Today there is a so-called doctrine of “human rights bigger than sovereignty”, in which the right to religious freedom is considered an inviolable right of man.  

It is correct that religious freedom is an inviolable right, but national sovereignty is a prerequisite for all human rights. National independence is the most fundamental right of all because without national independence, we have nothing, and without national liberation, we have no human emancipation. History shows that there are no human or civil rights in a society with slavery.

The Communist Party of Vietnam has a clear view about religion. Documents of the seventh conference of the 9th Party Central Committee say: “Religion and belief constitute a large segment of the population’s spiritual needs, and they will continue to exist in harmony with socialist construction in Vietnam. Religious followers are part of the great bloc of national unity.”

The Communist Party and State do not prevent and restrict its citizens from following and preaching religions, but create favourable conditions for them to practice their religions and beliefs. The rights to freedom of religion and beliefs are institutionalised through the law and policy system. The 1992 Constitution and other legal documents on religions say: “All religious followers are free to practise their religions at home and at legal places of worship in line with the law. Religious organisations recognised by the State and protected by the law are allowed to open schools for monks and dignitaries, publish Buddhist sutras and Christian bibles, and refurbish places of worship in line with the law.”

The Communist Party and State reiterate that religions do not mitigate national independence and socialism, and this stance contradicts the slanderous allegations of hostile forces.

Hostile forces often abuse religion to carry out their insidious political schemes to sabotage national independence and reunification. Hoa Hao Buddhist Sect is a case in point. The sect was founded in 1939 and six years later its followers numbered more than 700,000. Regrettably, the sect was turned into a political party named Vietnam Social and Democratic Party - a big armed presence in that society. After national reunification in 1975, hostile forces made use of the sect, establishing armed groups operating secretly with the aim of assassinating cadres and carrying out terrorist attacks. In 1999, the Government allowed the Hoa Hao Buddhist Church to restore its normal religious practices to meet the aspirations of its followers, on the condition that the sect is no longer developed into a political-military organisation as before. 

Since 1994 the Vietnamese State has allowed nine chapters of the Cao Dai religious sect to operate on the condition that they do not function as an administrative apparatus.

Under national law, Vietnamese citizens have the right to follow any religion. The Vietnamese State does not oppose religion and belief. But superstition is not religious, even genuine religious sects avoid superstition, which is deemed as a crime in the Criminal Code of Vietnam. 

The Vietnamese State officially rejects these false allegations of hostile forces which accuse the Party and State of Vietnam of human rights and democracy violations and religious suppression. State policies on religions and beliefs contain adequate elements to satisfy international conventions.

National strength lies in the great bloc of national unity. Vietnamese people, wherever they reside and whichever religion they follow, have the right and obligation to build and defend the nation.