August 25, 2002 Boston Herald p.22
As You Were Saying...
By Kevin Bowen
(Boston Herald www.bostonherald.com) - The story of the war in Vietnam and its aftermath is filled with more than its share of tragedy, suffering, sorrow, anger and irony. The sad truth is no matter which side one takes in debates over the war's conduct or outcomes, one is left finally with a feeling of emptiness, incompleteness, sadness and dissatisfaction. For years now, Americans and Vietnamese have struggled to find some satisfactory closure, some way of healing the "heart-sized" hole in their lives and their histories that the war has made.
In one of the war's latest and saddest ironies, Massachusetts Sen. John F. Kerry and Arizona Sen. John McCain - both decorated Vietnam War heroes who have spent most of their post-war years trying to patch that hole for fellow veterans and the people of Vietnam - today find themselves attacked for supporting better economic relations with Vietnam and for holding back a poor and misguided piece of legislation, the Vietnam Human Rights bill.
Those who know Vietnam and have traveled to that country over the past 15 years know first-hand the results of McCain and Kerry's work. Those who traveled to Vietnam in the late 1980s, in the days of the embargo, can testify to the hardships of those times. They remember that period when thousands were still in re-education camps; when travel permits were difficult to come by; when friends could meet only under supervision in hotel lobbies; when hospitals were devoid of basic drugs and equipment; and churches and temples were empty.
In those days, there was no support for humanitarian efforts. No trade was permitted, and people needlessly suffered and died for lack of medicine, food, clothing - the basic necessities of life.
The lifting of the embargo and the opening of diplomatic relations, which McCain and Kerry supported in conjunction with the resolution of the POW-MIA issue, have meant new life for the people of Vietnam, a better quality of life.
Those traveling to Vietnam today still may find causes for concern, but they are able to visit and stay with families and friends in their homes, and to move about freely. They find markets, churches and temples filled, people fed and clothed and a young generation of Vietnamese who share much in common with young generations around the globe.
This is real progress, but the Vietnam Human Rights bill threatens that progress. It would require any humanitarian, educational or business organization working in Vietnam to submit an annual report on human rights progress in Vietnam, or lose federal support. Under the bill, Vietnam's favorable trade status would depend on continued progress in human rights as reflected in these reports.
Affected groups have been quick to point out that the proposed legislation is an attack on their independence and autonomy. They say the act threatens to politicize their work and make their credibility in Vietnam tenous. Some fear that many organizations will reject government assistance or refuse to make reports if the bill is passed. They also fear trade cutbacks, the curtailment of educational and humanitarian exchanges and an overall erosion of Vietnam-U.S. relations.
They fear the result will be only more bad feelings and setbacks for economic and human rights progress in Vietnam.
Some believe this scenario may well be the aim of the legislation, that it is just another in a continuing series of efforts to punish Vietnam . They point out there are already mechanisms in place for reviewing human rights, performance, and that last week the House voted 388-91 to continue Vietnam's current trade status.
It may seem unpatriotic to balk at something as high sounding as the Vietnam Human Rights bill, but Kerry and McCain know the easy and popular course is not necessarily the right one. Both have come under previous attacks for their efforts. They have been accused of the most far-fetched crimes, and of being "communist sympathizers." Yet they have held courageously and firmly to principle. They deserve our praise and support.
Kevin Bowen is a Vietnam veteran and director of the William Joiner Center for the Study of War and Social Consequences of the University of Massachusetts at Boston.