Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-10-04-Speech-4-141"
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"en.20011004.6.4-141"2
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"Mr President, twelve years ago, a Czech human rights activist in Prague wanted to appeal to a Western head of government for help in the face of his impending imprisonment. This Western head of government did not receive him. A few months later, the human rights activist became President of Czechoslovakia. His name was Václav Havel. From then on, the Western head of government had a great deal of difficulty in getting an audience with the Czech President, who refused to receive him because he wanted to make it clear that this failure to respond to human rights violations and the flouting of human dignity was unacceptable.
European Union states are pursuing a similar policy today with regard to Vietnam. It is a policy of autosuggestion. It is claimed that Vietnam is pursuing a reform course. It is also claimed that Vietnam no longer has such a repressive regime as before. Yet the reality sends out a very different message. Persecution of human rights activists has increased. Injustice and the suppression of press freedom have increased, as has the suppression of religious freedom. If we look at the reality of the situation, we must recognise that this regime cannot be set on a reform course without massive external pressure. Economic and geostrategic interests, too, cannot be sustained in the long term unless there is a stronger emphasis on the rule of law throughout South-East Asia, but especially in Vietnam.
That is why it is in the European Union's interests to abandon its policies of autosuggestion at last and speak out about human rights violations in Vietnam. The European Parliament adopted this approach with regard to Central and Eastern Europe before 1989. It was fairly isolated at the time, but events proved that it was right. The European Parliament is pursuing the same course today on Vietnam, and I appeal to the Commission, and especially, of course, to the Council and Member States to adopt a more pro-active human rights policy with regard to Vietnam and genuinely send out a clear signal, for in this region of the world, we are dependent on this important country, with its great culture, returning to a more democratic course based on the rule of law. Only then can it be a real partner – also in the economic field – in the long term."@en1
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