The Vietnamese Party and State’s religious and belief policies havevanquished schemes to abuse religions to conduct a “peace evolution”.This is the title of an article by Major General Ass. Prof. Tran MinhThu, Editor-in-Chief of the People’s Public Security Magazine, releasedon the occasion of Human Rights Day.
Vietnam ishome to many religions and beliefs whose followers are working peoplewith a strong patriotic spirit. The Communist Party of Vietnam had, inits first political platform, defined that followers of religions arepart of Vietnam’s revolutionary forces, the article read.
Since then, the Party and State have designed a number of policies tostrengthen the unity of religions in the great national unity bloc tosuccessfully implement national liberation and build socialism in thecountry.
The religious and belief freedom of peoplehas always been respected and observed by the State as one of thefundamental rights of citizens, it said.
However,hostile forces have never ceased their efforts to allege that Vietnamhas no religious freedom and slander the State to violate democracy andhuman rights. They have tried to harm the country’s great unity anddrive a wedge between the Party, State and religious followers, incitingthem to act against the Government and damaging political and socialstability with a hope to interfere in Vietnam’s home affairs, thearticle said.
The hostiles believe that religiousactivities are outside of State management, which is totally false interms of both theory and reality, according to the article.
Firstly, religious organisations are social ones, thus in any country,their foundation and operation must be under the management of theState. Unless they are recognised by the State, the organisations haveno legal status. And, once granted legal status, the organisations mustabide by regulations and law and bear all the responsibilities of theiractivities.
Hostile and reactionary forces in andoutside the country have always tried to distort the religious situationin Vietnam and slander the Government to suppress religions, hinder theconstruction of places of worship and make the operations of religiousdignitaries difficult, the article said.
Religiousactivities do not only satisfy the spiritual needs of followers, monksand dignitaries but are also a social-related issue.
For instance, building places of worship is not only understood as anactivity of upgrading and developing religious facilities, but alsoassociated with State regulations on land use, planning andconstruction. Similarly, the printing of liturgical books and theproduction of religious products also relate to cultural and publicationprinciples.
Meanwhile, activities that seecoordination with foreign religious individuals and organisations mustpertain to policies and law on external relations and entrance and exit.The training of religious activities is carried out in compliance withthe Education Law, it cited.
In short, allactivities of State agencies, political and social organisations and allcitizens involved in social life must abide by law. Religions and theiractivities in any nation cannot stand beyond that country’s law.
International law and the law of many countries define religiousfreedom rights as a basic right of citizens that must be regulated bythe state.
Throughout Vietnam’s history, the Statehas issued numerous legal documents to adjust social relations withreligions and religious activities.
On November 8,2012, the Government promulgated Decree No. 92.2012.ND-CP prescribingspecific measures to enforce the Ordinance on Religions and Beliefs. Thedocuments directly regulate the basic contents of religions and beliefpractices in the country.
State management in thefield has been increasingly improved, making significant contributionsto the protection of religious and belief freedom for the people as wellas the solidarity among followers in the national unity bloc as awhole, cracking down on schemes and activities to abuse religions andbeliefs to harm national security, the article said.
Religious and belief freedom policies outlined by the Party and Statehave basically met the aspirations of the people, consolidating trustand motivating and encouraging religious followers to deeply engage withthe whole country in national construction and defence, it said.
The article made clear that after nearly three decades of realisingthe “doi moi” (renewal) cause launched and led by the Party, Vietnam hasgained a number of remarkable achievements in various fields, includingreligion.
Since 2006 when the US Department ofState brought Vietnam out of the “watch list” of Countries of ParticularConcern (CPC), Vietnam has recorded rapid progress in the domain.
Religious freedom policies have helped 37 religious organisations getrecognised from just three in the past -- the Evangelical Church ofVietnam (North), the Vietnam Catholic Church and the Vietnam BuddhistSangha. Over the past years, Vietnam has also considered and recognisedorganisationally many religions.
In 2011 and 2012only, 600 places of worship were upgraded and restored, while 500 newreligious facilities were built. Education establishments of manyreligions have been opened in many localities enjoying favourableconditions created by the local governments, the article cited.
