Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-11-20-Speech-4-172"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"2003-11-20"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:Vietnam: freedom of religion2
dcterms:Language	"nl"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.20031120.9.4-172"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:2003-11-20-Speech-4-1732
lpv:speaker	lp:Bas Belder2
lpv:spokenAs	substitute; Delegation to the EU-Romania Joint Parliamentary Committee (2002-02-07--2004-07-19)3 substitute; Committee on Industry, External Trade, Research and Energy (2002-01-17--2004-07-19)3 member; EDD (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3 substitute; AFCO (2002-09-25--2004-07-19)3 member; Delegation for relations with the Member States of ASEAN, south-east Asia and the Republic of Korea (2002-02-07--2004-07-19)3 unknown; ChristenUnie - Staatkundig Gereformeerde Parti (2002-03-18--2004-07-19)3 vice-chair; Delegation for relations with the United States (2002-02-07--2004-07-19)3 member; Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy (2002-01-17--2004-07-19)3
lpv:translated text	"Mr President, I wish to make an urgent request, as I did in May, for attention and action on the part of the Commission and the Council regarding the lack of rights of the indigenous Protestant population of Vietnam’s central highlands. Tomorrow’s meeting of the Joint EU-Vietnam Committee in Brussels provides opportunity for this. Just yesterday evening I had direct contact with Hanoi by telephone, from which extremely gloomy background information emerged. The Vietnamese Government is conducting a vigorous campaign against the Protestant Montagnards via television. They are called ‘separatists’ and are a ‘social evil’: at least, that is how the authorities in Hanoi interpret the constant protests of these ethnic minorities against the unabated removal of their social and economic rights – land theft, simply – and the discrimination and religious persecution by the ethnic Vietnamese, the Kinh, who consider themselves superior. Incidentally, this same government is screening off the central highlands to outsiders. Even local NGOs, backed by foreign co-financing organisations, are saying that they will shortly have to discontinue their aid to the indigenous peoples. Against this depressing background, I ask that both Commission and Council show their ability to act. After all, they are investing a great deal of money in Vietnamese public-sector projects, so let them then ensure that that aid also benefits the oppressed ethnic minorities in the central highlands. Call in foreign co-financing organisations for this purpose. Urge strongly that the central highlands be opened up to foreign observers. Demand observance of the constitutional principle of freedom of religion on the basis of the international commitments that Hanoi has entered into. In the meanwhile, in spite of all the oppression, the number of Protestants in the central highlands is growing unmistakably. This is an interesting point for the European Union and Vietnam to reflect on for tomorrow’s meeting."@en1

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