Viet Tan members discussed the situation in Vietnam with MPs and Senators at the Australian Federal Parliament in Canberra.
Led by Viet Tan Chairman Do Hoang Diem, the delegation held meetings on October 28 and 29, 2009 with:
- Mr Steve Georganas MP;
- Ms Kerry Rea MP;
- Mr Bernie Ripoll MP;
- Mr Luke Simpkins MP;
- Senator Brett Mason;
- Senator David Feeney;
- Senator Gary Humphries;
- Senator Russell Trood and
- Senator Mark Furner.
The delegation also included Viet Tan representatives in Australia: Mr. Do Dang Lieu, Dr. Nguyen Do Thanh Phong, Mr. Truong Minh Duc and young Viet Tan party members.
The purpose of the meetings was to campaign for Internet Freedom in Vietnam and to gain additional support for democracy activists currently imprisoned by the Hanoi Government. Viet Tan presented information on the persecuted activists in a booklet titled “Voices of Conscience”.
The delegation called on the Australian elected officials to raise cases of specific prisoners with the Hanoi government such as the nine democracy activists recently sentenced to jail for their peaceful expression; writer Tran Khai Thanh Thuy who was arrested after being assaulted by plainclothes police; and cyber activist Pham Thanh Nghien who has been detained for more than a year without charge. These are some of the many examples of severe human rights violations committed by the Vietnamese Communist Party.
In addition, Viet Tan also addressed the issue of media freedom. Currently, all media in Vietnam are state owned. For all 800 newspapers, radios and TV stations, there is only one “editor”. As a result, Vietnamese people now turn to the Internet to obtain independent information. Many have established their own blogs as a way to share ideas and information. This movement of citizen journalists has caused significant concern to the Hanoi Authorities. The government has responded with a crackdown on bloggers and internet activists.
Viet Tan urged the Australian MPs and Senators to: • Raise these issues with the Vietnamese Government at the annual Australia-Vietnam Human Rights dialogue, particularly emphasizing internet freedom and freedom of expression. • Support legislation condemning human rights abuses in Vietnam. • Call for the immediate and unconditional release of all democracy activists currently imprisoned or under house arrest in Vietnam.
The MPs and Senators at the meetings came from both the Australian Labour Party and the Liberal Party. They pledged to raise human rights concerns with the Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs as well leaders of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
In the evening, Viet Tan hosted a dinner for Australian MPs, senators and political activists. During the program, the delegation presented Viet Tan’s approach to democratizing Vietnam through non-violent means and how a free Vietnam would promote collaboration and stability within the Asia-Pacific region.