NCVA REPORTER - November 16, 2004

In this NCVA Reporter:

Events

• Seminars to Help Nonprofits Use the Internet
• Training Conference on Workplace Giving – Jan 20-23, 2005

Funding Opportunities

• Funds for the Environment, Peace, and an Informed Public
• Abbott Supports Company Communities
• Intel Focuses on Education and the Environment
• Focus on Hunger, Health and Nutrition, and Education and Youth
• Supporting the Community - Free Hosting
• Accent on Architecture Community Grants Program
• $50,000 Grants for Education, Inner City Outreach
• OVC Grants for Victims' Rights Awareness
• Red Cross September 11 Recovery Grants Program Offers Funding for Youth Recovery and Resilience
• Texas Communities Invited to Apply for OneStar National Service Commission Grants
• Independent Sector Invites Nominations for Leadership IS Award

Jobs/Internships

• White House Fellows Program
• Anheuser-Busch and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Seeking Applications
• Robert Wood Johnson Executive Nurse Fellows Program – 2005
• AAJA Student Programs Coordinator

Tips/Resources

• Free SPAM Filtering Software Available to Nonprofits on December 15th

News

• National Multilingual Exit Poll of 11,000 Asian American Voters Finds 74% Favor John Kerry; 38% are First-time Voters (Press Release)
• In Austin, Veterans of All Stripes Thanked  (Austin American-Statesman)
• New Ambassador Visits Provinces (Mercury News)
• Guard Sgt. Quoc Binh Tran, 26, Mission Viejo; Killed in Iraq (Los Angeles Times)
• Vietnam Human Rights Network Announces Vietnam Human Rights Prize Winners for 2004 (Press Release)
• Federal Observers to Monitor San Diego Special Vote for City Council Seat (Associated Press)
• Doua Thor Appointed New Deputy Director of SEARAC (Press Release)
• UN Accuses Vietnam of Violating International Law for Jailing Dissident (Agence France Presse)

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EVENTS

SEMINARS TO HELP NONPROFITS USE THE INTERNET

ePhilanthropy Training Tour

The ePhilanthropy Foundation's Global ePhilanthropy Training Tour offers half-day seminars designed to help nonprofit organizations learn how to effectively use the Internet to build community and attract philanthropic support online. With training provided by ePhilanthropy Master Trainers, each seminar includes case studies, best practices, tips for success, and information on the importance of the ePhilanthropy Code of Ethical Online Philanthropic Practices. Upcoming seminars in the U.S. will be held in Washington, DC; Anchorage, AK; and Naples/Ft. Myers, FL.

(http://www.ephilanthropy.org/site/PageServer?pagename=etour)

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TRAINING CONFERENCE ON WORKPLACE GIVING

Growth Through Diversity: National Workplace Giving Training Conference

The National Alliance for Choice in Giving, a membership association of local, state, and national workplace giving federations and funds, is presenting its National Workplace Giving Training Conference January 20-23, 2005, in Las Vegas, NV. The conference is a national training and networking opportunity open to the staff and volunteer leaders of workplace giving organizations, employers, funders, and all others interested in the development and enhancement of employee giving. Under the theme "Growth Through Diversity," the conference will address how workplace giving benefits from and promotes diversity.

(http://www.choiceingiving.com/events/lvdetail.asp)

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FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

FUNDS FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, PEACE, AND AN INFORMED PUBLIC

Town Creek Foundation

The Town Creek Foundation seeks a healthy environment, an informed society, and a peaceful world through public education, citizen action, and advocacy. The Foundation focuses support on programs that engage citizens in challenging the unsustainable use of natural resources and in protecting biological diversity; programs that promote peace; and news and commentary programs on issues directly relevant to the Foundation's areas of interest, including public TV and radio, investigative reporting, and programs that monitor and challenge mainstream media to present a broader range of perspectives and stories. Nonprofit organizations throughout the U.S. are eligible to apply. Additionally, the Foundation has a local program that provides support to protect the environment and improve the opportunities for the people of Talbot County, MD. Letters of inquiry are accepted year-round. The next deadline for submitting full applications is January 15, 2005.

(http://www.towncreekfdn.org/)

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ABBOTT SUPPORTS COMPANY COMMUNITIES

Abbott Laboratories Fund

The Abbott Laboratories Fund primarily supports nonprofit organizations in the communities where the company has operations, including communities in Arizona, California, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Texas, Utah, and Virginia. For a list of Abbott communities visit http://www.abbott.com/corporate/unitedstates.html. The Fund supports health and welfare; educational institutions benefiting the health care industry and its employees; and arts, cultural and civic activities. Applications are accepted throughout the year. Visit the above website for more information or to access the online application form.

