Vietnam

POLITICS 04/13/2018 04:20 pm ET Ted Osius revealed why he quit in October: "There was an ethical line that I could not cross." By Kimberly Yam As deportations and detentions continue to rock the Vietnamese community in the U.S., the former ambassador to Vietnam has revealed that those “repatriations” were the reason for his October departure. Writing in the April issue of Foreign Service Journal, Ted Osius said he was instructed to press the Vietnamese government to repatriate more than 8,000 people ― most of whom were refugees who had “fled South Vietnam on boats and through the jungle” after the Vietnam War.  “The majority targeted for deportation — sometimes for minor infractions — were war refugees who had sided with the United States, whose loyalty was to the flag of a nation that no longer exists,” Osius wrote. “And they were to be ‘returned’ decades later to a nation ruled by a … [Read more...] about Ex-Ambassador To Vietnam Quit Because Trump Planned To Deport More Refugees

For the first time in Vietnam, specialists from the Vietnam Institute of Geosciences and Mineral Resources have discovered a cemetery of fossilised coral reef more than 5,000 years old on Quang Ngai province’s Ly Son Island. The unprecedented and unique discovery opens up new interpretations of the earth dating back to 5,000 years ago. The ancient coral reef complex called “Cemetery of coral” located in Ly Son Island District was found in January by the Vietnam Institute of Geosciences and Mineral Resources. The population of paleontological coral reefs covering on an area of around 20,000 sq.meter features ancient corals with a wide variety of colors, shapes and sizes. The place is a boat basin where local fishermen dock their ships to avoid the storm, said the chairwoman of the People’s Committee of Ly Son district Pham Thi Huong. Scientists and experts have called for urgent action to preserve the “Cemetery of coral” and prevent them being … [Read more...] about Unique five-thousand year old fossil reef found in Vietnam

Talking to the press on March 28, Dung stressed "The Press Release shows these human rights experts' unprofessional manner, their lack of good will and impartiality, and their failure to comply with the Code of Conduct and the Manual of Operations of the Special Procedures Mandate Holders as it relies on non-credible information, raised unfounded concerns and makes pre-emptive judgment on the exchange between authorities and relevant individuals on a particular issue". He affirmed dialogues between Governments and concerned individuals and organisations as well as those between Governments and human rights mechanisms are fundamental in the promotion and protection of human rights, saying that the Vietnamese Government regrets the lack of constructive attitude of these experts.  Ambassador Dung reiterated that the Vietnamese Government always does its utmost to promote and protect human rights and has consistently demonstrated its good will and willingness in dialogue and … [Read more...] about Vietnam objects to UN human rights experts’ press release

International support is of great importance to Vietnam’s national liberation struggle and development. Don Tuan Phong, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations Foreign funding and experience in socio-economic development, poverty reduction, disaster response, and environmental protection have contributed to Vietnam’s evolution into a modern industrial country.  In the last more than three decades of renewal and international integration, Vietnam has gained numerous socio-economic achievements and become a lower middle income country.  This success is attributed to the assistance of foreign non-governmental organizations (NGOs), who continued to offer funding to Vietnam even though it is no longer on the priority list for international aid at the time it became a lower middle income country.   Effective assistance in the new period According to Don Tuan Phong, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations, … [Read more...] about International support important to Vietnam’s development

Dioxin-contaminated area in Bien Hoa airport He made the proposal during a working session with a delegation from Japan’s Foreign Ministry led by Yukiko Okano from the International Cooperation Bureau in Hanoi on April 3. Sen. Lieut. Gen. Vinh, who is head of the standing agency of the National Steering Committee on the Settlement of Post-war Unexploded Ordnance and Toxic Chemical Consequences (Committee 701), said that Vietnam hopes for having support from the international community, including Japan in dioxin remediation projects. He held that the Japanese delegation’s visit will lead to new cooperation activities between Vietnam and Japan in dealing with war aftermaths in general and dioxin consequences in Vietnam in particular, contributing to enhancing the partnership between the two countries. For her part, Yukiko Okano said that basing on information gathered during the visit, the delegation will discuss with experts and relevant agencies of Japan on the … [Read more...] about Vietnam wants Japan’s support in overcoming war consequences