Lawmakers in the United States are pressing Washington to reimpose sanctions on Vietnam.

Congress has criticised Vietnam's crackdown against dissidents, which have reportedly intensified after it entered the World Trade Organisation in January.

The US government has normalised trading relations with its former battlefield enemy and removed it from a dreaded human rights blacklist.

But Ed Royce, a US Republican Party lawmaker, told a Congressional meeting on Hanoi's current anti-dissident campaign he is "appalled by the lack of progress in human rights reforms" in Vietnam.

He said the Bush administration had given an assurance to Congress that Vietnam was serious about polishing its human rights record, "but now we know that it is a total lie and it is important to shake the administration on this issue.

"The disregard for religious freedom, political dissent and other basic human rights continues unabated," Mr Royce said.

Vietnam jailed three activists this week for three to five years for spreading propaganda against the communist state in the first of three dissident trials to be held within a week.

The defendants were members of the banned People's Democratic Party and had communicated online with Vietnamese-American political activist Cong Thanh Do, who was detained and then expelled from Vietnam last September.

In Hanoi, lawyers and pro-democracy activists Nguyen Van Dai and Le Thi Cong Nhan, who were arrested in March, face charges of defaming the state.

Next week dissident lawyer Tran Quoc Hien, 42, is scheduled to face court in Ho Chi Minh City on the same charge and is also accused of disrupting security.

Another Vietnamese attorney, Le Quoc Quan, was arrested in March after returning from a year-long US study on the role of civil society in emerging democracies.

He is charged under a law which could send him to the gallows if convicted.

Rights groups say the current crackdown is the largest in about two decades and believe Hanoi has been emboldened by its apparent "acceptance" by the international community, especially the United States, following its WTO entry.

"Vietnam has betrayed the good intention and trust of the international community," said T. Kumar, the US-based Asia-Pacific advocacy director of human rights watchdog Amnesty International.

http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/s1920717.htm

The overseas anti-communist Vietnamese will be delighted about this news. I have no doubt they are behind this. Why can't they just leave VietNam alone? Let the country progress and prosper. VietNam is not their country anymore, leave it alone. The cowards won't go back to fight the VC, but instead have to use lawmakers from western nations to fight the VC.

I think the US completely once gain plays ignorant to Vietnam's culture and history. They should know how divisive Vietnamese people are. They should know that these protesters are misguided in their belief about democracy. But no, they rather embrace a dozen misguided people and punish 84 million Vietnamese who couldn't care less about democracy this or that. We had a long post of the good and bad of democracy. It's too bad that some people just can't let go of their hatred. People forget that the prime reason for Vietnam's economic rise is the political stability. What these protesters do is just the opposite. They would create political instability which would scare foreign investors away. Why the heck can people just drop their political dogmas and just focus on economic developments? I just can't understand the Vietnamese people

It's just the overseas Vietnamese that are divided. The overwhelming majority in VietNam are in favor of the government because of the great economic outlook. Actually scratch that, we don't know about VietNam's economic future now, because of the sabotage by the overseas (VNCH) Vietnamese. Now members of congress are asking for economic sanctions.

The piece of s-hit VNCH loyalists are definitely behind this. It has their foul stench.

Well, if USA want to reimpose sanctions on vietnam, it is right. It is vietnam´s fault. They deserve that. I mean, who care which gevernment vietnam has, but please NOT communism! Communism will destroy the culture and vietnam, too. I hope, vietnam will open their eyes soon.

Vietnam should release all those people and ask the US to accept them. Problem's solved.

Bad idea my niggah. This is setting a bad example for the general public, they see this as a free ticket to America. Result, there will be more cases like this.

You should refrain from using the derogatory remark "niggah".

On the contrary, it may work, because there would be a surge of "protesters" hoping for free tickets to America. Pretty soon, the US would figure it out and then stop believing in these "protesters".