(http://www.abbott.com/citizenship/fund/fund.cfm)

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INTEL FOCUSES ON EDUCATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Intel Corporate Contributions Program

Intel Corporation is committed to maintaining and enhancing the quality of life in the communities where the company has a major presence. Intel's primary giving focus is education, with emphasis on K-12 education, higher education, and community programs and other education programs that advance science, math, and technology education, particularly for women and underserved populations. Intel also provides funds for environmental programs and programs that improve the quality of life in company communities. Nonprofit organizations serving company communities in Arizona, California, Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Utah, and Washington are eligible to apply. Intel also provides support in international locations where the company has a presence. Applications are accepted throughout the year.

(http://www.intel.com/community/grant.htm)

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FOCUS ON HUNGER, HEALTH AND NUTRITION, AND EDUCATION AND YOUTH

Albertson's Corporate Contributions Program

Albertson's primarily supports nonprofit organizations in the communities that the company serves, including communities in 31 states. The company's charitable support is focused on hunger relief, health and nutrition, and education and youth development. Applications are accepted year-round.

(http://www.albertsons.com/abs_inthecommunity/community_support/how_to_grant.asp)

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SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY – FREE HOSTING

As part of their social responsibility commitment, ThinkHost, a progressive web hosting company, is offering free hosting to US-based, registered nonprofit progressive organizations whose primary focus is environment, grass roots democracy, peace, social/economic justice or human rights.

(http://www.thinkhost.com/options/free-hosting.shtml)

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ACCENT ON ARCHITECTURE COMMUNITY GRANTS PROGRAM

The American Architectural Foundation’s Accent on Architecture Community Grants program assists local nonprofit design and civic organizations in producing innovative public education programming. Projects should illustrate an increased awareness, appreciation, and understanding of architecture and design among students in the K-12 age range. The Foundation is especially interested in programs targeting underserved populations. Applications must be postmarked by December 15, 2004.

(http://www.archfoundation.org/grants/index.htm)

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$50,000 GRANTS FOR EDUCATION, INNER CITY OUTREACH

Applications are being accepted by the Teammates for Kids Foundation from nonprofits that serve children in the areas of education, health, and inner-city support.

The foundation is looking for health programs that focus on prevention and recovery from health problems as well as education initiatives that encourage healthy living.

Individual grants range for $10,000 to $50,000. Only nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status may apply; the primary stipulation is that 100 percent of grant money goes directly to children's services.

For more information, visit the foundation online, or mail Teammates for Kids Foundation, 7851 South Elati St., Suite 200, Littleton, CO 80120.

(http://www.teammates4kids.com/)

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OVC GRANTS FOR VICTIMS’ RIGHTS AWARENESS

The Justice Department's Office for Victims of Crime will award funds to communities conducting National Crime Victims' Week (NCVRW) Community Awareness Projects.

The OVC is looking for "innovative and collaborative approaches to promote community-wide awareness of victims' rights and available services." Chosen communities will be eligible for a $5,000 reimbursement of expenses for conducting these awareness initiatives.

The NCVRW takes place April 10-16, 2005. The deadline for application is Dec. 3, 2004. For more information, visit the OVC online.

(http://www.ovc.gov/)

(http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/fund/2005NCVRWfund/welcome.html)

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RED CROSS SEPTEMBER 11 RECOVERY GRANTS PROGRAM OFFERS FUNDING FOR YOUTH RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE

The American Red Cross September 11 Recovery Grants Program has issued a Request for Applications in the area of Youth Recovery and Resilience.

Funding is available to support mental health services and resiliency programs for children directly impacted or personally exposed to the events of 9/11; training or support for the caring adults in their lives; and collaborations or partnerships among services providers and specialized centers capable of providing professional support for the diagnosis and treatment of children and youth affected by traumatic experiences.

Communities that have the highest concentrations of children and youth exposed to and/or directly impacted by the events and trauma of 9/11 will be given the highest priority for funding.

Applicants must be a tax-exempt, nonprofit organization as defined under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or partner with an organization that has nonprofit status and experience acting as a fiscal conduit providing management assistance services. Examples include but are not limited to youth serving agencies, educational programs or centers, community mental health clinics, faith-based or other community organizations, and after-school programs.

