Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Religious dignitaries and intellectuals raised their voices against the US State Department's decision on Vietnam's religious tolerance situation, at the seventh session of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee (fifth tenure) in Hanoi on September 18.

The Most Venerable Thich Tri Quang, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha's Executive Council expressed his agreement with the VFF's statement which condemned the US State Department's decision to list Vietnam a 'country of particular concern' with respect to religious freedom. He said the US State Department has blatantly interfered in Vietnam's internal affairs.

He reminded the meeting of his conversation with the assistant to the US Secretary of State early this year at which, the Vietnamese religious delegation spoke about Vietnam's policy on religious freedom, affirming the unification of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha was made voluntarily by Buddhist organisations throughout the country.

Priest Nguyen Tan Khoa, President of the Committee for Solidarity with Catholics, said that Vietnam's six major and others religions were afforded favourable conditions to function normally in accordance with the law. "We recognise the US's unwillingness in relations with Vietnam," he said, adding the US side was prejudiced against Vietnam's religious policy.

The priest advised people from the US and other countries to come to Vietnam to witness the reality of the situation.

Professor Luu Van Dat, Chairman of the VFF Central Committee's Consultancy Association for Legal Democracy, described the US decision as an erroneous act.

"This is a blatant violation of free and independent State," the professor said, stressing the violation is not the first.

In Vietnam, a declaration of religious freedom is stated in the Constitution. Many legal documents have been issued in addition to the Ordinance on Belief and Religions, he said.

Fatherland Front’s statement

The Vietnam Fatherland Front vehemently protests against and rejects the US State Department's decision to list Vietnam as one of the "countries of particular concern" with respect to religious freedom.

In a statement released at the seventh session of the fifth VFF Central Committee in Hanoi on Saturday, the organisation "asks the US State Department and Government to cease propagating distortions about religious freedom in Vietnam and prevent any actions that may harm the growing relationship between Vietnam and the United States."

The VFF calls upon the American people to ignore the distortions and not let extremists jeopardise the promotion of co-operative ties between countries and the building of friendship for long-lasting stability, peace, co-operation and development in the Asian-Pacific region and the world as a whole.

"The VFF Central Committee appeals to all countrymen at home and abroad to uphold their vigilance against such hostile forces' schemes and actions to undermine the national great unity, and to join in the efforts to build and defend the country for the goal of a prosperous people, a strong country, and an equitable, democratic and civilised society." (VNA)