It has been 23 years ago since the war ended in Vietnam on April 30, 1975 with the communist victory. A sad chapter of history was closed only for a sadder chapter to begin under communist rule. With basic freedom absent in Vietnam for the past decades, the Vietnamese abroad - scattering across the free world - faithfully gather on this day every years, thousands upon thousands, city upon city, country upon country, to remind the world that Vietnam is still a suffering land, to and vow to restore Vietnam to freedom and happiness.
This year's commemoration marked was by another sad event which took place 30 years ago: the 1968 Tet Offensive, in which thousands of civilians in the central city Hue were buried alive by the Vietnamese communists.
Upon this year's 30th anniversary of the massacre, make-shift tombs symbolizing the mass graves where people were buried with their hands tied together were displayed along side the altars to commemorate the deaths and fallen heroes of the war. Demonstrators put flowers on the tombs, recalled the sad memories, or watched slide shows to remind each other that this chapter of history must never be repeated and Vietnam's misery must end.
This year event across the world especially marked by an significant increase in the number of young Vietnamese. Youth representatives shared their common thoughts and concerns at the podium that despite their distance and sometimes unfamiliarity with Vietnam, they share the pain of suffering with the people in Vietnam, and wish to participate in the process of removing this suffering by restoring freedom to Vietnam and helping rebuild the country.
The rallies across the world from April 25 to May 3 to commemorate the historical event of April 30, 1975 took many forms: demonstrations, conferences, candle-night vigils, meetings with local officials or international organizations to plead for the world to apply pressure for the respect of human rights in Vietnam.
Germany:
Bonn- About 700 people rallied on this weekday of April 30 - many took off from work or school - to stand before the Hanoi embassy here to send their messages for democratic change in Vietnam, and urging the release of all political prisoners. Meanwhile at Martinplatz, the city's center, members of various organizations and the community distributed flyers to thousands of local people to inform them of the community's activities and goal of the day.
A Vietnamese delegation on the same day also met with Mr. Y~rgen Staks, deputy minister of the Germany's Foreign Ministry in charge of Asian affairs, and his assistant, Dr. Betram von Moltke to ask for diplomatic and trade pressures from the German government to foster the respect of human rights in Vietnam.
The rally was then followed by a 5 hour conference in which people shared their concerns, information, and ideas to support the democratic movement in Vietnam.
Oberfell- On April 14, a political conference was held here with the key speaker at the conference being the author of the famous book "Night amid Day", Mr. Vu Thu Hien. The author, whose father was the personal secretary of the communist leader Ho Chi Minh, and was arrested during the party's purge of revisionists during the 60's.
In a very open manner and candid comments regarding the Vietnamese Communist Party and Vietnam's current situation, Mr. Hien said he does not believe the party is opening itself up; but it is no doubt being pushed to make piecemeal reform. According to his information, the situation in Thai Binh - where farmers protested enmasse last year - is still simmering. And it's important for all Vietnamese abroad to support the democratic movement at home. Mr. Hien also praised the Free Vietnam Alliance's "Roadmap to a Democratic and Developed Vietnam" as providing a relatively perfect and practical solution for the current abysmal situation in Vietnam.
Similar activities took place in France, other countries in Europe, Canada, Japan and Canada.
Taiwan:
Vietnamese Catholic fathers here faithfully prayed for Vietnam's freedom and happiness every year upon the anniversary of April 30, 1975. This year, about 20 fathers and followers participated in the mass and prayer for Vietnam.
USA:
Westminster, California- In the city with the largest Vietnamese population outside of Vietnam, there were at least five "April 30, 1975" commemoration activities.
April 18: a youth conference to discuss "Youths and Human Rights for Vietnam" was held with the sponsorship of Amnesty International.
April 24: raising the Freedom Flag of Vietnam along the main street Bolsa of the Vietnamese commercial center which was known as the "Little Saigon"
April 25, a demonstration participated by nearly 3000 people across the street of Bolsa.
April 30: A candle-night vigil to commemorate fallen people and heroes who have sacrificed for the freedom cause in Vietnam. The event was organized by youth organizations in the area and participated by 4000 people.
May 3: Prayers for the deaths including victims of the 1968 Tet Offensive at all churches and pagodas in the area.
The vigil continued into the wee hours of the night with many patriotic songs performed by famous Vietnamese singers, who brought tears to the audience.
The vigil ended at 3 am. Participants departed the event in a spirit of hope for a Vietnam of bright future.
San Diego- The Vietnam Human Rights Coalition sent a delegation led by Ms. Nguyen Hong Lien to meet with Ms. Elisa Stamatopoulou, an official of the United Nations' Human Rights Committee in New York to petition for international pressure for the release of political prisoners in Vietnam, especially Buddhist leaders and other religious leaders.
A similar meeting to lobby for Vietnam's human rights at the United Nations was carried out upon the International Human Rights Day on December 10, 1997. The delegation comprised of Vietnamese representatives and religious leaders from Montreal, California, New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Dallas and Washington, D.C. The delegation was also led by Ms. Nguyen Hong Lien.
Houston- On May 3, a candle-night vigil attended by more than 1,000 Vietnamese - the largest gathering in the city in years - was held at the Asia Mall to commemorate April 30.
The night began with three young Vietnamese ladies with candles in their hands going around to light up candles for all participants and the three cities of Hanoi, Hue and Saigon on a big map of Vietnam. The three girls represented the Vietnamese youths who will light up hope and banish the darkness of communism in Vietnam.
About 300 people participated in a commemoration at the Vietnamese Freedom Flag Pole in Downtown Houston the next day. People shared thoughts, feelings and then marched around the downtown area in a demonstration of unity and determination.
Greeting the President with petition:
A delegation of the Free Vietnamese Solidarity Committee on April 14 filed a petition with a representative of President Clinton upon the president's visit to the area, urging the President to maintain Jackson-Vanik requirement as a leverage for human rights improvement in Vietnam. Representative of the delegation also met and explained to journalists of the two major local newspapers, Ms. Kolker of the "Houston Chronicle" and Ms. Jacqueline Srouji of the "The Texas Catholic Herald" why the Vietnamese-American community in Houston and across the U.S. urge the US to maintain the measure, citing continuing human rights violations in Vietnam and trade leverage is needed to foster positive changes in Vietnam.
San Francisco- In the weekend of April 25, 500 people demonstrated in front of the Hanoi's consulate in San Francisco. The next day, a crowd of three thousand people commemorated in San Jose the 23rd anniversary of April 30, 1975 with ceremonies, demonstrations, patriotic songs and art performance participated by volunteer famous singers in.
On April 30, more than 200 people took off from work and school to participate in a public demonstration before the City Hall of San Francisco, the city that houses the Hanoi Consulate. Participants including many local officials as guest speakers shared the meaning of the day and their vow to support Vietnam's freedom and democracy.
After a march for Vietnam's freedom, the demonstrators took it before the Hanoi's Consulate to read their resolution for Vietnam's Human Rights. Though it was a work day but maybe anticipating the demonstration, the Hanoi Consulate was closed.
Similar activities were organized in Oakland (California), Fresno (California), Washington D.C., Boston...