Vietnam unable to chart course

Before it began, delegates to Vietnam's Communist Party Congress promised some historic moments from the meeting. But when it ended, it reflected only Hanoi's recent state of indecision.

Torn between the popular demands for economic reforms needed to turn the economy loose and the traditional heavy-handed state control, the congress decided to wait a little longer.

Perhaps nothing illustrated the dithering of the Communist Party more than the announcement of its new political bureau. The list included Nguyen Dinh Tu, who died a few days before the meeting.

Apparently, this was not enough time to remove his name from the 'new' politburo membership roll. On the face of it, little criticism can be made of the party's decision in favor of stability.

Against tremendous pressure from a young and ambitious population, the party decided to retain its three leaders. Just how long party leader Do Muoi, who is 79, President Le Duc Anh, 75, and Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet, 73, can continue to hang on is debatable.

But what the non-decisions of the congress appear to show is ambivalence about how to lead the nation.

Hanoi-watchers long have debated the make-up of Vietnamese regimes. This one will be no exception. The supposed infighting of the 'communist hard-liners' against the 'economic reformers' has long been a feature of Vietnam's politics at the top.

In fact, Vietnam's leadership has long held together, despite the predictions of many pundits. Hanoi politics have long proved resilient, and much more complicated than a simple issue of one- dimension issues.

What is missing from the decisions of the congress are answers to more basic, and vital, questions. The party seems to have failed at its main job, which is to set Vietnam on a path which is both understood and supported by the Vietnamese population.

Since party congresses are held only once every five years, their decisions are critical to politics, the economy, foreign relations and a host of other parts of the nation's course. It is questionable how long Vietnam can succeed in trying to have its cake and eat it.

Vietnam has clearly decided against reverting to the past. The congress has failed, however, to take the obvious decision to proceed decisively to the future.

Instead, the congress had decided to try to put the nation in neutral for a while. There is a real question whether it can succeed. The congress has probably made Communist Party members happy with its decision to try to satisfy all factions.

By failing to chart a clear future for its nation, it risks both unhappy foreign investors and a confused demoralized population.

-- The Bangkok Post