Press Release
Vietnamese Pro-Democracy Political Party Goes Public
Berlin (September 19, 2004) – Today, the Revolutionary Party to Reform Vietnam (Vietnam Reform Party or Viet Tan for short) made its public introduction in this historic city symbolizing the fall of communism.
Viet Tan, with a network of members inside Vietnam and overseas, aims to implement a comprehensive revolution to establish democracy and to reform Vietnam. The name of the party is based on a contraction of Viet Nam and Canh Tan, which means wide ranging reform and modernization. In order to accomplish this social mission, Viet Tan advocates reforming the social ethos, institutions, and environment of Vietnam.
Viet Tan was founded in 1982 when Vietnam was completely shrouded in a bamboo curtain. According to Party Chairman Nguyen Kim, the party is going public now to work with other Vietnamese individuals and groups to form a national political alliance that will force changes on all fronts, alter the status quo, and create an environment of political pluralism.
For more than 150 years, stated Party General Secretary Ly Thai Hung, Vietnam has faced stark challenges and difficulties. Two basic issues—independence and modernization—are still not fully resolved. The solution for the two interrelated problems is wide-ranging reform to lift Vietnam out of backwardness, to revitalize moral and national values, and to end the social injustice that has gripped Vietnam for so long.
The roughly 1,000 participants at the Berlin event came from all over the world. Indeed, Berlin was chosen as the site for the introduction ceremony for its significance as the meeting point of Vietnamese political refugees and immigrants from all regions of Vietnam and political backgrounds.
Also today, Viet Tan launched its website in Vietnamese, English and French with information on the party and the current conditions of Vietnam.
Contact:
Ms. Dang T. Thanh-Chi
