E-Newsletter - Safeguarding Human Rights in Vietnam

Letter

E-Newsletter - Safeguarding Human Rights in Vietnam

June 22, 2007

Dear Friends:

This week I introduced a resolution, H.RES. 506, calling for Vietnam's re-designation as a Country of Particular Concern and for the removal of Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) if Vietnam does not immediately and significantly improve its human rights record. Since Vietnam was removed as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) and was extended Permanent Normal Trade Relations in 2006, it has accelerated a brutal crackdown on peaceful human rights activists.

The Vietnamese government must be held accountable for the brutal repression of its own people. Vietnam's own constitution states that, 'the citizen shall enjoy freedom of opinion and speech, freedom of the press, the right to be informed and the right to assemble, form associations and hold demonstrations in accordance with the provisions of the law.' The United States must use its full range of diplomatic and economic tools to pressure Vietnam into improving its human rights record. The question then, is, why don't we use that pressure?

Sincerely,

Zoe

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