[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 92 (Thursday, June 18, 2009)]
[House]
[Page H6977]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1015
         VIETNAM CONTINUES TO EGREGIOUSLY VIOLATE HUMAN RIGHTS

  (Mr. CAO asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. CAO. Mr. Speaker, the U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam recently held 
that the Socialist Republic of Vietnam need not be put back onto the 
CPC because, based on his views, Vietnam has made sufficient 
improvement to its human rights policies to warrant exclusion. But 
recent developments show how wrong the Ambassador is.
  Not to mention Vietnam's other numerous human rights violations, just 
days ago the Vietnam Government arrested Mr. Le Cong Dinh, a prominent 
lawyer in Vietnam, for openly defending human rights. Vietnam's arrest 
of Mr. Dinh contradicts its own alleged commitment to internationally 
accepted criteria on human rights.
  Today I call upon the Members of this body to urge Vietnam to release 
Mr. Dinh immediately and unconditionally, as well as all prisoners in 
detention, for peacefully expressing their views. His immediate release 
will be a significant step in affirming Vietnam's intention to respect 
the rule of law.

                          ____________________