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Viewing cable 06HANOI1678, POLOFF VISITS BAC GIANG, MEETS WITH LOCAL BAPTISTS AND

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06HANOI1678 2006-07-06 10:38 2011-08-25 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Hanoi
VZCZCXRO0354
RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHHI #1678/01 1871038
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 061038Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2644
INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 1465
RUEHZS/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HANOI 001678 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MLS, DRL/IRF 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KIRF PHUM PGOV HUMANR VM
SUBJECT: POLOFF VISITS BAC GIANG, MEETS WITH LOCAL BAPTISTS AND 
OFFICIALS 
 
HANOI 00001678  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
Summary and Comment 
------------------- 
 
1. (SBU) On June 19, Poloff met with provincial officials in Bac 
Giang Province and sat in on a heated exchange between Baptist 
believers and local commune officials.  Provincial officials 
acknowledge that the province does not plan to register the group 
anytime soon under the GVN's framework on religion.  That said, the 
access to the Baptist's house church that we were given -- despite 
initial attempts to deny the existence of the group and to warn the 
group from meeting with us after we made clear our intention to meet 
-- was a positive development.  The frank discussion between local 
officials and the Baptists that our visit generated was even more 
surprising.  The Ambassador will visit the province and the Baptists 
on July 6.  End Summary and Comment. 
 
2. (SBU) On June 19, Poloff and Pol Assistants traveled to Bac Giang 
Province and met with the Provincial People's Committee's (PPC) 
Chief of Staff Nguyen Sy Nhan and Director of the Department of 
Ethnic and Religious Affairs (DERA) Vu Dinh Canh.  Poloff sought 
clarification about the harassment of a Baptist congregation in Song 
Mai Commune after it attempted to register in early May.  Local 
authorities allegedly interrogated Pastor Than Van Truong, the head 
of the church, and told members of the congregation that 
"Protestantism is an illegal American religion" and that "God will 
never exist in the north."  (Note: Truong was committed to a mental 
institution in July 2004 after sending letters to provincial 
officials calling on them to abandon Communist teachings and follow 
Christian scripture instead.  He was released on September 17, 2005 
after reportedly signing a document acknowledging a mental illness. 
Since his release, Truong has strenuously advocated religious 
freedom over GVN objections.  End Note.) 
 
Officials are evasive about existence of Protestants... 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
3. (SBU) Although Nhan noted that "every story has two sides," he 
also acknowledged that "rumors sometimes are based in facts." 
Describing the province's religious demographics, Canh said there 
are 300 Catholic deacons in Bac Giang and four priests serving 
25,000 Catholics among the province's residents.  There are 150,000 
Buddhist adherents who worship in 618 pagodas with the assistance of 
71 monks.  Canh repeated the standard GVN talking points that 
Vietnam guarantees religious freedom for all, but that "the State 
also needs to maintain national solidarity among all citizens and 
guarantee the spiritual well-being of the people."  The Bac Giang 
PPC aspires to create favorable conditions for religious activities 
and works closely with the Catholic and Buddhist clergy to establish 
this environment.  Canh categorically rejected the existence of 
Protestants in the province and refused to discuss problems with the 
registration of Pastor Truong's Baptist group. 
 
...but then discuss registration and deny harassment 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
4. (SBU) After his initial denial that Protestants live in Bac 
Giang, Canh said provincial officials will abide by the PM's 
Instruction on Protestantism, but "prospective Protestants must 
fulfill certain criteria before they can properly register."  Groups 
must demonstrate a spiritual need for religion, after which they may 
meet in small groups.  Following this stage, a congregation must 
develop correct rituals according to a doctrine that does not 
interfere with traditional customs.  The group must then have a 
nationally-recognized umbrella organization "recommend their 
application" to the province.  In addition, the applicant 
congregation must have a leader who resides in the province, he 
said. 
 
5. (SBU) Canh acknowledged that a Baptist group did attempt to apply 
for registration in May in Song Mai.  The district's Ethnic and 
Religious Affairs Committee rejected their application because 
Baptist Protestantism is not a recognized faith in Vietnam, and 
because Pastor Truong is not a legal resident of Bac Giang.  (Note: 
Although Truong was born in Bac Giang, he is legally resident in 
Dong Nai Province.  End Note.)  Furthermore, local police 
interrogated Pastor Truong because he has an outstanding debt with 
the Vietnam Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Agribank), 
not because they were trying to persecute him for his religious 
beliefs.  (Note:  According to local officials, Pastor Truong moved 
to Dong Nai Province in 1984, leaving an unsettled loan of VND 18 
million with the Agribank.  When Truong returned to Bac Giang in May 
2006, he committed to repay his debt, now amounting to VND 
75,810,000 with compounded interest, by June 15, 2006.  Troung 
allegedily did not pay as promised.  End Note.) 
 
