May 22, 2007
Nguyen Khanh, Radio Free Asia
After one month of ceasing his involvement, Phuong Nam Do Nam Hai has resumed with the democracy movement. In an interview with Radio Free Asia, Phuong Nam said that he is ready to face all challenges including being arrested or imprisoned. Following is the conversation with Phuong Nam.
Nguyen Khanh : On behalf of the audience of the Vietnamese section of Radio Free Asia thank you for your time for this interview. Our first question is why have you chosen to resume activity with the democracy movement?
Do Nam Hai : Greetings to the audience of Radio Free Asia, my name is Phuong Nam Do Nam Hai speaking from Saigon, Viet Nam.
On March 16, 2007, the public security of Phu Nhuan District summoned me, my father, my sister and my daughter to the precinct to inform us that that there is an order to prosecute me according to article 88 of the Vietnamese Penal Code for conducting propaganda against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
However, the police officers said to my family that “if Hai’s family can convince him to cease all of his democracy activities then the government will withdraw this prosecution order.” On that day, I protested the police’s action and trick of using my family as the bait. I was forced to write the “confession” in which I stated that all my activities were illegal and I requested the Vietnamese government to pardon me. I also wrote that I would temporarily cease all my pro-democracy activities.
The struggle with the police on that day lasted over ten hours, and the police forced me to dissolve the Bloc 8406 and the Alliance for Human Rights and Democracy, the two organizations that I was serving in the Executive Committee. But I stood my ground, refused to do so and the police eventually gave in. From March 16 to May 4, 2007, I did not give any interviews and temporarily ceased all my pro-democracy activities. However, the Vietnamese police did not stop at that point.
I was constantly under surveillance day and night, and I was being summoned for interrogation multiples times at the precinct on 4 Phan Dang Luu Street. There were times when I was summoned once a week, sometime twice a week, or three times a week. My computer was confiscated and it has not been returned to me.
All these incidents by the police showed that they do not have goodwill. At the interrogation on May 4, 2007, I told the police that it was the last time I would meet with them. Starting tomorrow, I will not report to a summon order and I declare that I am resuming my activities for human rights, democracy and freedom.
The reason for my declaration of returning to the democracy movement is because fighting for freedom, democracy and human rights for Vietnam is a beautiful and higher ideal that I cannot abandon. I will continue to fight for this cause. The second reason is because I cannot sit back, for whichever the reason, when the Vietnamese communist regime is oppressing the democracy movement from the North, Central and South of Vietnam. Those are the two reasons and I am ready. I have spoken to the police, and today through this forum, I want to restate my position that I am ready to walk into the cell of the small prison for the people of Vietnam may walk out of the giant prison. Such giant prison is known as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Family Pressure
Nguyen Khanh : The Vietnamese police had used your family to pressure you to cease your activities. Now that you are resuming your activities, does your family know?
Do Nam Hai: My family is starting to know. The incident on March 16 is an unfortunate but also a fortunate event because my father and my sister witnessed the police say that they would respect my freedom of traveling and working. But in reality, they did not uphold their words. Over a month later, my family begins to understand. Their understanding is a great consolation to me. I am not afraid of going to prison, but I am afraid that my family does not understand me that they would think that I am being controlled or manipulated by the foreign counter-revolutionaries according to the police’s words. This is my greatest concern, but in the past month, my family has begun to understand that the police have never had goodwill toward me.
Nguyen Khanh : Since March until now, many of your colleagues were arrested, detained, prosecuted and are currently in prison. Getting back to the democracy movement, do you feel that those who share the same ideal with you are less in number? And do you feel that your responsibility is becoming heavier than before?
Do Nam Hai : On the first question, I do not think that the Vietnamese communist regime arresting and imprisoning many democracy activists would lead to a reduction in the number of democracy activists. No, I do not think so.
I think that when the regime is become increasingly brutal and violent, it will expose the lack of democracy and human rights, and the Vietnamese people will realize that there is no democracy and human rights in this country. The Vietnamese are not a nation of cowards, therefore, there will be even more democracy activists.
On the second question, yes, I do feel that my responsibility with the democracy movement, with the Bloc 8406 and with the Alliance for Democracy and Human Rights for Viet Nam is becoming heavier, but when one person is in prison, ten others will stand up. I believe that those people will share with me the responsibility in the struggle for freedom, democracy and human rights in Vietnam.
Things to do at hand
Nguyen Khanh : What are the things that you would do at hand? Do Nam Hai: I will continue to serve in the Executive Committee of the Bloc 8406, the Alliance for Democracy and Human Rights for Vietnam. The Alliance has recently announced my return, and I never withdrew my name from the Bloc 8406.
I will join the leadership of the Alliance and the Bloc 8406 and the members of these two organizations for the struggle for democracy. What are the specific tasks? The goal is to replace the dictatorial party with a progressive pluralistic political system in order to integrate with the global community.
In the near future, one of the appeals of the Bloc 8406 is calling to the people in Vietnam and abroad, and the international community whom are fighting for democracy and human rights, to support a campaign to demand for the people of Vietnam to have the freedom to choose through a referendum whether to have a single party or a multiparty system.
Nguyen Khanh : You are a young person among the democracy activists in Vietnam. Other than yourself and a small number of people, the number of young people in Viet Nam who share your point of view are few. Is it true? And does it concern you?
Do Nam Hai : No, I do not think so. First, I am no longer young because I am near 50 years old.
Second, when engaging with the youths and students, I realize that they are concerned with political issues and that they are becoming increasingly aware that fighting corruption and injustice or doing charity work without understanding the root cause of the condition of Viet Nam today leaves all those works completely meaningless.
Because when one does not yet see the root cause of the problem, one cannot resolve the issue from the root. Today, Vietnamese youths and students have grasped the understanding of the root cause that there is no competition in the political arena. Article Four of the Constitution states that the Vietnamese Communist Party is the sole leader of the country and society.
Therefore, when they have found the root cause, then the activities of the youths and students would take them to the appropriate steps. I believe in a brighter future for my country when looking at the youths of today.
Nguyen Khanh : Thank you for your time with this interview. We wish you best of luck and success.
