Paris, 13/3/2002
Press Release
The still unpublished Sino-Vietnamese land and maritime treaties, in which the Vietnamese government made significant territorial concessions, have been widely condemned by Vietnamese inside and outside the country. Hanoi has responded by punishing and isolating the individuals who have disclosed this loss of sovereignty.
On February 21, 2002, police arrested attorney Le Chi Quang at an Internet Café. More than twenty policemen escorted him back to his house to confiscate computer files, cassette tapes and various other documents. Le Chi Quang was charged with "communicating with overseas" elements via the Internet. The 32-year old attorney had penned an essay in October 2001 calling for "Vigilance Against the [Kingdom of the] North" which first disclosed numerous details in the land and sea border treaties which were signed in 1999 and 2000 respectively. He is currently being held at prison camp B14 in Ha Dong province in northern Vietnam.
On March 8, 2002, security police burst into Tran Khue's home in Saigon searching for and confiscating documents and equipment including a laptop, scanner, printer, Canon camera, 2 mobile phones, and 5 Sim cards. The total value of the confiscated equipment is about 45 million Vietnamese dong (equivalent to US$3,000). This is the second time Tran Khue, a retired military veteran, has recently been singled out for persecution. In August 2001, while conducting an investigative trip into the situation of the Vietnam-China border, he was detained and escorted back to Saigon. Documents in his possession were confiscated. Tran Khue is currently under house arrest and all contacts to the outside world have been cut off.
On January 8, 2002, journalist Bui Minh Quoc was arrested at the Thanh Tri train station in Hanoi and after three days of interrogation, was transferred back to Dalat city where he is now under house arrest. Numerous research materials including films and dairies on the border issue were seized by police. Bui Minh Quoc had previously been under house arrest in 1997 under the so-called administrative detainment policy (Directive 31/CP) in which security officials detain individuals for two years without trial.
The harsh reaction by the Hanoi authorities demonstrates their unwillingness to tolerate peaceful voices and allow a public debate on the territorial concessions, which many Vietnamese decry as an expediency to prop up the communist regime over the interests of the nation. Left alone, the Vietnamese authorities will continue to use all means--including economic and psychological isolation, arbitrary arrest and detention, and imprisonment--to repress those who attempt a public discussion.
With human rights violations increasing in Vietnam, the Free Vietnam Alliance calls on the international community to apply pressure on the Socialist Republic of Vietnam:
Free Vietnam Alliance.