Clinton might address human rights issues

HANOI, Vietnam, Oct. 28 (UPI) -- Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., called on U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to discuss alleged human rights violations in a visit to Vietnam.

Clinton starts a two-day visit to Vietnam Friday, her second trip there in four months, The Washington Post reported.

In the past few days, Vietnam has arrested two bloggers, refused to release another blogger from prison after he completed his sentence, and convicted three labor party activists and six Catholic villagers on human rights-related offenses, the newspaper said.

Vietnam has jailed about 50 people for politically related crimes, and Boxer said Clinton should press the country about its alleged human rights violations. The U.S. Embassy released a statement expressing concern, saying the issue threatens progress made between the United States and Vietnam.

Some analysts, generally Western diplomats, say the recent arrests are a crackdown on dissidents as Vietnam's Communist Party prepares for its first party congress in five years in January. Since last October, 21 people have been jailed for crimes involving peaceful expression of their views, the report said.

Generally Vietnamese analysts said this week's arrests are part of a pattern related to an internal struggle within the Communist Party over its relationship with the United States.