Vietnam, State Department Houston discuss consulate by PHAN, your online buddy Link: http://phanthanh.multiply.com/links/184 Vietnam, State Department Houston discuss consulate.... June 26, 2008, 2:25PM Vietnam, State Department discuss Houston consulate Prime minister meets with business leaders... Mayra Beltran: Houston Chronicle June 26, 2008, 2:25PM Vietnam, State Department discuss Houston consulate Prime minister meets with business leaders By JENALIA MORENO Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle Vietnam's ambassador to the U.S. said in Houston today that his nation would like to open a consul general's office here. "We have agreed in principle," said Ambassador Le Cong Phung, during a break in today's meeting between Vietnam's prime minister and Texas business leaders at a Galleria-area hotel. "We have got one office in the East, the embassy, and one in the West in San Francisco. The United States is a huge country. We cannot cover it all." Nguyen Tan Dung and his delegation of more than 100 Vietnamese officials are meeting with Texas cotton producers, energy company officials and airline executives to discuss ways to expand trade between the two nations. His meeting comes amid protests from members of the local Vietnamese community who claim Dung's government has one of the world's worst records on human rights. ********************** Pictures follow of demonstration by the Vietnamese community in Houston. If you haven’t seen Phan Thanh’s excellent site before – be prepared to spend a couple of hours looking at historic photos and current events. His own essay “I will return to Vietnam when …” is heartbreaking. All the better for bilingual readers, some are in Vietnamese and some in English. Jean Libby, editor VietAm Review http://vietamreview.blogharbor.com   more »

The statement is in Vietnamese and English. It concerns the need for free elections, Vietnamese corruption, the lack of protection of the Spratly Islands from takeover, inflation and other economic difficulties. signed by eleven Vietnamese political parties   more »

Honorable Senators and Representatives of Congress of the United States Ladies, Gentlemen and Distinguished Guests, Thank you for this opportunity to speak with you on the current Human Rights situation in Vietnam. In my personal view, the situation is as follows: 1. Since the re-establishment of the US-Vietnam normalization, the human rights situation in Vietnam has not improved in accordance with expectations. If there appears to be any improvements, these are quite superficial and temporary, mainly to relief international pressure or to obtain a special short-term objective. After such an objective is achieved, the human rights situation in Vietnam crawls back to its previous condition. It is therefore not reasonable to rely on temporary evidence to conclude that there is human rights progress under the governance of the Vietnamese Communist Party. In reality, the Vietnamese Communist Party continues to intimidate and oppress democratic dissidents, when these people express views that reflect the realistic dismal conditions in Vietnam; continues to allow corruptions to occur, in outrageous events such as the dispossessing of land from farmers and the illegal trafficking of human labor. When these people protest, to ask for the return of their land or to demand justice, they are subjected to harsh and direct intimidation measures. Or when students take to the street to protest against the illegal occupations of the group of islands called Paracels and Spratlys by China, they are subjected to oppressive measures (*1). 2. Economic developments in Vietnam have not led to the improvements in human rights practices, as expected by many. The reason is the Vietnamese Communist Party's refusal to change from a single-party-rule authoritarian regime. For example, they continue to proclaim the supremacy of its rule on the people by maintaining the validity of Article 4 of Vietnam's Constitution (*2), which guarantees the Vietnamese Communist Party's rule forever. As a result, benefits are reserved to a minority of people who pledged absolute loyalty to the Communist Party. These special party-loyalists are allowed to confiscate land from common citizens, to decimate natural resources, to skim off international developmental aid as well as natural disaster relief funds… These actions are allowed so as to purchase party loyalty. It is a vicious cycle in which these party loyalists become richer because they are loyal to the party. As they become richer still, they will become more loyal and thus more vicious against the common citizens in order to protect their personal wealth and power. Economic developments within a non-democratic society can only lead to: a. a richer group of minority authority figures b. an increase in the power and means to subjugate the common citizens, by this group of minority authority figures c. a condition in which poor people become poorer and have less power to protect themselves All of these lead to a more and more severe imbalance and gap between the rich and the poor, within society. For example, whether it is furnished with much economic wealth, a prison is still a prison by any definitions. And birds, kept within a well furnished cage among other stronger and nastier birds, can still perish from hunger for obvious reasons. These two examples clearly reflect the reality inside Vietnam today. 3. After his successful election campaign, President George Bush has stated that he will continue to support all democratic movements worldwide (*3). Even though Vietnam tried to contain many democratic movements, they were growing in terms of number as well as maturity. However, today, these movements are being eliminated by the Vietnamese Communist Party, one by one. The political dissidents inside Vietnam place much faith and hope in the statement made by President Bush and are counting on tangible actions from this statement. The installment of democracy inside Vietnam will help both of our countries. After all, having a relationship with a democratic Vietnam is indeed much more beneficial, both materially and ethically, for the US than having a relationship with a tyrannical regime like that of the Vietnamese Communist Party today. 4. The people of Vietnam today are on the verge of a very important threshold, as far as the process of democratization is concerned. The people are no longer paralyzed with fears caused by the oppressive tactics of the Vietnamese Communist Party. Moreover, people are willing to accept the risks associated with actions such as standing up for their rights. For instance, people from various strata within society have stood up to raise their concerns. Among these are students, laborers, artists, intellectuals who often use the Internet and blog pages to express their ideals and experiences as well as street protests. In order to lend a hand of encouragement to the common citizens of Vietnam in their demand for human rights, and to solidify in the long-term mutual relationships between the people of Vietnam and the United States of America, we ask for your help on the following points: a. Support and advocate for the Vietnam Human Rights Act of 2007 (HR 3096), put forth by Rep. Christopher Smith, in which concrete suggestions have been outlined with the purpose to assist with the democratization process in Vietnam. b. Support and advocate for recommendations by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom to place Vietnam back into the list of Countries of Particular Concern (CPC), because after the removal from this list, the human rights situation in Vietnam has greatly deteriorated. Thank you for your attention. May God bless America and Vietnam. Nguyen Chinh Ket _____________________________________________   more »

