In Vietnam, the freedom of religion has been stated by law. Vietnam is a multi-religious and multi-ethnic country. The Communist Party and the State of Vietnam have always retained the view that “Religion and belief are a spiritual demands of a number of Vietnamese people, and these will co-exist with the survivability of the nation”. Thereby, Vietnam has pursued the policy of respecting and ensuring the freedom of religion and belief of all citizens and gained positive achievements. Religious practices develop sustainably Vietnam. More and more religious followers put their trust in the guidelines, policies of the CPV and the State of Vietnam. The freedom of religion and belief is also stipulated in the Vietnam’s Constitutions. Article 24 of the 2013 Vietnamese Constitution stated that: “1. Everyone has the right to freedom of belief and religion, and has the right to follow or not to follow any religion. All religions are equal before the law. 2. The State shall respect and protect the freedom of belief and religion. 3. No one may violate the freedom of belief and religion, nor may anyone take advantage of belief or religion in order to violate the law”. Besides, the freedom of religion and belief has also been written in other legal documents of the State.
The opinion holding that the CPV and the State of Vietnam exercise discrimination against religion, violate the freedom of religion and belief is unreal, distorting the fact and with bad motivations, hence must be objected to.
The freedom of religion and belief is obviously ensured in Vietnam. According to statistics, 95% of Vietnamese people practice a belief. Vietnam now has 13 religions with 36 religious organizations that have been recognized and got licence to conduct their beliefs with a total of about 30 million followers, over 100 thousand dignitaries, dozens of training institutions, dozens of thousands of worshipping places, etc. There are some 8,500 religious festivals in Vietnam annually. Religious education has been expanded. Many followers and dignitaries have been trained in the US, France, Italy and India, etc. Vietnamese religious dignitaries have participated in major dialogues and forums on belief and religion, such as: the Asia-Europe Meeting, ASEAN meeting, etc. Vietnam hosted the UN Day of Vesak in 2008 and again in 2014 and the World Buddhism Summit in 2010. Vietnam established relationship with the Vatican in 1989. In particular, Vietnam was elected to the UNHRC for 2014 – 2016 term with the highest votes. It manifested the global recognition and appreciation for the policies, efforts and achievements of Vietnam in ensuring human rights, including the freedom of religion.
In Vietnam, religious followers and dignitaries are practicing their religions easefully and putting their trust in the Party and State policy on religion and belief. Millions of different religious followers have joined their hands with each other and with the whole people for the common goals of: prosperous people, powerful, democratic, equal and civilized country. Religious policies and fulfillments over the past years have gained significant achievements and been undeniable.
Religious unity has contributed to strengthening the whole nation unity. Religious unity and freedom of belief are fundamental view and main content in the policy on religion of the Party and the State. Just one day after declaring the Declaration of Independence at the Ba Dinh Square on 2nd September 1945, chairing the first meeting of the newly-established Government, President Ho Chi Minh requested that the Government declare “the freedom of religion and unity between religious and secular communities”. Since then, this has become the guideline for making and implementing policies on religion of the Party and the State and represented a valuable tradition and heritage of the nation that should be protected and expanded.
It would be irrelevant to mix law violations with freedom of religion. While respecting, protecting the freedom of religion and belief, Vietnam’s law also prohibits actions that damage the country’s independence, unity and the cause of socialism, prevent religious followers from fulfilling their social responsibility. It will impose strict sanctions on unlawful activities that undermine its national interests. Vietnam offers fair treatment to all religions, partiality or discrimination among religious communities. Vietnam respects religious followers but those who take advantage of religion to violate the laws, inciting violence, breaking social order and infringing national security must be sactioned by law.
However, some western countries have issued the so called resolutions, bills on religion, democracy, human rights which do not reflect the true fact of Vietnam religious communities. Every year, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) releases their report on freedom of religion with unobjective contents, even calumniating and distorting the freedom of religion in Vietnam. That is a rude intervention to a sovereign country.
Meanwhile, it is obvious that US states’ laws stipulate very clearly actions against government and corresponding punishments. In particular, US courts are also very strict against actions against the administration. Anyone who abuse religion to gather force to counter the government will be arrested and sentenced. So what is the reason for the similar practices in Vietnam to be called “religious suppression”? When working with responsible foreign personnel and organizations, including the US Department of State, Vietnam has requested that there should be a comprehensive and objective view that respects the reality of the religious situation in Vietnam. Vietnam was willing to receive and making favorable conditions for international organizations to examine freedom of religion in Vietnam. The assessments, therefore, need to be objective and consider this good will.
The above mentioned contents show that freedom of religion and belief in Vietnam is undeniable. It is our responsibility to stay vigilant, detect and defeat all spots of hostile forces that counter the regime in the name of freedom of religion.
Quang Le