Vol. 567 No. 7
10 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will meet with the ambassador of Vietnam urgently to discuss the continued detention of a person (details supplied) and members of their family; if he will communicate to Vietnam the absolute importance that Ireland places upon free speech; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14870/03]
I am aware of reports that Father Van Ly is a Catholic priest of the diocese of Hué in central Vietnam, who was arrested in May 2001 for allegedly inciting parishioners to seize land, for preventing them from assisting in irrigation work and for provoking security disorders. I understand from these reports that Father Van Ly, a national of Vietnam, was sentenced in October 2001 to 15 years' imprisonment, with a further five years of probation on release. Two nephews and a niece of Father Van Ly were also reported to be arrested between 13 and 19 June 2001. They were subsequently charged with being in contact with "reactionary" organisations in the US, and of supplying them with information about the religious situation in Vietnam.
The Government takes concerns about human rights in Vietnam seriously. While there is now a greater degree of religious freedom in Vietnam than there was a decade ago, there are still restrictions, and the Vietnamese Government still insists on control over religious institutions. There have also been worrying reports of a crackdown on ethnic minorities, and religious and political dissidents. The Vietnamese Government does not accept external criticism, and still implements the death penalty.
On 15 May 2002, the EU and Vietnam adopted a new co-operation strategy. While its primary aim is to assist in the reduction of poverty, it also deals with cross cutting concerns, including the promotion of human rights. Indeed, article one of the strategy reads that "respect for human rights and democratic principles is the basis for the co-operation between the parties and for the provisions of this Agreement, and it constitutes an essential element of the Agreement." Therefore, the EU Heads of Mission in Hanoi regularly raise human rights concerns in their contacts with the Vietnamese authorities.
At the UN, Ireland is the lead sponsor on the Resolution on the Elimination of all forms of Religious Intolerance, at the Third Committee, and also at the Commission on Human Rights. Discrimination against ethnic and religious minorities in Vietnam was specifically referred to in the EU Statement at the Commission on Human Rights, in March 2003.
Bilaterally, I met with the Vietnamese Foreign Minister, Mr. Nguyen Dy Nien, when both of us attended the EU-ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting, at Brussels, on 27 and 28 January 2003. I used this occasion to discuss our bilateral relations, and to raise issues of concern. I hope to have a further opportunity to meet with the Vietnamese Foreign Minister at the ASEM Foreign Ministers meeting in July 2003. The Vietnamese ambassador will be in Dublin later this year, in connection with the regular visit by non-resident ambassadors of ASEAN member states. I will take these two further opportunities to emphasise the Government's concern about the human rights situation in Vietnam and, in this regard, I will be very happy to raise the case mentioned by the Deputy. In addition, our ambassador at Kuala Lumpur, who is accredited to Vietnam, will also raise our concerns, including this specific case, at the next available opportunity.
I would hope that the coming months will therefore see a number of contacts with the Government of Vietnam and that these will take up matters of bilateral interest, including our concerns about the human rights situation in Vietnam, the importance we attach to elimination of religious discrimination and the promotion of freedom of speech.
