A conference hosted by Front Line Defenders (FLD), the Dublin Platform is a gathering of human rights defenders to share experiences and come up with new and more effective strategies to continue their work without the risk of harrassment, intimidation or arrest. FLD works to promote international and regional measures to protect those who bravely challenges apathy and social injustice.
Professor Pham Minh Hoang, under the pen-name Phan Kien Quoc, submitted this testimonial to the 5th Dublin Platform in February 2010.
I come from a country that, contrary to what most people think, is now in great turmoil. Just like in any other country with a dictatorial regime, the Communist Party of Vietnam award itself all rights to control the people. This situation is precisely the cause for the backwardness and poverty of the country.
However, within the past few years, many individuals and many organisations have courageously stood up and denounced the lack of democracy, human rights violations and the extent of corruption that are forcing many Vietnamese into destitution while simultaneously widening the gap between the rich and the poor. The human rights defenders originate from every class of society: labourers demand safe work environments; farmers demand back their seized lands. Catholics, Baptists, and Buddhists have also unrelentingly prayed for religious freedom and for the return of properties usurped by the Government.
The struggle for human rights also originates from the hearts of thousands of people who have signed petitions to call for the protection of national territory and waters against Chinese expansion, and to denounce the spineless attitude of the Vietnamese. For example, just within six months of launching, the website Bauxitevietnam.info, which was set up by people opposing the Government’s plan to open a giant bauxite plant in the Vietnamese strategical sensitive Central Highlands, has attracted twenty million visitors which would have been unheard of a few years ago.
Yet, the Communist Party of Vietnam has suppressed these rightful, peaceful demands without mercy. They have beaten and jailed, coerced Christians, writers, weak and elderly farmers even those who have served the Communist Party in the past. They have destroyed the forum of the intellectuals and isolated those who have courageously stood up to demand their basic rights.
Christians who have protested against government policy or demanded a more democratic system have been subjected to constant surveillance, harassment and intimidation and in some cases sent to labour camps. One former camp inmate has described his experience to me. “In those 7 years I witnessed an indescribable amount of human suffering. “Re-education camps” are where health deteriorates, dignity dies, and life ends. In these hard labour camps prisoners were often forced to starve while having to work beyond their physical capacity. They were dehumanised, politically brainwashed, and indoctrinated with the state’s agenda. I have cried for many friends who have died in pain and agony from untreated illnesses as there was no medical care, and I have mourned the loss of friends who were secretly killed in the nigh because they were too stubborn. I can never forget those who were executed because they were caught escaping”.
I myself am not afraid of hardships. But the direst difficulty that I and countless other human rights defenders face is isolation. Through various methods, the Vietnamese Government is escalating its efforts to split, suppress and stomp out the community of human rights defenders. People like me are against the entire government propaganda apparatus. Nevertheless, we patiently and diligently continue because this is the only choice to democratise and build our country. Yet, our efforts will be undermined as long as we have to fight in isolation and operate in darkness; and the road to democracy for us will continue to be a lengthy one. Thank you for your attention and thank you for giving me the opportunity to share my story with you.
