM EIAD ERIN ECPC EDEV ENGY ECTRD EPA ESTH ECCT EINVECON ENGR ERTD EUR EAP EWWC ELTD EL EXIMOPIC EXTERNAL ETRDEC ESCAP ECO EGAD ELNT ECONOMIC ENV ETRN EIAR EUMEM ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID EREL ECOM ECONETRDEAGRJA ETCC ETRG ECONOMY EMED ETR ENERG EITC EFINOECD EURM EENG ERA EXPORT ENRD ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EGEN EBRD EVIN ETRAD ECOWAS EFTA ECONETRDBESPAR EGOVSY EPIN EID ECONENRG EDRC ESENV ETT EB ENER ELTNSNAR ECHEVARRIA ETRC EPIT EDUC ESA EFI ENRGY ESCI EE EAIDXMXAXBXFFR EETC ECIP EIAID EIVN EBEXP ESTN EING EGOV ETRA EPETEIND ELAN ETRDGK EAIDRW ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC ENVI ELN EAG EPCS EPRT EPTED ETRB EUM EAIDS EFIC EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM EAIDAR ESF EIDN ELAM EDU EV EAIDAF ECN EDA EXBS EINTECPS ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ EPREL EAC EINVEFIN ETA EAGER EINDIR ECA ECLAC ELAP EITI EUCOM ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID EARG ELDIN EINVKSCA ENNP EFINECONCS EFINTS ECCP ETC EAIRASECCASCID EINN ETRP EAIDNI EFQ ECOQKPKO EGPHUM EBUD ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ ENERGY ELB EINDETRD EMI ECONEFIN EIB EURN ETRDEINVTINTCS EIN EFIM ETIO ELAINE EMN EATO EWTR EIPR EINVETC ETTD ETDR EIQ ECONCS EPPD ENRGIZ EISL ESPINOSA ELEC EAIG ESLCO EUREM ENTG ERD EINVECONSENVCSJA EEPET EUNCH ECINECONCS ETRO ETRDECONWTOCS ECUN EFND EPECO EAIRECONRP ERGR ETRDPGOV ECPN ENRGMO EPWR EET EAIS EAGRE EDUARDO EAGRRP EAIDPHUMPRELUG EICN ECONQH EVN EGHG ELBR EINF EAIDHO EENV ETEX ERNG ED
KMDR KPAO KPKO KJUS KCRM KGHG KFRD KWMN KDEM KTFN KHIV KGIC KIDE KSCA KNNP KHUM KIPR KSUM KISL KIRF KCOR KRCM KPAL KWBG KN KS KOMC KSEP KFLU KPWR KTIA KSEO KMPI KHLS KICC KSTH KMCA KVPR KPRM KE KU KZ KFLO KSAF KTIP KTEX KBCT KOCI KOLY KOR KAWC KACT KUNR KTDB KSTC KLIG KSKN KNN KCFE KCIP KGHA KHDP KPOW KUNC KDRL KV KPREL KCRS KPOL KRVC KRIM KGIT KWIR KT KIRC KOMO KRFD KUWAIT KG KFIN KSCI KTFIN KFTN KGOV KPRV KSAC KGIV KCRIM KPIR KSOC KBIO KW KGLB KMWN KPO KFSC KSEAO KSTCPL KSI KPRP KREC KFPC KUNH KCSA KMRS KNDP KR KICCPUR KPPAO KCSY KTBT KCIS KNEP KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNNB KGCC KINR KPOP KMFO KENV KNAR KVIR KDRG KDMR KFCE KNAO KDEN KGCN KICA KIMMITT KMCC KLFU KMSG KSEC KUM KCUL KMNP KSMT KCOM KOMCSG KSPR KPMI KRAD KIND KCRP KAUST KWAWC KTER KCHG KRDP KPAS KITA KTSC KPAOPREL KWGB KIRP KJUST KMIG KLAB KTFR KSEI KSTT KAPO KSTS KLSO KWNN KPOA KHSA KNPP KPAONZ KBTS KWWW KY KJRE KPAOKMDRKE KCRCM