In its report, the commission produced slanderous allegations that the Vietnamese State continued to implement measures to suppress religions, and that there were forced renunciation of faith, closures of many pagodas and arrests of religious followers. Based on this information, the commission jumped to the conclusion that “The government of Vietnam continues to commit systematic and egregious violations of freedom of religion or belief”, and requested the US Government to maintain the CPC status for Vietnam, alongside 10 other countries.     

The proposal is wrong and unjust as it only reflects the biased and non-objective view about the real situation in Vietnam. Obviously, it is the high-handed act in international relations that Vietnam has endured over the past years.

Worthy of note is that such slanderous allegations and proposal come out against the fact that many US politicians have asked the US Government to consider removing Vietnam from the CPC list, and the two countries are holding the final round of negotiations on Vietnam’s entry to the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

It is obvious that several officials from the commission still have non-objective and unjust views about the human rights situation, including religious issues, in Vietnam. They hope that with such slanderous allegations, they could succeed in pressuring the US Government to keep Vietnam on the CPC list, slowing down Vietnam’s bid for WTO membership, and hindering the positive development of the relations between Vietnam and the US.   

Religious freedom is a sensitive and disputable issue, but it cannot be used to deny the constant efforts made by the Vietnamese Government to improve religious activities, which have been acknowledged by the international community.

Those who put forth slanderous allegations do not know that during these days Buddhist followers are jubilantly celebrating the 2630^th birth anniversary of Buddha and the 2550^th year of the Buddhist calendar. 2006 marks the first-time recognition by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) of Lord Buddha’s birthday anniversary as a world religious festival. It also marks 25 years of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha. Pagodas in all major cities such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have erected stages and solemnly organised activities such as the Buddha Statue Bathing Ceremony, and incense offering to the Lord Buddha.

Witnessing these activities, a BBC correspondent commented on May 5 that religious followers in Vietnam are free to practise their religions and beliefs. The US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice even said that Vietnam has made progress in religious freedom.

The truth cannot be distorted by the slanderous allegations made by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom against the religious situation in Vietnam as they run counter to the global trend of development and co-operation.

The commission’s request to keep Vietnam on the CPC list is nothing but an outmoded act by those who lack goodwill towards Vietnam.

It is hoped that for the benefit of Vietnam-US relations, the Washington administration will come up with a correct decision not to let any forces capitalise on religious issues to go ahead with their dark political schemes.