Cablegate: Poverty and Reminders of War in Central Vietnam

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

140406Z Mar 02

2002HANOI00573 - UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED PTQ1939

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E.O. 12958: NA
TAGS: SOCI ECON PHUM EAID PGOV VM
SUBJECT: POVERTY AND REMINDERS OF WAR IN CENTRAL VIETNAM
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1. (U) SUMMARY: DIVIDED BY THE OLD DMZ, QUANG TRI AND
QUANG BINH ARE UNITED IN POVERTY NOT SO MUCH BECAUSE OF
WAR'S DESTRUCTION, BUT BECAUSE OF UNFAVORABLE GEOGRAPHY.
REMOTE AND WITH LITTLE SURVIVING PRE-WAR INFRASTRUCTURE,
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS AND A GREAT DEAL OF HARD
WORK ARE ASSISTING BOTH PROVINCES TO OVERCOME THEIR POVERTY.
THINLY STRETCHED LEADERSHIP CHALLENGES BOTH BUDDHIST AND
CHRISTIAN FOLLOWERS IN THESE PROVINCES. END SUMMARY.

OBSCURE QUANG BINH STRUGGLES WITH POVERTY; EXPECTS HELP
--------------------------------------------- ----------

2. (U) VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE QUANG BINH PROVINCIAL PEOPLE'S
COMMITTEE, PHAN VIET DUNG, RECEIVED POLOFF AND POL FSN ON
JANUARY 9, ALONG WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF HALF A DOZEN
PROVINCIAL OFFICES. THE VICE CHAIRMAN CALLED FOR US
DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE, CITING THE MANY DIFFICULTIES QUANG
BINH FACES, MOST NOTABLY THE HARSH WEATHER, GEOGRAPHICAL
CONDITIONS, AND ITS REMOTENESS. HE DID NOT DIRECTLY BLAME
THE WAR AND ITS AFTERMATH FOR SLOW PACE OF DEVELOPMENT IN
QUANG BINH, MERELY SAYING THAT, "THE WAR USED TO BE QUITE
FIERCE HERE". ACCORDING TO VICE CHAIRMAN DUNG, QUANG BINH'S
PER CAPITA INCOME IS $200, ABOUT HALF THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.
SOME 25 PERCENT OF THE POPULATION IS BELOW THE POVERTY LINE,
WITH THE PERCENTAGE HIGHEST AMONG ETHNIC GROUPS LIVING IN
REMOTE MOUNTAINOUS DISTRICTS. HE SAID THE PROVINCE WAS
STRIVING TO REDUCE THE POVERTY RATE TO 15 PERCENT IN THE
YEAR 2002. HE TOLD POLOFF THAT QUANG BINH NEEDED ASSISTANCE
FROM NGOS, INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, AND FOREIGN
EMBASSIES TO REACH THAT TARGET.
UNCLASSIFIED

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3. (SBU) WORLD WIDE FUND FOR NATURE (WWF) IS WORKING IN
QUANG BINH TO HELP PRESERVE UNUSUAL LIMESTONE MOUNTAIN
FOREST HABITAT NEAR THE LAO BORDER. PART OF THE PROJECT,
ACCORDING TO MARIANNE MELJBOOM, A RESIDENT WWF FIELD ADVISOR
WHO SPOKE TO POLOFF AND POL FSN ON JANUARY 9, CONSISTS OF
RESETTLING AND IMPROVING THE LIVELIHOODS OF A FEW DOZEN
ETHNIC MINORITY FAMILIES CURRENTLY LIVING WITHIN THE
BOUNDARIES OF A NATIONAL PARK. MELJBOOM POINTED OUT THAT
VERY LITTLE LOGGING HAS TAKEN PLACE IN THE PARK AND
SURROUNDING AREAS, LEAVING THE FOREST LARGELY INTACT AND
THAT TIGERS AND A LARGE VARIETY OF PRIMATES ARE STILL FOUND
IN THE AREA.

