NEWS & VIEWS
from a CATHOLIC perspective

      HANOI (CWNews.com) - The UN special envoy for religious affairs complained on Wednesday that the Communist government of Vietnam is interfering with his visit to the country to examine the state of religious persecution.

      Adelfattah Amor said that the government has allowed him to meet with select leaders of state-run groups, but has kept him from seeing Catholic, Buddhist, and other leaders. "The special rapporteur regrets that he was not able to hold meetings with certain officials, with representatives of (some) religious communities -- Hoa Hao, Taoist, Confucionist, Hindu," Amor said in a statement released after he left Hanoi.

      While Vietnam's constitution guarantees freedom of religion, the government places severe restrictions on appointment of clergy, movement for religious purposes, and ties to foreign bodies including the Vatican. Amor said officials refused to allow him to talk privately with some people and directly prevented him from meeting others during the 10-day trip, which took three years to arrange. He is due to present a full report at the next session of the UN Human Rights Commission next year.