VietNamNet - The Vietnam Fatherland Front vehemently protests against and rejects the US State Department's decision to list Vietnam as one of the "countries of particular concern" with respect to religious freedom.

In a statement released at the Seventh session of the Fifth VFF Central Committee in Hanoi on Saturday, the organisation "asks the US State Department and Government to cease distortions on religious freedom in Vietnam and prevent any actions that may harm the growing relationship between Vietnam and the United States."

The VFF calls upon the American people to ignore the distortions and not let extremists jeopardise the promotion of cooperative ties between countries and the building of friendship for long-lasting stability, peace, cooperation and development in the Asian-Pacific region and the world as a whole.

"The VFF Central Committee appeals to all countrymen at home and abroad to uphold their vigilance against such hostile forces' schemes and actions to undermine the national great unity, and to join in the efforts to build and defend the country for the goal of a prosperous people, a strong country, and an equitable, democratic and civilised society." the statement said.

This coming November, I believe, a new law goes into effect where the only mention of religion is confined to the temples or churches. You can't talk about religion online, you can't even talk about religion AT HOME. I'm agnostic, but goddammit, if a Catholic wants to tell his kids about Catholicism at home, HE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO DO SO.

Not even at home? Geez....

Anyway, no one's gonna pry on you and what you're doing at home in Vietnam. Relax

You don't think communists have turned children against their own parents before?

And although proving guilt will be difficult, 1) the oppressive regime never relied on factual evidence to jail someone so people will actually end up being jailed, regardless of their guilt and 2) this law is full of sh!t - just having this law says how much the government values the individual and their innate freedom - it's the principle of the matter.

Unlikely because:

1. Modern Vietnam is nothing the Chinese Cultural revolution where children were told to spy on their parents.

2. Vietnam would never do that and the world would never let Vietnam go thus far.

3. I trust Vietnamese kids not to do that.

Then you're very naive. All you're telling me is you trust them to do this or not do this....i.e. it's just wishful thinking.

Secondly, going back to the principle of enacting such a oppressive law, tell me, just what does the communist regime say about the respect of its citizen when it forbids them to tell their own kids about their religion in the privacy of their own home?

I think the US has good reasons to include VN in the reports.

All I'm saying is that I don't think it will be enforced by the authority, like prying on peoples' homes and stuff.

Can you honestly tell me everyone who has been jailed in VN has legitimate reasons to be in there? You don't think the communists can use that law as an excuse to jail more people?

And let's not forget the second part of the law forbids talk of religion over the internet, which is easily enforcible with their invasive firewall and filter programs.

I'm not even touching on the issue of legitimacy regarding Vietnam's jailing of dissidents. If you ask me, I'd say they're illegal and immoral.

However, we're talking about the issue of enforcement of such laws and I have to say I don't think it will be strictly enforced.

No, I don't think they can be strictly enfoced either - but I'm sure some kids will turn on their own parents, or disputing neighbors will rat each other out.

Second issue is that the law can be easily abused by the government to jail more people.

Does Vietnam have an official religon? Thats recognized as official by the governement of VN?

I don't think kids are even aware of this decree, let alone reporting their parents You seem to over hype this issue a little bit.

Yes they could be abused and that's why it was written up, to abuse people.


With Communism, your religion is your country.

Quoc, the government could teach kids in school about the law.

You are becoming more and more like Byron when you argue - the bulk of your arguments are presumptions, assumptions, or wishful thinking.

"I don't think...", "I'm sure that..." "I trust Vietnamese kids to not..." just doesn't cut it.

Let's proceed to think from now on, shall we? Viet Nam is under fire, obviously, about its policies that stifles religious freedom. Now why would the communists pass this law, that strains the relations with the US that VN needs to prosper, if it believes "the kids [aren't] even aware of this decree"? With passing such a bold law, the government will make sure its citizens know about it and obey it.

Secondly, you're nitpicking ONE example I used to talk about the oppressiveness of this law, and believe that is enough to downplay the seriousness of what this law means. You want to debate with me on this? Then you address my points on how this ban on religion undermines the already limited freedom of the people, how this law has enormous potential to be abused by those in power, and how it pisses off the international community at the detriment of our country. Instead, you just argue incessantly about why you THINK and ASSUME kids won't turn on their parents, which just overlooks the bigger picture and wastes both of our times.

I have nothing to say

The only thing that Viets abroad should do is lobby for more recognition of the religious intimidation and restriction that currently exist under this brutal regime.
It's just so typical how communists will try to spin the truth; it's gotten to the point of hailarity like Bagdad Bob.

I think Cambodia probably did this under the pressure of the VC regime of VN. LOL I can see Byron comes here and says that Khmers like to blame everything on Viets, but he don't mind saying Cambodian government is under VN control.