Vietnam always consistently implements the policy of freedom of belief and religion.

In every revolutionary process of the country, the Party and State of Vietnam always implement consistent policies and make constant efforts to ensure the people's freedom of belief and religion.

Parishioners of the Ea Hiu Branch of the Evangelical Church in Dak Lak sing hymns. (Photo: Nguyen Hong)

Institutional by policies and laws

Beliefs and religions are the spiritual needs of a part of the people, and they are and will exist with the nation. Religious people are part of the great national unity bloc. Vietnam is a multi-religious country, religions coexist within the nation and are equal before the law. By 2021, our state had recognized 43 religious organizations, with about 27 million followers, accounting for 27% of the country's population.

Since our Party led the revolution, it has consistently implemented the policy of freedom of belief and religion. In each revolutionary stage of the country, it has issued appropriate policies and laws to meet the legitimate religious and belief needs of the people, gathering the great national unity bloc and uniting religions to build and develop the country.

Over the past 70 years, implementing President Ho Chi Minh 's viewpoint on ensuring people's freedom of belief and religion and building great national unity, Vietnam has defeated invaders, regained national independence and unified the country.

Immediately after the country's independence, on September 3, 1945, at the first meeting of the Government , Uncle Ho proposed that the Government declare "belief, freedom and solidarity between religions and non-religious people".

That ideological viewpoint is institutionalized by our Party and State through legal documents, so that the right to freedom of belief and religion is protected and guaranteed by law in practice, such as Decree No. 234/SL, dated June 14, 1955, consisting of 5 chapters and 16 articles, stipulating the responsibility of the Government in ensuring the people's right to freedom of religion and the responsibility and obligations of religious dignitaries and followers regarding religious activities in Vietnam: "The Government guarantees the people's right to freedom of belief and freedom of worship. No one is allowed to violate that freedom. Every Vietnamese person has the right to freely follow a religion or not to follow a religion. Monks and nuns are free to preach at religious institutions such as churches, pagodas, temples, catechism schools, etc. When propagating religion, monks and nuns have the duty to educate followers about patriotism, the duties of citizens, and the sense of respect for the people's government and the laws of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. peace…”.

In the revolutionary process of the country, to affirm the consistent policy, the efforts of the Party and State of Vietnam in ensuring the people's freedom of belief and religion, affirmed on the constitutional principles in the Constitutions of 1946, 1959, 1980, 1992 to the Constitution of 2013, which have been amended, supplemented and perfected legal documents related to belief and religion, approaching international law and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1966 (ICCPR) to which Vietnam has joined, in order to ensure that everyone enjoys the freedom of belief and religion better and better in practice through legal documents such as: Ordinance 21/2004/PL-UBTVQH 11 "Regulations on belief and religious activities"; Decree No. 22/2005/ND-CP, dated March 1, 2005 “Guiding the implementation of a number of articles of the Ordinance on Beliefs and Religions; Directive 1940/CT-TTg dated December 31, 2008 of the Prime Minister on real estate related to religion.

The 2013 Constitution stipulates: “Everyone has the right to freedom of belief and religion, to follow or not to follow any religion”; the 14th National Assembly has promulgated the Law on Belief and Religion, the Government has issued Decree No. 162/2017/ND-CP and other legal documents to ensure the people's freedom of belief and religion...

VESAK 2019 Buddha's Birthday Festival. (Source: VNA)

Never before have religions and beliefs had such favorable conditions to operate as they do today.

With Vietnam's efforts in perfecting policies and laws on religion, the situation of religious life is increasingly rich and diverse, the number of dignitaries, followers and places of worship is increasing. According to statistics, in 2003, the country had 6 religions and 15 organizations, with 17 million followers, about 20,000 places of worship, 34,000 dignitaries and 78,000 officials.

In 2022, the government recognized 43 organizations, belonging to 16 different religions, with over 27.2 million followers, over 53,000 dignitaries, about 148,000 officials, the number of dignitaries and officials in religious organizations playing an important role in the Church organization, being beneficiaries of policies and laws on beliefs and religions in over 29,718 places of worship...

In addition, every year there are over 8,000 festivals on beliefs and religions, with tens of thousands of followers participating; religious organizations and individuals are encouraged and facilitated to participate in social security activities, social charity, community health care, religious organizations have over 500 medical examination and treatment facilities, over 800 social protection facilities, with 300 kindergartens... From 2018-2021, 2,027 publications with 7,006,240 printed copies were licensed, of which many publications were translated into English, French and ethnic languages and there are 25 newspapers and magazines of active religions.

In 10 years of implementing policies and laws on beliefs and religions, competent state agencies have granted hundreds of hectares of land to build places of worship such as: Ho Chi Minh City has granted ^7,500m2 of land to the General Confederation of Evangelical Churches of Vietnam (South) to build the Institute of Bible and Theology; Dak Lak province has granted more than ^11,000m2 of land to the Buon Ma Thuot Bishop's House; Da Nang city has granted more than 9,000m2 ^of land to the Da Nang Bishop's House; Quang Tri province has granted an additional 15 hectares to La Vang Parish... In 2022, authorities at all levels have granted construction, repair and renovation permits to 486, an increase of 60 religious places of worship compared to 2021; granted registration for concentrated religious activities to 183 group points; issued publishing decisions to 140 publications, with 684,250 printed copies.

