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

Year :     [2007]      [2006]      [2005]      [2004]      [2003]      [2002]      [2001]      [2000]      [1999]      [1998]      [1997]

Vietnam 'regrets' EU resolution on rights

HANOI - Vietnam Saturday expressed "regret" over the European Parliament's adoption of a resolution on the deteriorating human rights situation in the communist country.

"It is regrettable that the European Parliament adopted a resolution that is based on incorrect information and accompanying biased comments," foreign ministry spokesman Le Dung was quoted as saying by the Vietnam news agency. "The resolution fails to correctly grasp Vietnam's situation and is not in line with the fine development in cooperative relations between Vietnam and the European Union."

The European lawmakers expressed their "deep concern" over a "new wave of persecutions" of Vietnamese dissidents in a resolution adopted this week in Strasbourg. In the text, they demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all people detained for the sole reason that they exercised peacefully and legitimately their rights to freedom of thought, expression, freedom of the press and of religion. "Ensuring and upholding human rights constitute ... major goals" for Vietnam, said Dung, maintaining that the country had "worked hard to build an apparatus that ensures those rights are maintained, developed and improved upon."

Vietnam was not a country which suppressed people who had differing political opinions, he said, repeating that those who had been jailed had been convicted for breaking the law. Arrests and convictions of dissidents, accused of slander and propaganda against the communist regime, multiplied in the first half of the year. They aroused a lot of criticism from the United States, the European Union and from human rights organisations which accused Hanoi of cracking down after it joined the World Trade Organization.

Agence France Presse - July 14, 2007.


EU human rights resolution out of tune, says Vietnam

Vietnam expressed "regret" Saturday over the European Parliament's adoption of a resolution on human rights in the country, which a foreign ministry spokesman said failed to reflect the real situation.

"It is regrettable that the European Parliament adopted a resolution that is based on incorrect information and bias," spokesman Le Dzung was quoted as saying by the Vietnam news agency. "The resolution fails to grasp Vietnam's situation correctly and is not in line with the fine development in cooperative relations between Vietnam and the European Union."

The European lawmakers expressed their "deep concern" over the “persecution” of what they called “Vietnamese dissidents” and demanded their immediate and unconditional release in a resolution adopted this week in Strasbourg. "Ensuring and upholding human rights constitute ... major goals" for Vietnam, said Dzung, maintaining that the country had "worked hard to build an apparatus that ensures those rights are maintained, developed and improved upon."

Vietnam was not a country which suppressed people who had differing political opinions, he said, repeating that those who had been jailed had been convicted for breaking the law. These trials were conducted openly in accordance with the order and procedures of Vietnamese law as well as procedures recognized by the international community, he added. There was no discrimination and suppression of ethnic minority people in Vietnam, he said.

Dzung also hoped Vietnam and the EU would continue their dialogue on human rights that has brought opportunities to consult each other in an effort to better implement human rights, increase mutual understanding and reduce differences.

Vietnam News Agency - July 15, 2007.


Vietnam : hopes of progress on democracy dashed ?

n a resolution on Vietnam, adopted by 68 votes to 2 with 0 abstentions, Parliament voices disappointment at the government's apparent retreat from the policy of tolerance and openness which had seemed to be taking shape last year. It urges the government to change tack and believes the EU institutions should apply some pressure.

The resolution mentions "the political opening-up of 2006, which saw the birth of independent and democratic parties" as well as an internet petition for greater democracy signed by a number of intellectuals. It points out that "the Vietnamese regime's tolerance of this spreading of democratic dissidence aroused great hope" and enabled it to join the WTO, be removed from the United States' list of violators of religious freedom and be granted permanent normal trade relations by the US Congress.

However, "since March 2007, more than 15 dissidents have been sentenced to lengthy periods in prison or under house arrest". Religious freedom is also under attack, with religious movements finding it hard to register in order to gain official recognition. In addition, the ethnic minorities of the Northern and Central Highlands, including the Montagnards repatriated from Cambodia, are still "subject to discrimination, confiscation of their land and violation of their religious freedom".

Vietnam urged to meet international norms on democracy and human rights Parliament therefore "voices its deep concern at the new wave of persecution of dissidents in Vietnam" and calls for "the immediate and unconditional release of all individuals imprisoned for the sole reason that they have peacefully and legitimately exercised their right to freedom of opinion, freedom of expression, freedom of the press and freedom of religion" (the resolution lists a number of individuals).

Parliament calls on the Vietnamese Government "to put an end to all forms of repression towards people exercising their right to the freedom of expression, freedom of thought and freedom of assembly, in line with international law on human rights" and "repeats its call to the authorities to reform as a matter of urgency national security provisions, either revoking them or bringing them into line with international law".

MEPs want Vietnam "to carry out political and institutional reforms in order to establish democracy and genuine rule of law, beginning with the introduction of a multi-party system, a free press and free trade unions" and "to respect religious freedom and to restore the legal status of all religious communities". They also urge the government to "end the discrimination against the Montagnard community".

Pressure from the EU ?

When it comes to human rights, the EU could wield some clout. The resolution points out that Vietnam receives financial assistance from the EU and its Member States, that the EU is Vietnam's main trading partner and that Vietnam already benefits from the EU's generalised system of preferences. Moreover, in March 2007 the Commission decided to increase aid to Vietnam by 30% for the 2007-2013 period (€304 million), which is largely earmarked for governance and human rights actions.

Parliament therefore takes the view that the "human rights dialogue between the European Union and Vietnam must lead to tangible improvements in Vietnam" and asks the Council and the Commission "to reassess the policy of cooperation with Vietnam", given that the 1995 cooperation agreement is supposed to be based on respect for democratic principles and fundamental rights.

By Jack Blackwell , Press officer of the European Parliament - July 12, 2007.