The Net Has Been Cast
Since their births, Communist governments have always relied on and well known for their "Nets of Security", ranging from the Chinese and other Asian Nets of peasant informants to the former Soviet Union and Eastern European Nets of urban spies.
It is hard to imagine today, the Vietnamese Communist Party is apparently threatened by an invisible web: the Net of Information. Facing the speed of modern technology, the Party seemed unable to stop waves of information from outside, fought frantically over the control of the Internet among themselves, and now resorts to the old way of repression and terror.
Officials of the Free Vietnam Alliance, Mr. Ngo Trong Duc in the US and Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Danh in France were interviewed by the Agence France-Presse and the Economist on the state of the Internet and other underground networks of information in Vietnam.
According to the FVA officials, this Net of Information has been weaved with postal mails, fax machines, E-mails, visiting overseas Vietnamese, returning Vietnamese contract-laborers, international radio broadcasts in Vietnamese, radio broadcasts run by free Vietnamese, and small underground systems that hand-print and disseminate newspapers and dissidents' writings inside Vietnam.
Mr. Ngo Trong Duc believed it was impossible for the VCP to turn back the clock. They could neither shut down all communications with the outside world and wither away like North Korea nor continue to cover up the truth, which is vaporizing one myth after another about the Party and has placed a spotlight on the Party's destructive role in running the country.
Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Danh mentioned the rising recognition of an underground writer with the penname of Nguoi Saigon (A Saigonese). He had high hope this Information Net will continue to expand and become the foundation and forum for Pluralism in practice in Vietnam. The instant, quick-fix election such as that in Cambodia, according to Danh, does not work and provides favorable conditions for dictatorship to revive.
Before the Curtain Time
The sudden death of a seemingly healthy Deputy Minister for Foreign Relations, Le Mai, a rising star and prospective member of the Politburo, cast an even graver omen on the already fierce infighting for new roles within the Party before the Eighth Congress.
Worrying for the political fate and personal safety of Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet, Mr. Nguyen Ho, a prominent dissident, issued a letter through his underground distribution calling all conscientious Party members to show support for Kiet.
Meanwhile, the Party set the tone early for the whole Congress and stamped out any flickering hope for any democratic changes. Hong Ha, the Party spokesman, declared "We absolutely repudiate Pluralism and Multi-party system."
In the Main Ring
The death of Nguyen Dinh Tu on the eve of the opening of the Congress sent a mini shock wave through the delegates. Some said his death came within hours after being informed that he was selected to the Politburo. Some murmured foul play. The attendance of Li Peng, still remembered as the Butcher of Tienanman , did not bring grace to the assembly despite the State newspaper proclaim of the "honor" he conveyed. Do Muoi, in an effort to show his "youthfulness" and dispel any whispering on the reversal of his own call to rejuvenate the Party leadership, attempted the unprecedented - charming foreign reporters during session breaks. "People don't let me rest", he explained. When being asked how long the VCP will be in power, the diplomatic Muoi quickly disappeared, "Forever!" he retorted. Inside the meeting hall, measures were taken to carry out just that: Party power consolidation. But as always, prelude must be played before the story line. The Politburo was expanded to 19 (including one dead) from 17 before the real power is now concentrated to the core 5 members of the "Super Politburo".
Following Muoi's lead, months of Party' calling for a younger Central Committee with specific rules on candidates' ages were largely ignored. The new Party lines were recorded. "This is like a family", National Assembly Chairman Nong Duc Manh explained "we have the old and the young". Another 28-year old delegate insisted Do Muoi was old but he had a "young leading style".
Do Muoi did not help in selling the new image. In the shrieking traditional hard liners' tone, the "young leading style" Party Chief condemned and promised to destroy the "insurgent conspiracy in HCMCity", Nguyen Ho and Nguyen Van Tran - the alleged leaders in their 80's.
The former Secretary General, Nguyen Van Linh, was not far behind. Regretting of launching the market economy, Linh delivered direct attacks at the "corrupted" Party top leadership, the "neocolonialism" foreign investors, and even the "evil" CIA.
Meanwhile, Minister of Foreign Relations Nguyen Manh Cam seemed eager to distance himself from Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet's camp, repeatedly proclaimed the hard liners' motto: "Our task is to maintain social stability and order"; in other words, Party power continuation and consolidation take highest priority.
The Morning After
The death of Dao Duy Tung in Singapore after a month of coma no longer caused much rippling in the public. The Party itself hesitated to announce the news for unknown reasons.
Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet seemed tremendously disappointed. His hope soared after the elimination of Nguyen Ha Phan and Dao Duy Tung at the 10th Plenum. In the end, however, every idea he offered in the now famous "Top Secret" August 95 Proposals were rejected by the Party top leadership.
What punishments Mr. Nguyen Ho will get for his calling for support to Vo Van Kiet are yet known. The order for his arrest, however, has been issued. His phone line was cut off. And his visitors have been promptly arrested.
Ironically, the Party harassments have helped advance Mr. Ho's callings to a courageous voice of conscience among Party members and intellectual circles.
Indeed, maintaining stability will be quite a task for the Party leadership in the months ahead ... stability within the Party itself.