Radio Free Asia - Vietnam Update
April 14, 2000

Washington, D.C.- Radio Free Asia (RFA) has just received the March issue of the latest clandestine newsletter to appear in Vietnam. It is called Mien Tay, or "The West," a common designation in southern Vietnam for the Mekong Delta. The three-page clandestine paper describes itself as "catering to freedom-loving people inside Vietnam." The computer-generated document is quite sophisticated. It does not carry the name of an editor or an address even though it was sent to RFA from Vietnam.

In this issue of Mien Tay, there are three articles. The first is an "Appeal from Compatriots Inside Vietnam to Those Overseas" to "contribute, through concrete actions, to the struggle for freedom so that it would soon bear fruit and become reality."

The second article, entitled "From Can Tho: The misery of merchants," describes the upcoming opening of a mall in Can Tho-nicknamed the "Western capital" in the heart of the Mekong Delta-called Cai Khe Trade Center. Merchants who have been doing business at the choice location of the "Old Market," at the corner of Chau Van Liem and Nguyen An Ninh Streets, will have to move to the new mall where they will be given storefronts on upper levels of the mall. "In the Mekong Delta, we have had multiple failures with these storefronts on upper levels," says the paper, so people are fearful of moving. Some are pulling resources to stay near the Old Market, others-like the fabric stores-are wondering how they can make ends meet when even now there is already a glut in the market and not enough buyers. People are especially concerned that if they are not in the good graces of those in charge, they will be given locations that will put them out of business. It is clear that without input from the people whose interests are directly involved, any new project in Vietnam will mean anxiety and opposition.

The third article is entitled "News from O Mon District, Hau Giang Province: Billionaire Government Workers." This refers to a recent decision by the O Mon District authorities to occupy choice lands for which they will compensate the owners at the very low rate of 400,000 dong (about $28 U.S.) per 1000 square meters (3,280 square feet). The actual value of the land can be measured by the price tag put on the 700 lots being offered at 2.5 ounces of gold (about $1000 U.S.). Even at that price, government officials bought many of the lots. These officials include:

- Tran Thanh Hoang, District Party Secretary (the most powerful man in town), 15 lots
- Ky Hon Tan, Deputy Head for Organization, 8 lots
- Vo Hoang Dan, Chairman, District People's Committee, 5 lots

Also included are the wives and family members of the officials who participated in the land deal. Huynh Ngoc Nu, wife of Truong Van Dat, Deputy Head of the Industrial Office, bought 9 lots. Now some of the choicest lots now are said to be worth 40 ounces of gold.

A subheading of this article, entitled "How the Billionaire Cadres Spend the People's Money," gives examples of "advance money" that these cadres get for doing their work:

- Vo Hoang Dan got "advanced" 10 million dong for going on a school inspection trip
- Vo Hong Lac got "advanced" 10 million dong for going on a mission to Can Tho
- Tran Van Buoi, who was in charge of "competition" movements got 81 million dong in advance for rewards to those who do well
- A mission to Hanoi, brings an advance of 20 million dong
- A mission to Singapore entitled Messrs. Vo Hoang Dan and Tran Thanh Hoang to advances of 40 million dong each

Some of these officials are so wealthy that in one case, Tran Van Tam could instantly come up with the money for the purchase of a "Dream" motorbike after his recently bought one was stolen.

The paper says, "The people are very unhappy with these corrupt officials, but what can they do being just small fries? Even when some of these corruption cases get exposed, the officials involved just get moved to another function and sometimes even get promoted... And they are all the best and the brightest of the Communist Party of Vietnam."

HOA HAO WOMEN APPEAL FOR HELP

RFA has learned that the confrontation between the Hoa Hao Buddhists in the Mekong Delta and the government of Vietnam has intensified. The government recently decided not to allow for the commemoration of the 53rd anniversary of the death of their founder, Huynh Phu So, on March 30. So was assassinated by the Communists in February 1947 after he was invited to an official meeting-an action which forever marked in the mind of the Hoa Hao the deceitful nature of the Communists. Despite government radio stations calling on everybody in the Mekong Delta to stay home on March 30, a large but unspecified number of Hoa Hao followers were determined to make it to An Hoa Tu, the holy sanctuary of the Hoa Hao. Upon their arrival, the followers were met by a large number of armed policemen who told them to go home. Those who refused were beaten and when Hoa Hao officials tried to stop the violence they were also beaten and then arrested.

This was the case of Nguyen Chau Lang, Tran Van Thuc and Tran Van Be Cao, according to an appeal written on April 4, 2000 by the wives of the three men. Because the police in the two districts of Phu Tan and Thoai Son and An Giang Province manacled and beat up Hoa Hao Buddhist followers on December 26, 1999 and March 11, 2000, Brother Nguyen Chau Lang wrote two appeals, on behalf of his co-religionists, to the Police, the Courts, the People's Control Organ of An Giang Province and the Supreme Court [Hanoi]. On March 1, 2000, the Supreme Court in Hanoi sent back the file with the guidance: Hereby referring back to you the appeal of Mr. Nguyen Chau Lang and let the An Giang People's Control Organ take care of this. On March 27, cadres from the An Giang People's Organ of Control came to his home to interview him regarding the particulars of the two appeals, and they promised to give a clear answer 15 days later. But the following day, March 28, the investigative police of An Giang came to Nguyen Chau Lang's home, read a warrant for temporary detention and arrested Messrs. Tran Van Thuc and Tran Van Be Cao in addition to Mr. Nguyen Chau Lang on the charge of ‘slandering."

Citing the Penal Procedural Code of Vietnam, "no one is entitled to arrest an innocent citizen until there is a court decision to do so," the wives of the three men wrote an appeal to the United Nations, the U.S. Congressional Human Rights Caucus, and their co-religionists abroad. They appealed for intervention with the government of Vietnam so that their husbands might be released. The appeal was signed by: Do Thi Be Nam (wife of Nguyen Chau Lang), Tran Thi Em (wife of Truong Van Thuc) and Dinh Thi Kim Phung (wife of Tran Van Be Cao).

In the meantime, a press release from An Giang Province signed by a person who identifies himself as "NVCHI and dated April 5, claims that home searches and arrests continue in the Mekong Delta in the name of "census taking." "The atmosphere is stifling throughout the Mekong Delta," says the release." Cited are the arrests of Mr. Tran Nguyen Quon and at least "three other unidentified" Hoa Hao Buddhist followers in Ba The, Nui Sap. Additionally, the government radio stations call on everyone to turn over to the police any and all publications and scriptures that do not have the imprimatur of the government-sponsored "Board of Representatives" of the Hoa Hao Buddhist Church.