Violations of human rights in Vietnam today, the first four months of 2008, are listed by The Committee for Human Rights in Vietnam, based in Hanoi. Religious freedom issues are noted for Catholics, the Protestant Church of Vietnam, and the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam. The UBCV has particular repression because of the upcoming Vesek 2008 in May. Prisons are noted; in one case a prisoner died and in another a man was handcuffed in prison for a year.   more »

Commemoration of the March 30, 2007 trial of Father Nguyen Van Ly and his subsequent imprisonment by Father Phan Van Loi of Hue, Viet Nam. Commentary in Vietnamese language.   more »

PARIS, 12th March 2008 (VIETNAM COMMITTEE) - The US State Department's Country Reports on Human Rights Practices in 2007, released on Tuesday in Washington D.C., condemned Vietnam's "unsatisfactory" human rights record in a 52-page overview of the legal and extra-legal barriers to citizens' enjoyment of human rights in Vietnam. Describing the Socialist Republic of Vietnam as "an authoritarian state ruled by the Communist Party of Vietnam", the report noted that in 2007 "citizens could not change their government, and political opposition movements were prohibited. The government continued its crackdown on dissent, arresting a number of political activists and disrupting nascent opposition organizations…". "Prison conditions were often severe. Individuals were arbitrarily detained for political activities and were denied the right to fair and expeditious trials. The government reinforced its controls over the press and the Internet and continued to limit citizens' privacy rights and freedom of speech, assembly, movement, and association". The Vietnamese government "persisted in placing restrictions on the political activities of religious groups [and] maintained its prohibition of independent human rights organizations. Violence and discrimination against women remained a problem. Trafficking in women and children for purposes of prostitution continued. Some ethnic minority groups suffered societal discrimination. The government limited workers' rights, especially to organize independently, and arrested or harassed several labor activists". Whereas the State Department reported that "in March [2007] the government repealed Decree 31, a provision on administrative probation often used to punish perceived political dissidents. However… the government also used other decrees, ordinances, and measures, such as Article 88 [of the Criminal Code – "conducting propaganda against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam"] to detain activists for the peaceful expression of opposing political views", Vo Van Ai denounced Vietnam's adoption of Ordinance 44 in 2002, an even more prohibitive act of legislation that authorises not only administrative detention without trial, as Decree 31/CP, but also permits the internment of dissidents in psychiatric hospitals or "Social Protection Centres" for bad elements of society. Vo Van Ai called on Vietnam to immediately repeal Ordinance 44.   more »