4. (U) DONG HOI TOWN, THE CAPITAL OF QUANG BINH APPEARED
VERY QUIET, EVEN SLEEPY. THE LOCAL MARKET WAS MODERATELY
BUSY, OFFERING A WIDE VARIETY OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, BUT
THE TOWN'S STREETS WERE TRANQUIL ELSEWHERE. THERE WERE FEW
TOURISTS IN EVIDENCE. INTERNET SERVICE APPEARED TO BE
AVAILABLE ONLY AT A BRANCH POST OFFICE AND A HUE UNIVERSITY
EXTENSION CENTER AND WAS FIVE TIMES MORE EXPENSIVE THAN IN
HANOI. COMPUTER CLASSES AT THE EXTENSION CENTER APPEARED
FULL, HOWEVER. THE BRICK RUINS OF DONG HOI'S OLD CATHOLIC
CHURCH, PICTURED ON POSTCARDS AND IN HANOI'S MUSEUM OF THE
REVOLUTION, WERE TURNED INTO A PARK IN 1997. A PLAQUE BEARS
AN ACCOUNT OF CHURCH'S DESTRUCTION BY AMERICAN BOMBERS IN
1972. THE PARK DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN MAINTAINED FOR
SOME TIME. THE PLANTER BOXES ARE CHOKED WITH WEEDS, THE
ORNAMENTAL TREES HAVE DIED, AND THE PARK'S LIGHTS APPEAR TO
HAVE BEEN BROKEN FOR A LONG TIME. POLOFF FOUND USED
SYRINGES ON THE GROUND NEAR WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE
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CHURCH'S SANCTUARY.

QUANG TRI IS OPEN AND USED TO FOREIGNERS
----------------------------------------

5. (U) THE MOST APPARENT CONTRAST BETWEEN QUANG BINH AND
QUANG TRI IS THE DEGREE OF FOREIGN PRESENCE. RESIDENT
FOREIGNERS IN QUANG BINH ARE FEW AND TOURISTS SEEM RARE.
SEVERAL FOREIGN NGO'S OPERATE AND HAVE STAFF IN QUANG TRI,
BUT ONLY FEW WORLD WILDLIFE FUND EXPERTS LIVE IN AN OUTLYING
DISTRICT OF QUANG BINH. VISITS WITH SOME NGO STAFFERS IN
QUANG TRI SHOWED THAT THEY HAD EXCELLENT WORKING
RELATIONSHIPS WITH PROVINCIAL OFFICIALS. FOREIGN TOURISTS
AND BUSINESSES THAT CATER TO THEM ARE COMMON. DONG HO TOWN
HAD SEVERAL INTERNET CAFES. ONE, THE DMZ CAFE, RUN BY AN
ENGLISH-SPEAKING INDIVIDUAL WHO DESCRIBED HIMSELF AS AN ARVN
VETERAN RESPONSIBLE FOR LIAISON WITH THE U.S. MARINE CORPS,
BOASTED A CONNECTION SPEED TWICE AS FAST AS NORMALLY
AVAILABLE IN HANOI.

6. (U) WHILE POLOFF'S VISIT SEEMED TO GENERATE A HIGH
LEVEL OF INTEREST IN QUANG BINH, WITH AS MANY AS FOUR
PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT NOTE-TAKERS AT SOME MEETINGS, QUANG
TRI'S RECEPTION WAS FRIENDLY, BUT RATHER LOW-KEY. DURING A
FIFTY-MINUTE MEETING, QUANG TRI PROVINCIAL PEOPLE'S
COMMITTEE VICE CHAIRMAN NGUYEN DUC CHINH, SPENT AT LEAST TEN
MINUTES DISCUSSING THE CONDITION OF SOME SURPLUS DEPARTMENT

UNCLASSIFIED

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OF DEFENSE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT DONATED TO THE PROVINCE IN 2001
RELATED TO THEN-PRESIDENT CLINTON'S NOVEMBER 2000 VISIT TO
VIETNAM. VICE CHAIRMAN CHINH EXPRESSED APPRECIATION FOR THE
DEFENSE ATTACHE OFFICE'S EFFORTS TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEMS.
HE MENTIONED THE AFTERMATH OF THE WAR IN QUANG TRI, BUT
EMPHASIZED THE PROVINCE'S DESIRE FOR MORE US INVESTMENT AND
APPRECIATION OF ASSISTANCE TO DATE. HE REPORTED THAT AS ONE
OF QUANG TRI'S NATIONAL ASSEMBLY DELEGATES HE HAD VOTED FOR
THE U.S.-VIETNAM BILATERAL TRADE AGREEMENT. POLOFF NOTED
THAT ONE OF THE PROVINCE'S ATTRACTIONS TO FOREIGN INVESTORS
WOULD BE THE EXCELLENT WORKING RELATIONSHIP FOREIGN NGO'S
SEEM TO ENJOY WITH THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT.

