Several human rights advocacy groups have issued dire warnings about developments inside Vietnam since last November’s APEC meetings and Vietnam’s entry into the World Trade Organization.
“Obviously, it is good news that they are [thinking about] releasing Vu Binh,” said Tom Malinowski, Washington advocacy director for Human Rights Watch. “But there is a revolving-door quality to the releases and the arrests that the State Department should see through.”
This might be the time for the State Department to expect more from communist Vietnam than tricky shenanigans and positive body language.
Before the President of Vietnam comes to the United States, the American people should expect a little more emphasis from their government toward Vietnam’s grim human rights scene.
John E. Carey is former president of International Defense Consultants, Inc. and a frequent contributor to The Washington Times.
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