Congressman Chris Smith at a public speech
“President Obama has given Vietnam lucrative economic and security benefits and got very little in return. This hearing will put a spotlight on the Vietnam government’s human rights record and will consider ways for Congress to restore the right priorities to U.S.-Vietnam relations”
By Vu Quoc Ngu, June 19, 2016
The U.S. Congress will hold a hearing themed “The President’s Visit to Vietnam: A Missed Opportunity to Advance Human Rights” on June 22 which will focus on human rights abuses by the Vietnamese government on its own people.
Congressman Chris Smith, senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and chair of its Subcommittee on Global Human Rights, will chair the event at a congressional hearing on Capitol Hill which will attract participation of other members of the committee, Boat People SOS, Amnesty International and religious freedom advocates.
Dr. Nguyen Dinh Thang, Ph.D., executive director of Boat People SOS, Pastor Rmah Loan, former head of the Southern Evangelical Church of Vietnam in Dak Nong province, Katie Duong, overseas representative of Popular Bloc of Cao Dai Religion, T. Kumar, director of International Advocacy at Amnesty International Kumar, director of International Advocacy at Amnesty International will take part in the event.
“Members of Congress have repeatedly urged the President to condition expansion of trade benefits and security partnerships on significant, verifiable, and irreversible improvements in human rights in Vietnam,” Congressman Smith said. “Despite this, President Obama has given Vietnam lucrative economic and security benefits and got very little in return. This hearing will put a spotlight on the Vietnam government’s human rights record and will consider ways for Congress to restore the right priorities to U.S.-Vietnam relations,” he added.