The word "niggah" is actually cool nowadays, from the streets to the main stream media broadcasting to the masses. I don't know what era are you from but like politic it changes within time.

I am not understand why some of your here say that Vietnam's government is very good then your left the country? some of your are living Au, CAN, Eng, UK ... even in USA
I will support the US Congress Man/Ladies to make law against Vietnamese Communist

I am not understand why some of your here say that Vietnam's government is very good then your left the country? some of your are living Au, CAN, Eng, UK ... even in USA
I will support the US Congress Man/Ladies to make law against Vietnamese Communist

Some ppl left VN for more economic opportunities...

US embargo is bad for any country. Want proof? look at Cuba...US embargo..people are poor but the gov is still in power and will continue to be in power and they're still living very well BTW..Why the hell do you want this to happen to VN...!

..Why the hell do you want this to happen to VN...!

there you go .... that's also the answer about the current viet Comm ....
The US did not want to do anything with Cuba not because USA can not do it, just because we want Cuban see how the communist country is .... US citizen paid lot of $ for taxes to support military troop to stop Cuban ran away from their goverment everyday .... so what the h3ll proof about Cuba you want to talk more?
because I am Vietnamese! ... and I want my vietnamese have good living for their life; lot of vietnamese are living in USA and supported lawmaker to make it happen in viet nam and I am one of them ...

Is it just me or the VNCH is getting stupider everyday? They want VietNam to do well and Vietnamese to live a good life so they ask for economic sanctions?

Goddamn I didn't realize there are really some retarded Vietnamese in this world.

there you go .... that's also the answer about the current viet Comm ....
The US did not want to do anything with Cuba not because USA can not do it, just because we want Cuban see how the communist country is .... US citizen paid lot of $ for taxes to support military troop to stop Cuban ran away from their goverment everyday .... so what the h3ll proof about Cuba you want to talk more?
because I am Vietnamese! ... and I want my vietnamese have good living for their life; lot of vietnamese are living in USA and supported lawmaker to make it happen in viet nam and I am one of them ...

its like expecting ur children to do well in school but dont buy them books

BTW, in history...democracy was created by educated men who first had books to read and work with..

Yes, even Thomas Jefferson hated the notion of democracy in the early history of America. Responsible democracy requires a reasonable level of wealth. It's really stupid for someone here to say that they want the people in Vietnam to live better lives but he wants US trade sanction. For one, Vietnam is improving every minutes without all this commotion about "democracy" crap, so why not just leave Vietnam alone. These protesters want the US to punish innocent people because they have a delusional ecstasy with "democracy". When Vietnam will become rich one day, democracy will eventually be there anyway, but right now don't get too hung up on politics when the country is still poor. If you cannot help your motherland, then just leave her alone but don't try to get a foreign nation to beat up on her. Hasn't Vietnam suffered enough already?

ohhh,so the US citizens dont have to pay taxes to fund refugees issues like stopping mexicans and puerto ricans from running away from their democratic country everyday?
people like u just wants communists to be poor,so the people have no choice but seek economic oportunities...using wealth power to pick on small communist countries and then blaming the government for the peoples poverty.Thats oppression.

Japan lacks natural resources but has highly skillful/intelligence workers, technology, and capital.

Those are the main contribution to economic growth. Skillful workers and technology mean more output and less input, the rate of their economy grows faster. There are many other countries that have been "liberated" by the U.S that does not archive the same success.

Japan economy would've been way better if they have won World War 2. They would've expand to mainland China and control the rest of South East Asia, and make every body their b!tches. Japan would've been successful, no matter what. Hands down.

The main weakness of communist is that it does not promote competition and competition is on of the sources of economic growth.

Vietnam's economic model is no longer pure communist but a mixture of free market combined with Command and Control. Vietnam Communist party does not particle Command and Control policy, so this has nothing to do with Communist vs Capitalist. It's no longer a war of economic ideology. VNCH only wanted revenge.

