[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 86 (Friday, May 23, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1062-E1063]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         HONORING MR. JOHN G. CARLSON AND DR. NGAI XUAN NGUYEN

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. DANA ROHRABACHER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 22, 2008

  Mr. ROHRABACHER. Madam Speaker, recently I was visited in my office 
by two great Americans who have for many years been leading our 
nation's moral effort against the government of Communist Vietnam: Mr. 
John G. Carlson and Dr. Ngai Xuan Nguyen. Whenever they cone to town 
the bureaucrats in the State Department know that they will be asked 
some hard hitting questions and subjected to piercing scrutiny 
regarding the Administration's Vietnam appeasement policy. Messrs. 
Carlson's and Nguyen have sacrificed so much of their own personal time 
and resources in their endevour ``to bring improved democracy, human 
rights and religious freedom to the people of Vietnam'' they deserve 
the admiration of all of us.
  I am submitting for the Record a list that these two gentleman gave 
to me of ten political prisoners being detained in Vietnam and a 
statement by Mr. Nguyen to Secretary David Kramer, Assistant Secretary 
for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor. I hope that the Vietnamese 
Communist Party quickly responds by doing the right thing and release 
the prisoners. I also strongly urge Secretary Kramer to follow the 
advice of Mr. Nguyen so clearly outlined in his statement.

 Additional Political and Religious Prisoners Being Detained--May 13, 
                                  2008

       1. Bui Kim Thanh, lawyer of the Democratic Party of VN 
     [DPV], rearrested and placed in a mental institution in Bien 
     Hoa.
       2. Ho Thi Bich Khuong, block 8406, sentenced 2 years in 
     jail.
       3. Nguyen Hoang Hai Blogger Dieu Cay, Club of VN freelance 
     journalists, arrested in Dalat since 4/19/08.
       4. Truong Minh Duc, journalist, VN Populist Party, awaiting 
     trial, arrested in Kien Giang.
       5. Nguyen Quoc Quan, Viet Tan Party, awaiting trial 
     scheduled 5/13/08.
       6. Nguyen The Vu, Viet Tan Party, awaiting trial scheduled 
     5/13/08.
       7. Somsak Khumni, Viet Tan Party, awaiting trial scheduled 
     5/13/08.
       8. Pham Ba Hai, Bach Dang Giang Group, sentenced to 5 years 
     in jail.
       9. Nguyen Ngoc Quang, Bach Dang Giang Group, sentenced to 3 
     years in jail.
       10. Vu Hoang Hai, Bach Dang Giang Group, sentenced 2 years 
     in jail.

[[Page E1063]]

 Statement by Dr. Ngai Xuan Nguyen, Vice Chairman, Democratic Party of 
 Vietnam--Submitted to Secretary David Kramer, Assistant Secretary for 
            Democracy, Human Rights and Labor--May 16, 2008

       On May 29, 2008, you will lead a U.S. delegation to Hanoi 
     to participate in a dialogue on U.S.-Vietnam Human Rights.
       As Vice Chairman of the Democratic Party of Vietnam, our 
     Mission is to bring improved democracy, human rights and 
     religious freedom to the people of Vietnam.
       Even though Vietnam's economy has undergone dramatic growth 
     in recent years, Hanoi continues its oppression of human 
     rights and religious freedom, just as it has been doing for 
     decades. An ongoing U.S.-Vietnam dialogue can expand 
     understanding between our two countries and peoples while 
     consolidating human rights gains that have been won. However, 
     actions speak louder than words.
       Therefore, we respectfully request that you discuss the 
     following major issues with the Vietnamese government during 
     your meetings in Hanoi, May 29:
       1. All political and religious prisoners who are still 
     being jailed in Vietnam must be set free, unconditionally. 
     Congressman Dana Rohrabacher placed this list of 85 people in 
     the Congressional Record in 2007, and a copy is available. 
     Ten new activists, list attached, have been recently retained 
     and should be added to this list, including Bui Thanh, a 
     lawyer who has recently been sent to a mental institution. 
     All 95 prisoners should be released, immediately.
       2. Condemn the Vietnamese government for arresting and 
     interrogating for more than six hours, Dr. Nguyen Thi An 
     Nhan, and then deporting her on February 15, 2008. Dr. Nhan 
     is a graduate of Harvard University Medical School and is 
     currently a heart surgeon specialist at Stanford University. 
     Her only ``crime'' was that she is a member of the Democratic 
     Party of Vietnam and was in Hanoi to attend the funeral of 
     Professor Hoang Minh Chinh on February 16, the Founder and 
     Secretary General of the Democratic Party of Vietnam.
       3. Unless major changes and improvements are made 
     immediately, the U.S. State Department will recommend that 
     Vietnam be redesignated a ``country of particular concern'' 
     for its lack of democracy, human rights and religious 
     freedom. Once Vietnam was removed from the CPC list and 
     accepted into the World Trade Organization, human rights and 
     religious freedom in Vietnam significantly deteriorated, as 
     reported by Human Rights Watch on May 8, 2008. Several 
     leaders of the UBCV (Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam) have 
     been harassed and their pagodas destroyed in Lam Dong, Hue 
     and Quant Tri in 2008. Many Christian leaders have been 
     imprisoned and a major Montagnard Christian demonstration led 
     by Reverend Nguyen Cong Chinh in April 2008 in Gia Lai and 
     Daklak was oppressed by the Vietnam government with dozens of 
     protestors beaten and arrested. Reverend Le Ngoc Thuong, from 
     New Orleans, was arrested and deported to the U.S. while 
     visiting Vietnam in April 2008. Major conflicts between the 
     Vietnam government and Roman Catholic churches have erupted 
     after the Vietnam government stole their land. These are just 
     a few of the recent actions in the last several months.
       4. If there is not an improvement in human rights, the U.S. 
     Department of State will recommend that H.R. 3096, The 
     Vietnam Human Rights Act of 2007, be passed in the United 
     States Senate. H.R. 3096, which passed the House on September 
     18, 2007, condemns the ongoing human rights abuses in 
     Vietnam, and prohibits increased U.S. non-humanitarian 
     assistance to the Government of Vietnam unless there is 
     verifiable evidence that the Vietnamese government has made 
     substantial progress towards the release of its political and 
     religious prisoners. In addition, this legislation requires 
     that the Vietnam government respect the rights to freedom of 
     religion, freedom of press and returns all confiscated 
     properties.
       Again, we in the Democratic Party of Vietnam thank you for 
     your continued efforts to bring about real change in Vietnam. 
     However, talk is cheap, and it is time to see significant 
     actions and results from the government of Vietnam.

                          ____________________