His Excellency
President Triet
c/o Embassy of Vietnam
1233 20th Street, NW #400
Washington, DC 20036
Dear President Triet:
I am writing to express my serious disappointment regarding the treatment of the peaceful protestors in Ho Chi Minh City on July 18, 2007. It is my understanding that approximately 1,500 Vietnamese police were dispatched to break up a peaceful sit-in of 1,700 peasants. I have seen reports that approximately 3 peasants were severly injured through acts of violence by the police.
As a Member of Congress who represents a sizable Vietnamese-American community, I am very concerned about these reports of police violence at a peaceful sit-in. I am especially concerned given that you recently visited with President Bush on June 22 and he expressed to you the importance of human rights in the relationship between the United States and Vietnam. Specifically, President Bush stated during your joint press conference that he had said the following to you:
I also made it clear that in order for relations to grow deeper that it’s important for our friends to have a strong commitment to human rights and freedom and democracy. I explained my strong beliefs that societies are enriched when people are allowed to express themselves freely or worship freely.
This statement regarding the importance of human rights to the United States is a follow-up to the joint press release from yourself and President Bush on November 17, 2007. The release again mentioned the importance of human rights:
President Bush explained the National Security Strategy of the United States, which stresses the importance to world peace and stability of the development in every country of full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. President Triet appraised President Bush of recently promulgated laws and regulations on religious freedom that are to be implremented in all localities of Vietnam. The two leaders also noted the importance of continuing to make progress in the bilateral human rights dialogue and reaffirmed that it should be conducted in a comprehensive, constructuve and results-oriented manner.
Given the discussion of the importance of human rights at your November 2007 and June 2007 meetings with President Bush, I am disappointed and disturbed by the report of police brutality in Saigon on July 18, 2007. I would like to see the Government of Vietnam pay serious attention to human rights. The continued reports of human rights violations in Vietnam n the recent months are failing to convince the people of the United States that Vietnam meets the human rights standards expected of trading partners and members of the international community.
I would like to hear from you directly why these violent actions were taken by the police against peaceful protestors.
Respectfully,
Loretta Sanchez
Member of Congress
cc: The Honorable Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State
