U.N. religion envoy says hindered in Vietnam
HANOI - The U.N. Special
Rapporteur for Religious Intolerance on Wednesday
bemoaned restrictions and interference by Vietnamese
officials that marred his landmark visit to the communist
country.
Adelfattah Amor said while he met some religious
figures, mostly from state-sanctioned groups, he had
been unable to see a number of clergy from Catholic,
Buddhist and other faiths.
``The special rapporteur regrets that he was not able to
hold meetings with certain officials, with representatives
of (some) religious communities -- Hoa Hao, Taoist,
Confucionist, Hindu,'' Amor said in a statement released
after he left Hanoi.
He said officials refused to allow him to talk privately
with some people and directly prevented him meeting
others during the 10-day trip, which took three years to
arrange.
Amor's statement was at odds with assurances from Le
Quang Vinh, head of the powerful government
committee on religion. Vinh told Reuters on October 16
that Amor would be guaranteed free and unfettered
access throughout the country.
Vietnam's constitution guarantees freedom of religion.
But while the climate for worship has eased, the state
retains strict controls and unsanctioned religious groups
are banned.
Earlier on Wednesday Amor had cancelled several
scheduled interviews with foreign media, a move
diplomats said indicated that he had experienced
problems during his visit.
When stopped by reporters inside the U.N. compound
in Hanoi Amor said police prevented him entering a
Buddhist monastery in southern Ho Chi Minh City to
meet leading dissident monk Thich Quang Do, who was
released from prison in early September.
Do, 70, is secretary general of the outlawed Unified
Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV). The Foreign
Ministry on Tuesday denied that Amor was blocked
from seeing him.
In his statement Amor referred to his visit to Camp
Z30A, a re-education camp in southern Dong Nai
province that international human rights groups say holds
a number of imprisoned Catholic and Buddhist clergy.
At the camp Amor had wanted to meet three UBCV
members and to enquire about three Catholics.
The camp commander told Amor that one of the three
UBCV monks, Thich Nhat Ban, had been freed the
previous day under a government amnesty. Amor said
officials still tried to stop the meeting.
``This private meeting could only be held in line with the
rules of the United Nations after long discussions at the
site with the person in charge of the camp,'' Amor said.
``However, the meeting had to be cut short by the
special rapporteur due to the interruption, several times,
of this official who hindered the private nature of the
meeting.''
Amor added the commander had denied the presence at
the camp of another UBCV monk and three Catholics --
despite confirmation from several sources that they were
being detained there, and one was suffering from mental
health problems.
Amor will present a report on his visit to the next session
of the U.N. Human Rights Commission in Geneva in
March.
Reuters - October 28, 1998.
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