In the last eight years alone, as many as 15,000 religious dignitarieshave been appointed and elected in Vietnam, of whom 17 were appointedby the Pope as bishops and auxiliary bishops. Vietnam currently has83,000 dignitaries and 250,000 religious assistants.
Also during eight years of implementing the Ordinance on Religions andBeliefs, nearly 20,000 worship establishments were built and upgraded.Authorised agencies have also licensed hundreds of hectares of land forthe construction of these places.
Notably, Ho ChiMinh City donated 7,500 square metres of land to the Evangelical Churchof Vietnam (South) to build the Vietnam Master’s Theological Institute,while Hanoi granted 10 hectares to the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha toconstruct the Buddhism Academy. At the same time, the Central Highlandsprovince of Dak Lak gave 11,000 square metres to the Buon Ma ThuotBishopric, Da Nang city donated over 9,000 square metres to the Da NangBishopric, and the central province of Quang Tri granted an extra 15hectares of land to the La Vang Parish, the article noted.
The State of Vietnam has also paid much attention to reporting andpublication activities related to religions, meeting the operationalneeds of religious organisations. So far, nearly all have issued theirown newspapers, magazines and bulletins.
Statisticsshow that since 2006, the Religion Publishing House has licensed 5,841publications including 4,725 book titles with 14,535,464 copies, and CDsand DVDs, photos, and calendars, in various languages like English andFrench, and the languages of many ethnic minority groups such as Khmer,Ede, Gia Rai and Ba Na.
Over the past years, Vietnamhas welcomed many foreign delegations and sent many of its own abroadto exchange religious experience, while actively taking part in regionaland international forums and conferences in the field. In particular,the Vietnam-Vatican relations have seen remarkable progress, the articlesaid.
The article also highlighted Vietnam’ssuccess in ensuring human rights, including religious freedom,acknowledged by both religious and non-religious people as well asinternational public. This has helped reject all distortion anddeformation in the field by organisations and individuals bearing illwill, proving that all allegations are just solitary voices withdishonest intentions to harm peace, national sovereignty, independence,freedom and the political institution of Vietnam.
Some parishioners and religious dignitaries who commit actions to abusereligious and belief freedom in order to counter the Vietnamese Statehave been arrested and handled in accordance with law. However,unfriendly forces have always tried to distort the situation andgroundlessly accuse the Vietnamese Government of arresting people forreligious-related reasons, attempting to interfere in the cases anddemanding the release of the arrested people.
Thisaction is a violation against international law and a clear interferencein Vietnam’s internal affairs, the article pointed out.
Reality has confirmed that accompanying the nation and the regime inthe process of national reform has become a key trend embracing allactivities of believers and religious dignitaries, it stressed.
There are still some religious dignitaries and followers nurturingtheir personal discontent or anti-regime ideas, who commit illegalactions such as directing and inciting believers to cause socialdisturbance, resisting on-duty officials, hindering the implementationof State policies and laws and complicating security and order in somelocalities.
Authorities have spoken with theseelements and given them advice to get rid of law-breaking actions.However, the stubborn people still continued their wrong-doings, forcingauthorised agencies to commence legal proceedings against them inaccordance with the law, the article read.
In fact,no one in Vietnam has been arrested for religious reasons. All religiousdignitaries and followers are also Vietnamese citizens, thus they areobliged to abide by the law of Vietnam.
Allcitizens violating the law must be strictly punished. If they break thelaw, the dignitaries, monks and followers will be handled as citizens.In Vietnam, all citizens, regardless of their religions and beliefs,ethnic group or social position, are equal before the law.
The fact that some countries design their own law to judge thereligious situation in Vietnam not only breaches international law andseriously interferes with the country’s internal affairs, but also givesa green light to unfriendly organisations and individuals to makecorrupt use of the situation to damage Vietnam’s democracy and humanrights, the article underscored.
In their “peaceevolution” against Vietnam, hostile forces have defined religions as anarrowhead - a key and sensitive area to focus their efforts to distort.They have exploited religion to ruin Vietnamese democracy, human rightsand cause political and social instability, arousing people to conductanti-government activities with a plot to remove the leadership of theCommunist Party of Vietnam and the socialist regime in the country.
