I'm glad that a U.S congressman really cares for Vietnam. It's a great day for those in Orange County if it passes the senate and is signed into law by Bush. What do you think?



House Passes Smith Bill to Promote Human Rights Reform in Vietnam

Bill would block increases to non-humanitarian aid if abuses continue

WASHINGTON, Sept. 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. House of
Representatives today forcefully condemned the ongoing human rights abuses
in Vietnam and approved legislation authored by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith
(R-NJ) to hold the Vietnamese Government accountable for further human
rights abuses.

"Sadly, in recent months, the human rights situation in Vietnam has
deteriorated and become substantially worse - and over the last couple
months a new, ugly wave of brutal repression has been launched by Hanoi.
Some of the bravest champions of democracy have been dragged into court and
sent to the Gulag for promoting human rights, including trade unions,"
Smith said during House debate of the bill.

Smith's bill, the "Vietnam Human Rights Act of 2007" (H.R. 3096),
prohibits increased U.S. non-humanitarian assistance to the Government of
Vietnam unless there is verifiable evidence that the Vietnamese Government
has made substantial progress towards the release of its political and
religious prisoners, respecting the right to freedom of religion, returning
properties, allowing free and open access to refugee programs, respecting
the human rights of members of all ethnic minority groups, and taking
appropriate steps to end trafficking in persons.

Additionally, Smith's bill authorizes $4 million over two years for
organizations and individuals that promote human rights in Vietnam,
authorizes over $10 million to help stop the Vietnamese Government's
jamming of Radio Free Asia, and requires the State Department to issue an
annual report on the progress of human rights reform in Vietnam.

The "Vietnam Human Rights Act of 2007" does not restrict any
humanitarian assistance to the people of Vietnam - including assistance to
combat the spread of HIV-AIDS - in any way.

"Massive human rights violations perpetrated by the Government of
Vietnam cannot be overlooked. They cannot be trivialized. These human
rights violations - which are ongoing and they occur as we meet here today
- cannot continue without equally serious consequences," Smith told his
colleagues.

Earlier this year, the parish house of Father Ly - a former prisoner of
conscience who spent 14 years in prison - was raided. Father Ly was moved
to a remote location and placed under house arrest. Father Ly is an advisor
to "Block 8406" - a democracy movement which started on April 8, 2006,
hence the name 8406 - and a new political party, the Vietnam Progression
Party.

On March 30th, Father Ly was sentenced to 8 years in prison for
distributing "anti-government" materials.

Father Ly was among a number of dissidents swept up in a recent
crackdown in Vietnam. Vietnamese police arrested another member of "Block
8406," principal spokesperson for the Vietnam Progression Party and the
founder of the Vietnamese Labor Movement, Le Thi Cong Nhan. On the same day
- March 6, 2007 - Vietnamese police arrested one of Vietnam's few
practicing human rights lawyers, Nguyen Van Dai.

Smith noted that the court proceedings for Nguyen Van Dai and Le Thi
Cong Nhan read like "a chapter out of George Orwell's chilling book 1984."
"I want to tell the persecuted - you are not forgotten. Republican and
Democrat alike want you to know that you are not forgotten. We care deeply
about you and about your right to exercise your fundamental human rights
and we will not forget you - not now, not ever. And we will do all that is
humanly possible, God willing, to effectuate your release and hopefully,
some day, welcome a free and democratic Vietnam," said Smith, who authored
a resolution, which passed the House earlier this year, that insists the
Vietnamese Government immediately and unconditionally release all political
prisoners and prisoners of conscience who have been arrested in a recent
wave of government oppression.

Smith's bill has garnered the support of powerful allies, including the
American Legion.

In a letter of support distributed to Members of Congress, American
Legion National Commander Martin "Marty" Conatser wrote, "This legislation
makes clear the position of the Congress and the people of the United
States to have the government of Vietnam take steps to ensure that voices
of political opposition, and those expressing religious views, are not
arbitrarily silenced."

Smith introduced bills similar to the "Vietnam Human Rights Act of
2007" in the 107th Congress (H.R. 2833) and 108th Congress (H.R. 1587) and
both times they passed the House, but were never taken up in Senate.

Smith called on his colleagues in the Senate not to let the "Vietnam
Human Rights Act of 2007" meet the same fate.

"On behalf of those who are risking their freedom and their lives in
Vietnam to obtain democracy for their fellow citizens and their country, I
would plead with my distinguished colleagues in the Senate not to allow
economic or other interests to obstruct these measures that will assist
them in their efforts," Smith said.

"Care"

What a fukking nuisance! A red herring.

After dropping 7 mil tons of high explosives I am surprised these fukkers believe there are humans in Vietnam

What next? They're gonna provide aid to Agent Orange victims to improve their quality of life? Yeah, no, only Westerners are affected by AO, Orientals have immunity

Dang, this is going to hurt the probability of Uncle Sam getting more OIL from Uncle Ho.

Killing g@@ks by dumping chemical weapons and bombs is cool.

but shutting a catholic mafawker up for speaking out of line is against human rights.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjPuL-1BFG4&eurl=

This is all just a publicity stunt by the US Congress and government so they can gain a more favorable approval rating amongst the world despite Congress getting less than 30% approval amongst the American population.

But just to let you all know, during war the president and the Join Chiefs calls the shots when it comes to bombing and using chemicals in war, not so much congress...congress can approve of a declaration of war (which has not been done since WWII) and can approve of the president sending American troops into hostile conflicts but after approval, the president has pretty much all the power over the troops. The War Powers act tried to limit presidential power but there were gaping loopholes in that act that the president, even Bush could pass through to gain extensions on armed conflicts.

I got an inkling that it may pass and even be signed into laws, given all the rhetorics about the revisionist comparison between Vietnam and Iraq that Bush mentioned in his speech. He made Vietnam a bad guy so he probably has to follow through with this bill. Nice job, US congress.

nah, nothing really significant, it's more like a game as the U.S. want Vietnam in U.S.'s sphere. Counting the related factors, UNSC membership, human rights law, prisoners amnesty, etc. Sum these all up, I think the Senate won't pass it, even if the U.S. Senate pass the law, it won't be enforced much, more like a symbolic act. I still wonder who is this Chris Smith guy.

What is this I hear about protests in Louisiana?

When will the VN National Assembly debate a bill to protect blacks in the US???


Oh, there's more: Student being TASERED for being naughty at a press conference? Father John Paul Ly, you thought your person was violated, you aint seen nothing!!!

Chris Smith and Lorreta Sanchez are two upstanding US congress members who tirelessly advocate democracy for Vietnam because Vietnam and its 85 million inhabitants didn't get it the first time. Smith and Sanchez have a profound knowledge of East Asia economic success that was built on strong Western-styled democracies that already exist in Japan, Singapore, S. Korea, and Taiwan when these countries develop.

You got it all wrong. There is no human rights abuse in the US since America is perfect. We are bringing freedom and democracy to people around the world like Iraq. We treat everybody in the US and the world with full dignity and respect .

This sounds like something I would say but only to be sarcastic.

Eh Vietnam doesn't really get that much nonhumanitarian aid from the U.S. Only about $18 million a year, I doubt that's really gonna force Vietnam to "change their ways".

Yeah, right after Vietnam returned our HEU rods back to Russia, the US started to start crap.