41654654684654654654654654x10^6 people are sick of VNCH's bull$hit.

No...That is communist stupidity for you. Russia was not a resource poor land, yet under Soviet communist 'economic' policies, ordinary Russians wait in lines even for low quality toilet paper. But why does Japan, a resource poor country, are so far ahead of others in the same situation? Blaming the communist government is the appropriate choice. Communist countries have always been able to trade with other, but why do ALL of them remained dirt poor compared to capitalist ones? A country's small size is relatively inconsequential to how much wealth it can produce or possess.

Real insightful answers here...Not...

...And Viet Nam does not?

So what? How does that explain the successes of others? That is like pointing out the flaws of the leather in the luxury automobile while you are driving some piece of crap beater made by a communist country.

Purely speculative and largely irrelevant to the discussion.

Thanks for stating the obvious. It is something that communists have been trying to deny, much to their embarrassment and blood they spilled at the altar of Marxism.

Yes...We know they are 'economic' idiots.

It's amazing that this guy Nomad shamelessly went from being an wannabe 4 star general to now wannabe expert economist.

He was debating with people that either had an background in economics or extensive knowledge on it and failed miserably.

What next, neurosurgeon?

It's amazing that this guy Nomad shamelessly went from being an wannabe 4 star general to now wannabe expert economist.

He was debating with people that either had an background in economics or extensive knowledge on it and failed miserably.

What next, neurosurgeon?

At the present? Nope Vietnam workers (overall) are no match for the Japaneses, they need training. You can't compare Vn's technology with the Japanese. They simply have better human resources and capitals.

In the past? Hell no, during the French colonial era Viet were in the rubber plantations doing the dirty work. They didn't have time for education or investing in human capital. I mean yes they have jobs but it did not earn VN any wealth all the wealth flow to France.

During the VN war the country was unstable, Viet people cannot be much productive during those time.

Point is Japan would have been better off without U.S "liberating" it. They were producing their own air plane and other high tech shesh before world war 2.

Point is communist Vn has change.

Politic is fickle it chances within time. Today most of the world has mixed economic model, there is no longer pure capitalist, pure command and control (except N.Korea and Cuba). Vietnam and the majority of the world are on the right track, so let it be.

64654987481354156465x10^6 people still think that VNCH are idiots.

Millions of VNCH dumbasses still believe that economic sanction will help Vietnam and bring down the VCP.

Purely speculative and largely irrelevant to the discussion.

And yet South Viet Nam became an exporting country and was wealthier.

And where did I made such a comparison? The point that you missed, oddly enough, is that natural resources (or lack thereof) and the human intellectual capital are not valid reasons for commie lovers in trying to exonerate the idiocy and incompetence of their so-called 'economic' policies. If a natural resource poor island nation like Japan can prosper, what is preventing natural resource rich Viet Nam (or the oil sheikdoms of the Middle East) from being competitive with Japan or South Korea or Taiwan? The answer is -- communism -- Ta daaaa....

Then blame France and colonialism. But don't dodge the issue -- communism.

And yet South Viet Nam became an exporting country and was wealthier. The issue? Economic policy, not natural resources or the human intellectual capital, the former communists are incompetent at management, the latter communists suppresses.

Point is you are wrong. The US did not 'liberate' Imperial Japan.

At the cost of how many lives? How much of the human intellectual capital lost through flight or simply dead at the hands of ignorant but bloodthirsty communists?

The 'VCP' changed one half of the country -- economic system -- economic sanctions will not impoverish Viet Nam, it is too late. But denial of access to the world's largest market -- the US -- can accelerate change in the other half -- the communist government.

Does this = No Vietnamese OIL for the USA ????

