WASHINGTON-The House Foreign Affairs Committee today approved > legislation authored by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) to promote > human rights reform in Vietnam and hold the Vietnamese Government > accountable for further human rights abuses. > > "After the Vietnamese Government was feted as moving in a > new direction, they immediately searched out some of the best, > brightest and bravest of Vietnam-men and women who have spoken out on behalf of human rights-and threw them into prison. This brutal > crackdown is unconscionable. This legislation puts the Vietnamese > Government on notice that the path of human rights abuses at least > carries some penalties," Smith said during debate in the Committee. >Smith's bill, the "Vietnam Human Rights Act of 2007" (H.R. 3096), > prohibits increased U.S. non-humanitarian assistance to the > Government of Vietnam unless there is verifiable evidence that the > Vietnamese Government has made substantial progress towards the > release of its political and religious prisoners, towards > respecting the right to freedom of religion, returning properties, > allowing free and open access to refugee programs, respecting the > human rights of members of all ethnic minority groups, and taking > appropriate steps to end trafficking in persons. > > "Last year, a human rights declaration was signed by many of the > leading human rights advocates in Vietnam. It is filled with > humanitarian and human rights hopes and aspirations for that > country-all pegged to non-violent methods stating clearly that > reform has to be achieved through democratic means. That list has > become the roster used by the Vietnamese Government to track down and incarcerate one political prisoner after another," Smith told > his Committee colleagues. > > Earlier this year, the parish house of Father Ly-a former prisoner > of conscience who spent over 13 years in prison-was raided. Father > Ly was moved to a remote location and placed under house arrest. > Father Ly is an advisor to "Block 8406"-a democracy movement which > started on April 8, 2006, hence the name 8406-and a new political > party, the Vietnam Progression Party.   more »