[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 179 Introduced in House (IH)]







104th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 179

To express the sense of Congress that Buddhist monks and civilians and 
Roman Catholic monks and priests unlawfully detained by the Government 
        of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam should be released.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 16, 1996

 Mr. Stockman submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
          referred to the Committee on International Relations

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                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
To express the sense of Congress that Buddhist monks and civilians and 
Roman Catholic monks and priests unlawfully detained by the Government 
        of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam should be released.

Whereas twenty-three monks and lay Buddhists have been arrested since the end of 
        October 1994 by the authorities of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam;
Whereas Roman Catholic priests and monks of the order of the Mother Coredemptrix 
        were arrested in 1987 and sentenced to long prison terms in 1988 on 
        charges of ``undermining the policy of unity'' and ``disruption of 
        public security'';
Whereas these arrests demonstrate a continuing repression of Buddhists and 
        Catholics in Vietnam and a flagrant disregard of Vietnam's voiced 
        commitment to religious liberty;
Whereas at least some of those arrested are prisoner of conscience, detained 
        solely for exercising their rights of freedom of speech and freedom of 
        religion;
Whereas there are currently at least thirty-six Buddhists in detention in 
        Vietnam;
Whereas some of those in detention have been imprisoned since the late 1970's 
        and early 1980's; and
Whereas the leadership of the Unified Buddhist Church is imprisoned, as are 
        advocates of political reform and pluralism: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the Congress that the Government 
of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam should immediately release all 
Buddhist monks and civilians and all Roman Catholic monks and priests 
currently being unlawfully detained in the Socialist Republic of 
Vietnam.
                                 <all>