Viet Nam Human Rights
Warning: Anti-Vietnam groups in the U.S. Congress
3/1/17
After the US House of
Representatives has passed the bipartisan Frank Wolf International
Religious Freedom Act, and the bill was approved by President Barack Obama
on 16 December 2016 extending protections against religious persecution to
people with non-theistic beliefs, including those who subscribe to no religion
at all. The bipartisan bill was written by Chris Smith, Representative
for New Jersey, and co-sponsored by Representative Anna Eshoo for California. The
bill was named for former GOP Congressman from Virginia Frank R. Wolf, a
so-called champion of human rights who introduced the original legislation in
1997.
The measure gives the
Obama administration and the American State Department new tools, resources and
training to counter extremism and combat a worldwide escalation of persecution
of religious minorities. Yes, this bill has now been exploited by hostile
forces and anti-Vietnam elements as a triump of human rights activists. Once
again, U.S. lawmakers have supported for a bill that might cause disadvantage
for Vietnam in some ways.
Before, on May 23th,
the No. 2 Republican in the US Senate, John Cornyn (R-TX) spoke on the Senate
floor about the Vietnam Human Rights Sanctions Act, legislation he’s introduced to impose
sanctions and travel restrictions on Vietnamese nationals who are complicit in
human rights abuses and which he plans to offer a version of as an amendment
when the Senate considers the FY2017 National Defense Authorization Act.
It’s not surprised and just proved that it’s
obvious there is a part of the US Congress holding a biased, prejudiced and
wrong opinions against Vietnam, especially in human rights issues. The
relationship between the United States and Vietnam has made significant
progress since the wars, but these congressmen have just undermined it by
keeping an extreme point of view about Vietnam. It can be listed these
congressmen, both from the US Senate and House of Representatives, of the
Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives
Ed Royce, Chris Smith, Loratta Sanchez, senator Barbara
Boxer, Representative Frank Wolf, American
Samoa’s delegate to the US House of Representatives Eni Faleomavaega, Sam Brow Bach, Joseph
Cao, Janet Nguyen, John
Boozman (Ark.), Bill Cassidy,…
They have conducted many hearings on human
rights in Vietnam in the Congress in all levels and supported for human rights
acts, proposals and bills which caused damage to the both country’s relations.
They always took Vietnam as an example where the government has imprisoned and
harassed those who voice against the political monopoly of the communists. They
interfered with Vietnam’s affairs of charging those who violated Vietnam’s
laws. In the name of human rights, democracy values they have hurt the two
country’s rough relations. They have called on the US government to link human
rights and democracy conditions with non-humanitarian assistance and trade
agreements like TPP. Even, they have made the US public hold a more
conservative attitude towards Vietnam on issues related to human rights and
religious freedom. They appealed the United States's increased involvement with
the Vietnamese government in political and human rights. They tried to force
the Obama administration naming Vietnam as a "country
of particular concern" on religious freedom which the US has
excluded Vietnam since 2006.
Vietnamese leaders are
committed to strengthening Vietnam-US relations and promoting people’s
fundamental human rights. The country has joined most human rights conventions
and participated in many human rights dialogues with the European Union, Australia
Norway, Switzerland, and the US.
Vietnam is making
every effort to improve its human rights record through reinforcing its legal
system and socio-economic and cultural rights, while welcoming international
assistance to help implement appropriate human rights policies.
But, it must be
admitted that some Vietnamese Americans who do not have goodwill towards
Vietnam have worsened the two relations. Those US congressmen have no knowledge
of Vietnamese affairs.
It’s tired that again
and again resolutions backed by US congressmen who hold biased and prejudiced
opinions about Vietnam always call for releases of so-called activists who
violated Vietnam’s laws and were sentenced by the Vietnamese laws. There is no
prisoners of conscience in Vietnam as they claimed, those convicted persons are
criminals and must be punished by the laws.
Vietnam is an
independent and sovereign state with its own constitution. Vietnam’s judicial
system is very independent, and no other institution, civil society group or
individual could interfere with their decisions. By supporting criminals and
disregarding verdicts of the court, these US congressmen showed that they do
not understand the rule of law and the separation between the judicial and
executive branches of the government. This is a big mistake committed
unfortunately by these US lawmakers.
It’s
hoped that bilateral relations between the two will continue to develop, and those
US lawmakers will recognize the reality in Vietnam and do not conduct
activities that negatively affect the friendship and relations between the two
countries./.
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All comments [ 6 ]
These U.S. congressmen hold a biased view on Vietnam's human rights record and religious situation.
They should come to Vietnam to see the truth, and I am sure that they will change their opinions about Vietnam's democracy.
It's lucky that beside these congressmen, congresswomen there are many U.S. senators and representatives who have good and right look at Vietnam's real situation.
Yes, like Senator John MacCain and others who want to build good relationship between the two countries.
These elements just harm the two countries' relations, need to discard them!
They make the international community have wrong views about Vietnam, they undermine the Vietnamese image. So dangerous!
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