QUANG TRI - HARD WORK TO TURN SAND INTO SOIL
--------------------------------------------

7. (U) ON JANUARY 10, POLOFF AND POL STAFF VISITED A UNDP
AND NORWEGIAN GOVERNMENT SUPPORTED LIVELIHOOD PROJECT AND
RESETTLEMENT SITE ABOUT 30 KILOMETERS SOUTHEAST OF DONG HA
TOWN. THE PROJECT BENEFICIARIES, WE WERE TOLD, COME FROM A
NEARBY FISHING VILLAGE ON THE COAST. ACCORDING TO THE
DEPUTY CHAIRMAN OF THE DISTRICT PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE, THE
VILLAGE'S MEN FISH WHEN WEATHER PERMITS AND THE WOMEN SELL
THE FISH IN LOCAL MARKETS. THERE IS NO FISHING FOR SEVERAL
MONTHS AND WITH NO LAND AND NO OTHER TRADES, THEY ARE
EXTREMELY POOR, SAID THE DEPUTY CHAIRMAN. THE LIVELIHOOD
AND RESETTLEMENT PROJECT AIMS TO RECLAIM NEARBY BARREN LAND
FOR AGRICULTURE AND THUS IMPROVE THE COMMUNITY'S STANDARD OF
LIVING.

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8. (U) UPON JOINING THE PROJECT, EACH HOUSEHOLD IS GIVEN A
FEW HECTARES OF SANDY LAND ONE TO TWO KILOMETERS INLAND.
MUCH OF THE CENTRAL COASTAL REGION OF VIETNAM, INCLUDING THE
PROJECT SITE, IS PLAGUED WITH HIGH WINDS AND "FLYING SAND"
ALL YEAR ROUND. THERE IS LITTLE WATER DURING THE DRY SEASON,
AND THE SOIL, CONSISTING ALMOST ENTIRELY OF WINDBLOWN SAND,
IS INFERTILE AND WILL NOT HOLD WATER. THERE IS ALMOST NO
NATURAL VEGETATION AND THERE IS NO SIGN THAT ANYONE EVER
TRIED TO FARM THIS LAND BEFORE.