Grants typically will be awarded for twelve-month periods, beginning some time between January 1, 2005, and July 1, 2005. A few grants may be shorter in length, if appropriate. In general, grant amounts will range between $25,000 and $250,000.

Visit the Red Cross Recovery Grants Program Web site for complete program guidelines and application instructions.

(http://www.recoverygrants.org/)

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TEXAS COMMUNITIES INVITED TO APPLY FOR ONESTAR NATIONAL SERVICE COMMISSION GRANTS

The OneStar National Service Commission (OneStar NSC), which works to increase the impact and effectiveness of Texas civil society by promoting volunteerism, forging networks and collaborations, and providing knowledge and tools to build strong, healthy organizations, is accepting applications for AmeriCorps*State programs. OneStar NSC seeks to fund programs that engage members in addressing health, public safety, homeland security, education, or human service needs in Texas communities.

Specific programs include:

State Priority Grant: Designed to meet state priorities specified by OneStar NSC. Onestar NCS seeks applications that focus on: 1) prisoner re-entry, including mentoring children of prisoners and strengthening marriage initiatives to re-establish families of prisoners; 2) intermediaries in high poverty, underserved geographic areas where AmeriCorps programs currently do not exist; and 3) juvenile obesity prevention.

Professional Corp Grant: Designed to assist communities working to address professional shortages within their community. OneStar NSC seeks to fund programs that recruit and place qualified AmeriCorps members in positions as teachers, nurses, doctors, police officers, lawyers, architects, engineers, or other professionals helping to meet critical needs in communities with inadequate numbers of such professionals.

Education Award Grant: Designed to complement organizations with existing volunteer programs or institutions of higher education with community-based placements for federal work-study students. The grant is intended to add value to these programs by providing their volunteers or students with post-service education awards for their service commitment.

Visit the OneStar Foundation Web site for specific funding information, application instructions, and background information.

(http://www.onestarfoundation.org/onestar/nofa/)

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INDEPENDENT SECTOR INVITES NOMINATIONS FOR LEADERSHIP IS AWARD

Independent Sector established the Leadership IS Award in 1999 to recognize organizations that value and develop a culture of investing in the people of the independent sector as they work to build community. The Leadership IS Award supports this principle by acknowledging an organization that incorporates the development of future leaders in its policies and daily operations.

The recipient of the Leadership IS Award receives an award statuette and a gift of $10,000.

The recipient organization will have demonstrated its commitment to internal and external leadership development by embodying and promoting an inclusive and diverse community, including youth and emerging leaders; holding principles of leadership development central to the way the organization functions as reflected in its mission, programs, and activities; possessing and incorporating concrete strategies and systems that encourage and provide opportunities for staff and volunteer leadership development in the organization and the community; and having in place and exercising strategies that advance the vision, mission, and values central to the work of the organization and its desired outcomes.

Anyone may nominate an organization to receive the award. To be eligible, an organization must be a nonprofit but need not be an Independent Sector member.

See the Independent Sector Web site for program guidelines, information on past winners, and an online nomination form.

(http://www.independentsector.org/programs/leadership/organizationalaward.htm)

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JOBS/INTERNSHIPS

WHITE HOUSE FELLOWS PROGRAM

You can become a part of one of America's most prestigious programs for leadership and public service.  Founded in 1964, the White House Fellows Program offers exceptional young men and women first-hand experience working at the highest levels of the Federal government.

White House Fellows typically spend a year working as full-time, paid special assistants to senior White House Staff, the Vice President, Cabinet Secretaries, and other top-ranking government officials.  Fellows also participate in an education program consisting of roundtable discussions with renowned leaders from the private and public sectors, and trips to study U.S. policy in action both domestically and internationally.

Applications must be postmarked by February 1, 2005 for the 2005-2006 Class.  Fellowships are awarded on a strictly non-partisan basis. Applicants must be U.S. citizens.  Employees of the Federal government are not eligible unless they are career military personnel.  There are no age restrictions; however the program was created to give remarkable young Americans this experience early in their careers.  Applicants must have completed their undergraduate studies and be working in their chosen professions at the time of consideration.

The program has fostered a legacy of leadership, with nearly 600 alumni who are respected leaders.  Alumni include Secretary of State Colin Powell, Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao, former CNN President Tom Johnson, and American Red Cross President Marsha Evans.