Sounds like San Jose wants to cut off ties. Good ridden. What is the definition of basic human rights? To me, it\'s having basic needs of life and that is food, shelter, family, and friends. Do you consider basic human rights include such things as political provocation? The government just doesn\'t drag anybody off the street and put them in jail. The situation of Vietnam is much different than the US. In the US, individuals can criticize the government but nobody that I know think that the US government should be abolished or overthrown. That is not the case in Vietnam when peace is still fragile and tenuous. The war legacy lives on. The West sowed the seeds of hatred among the Vietnamese people and now they are reaping them. They are glad that we are infighting instead of getting along because they know that will keep Vietnam from developing. Vietnam is really a tragic country and it\'s so disheartening to see constant anti-Vietnam drumbeats.

Here is the article
May 14 - KGO - Strong words from the vice mayor of San Jose, home to one of this country\'s largest Vietnamese communities. Dave Cortese said the U.S. should sever ties with any country, including Vietnam that does not respect basic human rights.

In response to reports of human rights violations being carried out by the socialist republic of Vietnam, San Jose\'s vice mayor Dave Cortese has asked Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to suspend trade relations with Vietnam.

Dave Cortese, Vice Mayor of San Jose: \"Until they stop violating peoples right to free speech, free association, freedom of religion, we need to send a message, that we\'re not going to embark a trade with them.\"

Cortese says normally the city avoids getting involved with international issues, but feels it\'s necessary since more than 10 percent of San Jose\'s population is Vietnamese-American.

Statistics from the U.S. Vietnam trade office show, in 2005, Vietnamese merchandise exports to the us was worth $6.5 billion dollars, while the us exported $1.1 billion in goods to Vietnam.

cortese will also ask the city\'s rules committee to support house resolution 2-43, which calls on the vietnamese government to immediately and unconditionally release prisoners who advocate religious freedom and democracy.

One prisoner of the Vietnamese government for 10 years during the war, says human suffering, and a lack of democracy remains in his homeland.

Tony Trang Do, Association of Former Vietnamese Political Prisoners: \"After 30 years in this country we are expecting conditions to change, and through these actions for the last couple of weeks with Father Ly it hasn\'t. Conditions remain the same.\"

Many who live and work in the heart of the Vietnamese community of San Jose say they don\'t want to go on camera because they still fear communism. Many are afraid their shops will be boycotted, or more importantly they may never be allowed to re-enter their homeland.

The-vu Nguyen, San Jose Resident: \"If you are identified as anti-communist or someone who is aggressive, your picture, your name appears on the black list that you cannot enter into the country.\"

Many in the Vietnamese community hope the U.S. government will listen, and favor human rights over economic gains.

There were a lot of prosperous countries in ancient time that does not have democracy. What do you have to say about that?

Nobody is trying to justify communist VN, I'm applauding them for improving.

I doubt that anybody in here care for communist ideology. We only care for a better Vietnam.

Economic growth is mainly from human capital and technology. Hands down.

You can't blame the French without their VNCH ally.

South VN's wealth came from U.S's donation not result from democracy.

False, Vietnam is poor because of the destruction resources in war, lack of technology, and human capitals. Communist only play a small role in VN history.

Little Boy, Fatman, it was one hell of a "liberation".

Most of the killing were done by invaders and traitorous Vietnamese who collaborate with them. So whose side are you on?

I doubt that the VCP gives a damn. They're happy being filthy rich and won't chance for anybody. So ecnomic sanction only harm the people and shrinking opportunities for VN. To have democracy or not is for the people of VN to decide but they are to busy trying to make a living so the decision is held at the mercy of the VCP.

Crap.

Japan's Foreign Policy Toward Vietnam 1978-1992/Chapter 1
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Japan's_F...-1992:Chapter_1

"Exports to South Vietnam increased dramatically beginning in 1966-- peaking in 1969 at a level of $223,156,000-- while imports from Vietnam never rose above $7,000,000 until 1972, when levels rose to $30 million: the increase came mostly from timber and fishery products."

And to what other countries do you allege RVN exported to, so that I can check that?