Dear Compatriots,
Twenty-two years ago, Vietnam Reform Party was founded to achieve the ultimate aspiration of all Vietnamese—ending the dictatorship and reforming the country. For the last 22 years, Vietnam Reform Party has constantly pursued this aspiration in a spirit of solidarity with democratic forces inside and outside the country.
Today, the aspiration of ending dictatorship and reforming Vietnam is more urgent than ever. Our people await the public appearance of political parties and organizations to break through the current impasse. Responding to this imperative, Vietnam Reform Party has decided to operate in the open starting on this day, September 19, 2004.
Dear Compatriots,
Fifteen years ago, in this very capital, people of East and West Berlin raised their hammers and brought down the shameful wall to start a new era of hope for all Germans and, indeed, for all of Eastern Europe and humanity.
In Vietnam today, a shameful, invisible wall prevents Vietnamese from reaching out to the modern world and achieving a brighter future for all our people.
Today, in this historic city, on the occasion of Vietnam Reform Party’s public introduction, we solemnly call on:
All Vietnamese from every walk of life, region across Vietnam and corner of the world, to hasten the downfall of this shameful wall. All parties, organizations, and sections of our people to erase the boundaries among ourselves in order to build a national political alliance and the collective power for ending the dictatorship and backwardness gripping our country. All nations around the world to support the Vietnamese people’s quest to remove the dictatorship preventing Vietnam from fully joining the community of nations.
It is only a matter of time before this shameful wall holding back the people of Vietnam will be torn down. In addition to achieving that goal, Vietnamese must resolve the heavy consequences from the years of communist rule and create the foundation for long-term sustainable development. The reform movement for Vietnam requires the contribution of every individual, every section of the Vietnamese people inside and outside the country, and needs to be undertaken now in a number of different areas.
We, therefore, call on:
All compatriots inside the country to seize every opportunity to interact with the outside world to learn, expand horizons, and thereby help Vietnam catch up with the wave of progress around it. All overseas compatriots to contribute to solving the current problems facing the nation and to building the foundations for long-term sustainable development. All our international friends to continue helping the people of Vietnam in their quest for a new country to stand with and contribute to humankind.
Dear Compatriots,
In Berlin, we see children playing in public parks built on top of ugly remnants of the past. After 15 years, the clouds of darkness and hopelessness no longer exist. We long for the day Vietnamese children will see similar parks built on the land of Vietnam. Not in 15 years. Not in 10 years. But in just a few years ahead.
The shameful wall in Vietnam is collapsing. Let us sweep it away to prepare for a new day and a new Vietnam.
The future is in our hands – of all Vietnamese inside and outside the country! This must be the century of our people!
Vietnam Reform Party
Berlin, September 19, 2004