9. (U) BESIDES LAND, EACH FAMILY REPORTEDLY RECEIVES
ENOUGH RICE AND CASH TO SUSTAIN THEM FOR SIX MONTHS. THE
FAMILIES ALSO RECEIVE TEN MILLION VND (USD 700) INTEREST
FREE LOANS TO BUILD HOUSES, PUT IN WELLS, AND MAKE CAPITAL
IMPROVEMENTS. NO PAYMENTS ARE REQUIRED ON THE LOANS FOR TWO
YEARS. RECLAIMING THE LAND REQUIRES THAT THE FISHER-FOLK
TURNED FARMERS PLANT WINDBREAKS (PRIMARILY HARDY PINES AND
CASAURINAS) TO PROTECT THEIR CROPS FROM THE FLYING SAND AND
TO STABILIZE THE SAND ENOUGH TO BEGIN CREATING SOIL. AFTER
THREE TO FOUR YEARS THE WINDBREAKS ARE TALL AND DENSE ENOUGH
TO BE EFFECTIVE. THE LABOR-INTENSIVE PROCESS OF TURNING
SAND INTO SOIL BEGINS WITH ADDING PARTIALLY COMPOSTED RICE
STRAW AND MANURE TO THE PLANTING BEDS. THE NEW FARMERS HAVE
TO TRAVEL SEVERAL KILOMETERS TO OBTAIN THESE INPUTS. SWEET
POTATOES ARE THE CROP OF CHOICE, ESPECIALLY IN THE
BEGINNING, SINCE THEY ARE LESS VULNERABLE TO THE WIND, EASY
FOR THE NOVICE FARMERS TO GROW, AND TOLERATE THE SAND. THE
FIRST PROJECT BENEFICIARIES BEGAN RECLAIMING LAND IN 1994.
WHILE THEIR SOIL IS PERCEPTIBLY BETTER THAN THE UNRECLAIMED
SAND, THEY STILL ADD JUST AS MUCH RICE STRAW AND MANURE AS
THEY DID IN THE BEGINNING.
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10. (U) POLOFF AND POL FSN TALKED WITH A NUMBER OF
PROJECT BENEFICIARIES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THE NEW PROJECT
PARTICIPANT WE VISITED, A SINGLE MOTHER, OCCUPIED BARELY
IMPROVED LAND. THE SUN GLARING OFF THE WHITE SAND WAS
PAINFULLY BRIGHT. SHE SAID SHE SPENT MOST OF HER DAY MAKING
RAISED PLANTING BEDS FOR HER SWEET POTATOES, ADMITTING IT
WAS VERY HARD WORK. SHE HAD NEVER FARMED BEFORE, SO SHE
DEPENDED ON THE PROJECT'S TECHNICAL EXPERTS FOR ADVICE, SHE
SAID. A FEW HUNDRED METERS FURTHER INLAND WERE FARMS UNDER
CULTIVATION FOR THREE TO FOUR YEARS. WHILE THE SOIL SHOWED
LITTLE SIGN OF IMPROVEMENT, THE FARMERS WERE GROWING SEVERAL
DIFFERENT CROPS AND BEGINNING TO PLANT A FEW FRUIT TREES.
WITH SOME SHELTER FROM THEIR WINDBREAKS, THEIR FARMSTEADS
WERE A LITTLE MORE PLEASANT THAN THE STARK FIRST YEAR
FARMER'S. FINALLY WE VISITED A FARM UNDER CULTIVATION FOR
SEVEN YEARS. THE FAMILY THERE ENJOYED THE SHELTER OF TALL
WINDBREAKS, GREW SEVERAL DIFFERENT CROPS, WAS RAISING DUCKS
AND BEGINNING TO HARVEST CITRUS, AND HAD PLANTED COCONUT
PALMS. THEY EXPRESSED SATISFACTION WITH HOW THEIR SOIL WAS
IMPROVING AND HOW THEIR STANDARD OF LIVING HAD IMPROVED.
THEY SAID THEY HAD OBTAINED ADDITIONAL LOANS TO ADD ONTO
THEIR HOUSE AND TO BEGIN MAKING CONCRETE ROOFING TILES.
THEY SAID THAT THEIR OVERALL INCOME WAS OVER 12 MILLION VND
(ABOUT USD 800) AND GROWING, FAR BETTER THAN IT HAD BEEN IN
THE FISHING VILLAGE. NEIGHBORING FARMS APPEARED TO BE
SIMILARLY PROSPEROUS.

UNCLASSIFIED

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11. (U) ACCORDING TO THE DISTRICT DEPUTY CHAIRMAN, THE
UNDP AND NORWEGIAN OFFICIALS WERE PLEASED WITH PROJECT'S
RESULTS. HE ADDED THAT MOST OF THE SETTLERS FOUND THE
PROJECT USEFUL, AND THAT APPLICATIONS TO JOIN THE PROGRAM
OUTSTRIP FUNDING. WHILE THERE IS NO SHORTAGE OF
UNRECLAIMED LAND, MOST OF THE FUNDING AT THIS POINT IS FROM
REPAYMENT OF THE STARTUP LOANS, HE SAID. THE LACK OF
FUNDING HAS HINDERED THE LOCAL ADMINISTRATION FROM EXPANDING
THE PROJECT, HE COMPLAINED; THUS, THE PROVINCE NOW HOPES FOR
FUNDING FROM FOREIGN NGOS AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS TO
CONDUCT SIMILAR PROJECTS IN THE AREA.