KSCS KWMNCI KESO KWUN KPLS KIIP KEDEM KPAOY KRIF KGICKS KREF KTRD KFRDSOCIRO KTAO KJU KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KEN KO KNEI KEMR KKIV KEAI KWAC KRCIM KWCI KFIU KWIC KCORR KOMS KNNO KPAI KBWG KTTB KTBD KTIALG KILS KFEM KTDM KESS KNUC KPA KOMCCO KCEM KRCS KWBGSY KNPPIS KNNPMNUC KWN KERG KLTN KALM KCCP KSUMPHUM KREL KGH KLIP KTLA KAWK KWMM KVRP KVRC KAID KSLG KDEMK KX KIF KNPR KCFC KFTFN KTFM KPDD KCERS KMOC KDEMAF KMEPI KEMS KDRM KEPREL KBTR KEDU KNP KIRL KNNR KMPT KISLPINR KTPN KA KJUSTH KPIN KDEV KTDD KAKA KFRP KWNM KTSD KINL KJUSKUNR KWWMN KECF KWBC KPRO KVBL KOM KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KEDM KFLD KLPM KRGY KNNF KICR KIFR KM KWMNCS KAWS KLAP KPAK KDDG KCGC KID KNSD KMPF KPFO KDP KCMR KRMS KNPT KNNNP KTIAPARM KDTB KNUP KPGOV KNAP KNNC KUK KSRE KREISLER KIVP KQ KTIAEUN KPALAOIS KRM KISLAO KWM KFLOA
PHUM PINR PTER PGOV PREL PREF PL PM PHSA PE PARM PINS PK PUNE PO PALESTINIAN PU PBTS PROP PTBS POL POLI PA PGOVZI POLMIL POLITICAL PARTIES POLM PD POLITICS POLICY PAS PMIL PINT PNAT PV PKO PPOL PERSONS PING PBIO PH PETR PARMS PRES PCON PETERS PRELBR PT PLAB PP PAK PDEM PKPA PSOCI PF PLO PTERM PJUS PSOE PELOSI PROPERTY PGOVPREL PARP PRL PNIR PHUMKPAL PG PREZ PGIC PBOV PAO PKK PROV PHSAK PHUMPREL PROTECTION PGOVBL PSI PRELPK PGOVENRG PUM PRELKPKO PATTY PSOC PRIVATIZATION PRELSP PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PMIG PREC PAIGH PROG PSHA PARK PETER POG PHUS PPREL PS PTERPREL PRELPGOV POV PKPO PGOVECON POUS PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PWBG PMAR PREM PAR PNR PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PARMIR PGOVGM PHUH PARTM PN PRE PTE PY POLUN PPEL PDOV PGOVSOCI PIRF PGOVPM PBST PRELEVU PGOR PBTSRU PRM PRELKPAOIZ PGVO PERL PGOC PAGR PMIN PHUMR PVIP PPD PGV PRAM PINL PKPAL PTERE PGOF PINO PHAS PODC PRHUM PHUMA PREO PPA PEPFAR PGO PRGOV PAC PRESL PORG PKFK PEPR PRELP PREFA PNG PGOVPHUMKPAO PRELECON PINOCHET PFOR PGOVLO PHUMBA PRELC PREK PHUME PHJM POLINT PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PGOVE PHALANAGE PARTY PECON PEACE PROCESS PLN PRELSW PAHO PEDRO PRELA PASS PPAO PGPV PNUM PCUL PGGV PSA PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PGIV PRFE POGOV PEL PBT PAMQ PINF PSEPC POSTS PHUMPGOV PVOV PHSAPREL PROLIFERATION PENA PRELTBIOBA PIN PRELL PGOVPTER PHAM PHYTRP PTEL PTERPGOV PHARM PROTESTS PRELAF PKBL PRELKPAO PKNP PARMP PHUML PFOV PERM PUOS PRELGOV PHUMPTER PARAGRAPH PERURENA PBTSEWWT PCI PETROL PINSO PINSCE PQL PEREZ PBS

