Cablegate: Update On Imprisoned Mennonite Pastor Nguyen Hong Quang
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
240227Z Jun 05
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FM AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1703
INFO AMEMBASSY HANOI PRIORITY
ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
UNCLAS HO CHI MINH CITY 000687
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM SOCI PREL PGOV KIRF VM RELFREE HUMANR
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON IMPRISONED MENNONITE PASTOR NGUYEN HONG QUANG
1. (SBU) Le Thi Phu Dung, wife of imprisoned Mennonite pastor
Nguyen Hong Quang, told us June 23 that she has just returned from
visiting her husband in his new prison in Dak Lak Province. Quang
was transferred from Bo La prison in Binh Duong Province, adjacent
to Ho Chi Minh City, to Dac Trung prison in Cu Mga district, Dak
Lak on June 10. (Dac Trung prison is about 10 kilometers from
Buon Me Thuot, the provincial capital.) Dung told us that her
husband seemed thinner and complained of some skin and stomach
problems, for which he requested the family send medicine.
Otherwise, he appeared lucid and normal. She said that the final
member of the "Mennonite Six," preacher Pham Ngoc Thach, remained
in Bo La prison.
2. (SBU) Quang told his wife that he was housed in a communal cell
with over 100 prisoners. He complained about being bullied and
physically abused by the gang leaders in the cell. Quang said he
was slated to begin a prison labor detail soon with other inmates.
Dung said that the prison administration in Dak Lak is allowing
her to send Quang food and supplies, a welcome change of policy
from his old prison.
3. (SBU) Dung also reported that police harassment of her house
church resumed on Sunday, June 19, following a two-week lull. On
June 19, police interrupted the Sunday service for 16 persons.
Police did not detain any worshipers, but summoned Dung for an
"informational interview." During that discussion, which took
place on June 21, the police informed her that her congregation
was not allowed to gather at that particular site because of
"security concerns." Officials did not offer Dung an alternative
meeting point.
4. (SBU) Meanwhile, officials of the HCMC Committee for Religious
Affairs confirmed that they have received and are considering the
registration application of a faction of the Vietnam Mennonite
Church headed by Pastor Nguyen Quang Trung under the new legal
framework on religion. (Note: "Registration" legally grants the
Mennonite group headed by Pastor Trung limited rights including:
organizing religious services, conducting ceremonies, carrying out
missionary work and preaching at registered religious
establishments, but it is still short of official "recognition"
for the denomination. End note)
5. (SBU) Comment: We continue to press HCMC officials to cease
their harassment of Pastor Quang's house church. Nonetheless, it
remains an exception to an improved atmosphere for house churches
throughout southern Vietnam over past months. Quang's treatment
in prison -- labor and being placed in a group cell -- is standard
treatment for regular prisoners in Vietnam. In cases of political
prisoners, such as Father Nguyen Van Ly or Nguyen Dan Que, the
democracy and human rights activists were held in smaller cells,
often in solitary confinement, and were not required to perform
prison labor.
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