EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 70/245

(2004/C 70 E/265)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3256/03

by Olivier Dupuis (NI) to the Commission

(3 November 2003)

Subject: New attack by Hanoi on freedom of religion

The Vietnamese authorities have effectively placed 11 dissident monks belonging to the outlawed United Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) under house arrest for two years. Among them is the Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang, whose arbitrary detention has now lasted over 20 years, and his deputy Thich Quang Do, who had supposedly been released last June. The spokesman for the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs referred to ‘breaches of the laws on national security’. In flagrant violation of international conventions, Vietnamese law allows local authorities to place people under ‘administrative detention’ for six months to two years, without trial, for breach of national security (decree 31/CP of 1997 on ‘administrative detention’). The repression of the UBCV followed the election of 41 monks (including the 11 arrested) to key positions in the UBCV at its assembly on 1 October 2003 at the Nguyen Thieu Pagoda (province of Binh Dinh), and the departure of the Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang and Thich Quang Do for Ho Chi Minh City. The Vietnamese security services held up their convoy for over 10 hours, after which they forced the Venerable Thich Huyen Quang, 86, to return to the Nguyen Thieu Pagoda, and the Venerable Thich Quang Do, 75, to the Zen Thanh Minh monastery in Ho Chi Minh City. According to the Paris-based International Buddhist Information Bureau (IBIB), this strong-arm police action came a few days after the conclusion of the first extraordinary assembly of the UBCV since it was outlawed by the Communist authorities in 1981.

What information does the Commission have concerning the sentence to two years' house arrest of three UBCV monks and the arbitrary imprisonment of eight others, including the Patriarch and his number two? Does the Commission not agree that this further episode of repression against the heads of the UBCV by the Vietnamese authorities demonstrates the dishonesty of the Vietnamese authorities and their lack of real will to guarantee the right to the freedom of religion and to proceed to the legalisation of the UBCV? Does the Commission not agree that this situation demands an extremely firm response on its part, including the suspension of the EU-Vietnam Cooperation Agreement? Does the Commission not agree that the extremely serious situation in Vietnam, Laos, Burma and, albeit to a lesser extent, Cambodia, should lead it to propose to the Council and the Parliament the appointment of an EU special representative for these countries?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(1 December 2003)

In its fortnightly press conference on 6 November 2003, the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs acknowledged that three monks are currently under administrative detention or house arrest, imposed under Decree 31/CP, which allows for up to two years' detention without charges or trial. The Ministry also acknowledged that both Mr Do and Mr Quang are currently being investigated for ‘serious crimes’, and that charges may be brought against them once the investigation is complete. The Commission does not have specific information, at this stage, on the exact legal standing of the eight other monks, although it seems that they remain in the custody of the Vietnamese authorities.

The Commission and Member States have repeatedly raised their concerns over the recent incidents with the Vietnamese Government. The Union has also expressed, on several occasions, its concern over the restrictions on the freedom of religion in Vietnam, and has called upon the Vietnamese Government to improve upon the current state of affairs. The Commission will raise its objections to the treatment of religious and other dissidents once again during the upcoming EU-Vietnam Joint Commission. This will also be a subject at the forthcoming EU-Vietnam human rights dialogue meeting in Hanoi.

The Commission will continue to use all instruments at its disposal to bring about improvements in the human rights situation in Vietnam. One of these instruments is the Commission-Vietnam Cooperation Programme deployed under the bilateral Cooperation Agreement, which includes programmes that aim to improve governance, the rule of law and access to justice in the country.

The Commission is of the opinion that the appointment of an EU special representative would not bring a significant added value to the existing human rights dialogues with the countries concerned. Furthermore, the Commission supports existing United Nations (UN) special mechanisms already in place to address some of the international concerns in the region (i.e. UN special envoy for Burma/Myanmar; UN special rapporteurs).