Newsgroups: soc.culture.vietnamese
Date:         Fri, 22 Jan 1993 10:22:10 -0500
              USENET." <VIETNET@USCVM.BITNET>
From:         Nhan Tran <tran@PEORA.SDC.CCUR.COM>
Subject:      NEWS/VN: Party chief attacks modern evils

01/16

VIETNAM COMMUNIST PARTY CHIEF ATTACKS MODERN EVILS

    HANOI, Jan 16, Reuter - The head of Vietnam's Communist Party has delivered
a blistering attack on growing social evils and deteriorating education, health
care and cultural values as Vietnam opens up to the outside world.
    In a policy speech published in newspapers on Saturday, party
secretary-general Do Muoi said some illnesses wiped out years ago had
reappeared, teachers were quitting for more lucrative jobs, and people were
spreading "poisonous venom" in the cultural field.
    Do Muoi said in his speech to a closed-door plenum of the party's central
committee that artists should be free to create, but must be held responsible
for helping to build a new society.
    "It is necessary to fight resolutely to wipe out the poisonous venom in
culture, and overcome negative aspects and misleading directions now current in
the field of arts, literature and culture," he said.
    Do Muoi was apparently referring to the spread of pornography, which has
been smuggled into Vietnam in recent years following its economic opening, and
to literature or other works considered critical of socialism.
    "On the one hand, there must be democracy and freedom in creative and
cultural activities. On the other hand... creativity must be linked to a
responsibility to our people, nation and present day," he said.
    The plenum, where the central committee forms party policy, was held in
Hanoi from January 4-14.
    Do Muoi said Vietnam had "to forbid strictly the distribution of products
by reactionary forces and perverted products that are widespread and poisoning
the spiritual life of our people, especially the young people."
    He said the politburo, central committee and other party members should
seriously criticise themselves for the present state of art, literature and
culture.
    The party chief said Vietnam must as a matter of urgency lower its
population growth rate -- presently at 2.3 per cent per year. He said its
failure to do so was hurting the economy, and fuelling problems such as drug
abuse and a growing sex trade.
    "It is one of the important reasons causing many social evils such as
theft, prostitution, drug abuse, etc," he said.
    Do Muoi also blamed relaxed control by the authorities and poor education
for the growth in social evils.
    "Drug addiction and prostitution have developed for many reasons, including
a lack of controls and guidance, of observation by authorised state
organisations. Another cause is that people have not been educated to avoid
those evils," Do Muoi said.
    While the party hails Vietnam's move from a Stalinist system of central
planning to a market economy as a success, official newspapers have recently
criticised some of the by-products.
    Most people say their standard of living has improved with the reforms and
that they welcome the looser control by the police and party over their lives.
But they say crime has increased, the gap between rich and poor is growing, and
that Vietnamese have lost some community spirit.
    Do Muoi said the poor must be guaranteed medical care, which has declined
in Vietnam since medical and other aid from the former Soviet bloc dried up and
state doctors started moving into private practice.
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU