Cablegate: Progress Toward Protestant Recognition

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

020702Z Nov 00

2000HANOI02421 - UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED PTO2743

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ACTION EAP-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00
FBIE-00 UTED-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 VCE-00 NSAE-00
IRM-00 SS-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /002W
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FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 1233
INFO NSC WASHDC
SECDEF WASHDC
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI//J5/FPA//
DIA WASHDC
ASEAN COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS HANOI 002421

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP/BCLTV, DRL/CRT, DRL/IRF, INR
NSC FOR GENE CHRISTY
SECDEF FOR ISA/LSTERN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM KIRF PREL VM HUMANR RELFREE
SUBJECT: PROGRESS TOWARD PROTESTANT RECOGNITION

1. THIS IS AN ACTION MESSAGE FOR DRL/CRT.

2. THE GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE ON RELIGION ON OCTOBER 21
RELEASED A COMMUNIQUE ANNOUNCING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A
UNCLASSIFIED

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"MOBILIZATION BOARD" OF 25 PROTESTANT MINISTERS TO PREPARE
FOR A CONGRESS THAT WOULD OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZE SELECTED
PROTESTANT ("TIN LANH") CHURCHES IN THE SOUTH AND CENTER OF
THE COUNTRY. THIS STEP HAS BEEN DISCUSSED FOR SOME TIME,
AND WE BELIEVE THIS IS A PRECURSOR TO THE GVN'S RECOGNIZING
THE "TIN LANH" (GOOD NEWS) CHURCHES IN THE SOUTH. (NOTE:
CURRENTLY THE GVN RECOGNIZES "PROTESTANTISM" AS ONE OF ITS
SIX OFFICIALLY APPROVED RELIGIONS, BUT ONLY ABOUT A DOZEN
"TIN LANH" PROTESTANT CONGREGATIONS HAVE OFFICIAL STATUS.
END NOTE.)

3. A LEADER OF ONE OF THE LARGE "TIN LANH" CHURCHES IN HO
CHI MINH CITY TOLD A VISITING UK PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION
RECENTLY THAT HE EXPECTED THAT RECOGNITION COULD COME
"BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR." WHILE WE ARE UNCERTAIN AS TO
WHEN THIS WILL TAKE PLACE, THE RELEASE OF THE COMMUNIQUE IS
THE FIRST OFFICIAL CONFIRMATION THIS IS COMING CLOSER TO
REALITY.

4. ACTION REQUEST FOR DRL/CRT: WE WOULD RECOMMEND INCLUDING
A MENTION OF THE COMMUNIQUE IN THE HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT, FOR
EXAMPLE: "IN OCTOBER THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE ON
RELIGION RELEASED A COMMUNIQUE ANNOUNCING THE ESTABLISHMENT
OF A "MOBILIZATION BOARD" OF 25 PROTESTANT MINISTERS TO
PREPARE FOR A CONGRESS THAT WOULD OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZE
SELECTED "TIN LANH" PROTESTANT CHURCHES IN THE SOUTH AND
CENTER OF THE COUNTRY. ONCE FINALIZED, THIS STEP IS
EXPECTED TO GRANT TO THESE "TIN LANH" CHURCHES THE SAME
LEGAL STANDING CURRENTLY HELD BY THE ROUGHLY DOZEN
RECOGNIZED "TIN LANH" CONGREGATIONS IN THE NORTH."
PETERSON
UNCLASSIFIED

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UNCLASSIFIED

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