Mennonite Church Canada letter to the Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam

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11 January, 2005

His Excellency Phan Van Khai
Office of the Prime Minister
Hoang Hoa Tham
Ha Noi
Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Fax: 011-844-823-4137

Your Excellency:

As we begin a new year we wish you and your government a peaceful and prosperous year.

I write to you on behalf of Mennonite Church Canada, a group of 232 Mennonite Churches in Canada. We have great appreciation for what the government is doing for the development of Vietnam. We are pleased to see Vietnam contribute much to the international community of nations. We affirm Vietnam's policy of freedom of religion as guaranteed in the Constitution.

Over recent months, however, we have heard reports that concern us about the lack of freedom that has been experienced by some members of the Mennonite Church in Vietnam. We are concerned about the matter of the six persons from the Vietnam Mennonite Church sentenced on November 12 to various prison terms. Two of the men, sentenced to nine months in prison, were released in early December. A matter of great concern is the health of the only woman arrested in this incident, Ms. Le Thi Hong Lien. The attachment gives more information about her.

We know it is not the policy of the government of Vietnam to mistreat persons in prison. In spite of this, Ms. Lien has suffered severe beatings and deprivations in prison which have critically affected her physical and mental health. Prison officials apparently have told her parents that she cannot be admitted to a hospital outside the prison because she is a co-defendant with others who have appealed their sentences.

We believe that governmental officials, when they know her critical health condition, will want to arrange for Miss Lien to receive necessary medical care. We are asking whether you might be able to contact the appropriate officials so that she quickly might receive this care. We call upon you for the immediate and unconditional release of Le Thi Hong Lien as a prisoner of conscience, imprisoned solely for the peaceful exercise of her fundamental rights to freedom of expression and association. We urge you to investigate reports that she has been beaten by prison guards, and ask that those responsible to be brought to justice.

Thank you for your attention to this matter as you seek to uphold religious freedoms for the people of Vietnam. We continue to support you and others in the ongoing development of the Vietnamese nation and people.

Sincerely,

Rev. Dr. Dan Nighswander
General Secretary

Copies: H.E. Tran Duc Luong, President of Vietnam
H.E. Nguyen Thi Hoi, Ambassador to Canada, Embassy of Vietnam
H.E. Mr. Richard Lecoq, Canadian Ambassador to Vietnam