MONKS AND NUNS ABSENT IN QUANG BINH, SCARCE IN QUANG TRI
--------------------------------------------- -----------

12. (SBU) ACCORDING TO LOCAL OFFICIALS, THERE ARE JUST 6
BUDDHIST TEMPLES IN QUANG BINH PROVINCE, AND NO RESIDENT
MONKS OR NUNS. EXPLAINING THE SITUATION, PROVINCIAL
DEPARTMENT FOR RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS AND MOUNTAINOUS REGIONS
STAFF SAID NO ONE FROM QUANG BINH HAD EVER WANTED TO ENTER
RELIGIOUS LIFE. LATER, THICH CHANH LIEM, THE HEAD OF QUANG
TRI'S PROVINCIAL BUDDHIST ASSOCIATION AND ABBOT OF CHAU
QUANG PAGODA, CONFIRMED THAT THERE WERE FEW BUDDHISTS IN
QUANG BINH, BUT DID RECALL THAT AT LEAST ONE FAMOUS LIVING
MONK WAS A QUANG BINH NATIVE. THICH CHANH LIEM SAID THAT
QUANG TRI'S POPULATION WAS 70 TO 80 PERCENT BUDDHIST.
HOWEVER, WHILE THERE ARE 170 SHRINES SCATTERED AROUND THE
PROVINCE, THERE ARE ONLY THREE MAJOR PAGODAS, ALL IN DONG HO
TOWN. HE SAID THAT THE FACILITIES WERE IN POOR CONDITION.
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MOREOVER, QUANG TRI HAD VERY FEW MONKS AND NUNS COMPARED TO
OTHER PROVINCES. THE ABBOT SAID THAT THE ASSOCIATION PLANS
TO OPEN A SCHOOL TO TRAIN MONKS. THEY HAVE NOT APPLIED FOR
PERMISSION YET BECAUSE, ACCORDING TO THE ABBOT, THE
AUTHORITIES REQUIRE THAT THE SCHOOL HAVE 50 - 60 STUDENTS,
BUT THERE ARE ONLY ABOUT 30 CANDIDATES CURRENTLY AVAILABLE.

LOTS OF CATHOLICS, BUT NOT MANY PRIESTS
---------------------------------------

13. (SBU) FOUR PROVINCIAL OFFICIALS ACCOMPANIED POLOFF AND
POL STAFF TO A MEETING WITH THE PROVINCE'S SENIOR CATHOLIC
PRIEST AT HUONG PHUONG PARISH NORTHWEST OF DONG HOI.
ACCORDING TO PROVINCIAL RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS OFFICIALS AND THE
PRIEST, THERE ARE ROUGHLY 85,000 CATHOLIC BELIEVERS AND 12
PRIESTS (ABOUT ONE PER 7000 BELIEVERS) IN QUANG BINH'S 26
PARISHES. THE PROVINCE'S PARISHES ARE A SUBDIVISION OF THE
DIOCESE OF VINH, ACCORDING TO THE PRIEST, WHO SAID AS
CURATE, HE WAS ADMINISTRATIVELY IN CHARGE OF THE PROVINCE'S
PARISHES BECAUSE THEY WERE TOO FAR FROM VINH FOR THE BISHOP
TO MANAGE. HE SAID THAT THE BISHOP VISITS EACH OF QUANG
BINH'S PARISHES ONCE EVERY THREE YEARS. HE ADDED THAT THE
CATHOLICS INTEND TO APPLY TO FORM A NEW DIOCESE WHEN THEY
HAVE ENOUGH PRIESTS." HE DID NOT INDICATE WHEN THAT
CONDITION WOULD BE MET. THE PRIEST INDICATED THAT MOST
CATHOLICS LIVE IN LARGELY CATHOLIC VILLAGES AND ARE FAIRLY
CONCENTRATED GEOGRAPHICALLY. THERE WAS ANOTHER CATHOLIC
CHURCH ONLY TWO KILOMETERS FROM HUONG PHUONG. HUONG PHUONG
PARISH'S CHURCH BUILDING WAS ONLY A FEW YEARS OLD AND
ACCOMMODATED 800 OR MORE PEOPLE FOR SUNDAY SERVICES. THE
PRIEST ALSO NOTED THAT NUNS PLAY A LARGE ROLE IN CHURCH
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EDUCATION. HE SAID THAT HE WAS ON THE PROVINCE'S FATHERLAND
FRONT COMMITTEE AND REMARKED THAT CATHOLICS IN QUANG BINH
HAD BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN DEMONSTRATING THAT THEY WERE GOOD
CITIZENS AND CONTRIBUTED TO NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION. THUS, HE
CONCLUDED, THEY WERE FREE TO PRACTICE THEIR RELIGION WITHOUT
INTERFERENCE. HOWEVER, WHILE HE EXPRESSED SATISFACTION WITH
CURRENT PROGRAMS FOR TRAINING PRIESTS (QUANG BINH HAD ONLY
SIX PRIESTS WHEN HE BECAME CURATE ABOUT TEN YEARS AGO), THE
CHURCH COULD HAVE DONE MUCH BETTER FOR BELIEVERS HAD THEY
MORE PRIESTS. HE SAID THAT HE WAS NOT AWARE OF ANY
PROTESTANTS IN THE PROVINCE.

