At a townhall meeting with the Vietnamese American community held in Orange County, CA on October 10, Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA) announced his intention to introduce a resolution in the House of Representatives calling on the U.S. government to reinstate Vietnam on the list of "Countries of Particular Concern" for gross violations of religious freedom. The prospects of a post-election "lame duck" session of the 110th Congress are increasing.
"When Congress returns, I will be introducing a resolution to put the House of Representatives on record - the status quo in Vietnam is unacceptable. If Vietnam wants to have a strong relationship with the U.S., they need to honor the basic rights of its citizens, including religious liberty. Most recently, the Vietnamese Catholic Church has felt the Communist government's oppression over disputed land. In addition, persecution of the Hoa Hao Buddhists and the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam continues," said Royce.
Since 1999, the U.S. State Department has designated countries that "engage in or tolerate particularly severe violations of religious freedom," as "Countries of Particular Concern." This annual designation not only puts the violations of specific countries on record, but is one of the most significant diplomatic tools for advancing human rights. Due to Vietnam's egregious human rights violations, the State Department had previously listed it as one of these countries. In 2006, Vietnam was removed from the list.
"Some have seen positive steps in Vietnam, but frankly, I don't see it. Religious freedom remains under attack. The Communist government continues to harass and physically abuse worshipers who don't follow every last state sanctioned rule. It's time for Congress to ratchet up the pressure. Next January we'll have a new Administration. I want it to realize that religious freedom is under fire in Vietnam and it should act accordingly by putting Vietnam back on the 'Countries of Particular Concern' list," Royce stated.
Rep. Ed Royce is ranking member on the Asia, the Pacific and the Global Environment Subcommittee. Additionally Royce serves on the Congressional Caucus on Vietnam and the Caucus on Human Rights.
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