IV

106TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 295

Relating to continuing human rights violations and political oppression in

the Socialist Republic of Vietnam 25 years after the fall of South Vietnam to Communist forces.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MARCH 29, 2000

Mr. ROHRABACHER (for himself, Mr. ROYCE, and Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the

Committee on International Relations

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Relating to continuing human rights violations and political

oppression in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam 25 years

after the fall of South Vietnam to Communist forces.

Whereas 25 years after the Vietnam War ended, the Socialist

Republic of Vietnam is a one-party state ruled and controlled by the Vietnamese Communist Party;

Whereas the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam

continues to violate the liberties and civil rights of its

own citizens through arbitrary arrests, detentions without

trial, and the censorship of peaceful expressions of political and religious beliefs;

Whereas the Department of State Country Reports on

Human Rights Practices for 1999 notes that the Govern-
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ment of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam ‘‘continued to

repress basic political and some religious freedoms and to

commit numerous abuses’’;

Whereas the Socialist Republic of Vietnam still retains Article 4 in its Constitution that ensures the supremacy of

the Vietnamese Communist Party as the only political

party in the country while continuing to enforce an extralegal administrative decree to detain or place under house

arrest any dissidents or civilians for up to two years,

without trial, under the pretext of ‘‘endangering national

security’’;

Whereas the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is one of the most

repressive and poorest countries in the world, with an average per capita income of $330, despite the Vietnamese

Communist party’s claims of political and economic reforms, or ‘‘Doi Moi’’, since 1986, and the subsequent lifting of the trade embargo and the provision of economic

assistance and credits by the United States since 1995;

Whereas, according to the Department of State and international human rights organizations, the Government of

the Socialist Republic of Vietnam continues to restrict

unregistered religious activities and persecutes its citizens

on the basis of their religious affiliation through arbitrary

arrests and detention, harassment, physical abuse, censorship, and the denial of the rights of free association

and religious worship;

Whereas the Department of State Annual Report on International Religious Freedom for 1999 on Vietnam estimates that ‘‘there are from 30 to 50 religious prisoners’’

but ‘‘the number is difficult to verify with any precision

because of the secrecy surrounding the arrest, detention,

and release process’’;
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Whereas the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam

continues to prevent human rights organizations from

unfettered and open investigations of allegations of statesponsored oppression of the right to worship by its citizens, and has prevented the United Nations Special

Rapporteur on Religious Intolerance, Abdelfattah Amor,

from meeting with various religious leaders during his

visit to Vietnam in October 1998;

Whereas the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam

systematically violates the tenets of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on

Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, in contravention to its standing as a signatory to those agreements and as a member nation of the United Nations;

Whereas April 30, 2000, marks the 25th anniversary of the

fall of Saigon to Communist forces of North Vietnam;

and

Whereas it is in the interest of the United States to promote

political, religious, and economic freedom throughout the

world: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate

2 concurring), That the Congress—

3 (1) requests the President to restate and make

4 clear to the leadership of the Government of the So5 cialist Republic of Vietnam—

6 (A) the firm commitment of the American

7 people to political, religious, and economic free-
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1 dom for the citizens of the Socialist Republic of

2 Vietnam; and

3 (B) the United States fully expects equal

4 protection under law with all Vietnamese citi5 zens, regardless of religious belief, political phi6 losophy, or socio-political association;

7 (2) urges the Government of the Socialist Re8 public of Vietnam—

9 (A) to implement provisions called for

10 under the International Religious Freedom Act

11 of 1998 relating to conditions in Vietnam;

12 (B) to release all religious, political pris13 oners, and prisoners of conscience, and imme14 diately ceases the harassment, detention, phys15 ical abuse, and imprisonment of Vietnamese

16 citizens who have exercised their legitimate

17 rights to freedom of belief, expression, and as18 sociation;

19 (C) to abolish article 4 of the Vietnamese

20 Constitution and repeal any and all regulations,

21 codes, and decrees prohibiting citizens rights to

22 free expression, freedom of association, freedom

23 of the press, and religious worship; and

24 (D) to formally commit to a framework

25 and a set timetable for open and fair elections
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1 that will facilitate the ability of Vietnamese citi2 zens to peacefully choose their own local and

3 national leaders, free from fear and intimida4 tion; and

5 (3) commends the Vietnamese-American com6 munity for initiating an international memorial to

7 American and South Vietnamese soldiers who sac8 rificed their lives for the cause of freedom during the

9 Vietnam War, which is under development and will

10 be located in Westminster, California.

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