Eighteen hours after leaving the prison camp, Do Trung Hieu agreed to an interview with reporter Vu Thu of Vietnam News Network. Both sides of this conversation understood their talk would be monitored by the Vietnamese Communist Party cadres.
Following is an excerpt of that interview. We would like to thank VNN for giving us access to its transcripts.
Vietnam News Network (VNN): It has been exactly 15 months since the day you were arrested for the charge of "abusing freedom and democratic rights to damage national interests." How do you feel today about this charge?
Do Trung Hieu (DTH): Well, each government wrote its own laws. And this government controls the country according to what it wrote.
VNN: In your first memoir, written before your first arrest in 1990, you revealed that legal investigators and some top-ranking cadres had interrogated you on the contents of your proposals to the Party Central Committee. This time, with your two documents "Unification of the Buddhist Church" and "The Club of Former Resistance Fighters," did any of the top leaders come to question you on these documents?
DTH: They did in Hanoi. These topics were also discussed at the Party Central Committee. And the Public Security already held private conversations for top leaders of the Party and the government on these subjects. These activities, however, have not been made public.
VNN: Did they send any high-ranking Public Security cadres to interrogate you?
DTH: They sent a few. They expressed disapproval of my method. The contents of my proposals, they said, could be discussed later privately among Vietnamese.
VNN: You have had great concerns and knowledge of the Buddhist church inside Vietnam, could you tell us the current condition of Vietnamese Buddhism?
DTH: Buddhism, in my opinion, has had multiple aspects to talk about. First, their creeds are generally left untouched by the Vietnamese Communist Party (VCP) and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV) government. Second, their profound philosophy has also been respected by the VCP and SRV government, at least during the time I was in charge. The third part, which is the social interface and the Church activities inside and outside Vietnam, has been the matter of concern. The Party indeed does not want any influence from the Church that could jeopardize the country's independence. The definition of "independence" is of course quite subjective. The Party holds the official view for all of its members, but its cadres look at the issue from various angles. It is this discrepancy that has put the Church in such turmoil. To this day, the issue of the Buddhist church, I believe, has not been solved.
VNN: How do you feel about the sentences on the leaders of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam, particularly those on Venerables Thich Huyen Quang and Thich Quang Do?
DTH: I know these two venerables well before 1975. Today, they either are under house arrest or serving time. Allow me not to discuss this matter...for they are not here today.
VNN: In the document "Unification of the Buddhist Church," you believed the Party dominated and manipulated the activities and structure of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam. Do you hold a different view today?
DTH: As I said earlier, each religion has three aspects. "They" do not care for the faith and the philosophy of the church...But the church organization and its interface with society and its activities in the society are all great matters of concern to the VCP. Being in power, the Party does not want any other political force to form. It, therefore, holds a tight grip on all such activities.
VNN: During the detainment of Do Trung Hieu and Hoang Minh Chinh, various international human rights organizations and overseas Vietnamese organizations had continuously protested those unjust sentences and demanded immediate release of Do Trung Hieu and Hoang Minh Chinh. Did you hear of those efforts at all?
DTH: Without contacts with others, I do not know much of those efforts. But both Mr. Hoang Minh Chinh and I are eternally grateful for the efforts by compatriots inside and outside the country for our freedom and for the sake of other political prisoners today. We will never forget your kindness. We also want to thank a number of patriotic Party members of various ranks for their concerns for us. A number of resistance veterans, my former comrades-in-arms, have raised their voices on our behalf. We deeply appreciate and will never forget what you did.
VNN: During yours and Mr. Hoang Minh Chinh's imprisonment, misfortunes were also bestowed on other democratic advocates like Ha Si Phu, Le Hong Ha, Nguyen Trung Thanh, etc. Various people were expelled from the Party, terrorized, arrested. What is your view on these incidents?
DTH: Since my release, I have watched TV and read the Nhan Dan newspaper a little about the trials of Le Hong Ha, Nguyen Kien Giang, and Ha Si Phu--or Nguyen Xuan Tu. The latter two are close friends of mine. I do not know much about Mr. Le Hong Ha. Nevertheless, they have all contributed to the effort to advance this nation, to build a democracy in this country. For that, I truly admire them.
