29th November, 2007
The Hon Nguyen Tan Dung
Prime Minister
Socialist Republic of Vietnam
Hoang Van Thu Street
Ha Noi Viet Nam
Dear Prime Minister,
I am writing to express my concerns about a recent incident, which has been brought to my attention by a number of my Australian-Vietnamese contituents, involving the reported arrest of Viet Tan Party members and supporters by the Vietnamese Security Police on the 17th November 2007 in Saigon.
I am advised that those arrested were involved in discussions within Vietnam concerning free elections, parliamentary democracy and the rule of law. They proposed change in Vietnam through a non-violent campaign to inform and empower the Vietnamese people.
I believe that these arrests do not fit with the image the Vietnamese Government is trying to project in Australia and I call upon your Government to immediately release the Viet Tan members and supporters and in doing so respect United Nation Charter of Human Rights and the Universal Declaration Humam Rights, to which your country is a signatory to.
Yours sincerely,
LINDSAY SIMMONS MP, JP
MEMBER FOR MORIALTA