The US House of Representatives was quite wrong this week when it passed Human Rights resolution No 243, calling on Vietnam to release several elements arrested recently for acts against the State. The resolution accused Vietnam of human rights violations and called on the US not to support Vietnam's bid for non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council for the 2008-09 term. The imposition of such requirements is unjust and detrimental to the development of relations between the two countries. 

The resolution was put forward by Representative Chris Smith of New Jersey who had sponsored the so-called Vietnam Human Rights Bill – a bill that was opposed by the US public as it was a product of forces that lack goodwill towards Vietnam and make use of democracy and human rights issues to sabotage the country as well as Vietnam-US relations. The bill was not taken into account by the Senate as the two countries have made significant progress towards building a constructive partnership and friendship on a basis of equality, mutual respect and benefit and more importantly, Vietnam has made tremendous achievements in all areas.

As Vietnam’s position and role have been enhanced in the international arena, particularly after the country successfully organised the 14^th APEC summit and was nominated as the sole Asian candidate for non-permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council for the 2008-2009 biennium, those forces that are hostile and lack goodwill towards Vietnam continued to use democratic and human rights issues to obstruct the country’s development and integration as well as its contributions to the international community. That is why after Vietnamese authorities tried Nguyen Van Ly  and arrested Nguyen Van Dai , Le Thi Cong Nhan and Tran Khai Thanh Thuy  on the charge of carrying out activities against the country, Mr Smith and these forces put forward the resolution calling on the Vietnamese government to release these elements who were termed democracy and human rights fighters, political prisoners and prisoners of conscience in Vietnam.

It is worth mentioning that there are no political prisoners or prisoners of conscience in Vietnam as they were described in the resolution. Even these terms no longer exist in the country’s criminal law system.

The fact is that the elements defended by the resolution have many times violated the Vietnamese law. Nguyen Van Ly said he serves religious purposes, but he incited others to carry out activities in an attempt to overthrow the Vietnamese State – an act that was disapproved of and even criticised by the Vatican. Meanwhile, Nguyen Van Dai, Le Thi Cong Nhan and Tran Khai Thanh Thuy disseminated propaganda against the State, gathered forces and contacted political opportunists and reactionaries living inside and outside the country to oppose the State, deny the Party’s leadership role and go against the nation and people’s interests. They made use of the rights to freedom and democracy to launch activities violating the law and undermining national security, social order and stability. Ironically, the US House of Representatives passed the resolution in support of these elements.

For many Vietnamese and the world public, the adoption of such an unjust resolution brazenly interferes with Vietnam’s internal affairs. It is clear that by accusing Vietnam of human rights violations, several legislators aimed to press the US not to support Vietnam’s bid for non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council. In the eyes of Asian representatives at the United Nations and the world public, Vietnam deserves to be elected to the post given the fact that the country, with its political stability, has made remarkable achievements in guaranteeing its citizens’ fundamental human rights, as well as positive contributions to the region and the world.