~ Le Viêt Nam, aujourd'hui. ~
The Vietnam News

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Vietnam orders clampdown on 'hostile' Internet use

HANOI - Vietnam's communist party has issued a directive to check what it called "reactionary and hostile forces" from abusing the Internet, a party official said Tuesday. "It seeks notably to implement the tasks set by the communist party regarding the country's political, security and defence issues," the official told Agence France-Presse.

Vietnamese authorities had last year issued rules to ensure a close check on Internet content was kept but the latest directive was issued after previous attempts to enforce those laws fell short of expectations. "Some e-newspapers still provide sensational news and articles, while other providers even distribute reactionary and slanderous information and depraved culture," the state press said quoting the directive. "Relevant agencies still fail to take effective measures to prevent reactionary and hostile forces from abusing the Internet service and electronic press to undermine Viet Nam's revolution," it said.

The directive seeks to "renew State management of the electronic press" and to launch "new high-quality electronic newspapers to serve as a sharp political and ideological weapon of the Party and State, and contribute to national development and defense." The communist party official noted that in Vietnam, it was the party's central committee secretariat which decided the broad directions on developing national media. International human rights groups have accused Vietnamese authorities of using national security as a pretext to silence all dissent. A few dissidents have been jailed for using the Internet to call for democracy and respect for human rights. Vietnam's communist regime retains a tight grip over all domestic media activities. No private media outlets are permitted.

Agence France Presse - July 26, 2005.