Women for Human Rights in Vietnam earnestly calls on the United States government to temporarily suspend the Deportation (Agreement) process against Vietnamese until we may have arrived at the following satisfactory concerns: 1. Problem regarding the status of political refugees: Many people have left Vietnam for America in order to seek political asylum or reunite with their relatives who have fled from the dictatorial regime of Vietnam . If for whatever reason they are being repatriated to Vietnam , where they had fled, they would likely be placed under extremely dangerous situation for themselves and their families. Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms "Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution....". If for any reason, Vietnamese are being repatriated to where they had fled, they would certainly be persecuted. 2. The problem of resettlement for those who are being repatriated: Unlike the United States , Vietnam is a totalitarian state. The choice to resettle in a certain locality does not rest with the repatriated individual but with the Vietnamese government. With a vindictive policy and arbitrary law, there are no guarantee that the Vietnamese authority would fairly resolve the place of residence according to the needs of the repatriated persons, those who have fled Vietnam due to political reasons. 3. The problems of property rights of those who have fled Vietnam : properties of those who left Vietnam due to political reasons or reunions, are either being confiscated by Vietnamese government, or had been forced sold to the state with a depressed price. The problem is how to justly settle these issues of the deported persons when they are being forced back to their place of origin where their houses and properties had been taken. 4. The problem of respecting basic human rights: Vietnam does not respect their citizens right to voluntarily join parties, or their right to enjoy the freedom of thoughts. Among those who are being deported, there are a number of people who were activists or have joined parties, and organizations and have struggled for Freedom and Democracy in America , activities that Vietnam considers to be anti-Vietnam. How would the United States guarantee their safety and protect them from retaliation, harassment or harms? 5. The problem of Vietnam retaliation policy: Vietnam has been pursuing a policy of retaliation against those who they believe are suspect or not having favorable views of. Under this policy, not only these people who are being deported but their children and families will run into difficulties trying to integrate into Vietnam society in the future. The problems of education, social advancement, finding gainful employment, etc…will be apparent under the communist systematic bad treatment. Sincerely, Jane DoBui, Spokeswoman for Women for Human Rights in Vietnam   more »

PARIS, 5th February 2008 (IBIB) - From house arrest at the Nguyen Thieu Monastery in Binh Dinh province, the Supreme Patriarch of the outlawed Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) Thich Huyen Quang has sent an audio Message to the international community and Vietnamese around the world. The Message was recorded in secret and broadcast on Radio Free Asia on Monday 4th February. This is the first time in five years, since the Patriarch was placed under tight surveillance following a crack-down on the banned UBCV in 2003, that his voice has been heard on the international media. Firstly, Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang, 89, sent special thanks to Amnesty International for adopting him as a “prisoner of conscience” and launching a worldwide campaign for his release. In this campaign, Amnesty International Group 65 in Toronto, Canada, sent over 3,500 letters and petitions to the Vietnamese and Canadian governments and Amnesty sections in Massachusetts and California also sent thousands of letters to the US and Vietnamese governments, along with hundreds of post cards to Thich Huyen Quang wishing him courage and good health. The International Buddhist Information Bureau, who received copies of these letters, informed the UBCV Patriarch of this campaign. On behalf of the UBCV, Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang thanked Group 65 for “the thousands of letters they have sent to the Vietnamese and Canadian governments calling for the re-establishment of the UBCV’s legal status, and campaigning for my release and religious freedom… Your selfless actions warm my heart, and that of every Buddhist in Vietnam. There is an old saying: “Across the four oceans, all men are brothers”. Today, your concern for the plight of others in such a far-away country as Vietnam demonstrates this spirit of humanity, which transcends all borders, political opinions and religious beliefs. In Buddhism, we call this Universal Compassion, the commitment to save all beings from suffering, regardless of origin or race”. Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang also extended warm thanks to “the government and people of Canada, who, for so many decades, have shown such generous hospitality to Vietnamese Boat people in their quest for freedom. You have given them refuge, a safe haven in which to settle and live freely in accordance with their ideals and beliefs. This is a fine example of civilisation, one that should teach a lesson to developing countries such as Vietnam”. VietAm Review has attached a message from the Vietnamese Canadian Federation which describes the government and Vietnamese community support noted by Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang which was forwarded by Can D. Le, Project Director of Freedom at Last.   more »