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News
November 11, 2002
Holy
See Appeals to U.N. for Effective Religious Freedom
Calls It a Touchstone for Observance of Other Rights
NEW YORK (Zenit) - The Vatican appealed to
the international community for more effective respect of religious freedom and
firmly condemned recourse to violence in the name of religion.
Archbishop Renato Martino, head of the observer delegation of the Holy See to
the United Nations, made the appeal Friday to the General Assembly, which was
discussing human rights questions.
After publicly congratulating Brazilian Sergio Vieira de Mello, new High
Commissioner for Human Rights, who is replacing Mary Robinson of Ireland,
Archbishop Martino said that John Paul II maintains that, among "the fundamental
freedoms which the Church must defend, first place naturally goes to religious
freedom."
"The! right to freedom of religion is so closely linked to other fundamental
rights that it can rightly be argued that respect for religious freedom is, as
it were, a touchstone for the observance of other fundamental rights,"
Archbishop Martino said.
"The Holy See is especially concerned that in many parts of the world,
discriminatory or intolerant policies continue, with regard to minorities in
states having an official religion," he continued.
"Additional matters of concern are the combining of ethnic and religious
persecution in many parts of the world and the blatant disregard and disrespect
for churches, religious shrines or sites," he added.
"Religion expresses the deepest dreams, hopes and desires of the human person,"
said the archbishop, who is also the new president of the Pontifical Council for
Justice and Peace.
"Religious faith helps to shape people's vision of the world and affects their
relationships with others," he said. "Indeed, ! different peoples and cultures
throughout history and throughout the world testify to the many and varied ways
in which humankind addresses the meaning of creation, history and personal
existence.
"The right to life, the right to freedom of religion or belief, and respect for
religious and cultural heritage are the basic premises for human existence."
He added: "The fact that there are still many places today where the right to
gather for worship is either not recognized or is limited to the members of one
religion alone, or where religious belief is pushed aside in the name of
development or modern thought, is a sad commentary on any claim to a more just,
peaceful world where fundamental rights and freedoms are more widely promoted
and respected."
Lastly, the archbishop expressed the Catholic Church's conviction "that recourse
to violence, in the name of religious belief, is a perversion of the very
teachings of the major religions."
"The use of violence can never claim a religious justification, nor can it
foster the growth of true religious feeling," he emphasized.
"Differences between religious traditions must be accepted, respected and
tolerated," the archbishop emphasized. "The practice of any faith must be
conducted with respect for other religious traditions. Religious tolerance must
be based on the conviction that God wishes to be adored by people who are free.
This is a conviction which requires us to respect and honor personal conscience,
wherein each person meets God."
"The people of the world continue to be scandalized by the sharp divisions that
manifest themselves in the destruction of human life in the name of religion,"
he lamented.
"The Holy See renews its call to all women and men of faith everywhere, to
commit themselves courageously to the path that leads to peace, tolerance and
understanding," the archbishop added.
"This call is not impossible to hear nor is it an invitation impossible to
accept," he said. "It is, however an essential element to building a world in
which all people can live in peace and harmony with one another."
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Vietnamese star defends roles
In a letter to his sons, persecuted actor Don Duong speaks out, saying the
government has confused fiction and reality.
By Anita M. Busch , Times Staff Writer
(Los
Angeles Times) - Actor Don Duong, under virtual house arrest since he was
labeled a traitor by authorities in his native Vietnam, is speaking out for the
first time since his plight made him a Hollywood cause célèbre.
Although he has not granted interviews, Duong has written an impassioned letter
to his sons in which he decries the persecution of artists in Vietnam and
defends his work in the movies that have drawn the attention of the government:
"We Were Soldiers" (2002) with Mel Gibson, and "Green Dragon" (2001) with
Patrick Swayze and Forest Whitaker.
The letter was made available to The Times by Duong's family.
In September, the actor, once one of Vietnam's top stars, ran afoul of
authorities who viewed the films and seized his passport. Since then, Duong, who
has worked as an actor for 20 years and is a member of the Screen Actors Guild,
has been denied movie roles in his country.
The actor, who lives in Ho Chi Minh City with his two sons, 16-year-old Long and
11-year-old Linh, also faces jail time and may be prohibited from acting or
leaving the country for five years.