However, with proper guidelines, direction, policies and law of theParty and State, the poisonous plot tailored by hostile forces willabsolutely be cracked down on, the article concluded.-VNA
Vietnam ishome to many religions and beliefs whose followers are working peoplewith a strong patriotic spirit. The Communist Party of Vietnam had, inits first political platform, defined that followers of religions arepart of Vietnam’s revolutionary forces, the article read.
Since then, the Party and State have designed a number of policies tostrengthen the unity of religions in the great national unity bloc tosuccessfully implement national liberation and build socialism in thecountry.
The religious and belief freedom of peoplehas always been respected and observed by the State as one of thefundamental rights of citizens, it said.
However,hostile forces have never ceased their efforts to allege that Vietnamhas no religious freedom and slander the State to violate democracy andhuman rights. They have tried to harm the country’s great unity anddrive a wedge between the Party, State and religious followers, incitingthem to act against the Government and damaging political and socialstability with a hope to interfere in Vietnam’s home affairs, thearticle said.
The hostiles believe that religiousactivities are outside of State management, which is totally false interms of both theory and reality, according to the article.
Firstly, religious organisations are social ones, thus in any country,their foundation and operation must be under the management of theState. Unless they are recognised by the State, the organisations haveno legal status. And, once granted legal status, the organisations mustabide by regulations and law and bear all the responsibilities of theiractivities.
Hostile and reactionary forces in andoutside the country have always tried to distort the religious situationin Vietnam and slander the Government to suppress religions, hinder theconstruction of places of worship and make the operations of religiousdignitaries difficult, the article said.
Religiousactivities do not only satisfy the spiritual needs of followers, monksand dignitaries but are also a social-related issue.
For instance, building places of worship is not only understood as anactivity of upgrading and developing religious facilities, but alsoassociated with State regulations on land use, planning andconstruction. Similarly, the printing of liturgical books and theproduction of religious products also relate to cultural and publicationprinciples.
Meanwhile, activities that seecoordination with foreign religious individuals and organisations mustpertain to policies and law on external relations and entrance and exit.The training of religious activities is carried out in compliance withthe Education Law, it cited.
In short, allactivities of State agencies, political and social organisations and allcitizens involved in social life must abide by law. Religions and theiractivities in any nation cannot stand beyond that country’s law.
International law and the law of many countries define religiousfreedom rights as a basic right of citizens that must be regulated bythe state.
Throughout Vietnam’s history, the Statehas issued numerous legal documents to adjust social relations withreligions and religious activities.
On November 8,2012, the Government promulgated Decree No. 92.2012.ND-CP prescribingspecific measures to enforce the Ordinance on Religions and Beliefs. Thedocuments directly regulate the basic contents of religions and beliefpractices in the country.
State management in thefield has been increasingly improved, making significant contributionsto the protection of religious and belief freedom for the people as wellas the solidarity among followers in the national unity bloc as awhole, cracking down on schemes and activities to abuse religions andbeliefs to harm national security, the article said.
Religious and belief freedom policies outlined by the Party and Statehave basically met the aspirations of the people, consolidating trustand motivating and encouraging religious followers to deeply engage withthe whole country in national construction and defence, it said.
The article made clear that after nearly three decades of realisingthe “doi moi” (renewal) cause launched and led by the Party, Vietnam hasgained a number of remarkable achievements in various fields, includingreligion.
Since 2006 when the US Department ofState brought Vietnam out of the “watch list” of Countries of ParticularConcern (CPC), Vietnam has recorded rapid progress in the domain.
Religious freedom policies have helped 37 religious organisations getrecognised from just three in the past -- the Evangelical Church ofVietnam (North), the Vietnam Catholic Church and the Vietnam BuddhistSangha. Over the past years, Vietnam has also considered and recognisedorganisationally many religions.
In 2011 and 2012only, 600 places of worship were upgraded and restored, while 500 newreligious facilities were built. Education establishments of manyreligions have been opened in many localities enjoying favourableconditions created by the local governments, the article cited.
In the last eight years alone, as many as 15,000 religious dignitarieshave been appointed and elected in Vietnam, of whom 17 were appointedby the Pope as bishops and auxiliary bishops. Vietnam currently has83,000 dignitaries and 250,000 religious assistants.
