December 4, 2007
The Honorable Condoleezza Rice
Secretary of State
US. Department of State
2201 C Street, Northwest
Washington, DC 20520
Dear Secretary Rice:
I write to express my serious concerns regarding the reported arrests of two US.
citizens-Dr. Nguyen Quoc Quan and Mr. Truong Van Ba-in Vietnam on November 17, 2007.
I respectfully urge you to investigate these cases immediately to ensure that the rights of these men are protected and that they are returned to their families as quickly as possible.
It is particularly troubling that Dr. Quan and Mr. Ba were reportedly arrested as they attended a peaceful meeting in Ho Chi Minh City. As the world’s foremost democracy, the United States must advocate for and protect the rights of individuals like Dr. Quan and Mr. Ba, who appear to have done nothing more than organize a non-violent citizens’ movement in favor of democracy.
With this in mind, I urge you to utilize the state instruments at your disposal to help Dr. Quan and Mr. Ba return to their homes in the United States as quickly as possible. Additionally, I respectfully ask that you communicate to the Vietnamese government that detentions of innocent US. citizens is unacceptable both now and in the future.
I appreciate your attention to this request, and look forward to any information you may provide on the status of Dr. Nguyen Quoc Quan or of Mr. Truong Van Ba. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions, or if I can be of further assistance to you.
Sincerely,
DORIS O. MATSUI
Member of Congress