He wrote the letter to his sons as one of them sobbed in the next room, seeking
to give them courage and an understanding of why he is refusing to confess to
the crime of which he is accused. Duong, 45, writes that since he has been
"silenced," he is writing so his children "can know the truth, to affirm ...
that I am always and forever not a traitor."
Duong's sister, Susie Bui, who lives in the U.S., obtained the letter and
released it with his permission because he has not been permitted to give his
side of the story in the Vietnamese press, which is owned by the state.
"I believe there are a lot of people waiting to hear from him, and this is the
only way for him to communicate to the outside world," Bui said.
During the past few weeks, according to Bui, Duong's children have been harassed
and the 16-year-old was pulled out of his classroom and interrogated by school
officials. Duong's home and his actions are constantly monitored by the police,
Bui said.
Duong's plight has prompted many in Hollywood to send letters to U.S. and
Vietnamese officials. Gibson, "Soldiers" filmmaker Randall Wallace, Swayze,
Whitaker, and actor Harvey Keitel have rallied behind Duong, defending his
patriotism and asking for leniency. U.S. officials also have contacted
Vietnamese officials in an effort to find a resolution.
In his letter, Duong says Vietnamese officials have confused cinema and reality.
"Movies must reflect the portrait of history. 'Green Dragon' re-creates the
refugee camps full of tragedy and chaos but still not lacking love and
fellowship.... When I portrayed the character Tai, I had to assume the viewpoint
of that character, not my own viewpoint. Only idiots who know nothing about
movies would confuse Don Duong with the character Don Duong portrays."
He cites lyrics of a song sung by his character in the film, and adds: "To
attribute those sentiments to the actor Don Duong is truly ridiculous and
extremely cruel."
He said he took the role in "Green Dragon" -- which was produced, written and
directed by Duong's nephews, Tony and Timothy Linh Bui -- to offer a more
realistic perception of Vietnamese refugees.
"Some conservatives ... have always considered those refugees as people who
betrayed their country and their people," he writes. "Now that the war is more
than a quarter of a century removed, perceptions must change.... They are an
integral part of the Vietnamese people."
In his letter, Duong notes with irony that the other movie to draw government
disapproval -- "We Were Soldiers" -- was condemned by the same Vietnamese
official who lauded a Vietnamese film, "Farewell of River Ba," even though that
movie showed a "very negative image" of Vietnamese soldiers.
In the last month, Duong has been taken from his home and interrogated twice by
Vietnamese government officials and ordered to sign a statement admitting his
crime. Duong refused.
In the letter, Duong explains why he agreed to appear in "We Were Soldiers."
"I had been invited by filmmaker Randall Wallace to Paramount to discuss
Vietnamese soldiers as heroes and with an attitude of great respect," he writes.
Gen. Harold Moore, author of the book on which the movie was based, admired the
leadership of the Vietnamese military leader Duong would portray and the courage
of the troops he led.
"Filmmaker Randall Wallace made this film in that spirit. I was very proud and
happy to be allowed to portray Lt. Col. Nguyen Huu An. This film was made out to
honor the young soldiers who lost their lives in this war."
In the letter, Duong concludes with an emotionally charged homage to his art,
his country and his supporters.
"A film is a work of art, so each person can view it from a different
perspective, but if you take the view of just a few people and condemn me as a
traitor, that would be a precedent in the history of international cinema.
"I might be 'naive' about politics, but there's one thing I'm sure of: I have
done nothing that bothers my conscience, have done nothing that is untruthful,
have done nothing that I would want to take back. I have [acted in these films]
to erase hate and promote love.
"Luckily, in [Vietnam] I have encountered many people who share my views. They
help me and encourage me not to give in, not to lose hope and humanity in our
country.
"No matter where, at Sundance, Berlin, Japan ... I always am proud to be
Vietnamese. I have never done or said anything that would have negative
consequences for my homeland. I forever respect and value the spirit of the
people of Vietnam, just as the sentiment of the people who are not limited by
national borders who have supported me.
"My dear children, make sure you always remember that relationships between
people, even if in other countries, have no border. Despite governments, people
around the world have one heart."
* * *
Times staff writers Minh Dang and Mai Tran translated Duong's letter.
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