Also during eight years of implementing the Ordinance on Religions andBeliefs, nearly 20,000 worship establishments were built and upgraded.Authorised agencies have also licensed hundreds of hectares of land forthe construction of these places.
Notably, Ho ChiMinh City donated 7,500 square metres of land to the Evangelical Churchof Vietnam (South) to build the Vietnam Master’s Theological Institute,while Hanoi granted 10 hectares to the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha toconstruct the Buddhism Academy. At the same time, the Central Highlandsprovince of Dak Lak gave 11,000 square metres to the Buon Ma ThuotBishopric, Da Nang city donated over 9,000 square metres to the Da NangBishopric, and the central province of Quang Tri granted an extra 15hectares of land to the La Vang Parish, the article noted.
The State of Vietnam has also paid much attention to reporting andpublication activities related to religions, meeting the operationalneeds of religious organisations. So far, nearly all have issued theirown newspapers, magazines and bulletins.
Statisticsshow that since 2006, the Religion Publishing House has licensed 5,841publications including 4,725 book titles with 14,535,464 copies, and CDsand DVDs, photos, and calendars, in various languages like English andFrench, and the languages of many ethnic minority groups such as Khmer,Ede, Gia Rai and Ba Na.
Over the past years, Vietnamhas welcomed many foreign delegations and sent many of its own abroadto exchange religious experience, while actively taking part in regionaland international forums and conferences in the field. In particular,the Vietnam-Vatican relations have seen remarkable progress, the articlesaid.
The article also highlighted Vietnam’ssuccess in ensuring human rights, including religious freedom,acknowledged by both religious and non-religious people as well asinternational public. This has helped reject all distortion anddeformation in the field by organisations and individuals bearing illwill, proving that all allegations are just solitary voices withdishonest intentions to harm peace, national sovereignty, independence,freedom and the political institution of Vietnam.
Some parishioners and religious dignitaries who commit actions to abusereligious and belief freedom in order to counter the Vietnamese Statehave been arrested and handled in accordance with law. However,unfriendly forces have always tried to distort the situation andgroundlessly accuse the Vietnamese Government of arresting people forreligious-related reasons, attempting to interfere in the cases anddemanding the release of the arrested people.
Thisaction is a violation against international law and a clear interferencein Vietnam’s internal affairs, the article pointed out.
Reality has confirmed that accompanying the nation and the regime inthe process of national reform has become a key trend embracing allactivities of believers and religious dignitaries, it stressed.
There are still some religious dignitaries and followers nurturingtheir personal discontent or anti-regime ideas, who commit illegalactions such as directing and inciting believers to cause socialdisturbance, resisting on-duty officials, hindering the implementationof State policies and laws and complicating security and order in somelocalities.
Authorities have spoken with theseelements and given them advice to get rid of law-breaking actions.However, the stubborn people still continued their wrong-doings, forcingauthorised agencies to commence legal proceedings against them inaccordance with the law, the article read.
In fact,no one in Vietnam has been arrested for religious reasons. All religiousdignitaries and followers are also Vietnamese citizens, thus they areobliged to abide by the law of Vietnam.
Allcitizens violating the law must be strictly punished. If they break thelaw, the dignitaries, monks and followers will be handled as citizens.In Vietnam, all citizens, regardless of their religions and beliefs,ethnic group or social position, are equal before the law.
The fact that some countries design their own law to judge thereligious situation in Vietnam not only breaches international law andseriously interferes with the country’s internal affairs, but also givesa green light to unfriendly organisations and individuals to makecorrupt use of the situation to damage Vietnam’s democracy and humanrights, the article underscored.
In their “peaceevolution” against Vietnam, hostile forces have defined religions as anarrowhead - a key and sensitive area to focus their efforts to distort.They have exploited religion to ruin Vietnamese democracy, human rightsand cause political and social instability, arousing people to conductanti-government activities with a plot to remove the leadership of theCommunist Party of Vietnam and the socialist regime in the country.
However, with proper guidelines, direction, policies and law of theParty and State, the poisonous plot tailored by hostile forces willabsolutely be cracked down on, the article concluded.-VNA
