To :  The Honorable Senator  ____________________________     

         United States Senate

         Washington D.C. 20510

Re.: Petition To U.S. Congress to Intervene For The Return Of  The Confiscated 

       Properties To  The Vietnamese Catholic Church .

 Dear Senator :

While Christians in Vietnam are supposedly allowed religious freedom under its constitution, many believers continue to be harassed and  persecuted from officials and neighbors for their faith .

The vague language used in the Vietnamese Legal System leaves many religious activities open to different interpretation by officials. While Vietnam always claims to have freedoms in line with international standards, they have worded the laws themselves in such a way that they are open to be applied to whatever situation  the government deems threatening and can be manipulated to basically justify the torment of any group, Christians being among the targets.  The Constitution of Vietnam of April 15, 1992 , Chapter 5, concerning the fundamental Rights and Duties of the Citizen, specifically in Article 70 of the Constitution mandates  that : “The citizen shall enjoy freedom of belief and of religion ; he can follow any religion or follow none. All Religions are equal before the law. The places of worship of all faiths and religions are protected by the law…” . Please do not listen to whatever the communists said , but  look carefully at whatever the communists did. The level of religious persecution in Vietnam is critical as Brad Adams , Asia Director Of Human Rights Watch said : “ Despite a few well-timed goodwill gestures, such as the recent release of several religious prisoners, Vietnam has in all other respects continued its exceptionally repressive policies. Vietnam is notorious for persecuting and imprisoning believers of religious who attempt to peacefully and independently practice their faith “   

At this moment, thousands of Vietnamese Catholics in Vietnam have daily lighted candles to pray for the return of the confiscated properties belonging  to the Vietnamese Catholic Church , especially for the return of the following confiscated properties :

(1) The former Apostolic Delegate’s Office located at 42 Pho Nha Chung Street, Hanoi,

(2) The 24 hectares of land (or 47 acres) that belongs to The Pilgrimage Center Of Our Lady Of La Vang  which is now under the control of Quang Tri Province (near City Of  Hue) .

(3) The former Pius X Grand Seminary (or Pius X Pontifical Academy) in Dalat City, Lam Dong Province.

Vietnam communists could blow off  the light of a  candle, but they could never  erase  the light of faith inside the soul of thousands of Vietnamese Catholics. But they need your helps, they need the intervention of the Honorable U.S. Congress.

As you know , the  U.S. Congress had passed the bill and the president signed into law : The “International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 “ which allows the president to take actions against any country which violates the Religious Freedom Act.

The International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 listed among the many forms of  violations such as : state – sponsored slander campaigns , confiscations of properties, severe prohibitions against construction and repair of places of worship, and prohibitions against publishing, distributing, or possessing religious literature and materials.

Vietnam has continued confiscating the  properties belonging to the religions are  severe violations of the International Religious freedom Act of 1998  (that is freedom from religious persecutions ).

Dear Senator,  I write you this letter to respectfully petition that you would  intervene for the return of the three (3) confiscated properties mentioned above to the Vietnamese Catholic Church as soon as possible.

Thank you very much for your helps and attention in this matter.

Sincerely Yours,