From 22 April to 5 May 2017, the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO), represented by several of its Members as well as its Secretariat, takes part in the 2017 United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), taking place in Turtle Bay, New York City. During two weeks, the UNPO attends sessions of the Forum and a number of […]
In light of developments over the past year, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has delivered a report regarding the current state of religious freedom in Vietnam, and it shows little amelioration. Under the guise of nationalism, Vietnam recently imposed severe restrictions on religious activity, evidencing a clear violation of international standards for religious freedom. While USCIRF […]
The decision to stop the resettlement of all refugees for 120 days, including those previously agreed upon with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), has hit hard a Khmer Krom family who thought it had reached the end of an arduous escape from religious and political persecution in Vietnam. In 2007, after participating in a protest for religious freedom in his […]
In a troubling trend of renewed rights violation and state control over religious and culture institution, on December 30th, 2016 the local authority in Vietnam’s Travinh province took over portions of the Muniransi temple’s land and forced the temple to sign over the tract to a Vietnamese resident who had allegedly bought the temple’s land. The Muniransi temple denies ever […]
Albeit having made some progress, Vietnam is still lagging far behind when it comes to guaranteeing the universal right to freedom of religion, says the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). Ten years after having been removed from the US’s list of countries of “particular concern”, the Vietnamese government still suppresses several religious groups, while local authorities continue to […]
On September 12, Hudson Institute and the Vietnam Committee on Human Rights hosted a conference on religious freedom in South East Asia and U.S. policy in the next administration. Speakers included Elliott Abrams, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights; Kristina Arriaga, United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Commissioner; Nina Shea, Director of Hudson’s Center for Religious […]
On 20 August 2016, the Khmer Kampuchea-Krom Federation (KKF) hosted its yearly gathering in Annecy, Savoy. On the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the organization’s membership of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO), the attendees looked at past achievements and future challenges. The atmospheric ceremony gathered an international audience of around 50 people, and saw speeches from various […]
Life in prison is hard. I fell into despair. I was in this situation because I was trying to be a good citizen, to help people according to the law…But I was arrested and put in prison. I felt like I was in a dark tunnel with no way out Pham Thi Loc, one of several former prisoners of conscience […]
Two minority rights organisations have asked the Ministry of Interior to ensure its officials issue national identity cards to Khmer Krom, who they say are facing discrimination from provincial officials. Indigenous Khmer from southern Vietnam, the Krom have long had issues getting identity cards given that authorities either identify them as Vietnamese or they lack permanent addresses in Cambodia. The […]
Soeung Hai, a dissident former monk wanted for arrest by the government, said on Tuesday that he had been living in Sweden since February after the U.N.’s refugee agency helped him secure political asylum there. Yet the Swedish Embassy in Phnom Penh said it was not aware Mr. Hai was in Sweden, and a spokeswoman for the U.N.’s High Commissioner […]
