Vietnam's Human Rights Situation Scrutinized
VOA - February 05, 2014
The UN
Human Rights Council has examined Vietnam at its Universal Periodic Review (UPR)
in Geneva, February 5, 2013. All UN member states undergo a review every four
years to assess each country’s human rights situation.
Vietnam was elected to the UN Human Rights Council on November 12, 2013,
accepting the obligation to “uphold the highest standards in the promotion and
protection of human rights,” as set forth in United Nations General Assembly
Resolution 60/251.
In its campaign for council membership, Vietnam pledged to respect and promote
human rights by concrete implementation of the country’s constitution and laws.
Three experts agree there has been little evidence the pledge has been
fulfilled.
VOA’s Victor Beattie spoke with:
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Phil Robertson, Deputy Director, Asia Division, Human Rights Watch
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Nguyen Ba Tung, head of the California-based Vietnam Human Rights Network
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Jonathan London, Professor of Asian and International Studies at City
University of Hong Kong
Beattie: What has been Vietnam’s record
on human rights since the UPR in 2009?
Robertson: “We have seen a growing crackdown against bloggers, land
rights activists, religious freedom proponents and other persons who have
challenged Vietnam and its government’s views on these issues. It appears that
the government is becoming more intolerant of any sort of dissent. Despite the
fact that it has now been elected to the UN Human Rights Council, it has a human
rights record that is rapidly becoming one of the worst in ASEAN.”
Nguyen: After four years the situation has worsened. The latest report
from the Vietnamese government paints a different image of the reality in
Vietnam. Every aspect of human rights has been violated. For example, regarding
the right of free speech the report says they there are 800 free newspapers and
30 million people using the Internet. The report concludes that freedom of
information is respected. But, in fact, the Vietnamese government continues to
obstruct people to access websites that are considered sensitive they continue
to be arrested and put in jail.
London: We have a contradictory situation. On the one hand the human
rights situation in Vietnam has not improved tangibly, at least as we look at
the treatment of political dissidents. On the other hand the dissident community
has now expanded into something of a vibrant, civil society of sorts that has
been quite forceful and effective in generating public interest in and
discussion about the need for improvements in human rights in Vietnam.
Beattie: How do you think Vietnam will
react to this week’s review by the Human Rights Council?
Robertson: “Whether Vietnam is prepared to act on the recommendations
made by the Council and its member states will be noted by those representing
Vietnam in Geneva. That will really come from higher levels in the government.
I think that it’s critical however that the international community continue to
speak with one voice in stating that the human rights record of Vietnam in its
current form is not acceptable.”
“If Vietnam wants to play a more pronounced role on the global stage, and as an
accepted member of the international community, it needs to clean up its act on
human rights. The delays it is been given and the excuses that have been made by
the Vietnamese government need to be pushed aside. They need to really get down
to the basic job of guaranteeing rights for their citizens.”
London: If you look at what’s occurred in Geneva this week we seen the
collection of civil society activists from Vietnam arrive in Geneva and share
with the international community their own perspectives on the human rights
situation in Vietnam. So it’s quite a lively political scene right now in
Vietnam and when I say that I do not want to suggest that things have improved
where they have not, but that things are different then we might expect
Beattie: Do you think membership in
free trade associations like the Trans Pacific Partnership will initiate
improvement in Vietnam’s human rights record?
Nguyen: The Vietnamese government reports there are currently 460
professional-based associations in Vietnam. That is a lie. Up to now, there is
no single trade union allowed except for the Vietnam General Confederation of
Labor. So every aspect of human rights is violated.
Robertson: The TPT trade deal that is being negotiated also involves
labor rights. Vietnam needs to make sure that there is freedom of association
for workers to join trade unions of their own choice. Right now that’s not a
possibility in Vietnam. The Vietnam General Confederation of Labor is completely
controlled by the government of Vietnam. Forming a union outside that structure
can land you in jail. I think it’s going to be very, very hard for the United
States to conclude the TPT negotiations unless the government of Vietnam is
prepared to really make significant changes to the way it controls its labor
sector.