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 01HANOI2088, STAFFDEL REES MEETINGS WITH SRV OFFICIALS ON RELIGIOUS AND MINORITY AFFAIRS

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #01HANOI2088.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
01HANOI2088 2001-08-27 06:11 2011-08-25 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Hanoi
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

270611Z Aug 01

2001HANOI02088 - UNCLASSIFIED
 
 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ4485

PAGE 01        HANOI  02088  01 OF 02  270722Z 
ACTION H-01     

INFO  LOG-00   DS-00    EAP-00   UTED-00  TEDE-00  SS-00    TEST-00  
      DSCC-00  SAS-00     /001W
                  ------------------16F492  270722Z /38    
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 3767
INFO AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 
AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 002088 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PREF PHUM VM HUMANR ETMIN RELFREE
SUBJECT:  STAFFDEL REES MEETINGS WITH SRV OFFICIALS ON RELIGIOUS AND MINORITY AFFAIRS 
 
 
1.  (SBU)  SUMMARY.  COUNSEL TO THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON 
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS JOSEPH REES AND CHIEF OF STAFF 
TO THE HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER BRIAN GUNDERSON MET WITH 
OFFICIALS OF THE GVN'S COMMITTEE ON RELIGION AND THE 
COMMITTEE FOR ETHNIC MINORITIES AND MOUNTAINOUS AREAS 
AUGUST 10, ACCOMPANIED BY POL/C AND HCMC POLOFF, TO 
CONVEY CONGRESSIONAL CONCERNS ABOUT FREEDOM OF RELIGION 
AND THE RIGHTS OF MINORITIES AND TO DISCUSS RECENT 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HANOI  02088  01 OF 02  270722Z 
EVENTS.  VIETNAMESE INTERLOCUTERS HEWED TO STANDARD 
REITERATIONS OF THE RIGHTS GUARANTEED UNDER THE 
VIETNAMESE CONSTITUTION ALONG WITH OBSERVATIONS OF THE 
NEED FOR ALL CITIZENS TO COMPLY WITH RELEVANT LAWS. 
THE STAFFDEL REQUESTED RELEASE OF SOME PROMINENT 
RELGIOUS LEADERS AS ACTS OF COMPASSION BY THE GVN. 
SEPTELS WILL COVER OTHER MEETINGS DURING THEIR 
SCHEDULE.  END SUMMARY. 
 
GVN COMMITTEE ON RELIGION 
 
2.  (SBU) IN A MEETING WITH CHIEF OF STAFF LE DINH HIET 
AND STAFF MEMBERS, MR. REES SAID THAT RELIGIOUS ISSUES 
IN VIETNAM WERE MUCH ON THE MINDS OF MEMBERS OF 
CONGRESS AS THE US AND VIETNAM CONTINUE THE PROCESS OF 
FULL NORMALIZATION OF RELATIONS.  NOTING THAT THE 
VIETNAMESE CONSITUTION PROVIDES IMPRESSIVE GUARANTEES 
OF FREEDOM OF RELIGION WHILE INCLUDING PROHIBITIONS ON 
USING RELIGION TO INJURE NATIONAL UNITY, HE INQUIRED 
ABOUT THE RIGHTS OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHOSE RELIGIOUS 
PRACTICES OR HIERARCHIES WERE DIFFERENT FROM THE 
GOVERNMENT-APPROVED ONES, SUCH AS WITH CERTAIN HOA HAO 
FOLLOWERS. 
 
3.  (SBU) MR. HIET DESCRIBED VIETNAM AS A MULTI- 
RELIGION NATION WITH CONSTITUTIONAL GUARANTEES ON 
FREEDOM OF RELIGION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF LAW.  HE 
EXPLAINED THAT USE OF RELIGION TO SPEAK ILL OF OTHER 
RELIGIONS OR THE STATE WAS, FOR EXAMPLE, ILLEGAL AND 
COULD LEAD TO DISUNITY.  HE DESCRIBED HOA HAO FOLLOWERS 
AS ORDINARY CITIZENS WHO COULD FULLY PARTICIPATE IN 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HANOI  02088  01 OF 02  270722Z 
VIETNAM'S POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, AND SOCIAL LIFE, AND 
NOTED THAT THE HOA HAO HAD A GOVERNING BOARD OF 11 
PEOPLE WHO HAD BEEN ELECTED BY A HOA HAO CONGRESS IN 
MAY 1999.  WHEN ASKED ABOUT FOLLOWERS WHO MIGHT 
DISAGREE WITH THE SELECTION OF THOSE LEADERS, MR. HIET 
ASSERTED THAT VIETNAMESE CITIZENS ARE FREE TO WORSHIP 
AND FOLLOW THEIR BELIEFS BUT THAT THEIR RELIGIOUS 
ORGANIZATIONS MUST BE LEGAL.  HE REJECTED A 
HYPOTHETICAL COMPARISON WITH MARXIST-LENINISTS IN THE 
US WHO WOULD NOT AGREE TO A LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE 
ORGANIZED BY THE USG. 
 
