The original document can be found at:
http://www.vnagency.com.vn/html/whitebook_En/index.asp


The book
"Achievements in Protecting and Promoting Human Rights in Vietnam"


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CHAPTER IV

ABOUT A NUMBER OF FALSE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST VIETNAM IN THE AREA OF HUMAN RIGHTS

On the strength of the above-mentioned achievements, the State and people of Vietnam deserve to be proud of the results obtained in the protection and promotion of human rights in Vietnam and the appreciation by the world public at large. However, a number of hostile, for their own political purposes, have used and continue to use all means to make fabrications and false allegations against Vietnam on issues related to human rights, democracy, religions and ethnicity.
They often allege that Vietnam violates civil and political rights and personal freedoms by restricting and suppressing freedom of speech and _expression. They criticize that Vietnam does not follow international standard procedures in arresting and trying those whom they call "democracy and human rights fighters". They distort Vietnam's policy on solidarity and equality among religions and ethnicities. They often criticize the leading role of the Communist Party of Vietnam, demanding the removal of Article 4 of the 1992 Constitution on the position and role of the Communist Party of Vietnam in the national political system.
The contents of the previous chapters are a well-grounded rejection of those false allegations.
The terrorist organizations such as those led by Nguyen Huu Chanh or the "Montagnard Foundation Inc" (MFI) led by Ksor Kok under the sponsorship of the so-called the Transnational Radical Party (TRP) are harboured and supported. The "Montagnard Foundation Inc" is, in fact, a group of a small number of remnants of the FULRO (Front Unifie pour la Liberation des Races Opprimees or United Front for the Liberation of Oppressed Races) who fled to the United States after their looting activities were crushed in the early 1990s. Ksor Kok, claiming himself as the "President" of the so-called "Independent Degar State," has been frenziedly promoting acts of secession and, for these purposes, has been falsely accusing Vietnam of suppressing, arresting and coercing ethnic minority people and forcing Protestants to renounce their religion in the Central Highlands. They also seek all means to divide and undermine the national unity, and instigate riots like the violent demonstrations and riots in the Central Highlands in 2001 and 2004 are .
The "Vietnam Commission for the Protection of Human Rights" led by Vo Van Ai is also a group of people, because of their bitterness about their defeat in South Vietnam in 1975, have been attempting sabotage and to tarnish the image of their own Motherland. Taking the advantage of his position as Vice President of the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH), an INGO having the consultative status at the ECOSOC, Vo Van Ai has repeatedly opposed Vietnam at the UN Commission on Human Rights.
The above-said organizations are hiding under the mask of "democracy, human rights" and live on the support of a number of foreign forces. They are trying all means to protect a handful of people who are using the label of "fighting for freedom and human rights" to promote their personal ambitions and foreign interests in disregard of the voice of the majority. In a number of cases, they try to mislead people as to the law violators, turning these law violators into "freedom fighters." In this connection, it is pertinent to say that the models the self-claimed "freedom and democracy" fighters want to impose on Vietnam are only poor copies of the alien models in countries having historical, cultural and economic conditions totally different from those in Vietnam. If they were really "patriotic," they should not be putting themselves under the patronage of some foreign forces to cause difficulties to their own country.
Similarly, the above-said organizations and people care about "the religious freedoms" of only a small group of persons who just wrap themselves in the religious cloak to serve the interests of the outside forces; they do not care about the life of religion followers.
Vietnam is a unified and sovereign state, an equal member of the international community that is willing to be a friend and reliable partner of all countries in the world. The basis for a stable relationship between and among states can only be the principles of respect for each other's independence and sovereignty, non-interference in each other's affairs, equal and mutually beneficial cooperation and settling differences through dialogue.
In that spirit, Vietnam welcomes the commitments undertaken by other countries in the agreements that they have signed to respect the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Vietnam. One of such agreements is the 21 June 2005 Joint Statement between the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the United States of America, which clearly states that the principles guiding the partnership between the two countries are "equality, mutual respect and benefit" and that the United States Government supports "Vietnam's security and territorial integrity," and "continuing an open and candid dialogue on issues of common concern, including human rights practices, conditions for religious believers and ethnic minorities". The fulfilment of these commitments will create favourable conditions for narrowing down differences and promoting the mutually beneficial cooperation.

CONCLUSIONS

The achievements recorded in the cause of protection and promotion of human rights in Vietnam derive from the combination of the superior and progressive nature of the socialist regime and the national tradition of humanity, of the State's consistent policy of elevating the human being to the centre of the cause of national development and the scrupulous observance of the norms and obligations prescribed in the international conventions on human rights to which Vietnam has acceded.
Over the past 60 years since President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence, giving birth to the first people's democratic state in Vietnam, the Vietnamese people have surmounted numerous challenges and hardships of wars, poverty and backwardness to build a solid foundation for a genuinely just, democratic and civilized society where fundamental human rights and freedoms are protected and continuously promoted. Together with civil and political rights, economic, cultural and social rights are promoted through the proactive and effective policies of the State. Vietnam's achievements in ensuring human rights, especially those in poverty reduction, health care, education and cultural development are widely recognized by the international community.
The reform (Doi Moi) process launched nearly 20 years ago has yielded important positive results in all fields: the rapid growth of the economy, the maintenance of peace and stability for the country, the notable improvement of the people's life, and especially the strengthening of the people’s economic, cultural, social as well as civil and political rights. These achievements are a vivid manifestation of the State of Vietnam's will and determination to protect and promote fundamental rights of its people. At the same time, the success of the reform process also bears out the valuable lesson that if a State is indeed of the people, by the people and for the people and can establish a society in which each individual, while enjoying the rights and freedoms provided for by law, has a high sense of responsibility toward the community, that State can ensure a prosperous and happy life for its citizens. This lesson has been and will continue to be applied by the State of Vietnam in a consistent and effective manner.
The revolution in Vietnam has raised a people from slavery to the position of master of their own country. The Doi Moi process is bringing about prosperity and happiness to the entire people and create more favourable conditions for them to enjoy the fundamental human rights enshrined in the UN Charter. This is the truth shining like the sunlight that cannot be blocked by the hands of any evil forces.

(Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs)