1. Belief and religion are the spiritual need of a portion of the population, which exists and will continue to exist within the nation during the process of socialism construction in Viet Nam. Fellow citizens of all religions are part of the great national unity bloc.Thi also outlined provisions of law regarding recognition of religious groups and reviewed achievements of the past years in implementing the government's religious policies.
The State will continue to implement the consistent policy of respecting and ensuring the right to freedom of belief and religion and normal religious activities in accordance with the law.
2. The Government would implement the consistent policy of great national unity; unite fellow citizens of different religions and unite fellow citizens who are religious and who are not; strictly prohibit discrimination against citizens on the grounds of belief and religion; and strictly prohibit misuse of belief and religion for superstitious activities, contravention of the law and State policies and incitement to sow division among people and ethnic groups, or disturb and infringe national security.
The timing of Thi's remarks may not have been coincidental. The annual report of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom will go to Congress on May 1. (Associated Press report.) Viet Nam did not fare well in last year's report. (See prior posting.)
