Cablegate: Hcmc Refuses to Discuss or to Provide Access to Activist

VZCZCXRO2337
RR RUEHDT RUEHPB
DE RUEHHM #1483 3560959
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 220959Z DEC 06
FM AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1911
RUEHHI/AMEMBASSY HANOI 1402
INFO RUCNARF/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0026
RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 2070

UNCLAS HO CHI MINH CITY 001483

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM SOCI PREL PGOV KIRF PREF VM
SUBJECT: HCMC REFUSES TO DISCUSS OR TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO ACTIVIST
INVOLUNTARILY COMMITTED TO MENTAL HOSPITAL

REF: HCMC 1270; B) 05 HCMC 994

1. (U) This is an action request: Please see Paragraph 6.

2. (SBU) On December 5, PolOff met with working-level HCMC
External Relations officials to discuss the case of Bui Kim
Thanh, a HCMC-based land rights activist involuntarily
committed to the national mental hospital in neighboring
Dong Nai Province. Per ref A, HCMC police reportedly took
the lead in the committal of Thanh to the mental
institution, first charging Thanh for "illegal activities"
related to her land-dispute organizing activities, and then
committing her to the mental hospital.

3. (SBU) In our meeting we stressed that, although it is
possible that Bui Kim Thanh suffers from some form of
mental illness, the circumstances surrounding her
involuntary committal are troubling. From what we knew of
Thanh and her activities, she did not appear to be a threat
to herself, her family, or others in the community. We
noted the similarity between this case and that of Baptist
Pastor Thanh Van Truong (ref B), who was involuntarily
committed for nearly a year in the same mental institution
by police after he had publicly criticized the Communist
Party. We noted that the case of Pastor Truong had drawn
negative international attention to Vietnam and criticism
from members of Congress. However, we emphasized that we
did not know all the facts in Thanh's case, and wanted to
meet with HCMC and mental hospital officials to hear their
perspective.

4. (SBU) Following up on that conversation, ConGen
submitted two diplomatic notes requesting a meeting with
HCMC police and hospital officials as well as access to Bui
Kim Thanh (dipnotes emailed to EAP/MLS and Embassy Hanoi).
We noted that PolOff planned to travel to Dong Nai Province
to follow up on other issues on December 20 and hoped to be
able to deal with the Bui Kim Thanh case at that time.

5. (SBU) ERO officials did not provide formal responses to
our dipnotes, but told us orally that neither the police
nor hospital officials would agree to meet with us, and
that we would not be able to meet with Thanh. Our ERO
contacts informally told us on December 21 that this case
must be "raised at higher levels" if the USG is interested
in pursing the matter.

6. (SBU) Action Request: In light of these developments,
post recommends that we raise Bui Kim Thanh with GVN
officials at higher levels.

CHERN

© Scoop Media