News

November 12, 2002

Major Vietnam Internet Service Provider FPT infringes on user privacy: Is FPT a front for the government to spy on its citizens and businesses?

By Dan Duy Hoang and Baoky N. Vu

(Tomorrow Vietnamese Forum) - Imagine going to an Internet cafe and having the Internet Service Provider report the contents of your emails to the Ministry of Public Security. That's what happened to Le Chi Quang, a 32-year old computer teacher charged with "Spreading propaganda against the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam."

In a six-page indictment dated September 24, 2002, the Supreme People's Inspectorate of Vietnam offers up a memo from the FPT Corporation alerting the Ministry of Public Security of a “suspect frequenting Internet-access rental sites at 464 Nguyen Chi Thanh Street and 463 Thuy Khue Street, Hanoi and using electronic mailbox to communicate with a number of reactionary individuals and groups overseas.” Based on this information, “on February 21, 2002 the Public Security task group of Ward Lang Thuong - Dong Da verified and caught Le Chi Quang in the act of accessing the Internet at 464 Nguyen Chi Thanh Street - Hanoi to send email overseas.” He has been jailed since.

FPT, a state funded enterprise, is one of the major Internet Service Providers in Vietnam. According to its vision statement, the "Corporation for Financing and Promoting Technology aspires to be recognized as an organization driven by scientific and technology innovation, a contributor to the prosperity of the nation, and an inspiration to its staff to develop its full potential and to achieve both material and spiritual growth." But it appears that FPT acts as a front for the Vietnamese government to spy on its citizens and businesses.

Hanoi’s case against Le Chi Quang (available at http://www.fva.org/200210/allegations_lcq.pdf) is an indictment of its disregard for individual privacy, adding to a consistently bad human rights record. The Vietnamese government’s treatment of its own citizens is a telling sign of the business environment it offers. Authorities talk about developing an IT industry, but then restrict Internet use and treat the exchange of ideas as a crime. To prevent "anti-government" ideas from being expressed, authorities censor the emails of citizens and businesses and FPT acts an informant for the Vietnamese secret police.

One wonders how the Vietnamese people can develop their full potential to achieve both material and spiritual growth when the government wants to practice market capitalism but doesn’t respect the free marketplace of ideas? This also raises the question of whether the Vietnamese communist government is earnest in bringing Vietnam out of poverty by implementing market reforms or is just trying to maintain its monopoly on power?

Dan Duy Hoang (Washington D.C.)
Baoky N. Vu (Atlanta, GA)

The authors serve on the Board of Directors of the Vietnamese-American Public Affairs Committee (VPAC), a grassroots organization focusing on voter education and issue advocacy.
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Vietnam PM says reform must be speeded up for WTO entry

HANOI (AFP) - Prime Minister Phan Van Khai has told the opening session of parliament that Vietnam needed to speed up its reform process and boost competitiveness to ensure entry into the World Trade Organization.

In a hard hitting address on Tuesday, Khai said failure to rise to regional and international levels of competitiveness could negatively impact on the communist-ruled country's ambitious goal of joining the WTO by 2005.

"Vietnam is less developed than other countries in terms of economic development, technology and competitiveness, and preparation of Vietnamese enterprises to join the WTO is still insufficient.

"If we don't deal with our shortcomings we will lose our chance," he told the deputies gathered for the second month-long session of the 498-member 11th National Assembly, which was elected in May polls.

In his lengthy speech, Khai said the slow pace of administrative and legal reforms needed to be fast-tracked, particularly with regard to land rights and banking reforms in order to encourage flagging foreign direct investment.

He also reiterated the need to eradicate corruption and restore people's confidence in law enforcement agencies, which he acknowledged had been eroded following the dismantling of the country's biggest crime ring.

"Severe corruption, bureaucracy, waste and violations of democracy are the most urgent problems in society," he said.

"Realities show that socio-economic development cannot be sustainable in the absence of security and a law-abiding lifestyle."

The arrest of Ho Chi Minh City-based mafia boss Nam Cam in December led to a series of explosive revelations about corruption within the government, the ruling Communist Party and security forces.

Vietnam's number three leader said officials who used their position for material gains would be severely punished regardless of who they were.

Khai also warned that "bad elements" stirring up political and religious sentiments "to violate the law, to lure, ignite and separate the people and harm the national security" would be strictly dealt with.

Over the coming weeks, the legislature is expected to approve a controversial hydro-electric power project and various administrative reform bills.
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Vietnam economy booms on exports, private enterprise

By Christina Toh-Pantin

HANOI (Reuters) - Vietnam's economy, one of Asia's fastest-growing, may expand at an even quicker clip next year, fuelled by exports to the United States and booming local consumption as the communist-ruled country loosens its grip on private business.

A trade pact with its former enemy, the United States, has boosted sales of shrimps, catfish and garments to the world's largest economy, while at home demand for mobile phones and expensive foreign-made motorcycles is booming.

Prime Minister Phan Van Khai told Tuesday's opening session of the National Assembly, the highest legislative body: "In the 2003 plan, GDP (gross domestic product) growth should be targeted at 7.0 to 7.5 percent."

That compares with seven-percent growth this year and keeps Vietnam up there as one of the best-performing economies in Asia, along with China and South Korea.

With a large golden bust of the country's founder and revered revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh looming in the background, Khai said the government was seeking growth of eight percent per year in 2004 and 2005.

The government's estimates are more or less backed by the World Bank, which sees robust economic growth in the medium term.

But ratings agencies and donors are still watching for promised progress on structural reforms.

Standard & Poor's rates Vietnam BB-minus stable and its director of Asia-Pacific sovereign ratings, Takahira Ogawa, said on Tuesday that should hold "unless we don't see progress in structural reform and restructurings of the state-owned sector".

From January to June 2002 -- the first six months of the trade pact with the United States -- exports from Vietnam to America rose 81 percent over the same period last year.

WTO ON HORIZON

The country has come a long way from the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. Spurred by economic renewal or "doi moi" in the 1980s, it has evolved from a centrally planned economy to a market-oriented one like rival China.

Hanoi clearly looks over its shoulder at its giant neighbour, which draws the bulk of foreign investment in the region.

"The fact that China has entered the World Trade Organisation will impact greatly on exports and the attraction of foreign investment of our country," Nguyen Duc Kien, head of the National Assembly's Economic and Budgetary Commission, told delegates.

Vietnam aims to be in the world trade body by 2005.

The GDP growth target for 2003 compares with a World Bank forecast of 7.0 percent and one from the Economist Intelligence Unit of 6.8 percent. The economy grew 6.8 percent last year.

The focus on macroeconomics was a switch from the assembly's July session, when anti-graft was a key theme as authorities cracked down on corrupt officials and organised crime.

Khai also highlighted the need to ensure the rights of minorities and religion. Minority and religious issues have been flashpoints for Hanoi, and are closely scrutinised by the diplomatic community.

Several diplomats who attended the session said they were struck by the discussion about minority rights, a sensitive point in the tightly controlled country.

"He (Prime Minister Khai) spoke a lot about ethnic minorities. That's positive," one diplomat said.

Traditionally viewed as a rubber-stamp for the party, the assembly has sought to be more transparent and open to the people. Tuesday's session was the second annual one and runs through to December 20.
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