Sài Gòn.- Ðể thuyết phục nhà văn Nguyễn Xuân Nghĩa ở nhà thay vì đi dự đám tang cụ Hoàng Minh Chính, công an CSVN đã dọa ông là sẽ tông xe cho ông chết trên đường như đã xảy đến cho cả gia đình kịch tác gia Lưu Quang Vũ 20 năm trước. Ông kể như vậy cho nhà báo Hoàng Hải. Nhà văn Nguyễn Xuân Nghĩa hiện là một trong năm thành viên điều hành của Khối 8406, một tổ chức chính trị quần chúng mà cụ Chính là một trong những thành viên sáng lập. Trong số những người bị chế độ Hà nội cấm đi dự tang lễ cụ Hoàng Minh Chính mà áp lực tệ hại nhất, có các ông Nguyễn Xuân Nghĩa, Trần Khuê. Ông Trần Khuê đã tới phi trường Tân Sơn Nhất chuẩn bị lên máy bay thì bị công an CSVN bắt “làm việc” và buộc ông quay lại nhà. Ông cương quyết không về nên bị khiêng ném lên xe trở về một trại giam rồi sau đó mới được cho về nhà. Thật ra, còn trường hợp của nữ Bác Sĩ Nguyễn Thị An Nhàn, từ San Jose, California, về Hà Nội dự tang lễ cũng bị công an CSVN cưỡng bách lên phi trường trục xuất khỏi Việt Nam đêm 15 tháng 2, 2008 sau mấy tiếng đồng hồ thẩm vấn. Bà Nhàn, bác sĩ khoa giải phẫu tim của bệnh viện Ðại Học Stanford ở Palo Alto, California, là đảng viên của Ðảng Dân Chủ Việt Nam ngay từ khi cụ Chính mới bắt đầu loan báo tái lập hồi Tháng Sáu 2006. This is news of the removal of dissidents supportive of Freedom for Vietnam at the funeral of Professor Hoang Minh Chinh on February 16. Nguyen Xuan Nghia and Tran Khue of Vietnam, and Dr. Nguyen Thi An Nguyen of San Jose, California. Linked to article in Vietnamese on Nguoi Viet News http://www.nguoi-viet.com/absolutenm/anmviewer.asp?a=74018&z=2   more »

Vietnam Populist Party (VPP) is a grass root political organization, which is mainly active in Vietnam. The VPP initially established in January 1, 2006 by pro-democracy groups in the country and abroad, based on the New Vietnam Platform. Our united network of dedicated Vietnamese compatriots committed to promote human rights, democracy and the social development of Vietnam. We also share the common ideals of how to reform Vietnam and serve its people in the future. Our immediate goal is a Free and Fair General Election in Vietnam, with the supervision of international human rights organizations, to establish a multi-party democratic political system for Vietnam. Our legitimate goal is to help building a new nation of Vietnam that offers peace, liberty, prosperity and progressives. ******************************************************** The VPP overseas office is based in Houston, Mr. CongBang Nguyen is General Secretary. They broadcast weekly in Vietnamese through the internet on Radio Hoa-Mai.   more »

In conclusion I would like to offer the following recommendations: (1) Our State Department should set concrete benchmarks to assess Vietnam’s commitment to religious freedom, such as: a) Recognition of all 671 ECVN congregations in the Northwestern Highlands; b) Timely processing of all applications for recognition or registration according to the Ordinance and Decree; and c) Release of all “individuals of concern” from prison or “temple” arrest. Our State Department should consider placing Vietnam on the CPC list if these benchmarks are not met. (2) Our Embassy in Ha Noi should maintain an up-to-date list of persecuted Khmer Krom Buddhists, Hoa Hoa Buddhists, Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam leaders, Catholic priests, and Protestant house church members; and convene regular meetings with leaders of the persecuted Churches so as to monitor the true conditions of religious freedom. (3) Congress should authorize and appropriate funding to build capacity for independent Churches in Vietnam to defend their rights under the new legal framework. Posted on Tuesday, January 15 @ 13:33:11 EST by ngochuynh   more »

As a Vietnamese-American who has fought peacefully for human rights and democracy in Vietnam. I was held 38 days in jail last fall 2006 for reasons regarding these activities. Without the support of US Congressional members, Zoe Lofgren and Loretta Sanchez, Senators Barbara Boxer, Dianne Feinstein and the Governor of California, the Vietnamese communities around the world, my family and many others. I would not be able to testify today. I have done nothing wrong but to promote and defend the values that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights clearly declares “as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society”. Testimony of Cong Thanh Do, People's Democratic Party of Vietnam   more »

