VietNamNet Bridge - According to Mr. Nguyen Van Phuc, Vice Chair of the National Assembly’s Economic Committee, the amended Constitution will further promote the ownership of the people on the principles of all state power belongs to the people.



During talks on the draft amendments to the Constitution on January 23, Phuc said the draft emphasizes the form of people making their power, through direct and representative democracy, not only through elected bodies but other state agencies. A very new and important issue of the draft is to develop the human factor, especially emphasizing human rights, civil rights.

Mr. Hoang The Lien, Deputy Minister of Justice, said that the draft comments, besides affirming the principle of all state power belongs to the people, it should clearly state that the state of Vietnam is the law-governed socialist state, of the people, by the people , for the people.

"The draft constitution has added a number of factors on human rights, basic rights and duties of citizens. The Constitution recognizes 16 human rights, including foreigners and persons without citizenship," Lien said.

Chairman of the Vietnam Bar Association, lawyer Pham Quoc Anh said that human rights in this draft makes it clear over the right to live, to be protected of the lives, to donate tissue, organs and body. This is new and consistent with international practice.

"In terms of civil rights, in addition to the right to freedom of residence and movement, freedom of religion, it has the right of establishing associations, the right to strike... These are new issues, which have been initially implemented and the amendment of the Constitution will create the legal base for stronger implementation," said Quoc Anh.

Answering the question of a teacher from the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, that there will not have a democratic constitution if the Constitution building is not conducted in real democracy with democratic methods, Lien said to promote democracy, according to the constitutional history, there are three forms. One is that after being compiled, the constitution is offered to the people’s decisions, called the referendum. Not many countries do this because it requires many conditions.

Secondly, this method is recognized in the Constitution 1946, after the National Assembly approves, the Constitution is only valid when the people approve it. This provision in the 1946 Constitution was not achieved due to war conditions.

The third is to create conditions for the people’s consultation during the compilation of the Constitution. In the three above methods, the legislators will choose the right way.

"I think the third way is consistent with the current conditions," said Lien. “I expect and hope that this Constitution modifier will be participated fully by the people, especially the new institutions such as: civil rights, human rights ... All the things make the new constitution lively, to reflect the requirements of life," said Pham Quoc Anh.

Compiled by Tran Cham