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February 11, 2005

Re: Actions under "Country of Particular Concern" designation for Vietnam

Dear Secretary Rice:

I respectfully urge you to recommend presidential action in response to violations of religious freedom in Vietnam as provided under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (IRFA).

Having designated Vietnam as a “CPC” it is vital that the State Department proceed with appropriate follow-up actions.

I support the actions suggested by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (identifying those Vietnamese officials responsible for the violations and rendering them inadmissible to the US; dedicating funding to programs that will directly promote freedom of religion and human rights in Vietnam). These are not economic sanctions, but targeted responses that directly address the problem.

The CPC designation has made the Vietnamese authorities more sensitive to the appearance of the regime’s policies on religion, but has not significantly altered these repressive policies. Independent religious organizations such as the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam still cannot freely operate. Many religious leaders such as Pastor Nguyen Hong Quang and Buddhist leader Thich Quang Do remain in jail or under virtual house arrest.

Madame Secretary, I ask you to maintain the pressure on the government of Vietnam to cease the severe violations of religious freedom.

Thank you for your attention.

Sincerely,

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