Despite numerous objections from leaders and faithful of religions, Vietnam is to pass a law on religion loaded with restrictions which are against the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and its own Constitution. The new law clearly indicates the government’s intention to profoundly interfere with religious affairs. Its major point is to maintain policies that encourage corruption and allow abuse by local authorities.
Vietnam currently has no law on religion. Both the “Liaison Committee for Patriotic and Peace-Loving Catholics”, and the “Committee for Solidarity of Vietnamese Catholics” born in March 1955 and June 1975 respectively, were tasked to control the Church’s activities with an ambition to set up a state-controlled Catholic Church, copying the Chinese model. Local authorities have also been instructed to directly interfere with religious affairs.
After the collapse of Communism in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, the Ordinance on Beliefs and Religions was passed in 2004, seen by many as “progressive”. Unfortunately, it was soon tightened by subsequent decrees in 2005 and 2013.
In April, 2015, the Religious Committees of all provinces in Vietnam forwarded to religious leaders the draft law. They were given a 13-day deadline to make comments. This move was seen by many as a theatrical attempt to “appear democratic” and to gauge reactions from leaders and faithful of religions.
“The Vietnamese government's draft laws on ‘faith and religion’ are in violation of ‘the right to freedom of religion’, going against the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. It demonstrates the purpose of government is "to profoundly interfere with religious affairs" by gripping on policies that encourage corruption and allows abuse by local authorities,” said Bishop Hoang Duc Oanh of Kontum in a letter to Mr. Nguyen Sinh Hung, Chairman of the National Assembly of The Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
In its statement published on April 5, 2015, the Standing Committee of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Vietnam lamented: “The Draft Bill goes against The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 18) and The Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, amended in 2013 ( Article 24). We see this Draft Bill as a step backward compared to the Ordinance on Belief and religion in 2004. The Draft Bill would create far too many complicated procedures, strict and binding mechanisms, hampering religious activities.”
The bishops concluded their statement with a stern warning: “We do not agree with Draft Bill on Faith, Religion. Please consider drafting a different bill which is in tune with the trend of freedom, democracy and bearing the stature of a progressive society. A new draft bill should be consulted with religious organizations beforehand. Especially, the legal status of religious organizations must be recognized and protected.”
No new draft bill has been made and since August 14, the National Assembly of The Socialist Republic of Vietnam has been discussed on the current draft bill as its status quo without any hints of potential amendments.
Vietnam currently has no law on religion. Both the “Liaison Committee for Patriotic and Peace-Loving Catholics”, and the “Committee for Solidarity of Vietnamese Catholics” born in March 1955 and June 1975 respectively, were tasked to control the Church’s activities with an ambition to set up a state-controlled Catholic Church, copying the Chinese model. Local authorities have also been instructed to directly interfere with religious affairs.
After the collapse of Communism in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, the Ordinance on Beliefs and Religions was passed in 2004, seen by many as “progressive”. Unfortunately, it was soon tightened by subsequent decrees in 2005 and 2013.
In April, 2015, the Religious Committees of all provinces in Vietnam forwarded to religious leaders the draft law. They were given a 13-day deadline to make comments. This move was seen by many as a theatrical attempt to “appear democratic” and to gauge reactions from leaders and faithful of religions.
“The Vietnamese government's draft laws on ‘faith and religion’ are in violation of ‘the right to freedom of religion’, going against the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. It demonstrates the purpose of government is "to profoundly interfere with religious affairs" by gripping on policies that encourage corruption and allows abuse by local authorities,” said Bishop Hoang Duc Oanh of Kontum in a letter to Mr. Nguyen Sinh Hung, Chairman of the National Assembly of The Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
In its statement published on April 5, 2015, the Standing Committee of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Vietnam lamented: “The Draft Bill goes against The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 18) and The Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, amended in 2013 ( Article 24). We see this Draft Bill as a step backward compared to the Ordinance on Belief and religion in 2004. The Draft Bill would create far too many complicated procedures, strict and binding mechanisms, hampering religious activities.”
The bishops concluded their statement with a stern warning: “We do not agree with Draft Bill on Faith, Religion. Please consider drafting a different bill which is in tune with the trend of freedom, democracy and bearing the stature of a progressive society. A new draft bill should be consulted with religious organizations beforehand. Especially, the legal status of religious organizations must be recognized and protected.”
No new draft bill has been made and since August 14, the National Assembly of The Socialist Republic of Vietnam has been discussed on the current draft bill as its status quo without any hints of potential amendments.