[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 146 (Tuesday, September 19, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S13872]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        RELATIVE TO POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS PRISONERS IN VIETNAM

  Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of Senate Resolution 174, 
submitted earlier today by Senator Grams.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 174), expressing the sense of the 
     Senate that the Secretary of State should aggressively pursue 
     the release of political and religious prisoners in Vietnam.

  The Senate proceeded to consider the resolution.
  Mr. GRAMS. Mr. President, today I am submitting Senate Resolution 
174, which expresses the sense of the Senate that the Secretary of 
State should aggressively pursue the release of political and religious 
prisoners in Vietnam.
  My resolution has been prompted by the recent sentencing of two 
American citizens for attempting to organize a conference in Vietnam to 
discuss democracy and human rights. These two American citizens, Mr. 
Nguyen Tan Tri and Mr. Tran Quang Liem, were detained for 2 years by 
the Vietnamese without charge. Mr. Tri has now been sentenced to a 7-
year prison term and Mr. Liem to 4 years. Both are in ill health.
  The resolution calls for the Secretary of State to pursue the release 
of these two prisoners as well as other American citizens--I understand 
that American citizens from the State of Virginia are imprisoned in 
Vietnam as well--and all political and religious prisoners in Vietnam.
  The President has just normalized relations with Vietnam. I supported 
normalization, because I believe it will give us more leverage with the 
Vietnamese Government to pursue outstanding issues such as MIA's/POW's 
and the release of those imprisoned in violation of international law 
after expressing political and religious views. Not only are people 
jailed for espousing political views, but those who seek religious 
freedoms are as well. Persecution of Buddhist leaders is rampant. 
Catholic and other Christian leaders have also been imprisoned 
allegedly for political activities under the guise of their religion.
  I was disappointed that Secretary Christopher and Secretary Lord did 
not address this matter with Vietnamese officials in Vietnam shortly 
after normalization was announced. While I appreciate the efforts of 
consular officers in Vietnam and lower-level State Department officials 
to address this matter with their peers in the Vietnamese Government, I 
believe this issue should have been addressed directly by Secretary 
Christopher.
  Mr. President, I am told that Vietnam has now agreed to retry the 
cases of at least the two Americans. We do not know when, or if, that 
may occur. In my judgment, it is important to pass this resolution 
immediately to show Senate support for a quick resolution of this 
situation.
  Passage of this resolution is being coordinated with other concerned 
governments. Last week the Canadian Parliament adopted a similar 
resolution, and the Australian Parliament will adopt one very shortly.
  If we are to have a diplomatic relationship with Vietnam, we must 
work with them at the highest levels of government to urge them to 
honor their commitment under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 
by releasing all religious and political prisoners. We must also urge 
Vietnam to continue our efforts to obtain a full accounting of MIA's/
POW's.
  I urge my colleagues to support the effort to pass this resolution 
under unanimous consent today.
  Mr. COCHRAN. I ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to, the 
preamble be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the 
table, and that any statements relating to the resolution appear at the 
appropriate place in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 174) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                               S.Res 174

       Whereas there are many outstanding issues between the 
     United States and Vietnam including a full accounting of 
     MIAs/POWs; pursuit of democratic freedoms in Vietnam, 
     including freedom of expression and association; and 
     resolution of human rights violations;
       Whereas the Government of Vietnam continues to imprison 
     political and religious leaders to suppress the nonviolent 
     pursuit of freedom and human rights;
       Whereas the Government of Vietnam has not honored its 
     commitments under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 
     and the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights;
       Whereas two American citizens, Mr. Nguyen Tan Tri and Mr. 
     Tran Quang Liem, are among those recently sentenced to prison 
     terms of 7 and 4 years, respectively, for their efforts to 
     organize a conference, after 2 years of detention without 
     charge; and
       Whereas these two Americans are in poor health and are not 
     receiving proper treatment: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate hereby--
       (1) Urges the Secretary of State to pursue the release of 
     the American prisoners as well as all political and religious 
     prisoners in Vietnam as a matter of the highest priority;
       (2) requests that the Secretary of State submit regular 
     reports to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate 
     regarding the status of the imprisonment and wellbeing of the 
     two American prisoners; and
       (3) requests that the President meet with relatives of the 
     two Americans at his earliest convenience.
       Sec. 2. The Secretary of the Senate shall transmit a copy 
     of this resolution to the President and the Secretary of 
     State.

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