Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission
Hearing on the Persecution of Religious and Indigenous Communities in Vietnam
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
HVC 210
Please join
the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission for a hearing on the persecution
of religious and indigenous communities in Vietnam.
In
the 1970s, following the emergence of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
under the Communist Party of Vietnam, the government disbanded the
leadership of all independent-minded religious
organizations; and the country’s Communist cadres quickly appointed new
leaders of these organizations. Further, as stipulated by its 2004
Ordinance on Religion and Belief, Vietnam’s government requires all
religious organizations to be registered and their
activities pre-approved. Organizations that refuse to register or
whose registration applications have been denied risk having their
activities deemed illegal and expose their leaders and followers to
arrest and harassment. More recently, the 2013 Government
Decree 92/2012/ND-CP banned all religious, cultural and traditional
activities – even when conducted in private homes – unless they are
registered, pre-approved, or officiated by a government entity.
In addition,
the government’s policies of land appropriation, population displacement
and prohibition of indigenous languages in schools have altered the
identities of its indigenous
peoples and weakened their cultural heritage. Today, there is
virtually no authentic representation of indigenous peoples in the
government of Vietnam.
This hearing
will focus on Vietnam’s persecution and repression of faith and
indigenous communities, and also examine the U.S. government’s response
to these human rights abuses.
Notably, for the first time, the Commission hearing will feature
prominent activists testifying directly from Vietnam. These brave
individuals will provide first-hand accounts of the abuses suffered by
their respective communities.
Witnesses to testify:
Panel I:
- U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (Commissioner TBA)
Panel II:
·
Father Phan Van Loi, Editor-in-Chief of
Freedom of Speech and Co-Founder of the Association of Former Vietnamese Prisoners of Conscience
·
Sub-dignitary Nguyen Bach Phung, Clergy member of an independent Cao Dai Sect
·
Attorney Yunie Hong, Director of Policy Advocacy, Hmong National Development
·
Mr. Rong Nay, Executive Director, Montagnard Human Rights Organization
*Witness list subject to change
Note: The hearing will be streaming live at (Web link TBA)
For any questions, please contact the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission at 202-225-3599 or
tlhrc@mail.house.gov.
James P. McGovern
Co-Chair, TLHRC 
