Chris Smith: “Vietnam has long been known as a major violator of human rights. The U.S. House of Representatives went on record in the…”

“Vietnam has long been known as a major violator of human rights. The U.S. House of Representatives went on record in the 109th Congress condemning and deploring the violations of human rights in Vietnam and strongly urging the Vietnamese Government to consider the implications of its human rights abuses for the broader relationship between the United States and Vietnam. I point out parenthetically that the House almost a year ago to the day passed a resolution that I sponsored similar to this one, H. Con. Res. 320, on April 6, 2006. There was some initial improvement. Regrettably, there has been a snapback to its original and even worsened situation when it comes to human rights observance. That is why I have sponsored H. Res. 243--calling on Vietnam to immediately and unconditionally release Fr. Ly, Mr. Dai, Mrs. Whan and other political prisoners and prisoners of conscience. Mr. Speaker, the U.S. Department of State in its 'Country Reports on Human Rights Practices' notes that the human rights record in Vietnam remains 'unsatisfactory,' and that government officials continued 'to commit serious abuses.'”