For more information about the program, to view an informational film, and to download an application, please visit the program website at www.whitehouse.gov/fellows, or call the program office at (202) 395-4522.

(www.whitehouse.gov/fellows)

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ANHEUSER-BUSCH AND THE NATIONAL FISH AND WILDLIFE FOUNDATION SEEKING APPLICATIONS

Anheuser-Busch and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation are seeking applications for the 2005 Budweiser Conservation Scholarship Program. This competitive scholarship program supports and promotes innovative research or study that seeks to respond to today’s most pressing conservation issues by eligible graduate and undergraduate students who are poised to make a significant contribution to the field of conservation. Applications are due January 15, 2004.

(http://www.nfwf.org/budscholarship/index.htm)

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ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON EXECUTIVE NURSE FELLOWS PROGRAM - 2005

The Nurse Fellow Program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation offers leadership development for nurses who have senior executive roles in health services, public health, and nursing education and who aspire to help shape the U.S. health care system of the future. The three-year fellowships offer participants the experiences, insights, competencies, and skills necessary for executive leadership positions in a health care system undergoing unprecedented change. Applications for this program must be submitted online by February 1, 2005.

(http://www.rwjf.org/applying/cfpDetail.jsp?cfpCode=ENL&emailid=1110%2B000007!000010!%2B11052004)

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AAJA STUDENT PROGRAMS COORDINATOR

Asian American Journalist Association seeks a Student Programs Coordinator to be responsible for administering all AAJA projects and programs that encourage young people to enter the journalism field.  For detailed description and application procedure, go to http://www.aaja.org/about/jobs/.

AAJA is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, age, religion, gender, sexual orientation or political affiliation.

(http://www.aaja.org/about/jobs/)

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TIPS/RESOURCES

FREE SPAM FILTERING SOFTWARE AVAILABLE TO NONPROFITS ON DECEMBER 15TH

TechSoup.org and Mailshell: 2nd Annual Stop Spam Today Campaign

On December 15, 2004 nonprofit organizations will have the opportunity to order free anti-spam software from Mailshell through TechSoup Stock. Organizations must be registered with TechSoup Stock to participate in the giveaway. Also as part of the 2nd Annual "Stop Spam Today" Campaign, the TechSoup.org website will feature articles and discussions about protecting your organization from the dangers of spam from November 9 through December 15, 2004. Visit the website listed above for more information or to register to participate in the December 15 offer.

(http://www.stopspamtoday.org/stop_spam_fd.html?advsource=NPT110904)

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NEWS

November 10, 2004

ASIAN AMERICAN LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATION FUND
MEDIA RELEASE

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Margaret Fung, Executive Director, 212.966.5932x201
Glenn Magpantay, Staff Attorney, 917.439.3158
Nancy Yu, Policy Analyst, 212.966.5932 x207

NATIONAL MULTILINGUAL EXIT POLL OF 11,000 ASIAN AMERICAN VOTERS FINDS 74% FAVOR JOHN KERRY; 38% ARE FIRST-TIME VOTERS

Voters Express Greatest Concern About Jobs and the Economy

New York City . The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) today announced preliminary findings from its multilingual, nonpartisan exit poll of almost 11,000 Asian American voters in eight states.  Asian American voters responded to written questionnaires translated into 9 Asian languages at 82 poll sites in 20 cities in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Virginia, Michigan, and Illinois.

AALDEF Executive Director Margaret Fung said:  "The record turnout of Asian American voters demonstrated our community's extraordinary interest in the electoral process this year. Numerous grass-roots groups across the country focused on increasing Asian American voter registration and turnout, with many new alliances formed across racial and ethnic lines."

Asian American voters were surveyed in 23 Asian languages and dialects as they left 82 polling places in 8 states:

• By a 4 to 1 margin, Asian Americans favored Senator John Kerry over President George W. Bush, 74% to 24%, with 2% voting for other candidates.

• 38% of Asian Americans polled were first-time voters.

• The most important issues influencing Asian Americans in their vote for President were: Economy/Jobs (27%); War in Iraq (16%); Terrorism/Security (16%); Health care (14%); Civil rights/immigrant rights (12%); Education (8%); Other (4%); and Crime in neighborhoods (3%).

• Among first-time Asian American voters, 78% voted for Kerry, 20% voted for Bush, and 2% voted for other candidates.  The most important issues to first-time voters were Economy/Jobs (27%), War in Iraq (17%), and Terrorism/Security (14%).

