INTERNATIONAL BUDDHIST INFORMATION BUREAU (BUREAU INTERNATIONAL D'INFORMATION BOUDDHISTE) Official information service of Vien Hoa Dao, Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam B.P. 60063 - 94472 Boissy Saint Léger cedex (France) - Tel.: Paris (331) 45 98 30 85 Fax : Paris (331) 45 98 32 61 - E-mail : ubcv.ibib@buddhist.com Web : http://www.queme.net For immediate release Paris, 1st April 2009 UBCV leader Thich Quang Do calls for a month of civil disobedience and at-home demonstrations in May to protest environmental destruction PARIS, 1st April 2009 (IBIB) - The International Buddhist Information Bureau (IBIB) received an appeal today from Patriarch Thich Quang Do, leader of the outlawed Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam, calling on all Vietnamese to stage peaceful protests in their homes throughout the month of May 2009 as a “gesture of civil disobedience” against environmental damage and security risks caused by bauxite mining in Vietnam’s Central Highlands. UBCV leader and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Thich Quang Do, 80, sent the appeal clandestinely from the Thanh Minh Zen Monastery in Saigon, where he is under effective house arrest. Thich Quang Do recalled the widespread concerns of scientists, state media and local residents that the government’s costly and dangerous open-cut mining project in cooperation with China will “destroy the forests of the Central Highlands, pollute the basalt-rich red soils, increase the risk of prolonged periods of drought or flooding, and seriously contaminate water supplies, thus directly threatening the economic development of the southern regions of Central Vietnam, the Mekong Delta provinces of Dong Nai, Binh Duong, and even Ho Chi Minh City itself”. Noting that 7 bauxite mines were operating in Dak Nong province alone, Thich Quang Do warned against “the imminent desertification, the transformation of 6,000 verdant hills into mountains of toxic red sludge in an area of over 600,000 hectares, watered by hundreds of crystal streams, where some 29 ethnic minorities, mostly M’Nongs, have made their home”. Thich Quang Do also warned against the “alarming threat to our national defence” posed by the settlement of thousands of Chinese workers in this “strategic military zone” at the cross-roads of the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam borders, at the same time that “China is encroaching on the Paracel and Spratly archipelagos” in the South China seas… The UBCV leader and prominent dissident called upon Vietnamese inside the country to “stage peaceful demonstrations at home as a gesture of civil disobedience: farmers will not go out to the fields; workers will not go to the factories; merchants and shopkeepers will not go to the markets; students will not attend classes”. Overseas Vietnamese should support this initiative, he said, by boycotting visits to Vietnam and not sending money to Vietnam throughout the month of May 2009. He also called on Vietnam to make public the details of two controversial China-Vietnam Border Treaties, stressing that Vietnamese people “have the right to know to what extent the authorities have preserved or conceded the territories and waters which our forefathers gave their lives to defend”. He urged Vietnam to convene a Conference with participation of specialists and people’s representatives from all political and religious affiliations, including overseas Vietnamese to “examine the people’s concerns and rapidly take a decision to halt bauxite mining in the Central Highlands”. “Democracy is the people’s voice”, he concluded, “a voice of dialogue and debate in times of crisis, a common commitment to seek solutions to our nation’s problems. The time has come for our people to express their will through this month of peaceful protests at home”. The full text of the Appeal is as follows: Appeal to all Vietnamese to stage a month of demonstrations at home in protest against the exchange of Vietnam’s riches against foreign aluminium “Disregarding warnings by scientists and specialists on the dangers of mining bauxite in the Central Highlands, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has awarded China the tender on a mining project in the region, and declared: “Bauxite mining in the Central Highlands is a major policy of the Communist Party, as stated in the 10th Communist Party Congress’ Resolution” (2006). “This is the Communist Party’s decision. But what do the Vietnamese people think ? “The people have echoed concerns raised by specialists, intellectuals and researchers in a wide range of articles in the state-controlled press, the media and Internet. They fear that open-cut bauxite mining and processing will destroy the forests of the Central Highlands, pollute the basalt-rich red soils, increase the risk of prolonged periods of drought or flooding, and seriously contaminate water supplies, thus directly threatening the economic development of the southern regions of Central Vietnam, the Mekong Delta provinces of Dong Nai, Binh Duong, and even Ho Chi Minh City itself. Since time immemorial, the central highlands’ verdant forests have preserved our ecological equilibrium, ensuring water preservation within the soil, and regulating the atmosphere and climate of the whole region. The destruction of these forests will not only irremediably harm the landscape. It will destroy the culture and life-style of thousands of ethnic minorities living on this fertile plateau. “According to scientific studies, mining bauxite ore to make alumina (the powder used to produce aluminium) in this area is not commercially viable. The economic benefits of producing alumina in the Central Highlands are less than those earned from agriculture. Bauxite reserves may be rich, but they are limited. Once expended, they are gone. Agriculture and the cultivation of cash-crops (coffee, tea, cashews), on the contrary, have unlimited potential and their resources can be infinitely renewed. Moreover, Chinese technologies for disposing of the toxic waste known as “red mud” produced by bauxite processing are completely out of date. Whereas modern countries have developed “dry stacking” technology to reduce the risks of waste disposal, the Chinese continue to use the “wet deposit” system which risks contaminating the waterways in the Central Highlands, the Mekong Delta and the whole southern region. “In an Open Letter to Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, General Vo Nguyen Giap recently pointed out that the Communist Party had proposed a similar bauxite mining project in the Central Highlands to COMECON, the Soviet-Eastern Europe Economic Bloc, in the early 1980s. General Giap wrote: “the COMECON bloc advised our Government against exploiting bauxite in the region. They warned that it would cause devastating, long-term ecological damage, not only for local residents, but would also harm the lives and environment of people in the southern plains of the central provinces.” “Precisely because of these risks of ecological damage, China’s Department for Environmental Protection closed down 100 bauxite mines in China between 2004-2008. In India, a widespread “green” movement staged mass demonstrations in protest against a 2004 bauxite mining project in Orissa covering 1000 hectares that threatened the lives of 60,000 local people. “In Vietnam, in the province of Dak Nong alone in the extreme south of the central highlands, there are already seven bauxite mines. The ecological dangers are obvious – imminent desertification, the transformation of 6,000 verdant hills into mountains of toxic red sludge in an area of over 600,000 hectares, watered by hundreds of crystal streams, where some 29 ethnic minorities, mostly M’Nongs, have made their home. To exploit the 5.4 tons of bauxite ore in Dak Nong, hundreds of villages will be buried under mounds of red mud slurry. According to international experts, for every ton of alumina produced, 4 tons of bauxite ore are mined and three tons of red mud deposited in waste ! “These are the dangers for the people in the Central Highlands. But the project also presents an alarming threat to our national defence. The Central Highlands is a strategic military zone, a crucial defence point for Vietnam at the cross-roads of the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam borders. A permanent Chinese presence in this zone could put our country at risk. Yet as work begins on the project, whole villages of Chinese workers have mushroomed on the plateau, and ten thousand Chinese settlers are expected in the coming year. Trong Thuy is stealing away My Chau on the Truong Son mountains! At the same time, off Vietnam’s seacoast, China is encroaching on the Paracel and Spratly archipelagos… “Today, our country is under threat of invasion. “This time, Chinese domination will not last just 1,000 years, but 3,000 or even more. For Vietnam’s leaders are not valiant rulers such as Ly Thai To, Tran Nhan Tong, Le Thai To. They are a government alienated from the people, a regime dependent on foreign influence from its ideology to the State apparatus, causing the complete disruption of our society and civilization. “Only the united voice and will of the people can save our country today. First and foremost, to prevent the government from selling off its most precious resource – the people – on the markets of foreign aluminium. Secondly, to defend the homeland that our forefathers so painstakingly built and preserved. “On behalf of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam, I call upon all Vietnamese, at home and abroad, to oppose bauxite mining in the Central Highlands and denounce its destructive effects on the lives and environment of tens of thousands of indigenous people, especially as this project is not the fruit of studies by economists or environmental experts, but an illustration of Vietnam’s dependence on China. “For Vietnamese abroad, I urge you to alert international opinion of the impending ecological disaster in the Central Highlands and the dangers of settling thousands of Chinese in this strategic border zone. “For Vietnamese at home, I urge you to express your protest by holding a month of civil disobedience in May, beginning on Labour Day (May 1st). “Living under an authoritarian regime tightly controlled by the Security Police, Vietnamese people have lost their right to demonstrate in public for the past 54 years in northern Vietnam and for 34 years in the South. I therefore appeal to you all to stage peaceful demonstrations at home as a gesture of civil disobedience: farmers will not go out to the fields; workers will not go to the factories; merchants and shopkeepers will not go to the markets; students will not attend classes. We have a month to prepare for this Month of Civil Disobedience and demonstrations at home, in which we shall call on the Vietnamese authorities to take the following three steps: 1/ “To urgently submit Vietnam’s claims on the continental shelf (national area of the seabed) to the United Nations Convention on the Laws of the Sea (UNCLOS) before the deadline of 13 May 2009 in order to protect the integrity of our territorial waters and lands; “If the Communist Party and the government take no action on this, I call upon Vietnamese overseas to set up a “Committee to Protect Vietnamese Lands and Seas”, to compile information and launch an international campaign to present Vietnam’s claims to UNCLOS; 2/ “To make public the full contents of the Vietnam-China Land Border Treaty (1999) and Sea Border Treaty (2000), complete with detailed maps of these borders, which constitute an integral part of the treaties. The people of Vietnam have the right to know to what extent the authorities have preserved or conceded the territories and waters which our forefathers gave their lives to defend; 3/ “To convene an urgent conference with representatives of the whole population including scientists, economists, specialists in the environment, mining, geology, as well as military advisers and representatives of all political, religious and social sectors, including overseas Vietnamese, to examine the people’s concerns and rapidly take a decision to halt bauxite mining in the Central Highlands. “The month of civil disobedience and demonstrations at home in May 2009 will show the Vietnamese people’s concern for the environment, and their determination to defend their homeland at this crucial moment of our history. Democracy is the people’s voice, a voice of dialogue and debate in times of crisis, a common commitment to seek solutions to our nation’s problems. In this moment of life and death, the time has come for our people to express their will through this month of peaceful protests at home. “As I call for Vietnamese at home to stage peaceful protests in their homes, I call on Vietnamese abroad to support this movement with a general boycott, by refusing to visit Vietnam as tourists and not sending money to Vietnam throughout the month of May (with exceptions for humanitarian or urgent situations). “Finally, I call upon the media to help relay the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam’s solemn appeal to Vietnamese at home and abroad and to the International community.” Thanh Minh Zen Monastery, Saigon 29th March 2009 Patriarch of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (signature and seal) Sramana Thich Quang Do   more »

Lời Giới Thiệu Đại lão HT Thích Quảng Độ kêu gọi đồng bào biểu tình tại gia suốt tháng 5 để yêu sách bãi bỏ khai thác quặng bô-xít Tây nguyên ************************************************************************************ GIÁO HỘI PHẬT GIÁO VIỆT NAM THỐNG NHẤT VIỆN HÓA ĐẠO Thanh Minh Thiền Viện, 90 Trần Huy Liệu, Phường 15, Quận Phú Nhuận, TP Saigon ---------------------------------------- Phật lịch 2552 Số 03 /VHĐ/VT ********************************************************************************* LỜI KÊU GỌI MỘT THÁNG BIỂU TÌNH TẠI GIA để chống việc lấy Vàng dân tộc đổi Nhôm nước ngoài Bất chấp những lời báo động hiểm nguy của các chuyên gia, trí thức về việc khai thác quặng bô-xit ở Tây nguyên, ông Thủ tướng Nguyễn Tấn Dủng vẫn một mực tiến hành việc lựa chọn nhà thầu Trung quốc vào Tây nguyên khi khẳng định : "Khai thác bô-xít Tây nguyên là chủ trương của Đảng nêu trong Nghị quyết Đại hội Đảng lần thứ X", nghĩa là từ năm 2006. Toàn dân thông qua ý kiến của các giới chuyên gia, trí thức, học giả đưa lên báo chí, truyền thông, Internet đều báo động rằng khai thác bô-xít sẽ hủy diệt mầu xanh rừng Tây nguyên, làm thay đổi thổ nhưỡng của vùng đất đỏ bazan, làm tăng thêm nguy cơ về hạn hán kéo dài, lủ ống, lủ quét sẽ xẩy ra nhiều hơn, đồng thời ô nhiễm nghiêm trọng nguồn nước ngọt để phát triển kinh tế cho các tỉnh vùng hạ lưu ở miền Nam Trung bộ, Đồng Nai, Bình Dương, thành phố Saigon. Từ nghìn xưa, mầu xanh rừng Tây nguyên bảo vệ cho việc tích trữ nước trong lòng đất, lọc không khí và điều hòa nhiệt độ toàn vùng. Phá hủy mầu xanh còn là phá hủy nghiêm trọng không những cảnh quan mà sắc thái văn hóa và quyền sống của hàng chục dân tộc ít người trên vùng cao. OPEN FOR FULL ARTICLE IN VIETNAMESE   more »

Letter from The Reverend Phan Van Loi to The Reverend Nguyen Van Ly, in prison, March 25, 2009. Original in Vietnamese, translated into English for VietAm Review by a Faithful Follower on March 30, 2009. Dear Brother Lý, Well, you are heading into the 17th year as a prisoner following the 4th capture! Your fellow defendants Nguyen Phong and Nguyen Binh Thanh, are beginning their third year of imprisonment [after sentencing on March 30 2007]. As for yourself, it marks half your life cycle as a priest. What a “fool” you are! Be wisely silent, or politely reasonable, humbly begging or secretly cooperative. If you were “a good priest” instead of “a political activist”, following the principle of “doing the things right” instead of “doing the right things”, you would have lived an easy life, built numerous works, held various ceremonies, gone abroad countless times to “glorify God, save souls, be a good religious citizen”!?! Contrarily, you have continuously raised your voice to advocate for miserable people. As a consequence, you have repeatedly and continuously been jailed which destroyed your youthful life!!. Some people say that you and your friends together with Father Nguyen Kim Đien have reaped calamity due to your sowing of words! You have shared the same fate with Our Highest Sacred Teacher, John the Baptist, Christ’s Disciples and all the Prophets of God. Should Jesus have not called the wickedly cruel king Herod a fox (Luke 13,32), not called religious leaders such as Pharisees and teachers of law “hypocrites”, “whitewashed tombs”, “blind guides”, “those devour widows’ houses” (Matthew 23,13-27)? Should Jesus have not announced his mission provocatively such as “ The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed...” ( Luke 4, 18), “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness...”(Matthew 5, 10)? .John Baptist called Sadducees a “brood of vipers” (Matthew 3,7); reprimanded soldiers: “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely” (Luke,14); warned King Herod of marrying his sister in law: “it’s not lawful for you to have her.” (Matthew 14,4). If those two gentlemen had not criticized authorities who were in power, they would not have been chased, captured and executed. If prophets had not condemned powerful employers who did not pay their employees fairly (Jeremiah 22,13; Malachi 3,5), dishonest traders (Amos 8,5; Hosea 12,8), self-interested judges (Micheas 3,11, Isaiah 1,23), leaders who “marred the faces of the innocents” (Isaiah 3, 15)..., they would have not been persecuted and executed. Those people have sown their words but does the Holy Bible call them “political activists”? You have understood that God’s remark: “My son, you will be named as the prophet of the Almighty” which every priest or clergyman has to say in every morning prayer, is truly compelling and demanding. You are aware that living in a society where the authority, the party leadership covers up reality, tramples on the truth, corrupts, exploits, and persecutes people, requires God’s witnesses, or prophets of truth, to go beyond the peaceful chapel with courage. Anyone who would become the soldier of people’s dignity, people’s right of religious freedom, or simply of righteous lives has to accept hardship and persecution. You are aware that it is poor people who need more mercy and help than any other (it is the duty of the Church and priest as well). It is not material poor but the poor of human rights. Those who are poor in wealth are unhappy only but those who are poor in human rights are both unhappy and dishonored and suffer from many miseries. You are not satisfied with relieving charity (which has got applause from the tyrannical regime), instead proceeding to liberating charity (which is always prohibited by the tyrant), considering it the most important and urgent priority, the grassroots’ solution. You have not secretly sympathized, silently prayed, or unobtrusively supported victims of injustice. Instead, you devoted yourself to the life stream, proudly stood beside your poor brethren, your country mate, the religion, the country and publicly raised your voice. You have denounced the root cause of any unjustifiable misery: the inhumane, dictatorial party and totalitarian regime. Thank you for your straightforward words and courageous acts. You have a profound view of the society, and right strategy for struggle (such as co-founding of Bloc 8406, the Manifesto 2006 on Freedom and Democracy for Vietnam, with peaceful and non-violent method of struggle). In addition, your example of sacrifice in prison is inspiring a great campaign of requiring religious freedom and democracy in our fatherland. Especially, there is an increasing trend of participation of other priests. Most importantly, the issue of human rights has expanded into the issue of the national threat of being invaded, which would result in national loss, house dismantled and religion disappeared! It is the boiling point, when people of both religious and non-religious communities are expecting spiritual leaders to raise their voices. If not, who will listen to them when the country would regain its peace, dismantle communism, or dismiss invaders? It is the bitter experience of spiritual leaders in Eastern Europe who have kept silent or compromised with devils! Thank you for being the enthusiastic pioneer. You have shot the signal gun (particularly by issuing Nine Appeals from Dec 2000 to Feb 2001) for the great venture of reclaiming material and spiritual properties. The campaigns, which have been conducted by both civil and religious communities, are firmly increasing day by day. They are activities of victims of injustice and churches reclaiming their land; workers reclaiming fair treatment, religions reclaiming independence; activists reclaiming human rights, involvement of rights in national issues and patriots reclaiming ancestors’ land. It is due to those inspiring words that you have suffered so much pain and several imprisonments. It is the misery which comes from outside as well as stems from within any pioneer -- isn’t it! Recently, when asked why he was not supporting you, a responsible person has replied (in general) that: “Because Father Ly did not behave properly as a priest in front of the judge. He has kicked the bar with his foot and raised his fist upward shouting “Down with communism”! Such behavior is like that of a believer who is shouting in the church!” My Goodness, such a bar (and previous series of suspect inquiries) is full of unjustice, coercion, out of law, without attorney, without witness, without relative, no self-defense rights. It is the bar where the defendant has been muzzled. It means the bar of pirates. How dare it been compared with a solemn cathedral? I wonder how such behavior could be considered indefensible sins and unable to be supported? Setting aside those surprisingly irresponsible attitudes, most people, both native and abroad, and international communities of democracy are upholding, supporting and following you... The proof is that the books of “The Case of Rev. Nguyen Van Ly and Catholic Conscience” (2007) and “Rev. Thaddeus Nguyen Van Ly, the Life for Religious Freedom and Democratic Human Rights” (2008) have been widely published. The proof is that the picture of you being muzzled by tyrants in the shameful bar on March 30, 2007 has been flying all around the world, printed into millions of copies, presented whenever there are Vietnamese patriots’ demonstrations, exhibitions or seminars... Dozens of billboards of this unique event have been posted up in the USA and Australia. The picture has been given to politicians and media of several countries as well as pressed on the faces of Vietnamese communist officials abroad... It is the symbol of present-day Vietnam. It is the amulet which gives the Vietnam Communist gang a dressing-down. It is the appeal to all countrymen. The proof is that for many years since then, several international bodies (both in Vietnam and abroad) have been continuously demanding freedom for yourself as well as other imprisoned democracy activists... The proof is that the people’s organization and media of which you are a co-founder, Bloc 8406 and “Tu Do Ngon Luan” biweekly magazine, are still firmly existing despite raids and despicable acts of revenge. Dear Brother Ly, Brother Phong, Brother Thanh and distinguished warriors of democracy, prisoners of conscience, National Heroes, set your mind at rest! The sacrifice of yourselves and your families is fueling the flame of struggle and driving the whole nation to shut down and drive away the cruel totalitarian party in a near future! God and the nation are watching over you as beloved sons and daughters! Written in Hue City on the second anniversary of the ignoble bar, Mar 25, 2009! Priest Peter Phan Van Loi.   more »

Anh Lý thân kính Thế là Anh sắp bước vào năm tù thứ 17 của lần tù thứ 4! Còn hai bạn tù của Anh, Nguyễn Phong và Nguyễn Bình Thành, cũng bước sang năm thứ ba. Đối với Anh, nửa đời linh mục rồi còn gì!! Sao Anh lại “dại dột” thế? Khôn ngoan im lặng hay lịch sự biết điều, khiêm tốn xin xỏ hay âm thầm hợp tác, “chuyên chú tu hành” thay vì “hoạt động chính trị”, lấy nguyên tắc “được việc” thay vì “đúng việc” làm kim chỉ nam, Anh đã có thể sống thong dong nhàn nhã, xây dựng biết bao công trình, tổ chức biết bao lễ hội, xuất ngoại biết bao lượt lần để “làm sáng danh Chúa, cứu các linh hồn, tốt đời đẹp đạo”!?! Đàng này Anh lại cứ liên tục lên tiếng đấu tranh, bênh vực những thân phận đau khổ, để rồi liên tục chui vô nhà đá cho khổ cực tấm thân, phí cả đời trai trẻ!! Có người từng nói là Anh và các bạn Anh trong Nhóm Linh mục Nguyễn Kim Điền mắc khẩu nghiệp, gánh khẩu họa! Thầy Chí Thánh, Gioan Tẩy giả, Các Tông đồ và bao Ngôn sứ suốt dòng lịch sử Dân Chúa đã chẳng cùng số phận sao? Nếu Chúa Giêsu đừng có gọi lãnh đạo chính trị như bạo vương Hêrôđê là “con cáo già” (x. Lc 13,32), gọi lãnh đạo tôn giáo như các Biệt phái và Kinh sư là “lũ giả hình”, “loại mả tô vôi”, “hạng dẫn đường mù quáng”, “quân ngốn tài sản của các góa phụ” (x. Mt 23,13-27), đừng có lên tiếng khai mào sứ vụ kiểu khích động: “Thiên Chúa đã sai tôi đi công bố cho kẻ bị giam cầm biết họ được tha, người bị áp bức được tự do trả lại” (x. Lc 4,18), “Phúc cho ai bị bách hại vì sống công chính” (x. Mt 5,10)… Nếu Thánh Gioan Tẩy giả đừng có gọi phái Xa-đốc (hàng tư tế thỏa hiệp với quân xâm lược) là “nòi rắn độc” (x. Mt 3,7), đừng quở trách binh lính: “Chớ hà hiếp ai, không được tống tiền!” (x. Lc 3,14), đừng có cảnh cáo vua Hêrôđê: “Ngài đâu được phép lấy chị dâu làm vợ!” (x. Mt 14,4)... Nếu hai vị không mắc cái “bệnh ham nói”, “thói phê bình” những kẻ đang nắm quyền lực thì làm chi mà phải bị săn đuổi, chịu giam cầm và sống mới được 1/3 đời người đã phải bỏ mạng trên thập giá nhuốc nhơ hay dưới lưỡi gươm oan nghiệt? Nếu các ngôn sứ Cựu Ước đừng có lên án -với bao lời nảy lửa- những kẻ quyền thế quỵt lương (x. Gr 22,13; Ml 3,5), những tay giàu có gian lận (x. Am 8,5; Hs 12,8), những ông quan tòa vụ lợi (x. Mk 3,11; Is 1,23), những người lãnh đạo “chà đạp lên mặt kẻ nghèo khó” (x. Is 3,15)… thì làm chi mà phải bị cường quyền bách hại, giết chết, sống chưa mãn đời? Âu cũng là khẩu nghiệp! Mà Kinh Thánh có gọi các ngài là “làm chính trị” không nhỉ? Anh đã hiểu rằng lời nhắc nhở của Chúa: “Hài nhi hỡi, con sẽ được gọi là ngôn sứ của Đấng Tối Cao” trong kinh sáng mà các linh mục và tu sĩ phải đọc mỗi ngày, thật thúc bách và đòi hỏi biết mấy! Anh đã hiểu rằng trong một xã hội mà hạng cầm quyền, đảng lãnh đạo chỉ biết bưng bít chân lý, chà đạp lẽ phải, tham nhũng bóc lột, áp bức bạo hành, công cụ hóa các thế lực tinh thần, thì vinh quang được làm chứng nhân, danh dự được làm ngôn sứ cho công lý, cho sự thật, cho Thiên Chúa đòi buộc phải ra khỏi thánh đường bình yên (dĩ nhiên không phải ra hẳn) để dấn thân vào trần thế hỗn loạn và can đảm trả giá. Có cuộc đời nào làm chiến sĩ cho phẩm giá của con người, cho quyền sống của thế nhân, cho tự do của tôn giáo, hay đơn giản là sống cho xứng phận người đứng thẳng, mà lại không lãnh sóng gió bão bùng, mà không gánh khổ đau bách hại? Anh đã hiểu rằng hạng nghèo khó cần thương giúp hơn hết (như bổn phận của Giáo hội và của linh mục) không phải là hạng nghèo khó về của cải mà là hạng nghèo khó về nhân quyền. Nghèo về của cải chỉ khổ, nghèo về nhân quyền vừa khổ vừa nhục và còn kéo theo đủ thứ tai họa! Anh không chỉ bằng lòng với việc bác ái cứu trợ (vốn được bạo quyền hoan nghênh tán thưởng) mà còn tiến tới việc bác ái giải thoát (luôn bị cường lực cấm đoán cản ngăn) và cho đó là quan trọng hơn cả, khẩn thiết hơn cả, là cách giải quyết tận gốc vấn đề. Anh đã chẳng lẳng lặng xót thương, âm thầm cầu nguyện, kín đáo trợ giúp các nạn nhân của bất công, một đã dấn thân nhập cuộc, hiên ngang đứng cạnh nỗi khổ của đồng đạo, của đồng bào, của tôn giáo, của đất nước, và công khai lên tiếng, vạch mặt chỉ tên cái nguyên nhân sâu xa, cội nguồn đầu hết của mọi bất công bất hạnh : chủ nghĩa phi nhân, chính đảng chuyên quyền và chế độ toàn trị. Xin cảm ơn Anh vì lời nói thẳng thắn và hành động can đảm, cái nhìn sâu sắc về xã hội và chiến lược đấu tranh đúng đắn (đồng thành lập Khối dân chủ bất bạo động 8406 chẳng hạn), cộng thêm tấm gương hy sinh trong tù ngục tháng năm dài của Anh, đã và đang dấy lên cả một phong trào đòi tự do tôn giáo và dân chủ nhân quyền trên Quê hương, đặc biệt kéo theo sự nhập cuộc ngày càng đông đảo của các đồng nghiệp linh mục. Nhất là khi vấn đề quyền con người đang mở rộng ra thành vấn đề quyền dân tộc với hiểm họa giang sơn Tổ quốc bị xâm lấn, an ninh Tổ quốc bị đe dọa, với viễn tượng nước mất, nhà tan, đạo tiêu tùng! Nếu các lãnh đạo tinh thần không lên tiếng lúc dầu sôi lửa bỏng này, lúc mà giáo dân và lương dân đang mong đợi họ, cầu khẩn họ, thì khi đất nước trở lại thanh bình, sạch bóng Cộng sản, thoát đại nạn ngoại xâm, ai mà còn thèm nghe họ nữa, như kinh nghiệm thấm thía hiện giờ bên Đông Âu của các lãnh đạo tinh thần đã lặng câm như hến hay đã thỏa hiệp với quỷ! Xin cảm ơn Anh đã làm người khởi xướng mạnh mẽ, bắn phát súng lệnh (cụ thể và đặc biệt qua 9 Lời Kêu gọi từ tháng 12-2000 đến tháng 02-2001) cho đại cuộc đòi lại các tài sản vật chất và tinh thần mà các tập thể lẫn cá nhân, dân sự lẫn tôn giáo đang tiến hành ngày càng quyết liệt. Những cuộc đòi đất đai của các dân oan và của các giáo hội, đòi công bằng của các công nhân, đòi độc lập của các tôn giáo, đòi nhân quyền của các nhà dân chủ, đòi tham gia việc nước và đòi tài sản tổ tiên của mọi tấm lòng ái quốc hôm nay đã chẳng cảm hứng phần lớn từ những Lời Kêu gọi ấy sao? đã chẳng được nhắc nhở phần lớn trong những Lời Kêu gọi ấy sao? Nhưng rồi, chính vì những lời khởi xướng ấy mà Anh đã phải gánh chịu bao đau khổ và tù ngục. Phải chăng đó là nỗi bất hạnh của người thức dậy sớm? Đau khổ ấy đến từ bên ngoài cũng như tự bên trong. Mới đây thôi, khi được hỏi vì sao không lên tiếng bênh vực cho Anh, một trong những người có trách nhiệm về Anh đã trả lời (đại ý): “Vì cha Lý đã chẳng giữ tư cách mình là một linh mục trước tòa án. Sao lại có những hành động như lấy chân đá vành móng ngựa, sau đó lại nắm tay cao thẳng lên (sic) hô to “Đả đảo đảng Cộng sản”! Như thế có khác chi một giáo dân la hét trong nhà thờ!”. Trời ơi, cái phiên tòa đó (và chuỗi ngày thẩm vấn các bị can trước đó), ai chẳng biết là đầy gian manh, cưỡng bức, vô luật, không trạng sư, không chứng nhân, không thân thuộc, không quyền tự vệ, lại còn bịt miệng và chận họng các bị cáo, nghĩa là phiên tòa của một bọn cướp, trong đó chẳng tồn tại công lý, chẳng tồn tại pháp luật, hết sức bất công, thô bỉ và quái đản, rất đáng bị đả đảo (y như những sự việc cũng quái đản, thô bỉ và bất công không kém quanh vụ sơ thẩm và phúc thẩm 8 giáo dân Thái Hà), thế mà lại đem so sánh nó với chốn thánh đường tôn nghiêm? Nói thế thì khác gì tay chủ tịch UBND thành phố Hà Nội Nguyễn Thế Thảo đã kết án các Linh mục Thái Hà trong thư gửi Hội đồng Giám mục VN và Giám tỉnh Dòng CCT ngày 12-12-2008: “Trước và trong quá trình diễn ra phiên tòa, một số giáo sĩ tại nhà thờ Thái Hà… đã có những lời nói, việc làm cổ súy, khuyến khích các hành vi vi phạm Pháp luật... đã có thái độ và lời nói phỉ báng Pháp luật và Nhà nước Việt Nam… đã nói phiên tòa là “phiên tòa của ma quỷ và bóng tối”… Các linh mục ấy đáng bị điều chuyển khỏi địa phận thành phố Hà Nội”. Phải chăng người ta muốn biến hai câu thơ nổi tiếng của Anh: “Tòa án Cộng sản Việt Nam: trò hề bỉ ổi ngàn năm chê cười” thành “Tòa án Cộng sản Việt Nam: thánh đường công lý ngàn năm rạng ngời” ? Phải chăng chỉ vì dám chân đá, miệng hô đả đảo cái nền pháp chế khốn nạn như thế (cũng như lũ người đẻ ra nó) mà những gì Anh đã làm và đã chịu vì Quê hương và Đạo giáo trở thành xấu xa, tội lỗi, không thể can thiệp và bênh vực được? May thay, bên cạnh thái độ dửng dưng, vô trách nhiệm đến gây ngỡ ngàng đó, đa số đồng bào quốc nội lẫn hải ngoại và cộng đồng dân chủ thế giới đều bênh vực Anh, ủng hộ Anh, tiếp bước Anh… Bằng chứng là cuốn “Vụ án Lm Nguyễn Văn Lý và lương tâm công giáo” (2007) và cuốn “Lm Tađêô Nguyễn Văn Lý, cuộc đời đấu tranh cho tôn giáo và dân chủ nhân quyền” (2008) đã được phổ biến rộng rãi. Bằng chứng là tấm hình Anh bị bạo quyền bịt miệng trong phiên tòa ô nhục ngày 30-03-2007 đã bay khắp thế giới, in ra hàng triệu bản, hiện diện nơi đâu mà dân Việt yêu nước biểu tình, triển lãm, hội thảo… Mười ba panô (billboard) khổng lồ về cảnh độc đáo đó đang được dựng lên ở Hoa Kỳ và Úc châu. Tấm hình này còn được tặng riêng cho chính giới và báo giới nhiều nước cũng như dí vào mặt đám lãnh đạo và cán bộ VC xuất ngoại… Nó là biểu tượng cho Việt Nam hôm nay, là lá bùa trù yểm Việt cộng gian đảng, là lời hiệu triệu cho toàn thể Đồng bào… Bằng chứng là từ nhiều năm nay, bao tổ chức đoàn thể trên thế giới (Việt Nam lẫn ngoại quốc) đều liên tục đòi trả tự do và danh dự cho Anh lẫn các chiến sĩ dân chủ đang bị tù đày… Bằng chứng là tổ chức quần chúng đấu tranh và cơ quan ngôn luận tranh đấu mà Anh đồng thành lập, tức Khối 8406 và tờ Tự do Ngôn luận, vẫn lừng lững tiến trên con đường trực diện với Cộng sản, bất chấp mọi đánh phá, trả thù hèn hạ và nham hiểm của họ. Anh Lý, Anh Phong, Anh Thành và Quý Chiến sĩ dân chủ, Tù nhân lương tâm, Anh hùng Dân tộc thương kính, xin hãy an lòng! Hy sinh của bản thân và gia đình Quý Vị đang là dầu giữ mãi ngọn đuốc đấu tranh và là lực thúc đẩy toàn thể dân tộc bịt miệng vĩnh viễn và tống cổ muôn đời cái ác đảng độc tài toàn trị, buôn dân bán nước một ngày nào đó gần đây thôi! Thiên Chúa và Dân tộc đang nhìn Anh và các Vị như những người con yêu quý! Viết tại Huế ngày 25-03-2009, kỷ niệm hai năm phiên tòa ô nhục! Linh mục Phêrô Phan Văn Lợi   more »

********************************************************************************************* Quê Me: Action for Democracy in Vietnam / Quê Me: Action pour la Démocratie au Vietnam Vietnam Committee on Human Rights / Comité Vietnam pour la Défense des Droits de l'Homme BP 60063 – 94472 Boissy Saint Léger cedex – France Tel: +33 1 45 98 30 85 – Fax +33 1 45 98 32 61 E-mail: queme@free.fr – Web: http://www.queme.net ********************************************************************************************* For Immediate Release Geneva, 23 March 2009 At the 10th Session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva: Vo Van Ai denounces Vietnam’s non-compliance with UN Treaties, dangers of Bauxite mining in Central Highlands, and Secret VPC anti-Human rights plan GENEVA, 23 March 2009 (VIETNAM COMMITTEE) - Speaking before the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva today, Mr. Vo Van Ai, President of Quê Me: Action for Democracy in Vietnam and the Vietnam Committee on Human Rights denounced “grave violations of human rights” in Vietnam, and the government’s systematic “non-compliance with the UN human rights instruments which it has ratified”; Vietnam’s non-compliance is particularly disturbing because “policies in Vietnam are not decided by state institutions such as the government or the Parliament, but by the Vietnamese Communist Party (VCP)”. Whilst Vietnam has a binding commitment to respect key UN treaties such as the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political rights which it ratified in 1982, “the Communist Party does not consider itself bound by Vietnam’s international obligations”. Vo Van Ai described the VCP’s mechanisms of control over the population, enforced by the “Precinct Security Warden who maintains everyone under surveillance, the obligatory residence permit (ho khau), without which all citizens are illegal, and the curriculum vitae which records peoples’ actions, affiliations and opinions”. This system enables the authorities to exert intolerable pressures on dissidents and their families in everyday life (loss of jobs, children expelled from school, threats, harassments, etc). As a result, all peaceful dissent is systematically stifled, said Mr. Ai, citing the case of Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) leader Thich Quang Do, currently under house arrest without trial at his pagoda in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) after 26 years in detention; the muzzling of journalists who reveal “embarrassing” information (detention, revoking of press cards of several journalists and two Editors-in-chief in 2008); the detention of cyber-dissidents or “Bloggers” such as Dieu Cay, sentenced to 30 months in prison in September 2008 for posting articles demanding democratic reforms. Faced with growing protests by farmers and peasants against State confiscation of lands (Victims of Injustice), unprecedented strikes of hundreds of thousands of workers denouncing sweat-shop working conditions and low pay in face of rocketing prices (72% rise in the price of rice over the past year), and first-ever demonstrations by students and young people to protest China’s claims of sovereignty over the Spratly and Paracel islands, Vietnam has reacted with brutal repression and arrests. Many young demonstrators arrested in September 2008 remain in prison under extremely harsh conditions, e.g. Pham Van Troi, Nguyen Xuan Nghia, Pham Thanh Nghien, Nguyen Van Tuc, Ngo Quynh, and teacher Vu Hung, whose health has reportedly deteriorated in prison. Lawyers Nguyen Van Dai and Le Thi Cong Nhan are serving 4 and 3 year sentences simply for holding training sessions in human rights. Vietnam has also adopted a series of “perfidious laws”, Mr. Ai told the UN, to “legalise” arbitrary detention and the suppression of dissent, in gross violation of the ICCPR and the 1992 Vietnamese Constitution. These include Decree 38 banning demonstrations outside public buildings, used routinely to detain farmers and peasants; an 2008 Decree obliging workers to pay their employers 3 months’ salary in compensation if their strike is deemed illegal; Ordinance 44 authorizing extra-judicial detention of government critics in psychiatric institutions or under house arrest; increased restrictions on the Internet, including Decree No 7/2008/TT-BTTTT controlling and restricting the use of blogs. Mr. Ai also alerted the Human Rights Commission to the risk of an “ecological catastrophe” in Vietnam’s Central Highlands with the $500 million Bauxite mining project launched in cooperation with China. The open-cut mining “will destroy vast forest and crop areas, create mountains of toxic sludge” and harm the lives and environment of ethnic minorities in this coffee-growing region, he said. Vietnam has allowed thousands of Chinese workers to settle in the area and begin to exploit the Bauxite, despite strong protests by experts, local residents and an Open Letter by famed war hero Vo Nguyen Giap asking for exploitation to be delayed until international experts study the project’s ecological impact. Mr. Ai called on the UN Human Rights Council to press Vietnam to extend a standing invitation to the Special Rapporteurs on Human Rights Defenders, Freedom of Opinion and Expression, and Freedom of Religion to visit Vietnam to examine the situation in situ. - In an NGO Briefing on the side-lines of the Human Rights Council, Mr. Vo Van Ai made public a Communist Party document classified “top secret”, presented at an internal VCP meeting in Hanoi on 10.7.2008. The document explains how to the Party can maintain power by controlling and manipulating the population in every domain. “This document shows that repression is a carefully planned, deliberate policy. The systematic violations of fundamental rights over the past years corroborate the cynical and inhuman policy described in this document”, he said. The document exhorts the Party to “maintain a climate of permanent fear – even if is a vague, impalpable fear in the people’s sub-conscience. At the same time, we must never let this fear develop into despair, for a desperate person is a danger to the regime” (our emphasis). In order to maintain a democratic façade to enhance Vietnam’s international image, the Party must create “pseudo democratic opposition movements”, whilst ensuring that “they never develop into real democracy movements. We must isolate them and restrict their actions, ensure that they have lots of “leaders” but no followers; that they talk a lot but cannot act”. The Party should “take a leading role in promoting civil society”, but ensure that “the Party infiltrates and controls all civil society movements”. Concerning young pro-democracy activists, the document stresses, “we must ruthlessly repress this category, give them prison sentences of 3 to 7 years. That is the best way to nip their movement in the bud. When they get out of prison they will be middle-aged, tired and disillusioned. Those who remain idealistic will be burdened by family responsibilities. They won’t be able to engage in activism any more”. “If the Party continues on these lines”, concludes the document, “we can easily stay in power for another 20 years”. - In preparation for the “Universal Periodic Review” of Vietnam’s human rights record in May 2009, the Vietnam Committee on Human Rights and the International Federation of Human Rights have submitted a report to the UN Human Rights Council detailing serious concerns on a wide range of human rights issues. The report is available on the Human Rights Council website, or on Quê Me’s website at: http://www.queme.net/eng/doc/UPR_Vietnam_2009_English.pdf VIETNAMESE LANGUAGE ATTACHED   more »

Internet dissident Huynh Nguyen Dao released Dissident Huyen Nguyen Dao, age 41, was released Wednesday, Feb. 25, after serving a 2 1/2 year prison sentence for "storage of anti-government materials" and "propagandizing against the state." Dao, who writes under the pen name Huynh Viet Long, was arrested along with Le Nguyen Sang, Nguyen Bac Truyen and Vietnamese American Do Thanh Cong in August 2006. In addition to their dissident activities on Internet, all were co-founders of the Democratic Party, which like all other independent political parties in Vietnam is banned. Cong was expelled from the country in September 2006; while the other three were held in prison without trial until May 10, 2007. At the trial they were convicted of political opposition activities, with Sang sentenced to five years, Truyen to four years and Dao to three years. Dao's sentence was reduced to 2 1/2 years at an appeals hearing in Hanoi on August 17, 2007. Sang and Truyen remain in prison. Dao said, "Every three months in jail, I was given a form to repent, but I always wrote that I was innocent." He said he served his full-term and did not apply for amnesty because he felt in doing so it would be an admission of guilt, when in fact he is performing his patriotic duty as a dissident voice of conscience in the nation. Sources: Agence France Press, Feb. 18; Reporters without Borders Feb. 20; Viet Tan Feb. 18. posted by Stephen Denney, Vietnam Human Rights Journal   more »

Asia Times March 16, 2009 Vietnam bauxite plan opens pit of concern By Duy Hoang One of Vietnam's most verdant regions faces severe ecological damage if the government moves ahead with its multi-billion dollar plans to mine and process bauxite. The perceived risk has sparked a rare public outcry in Vietnam's government-controlled society, with residents, scientists, state media, bloggers and even military officers lodging vocal protests. Though apparently not coordinated, their collective dissent is part of a budding Vietnamese environmental movement, notable for challenging the state's traditionally unquestioned authority in implementing large-scale economic development projects. In recent months, a number of local scientists have written thoroughly researched articles, some published in state-controlled media, exposing weaknesses in the government's mining plans. A state-sanctioned domestic news site, vietnamweek.net, has been at the forefront of probing the issue, while bloggers have provided even more critical analysis. Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has called bauxite exploitation "a major policy of the party and the state", and he has approved several big mining projects for the country's central highlands. The government's master plan calls for investments of around US$15 billion by 2025 to tap Vietnam's rich bauxite reserves, estimated to be the third-largest in the world. Over the past decade, Vietnam's rise as an agricultural exporter has come in large part from increased cultivation of coffee and other cash crops in the central highland's fertile plateau. It is an area of stunning beauty with rich eco-tourism potential. Thus many Vietnamese question the economic rationale and environmental wisdom of converting what is already an economically productive area into an open pit mine. Bauxite is converted through a toxic process to alumina, the raw material for making aluminum. Known by environmentalists as "red sludge", the waste product, if not properly managed, can contaminate water supplies and choke off vegetation. For every ton of alumina produced, three tons of red sludge is given off, according to international experts. Australia, a world leader in aluminum production, addresses the problem by disposing of its red sludge in remote outback areas with little rainfall, thus mitigating the risk of waterway contamination. Vietnam, which has a comparatively wet climate and is densely populated, does not have the luxury of vast tracts of unused land. Nor is the country recognized for its expertise in managing hazardous industrial waste. Vietnam's emerging environmental movement fears the toxic residue from processing bauxite could run off into rivers that flow into heavily populated areas, including the Mekong Delta in the country's southern region. To be commercially viable, bauxite processing usually requires access to cheap electricity. Because Vietnam faces mounting power shortages, the economics of bauxite mining and its low-margin exports are in doubt and will likely require heavy state subsidies just to cover costs. The government has already announced plans to build a dedicated rail line to transport the produced alumina 250 kilometers to the Pacific coast. There a yet-to-be-built port will be installed to serve exclusively the bauxite projects. Those plans, too, have underscored environmental concerns that the government's alumina export plans are an ill-begotten scheme devised simply for the sake of state-led industrialization. Other critics have questioned whether officials close to Prime Minister Dung and Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai have personal stakes in the big-ticket ventures. China factor There is also a touchy strategic dimension to the ventures. Chinese interest and cooperation in Vietnam's bauxite industry was established through a joint statement issued after a meeting last June between Communist Party secretary general Nong Duc Manh and China's President Hu Jintao. In subsequent agreements between the Aluminum Corporation of China Ltd and state-owned Vietnam Coal and Mining Industry Group, it has become clear that China will be the primary market for Vietnamese alumina exports. As part of those arrangements, thousands of Chinese workers are to be stationed permanently in Vietnam to assist in the production, according to local Vietnamese authorities. According to a recent fact-finding trip in Lam Dong province organized by the pro-democracy Viet Tan party, Chinese guest workers are appearing in growing numbers in the central highlands. Pictures obtained by Viet Tan show rows of newly constructed housing for Chinese workers and roadside restaurants with signs in the Chinese language. Vietnamese bloggers, many critical of China's encroachment on the Paracel and Spratly Islands and perceptions that Beijing bullied Hanoi into accepting an inequitable border treaty this year, have questioned why Chinese guest workers are required in a country with a labor surplus and growing unemployment. Bloggers have also expressed concerns that undercover Chinese military and intelligence agents could mix in with the workers. Vo Nguyen Giap, the famed communist military leader and later sometimes government critic, sounded the same alarm about the potential strategic threat of unregulated Chinese workers in an open letter in January to communist party's politburo. The 97-year-old Giap referred to the central highlands as the strategic gateway to Vietnam, where previous wars have been won and lost through gaining control of the region's high ground. A month after Giap's warning, which only one newspaper in Vietnam was willing to publish, a second retired general issued a similar letter calling on the party leadership to reconsider allowing a permanent Chinese presence in the middle of the country. Most of Vietnam's ethnic minorities live in the central highlands and they are the people likely to bear the environmental brunt of the government's bauxite scheme. They risk losing their lands with little or no compensation and subsequent exposure to mismanaged industrial waste. Nor is it clear that the jobs created by bauxite production, even if they went to local Vietnamese rather than imported Chinese workers, would be enough to replace those lost with the forced elimination of pre-existing coffee, tea and cashew fields. It's from these ill-conceived government plans that Vietnam's grassroots environmental movement and calls for more sustainable development are being heard. Duy Hoang is a US-based leader of Viet Tan, an unsanctioned pro-democracy political party active in Vietnam. http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/KC17Ae01.html -- Trang Angelina Do www.viettan.org Viet Tan is a pro-democracy group. In Vietnamese, the union of " Viet Nam" and "Canh Tan " means wide-ranging reform and development. Our ultimate goal is to rebuild Vietnam which has suffered so much political and economic backwardness. Viet Tan holds that the Vietnamese people must solve the problems of Vietnam. Change, therefore, must come through the power of the people in the way of grassroots, peaceful means. Viet Tan has a network of members around the world and underground in Vietnam. Our members come from all walks of life. Most of the elected-leadership of Viet Tan came to age after the war. Viet Tan relies on an underground newspaper, the internet, and a nightly one-hour AM broadcast (Radio New Horizon) to spread its message in Vietnam.   more »

February 13, 2009 Dear Colleague: The San Francisco Chronicle recently reported on the growing fear among the Vietnamese people that the Government of Vietnam is creating a Vietnamese version of China's "Great Firewall", which is an online censorship program that blocks websites that are critical of the Chinese government. As the number of Vietnamese citizens who express their views on personal blogs and websites continues to grow, the Government of Vietnam is taking steps to further tighten its control over the internet resources available to the Vietnamese people. We are extremely concerned with the ongoing internet restrictions and the increasing number of Vietnamese bloggers who are constantly being harassed and detained for using the internet to peacefully protest against the Government of Vietnam. The Vietnamese Ministry of Information and Communication recently stated that they were planning to approach major internet service providers including, Yahoo and Google to request their help in policing the internet. We must show support for unrestricted internet access for the people of Vietnam. Please join the Congressional Caucus on Vietnam in applauding Google, Yahoo and Microsoft's recent decisions to join the Global Network Initiative, a human rights coalition that works to help companies stand up to authoritarian governments such as Vietnam. In addition, it is important that we urge these internet service providers to continue advocating for the freedoms of speech and expression on the internet in Vietnam. If you would like to sign on to this letter, please contact Annie Yea on my staff at annie.yea@mail.house.gov This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or 5-2965. Thank you for your consideration of this request. Sincerely, Loretta Sanchez Anh "Joseph" Cao Member of Congress Member of Congress   more »

East Asia and the Pacific: Remarks After Her Meeting With Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi Wed, 11 Mar 2009 15:53:14 -0500 Remarks After Her Meeting With Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi Hillary Rodham Clinton Secretary of State Treaty Room Washington, DC March 11, 2009 SECRETARY CLINTON: Good afternoon. I’ve just had a very productive meeting and luncheon with Chinese Foreign Minister Yang on a broad range of issues of mutual concern. As I said during my recent visit to Beijing, this is a very important relationship to both of our countries, and the United States intends to work together with China to build a positive, cooperative, and comprehensive relationship, and to work together with China to address common challenges and seize common opportunities. Minister Yang and I spent time laying the groundwork for the first meeting between our two presidents, which will take place at the London G-20 summit in April. We also consulted on preparations for the summit itself, and Minister Yang is heading over to see Secretary Geithner to continue that conversation. The United States and China have a joint responsibility to help ensure that the summit yields tangible progress and concrete action steps toward a coordinated global response to stabilize the world’s economy and to begin a recovery. We also covered a range of shared security challenges, including our efforts to achieve a denuclearized North Korea, to promote stability and progress in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and to address the challenges posed by Iran. We talked about how we could work together to address the humanitarian crisis in Darfur and stem the suffering of more than 1.4 million people who have been put at risk by the actions of the Bashir government. On climate change and clean energy, we discussed the upcoming meeting between our special envoy for climate change and his Chinese counterpart. Now, Minister Yang and I also spoke about areas where we do not agree, including human rights and Tibet. The promotion of human rights, as I have said many times before, is an essential aspect of American global foreign policy. It is part of our use and definition of smart power. And it’s essential in an era where we are emphasizing diplomacy and development. It has been a core belief of ours that every nation must not only live by, but help shape global rules that will determine whether people enjoy the right to live freely and participate to the fullest in their societies. Indeed, our own country must continually strive to live up to our own ideals. Our bilateral relationships cover a broad range of issues, but we make clear to all nations, including China, that a mutual and collective commitment to human rights is important to bettering our world as our efforts on security, global economics, energy, climate change, and other pressing issues. With that in mind, Foreign Minister Yang and I discussed the resumption of the human rights dialogue between our two countries. While we may disagree on these issues, open discussions will continue to be a key part of our approach. And human rights is part of our comprehensive agenda. I also raised our concerns about the recent incident involving the U.S. Navy ship Impeccable and the PRC vessels in the South China Sea. We both agreed that we should work to ensure that such incidents do not happen again in the future. There is no doubt that world events have given the United States and China a full and formidable agenda. And the United States is committed to pursuing a positive, cooperative, and comprehensive relationship with China, one that we believe is important for the future peace, progress, and prosperity not only for both of our countries, but indeed for the entire world. And I’ll be happy to take some questions. MR. WOOD: First one to Arshad. SECRETARY CLINTON: How are you, Arshad? QUESTION: Good, thanks. Secretary Clinton, on the Impeccable, do you continue to believe that the U.S. ship was in the right, was in international waters, and was harassed by the Chinese vessels? And do you think that with your agreement to try to avoid these things in the future that the case is now closed, or this is going to be a continued irritant in the relationship? And on the G-20 preparations, do you think that China has done enough to stimulate its economy? And how do you answer the view that, given how heavily indebted the United States is, particularly to China, that you don’t have that much leverage over them on these matters? SECRETARY CLINTON: Very comprehensive questions. (Laughter.) With respect to the Impeccable, we have each stated our positions. But the important point of agreement coming out of my discussions with Minister Yang is that we must work hard in the future to avoid such incidents, and to avoid this particular incident having consequences that are unforeseen. And I appreciate the agreement that Minister Yang and I hold on this matter. With respect to the G-20, the important outcome of the G-20 is a recognition and agreement among the countries participating as to the steps that we must take individually and collectively to stimulate a global recovery by stimulating demand and making investments that will bear fruit as quickly as possible. I think that the significant stimulus that the Chinese have already committed to is a very positive step. There are a number of issues related to the outcome in London that will have to be worked through between not only our two countries but all of the countries participating. And there’s a lot of hard work to do between now and the summit in London. But there is a great commitment and willingness on the part of both our government and the Chinese Government to play productive and constructive roles in helping to move the world toward this recovery that will be essential not only to get jobs growing again, but also to alleviate the suffering of the poorest people in the world who will bear the brunt of a stalled or falling economy. You know, we each come to this with different strengths and weaknesses. We are still the largest economy in the world. We are a flexible, agile, incredibly dynamic economy. I have no doubt about our capacity to recover. It’s not going to be easy and it, you know, will take some time, but I am absolutely confident. I think the Chinese are equally committed to stimulating growth, to being able to help push the global economic agenda as well. Obviously, we will have difficulties in dealing with the economic challenges we face. For China, they’re an export-driven country; they need consumers to buy those exports. For us, going into deficits to the extent we must in order to put in place our recovery plan is something we’re going to have to deal with; we can’t just ignore it, even though it may be necessary now. So you know, we bring different strengths to the table that we’re trying to utilize on behalf of global growth now, and then we’ll have to deal, as you always do, with the consequences of the actions we’re taking now. MODERATOR: Next question will be Kirit Radia from ABC News. QUESTION: Hi, Madame Secretary. I’d like to pick up on your comments on human rights. You’ve been criticized by human rights groups, and most recently The Washington Post editorial page just yesterday, for pulling your punches on human rights in China, especially leading up to this meeting today. Despite that criticism, do you still stand by your position that human rights should take – should not take a back seat to economic and environmental concerns, get in the way of your agenda there? What explicitly did you ask the foreign minister to do today with regard to human rights in China and in Tibet, and what do you plan on asking them during this upcoming dialogue? Thank you. SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, human rights is part of our comprehensive dialogue. It doesn't take a front seat or a back seat or a middle seat; it is part of the broad range of issues that we are discussing. But it is important to try to create a platform for actually seeing results from our human rights engagement. It’s also important, as I said in my remarks, that, you know, that the United States live up to our own ideals, something that sets us apart as an exemplar of human rights. So the Obama Administration is absolutely committed to a robust, comprehensive human rights agenda. We’re going to look for ways where we can be effective, where we can actually produce outcomes that will matter in the lives of people who are struggling for their rights to be full participants in their societies. So I think that there is no doubt about our commitment. We’re exploring different ways of being effective in delivering on that commitment, and whether it’s with China or any other nation, we’re going to continue to look for opportunities to not just talk about human rights, but actually to try to advance the agenda on human rights. Later this afternoon, I’ll be giving awards to some extraordinarily courageous women who have stood up in their own countries against human rights abuses. We’re supporting them. We’re supporting their efforts, their organizations within their countries, to not only demonstrate the importance of human rights, but to actually make changes that will benefit the people that they are fighting for. So there are many ways that we’re going to pursue a human rights agenda. MR. WOOD: I think we have a question from (inaudible). Please. QUESTION: You mentioned the denuclearization of – in North Korea. And yesterday, Stephen Bosworth came back and you talked with him about his trip. My question is, what did you talk about with him yesterday, and did you talk about with foreign minister of China today, in case of a possible launch of a missile by North Korea? Thank you very much. SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, Ambassador Bosworth gave me a full report about his productive meetings in Tokyo, Seoul, and Beijing. As you know, he was not invited to go to North Korea, which we regret. He was prepared to go on a moment’s notice to begin discussions with the North Koreans. As I have been doing with all of our Six-Party partners – I did it last Friday night in Geneva, with Foreign Minister Lavrov, again today with Foreign Minister Yang – we believe in the Six-Party Talks, and we believe in the goal of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula. We are committed to that. We would like to see the Six-Party Talks resume at the earliest possible moment. We are outspoken in our opposition to the North Korean’s missile launch, and we believe that that is a unified position, and that each of the members of the Six-Party Talks have attempted to dissuade North Korea from proceeding. And we are also agreed that we will discuss a response if we are not successful in convincing them not to go forward with what is a very provocative act. And there are a range of options available to take action against the North Koreans in the wake of the missile launch, if they pursue that, but also to try to resume the Six-Party Talks. Let’s not confuse the two. The goal of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula remains a paramount goal, and the Six-Party Talks framework should be restarted so that we can begin to work on that. We need to have a conversation about missile – missiles, and it’s not – it wasn’t in the Six-Party Talks. We would like to see it be part of the discussion with North Korea. But most importantly, we would like to see North Korea evidence in some way their willingness to re-engage with all of us and to work together on the agenda that they agreed to in the Six-Party Talks. And that’s what we’re working for. Thank – oh, are you waiting? QUESTION: Madame Secretary, may I just – MR. WOOD: We can take one last question (inaudible). One last quick question, please. QUESTION: Mike Lavallee from TBS. SECRETARY CLINTON: Hi. QUESTION: Hi. Madame Secretary, I just kind of wanted to follow up on your – what you said about North Korea just now. First, with the Chinese minister, they see it a little bit differently than we do, whether it’s violating UN Resolution 1718, if they – launching for a satellite launch. And I was just wondering if you were able to get any headway about agreement on that with Minister Yang. And secondly, it seemed like you were just saying now that even if they go ahead with a missile launch, that there still may be the possibility of continuing on with the Six-Party Talks. So I was just wondering if – is that the feeling, that they are completely separate issues and that we would be able to continue with Six Party even if there is a missile launch? SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, of course, we won’t know until it happens. What we are trying to do is to restart the Six-Party Talks as soon as possible. We think that’s in everyone’s interest to do so, to continue the disablement of the nuclear facilities, to work toward the goal of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula. We believe that the missile launch, for whatever purpose it is stated to be aimed at, is in violation of the Security Council resolution. I think that our partners in the Six-Party Talks are concerned about the missile launch. They are willing to address it if it does happen with us in a variety of ways, including the Security Council. But I don’t want to, you know, talk about hypotheticals. We are still working to try to dissuade the North Koreans. But it is important to recognize that the North Koreans entered into obligations regarding denuclearization that we intend to try to hold them to. And that is something we’re going to do regardless of what happens with their – with what they may or may not launch in the future. These Six-Party Talks are the vehicle that we have, which have proved – which has proven to be effective, which did set forth a set of obligations which the North Koreans agreed to. And we would like to get back to those and begin discussions as soon as it would be feasible, and we’re pushing that right now. Thank you all very much. # # # PRN: 2009/207   more »

PARIS, 11 March 2009 (IBIB) - Patriarch Thich Quang Do, leader of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam, 80, remains under effective house arrest at the Thanh Minh Zen Monastery in Saigon. On 26th February 2009, Thich Quang Do received a visit from Ms. Katia Bennett, Political Officer of the U.S. Consulate in Saigon. During the meeting, he described government strategies to suppress the outlawed UBCV, ranging from blatant repression to subtler forms of infiltration, isolation and “divide to rule”. He also expressed his concerns about U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s remarks on human rights during her trip to China. The International Buddhist Information Bureau publishes Thich Quang Do’s account of the meeting transcribed from an interview with Radio Free Asia’s Vietnamese Service, broadcast on 28th February. Moreover, Thich Quang Do is nominated for the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. Over a hundred international personalities, including members of the US Congress, the European Parliament, Senators and MPs from Italy, Great Britain, France, as well as University professors and former ministers from Albania, Croatia, Kosovo etc, sent nomination letters to the Nobel Institute in Norway. We quote some of the letters and messages of support for Thich Quang Do in his efforts for religious freedom, democracy and human rights in Vietnam: “Thich Quang Do’s selfless actions in pursuit of human rights in Vietnam have brought him great personal hardship. His advocacy for liberty is of historic proportions and deserves to be recognized by members of your Committee” (Letter to the Nobel Committee, Ed Royce, Loretta Sanchez, Anh Joseph Cao, Zoe Lofgren, members of the US Congress). “We know that there is courage, strength and hope in the hearts and minds of the Vietnamese people. Amongst the world’s greatest heroes is the Most Venerable Thich Quang Do, the 2006 Rafto Prize laureate. He is a shining example representing the noblest values of human beings. His courage, moral standards and persistence are a source of inspiration for all people around the globe” (Arne Lynngård, Chairman of the Rafto Prize Committee, Norway). INTERVIEW WITH kATIA bENNETT, POLITICAL SECRETARY OF THE UNITED STATES CONSULATE IN SAIGON, regarding remarks about Human Rights made by Secretary of State Hilary Clinton. OPEN ARTICLE TO CONTINUE: “In March 2007, I had the greatest honour of meeting Thich Quang Do in person in his pagoda. Sadly, the meeting only lasted a few minutes, because the Police came and took us away. But I will always carry with me the deeply moving experience of being close to one of the greatest spirits among human beings. Thich Quang Do’s unique charisma, his character and his lifelong effort places him as one of the most prominent human rights advocates of all times”. (Therese Jebsen, Executive Director, Rafto Foundation, Norway). “I tried to visit Thich Quang Do to thank him for his combat, his life, his force. I am proposing him for the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize, and I have proposed him for the EP Sakharov Prize, for he is truly worthy of it. But Hanoi was afraid. Thich Quang Do has such power, despite his age. Hanoi is afraid to let people meet him and feel this power. Yes, Hanoi’s bureaucrats were afraid to let us meet. But we will meet, that’s for sure !”. (Marco Pannella, MEP on Radio Free Asia).   more »

March 09, 2009 Mr. PRC Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, webmaster@mfa.gov.cn Mrs. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, support@govdelivery.com The Legacy of The Republic of Viet Nam (LRVN) declares its sovereignty over the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) 200 nautical miles according to the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea that continues from the continental shelf of Viet Nam stretching to the surrounding Paracel archipelago waters. As LRVN affirms in many official letters to the United Nations, The PRC will be responsible for any incidents over the the LRVN claimed sovereignty in this sea route. The LRVN requested that the PRC must be cautious in any naval activities that can cause any connfrontation with any naval forces that operate the civil and unarmed surveys in our EEZ, and warned the PRC of using its naval forces to do any risky actions that can tamper the peace in the East Sea. Song Hong, Editor of NewsForce1 The Legacy of the Republic of Viet Nam CONTINUES IN VIETNAMESE ************************************************** UPDATE: Here is a viewpoint from John E. Carey (a U.S. Navy veteran) http://arturoafc54.wordpress.com/2009/03/10/china-wants-us-out-of-international-waters-it-consides-a-china-lake/    more »

International Lao New Year Festival information: Center for Lao Studies, 65 Ninth St. San Francisco, CA 94103. Tel 415-680-4027. www.laonewyear.com ********************************************************************************Celebrate, Collaborate, Educate, Advocate 30 years in the United States Please join us to celebrate the first International Lao New Year Festival Saturday, April 11, 2009 10 AM - 5 PM FREE EVENT in San Francisco, California (full festival runs from Friday April 10 through Sunday April 12, 2009) (click on links below) Friday, April 10, 2009 Hamilton Field, Novato, California Saturday, April 11, 2009 day event, Civic Center, San Francisco, California Saturday, April 11, 2009 evening event, Green Room, War Memorial, San Francisco, California Saturday, April 11 and 12, movie, Nerakhoon: The Betrayal ****************************************************************************   more »

Vietnamese Political Prisoners in Z30A Prison Camp Staged 3 Days Hunger Strike Z30A Prison Camp in Dong Nai Province Vietnam, Feb. 27, 2009 – Based on the information that we have gathered, Z30A prison camp in Xuan Loc district, Dong Nai province has conducted very harsh policies in the jailing of political prisoners, and continually violated their human rights. Solitary confinement political prisoners such as Dr. Le Nguyen Sang, lawyer Nguyen Bac Truyen, lawyer Tran Quoc Hien of The People’s Democratic Party, Mr. Truong Minh Duc of Vietnam Populist Party, Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Quang and other members of 8406 Block were all denied the rights to read newspapers, having their bibles, printed materials, or participating in any physical activities. They are rarely allowed to watch television. The only newspaper that is permitted to circulate in the prison is the People’s Newspaper (Nhan Dan), the official voice of the Communist Party. On February 19, 2009, to protest the ruthless and inhuman policy of Z30A prison camp, in violation of political prisoners' rights, the majority of the above-mentioned political prisoners had staged 3 days of hunger strike to call upon the conscience of concerned people and various human rights organizations worldwide. Reporter from the People's Democratic Party- Saigon, Vietnam. www.ddcnd.org ************************************************************************************** Tù Nhân Chính Trị tại Trại Giam Z30A Tuyệt Thực 3 Ngày Phản Đối Chính Sách Giam Giữ Khắc Nghiệt. Trại giam Z30A, Xuân Lộc, Tỉnh Đồng Nai Viêt Nam, ngày 27 tháng 2 năm 2009. Theo tin tức chúng tôi nhận được, trại giam Z30A thuộc Huyện Xuân Lộc, Tỉnh Đồng Nai đã có những qui định về giam giữ rất khó khăn và nghiêm ngặt, liên tục vi phạm nhân quyền đối với các tù nhân chính trị hiện đang bị giam tại đây. Tù nhân chính trị không được phép đọc các báo khác ngoài báo do trại qui định, không được có kinh thánh, rất ít khi được xem truyền hình. Chỉ duy nhất có tờ báo Nhân Dân, tờ báo của Đảng CSVN là được đưa vào trại. Đối với những tù nhân chính trị đã và đang bị biệt giam như bác sĩ Lê Nguyên Sang, luật sư Nguyễn Bắc Truyễn, luật sư Trần Quốc Hiền thuộc đảng Dân chủ Nhân dân, anh Trương Minh Đức của Đảng Vì Dân, anh Nguyễn Ngọc Quang và nhiều thành viên của Khối 8406 hay các đảng phái chính trị khác đều bị cấm tham gia các hoạt động thể thao của trại giam. Ngày 19 tháng 2 năm 2007 vừa qua, để bày tỏ sự phản đối chính sách giam giữ khắc nghiệt, chà đạp quyền con người và vi phạm các nguyên tắc về giam giữ tù nhân. Đồng loạt nhiều tù nhân thuộc các tổ chức chính trị trên đã cùng tham gia biểu tình bằng cách tuyệt thực 3 ngày, kể từ ngày 19 tháng 2 năm 2009. Phóng viên Đảng DCND – Sài Gòn, Việt Nam. www.ddcnd.org   more »