Zoe Lofgren: “I rise in strong support of 2833, the Viet Nam Human Rights Act, a resolution to promote democracy and freedom in…”

“I rise in strong support of 2833, the Viet Nam Human Rights Act, a resolution to promote democracy and freedom in Vietnam. Madam Speaker, last weekend many of us were celebrating Labor Day with our constituents and families honoring our country's proud traditions of democracy and freedom. But last weekend in Da Nang, Vietnam, a 61-year-old monk set himself on fire in protest of the communist authorities' repression of religious freedoms. Before his death, Ank wrote letters to the U.N. Human Rights Commission, the Human Rights Commission of the European Union and other international groups, stating simply, ``I have decided that the only way I can protest is by setting my body on fire to denounce repression against the UBCV and all other religions.'' I have with me the Declaration of Vietnamese Priests Abroad, an open letter to the international community condemning the vicious repression of religious and other basic human rights in Vietnam. This letter, dated August 15, was signed by 144 Catholic priests worldwide and calls upon ``freedom-loving governments to defend the values of human rights which are being trampled on in Vietnam.''”