October 13, 2007
Activists, religious leaders and local community members hope to air their concerns about democracy and religious freedom in the communist nation to the new U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam
WESTMINSTER – A town hall organized by Rep. Loretta Sanchez today will give local Vietnamese Americans a chance to voice their opinions to the recently appointed U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam about issues concerning democracy, religious freedom and trade in their home country, the congresswoman said.
Michael Michalak, a senior U.S. official, succeeded Michael Marine, who was criticized by the Orange County expatriate Vietnamese American community for statements he made against granting official status to the red and yellow South Vietnam flag. Marine, however, continued to be critical of the Communist regime for its crackdown on political dissidents, including journalists and religious leaders.
Several activist groups fighting for democracy in Vietnam, religious and community leaders and state representatives are expected to attend Sunday’s public forum at 3 p.m. at Coastline Community College’s Le-Jao Center. A private reception is scheduled before the town hall.
Sanchez said she is hopeful the event will help Michalak understand what issues matter most to Orange County Vietnamese Americans. The new ambassador comes in “with a clean slate” and would greatly benefit from the community’s input, she said.
“It’s important for the community here to have a chance to discuss with (Michalak) the relationship between the United States and Vietnam,” she said.
The new ambassador has challenging work ahead as he walks a fine line between Vietnam’s $9.7 million bilateral trade agreements with the United States and tensions between the two countries because of Vietnam’s crackdown on political dissidents.
Westminster City Councilman Andy Quach said he hopes the visit will pave the way for a better relationship between the ambassador and the community.
“It’s going to be a great experience for him to understand the sentiments of the community here,” he said. “It’s going to help him do his work in Vietnam.”
Marine and many others in the United States and around the world continue to believe the “Communist government’s propaganda” that religious freedoms exist in Vietnam, said Diem Do, chairman of the Vietnam Reform party. Michalak also reportedly said during his Senate confirmation hearing that Vietnam has made big strides in the area of giving its people religious freedom.
Do said the ambassador’s visit is a positive sign and will help him listen to the other side of the story. “His visit to Orange County is a sign that he wants to listen and find out about our concerns,” he said.
Among the issues Do hopes to bring up are the treatment of political dissidents and religious freedom in Vietnam. “Another point I want to get across to (Michalak) is that economic development in Vietnam alone will not bring about democratic changes there,” he said. “Economic development must go hand in hand with political reform.”
Local religious groups want to convey to the ambassador that hundreds are perishing in Vietnam because of religious persecution.
“The truth is that these are victims of the communist regime,” said Khoa Do, member of the Vietnamese Buddhist Youth Association in Westminster. ”Basic human rights are being violated in Vietnam.”