6. (SBU) Canh assured Poloff that provincial authorities do not 
differentiate in their treatment of different religious 
denominations, but only focus on facilitating "activities at home" 
 
HANOI 00001678  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
for groups that do not meet provincial criteria for registration. 
"We do not prevent anyone from practicing their faith at home," Vu 
concluded.  Nhan added that an allegation that police forced the 
removal of a cross from the exterior of the Song Mai house church 
was taken out of context.  The police intervened because several 
members of the family owning the house disagree over the practice of 
Protestantism and local officials simply settled a family conflict, 
he asserted. 
 
Song Mai officials criticize Pastor Truong 
------------------------------------------ 
 
7. (SBU) Embassy team later traveled to Song Mai Commune and met 
with the Chairman of the People's Committee (PC), Mr. Do Van Bao, 
and the President of Vietnam Fatherland Front's (VFF) Veterans 
Association (VA), Mr. Nguyen Van Chien.  On the subject of the 
difficulties faced by the Song Mai Baptists in registering, Bao 
acknowledged that the group had applied for registration, but 
reiterated the PPC officials' arguments for why the application had 
been denied.  Bao further noted that, aside from his financial 
problems, "Truong also tries to preach Protestantism to his extended 
relatives."  While the commune respects the freedom of religion for 
every Vietnamese citizen, the PC cannot allow "anyone to exploit a 
religion to disrupt the solidarity of the commune, force the people 
to believe and to work against the GVN."   Villagers are displeased 
with Truong's conversion of the owners of the Baptist's place of 
worship. 
 
8. (SBU) Poloff immediately challenged Bao's arguments and insisted 
that stability is preserved only when local officials provide legal 
means for people to organize their religion openly.  It is the 
responsibility of the PC to explain that people are free to believe 
under Vietnam's legal system.  Bao answered that the commune does 
not prevent any individual from worshipping at home, but Pastor 
Truong has not completed the necessary paperwork for registration 
and does not cooperate with commune's officials. 
 
Song Mai Baptist Church 
----------------------- 
 
9. (SBU) Embassy team visited the house in which the Song Mai 
Baptists meet.  It is owned by an elderly couple, and during the 
meeting with them, Poloff asked the local officials for Pastor 
Truong to also be allowed to participate in the discussion.  The PC 
officials appeared displeased but did not prevent him from joining 
the meeting.  Pastor Truong informed Poloff that a local MPS officer 
had just told him not to meet with the Embassy team.  An 
uncomfortable local official tried to explained that the Embassy 
team had only requested a meeting with the house church residents, 
but "if the hosts are not opposed to Truong's presence, the PC has 
no objections."  The house church owner said that he and his wife 
welcome Baptist followers to worship in their house and that the 
Baptist group followed legal procedures per the PM's Instruction on 
Protestantism, when it applied to register the group in May. 
However, local officials rejected both the congregation's 
application and suggested that the congregation file its request at 
the central level.  Pastor Truong also met with CRA officials in 
Hanoi but without much result. 
 
10. (SBU) Local MPS officers subsequently informed the couple that 
"under secret instructions the commune's PC will never register 
Protestants."  The homeowner concluded that while he believes that 
Protestantism is a virtuous religion, his discouragement and fear 
forced him "to give up and not to pursue the matter further." 
However, the two homeowners still believe in Protestantism. 
"Americans are by our side and I hope the congregation will be able 
to register," he added.  One of the local officials present loudly 
asserted that the commune's responsibility is "to guide the people 
to conduct activities in accordance to the law."  National unity is 
crucial and national solidarity comes before international 
obligations, he said. 
 
11. (SBU) Continuing, the local official said that the commune's 
position is that "preaching Protestantism is legal, but needs 
authorization from local authorities."  At this point, one of the 
house church owners confronted the official:  "How can you make such 
a statement after you visited us yesterday and claimed that 
Protestantism is an American religion and will never be allowed in 
Song Mai.  You said yesterday that Song Mai's VFF will crush 
Protestantism in the commune while it is still only an egg."  She 
then turned to Poloff and asked him whether local authorities' 
allegations that the USG is rewarding Protestants with VND 1,000,000 
for each Protestant conversion were true.  After Poloff rejected the 
allegation, the homeowner then shouted at the PC officials: "You 
see!  It's official!  The Americans are not paying us!" 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
HANOI 00001678  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
 
12. (SBU) Despite the sophomoric attempts by local officials to 
limit our access to the Song Mai Congregation, this visit was an 
important step forward in forcing the provincial and commune 
officials to deal with their Protestants in an open and legal 
manner.  It is particularly striking that the Baptists felt 
comfortable challenging the local officials directly in front of the 
Embassy team.  We have heard from the house church owner that since 
our visit, the Baptists have been left alone by local police and 
other officials.  Despite this positive development, Bac Giang will 
likely not register the group any time soon.  We expect that the 
Province will allow the Baptists to worship at home in the interim 
if only because of our direct attention. 
 
MARINE