Reaction of Vietnamese Government on the visit of US Committee International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)
Courtesy of Gia Minh
RFA Reporter - 11/08/2007

The Committee of International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) just ended their visiting and working trip in Vietnam from Oct 21, 2007 through the beginning of November. Meeting with religious leaders. As head of USCIRF, Mr. Michael Cromatie had announced before the trip that aside from meeting with the Vietnamese government, USCIRF would meet with leaders of several religions in Vietnam, such as Catholic, Buddhist, Christian, Cao Dai and Hoa Hao...

USCIRF.

As planed, USCIRF has meet with many religious leaders. Radio Free Asia (RFA) has reported about the meetings between the USCIRF and the Very Venerable Thich Quang Do, Deputy leader of the government-outlawed Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam; Bishop Ngo Quang Kiet, Hanoi Catholic Region; Minister Phung Quang Huyen, Christian Representative, Northern Vietnam. Responding to RFA reporter about the meeting, Mr Huyen hesitated before answering the question, "We are busy with the meeting, therefore we can't answer your questions, but in summary, the Christian's activities are normal, even sometimes with difficulties."
During the visit in Vietnam, USCIRF has requested the Vietnamese government to allow USCIRF to meet some of the activists who have been fighting for democracy, human rights and religious freedom. USCIRF also has asked to meet with relatives of those activists.
Among those activists are Rev Nguyen Van Ly, a Catholic priest who is imprisoned in Ba Sao, Nam Ha; and Mr. Nguyen Van Dai and Ms. Le Thi Cong Nhan, two Christian attorneys.
Father Ly's relatives said that although their house was watched by four security polices all day long, but Mr. Hoang and Ms. Hieu, Father Ly's sister, have secretly left the house to meet with the USCIRF representatives.

Hanoi's Reaction
The Cong An Nhan Dan Newspaper [People's Police], an organ of the Interior Department, commented on USCIRF's visit with the heading as "Another Provoking and Pique," which also stated that Hanoi was willingly to allow the USCIRF to visit and to know the religious freedom in Vietnam. According to Nguyen Nhu Phong, a reporter of the Cong An Nhan Dan Newspaper, in the meetings with Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Asst. Chief of Police Nguyen Van Huong, USCIRF has presented irrelevant and baseless news. Nguyen Van Phong said that the increased populations of religious people and the training leaders there have proven the freedom of religion in Vietnam.
Minister Bui Van Nghia, Leader of Hai Phong Region, whose religious activities were approved by the government, has confirmed that the religious freedom only exists inside the church; activities outside of the church have to be approved by the government.
Christians have said that they are not allowed to visit the two Christian attorneys, Nguyen van Dai and Le Thi Cong Nhan who are serving time in the prison.
Father Ly was not allowed to receive communion when other priests came to visit him in prison.
The Venerable Thich Thien Minh said that before and during the USCIRF's visit Vietnam, the security police disconnected all of his cell phones.