Vietnam Rejects UNHCR's Unverified Information
Bernama.com
May 17, 2016
HANOI - Vietnam's permanent representative to the United Nations (UN) Ambassador
Nguyen Trung Thanh, rejected the inaccurate, biased and unverified information
provided by the spokesperson of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human
Rights (UNHCR) on May 13, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported.
Vietnam has respected and ensured people's fundamental rights and freedoms,
including the right to freedom to gathering and the right to freedom of speech,
in compliance with the country's 2013 Constitution and international standards
on human rights, he affirmed on May 15, when dealing with reporters' queries
relating to the note from the spokesperson of the Office of the UNHCR.
Nguyen noted international conventions, especially those on civil and political
rights have prescribed that personal rights and freedoms must be exercised in
line with laws and without affecting security, public order, moral standards,
public health and rights and interests of others.
Based on that spirit, necessary measures that are employed by Vietnam to
safeguard traffic order, security and safety for people, particularly among the
elderly, women and children, are complying with the country's law and
international standards, Nguyen stressed.
Actions that provoke violence and disturb social order, affecting people's lives
need to be prevented within the framework of law and for the sake of the
community, he noted.
Referring to the recent environmental incident in the central region, the
Government, relevant localities and socio-political organisations have been
working together to support affected residents.
Vietnam, with support from international experts and partners, is working as
fast as possible to establish the causes of the incident and is providing
regular updates on it on the mass media, Nguyen stressed.
Vietnam welcomes international cooperation, including the UN in dealing with the
situation in a scientific, unbiased and constructive spirit, he said.
According to local media reports, spokesman of the UNHCR Office of the High
Commissioner Rupert Colville said the UN rights body is "concerned about the
increasing levels of violence perpetrated against Vietnamese protesters
expressing their anger over the mysterious mass deaths of fish along the
country's central coast."