Vietnam’s

Politic l Environment
Political En i onment

Professor Carlyle A. Thayer

International Human Rights Clinic
School of Law
The Australian National University
September 15, 2010
Outline of Presentation

① Background on Vietnam
② Political Structure
③ Civil Society
④ Case Studies
① Background
g
Z 13th most populous
country - 86m (2009)
Z 45th GDP (ppp) 2008
Z 60th largest GDP
(nominal) 2008
Z High economic
growth rates (7%)
Z Success in poverty
reduction
Human Geography
Z Kinh 86%

Z Tay 1.9%

Z Thai 1.75

Z Muong 1.55

Z Khmer
Kh 1
1.55
55

Z Hoa 1.15

Z Nung 1%

Z Others 4.1%
4 1%
 Still a Developing
p g Country
y
Organisation Survey Ranking

Heritage Foundation/The Wall Index of Economic 145 out of

Street Journal Freedom 2009 179
World Bank Ease of Doing Business 93 out of
Report, 2009 183
Reporters Without Borders Worldwide Press Freedom 166 out of
Index 2009 175
Transparency International Corruption Perceptions 120 out of
Index 2009 180
United Nations Development Human Development 116 out of
Programme Index 2009 182
World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness 75 out of
Report 2009/2010 133
 ② Political
P li i l Structure
S

Z Leninist one-party
Z Dual
D l role
l elites
lit
Z Market economy with socialist orientations
Z Gradual political liberalisation since 1992
Z No p
pluralism,, multi-parties
p or opposition
pp
Z Soft-authoritarian
Administrative Divisions
59 provinces
p
5 municipalities
H
Hanoi
i
Haiphong
Da Nang
Ho Chi Minh City
Can Tho
Mono--organisational Socialism
Mono

Vietnam Communist Party

y

Armed Mass
The State
Forces Organisations
 Party Structure

Congress Central
Politburo Secretary
1,176 Committee
15 members General
delegates 160 members
 The State
National Assembly -
Quốốc Hộ
Qu Hội

Nguyễn
guyễ Phú
ú Trọng-Chair
ọ gC a
• 500 deputies from 64
administrative units
• Bi-annual sessions
• National Assembly
Standing Committee
 ‘Rule
Rule of Law
Law’

Proceedings broadcast on radio and television,

voting results made public, full-time deputies,
Ministers grilled,
grilled legislation amended
amended, two of the
Prime Minister’s nominees rejected, ‘confidence’
vote,
 Cabinet - Chí
Chính Ph
Phủ
ủ
(literally ‘government’)

From collective leadership to ministerial responsibility

Vietnam Fatherland Front
Mặt Trậ
Trận Tổ
Tổ Q
Quố
Quốc
•Vietnam Communist Party
•People’s Armed Forces
•General Confederation of
Labour
•Vietnam Farmers Union
•Vietnam
Vietnam Youth Federation
•Vietnam Women’s Union
•Vietnam Veterans’ Union
 ③ Civil Society
y
a. Translating civil society into Vietnamese
b. Coalition against bauxite mining
c. Catholic
h li Church-State
h h Land
d Disputes
i
d. Buddhism – Mainstream and Zen
e. Political Dissent
f. Internet Censorship
g Three NGO case studies
g.
 What is Civil Society in a
Vietnamese Context?
Z Foreign donor community mandated
to support civil society in authoritarian
systems
Z So
So-called
called ‘NGOs’
NGOs sought as partners
ZPursue development programs
Z ‘bottom up’
Z Participatory
Z Gender
G d and d ethnic
th i equality
lit
Official View: Popular Associations
Non--Governmental Organisation
Non
tổ ch
chứ
ức phi chí
chính ph
phủ
ủ
Z How to translate civil society into Vietnamese?
Z Xã Hội Dân
Dâ Sự
S -society
i off citizens’
ii ’ affairs
ff i
Z Xã Hội Công Dân –society of citizens

Z NGO in Vietnamese implies estrangement if

not opposition to the state
Z Law on NGOs/Associations (since 1992-)
Two Meanings in Vietnamese Context
Bauxite Mining
g
Controversy
 Anti--Bauxite Coalition
Anti

Some media &

Environmentalists Social scientists
bloggers

Retired
et ed state & Catholic
Cat o c aandd
S i ti t
Scientists
military officers Buddhist leaders

Some NA
Economists Local residents
Deputies
 Bauxite Miningg Controversy
y

Võ Nguyên Giáp National Assembly (May 27)

(May 7)

Deputy Nguyễn Minh

Thuyết, Son La province,
Question and Answer Session
“I hope you pay attention to bauxite
mining in the Central Highlands…”
Catholic Land Issues

Z 20th July
J l incident
i id t att Tam
T
Tòa Church, Quang Binh
province - 11 arrested
Z Alleged
All d police
li brutality
b t lit
Z Gangs assault Catholics
Z O
Orchestrated
h d campaign
i byb
state media
Z 26 July & 2 August
C h li stage mass
Catholics
protests in 3 provinces
Z 8 August 178 parishes in
Vinh
i h diocese
di hold
h ld protests
Tam Tòa Protests
 Buddhism

Unified Buddhist Church Zen Buddhism

Political
Dissent

Hai Phong 16 Aug 08 (above) and Hai

Duong Nam Dinh 7 Sep 08 (below)

Hanoi 28 Jul 08
 Internet Censorship
p
Z Huy Đức, blogged under name ‘Osin’, fired
from Sài Gòn Tiếp
ế Thị newspaper
Z Bùi
ù Thanh
a Hiếu,
ếu, bblogged
ogged as ‘Người
Ngườ Buôn
uô GGió’
ó
(Wind Trader) arrested in August
Z Phạm Ðoan Trang,
Trang blogged about 1954
partition, critical of Chinese territorial claims
Z Nguyễn
ễ Ngọc Như
h Quỳnh,h blogged
bl d under
d
name ‘Mẹ Nấm’ (Mother Mushroom)
 ④ Case Studies
Missionaries of Charity
Z 1994 Mother Theresa visited Vietnam

Z Agreement reached with Catholic NGO on poverty

alleviation initiative

Z Local government delays permission

Z Catholic NGO deems unsuitable

Z May 1995 five Sisters expelled

 Street Children NGO

Z Agreement on Cooperation signed by local NGO with

Japanese
p UNESCO Association funded by y Japan
p
International Cooperation Agency to provide medical
exams for street children and training for NGO staff in
Japan/ Cost US $5,700
$5 700

Z JICA required official letter of request from

government

Z Local NGO was semi-official under umbrella of

official Mass Organisation
 Child Care Centre NGO

Z Local NGO applies for Japanese ODA funding for

construction and equipment
q p for new child care centre.
Project valued at US $29,000 (2002).

Z Local NGO asked Ward People’s

p Committee to make
application

Z Ward Committee p
prefers new primary
p y school

Z Ward not authorised to draw up documents required

by JJapan
p
 Additional Case Studies

1. Harassment of NGO caring for orphans

2. Semi-official NGO (care for street children) ordered to

close

3. Unofficial NGO (street children) taken over by local

government by fiat

4. Leaders of unofficial NGO (child care) arrested on

charges of trafficking in children
 Contact Details

9 carlthayer@webone.com.au
9 Mobile: 0437 376 429

Thayer Consultancy
P O Box 435
P.O.
Jamison Centre, ACT 2614