Economic progress key to securing human rights in Viet Nam, U.S. Ambassador says

The newly appointed U.S. Ambassador to Viet Nam, Michael Michalak, said on Sunday that he would push for human rights in the country, the Los Angeles Times reported today.

The ambassador, speaking at a town hall meeting in Westminster, California, said his focus on encouraging foreign investment to boost Viet Nam’s economy and strengthening the education system will enable greater human rights and political reform in the country.

“There are some things in an open society that are needed to attract large amounts of investment in Vietnam,” Michalak said. “The Vietnamese government will be forced to be more transparent.”

“Human rights will follow when people have a better life, and that comes from a better economy,” said Peter Duong, president of Westminster-based Vietnamese Federation of Labor in Overseas.

Michalak warned, however, that change cannot be expected to occur overnight. He urged Vietnamese Americans – some of whom have called on the U.S. to increase pressure on Hanoi before engaging in more trade – to have patience.

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U.S. supports poppy eradication progress in Afghanistan, but calls for further reform

The U.S. State Department’s annual report on drug-trafficking recently identified 20 major drug-transit and drug-producing countries, including Afghanistan – which provides the majority of the world’s opium supply, according to Radio Free Europe /Radio Liberty.

The report praised Afghanistan for marked improvement against poppy cultivation, particularly in the northern provinces, 13 of which are now poppy-free, according to Christy McCampbell, head of the department’s Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement.

However, McCampbell concedes that the same progress has not been evident in the southern provinces, where the Taliban has a stronghold.

“Despite the significant gains the country has made since 2001, the country does continue to face tremendous challenges. Not addressing these challenges now could undermine security, compromise democratic legitimacy, and imperil international support for vital assistance to that country,” McCampbell said.

Poppy cultivation continues to be a major source of income for the many of Afghanistan’s farmers and accounts for approximately one-third of the entire country’s economy. Although the U.S. will not immediately withdraw aid from the country, Afghan President Hamid Karzai continues to be pressured to do more to combat the poppy problem.

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