Joint Statement in Support of the Vietnam Freedom of Religion or Belief Roundtable and the Promotion and Protection of Freedom of Religion and Belief in Vietnam
April 15, 2016
We, the undersigned organizations and individuals, would like to applaud and express our support for the formation of the Vietnam Freedom of Religion or Belief Roundtable last month. A direct result of the Asia Pacific Religious Freedom Forum organized by China Aid and held in Taiwan on February 18-21, 2016, the Vietnam FoRB Roundtable has also drawn inspiration from the Conference on Freedom of Religion or Belief in Southeast Asia held on September 30 and October 1, 2015 in Bangkok, Thailand; this conference was co-organized by BPSOS, ICJ, and Forum-Asia.
According to its mission statement, Vietnam FoRB Roundtable is “a forum for diverse sectors in society to come together to discuss and promote freedom of religion or belief” according to two core values: compassion and justice. It follows the model of similar roundtables in the United States and Europe.
The formation of this roundtable is a significant development that would promote freedom of religion or belief in Vietnam, not in isolation but as part of the broader regional and global movements. Through this roundtable, unrecognized religious communities in Vietnam may collaborate on advocacy, provide mutual support, engage government authorities, communicate with foreign diplomatic missions, and interact with similar roundtables already operating or being formed in other countries.
We call on the U.S. government to fully support the Vietnam FoRB Roundtable, including inviting the Roundtable to use the premises of U.S. mission and consular posts in for in-person meetings -- due to safety concerns, Roundtable meetings have so far been conducted online. We urge President Barack Obama to meet with the Vietnam FoRB Roundtable during his upcoming state visit to Vietnam.
We call on international human rights organizations to maintain vigilance over the safety of Roundtable participants, introduce them to relevant regional and international forums, and ask foreign delegations visiting Vietnam to meet with them or even participate in Roundtable meetings.
The Vietnamese government should welcome the Vietnam FoRB Roundtable, considering it a forum to engage and dialogue with unregistered religious communities. Reporting on his July 2014 mission to Vietnam, the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief encouraged the government “to broaden and solidify the very limited and unsafe space for the free unfolding of religious diversity in Vietnam.” He went on to observe that “the situation of independent religious or belief communities should be seen as a test question indicative of the general societal tolerance.”
As organizations and individuals who promote greater freedom of religion or belief worldwide, we stand in solidarity with the Vietnam FoRB Roundtable and all its participants.
ORGANIZATIONS:
21st Century Wilberforce Initiative
Advisory Committee for Religious Freedom in Vietnam
ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights
Boat People SOS
Campaign to Abolish Torture in Vietnam
Center for Religious and Cross-Cultural Studies, Gadjah Mada University, Indonesia
China Aid
Christian Solidarity Worldwide
Church of Scientology National Affairs Office
Coalition for a Free and Democratic Vietnam
Coalition to Abolish Modern Day Slavery in Asia
Con Dau Parishioners Association
Counterparts
Freedom House
Hmong American Partnership
Human Rights Lawyers Network Without Frontiers (Atlanta)
Human Rights Without Frontiers International (Brussels)
International Christian Concern
International Institute for Religious Freedom
International Office of Champa
Jubilee Campaign USA
Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation
The Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice
Montagnard Human Rights Organization
National Vietnam & Gulf War Veterans Coalition
People Serving People Foundation
Popular Council of Cao Dai Religion in Vietnam – Overseas Representative Office
PROHAM - Society for the Promotion of Human Rights, Malaysia
Vietnamese Women for Human Rights
Women for Human Rights in Vietnam
INDIVIDUALS:
Datuk Dr. Denison Jayasooria, PROHAM
Eva Kusuma Sundari, Member, Indonesian House of Representatives; Vice Chair, ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights
Dr. Grant A. McClure, Commanding Officer, Counterparts
Greg Mitchell, President, The Mitchell Firm
Helen Ngo, Co-founder of Committee for Religious Freedom in Vietnam
John J. Molloy, OSJ, Chairman, National Vietnam & Gulf War Veterans Coalition
The Honorable Joseph Cao, Former Member of U.S. House of Representatives
Joshua Wong, Convenor and Founder, Scholarism (Hong Kong)
Kody Kness, Vice President, China Aid
Amb. (retired) Mark P. Lagon, President, Freedom House
CH (COL) Ron Crews, USAR Retired; Endorser, Grace Churches International; Executive Director, Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty
Rong Nay, Executive Director, Montagnard Human Rights Organization
Russell Moore, President, Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission
Scott Morgan, President, Red Eagle Enterprises
Shanu Srivastava, President, American Mortgage Relief
Rev. Tam Pham, Director, Committee on Justice and Peace, Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
William C. Walsh, Human Rights Attorney, Bisceglie and Walsh