Experts and activists have raised concerns about an alleged internal directive from Vietnam’s Politburo, which they say could worsen already deteriorating human rights and economic damage from increased scrutiny of foreign companies.
Project 88, a U.S. non-profit organization focused on human rights in Vietnam, disclosed the document, titled “Directive 24,” which it said orders government agencies to increase media censorship, crack down on civil society, increase surveillance of Vietnamese citizens, and quell Violations of human rights in Vietnam. The influence of external forces and foreign businesses operating in the country.
rights groups Published analysis and an English translation of the March 1 directive.
When Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded to an inquiry from VOA’s Vietnamese service on March 19, it did not specifically mention the document, but expressed its opposition to “false information” maliciously targeting Vietnam, calling it interference in Vietnam’s internal affairs.
The stated goal of the document, dated July 13, 2023, is to ensure “comprehensive and deep integration into national security in the international context.”
It ordered government departments to closely monitor Vietnamese traveling and studying abroad, and to prevent the formation of independent political movements, labor organizations, and protests. It also noted the need for greater surveillance and awareness to prevent national security threats, including ideological shifts and cultural erosion, which it claimed could result from closer ties with outside countries.
Tran Anh Quan, a social activist in Ho Chi Minh City, told VOA on March 13 that he believed the directive would further undermine the rights of Vietnamese citizens.
“Directive No. 24 is a springboard for police forces to use more force to suppress the people,” he wrote in Vietnamese via the messaging app Telegram. “The Communist Party is determined to eliminate human rights in Vietnam.”
Zachary Abuza, an expert on Southeast Asia and a professor at the National War College in Washington, told VOA that day that the suppression of civil society is not new to the regime. But he said it was a shift for Hanoi to portray foreign businesses and tens of thousands of Vietnamese studying abroad as threats.
Abuza said that while the government’s ability to closely monitor Vietnamese traveling and living abroad is limited, he worries that surveillance of foreign businesses will intensify. Could hamper the economy.
“Vietnam’s security and economic growth are entirely dependent on internationalization,” he said. “They really, really need to do everything they can to do foreign investment… but they’re sending exactly the wrong signal.”
Enterprise treatment is closer to that of Beijing
Abuza said he believed the message in the directive was increasingly aligned with Beijing’s treatment of foreign companies, which could hinder capital flows into Vietnam as companies look to “reduce risks” from China.
“They have stated in writing that these companies need to be carefully monitored and managed so that they do not instigate any color revolutions – to me this is a clear indication of Chinese influence. I have never seen this in the Vietnam documents content,” he said.
The directive orders government entities to remain vigilant against foreign investors who “lurk in the shadows,” take over domestic markets and businesses, occupy important economic sectors, while occupying influential positions in the defense and security sectors, which would have a negative impact on our independence, economic autonomy and politics adversely affected. Stablize. ”
Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, a Vietnamese activist who goes by the pseudonym “Mushroom Mama”, told VOA on March 14 that it was no coincidence that Hanoi issued Directive No. 24 in July. About three months later, Hanoi will cooperate with Washington. Relations are raised to the highest diplomatic level. Hierarchy.
She said Hanoi sees closer ties with the United States and other countries as the best means of improving its economy, but could also lead to the collapse of the Communist Party.
“Directive 24 was just to protect communists,” she said in Texas. She has been living in Texas since being allowed to travel to the United States in 2018 after being imprisoned in Vietnam on anti-state charges. “The government is very afraid of civil society, especially as relations change between Vietnam and the United States.”
human rights
Phil Robertson, deputy director of Human Rights Watch’s Asia division, told VOA in a March 13 email that implementation of the directive is well underway, which is the clearest evidence yet that It shows that the Communist Party views human rights as a threat to its power.
“Human rights and democratic activity have been largely wiped out, leaving only relatives of the imprisoned to sympathize with each other and organize solidarity, and even these actions are subject to hostile scrutiny by the state,” Robertson writes.
He added that individuals with no history of political activity were arrested for complaining about local governments online.
Activist Joan also said people in Vietnam were scared and the government was going after people she knew who were involved in early civil society movements about a decade ago but who had not publicly criticized the government.
“People are more scared now,” she said. “It looks like we’re back to zero on the road to democracy.”
Despite the crackdown, Quan in Ho Chi Minh City said the deteriorating human rights environment could lead to future political movements.
“When people are oppressed to the extreme, resistance is inevitable,” he said. “In the short term people may not be talking about politics, but in the long term there will be many protests that the authorities cannot predict.”
“False and fabricated information”
In a statement to VOA, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs opposed “maliciously fabricated and false information against Vietnam”, calling it “interference in Vietnam’s internal affairs and attempts to undermine Vietnam’s socio-economic development and national security.” Isolating Vietnam from the international community. ”
The statement said that the consistent line of Vietnam and its Communist Party is that Vietnam “continues to actively participate in comprehensive and extensive international integration as a responsible member of the international community” and is committed to fulfilling its international commitments, including trade. and human rights”.
Taking into account the complex developments in the world and region, Vietnam has issued various documents and taken different measures to strengthen national security, including closely coordinating with other countries to safeguard national security, human security, and ensure that people live and work in peace and contentment,” the statement said.
VOA’s Vietnamese service contributed to this report.
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