4.  (SBU)  MR. HIET ADMITTED THAT GOVERNMENTAL 
AUTHORITY IN VIETNAM WAS "HIGHER" THAN THAT OF 
RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS BUT CLAIMED THAT THE STATE DID 
NOT INTERFERE IN THE INTERNAL WORKINGS OF RELIGIOUS 
AFFAIRS.  HE NOTED THAT, WHILE RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS 
HAD TO ASK PERMISSION TO HOLD AN ORGANIZATIONAL 
CONFERENCE, THE GOVERNMENT GAVE THAT PERMISSION.  WHEN 
MR. GUNDERSON ASKED HOW MUCH FREEDOM OF RELIGION 
EXISTED IF THESE GROUPS HAD TO ASK PERMISSION OF THE 
GOVERNMENT EVEN TO MEET, MR. HIET CLAIMED THAT EVERY 
COUNTRY HAS RULES GOVERNING THE SETTING UP OF 
ORGANIZATIONS.  HE CLARIFIED THAT THROUGH A 
REGISTRATION PROCESS, THE GOVERNMENT LEARNS THE 
PURPOSES AND PROPOSED ACTIVITIES OF THE ORGANIZATION TO 
ASCERTAIN WHETHER THE ORGANIZATION IS PURELY RELIGIOUS 
OR IF IT HAS POLITICAL AIMS THAT COULD BE HARMFUL TO 
THE COUNTRY. 
 
5.  (SBU). MR. REES ASKED ABOUT THE LEADERS OF THE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        HANOI  02088  01 OF 02  270722Z 
UNITED BUDDHIST CHURCH OF VIETNAM (UBCV), TWO OF WHOM - 
THICH QUANG DO AND THICH HUYEN QUANG - APPEARED TO HAVE 
BEEN IMPRISONED OR HELD UNDER "PAGODA ARREST" SIMPLY 
FOR THE EXERCISE OF THEIR RELIGION.  HE ASKED THAT, AS 
AN ACT OF COMPASSION, THE GVN RELEASE THEM AND ALLOW 
THEM TO MEET FREELY AND TO TRAVEL FOR NEEDED MEDICAL 
CARE.  MR. HIET REVIEWED THEIR HISTORY, NOTING THAT 
BOTH HAD BEEN CONVICTED BY A COURT IN 1977 FOR SLANDER, 
NOT FOR THEIR RELIGIOUS BELIEFS, BUT GIVEN SUSPENDED 
SENTENCES.  IN 1980, THEY COMMITTED ACTS OF SLANDER 
AGAIN AND WERE TRIED BUT NOT PUT IN JAIL.  IN 1995, 
THEY COMMITTED OTHER SIMILAR ACTS AND WERE TRIED AGAIN. 
HE STRESSED THAT THEY HAD NOT BEEN IMPRISONED FOR 24 
YEARS BUT THAT LEGAL ENTITIES HAD HANDLED THEIR CASES 
AS SPECIFIED BY THE LAW. 
 
6.  (SBU)  MR. REES ALSO RAISED THE CASES OF FATHER 
NGUYEN VAN LY AND FIVE HOA HAO LEADERS, AND URGED THE 
GVN TO RELEASE THEM AS AN ACT OF CONCILIATION, WHICH 
WOULD BOTH ELIMINATE NEGATIVE INTERNATIONAL PRESS ABOUT 
LACK OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN VIETNAM AND MARK AN 
ENORMOUS STEP FORWARD.  REGARDING FATHER LY, MR. HIET 
CLAIMED THAT THE CASE WAS NOT ABOUT RELIGIOUS FREEDOM 
ISSUES, THAT THERE WAS NO RELIGIOUS SUPPRESSION IN 
VIETNAM, AND THAT THOSE WHO VIOLATED LAWS WERE SUBJECT 
TO ARREST AND COURT TRIALS.  HE SAID THE CHARGE AGAINST 
FATHER LY WAS BASED ON ARTICLE 269 OF THE CRIMINAL CODE 
FOR ATTACKING OR SLANDERING THE GOVERNMENT.  FATHER LY 
HAD IGNORED WARNINGS NOT TO CONTINUE SUCH SLANDERS AS 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HANOI  02088  02 OF 02  270722Z 
WELL AS LIMITATIONS ON HIS TRAVEL. 
 
7.  (SBU)  MR. REES ASKED ABOUT REPORTS THAT HMONG IN 
NORTHWEST VIETNAM HAD BEEN PRESSURED TO RENOUNCE 
CHRISTIANITY, AND WHETHER THE COMMITTEE ON RELIGION HAD 
ANY PROCEDURES TO INVESTIGATE SUCH REPORTS.  MR. HIET 
RESPONDED BRIEFLY THAT THE GVN HAD NEVER FORCED ANYONE 
TO GIVE UP HIS RELIGION BUT THAT IF LOCAL OFFICIALS HAD 
DONE SO, THEY COULD BE PROSECUTED AND PUNISHED FOR 
VIOLATING THE LAW PROBHITING DISCRIMINATION BASED ON 
RELIGIOUS BELIEF. 
 
