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“THE RELEASE OF FATHER LY” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H1524 on March 17, 2010.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
THE RELEASE OF FATHER LY
(Mr. CAO asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. CAO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank the State Department for finally securing the release of Father Nguyen van Ly. I have advocated and pushed hard for Father Ly's release in the past year, and I'm glad that my hard work has come to fruition.
Father Ly is one of the many Vietnamese citizens who have been harassed for religious and democracy advocacy. He was placed on trial without defense and was imprisoned for almost 17 years for promoting human rights and religious freedom. As a Roman Catholic priest and prominent Vietnamese dissident, Father Ly has become a powerful icon in the ongoing fight for democracy in Vietnam. He is a hero for many Vietnamese worldwide.
While the release of Father Ly is a good start, we still have a long way to go. We as a country must uphold our values and must continue to challenge countries like Vietnam and China on their human rights and religious freedom violations. One day, maybe, my dream then will come true: A free and democratic Vietnam.
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