Author Nguyen Chi Thien's booksigning in San Jose on November 17, 2007, revealed that he had intervened for a young girl (age 19) who was sentenced to death for burning a harassing policeman and his family in their house in Hanoi in the 1980s by helping her write to Truong Chinh, General Secretary of Vietnam, for clemency. This had never been granted before by Truong Chinh Dang Xuan Khu (1907-1988), who was a founder of the Communist government with Ho Chi Minh. The New York Times obituary by Glenn Fowler is quoted which states Truong Chinh had personal responsibility for killing as many as 50,000 of at least 200,000 killed by the Communist government during the Land Reform of 1953-1956. The story excerpt of "The Moon and Waters of the Red River" with the character of the young woman and another prisoner who was later executed was read in his written dialogue for the author at the event. A presentation of poetry reading was made by two Vietnamese Americans who are now teachers about their translation on May 1, 1981 at UC Berkeley, when they were students. The booksigning was organized by Internet Bookselling--Multicultural Perspectives. Jean Libby, editor, VietAm Review.   more »

LIST OF POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS PRISONERS STILL UNDER DETAINMENT; THE LIST OF MEMBERS OF HOA HAO BUDDHIST CHURCH; MENNONITE MEMBERS/CHRISTIANS AND DE GAR CHRISTIANS IMPRISONED IN COMMUNIST VIETNAM, 2007 by Viet Si, Speaker, International Movement for Religious Freedom and Democracy in Vietnam, Former Prisoner of Conscience after April 30th, 1975 in Vietnam. The list of 148 names and their locations of imprisonment (name of prison camp and province) includes 11 political prisoners who have died in Vietnamese prisons in the past two years in Xuan Loc prison camp, Dong Nai Province.   more »