• Among Bush supporters, the most important issues were Terrorism/Security (33%), Economy/Jobs (18%), and the War in Iraq (12%).

• Among Kerry supporters, the most important issues were Economy/Jobs (29%); War in Iraq (18%), and Health Care (15%).

National exit polls conducted by the National Election Pool (ABC, Associated Press, CBS, CNN, Fox News and NBC News) and the Los Angeles Times likewise found that Asian American voters favored Kerry over Bush:

• National Election Pool (Edison Media Research and Mitofsky International):  With Asian Americans comprising 2% of the total number of voters surveyed nationwide (13,660 voters), 56% of Asian Americans voted for Kerry and 44% voted for Bush.

• Los Angeles Times:  With Asian Americans comprising 3% of a national sample of 5,514 voters at 136 polling places (including 3,357 California voters at 50 poll sites statewide), 64% of Asian Americans voted for Kerry and 34% voted for Bush.

AALDEF's multilingual exit polls reveal vital information about Asian American voting patterns that is often overlooked in mainstream voter surveys. AALDEF has conducted exit polls of Asian American voters in every major election since 1988, noting the growing involvement of new citizens in the electoral process.   In the 2000 Presidential Election, the AALDEF exit poll surveyed 5,040 Asian American voters in New York City.

Additional results from the 2004 AALDEF exit poll will be released soon, with more detailed information about voter preferences, party enrollment, and issues of concern, need for bilingual voter assistance, and a description of problems faced by Asian American voters at the polls on Election Day.

AALDEF also monitored hundreds of poll sites to document incidents of anti-Asian voter disenfranchisement.  AALDEF Staff Attorney Glenn D. Magpantay said, "Just like in 2000, this year Asian Americans again faced an array of barriers that prevented them from exercising their right to vote."  AALDEF is analyzing hundreds of reports submitted by volunteer attorneys, poll monitors, and individual voters, describing how local jurisdictions implemented the federal Voting Rights Act and implementation of the new federal Help America Vote Act (HAVA) and will release a report on its election protection activities in the coming months.

The 2004 AALDEF exit poll, the national multilingual Asian-language hotline and election monitoring activities were conducted with the assistance of several community organizations, including the Asian American Bar Association of New York, Asian Pacific American Agenda Coalition, Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center, Boston Asian Students Alliance, Chinatown Voter Education Alliance, Harry H. Dow Memorial Legal Assistance Fund, Korean American Voters' Council of NY/NJ, Korean American Resource and Cultural Center, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law-Boston, National Asian American Student Conference, National Korean American Service and Education Consortium, Providence Youth and Student Movement, South Asian American Leaders of Tomorrow,  South Asian American Voting Youth, Vietnamese American Initiative for Development, Young Korean American Service and Education Center, and Asian Pacific American Law Student Association chapters across the country.

***
The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, founded in 1974, protects and promotes the civil rights of Asian Americans through litigation, legal advocacy and community education in the areas of immigrant rights, civic participation and voting rights, economic justice for workers, hate violence and police misconduct, youth rights and educational equity, affirmative action, and language rights.

ASIAN AMERICAN LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATION FUND
99 Hudson Street, 12th floor, New York, NY 10013-2815
Defending the civil rights of Asian Americans since 1974
T 212.966.5932  F 212.966.4303  www.aaldef.org

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November 12, 2004

IN AUSTIN, VETERANS OF ALL STRIPES THANKED
Vietnamese Americans make a statement, say thanks.

By Steven Kreytak
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF

They lined Congress Avenue in the autumn morning sunshine -- the gray-haired elderly, the dressed-up office workers, the wide-eyed children. They waved American flags, clapped and shouted "thank you" to the U.S. veterans passing in the street.

The annual Austin/Travis County Veterans Day parade and the ceremony Thursday in front of the Capitol included a special tribute to Vietnam veterans and a general respect for service and patriotism.

A contingent of veterans from South Vietnam, who fought alongside U.S. troops in the Vietnam War and who now live in Texas, marched in the parade.

Hundreds of Vietnamese Americans from across Texas came to wave the yellow and red flag of South Vietnam. It no longer flies over their native country, but city, county and state leaders announced the passage of resolutions declaring symbolic recognition that the flag represents the freedom and heritage of Vietnamese Americans.

"We want to recognize the American soldier for fighting for freedom and democracy in our country," said Khanh Chau, 47, a member of the Vietnamese American Community of Austin. "We lost the war, but we still embrace the ideals of freedom and democracy."

