U.S. Diplomat Attacked for Attempting to Visit Dissident Priest
The U.S. State Department issued a complaint on Thursday against the Vietnam police after a U.S. diplomat was attacked while attempting to visit a confined religious freedom advocate.
U.S. foreign officer Christian Marchant was injured while trying to visit Roman Catholic priest Father Nguyen Van Ly, a champion for religious freedom and democracy in the communist country, who is currently under house arrest.
Acting Deputy Department Spokesman Mark C. Toner said during a press briefing this week, "We have officially registered a strong protest with the Vietnamese Government in Hanoi as well as with the Vietnamese ambassador in Washington, [D. C.] and we're waiting for a full explanation of what happened."
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According to global news agency AFP, the attack happened in the central city of Hue. Marchant was scheduled to visit Nguyen on Wednesday. At the door of the building, security officials stepped in to prevent him from entering the building. When Marchant persisted, he was attacked by a security officer.
Some news accounts say he was tackled to the ground while others say an officer slammed the car door on his leg repeatedly.
State Department officials have declined to describe the extent of the attack. However, Toner said of Marchant's condition, "He was limping afterwards."
Vietnam officials claimed that the diplomat made a public scene and cursed openly. The country's foreign ministry spokeswoman, Nguyen Phuong Nga, told AFP that Vietnam "always creates favorable conditions" for diplomats, but contended that they must also respect the laws.
Rep. Ed Royce (R-Calif.), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, called the attack "beyond reprehensible."
"My staff has met with this political officer and can confirm that he is no threat to Vietnam," he said in a statement Friday. "That, however, didn't prevent his legs from being crushed by Vietnamese officials.
"In the past, the Vietnamese government has reserved the use of its thuggish tactics for peaceful dissidents and those deemed as threats to the government's stranglehold on power. It's now become clear that no one is immune from abuse."
Father Nguyen, 63, was released from prison in March 2010 to receive medical treatment for a brain tumor and the three strokes he suffered while in jail. Nguyen was sentenced to eight years in prison for dissemination of anti-government propaganda.
Before his March release, several U.S. politicians, including California Democrat Sen. Barbara Boxer, sent letters to Vietnam President Nguyen Minh Triet calling for his release.
Nguyen has spent a total of 15 years of his life in prison for advocating for human rights.
According the 2010 U.S. Annual Report on International Religious Freedom released last fall, the Vietnamese government does not abide by its own claims of religious freedom. The country's constitution provides for freedom of belief and worship. However, the government continues to restrict the organized activities of many religious groups.
The U.S. report also details incidences of harassment and excessive force against members of religious groups perpetrated by government officials. Protestants have reported being harassed. Also, the government refuses to translate the Bible into H'mong dialect.
Vietnam ranks number 18 on Christian persecution watchdog Open Doors' top 50 list of the worst countries for Christians.
Officials have called the Vietnam ambassador to the United States to give a verbal rebuke of Marchant's treatment. The U.S. ambassador to Vietnam Michael Michalak reportedly scheduled a meeting to do the same.
