The USCIRF made the request after releasing its 2008 annual report on the religious situation in many countries, including Vietnam, on May 2. In its report, the USCIRF said that severe religious restrictions continue in Vietnam and that the Government continues to disregard its citizens’ universal right to religious freedom. It accused Vietnam of preventing the activities of religious groups such as the Cao Dai and Hoa Hao, and of monitoring, interrogating and arresting Khmer Buddhists. It also demanded that Vietnam free the Most Venerable Thich Huyen Quang and Thich Quang Do.

During a fact-finding tour of Vietnam from October 21 to November 1, 2007, a USCIRF delegation met with Government officials and saw with their own eyes free religious practices in many places. The vice chairman of the USCIRF said that Vietnam’s frank exchange has cleared up their doubts and that the country has made progress in religious freedom and human rights.

USCIRF chairman Michael Lewis Cromartie described the Government’s cooperation with the delegation during the visit as a demonstration of Vietnam’s open attitude and goodwill towards dialogue on religious freedom.

Ironically, five months after the visit, this organisation had second thoughts on the religious situation in Vietnam and many people wonder what changed the USCIRF’s mind. It is worth mentioning that the USCIRF is an independent agency belonging to the US Government, which is appointed by the US President and adopted by Congress. It also includes members of the Republican and Democratic Parties.

However, this organisation has come up with biased and incorrect information about religious and human rights situation in Vietnam. This source of information has been provided by Vietnamese reactionaries living in exile. Among them is Ngo Thi Hien who names herself president of the Committee for Religious Freedom in Vietnam and undertakes political activity against the Vietnamese State. After the USCIRF released the report, Hien continued insisting that the comments in the report were correct.

But the facts speak for themselves. Thich Huyen Quang and Thich Quang Do are still doing normal religious practice and none of them will get arrested if they do not break the law. In addition, none of Khmer Buddhists have been detained as the USCIRF claimed in its report. Only law-breakers such as Vo Van Thanh Liem in An Giang province and Y Het in Phu Yen province were dealt with according to the law.

These undeniable facts are testimony to the rapid development of religious organisations in Vietnam. In a recent broadcast, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) reported that Vietnamese citizens are free to select the religion of their choice and that all the religions are equal before the law. Worthy of note is that many religious followers have joined the Communist Party of Vietnam. The BBC quoted Chuck Searcy, Vice President of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) during a visit to Vietnam as saying that Vietnam is opening its doors to religions and religious practices are developing strongly in this country.

The US Government also acknowledges Vietnam’s efforts in this field. A spokesperson for the US Department of State Tom Casey on May 2 said that there is no justification in putting Vietnam back on the CPC list because of its improvements on religious freedom. Casey’s statement has contradicted the USCIEF’s unjustifiable demands.

The US Government’s decision is correct because it not only acknowledges and respects the truth of the bourgeoning religious activities in Vietnam but also reflects the common trend in the Vietnam-US relationship. This means that only the USCIRF has denied and distorted the religious situation in Vietnam to dance to the tune of exiled reactionaries who attempt to sabotage the Vietnamese State and do harm to the Vietnam-US relationship. By doing so, their discordant notes are likely to fall on deaf ears.