COMMITTEE FOR ETHNIC MINORITIES AND MOUNTAINOUS AREAS 
 
8. (SBU)  IN A DISCUSSION FOCUSING ON MONTAGNARDS AND 
THE SITUATION IN THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS, DIRECTOR 
GENERAL TRUONG HO TO DESCRIBED THE VARIABLE DEVELOPMENT 
OF SOME GROUPS AND REGIONS WITHIN VIETNAM AS WELL AS OF 
VIETNAMESE LAWS.  HE DESCRIBED THE ROLE OF THIS 
COMMITTEE AS DEALING WITH LAWS AND POLICIES OF THE GVN 
REGARDING MINORITIES.  THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY HAS 12 PCT 
MINORITY REPRESENTATION EVEN THOUGH ETHNIC MINORITIES 
MAKE UP ONLY 11 PCT OF THE TOTAL POPULATION.  A COUNCIL 
OF ETHNIC MINORITY DELEGATES ADVOCATES MINORITY 
INTERESTS WITHIN THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY.  HE POINTED TO 
PROVISIONS OF THE 1992 CONSTITUTION PROHIBITING 
DISCRIMINATION ON BASIS OF ETHNIC ORIGIN AND ENSURING 
THE EQUALITY OF ALL 54 NATIONALITIES WITHIN VIETNAM. 
HE CLAIMED THAT THE GVN HAD NEVER ENCOUNTERED ANY CASES 
OF SUCH DISCRIMINATION.  HOWEVER, HE NOTED THAT ANY 
ACTS THAT VIOLATE THE LAW OR CAUSE INSTABILITY WOULD BE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HANOI  02088  02 OF 02  270722Z 
PUNISHED.  HE CLAIMED TO HAVE NO INFORMATION REGARDING 
THE REPORTED ARRESTS OF 52-56 MONTAGNARDS INVOLVED IN 
THE RECENT DEMONSTRATIONS IN THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS, 
ALTHOUGH HE POINTEDLY SAID THAT HE HAD NOT SAID WHETHER 
SUCH REPORTS WERE TRUE OR FALSE.  HE CITED OTHER MEDIA 
REPORTS CLAIMING THAT MONTAGNARDS FELT CHEATED AND 
SPLIT WITHIN THEIR OWN COMMUNITY AFTER THEIR LIVES HAD 
BECOME MORE UNSTABLE AS A RESULT OF THESE 
DEMONSTRATIONS. 
 
9.  (SBU)  MR. GUNDERSON INQUIRED ABOUT THE MECHANISMS 
OF THE GVN TO ENSURE THE PROTECTION OF THE RIGHTS OF 
MINORITIES GUARANTEED UNDER THE CONSTITUTION.  MR. TO 
DESCRIBED THAT EVEN THOUGH THE CONSTITUTION PROMISES 
EQUALITY, THE GVN ACTUALLY GIVES EXTRA BENEFITS TO 
MINORITIES, SUCH AS REGARDING EDUCATION, UNIVERSITY 
ENTRANCE, AND, SOMETIMES LIGHTER CRIMINAL SENTENCES. 
THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE, WORKING WITH THIS COMMITTEE, 
CONSIDERS "TRADITIONAL LAWS" THAT REFLECT LOCAL 
MINORITY CULTURES, EXCEPT IN CASES WHERE TRADITIONAL 
PUNISHMENTS WERE MORE SEVERE THAN GOVERNMENT NORMS. 
 
10. (SBU)  MR. GUNDERSON NOTED THAT THE TREATMENT OF 
MINORITIES IN VIETNAM WAS IMPORTANT TO CONGRESS AND 
OTHERS IN PART BECAUSE OF THE INTEREST OF CONSTITUENTS, 
AND THAT THE TREATMENT OF THESE GROUPS SHAPED VIEWS IN 
THE US ABOUT VIETNAM.  MR. TO SAID THAT THE HMONG WERE 
"JUST CITIZENS" WITH THE SAME RIGHTS AND 
RESPONSIBILITIES AS OTHER VIETNAMESE CITIZENS AND THAT 
THE GVN WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT MINORITY CULTURES. 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        HANOI  02088  02 OF 02  270722Z 
11. (U)  STAFFDEL DID NOT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CLEAR 
THIS MESSAGE BEFORE DEPARTURE.  HARTER 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED