TABLE OF CONTENTS

PREFACE

About the VCA

Witnesses at hearings: from VCA, and from overseas

Quotes

LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS

1. INTRODUCTION

2. CAUSE AND EXTENT OF SUPPRESSION OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

2.1 Cause

2.2 Recent international documentations on religious suppression

2.2.1 The Amor report - summary of some key points

2.2.2 The U.S. 1998 Human Rights Practices report - some extracts

2.2.3 Amnesty International's 1999 report - relevant extracts

2.2.4 Human Rights Watch's World Report 1999 - some extracts

2.3 Murders, imprisonment, and harassment of people for religious beliefs

2.3.1 Murders

2.3.2 Concentration camps

2.3.3 Imprisonments, house arrests, and arrests (See Attachment 1)

Some extracts from Attachment 1:

A prison called home

2.4 Confiscation, destruction, abuse, and non-return of church properties (See Attachment 2)

2.5 Puppet churches

If you can't beat them, get them

No puppet Catholic churches, but

2.6 Decree 31/CP: administrative detention, forced labor, indoctrination, mutual distrusts

Administrative Detention Decree 31/CP

Why Administrative Detention?

Not just detention: forced labor, indoctrination, and mutual distrust

Building a society in which everyone distrusts everyone else

2.7 Decree No. 26/1999/ND-CP: A cynical anti-religion anti-church tool (see Attachment 3)

3. IMPLICATIONS OF SUPPRESSION OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN VIETNAM

3.1 Implications for Australia

3.1.1 Australia's aid could help to reduce religious suppression

3.1.2 Implications for Australian industry

3.1.3 Australia's dealings with Vietnamese State-owned enterprises (SOEs)

3.1.4 The world is possibly trending towards aid conditionality

3.1.5 Potential factor in cultural exchanges? In trade too?

3.2 Implications on freedom of association

3.3 Implications on freedom of assembly

3.4 Implications on freedom of press - An Inquiry into freedom of the press?

Forbidding the independent publication of religious books etc.

Media within churches and religious organisations are forbidden

Vietnam government is the worst oppressor of freedom of the press in Asia

A future Inquiry into freedom of the press?

3.5 Implications on privacy

3.6 Some societal implications of suppression of human rights

Multiplier effect: population too afraid to speak out, more willing to leave

The corruption jungle of Vietnam

A generation of youth not encouraged to develop positive values

4. RECOMMENDATIONS

Recommendation 1 - Religious freedom as a factor in aid program

Consistent with the government's new framework for human rights in aid

Recommendation 2 - Funding for churches' aid work

AusAid should deal with churches, including independent ones

Ha Noi's potential displeasure should not deter Australia

Half-share for independent churches and religious organisations

Assisting AusAid

Recommendation 3 - Advisory Group with emphasis on practical work

This Recommendation is not just about aid

NGO involvement is critical

Practical work and follow up

Incremental increases

Affordable and cost-efficient

Recommendation 4 - Radio Australia's role

Consistent with freedom of the press

Potential benefits

Communications with the community and with the Sub-Committee

Recommendation 5 - Regular representations, visits, and tabling

Negative government response to VCA's current similar proposals

Benefits of implementing this Recommendation

Six-monthly reporting

Recommendation 6 - Human rights dialogue with emphasis on results, consultation, and accountability

The details make the difference

Parliamentary and community involvement

Recommendation 7 - Improving effectiveness of human rights education aid, and including human rights in education aid

Human rights education aid should be reviewed, just like other aspects of aid

Legislators and media workers

Introducing sponsored students to concepts of human rights and democracy

Recommendation 8 - Study of human rights on the agenda of multilateral entities

Questions worth looking into

Some potential benefits

Terms of reference and conduct of study

Notes to Recommendations 2, 4, and 6 - Officials' job appraisals

5. SUMMARY

ATTACHMENT 1

List Of 145 Religious Prisoners And House Detainees

ATTACHMENT 2

List of Confiscated, Destroyed, or Abused Church Properties

ATTACHMENT 3

Decree No. 26/1999/ND-CP
Chapter I - General Provisions
Chapter II - Particular Provisions
Chapter III - Application Provisions

ATTACHMENT 4

Costing of Recommendations

ATTACHMENT 5

Most Venerable Thich Quang Do: What we need is Freedom

ATTACHMENT 6

Dr Nguyen Dan Que's Communique on Vietnam Human Rights Day of 11 May 1999

ATTACHMENT 7

Resolution on Vietnam of the Assembly of Delegates of International PEN, meeting at its 66th International Congress, held in Warsaw, Poland, from 15-21 June 1999

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