October 15, 2010
Rolin Wavre was sent on mission in Asia.
The General Secretary of the Radical Party in Geneva, Rolin Wavre, spent eight days in Vietnam to support dissidents.
What are the relations between the Genevan Radical Party and Vietnam?
Since the tragedy of the boat people in the 80’s, the party follows the activities of the support committee to the Vietnamese people. The Genevan Radical Party asked me to insure a mission in Vietnam: to get in touch and to support Viet Tan, a banned opposition party, whose members are hiding from the authorities. Only the communist Party is authorized over there. I thus spent a week in Hanoi, met the relatives of political prisoners and participated in an illegal rally supporting in particular the Vietnamese – and not Chinese sovereignty – over the Spratleys islands. The demonstration was quickly scattered by the police and a bi-national Australian, Vo Hung, was arrested. She will soon appear before the court on charges of terrorism. As in China, opposition to the Party is severely punished and State propaganda is prevailing. The people are continuously misinformed: the news of the award of the Nobel Peace Prize to the Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo was not broadcasted.
But you are the representative of a local party…
The struggle for democracy and freedom of expression has always been dear to us, everywhere and not only in Geneva.
Shall the Genevan radicals demonstrate in Teheran tomorrow?
Why not? My visit was first and foremost a gesture. Vietnam is a dictatorship country that has been forgotten. It has little media coverage. The country is willing to open to business and tourism but without any change to its regime.
How was your trip to Vietnam?
It was difficult. It was necessary to be very careful not to compromise our contacts. In order to demonstrate concrete international support, I accompanied a man to see his wife – a member of the Pen Club, also followed by Amnesty International – who is currently detained under false accusations. I was not able to enter the prison as I did not have any special authorization, but her husband met her. And he was wearing the T-shirt and the cap of the radicals of the City!
Would you have anything else to say?
People are very sensitive to the support they receive. The impact is strong, especially coming from Geneva, which is perceived over there as the capital of human rights.