WRITTEN QUESTION P-1502/02 by Gianfranco Dell'Alba (NI) to the Commission. Human rights violations in Vietnam.
Date: 2002-05-22
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU relations, Viet Nam, anti-discriminatory measure, government violence, national minority, observer, political unrest, repression

C 110 E/18

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

8.5.2003

investigations regarding some Board
Concerns have also been expressed about the ongoing criminal
members of
the Polish
the major Polish daily ‘Rzeczpospolita’, pointing to alleged intentions of
government to regain control of this newspaper, and therefore raising the question of a politicisation of
the media.

Regarding the latter allegations, the Commission is following the situation closely but would recall that the
Union has no competence under the Treaties establishing the European Union to intervene in domestic
criminal matters.

(1) COM(2001) 700 final.

(2003/C 110 E/018)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1502/02

by Gianfranco Dell’Alba (NI) to the Commission

(22 May 2002)

Subject: Human rights violations in Vietnam

The overall human rights situation in Vietnam remains of great concern. The Government is carrying out a
widespread and systematic campaign to persecute different groups such as political dissidents, religious
leaders and indigenous people, namely the hill tribes of southern Vietnam, also known as the Montagnard.

According to sources in the region, in the province of Gia Lai several people were harassed, raped, beaten
and arbitrarily arrested for having participated in the February 2001 non-violent demonstrations for the
respect of human rights for the Montagnard as well as in the celebration of the 2001 Christmas festivities.

They are 25 men of the Degar tribe and one 18-year-old woman named H’Ngon at Sakari, in Cambodia.
They are from the Cu Se District in the Gia Lai province: Hmen, Pen, Ninh, (Plei Hlu Hamlet); Bu, Tim (Plei
Le An Hamlet); Tim, Dit, (Plei Le Ngol Hamlet); Hmanh (Plei Com Bom Hamlet); Kut, Hlol (Plei Nao
Hamlet); Weh (Plei Bia Tih Hamlet) Hai, Jum, Dun, Tinh (Plei Djrong Hamlet); Dun (Plei Bia Tih Hamlet)
and Ksor Ni from Bon Broai, Ayun Pa district, Gia Lai province. All of the above listed people have been
detained in their own district, except for Mr Ksor Ni who is held incommunicado.

Members of the Degar who report incidents against Vietnamese are habitually thrown into prison. The
Vietnamese know they are easy and available victims because the Government will always apply double
standards.

Whereas Vietnam is a party to the ICCPR, and considering the presence of the EU in the region and its
major contribution to the UN in the region in connection with refugees, development, environment and
drugs issues:

(cid:1) Does the Commission intend to call on Vietnam to open,

in observance with its adherence to
international treaties, the various provinces of the central highlands to international and independent
observers?

(cid:1) Is the Commission planning to send a delegation to visit the region in question?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(25 June 2002)

The Commission’s Delegation in Hanoi, together with the Diplomatic Missions of the Member States,
follows closely the human rights situation in Vietnam and participates in all diplomatic démarches of the
Union to the Government of Vietnam. The first article in the Union-Vietnam Co-operation Agreement,
which was signed with the Government of Vietnam in 1995, states that respect for human rights and
democratic principles is the basis for our co-operation, and human rights issues are discussed with the
Government of Vietnam at the meetings of the Union-Vietnam Joint Commission.

8.5.2003

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Official Journal of the European Union

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In February 2001 the Central Highland Provinces of Gia Lai and Dac Lac, experienced serious disturbances.
Thousands of members of ethnic minorities, locally known as ‘montagnards’, were reported to have taken
part in demonstrations, some of which led to violence, with groups of protesters blocking a national
highway and attacking a post office and telephone switchboard and other public buildings. Police and
military forces, including helicopters, were sent to the region to restore order. These events were reported
by the official Vietnam News Agency. However, foreign correspondents were not permitted to visit the two
provinces.

Following these events, some two hundred local citizens took refuge in Cambodia. Some of these people
returned to Vietnam quite quickly. A small number were accepted for resettlement in the United States.
Others remained and were joined by new arrivals. Meanwhile, some 15 persons involved in the February
2001 disturbances were tried and sentenced in Vietnam. By the end of last year, it was reported that there
could be as many as 1 000 ‘montagnards’ in Cambodia. However, agreement was reached in January 2002
between the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Governments of Cambodia
and Vietnam on arrangements for a supervised repatriation of those who wished to return to Vietnam.

This action was launched satisfactorily, but encountered many difficulties. The Commission and the
Member States lent their support to renewed discussions between the UNHCR and the two Governments
in order to ensure the implementation of the agreed repatriation programme. However, following further
incidents of difficulties,
the UNHCR has effectively renounced the tripartite agreement. Following a
subsequent offer from the United States Government, the Cambodian government has authorised the
resettlement in the United States of the ‘montagnards’ remaining in Cambodia who wished to do so. This
resettlement programme is being carried out in co-operation with the UNHCR.

The Commission, together with the diplomatic missions of the Union, has followed these developments
closely, as well as the continuing situation in the Central Provinces, so far as conditions of access allow. It
has not yet been possible to obtain independent confirmation of the individual cases referred to in the
question, although the Commission is aware of interviews conducted in Cambodia with members of the
‘Dega’ Protestant group by an non-governmental organisation (NGO). The Commission’s Delegation in
Hanoi has therefore been requested to make enquiries and to take appropriate follow up action in
conjunction with the Member State missions.

At the meeting between the Commissioner in charge of External Relations and the Vietnamese Foreign
Minister NGUYENDY NIEN on 6 June, the Commission urged him to allow greater access to the area for
diplomats and NGOs. Representatives of the Union Presidency and two of the other Member States have
recently visited the Central Highlands, and reported back on the visit.

(2003/C 110 E/019)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1531/02

by Robert Goebbels (PSE) to the Commission

Subject: The Commission’s management of its ‘advisers’

(3 June 2002)

The internal assessment exercise entitled ‘Designing tomorrow’s Commission’ (Decode), completed in July
1998, aimed to provide an up-to-date analysis of all activities carried out by the Commission, as well as
the resources and working methods used, to enable it to plan its future and begin the process of reforming
its organisation and operation. The Decode exercise also examined the role of advisers who are not part of
the permanent establishment plan. It revealed, inter alia, that the function of these advisers was ill-defined,
that they were used in an inappropriate way and that their role needed to be rethought.

It should be noted that a report drawn up at the request of the Commission by a specific Task Force on
‘advisers’ states in its ‘analytical’ section that the Commission is guilty of dysfunction in this area.
Nevertheless, it makes proposals which, in contradiction to this analysis, mainly penalise the advisers, who
are not responsible for this regrettable state of affairs. The report offers no solution, although it would be
quite possible to devise one, which would solve the problem without incriminating these officials.