14. (SBU) FATHER TRAN VAN TUYEN MET POLOFF AND POL STAFF
ON JANUARY 11 AT THE DONG HA TOWN PARISH CHURCH. HE SAID
THAT HE WAS ORDAINED IN 1968 IN HUE AND HAD BEEN IN HIS
CURRENT PARISH FOR FOUR YEARS. QUANG TRI'S ROUGHLY TWO
DOZEN PARISHES SHARE NINE PRIESTS AND AVERAGE ABOUT 500 -
600 MEMBERS. THE PRIEST SAID THAT HIS PARISH IS QUITE LARGE
AND THAT HE "COULD HARDLY HANDLE THE WORK." HE SAID,
NODDING AT THE PROVINCIAL PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVE
PRESENT, THEY HAD APPLIED FOR A VICAR TO EASE THE PROBLEM,
BUT HAD RECEIVED NO RESPONSE FROM THE AUTHORITIES. HE
ADDED, "OBVIOUSLY THERE IS JUST TOO MUCH WORK FOR ALL THE
PRIESTS" IN QUANG TRI. THEY ARE PART OF THE DIOCESE OF HUE
AND A BISHOP VISITS EACH PARISH EVERY THIRD YEAR. MOST OF
THE CHURCH BUILDINGS, HE SAID, WERE DESTROYED DURING THE WAR
AND ONLY A FEW HAVE BEEN REBUILT. DONG HA PARISH'S CHURCH

UNCLASSIFIED

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BUILDING WAS ONLY TWO YEARS OLD, REBUILT WITH FUNDING RAISED
BY A CATHOLIC PRIEST IN FRANCE, FATHER TUYEN REMARKED. WHEN
ASKED ABOUT PLANS FOR THE CHURCH BUILDING AT THE LA VANG
PILGRIMAGE SITE NORTH OF DONG HO, FATHER TUYEN SAID THAT THE
CATHOLIC CHURCH HAD REQUESTED, BUT NOT YET RECEIVED,
PERMISSION TO UPGRADE THE SIMPLE ALUMINUM AND GLASS
STRUCTURE LOCATED BEHIND THE RUINED FACADE OF THE CHURCH
BUILDING DESTROYED LATE IN THE VIETNAM WAR. FATHER TUYEN
ALSO SAID THAT DONG HO'S ONE PROTESTANT FAMILY ATTENDED
CATHOLIC SERVICES ON MAJOR HOLIDAYS.

LEMONADE FROM LEMONS
--------------------

15. (SBU) COMMENT: POVERTY, DUE PRIMARILY TO POOR SOIL,
UNFAVORABLE WEATHER, AND DISTANCE FROM TRADE CENTERS, IS THE
DOMINANT FACTOR IN THESE TWO PROVINCES. THE EAGERNESS OF
QUANG TRI'S RESETTLED FISHING FAMILIES TO UNDERTAKE THE
BACKBREAKING WORK OF TURNING BLOWING SAND INTO PRODUCTIVE
FARMLAND INDICATES HOW POOR THIS PART OF VIETNAM IS. WAR
DAMAGE AND THE AFTEREFFECTS OF WAR CONTRIBUTE TO THIS
POVERTY, BUT THE WAR'S LEGACY HAS ALSO BROUGHT ATTENTION TO
QUANG TRI, IF NOT TO QUANG BINH. PHYSICAL REMINDERS OF THE
WAR, LIKE THE RUINS OF THE CHURCHES AT LA VANG AND DONG HOI,
SEEM SOMEWHAT ANACHRONISTIC AND OUT OF STEP WITH THE OVERALL
MESSAGE OF TRYING TO OVERCOME POVERTY WITH WHATEVER MEANS
ARE OFFERED, THAT ONE HEARS IN THESE PROVINCES.
BURGHARDT

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UNCLASSIFIED

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