[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 8381]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     VIETNAM HUMAN RIGHTS ACT 2007

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. LORETTA SANCHEZ

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 8, 2008

  Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker, as you may know, I 
have the privilege of representing the Vietnamese community in Orange 
County--one of the largest outside of Vietnam.
  Human rights is an important issue to me and my Vietnamese 
constituents. Today, I want to highlight the importance of continuing 
to work for freedom and democracy in Vietnam, and to commend the 
advocates that are committed to this cause.
  This year marks the 14th anniversary of the House-Senate Joint 
Resolution designating May 11th as Vietnam Human Rights Day. As we 
prepare to observe Vietnam Human Rights Day, it is clear that the 
struggle is far from over.
  Human rights violations in Vietnam have only gotten worse since 
Vietnam was granted Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status, 
removed from the State Department's list of Countries of Particular 
Concern, added to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and allowed to be 
a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.
  In my eyes, these policies, endorsed by the Bush Administration, have 
been rewards for a government that has made no real effort to improve 
its human rights record.
  The Government of Vietnam claimed that it had improved its human 
rights record, and that it would continue to make progress on the issue 
of human rights. However, their record speaks for itself.
  The Government of Vietnam has harassed, arrested and sentenced 
democracy advocates many of whom were not afforded a trial. That list 
includes: Father Nguyen Van Ly, Nguyen Phong, Nguyen Binh Thanh, Nguyen 
Bac Truyen, and Nguyen Van Dai, lawyer--just to name a few. But the 
list doesn't stop there.
  Since 2006 the Government of Vietnam has detained six American 
citizens--all falsely accused and harassed. One of those cases includes 
Dr. Nguyen Quoc Quan who has been incarcerated in Vietnam since 
November for promoting peace and non-violence.
  Since his detainment in Vietnam, I have called for his immediate 
release and authored letters to both Secretary Rice and Vietnamese 
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung urging his safe return to the United 
States. I have met with his wife Mai Huong and have seen the anguish 
this injustice has caused their family--a family that has not been able 
to communicate with their loved one since last year.
  Dr. Nguyen Quan now awaits a trial scheduled for May 13 along with 
fellow democracy activists: Mr. Nguyen The Vu and Mr. Somsak Khunmi. I 
call on the Government of Vietnam to afford Dr. Quan and the other 
democracy advocates a fair and just trial. It is my greatest hope that 
his trial will be handled in a fair manner, unlike that of Father Ly, 
who was gagged, unable to speak at his own defense, and sentenced to 8 
years in prison.
  So today I join the Vietnamese community in commemorating Vietnam 
Human Rights Day and urging support for the continuing advocacy efforts 
that are fighting for the most basic freedoms that we in the U.S. 
enjoy--freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, 
freedom of religion. These freedoms do not exist in Vietnam.
  I will continue working with my colleagues in the Congressional 
Caucus on Vietnam and the Congressional Human Rights Caucus to advance 
human rights for the people of Vietnam. And as a cosponsor of H.R. 
3096, the Vietnam Human Rights Act of 2007, I will continue to advocate 
for its passage with my colleagues in the Senate. I am pleased that 
Senator Barbara Boxer held a hearing on this legislation last March.
  It is my hope that H.R. 3096 will be brought to the Senate floor for 
a vote. This would be a clear message that Congress wants to see the 
Government of Vietnam get serious about improving human rights 
conditions

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