During the parade, some veterans rode in classic Corvettes, others in classic military vehicles. The president of the Lone Star Military Vehicle Preservation Association, Austinite Tim Weitz, showed off a 1940s-era jeep.

"The kids love it," said Weitz, a 43-year-old Marine Corps veteran, who gave a ride to Korean and Vietnam War Army veteran Columbus Jennings, 70.

"This parade is very important," said Jennings, who lives in Austin. "It lets the youngsters know what we did."

Fifty or so children, all 5 and younger, from Escuelita Del Alma Learning Center sat along the curb of the parade route, waving to the veterans and catching candy thrown in their direction.

At the corner of Fourth Street, Austinite Alice Morrill, 76, waved a small American flag. For her, the parade is a personal tribute to her late son and husband, both veterans.

"All of them fought to keep our country free," she said.

Monica Roussett, 29, sat on a bench next to her mother, Maria Martinez, while her three children, ages 4 to 11, waved to the ex-soldiers. Roussett's father, Antonio F. Martinez, a Vietnam veteran, had just passed by.

"He needs the support. They all do," Maria Martinez said. "A lot of them are in counseling. Sometimes it gets harder for them as they get older."

At the corner of Ninth Street, the Austin Independent School District All-City High School Band played the national anthem. Most people stopped and removed their hats.

The Austin parade was among other tributes to service members in Central Texas.

In San Marcos, about 200 people at the new Hays County Veterans Memorial listened to a reading of 93 names of county residents killed in wars from World War I to the first war in Iraq. The names are engraved on a black granite monument flanked by the U.S., Texas and POW/MIA flags, which flew at half-staff during the ceremony.

skreytak@statesman.com; 912-2946

 (http://www.statesman.com/metrostate/content/auto/epaper/editions/friday/metro_state_1449e6e6f472e0f91061.html)

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November 12, 2004

Diplomat reaches out to rural Vietnamese
NEW AMBASSADOR VISITS PROVINCES

By Ben Stocking
Mercury News Vietnam Bureau

VINH, Vietnam - As he introduces himself to Vietnamese officials, the new U.S. ambassador keeps hearing the same message: If you want to understand this country, get out of Hanoi.

Last week, Michael W. Marine took that advice to heart. He flew to a remote corner of the country to watch Americans and Vietnamese engaged in the continuing effort to find the remains of U.S. soldiers who died during the Vietnam War.

Marine also met with local officials in Central Vietnam, raising issues that promise to be the focus of his tenure here: helping fight HIV/AIDS; promoting bilateral trade and an open business environment; and defending religious freedom and human rights.

Marine, 57, is the third U.S. ambassador to serve in Hanoi since the United States and Vietnam normalized relations in 1995. Marine, who replaces Raymond Burghardt, began his new job two months ago, after serving as the No. 2 envoy at the U.S. embassies in China and Kenya.

A career Foreign Service officer who graduated from the University of California-Santa Barbara, Marine has served nearly 30 years in the State Department and prides himself on keeping his political opinions to himself.

He doesn't want to fall into an easy trap: spending too much time in Hanoi, Vietnam's booming capital, a world apart from the much poorer rural provinces, where most of the nation's 80 million residents live.

Marine's recent foray to the provinces wasn't glamorous. Nghe An province doesn't boast any five-star hotels, and aside from a massive new monument to the revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh, whose childhood home is nearby, it doesn't offer much in the way of tourist attractions.

But the unassuming Marine didn't seem to tire of the nuts-and-bolts work of diplomacy: meeting with local officials, talking up common interests and posing for lots of photographs.

The central purpose of his trip was to witness the return of remains believed to belong to a missing American serviceman, an issue that has remained a top priority for the U.S. government since relations were normalized.

Vietnamese officials in Ha Tinh province had placed the remains -- a collection of what appeared to be about 10 human bone fragments -- in a small wooden box along with pieces of an old, decaying parachute coated with dirt. Wrapped in red cloth, the container sat atop a table adorned with burning incense, candles and fresh yellow flowers.

``This is a very important humanitarian mission we are involved in, and we know we would not be successful without the cooperation of the people of Vietnam,'' Marine said during a brief ceremony. ``I want to express our deep appreciation.''

The remains will be sent to a Defense Department forensic laboratory in Honolulu for analysis. With luck, investigators will be able to identify them soon so they can be returned to the serviceman's family in the United States for burial.

