From: vinsight@NETCOM.COM ((Vietnam Insight))
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.seasia-l
Subject: VI: Interview with Bishop Nguyen Huu Le,
              former re-education camp priso
Date: 15 Oct 92 14:16:36 GMT
Organization: Vietnam Insight
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
Editor: Chan Tran
Address: PO Box 7826, San Jose, CA 95150, USA
Phone: (408) 226-2261
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******************
An interview with Bishop Nguyen Huu Le, former re-education camp
prisoner of 13 years
******************

A Catholic Bishop dedicated to the cause of religious freedom, but more
importantly, a dedicated Vietnamese to the cause of the nation's freedom,
Bishop Nguyen Huu Le was imprisoned for 13 years by Hanoi. After his
release in 1989, Bishop Le fled Vietnam and resettled in New Zealand. In
mid-July 1992 on a trip to the United States to attend a conference in
Washington DC, Bishop Nguyen Huu Le made a stop in South California and
was interviewed by Nguyen Van Hung of Thoi Luan Newspaper.

N.V.H.   :  At what prison camps were you held?

B. Le    :  The first camp was Phan Dang Luu and the last one was Nam Ha
over a period of 13 years.

N.V.H.   :  From what I've heard, the Vietnamese Communist authority has
recently returned to the Catholics in Vietnam some of the confiscated
properties as a gesture of compromise. In your view, is this an
indication that Hanoi is finally recognizing and respecting the role of
religion in the people's life?

B. Le    :  To answer this question, we need to understand why Hanoi is
doing this. First, Hanoi has a need to establish diplomatic ties with
the U.S. to save its collapsing state. Next, it appears that the Vatican
has sent out some signals that it likes to see a diplomatic link between
Hanoi and Washington established: high-ranking officials of American
church have made visits to Hanoi. In recent meetings with some U.S.
officials in Washington DC, I heard complaint that the church has gone a
bit too fast on this issue.

N.V.H.   :  In other words, what the Vatican and the American Bishop
Committee are doing is not in the interest of the Vietnamese Catholics?

B. Le    :  Exactly. When I met American church officials, I told them
"If you know Communism from the books, I have nothing to say but if you
want to know Communism in reality, talk to witnesses like myself. When
you are allowed to visit a church or a village in Vietnam, you must
realize preparation had been done at those sites before your arrival,
just like watching a play on stage. You couldn't visit places where
people are oppressed and persecuted. You couldn't meet Catholics who are
humiliated, live in exile for their religious belief. You would only see
disguised places and talk to "state's priests." Yet you came home
assured that there are genuine reforms in Vietnam and asked your
government to establish relations with Vietnam."

Such shortsighted perception can't in any way reflect the wish of the
Vietnamese Catholics in particular or the Vietnamese people in general.
I can conclude that the American church has an erroneous perception
about the situation in Vietnam.

Personally, as a Vietnamese and a Catholic priest, I strongly oppose
normalizing relations with communist Vietnam.

N.V.H.   : Doesn't Hanoi learn the lesson from the communist regimes in
Eastern Europe and Soviet Union?

B. Le    :  The leaders in Hanoi clearly see the danger and are trying
their best to avoid this inevitable demise. That's why on one hand, they
tell the world that they acknowledge the obsolescence of Communism and
that they are doing genuine changes and need time to do so. By some
economic and political maneuvers, Hanoi has been able to convince some
Westerners and some overseas Vietnamese that its nature has changed.
What these people don't know is that Hanoi is increasing its oppressive
machine and measures. Its secret and uniform police forces are now five
or seven times larger than before.

Hanoi is well aware of the fact that it has only two choices: fighting
against the people until the end or be destroyed. In the end, it will be
wiped out.

N.V.H.   :  Did you see Hanoi's new Constitution and new election law?
Are there any positive changes in those documents?

B. Le    :  A few days ago, Dr. Michael Sza of the Ethnics Liaison
Office at the U.S. Congress asked a similar question. I told him: When
the Americans deal with the Vietnamese Communists, you'd better keep in
mind that they are the masters of deceit. When strong, they brag, show
off their ego, but when weak, they squirm like worms; their deceitful
nature never changes. If you follow closely the latest Party Congress,
you'll see that the conservatives still have all the power. Yet, even
"reformists" or "conservatives" are only facades to deceive the people
and the world. And indeed, some people and countries did fall for this
trap.

Back to the subject of amending the Constitution and voting laws... All
that is pure trickery. The regime did implement some economic openness,
ease up on some restrictions, but it still retains the absolute
political power. Every candidate must be approved by the Fatherland
Front to become a candidate. How can that be reform or democratic? I
told Dr. Sza that we, Vietnamese, have years of experiences with the
communists and we don't trust them. They should be removed from power.

N.V.H.   :  Who and what forces, outside or inside the country, will
lead the masses in this change?

B. Le    :  The people inside Vietnam will rise. I hope the Vietnamese
Communist leaders would realize this and relinquish their power soon to
save the country from a violent and bloody eruption.

N.V.H.   :  What do you think of the resistance organizations abroad?

B. Le    :  They reflect the wishes of the people, at home or abroad, to
remove communism from Vietnam, and will positively contribute to this
cause.

N.V.H.   :  Besides your religious work, are you involved in any
political activity?

B. Le    :  My stand on this is quite clear. If politics means a power
play for personal gain, I'm not involved. But if politics is a means to
serve the interest of the people, to fight against whatever threatens
humanity, I would feel guilty for not being involved. The Archbishop of
New Zealand once told me, "The Pope is Polish and is credited for
helping his country rid Communism. You are Vietnamese, why do you still
hesitate in saving yours?"

--
Vietnam Insight (vinsight@netcom.com)
Chan Tran, editor
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU