Vietnam Arrests The Outspoken; Says No to Free Speech, Free Press

By John E. Carey
Peace and Freedom
March 8, 2007

The Government of communist Vietnam, with an opportunity to really shine and demonstrate newfound tolerance, failed the test yet again yesterday when government police arrested Hanoi-based lawyers Nguyen Van Dai and Le Thi Cong Nhan.

The two were charged with violating article 88 of the criminal code, which bans “propagating against” and “defaming” the government and carries 3-12 years’ jail, with 20-year sentences for “particularly serious crimes.”

“Police confiscated many documents with the content of propaganda against the state of Vietnam and many religious documents that were about to be provided to foreign sources,” a member of the government controlled media said.

There is no free press or media in communist Vietnam.

According to AFP, the French News Agency, Dai, who defends imprisoned cyber-dissidents and regularly posts pro-democracy essays online, was previously detained and questioned by police in early February, along with other activists.

Last November in Hanoi the communist government of Vietnam hosted heads of state including President Bush of the U.S., President Putin of Russia, and President Hu of China at the Asia-Pacific Economic Conference (APEC).

Vietnam was also admitted to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and granted Permanent Normal Trade Relations with the U.S. late last year.

But despite these forward leaning achievements, the communist goverment of Vietnam has demonstrated again that it is not yet ready to become a full and reasonable memeber of the world community of nations.

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Vietnam After the Fall of Saigon: 1975 Until Present

By John E. Carey
Peace and Freedom
February 26, 2006

After Saigon fell to the Communists and was renamed Ho Chi Minh City after the Communist war lord in 1975, several human rights abuses quickly became apparent. In Communist Vietnam, the rules changed to these the will of the Communist party leaders and the abuses included and today include:

–Systematic abuse and imprisonment of any and all people who assisted in the war effort against the Communists or who helped the Americans in any way. The most infamous aspect of these “Trai Cai Tao” or remote jungle or highland “re-education centers” were periods of detention normally 7-14 years.  My Bac or Unclr Chi was in this system for 8 years.

–Leaving Vietnam became a crime. Many of the “Boat People” who escaped did so after being caught trying to escape and suffering through prison terms for their “crimes” several times.  I have one friend who went through this system at least 9 times.  My wife went through three or four times.

–Loss of all privacy.   Neighbors were encouraged to all the police if they noticed anything “unusual” about you or your household.

–Denial of religious freedom. In fact, Catholics were forced to renounce their faith in writing.

–Denial of freedom of speech and expression. All media was taken over by the Communist machine.

–Systematic repression and in some cases genocide against the ethnic minorities that had assisted the Americans. These included the tribal peoples of the Khmer Krom, Montagnards and Hmong Lao, and the Khmer Rouge.

–Unlawful imprisonment.  Anyone, at any time, who angers the leadership of the Vitnamese Communists becomes subject to unlawful imprisonment.  An American citizen, Mrs Cuc Foshee, is such an example.  In the autumn of 2006 she was released from prison after 14 months held without charges.

 Now Vietnam is striving to rejoin the member nations of civilized society. Last November heads of state such as President Bush of the United States and President Putin of Russia visited and paid respects. Vietnam was allowed to enter the World Trade Organization and the United States granted Permanent Normal Trade Relations.

But all is not normal inside Vietnam.

At the close of the Asia-Pacific Economic Council (APEC 2006) last November, Vietnam staged the tradition group meeting of heads of state. But this was not traditional at all: Vietnam intentionally insulted the unaware visiting heads of state (including Bush and Putin) who were issued blue au dai (gowns). Blue, in Asia, is the color of common men. The Prime Minister of Vietnam wore gold: the color of Emperors.This group picture, including the commonly attired Bush and Putin, became the object of much giggling in Asia from Hanoi to Beijing.

Now Vietnam has ramped up its efforts to drive the ethnic minorities out or to kill them.

The world should not sit idly by as Vietnam practices genocide and other abuses of human rights. We urge the grater involvement of the UNHCR and the United States.

EDITOR’s NOTE: The South Vietnamese called American military advisors “Co Van” during the war in Vietnam. But the word translates more exactly as “consultant.” Mr. Carey is former president of International (“Quoc Te”) Defense Consultants Inc., a company of Co Van that has operated since 1997.