Activities of ordination, promotion, appointment, transfer of religious dignitaries and officials; activities of establishing affiliated religious organizations; amending charters and regulations; registering annual activity programs... in accordance with legal regulations; approving 646 people to be ordained and elected as religious dignitaries; 3,238 people to be appointed, elected, and nominated as officials; 424 religious officials to be transferred in accordance with the Charter and regulations.

It can be said that never before have religions had such favorable conditions for operation as they do today, international relations are increasingly expanding, the number of dignitaries, officials, and followers is increasing, places of worship are becoming more and more spacious, the religious activities of foreigners in Vietnam are made public according to the provisions of law, creating conditions for religious organizations to increase exchanges, study, and exchange delegations with religious organizations around the world, from 2011 to now, there have been nearly 2,000 religious individuals leaving the country to participate in training courses abroad, attend international seminars and conferences related to religion, nearly 500 foreign delegations, with more than 3,000 people entering Vietnam to exchange, exchange and guide at places of worship in Vietnam.

Attending religious events organized by Vietnamese religious organizations such as the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha hosting the United Nations Vesak Festival three times, with over 1,000 international delegates from 120 countries and territories and tens of thousands of people attending; Catholic and Protestant festivals such as the Asian Bishops' Conference; the 100th anniversary of Protestantism coming to Vietnam; with the European Union (EU) coordinating the organization of the workshop: Vietnamese Religion in the context of international integration, international experiences shared", the "6th ASEM Interfaith Dialogue"...

Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai received Pastor Franklin Graham, President of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association on March 1, 2023. (Source: VNA)

Refuting the distorted arguments

Welcoming and working with many organizations and religious dignitaries to exchange and learn about Vietnam's religious laws such as: the US Institute for Global Engagement (IGE); the German media group (WAZ) to learn about Vietnam's religious policies, including international religious human rights organizations... we have proactively provided information about the religious situation and the Party and State's policies and laws on beliefs and religions, and discussed thoroughly the issues that international public opinion is interested in, to clearly see the reality of the diverse and rich religious life in Vietnam.

Policies and laws have created conditions for religions to participate in various areas of social life such as: Participating in the state apparatus such as elected bodies of the National Assembly, People's Councils at all levels; participating in socio-political organizations, participating in the fields of health, education, vocational training, social charity; participating in patriotic emulation movements; building new rural areas... ensuring the legitimate religious freedom of the Vietnamese people.

However, the evil forces have never given up their plot of “peaceful evolution”, taking advantage of freedom of belief and religion to connect with those dissatisfied with the regime, who have prejudiced thoughts against our Party and State, to distort and slander Vietnam for violating religious freedom, making false accusations, and demanding the release of people “fighting for religious freedom”. Meanwhile, the reality in Vietnam is freedom of religion, and people have not yet reacted to the state's policies and laws prohibiting parishioners and believers from performing rituals at places of worship... These forces distort the provisions of the Law on Belief and Religion "registration of concentrated religious practice locations" in order to "restrain religious activities", taking advantage of social issues such as environmental pollution, personnel work, and anti-corruption work of the Party and State to distort the viewpoints, policies, and laws of Vietnam with the goal of disturbing the people, including religious dignitaries and religious people, causing skepticism and reducing trust in our Party and State.

Our Party and State affirm that the main driving force for national development is national and religious solidarity. The Party and State advocate eliminating inferiority complexes and prejudices, not discriminating against class, ethnicity, or religion, respecting different opinions that are not contrary to the interests of the country and the people, promoting the tradition of humanity and tolerance, for the stability and development of the country.

Every time the Party has new policies and viewpoints on religion, the State promptly institutionalizes them through legal documents to put them into practice. The Party and the State promptly correct and rectify religious work so that it is in order and in the right direction, creating trust among religious dignitaries and religious people to build and develop Vietnam as General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has repeatedly affirmed, "never before has the country had such a foundation, potential, position and prestige as it does today", thanks to the strength of national solidarity under the wise leadership of the Party, including the solidarity and gathering of religious organizations, dignitaries and followers to live "good lives and good religions", actively contributing to the cause of building and defending the Fatherland.

Document:
1. Decree No. 234/SL, dated June 14, 1955 of the President of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, Chapter I, Guaranteeing freedom of belief and religion.
2. Resolution No. 25/NQ/TW, dated March 12, 2003 of the Party Central Committee on religious work in the new situation.
3. Initial study of the relationship between the State and the Church, Religion Publishing House, Hanoi, 2003.
4. Vietnam and human rights issues, Hanoi 2005, p. 1.
5. Arguments criticizing hostile and erroneous viewpoints, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2014.
6. Documents of the 13th National Congress of Delegates, Volume I, National Political Publishing House Truth, page 171.
7. Religion and religious policy in Vietnam. Religion Publishing House, Hanoi 2022, pp. 90,91.

(baoquocte.vn)

Source