In the aftermath of the Vietnam War, the U.S. government decided to undertake a continuous effort to recover the remains of service members missing from World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and later the Persian Gulf War. About 1,800 are missing in Southeast Asia.

The enterprise costs about $100 million a year. So far, 734 sets of remains have been repatriated from the region. Marine, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps in Japan during the Vietnam War, believes the effort is worth every cent.

``We owe those who go to war a tremendous debt of gratitude,'' he said. ``Fulfilling our obligation to them in this way is something that perhaps no other country would do. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't do it.''

In Nghe An province, Marine visited a remote site where U.S. servicemen and local Vietnamese are searching for the remains of a Navy pilot whose F-8E disappeared in December 1966.

Villagers rocked wire mesh trays hanging from bamboo poles, sifting through clumps of dirt taken from a small crater for bone fragments, teeth, parachute pieces or any other evidence of the crash.

Beyond thanking officials in Nghe An and Ha Tinh for their help, Marine also exhorted them to create an open, fair business environment to attract investment from U.S. firms. And he told them the United States would spend $25 million in Vietnam this year as part of President Bush's global effort to combat AIDS.

Bush recently designated Vietnam as one of 15 countries at the focus of those efforts -- the first outside Africa. Marine urged local officials to let the U.S. Embassy know how the AIDS money might be used to help people in their provinces.

Marine did not shy away from raising subjects that surely made his hosts squirm, no matter how determined they were to keep smiling.

Politely but insistently, he confronted them about the issue of human and religious rights.

Marine was careful to note that, in their daily lives, Vietnamese citizens enjoy vastly more liberty today than they did when he first visited the country 16 years ago. And he stressed that he hadn't heard specific complaints about violations of religious freedom in Ha Tinh or Nghe An.

But in some areas of Vietnam, he said, there have been reports that local officials have forced villagers to renounce their Protestant faith under threat of physical pain.

``The question of religious freedom is very important to the American people,'' Marine said. ``These kinds of reports frankly hurt our mutual efforts to build the relationship between our two peoples.''

Contact Ben Stocking at bstocking@mercurynews.com.

(http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/world/10162622.htm)

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November 14, 2004

GUARD SGT. QUOC BINH TRAN, 26, MISSION VIEJO; KILLED IN IRAQ

By David Reyes, Times Staff Writer

When he left for Iraq, Sgt. Quoc Binh "Bo" Tran's family knew they were not supposed to worry. For him, it was his duty and the kind of adventure that fueled his daring spirit.

Tran, 26, a mechanic in the California Army National Guard, died after the vehicle he was riding in was struck by a roadside bomb Nov. 7 outside Baghdad.

"He was a hands-on kind of guy," said Tran's sister Katie, 23. "He would try anything, often even until it hurt him. He was a loving person but very independent and one who would go into anything and not think twice about it."

FEDERAL OBSERVERS TO MONITOR SAN DIEGO SPECIAL VOTE FOR CITY COUNCIL SEAT

Associated Press

SAN DIEGO -- The U.S. Justice Department's Civil Rights Division will monitor polls in San Diego on Tuesday to ensure a special City Council election complies with terms of the Voting Rights Act, officials said.

After federal officials monitored the March primary, San Diego County reached a settlement with the Justice Department to better serve voters with limited English skills. Under the agreement reached in June, the county must provide voting materials in Spanish, Tagalog and Vietnamese and poll workers who can translate in those languages.

The observers will monitor voting in the City Council's 4th District, which has been vacant since the sudden death of 37-year-old Councilman Charles Lewis in August. The district east of downtown San Diego is one of the city's most ethnically diverse.

Federal observers monitored the Nov. 2 elections in San Diego. A report on their findings is nearing completion, Justice Department spokesman Eric Holland said Monday.

The county registrar of voters said that for the Nov. 2 vote, it met its targets of finding more than 1,000 bilingual poll workers to translate for those who speak Spanish, Tagalog and Vietnamese. The City Clerk's Office said Monday it expects to have enough bilingual poll workers for Tuesday's special election.

(http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2004/11/15/state1715EST0096.DTL)

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November 15, 2004

PRESS ADVISORY

DOUA THOR APPOINTED NEW DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF SEARAC

For More Information Contact:
Max Niedzwiecki or Sophy Pich
202/667-4690

Washington, DC -- The Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC) is pleased to announce the appointment of its new Deputy Director, Doua Thor.

