Vietnam ensures human rights
Protecting and developing human rights is Vietnam's unswerving policy and the country has been doing its best to ensure and implement those rights.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Le Dung made the statement on March 7 in reply to reporters' question about Vietnam's reaction to the US State Department's 2006 Human Rights report.
He expressed regrets that the US State Department's 2006 report continues to present biased comments on the situation in Vietnam.
"Vietnam is working hard to protect and promote the exercising of human rights by speeding up the process of completing its legal system. The Government has also taken concrete steps to increase socio-economic and cultural development in an effort to constantly improve living conditions, both material and spiritual, while ensuring a just, democratic and civilised society," said the spokesperson
He said Vietnam considers the policy a guarantee of sustainable development and success of its goal towards a prosperous people, a strong nation and a just, democratic and civilised society.
Dung went on to say, "In fact, huge progress has been made in promoting citizens' rights and freedom in all fields. Vietnam's existing laws have covered all human rights in line with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other related international conventions of which Vietnam is a member."
"In Vietnam, no arrest has been made on a political viewpoint or religious reasons. Only law violators have been arrested and treated in compliance with the law," the spokesman emphasised.
He cited an increase in the number of newspapers and the widespread use of Internet as well as diversitied press coverages as strong evidence of the freedom of speech, freedom of press and freedom of information in Vietnam.
Explaining bans on information counter to moral standards and laws, Dung said Vietnam does just what other countries in the world do.
He said differences in political regimes, culture and history as well as gaps of development have definitely led to the different perceptions and approaches to human rights among countries, including the United States and Vietnam.
He called on the two countries to increase contacts and dialogue in order to increase a mutual understanding regarding the issues in the interest of the two peoples.
"In a visit to Vietnam by President G. Bush, in November, 2006 leaders of the two countries also highlighted the importance of efforts to make further progress in dialogue on human rights. They reiterated that bilateral talks should go on in a comprehensive scope and constructive ways to bring in positive results," concluded the spokesman.
Vietnam News Agency - March 8, 2007.
A false and wrongful report
The Vietnamese people are very discontented and resolutely opposed to the so-called 2006 Annual Report on Human Rights released by the US State Department on March 6. The report includes the ridiculous remarks, reiterating the same things from the previous years that there remain "human rights violations" in Vietnam.
The US State Department's report said that "the Vietnamese government sought to reinforce its controls over the press and the internet, and prohibited private citizens from contacting international human rights organisations... The government continued to prohibit speech that questioned the role of the CPV, promoted pluralism or multiparty democracy, or questioned the Government's policies on human rights." And then the report groundlessly noted that the practice of human rights in Vietnam was not "satisfactory".
In reality, the US State Department has continued to create biased remarks about the situation in Vietnam, running counter to the assessments from people in many countries including senior politicians and citizens who visited Vietnam in the recent period. Right after the introduction of this report, many people have raised the question why the US State Department has the right to review and criticise the internal situation in other independent and sovereign countries while avoided touching on the serious violations of human rights situation in the United States. This move clearly violates the United Nations' charter, flagrantly interferes with sovereignty and the right to self-determination and intervenes in the internal affairs of other countries.
For Vietnam, the remarks in the newly issued report are not only a blatant intervention but tarnish the image of Vietnam, and distort the country's open and correct religious policies. In addition, the report does harm to the co-operative ties which are being positively improved for mutual benefit between the US and Vietnamese governments and people. For many years now, with its advocacy of expanding international relations and co-operation, Vietnam has taken initiative to actively participate in dialogue seeking to enhance contacts with other governments and people, including the US, in order to strengthen mutual understanding in the interests and development of each country. The Vietnamese State have made strong statements and carried out specific actions to implement the consistent policy on respecting and protecting human rights and development. In recent years, the Vietnamese people have united closely and made great efforts to improve their living standards.
The United Nations, international organisations, governments and people in the region and the world at large have highly valued the impressive achievements made by Vietnam and appreciate the country's experience in raising living and social standards in terms of poverty reduction, security maintenance and preservation of national cultural tradition. A majority of foreign people, including US citizens, coming to Vietnam to work or travel, have expressed their positive views about life in Vietnam. They admit that they are warmly welcomed, free to travel or meet any Vietnamese citizen and able to use the Internet at hotels, streets and even in remote and mountainous areas. Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung's recent online dialogue with citizens reflected the closer connection and stronger support between the administration and people towards the issues of great domestic and international concern.
In November 2006, US State Secretary C. Rice accompanied President G. Bush to Vietnam to attend the 14th APEC Meeting when leaders of the two countries highlighted the importance of efforts to make further progress in the dialogue on human rights. They reiterated that bilateral talks should go on in a comprehensive and constructive manner to bring about positive results. New evidence about human rights and religious freedom was marked following the visit to Vietnam by Assistant Secretary of State Ellen Sauerbrey. After visiting the Central Highlands, she stated that those ethnic minority people in Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands) who had illegally crossed the border to Cambodia because of financial enticements or economic reasons received no punishment or maltreatment after their returning to Vietnam.
Ms Ellen Sauerbrey then said that anyone who wants to make comments about Vietnam should visit the country to witness the real situation and positive changes.
The so-called "2006 Annual Report on Human Rights" filed by the US State Department will not deceive the public and fails to make a contribution to improving the relations between Vietnam and the US in the spirit of the agreements reached by the leaders of the two countries as well as the ever more improved friendly relations between the two people.
It is advisable that before expressing "concern" about human rights in other countries, the US State Department should focus on dealing with the violations of human rights in its own country every day so as to help millions of the American citizens enjoy the basic rights as proposed in the United States of America's declaration over 200 years ago.
By Xuan Hieu - Nhan Dan - March 8, 2007.
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