Vietnam's reaction to Human Right Watch's report
On 21st Jan 2009, the spokesman of the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry Mr.Le Dung answered to question regarding Vietnam's reaction to Human Rights Watch's report which accused Vietnam of the suppression of the Khme Krom community in the Mekong Delta:
This is not the first time that Human Rights Watch releases false information about Vietnam. It is necessary to reiterate that in Vietnam, all fundamental rights and freedoms of the people, including the freedom to religion and belief and the freedom of expression are clearly enshrined in the Constitution (Articles 69 and 70).
We reject all fabricated information in the latest report of Human Rights Watch on the situation of Khmer people in Vietnam.
The Khmer community of the Mekong Delta is an inseparable part of the community of 54 ethnic groups of Vietnam. The Vietnamese State pursues a policy that ensures equality, unity and mutual assistance between and among these ethnic groups. We would never allow any act that could create ethnic discrimination and division. This policy has been expressed in the Constitution and deployed in practice. The ethnic minorities including the Khmers are equally treated and receive due care from the State, which is trying its best to unceasingly improve their material and spiritual life. In 2008, the local authorities have created 358,000 jobs for the Khmer community, making an increase of 1.2% as against 2007. Some 4,000 Khmer people have been sent to work abroad. The average per capita GDP of this community is VND 14.8 million (or US$ 890) and the poverty rate has been cut to 11.2%, reducing by 1.6% as against 2007. The provincial radio and television services are running programmes in Khmer. In provinces having large Khmer community, there are also weekly newspapers in Khmer. All worship places of the Khmer community are receiving proper care and assistance from the local authorities, hence their renovation and construction anew. The people of ethnic groups in these areas have shown their full trust and confidence in the policies of the Party and State.
In recent years, due to process of land clearance to serve new socio-economic development projects and infrastructure construction, a number of claims have been lodged by the people in certain localities out of their discontent over the compensation rates. The authorities in those localities have been actively settling all these matters according to current legal provisions and real local contexts. There is absolutely no oppression or restriction of the freedom to religion and belief as well as the freedom to expression of the Khmer community in the Mekong Delta.
