(VOVworld) – The US House of Representatives has passed the Vietnam Human Rights Act 2013 (H.R 1897), which calls on the US government to set human rights and democracy conditions for non-humanitarian aid to Vietnam. The act’s approval, based on inaccurate information about human rights and religious freedom in Vietnam, runs counter to the trend of improving relations between Vietnam and the US. VOV comments:
The Vietnam Human Rights Act 2013 was initiated by Republican congressmen Ed Royce and Chris Smith. The act calls on the US government to stop non-humanitarian aid to Vietnam until Vietnam makes serious improvements to human rights. The act also demands that Vietnam release law breakers which the act calls political prisoners and respect religious freedom. It urges the US government to list Vietnam among countries of particular concern for abridging religious freedom.
The Vietnam Human Rights Act 2013 contains nothing new compared to previous acts submitted to the House of Representatives annually. The Head of Vietnam’s Human Rights Office, Nguyen Thanh Son, said the issues raised in the Vietnam Human Rights Act 2013 were discussed at the 17th Vietnam-US human rights dialogue in April and Vietnam clearly stated its point of view: “At the dialogue, Vietnam raised a number of issues of US concern regarding freedom of speech, in the media and on the Internet. In regard to US allegations that Vietnam has arrested bloggers or Internet users, Vietnam explained that these people were punished for violating the law. Nguyen Van Hai, Ta Phong Tan and others, under the cloak of freedom of speech and of the media, incited others to sabotage the Vietnamese state by distorting party guidelines and state policies.”
The Vietnam Human Rights Act 2013 was criticized by some Americans even before it was submitted to the House of Representatives. Congressman Eni Faleomavaega, who is member of the House Foreign Affairs Sub-committee on Asia and the Pacific, said the act does not reflect the full truth of the situation in Vietnam and its approval was urged by certain Vietnamese Americans who do not have goodwill towards Vietnam. Faleomavaega said that as a Vietnam War veteran, he understands the feelings of these Vietnamese Americans, but attempting to overthrow the government and providing false information is not the right thing to do. According to the congressman, it is time to break with the past and begin a new period of healing war wounds.
The act was adopted one week after an official visit to the US by Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang, which is thought to have improved bilateral ties. In a joint statement, President Sang and President Obama affirmed the two countries’ comprehensive partnership based on respect for the UN Charter and international law and respect for each other’s political institutions, independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. The two men also discussed points of disagreement concerning human rights as well as ways to boost bilateral relations. Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh, a member of the Vietnamese delegation said: “Vietnam has clearly stated its policies on human rights protection and promotion. Representatives of Vietnam’s major religions also accompanied President Truong Tan Sang to discuss the human rights situation in Vietnam.”
The issue of human rights will continue to be discussed, but it should not impede this relationship from moving forward. Murray Hiebert, Deputy Director of the Southeast Asia Research Program under the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told VOV that he was optimistic about relations between the two countries in the future. He added that both countries need an active and positive approach to develop the comprehensive partnership in such areas as military, education and the environment.
Vietnam and the US will continue their human rights dialogue to increase mutual understanding on this issue.
Huong Giang