PARIS, 28th December 2007 (IBIB) - In the wake of widespread demonstrations staged by students and young people outside Chinese Embassies in Hanoi and Saigon, and strong protests by the Vietnamese community overseas, the Most Venerable Thich Quang Do, prominent dissident and Deputy leader of the outlawed Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) has issued a strong statement on the controversy over the disputed Paracel and Spratly archipelagos. Sent clandestinely from the Thanh Minh Zen Monastery in Saigon, it was received by the International Buddhist Information Bureau in Paris today. Writing on behalf of the UBCV’s Bi-Cameral leadership (the Institute of the Sangha and the Institute for the Dissemination of the Dharma), Thich Quang Do called on the Hanoi authorities to “pass the reins of power to the people in a society based on the separation of the three powers, multi-party democracy and the rule of law” as the best way to safeguard Vietnam’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Because “three million Communist Party members and a 500,000-strong army have neither the authority nor the power to defend the homeland by military means, nor sufficient prestige and courage to expand political and diplomatic efforts to mobilize international support in our defence… they need the full participation of the 85 million Vietnamese population and the support of the Vietnamese Diaspora worldwide”. As a first step, Hanoi must “immediately abrogate Article 4 of the Vietnamese Constitution [on the political monopoly of the Communist Party], and enable all sectors of the Vietnamese population, including all religious and political families, to freely and fully participate in the process of national salvation”. The UBCV Deputy leader also called on Hanoi to summon the people for a “Dien Hong” Conference for the XXIst century” to initiate a process of reconciliation and democratic change. Thich Quang Do emphasized the role of Buddhism as an essential element in this process : “With our responsibility as Vietnamese citizens, and as representatives of a religion that has contributed to the foundation and development of our nation over the past 2,000 years, the Council of the Bi-Cameral Institute of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam cannot stand by silently whilst our country is in danger. We therefore solemnly appeal to the Vietnamese intelligentsia, inside and outside Vietnam, to stand together and rally forces to save our nation. The Council of the Bi-Cameral Institute of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam pledges to give its active support to every peaceful effort to protect our homeland and our people”. Interesting historical documentation from the Chinese Yuan Dynasty period. Conclusion: With our responsibility as Vietnamese citizens, and as representatives of a religion that has contributed to the foundation and development of our nation over the past 2,000 years, the Council of the Bi-Cameral Institute of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam cannot stand by silently whilst our country is in danger. We therefore call upon the Vietnamese intelligentsia, inside and outside Vietnam, to stand together and rally forces to save our nation. The Council of the Bi-Cameral Institute of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam pledges to give its active support to every peaceful effort to protect our homeland and our people.   more »

PARIS, 13th December 2007 (IBIB) - The International Buddhist Information Bureau is informed that UBCV Supreme Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang has rejected an invitation from the Ministry of Public Security to attend the “6th Nation-wide Congress of Buddhist Representatives for 2007-2012” (i.e. the 6th Congress of the State-sponsored Vietnam Buddhist Church, set up under Communist Party control in 1981) that opens in Hanoi today (13.12.2007). 2008 UN Vesak Day International Organising Committee in Hanoi abusively lists name of UBCV dignitary Thich Thien Tam: On the International Organising Committee (IOC) of the 2008 United Nations Vesak Day (Birth of Buddha) which has just been made public on the official website, Buddhists at home and abroad were deeply disturbed to see the name of UBCV dignitary Thich Thien Tam, Head of the Canadian Overseas UBCV’s Advisory Board Secretariat and Commissioner for Canadian Affairs of the new Overseas UBCV Office. In fact, Venerable Thich Thien Tam has never been invited to be an IOC member, nor informed that his name was being used. In a letter to Professor Le Manh That, Chairman of the 2008 Vesak IOC in Hanoi, Thich Thien Tam denounced the abuse of his name as a “dubious and unlawful move to create confusion and divisions within the Buddhist community in Vietnam and overseas”. He demanded that his name be immediately withdrawn. Thich Thien Tam deplored that the 2008 UN Vesak Day would be organised by the Communist authorities and the State-sponsored Vietnam Buddhist Church not to truly commemorate Lord Buddha’s Birth, but to parade an illusory “religious freedom” for international public opinion, whilst continuing to ruthlessly muzzle and repress the independent UBCV.   more »

The four famous prisoners and their periods of imprisonment in the Communist gulags of Vietnam are: Nguyen Chi Thien (27 years), Vo Dai Ton (12 years), Phan Nhat Nam (14 years). They are moderated and connected by Ly Tong Ba, a Brigadier General of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) (12 years). You can find their descriptions and information about connecting to Paltalk in Vietnamese on http://www.vietvungvinh.com/Portal.asp?goto=VietNam/2007/20071128_03.htm These brief histories in English are written in the hope they may be useful for the planned Paltalk event on December 1, 2007. Scholarly references used for preparation are available on request. Jean Libby, editor VietAm Review   more »

The People' s Democratic Party (PDP) strongly protests the sentences of lawyers Le Thi Cong Nhan and Nguyen Van Dai 's appeal trial and the use of brutal force to attack and prevent pro-democracy activists who came to attend the appeal trial including Lawyer Le Quoc Quan, Nguyen Phuong Anh, Nguyen Xuan Nghia, Pham Van Troi, Nguyen Vu Binh. The accusation of violation of the so-called criminal code‘s “Article 88” was baseless and also in contradiction to "Article 69" of the current Vietnam Constitution. Letter is in Vietnamese and in English by Cong Thanh Do, Spokesperson of the People’s Democratic Party   more »

Dan Thang Tien Viet Nam -- Vietnam Progression Party report from Frankfurt on November 23, 2007. The main office in Hue is closed due to pressures and arrests by the Vietnam government. This group is one of the founders of Bloc 8406, manifesto for referendum in Vietnam whose members as well as other freedom seekers have been imprisoned for speaking their viewpoint. As an independent democracy activist in America who is not of Vietnamese descent, it is my mission to acknowledge and to catalog many associations and political parties of seekers of free elections for Viet Nam who are Vietnamese. Jean Libby, editor VietAm Review   more »