VNN: If the voices for democracy and freedom of people inside Vietnam, especially from intellectuals and former Party members, continue to be disrespected, what form do you think this struggle will gradually take?
DTH: I am not quite sure at this point. But I think the ultimate goal must be the reconciliation of all people, and that is only the tip of the iceberg. The most essential ingredient is sincerity. That is the most important thing. I must say I detest dishonesty--be it from the Party or else where. There is no way to promote reconciliation without sincerity. Secondly, we must hold the interests of the Vietnamese people and the nation of Vietnam above all else. No other agendas can be greater than that.
VNN: On the subject of reconciliation and harmony, quite a few people insist it is the Party that must seek people's forgiveness and not the other way around. What do you think?
DTH: It is not significant to me to distinguish these components. Let's start by looking at the extreme sufferings our people are enduring; among [the suffering] are many Party members.
VNN: But if all constructive and conciliatory proposals to end our people's sufferings and our country's backwardness continue to be ignored by the Party leadership, do you have another way to solve the problem?
DTH: I still have hope. Like Confucius said, "All men are born with good hearts." I think we can still convince others with our own good hearts. For the last 15 years, I have lived with that philosophy and have placed the interests of the people above all else. I do not reject anyone. Even in prison, I believe I had made significant changes in the young criminals I was held with. The VCP, within it are many friends of mine, will eventually be changed, too. Once all sides can speak with honesty, they, too, can join the Vietnamese people to rebuild this country.
VNN: During your time in prison, the VCP held its Eighth Congress. Do you know of this event at all?
DTH: I have no idea. I have lots of readings to do there.
VNN: What is your dream for the future of this country?
DTH: I am thinking hard about that. I also plan to express my view to the leaders of the VCP. This is an expansive subject. Let's talk about it at a later time.
VNN: Do you think the struggle for democracy and freedom in Vietnam should continue in its current path or change to adapt to the new situation?
DTH: I can say that the two most powerful forces in my life have been Buddhism and the ideal of Communism and some influence from the philosophy of Christianity. For 40 years I had fought under the flag of the VCP out of love for this country and people and out of hope that the Party would build a powerful country with social justice. Reality has proved otherwise. The Party leads the country closer and closer to a dead end. The VCP must seriously review its methods. That is the suggestion from a patriot. There is no other way to serve this country and people. Many other Party members have the same thought as me. We raise this issue with leaders of the VCP simply to clear the way to advance this country and have no other purposes. Whether they accept our suggestions or not, they cannot accuse us of having other intentions.
VNN: Among the Party rank-and-file, what do members, who still care about the fate of this country, think about the sentences imposed on their former "comrades" who accepted the punishment for such a noble cause?
DTH: Since my release yesterday evening, after 15 months of isolation, many friends have stopped by to visit me. I believe many Party members still love this country. They just cannot express it freely at this time. Each in their own way has tried.
VNN: You have sent quite a few proposals to the Party leadership to call for attention to the urgent needs of the country. Do you think other people should also express their concerns on the issues they deem urgent for this country? And at what level should they do that?
DTH: I think each of us loves his country in his own way. We need to cherish all patriotic hearts no matter where they come from, inside or outside the country. I myself respect all ideas, including those I disagree with. As for the country, the need for changes is extremely urgent. We must prepare to enter the 21st Century. It is quite sad to see Vietnam constantly stuck in last place...And debating these issues does not mean I want to sink this country. Whoever make that accusation is forever wrong. I consider each individual an actor on the stage of life. We can choose our play and our stage, but whatever we choose we will inherit its results regardless of our liking.
VNN: Would you like to send any messages to overseas Vietnamese?
DTH: I just would like to thank everyone who has supported us. We appreciate your kindness and look forward to the day of reunion. I do understand our compatriots have reached other countries by various means, most of which involved tremendous suffering. Some routes rendered only a 50% rate of survival. How painful! But on foreign lands, they have become very successful, especially in acquiring knowledge. I respectfully hope that our compatriots will someday utilize their intellects, their academic successes, their knowledge base to build the country, to advance the nation so that Vietnam can shed its title of being "the last."