Ms. Thor has worked with national and grassroots Southeast Asian American organizations for many years, most recently as a New Voices Fellow with Hmong National Development, Inc. (HND).  She is the Chair of the Board of Directors of the National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum (NAPAWF), and holds an MSW degree from the University of Michigan, where she focused on Social Policy and Evaluation.  As an intern at SEARAC in 2000, she was largely responsible for the creation of the first national directory of Southeast Asian American mutual assistance associations (MAAs).  Ms. Thor and her family moved to the United States from Laos as refugees in 1979, and settled in Detroit, Michigan.

In praise of Ms. Thor, Bouy Te, SEARAC's Board Chair, states that "Doua is a phenomenal leader.  She brings to SEARAC a wealth of knowledge about the social and educational needs of our Southeast Asian American community. She combines professionalism with commitment to the community in a way that few people can.  SEARAC is very fortunate to have her as its new Deputy Director"

Max Niedzwiecki, SEARAC's Executive Director, is also excited to have her on-board: "With Doua here, we're ready to take on more work with, and for, Southeast Asian Americans and other groups.  There's so much to do in fields like education, immigration, health, and economic development.  This is a really exciting time for SEARAC."

SEARAC is a national organization advancing the interests of Cambodian, Laotian, and Vietnamese Americans through leadership development, capacity building, and community empowerment.  For more information visit www.searac.org.

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November 15, 2004

UN ACCUSES VIETNAM OF VIOLATING INTERNATIONAL LAW FOR JAILING DISSIDENT

By Ben Rowse

HANOI, Nov 15 (AFP) - The United Nations has criticised Vietnam for jailing an elderly pro-democracy activist and charged the communist regime with contravening international law, according to a new report released Monday.

The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention said that Dr Nguyen Dan Que, 62, a distinguished doctor and long-standing human rights advocate, was wrongfully imprisoned for freedom of expression. Que, who has spent a total of 18 years in prison since the late 1970s, was sentenced to 30 months in prison on July 29 at a one-day closed trial for "abusing democratic rights".

He was the third cyber-dissident to be convicted that month for using the Internet to swap information and criticise the government. In a ruling made by judges from Algeria, Paraguay, Spain, Hungary, and Iran, the UN body found "the deprivation of liberty of Dr. Nguyen Dan Que is arbitrary" and in violation of international law. "The Working Group concludes that Dr Que's actions constitute only the peaceful exercise of his freedom of opinion and expression which is enshrined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights," it said.

A copy of the judgement, which was delivered on September 16 and provided to the Vietnamese government in confidence, was obtained by AFP from the US-based human rights group Freedom Now, which is providing legal counsel to Que.

"We believe this ruling will embolden Dr. Que's supporters around the world to renew their efforts to secure his release and will provide substantial additional support for the United States, European Union, and other countries to apply pressure on to the Government of Vietnam," Jared Genser, president of Freedom Now said.

Last month 12 US Senators, including Patrick Leahy, Edward Kennedy and Elizabeth Dole, sent a letter to Vietnamese President Tran Duc Luong saying Que's imprisonment was "clear persecution" and demanding his immediate release.

Que, who is in poor health, was detained on March 17 last year outside his home in the southern business capital of Ho Chi Minh City while on the way to an Internet cafe.

Amnesty International said his arrest was prompted by a statement he issued a few days earlier that was circulated on the Internet in which he said there was no freedom of information in the communist nation.

His conviction triggered strong criticism from international human rights groups. The New York-based Human Rights Watch accused Hanoi of continuing to use "heavy-handed attempts to silence its critics".

On July 14, Pham Que Duong, a 73-year-old military historian who spent nearly 19 months in pre-trial detention, was found guilty of the same charges as Que and sentenced to 19 months in prison.

His conviction followed the sentencing of fellow cyber-dissident Tran Khue, a 68-year-old former literature professor, to 19 months behind bars on similar charges on July 9. Both men have since been released.

Some diplomats say Que's longer sentence for the same charges could have been a result of his alleged refusal to accept a shorter prison term in exchange for leaving the country.

He rejected a similar offer to relocate to the United States in 1998 after he was released from jail in an amnesty..

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Founded in 1986, the National Congress of Vietnamese Americans is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community advocacy organization working to advance the cause of Vietnamese Americans in a plural but united America – e pluribus unum – by participating actively and fully as civic minded citizens engaged in the areas of education, culture and civil liberties.