House Approves Sanctions on Vietnam

[Rose Siding]

WASHINGTON - The House voted Monday to restrict U.S. aid to Vietnam if that country fails to improve what lawmakers said was a deplorable human rights record.



"Vietnam needs to come out of the dark ages of repression, brutality and abuse and embrace freedom, the rule of law and respect for fundamental human rights," said Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., sponsor of the legislation that passed 323-45.


Under the measure, U.S. nonhumanitarian aid to Vietnam would be capped at levels of the current fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30, unless the president certified substantial progress by Vietnam in releasing political and religious prisoners and respecting religious freedom. Certification would be renewable annually.


Total U.S. aid to Vietnam in 2004 is almost $40 million, with money going to projects including removal of land mines left from the Vietnam War, disaster relief and food and health programs.


The bill also approved money for nongovernmental organizations that promote democracy in Vietnam and for work toward overcoming Vietnamese jamming of Radio Free Asia.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/ap/20040719/ap_on_go_co/congress_vietnam

[bleedingheart]

1. a friend of mine is visiting there soon...her hubby flew missions

in Vietnam. I think that there is some sort of reunion.

I will have to send her this link.

[Cha]

2. My son is going to Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia

after he spends two weeks surfing in Indonesia. So ..I am interested in this to tell him.

[Tony_FLADEM]

3. I talk with a woman in Vietnam every other day. I sometimes

ask her about human rights and she is careful not to criticize her government. One time I asked her about someone who was jailed because he said something bad about the government in an e-mail. She told be to keep that secret. It is really sad.

[Suspicious]

4. I watched the C-Span coverage

last week, but missed the vote tonight.

I was floored by a couple of the remarks made last week - all of the outrage over the Vietnamese not even being allowed to "peacefully protest", etc. I was left wondering if any of these people have taken a good look around their own country, lately.

Miami comes to mind, just for starters.

:eyes:

[CharlesGroce]

5. Here's some news America: WE OWE THESE PEOPLE!

I don't know anything about alleged human rights violations in Vietnam, yet I can't see how removing our landmines from Vietnam is related to their government being good or bad. I mean, it's the villagers and farmers who are being killed by them, not members of the government. And we put them there!

Vietnam's water supply is also contaminated with dioxin, an ingredient in "Agent Orange" that also happens to cause damage to the nervous system, major damage. Vietnam has the highest rates of infant mortality due to nervous system disorders in the world and it's because of the likes of Richard Nixon and the rest of that sick administration.