14th September 2009
Mr Nguyen Minh Triet
c/o Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
6 Timbarra Cresent
O’MALLEY ACT 2606
Dear Mr Nguyen,
My name is Luke Simpkins, Federal Member for Cowan electorate, Western Australia.
My electorate has a considerable number of Vietnamese Australian constituents, who have made many valuable contributions to Australia and particularly in the Cowan electorate. They have prospered under the freedoms we have in Australia and because of their very positive work ethic.
Many of them have voices their concern about the current political situation in Vietnam, where the government continues to oppress its citizens. In the past, the Governement arrested many dissidents such as journalist and dissident Nguyen Khac Toan, cyber-dissident Le Nguyen Sang, lawyer Le Thi Cong Nhan, father Nguyen Van Ly and more recently, lawyer Le Cong Dinh, youth activist Nguyen Tien Trung and many other dissidents.
I was informed that Father Ly’s and lawyer Nhan’s health are deteriorated significantly due to the poor living conditions in prison. I therefore, demand them to be released immediately in order to seek medical attentions as required.
Also, detaining peaceful dissidents contravenes Vietnam’s own Constitution and its obligation under international law. Therefore, an immadiate and unconditional release of all political prisoners would benefit Vietnam’s international standing.
It is an honour to represent the Vietnamese in my electorate, since they are one the most successful ethic communities in Cowan, and the fact that they have the right to speak freely, the right to worship their religious belief and the right to challenge the government via the ballot if necessarily, brought further success and happiness in their life. These are the sort of liberties where the Vietnamese people in Vietnam do not have.
Once again, I call upon the Government of Vietnam to consider its position regarding human rights issues and release all political prisoners.
Yours sicerely,
LUKE SIMPKINS MP
14th September 2009
The Hon Stephen Smith MP
Minister for Foreign Affairs
Parliament House
PO BOX 6022
Canberra ACT 2600
Dear Minister,
I am writing in relation to the plight of political prisonners in Vietnam. My electorate has a considerable number of Vietnamese Australian constituents, who have made many valuable contributions to Australia and particularly in the Cowan electorate. The have prospered under the freedoms we have in Australia and because of their very positive work ethic.
I am in regular contact with my Vietnamese constituents regarding the current political situation in Vietnam, where the Vietnamese regime continues to oppress its citizens. The Communist Government has recently arrested several more dissidents, such as lawyer Le Cong Dinh, Youth activist Nguyen Tien Trung and several bloggers. In addition, they continue to keep the Most Venerable Thich Quand Do under pagoda arrest, imprison lawyer Le Thi Cong Nhan, and many other dissidents.
On many occasions in Federal Parliament I have raised the issues of the repression of democracy, freedom of speech and freedom of religious expression. I have also spoken of the imprisonment of pro-democracy activists in Vietnam. In June, I spoke of Catholic priest Father Thadeus Nguyen Van Ly whom I greatly admire for his courage to speak out in opposition of the regime’s treatment of its citizens. For that reason, he is currently serving eight years imprisonment with an additional five years of house arrest.
I have been informed that Father Ly’s health has deteriorated significantly due to the poor living conditions in prison. He suffers from hypertension and is poorly treated, with limited access to medical care. There was even concern that he may have had a mild stroke recently.
Today, I was informed that a number of pro-democracy activists will be tried on the 24th September 2009 for « propaganda against the socialist state » banned under Article 88 of the Vietnamese Penal Code. They are writer Nguyen Xuan Nghia, a leader of the pro-democracy Bloc 8406, a university student Ngo Quynh, former communist party member Nguyen Manh Son, land right activist Nguyen Van Tuc, electrician Nguyen Kim Nhan and essayist Nguyen Van Tinh. These activists will be tried in Haiphong. In addition, engineer Pham Van Troi and high school teacher Vu Hung will also be tried in Hanoi, on the very same day. The alleged offences concern writing online commentaries critical of the Vietnamese government as well as criticising territorial concessions made to China in the form of hanging banners such as “Protect Vietnam’s territorial sovereignty” and “Democracy, human rights, and multi-parties for Vietnam”.
I can also inform you of my strong support for the Australian Vietnamese Community’s proposals to have the Australian consulate officials visit prisoners of conscience and their relatives. If this is not possible, then I would ask that the Embassy in Hanoi ask for international media to be allowed to attend the trials. I would also ask that you raise this matter with the Ambassador of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in Canberra.
It is my view that the Vietnamese Government should immediately and unconditionally release all political prisoners. Until that happens I would ask that you take steps to suspend the “Human Rights Technical Cooperation” (HRTC) aid program to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam thereby pursuing the advancement of Human Rights in Vietnam.
Yours sicerely,
LUKE SIMPKINS MP
Federal Member for Cowan
