Embedded Files
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 20 Jun 1994 00:18:45 -0700 (PDT)
From: Stephen R Denney <sdenney@uclink.berkeley.edu>
Subject: VN: PEN's Work for POC Nguyen Van Thuan
The article below was written by John Lorinc and Lori Anderson of PEN
Canada for the March 1994 issue of the Newsletter of the Canadian Centre,
International P.E.N. (address of newsletter and Centre: Suite 309,
Ryerson Ave., Toronto, Ontario M5T 2P3.
John and Lori are both on Internet and would be interested in any
feedback. Their e-mail addresses are anderson@hookup.net for Lori and
jlorinc@hookup.net for John.
- Steve Denney
----------------
Minder's Report: Co-Minders Collaborate on Nguyen Van Thuan
by John Lorinc and Lori McDougall
When we began, the imprisoned writer wwhose case we had been
assigned to monitor was no more than an unpronounceable name. Our group
--seven editors and reporters for Quill & Quire, the trade magazine which
covers the Canadian publishing industry -- had applied during the summer of
1993 to mind a prisoner under the International PEN WiPC program and the
London office sent back a list of names of Vietnamese dissidents who'd been
sent to jail for their involvement with a samiszdat newsletter entitled
Freedom Forum.
Several of the dissidents had been adopted by other PEN chapters;
we were asked if we would like to mind a man by the name of Nguyen Van
Thuan. Although a lot was known about the career and condition of the
magazine's founder, Dr. Doan Viet Hoat, and some of the other contributors,
there was very little information extant about our charge. In fact, the only
details available came from Asia Watch, a Washington-based human rights
group -- and their knowledge of his background was, at the time, sketchy and
somewhat contradictory. Basically, all we knew was that Nguyen Van Thuan
worked for the South Vietnamese Interior Ministry prior to the U.S.
withdrawal in 1975.
This one fact left us feeling a little uneasy, because interior
ministries typically have responsibility for the police, intelligence and
security forces. What's more, the former South Vietnamese government had an
especially poor human rights record. An Amnesty International report from
1973 noted the widespread use of torture for political prisoners, including
electric shocks, water deprivation, shackles and "tiger cages" (cells in
which a prisoner could neither sit nor stand).
We decided to do some research to see if we could glean any further
information about Nguyen Van Thuan, from Vietnamese community groups,
academics, government sources, libraries, etc. The first solid lead came
from Dinah PoKempner, who deals with the Freedom Forum case for Asia Watch.
After explaining how to pronounce his name ("Ne-win Van Twan" or N-V-T as
we now refer to him), she told us that he wrote under two other pseudonyms,
and provided more precise information about his arrest and trial (this sort
of data appears in official notices in the Vietnamese press and reports
from news sources in the region, particularly the "Far Eastern Economic
Review"). Ms. PoKempner also gave us the names and phone numbers of the
brothers of two prominent Vietnamese prisoners of conscience, both of whom
live in the U.S.
Contacting the brothers proved to be a turning point. One, Dr.
Nguyen Quoc Quan, provided us with plenty of information about the case of
his brother, Dr. Nguyen Dan Que, a physician and dissident sent to prison
for organizing the Hide Tide of Humanism movement in 1989. Dr. Quan
told us that NVT was a member of this organization as well as the Freedom
Forum.
Founded in 1989, the movement was a direct response to
the wave of revolutions that had toppled the communist governments of
Eastern Europe. years earlier, Dr. Que had found himself in prison for
criticizing the Vietnamese government's standards of health care. Amnesty
International took up his case and he was released after 10 years, in 1988,
only to be thrown in jail again two years later. Dr. Quan now lobbies on
behalf of his brother, and the case has been taken up by a few American
politicians, including Virginia senator Charles Robb. As a result of his
work, Dr. Que has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Dr. Quan knew a little bit about NVT, and was able to confirm that
he had, in fact, been associated with Dr. Que's human rights movement. But
Hien Doan, the brother of Freedom Forum founder Doan Viet Hoat, proved to
be even more helpful in tracking down information about NVT. Mr. Doan knew
that NVT's son, Nguyen Dai Tin, had recently emigrated to the United States
and was living in San Jose, California. Offering to serve as a go-between,
he contacted the son, and was able to obtain for us photographs of NVT (an
old wedding photo, a passport mug shot and an illict snapshot taken in jail
during a visit last May), a biography outlining NVT's career, and copies of
official documents, possibly pertaining to his arrest. The son wrote to us
through Mr. Doan, thanking PEN for its concern. "They [i.e. the defendants
in the Freedom Forum case] understand that it is unlawful to do such
activities in a communistic nation," he wrote. "They did not want their
works concern their children. That is why I do not know what my father's
role was in Freedom Forum."
What we have come to know about NVT is this: born in 1933 in North
Vietnam, he taught literature at high school, wrote several books and later
worked as a journalist and "a specialist" at the interior ministry. After
the fall of Saigon in 1975, he spent eight years in a "re-education camp"
(this was the fate of many bureaucrats and soldiers associated with the
South Vietnamese regime). His release report described him as having "no
indications of bad thoughts against the revolution and recognizing the
values of re-education." NVT eventually joined the Freedom Forum and the
Non Violent Movement for Human Rights, a decision which led to his arrest
in 1990.
At present, he is serving an 18 year sentence for his participation
in the Hide Tide movement, and for being found in possession of a copy of
Freedom Forum. Until January, he had served his sentence in a number of
locations, including the Thuan Hai labour camp near Ham Tan, a costal town
due east of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and the Z30 A-KG Xuan Loc labour camp
in Dong Nai province. As for his status, family visits are allowed once a
month. He may not receive letters. And, according to his son, the prison's
living conditions are "very poor". NVT is required to perform forced labour
and his mental and physical health is said to be "greatly deteriorated."
Last January, NVT suffered a stroke, shortly before the U.S.
government lifted the trade embargo against Vietnam. The prison authorities
contacted his youngest daughter, who picked him up and drove him to Saigon,
where she tried to get him admitted to a civilian hospital. What happened
was that this 61-year-old man essentially lay in a truck, unconscious, for
four days, while she looked for an institution willing to take him. When no
civilian hospital would admit him -- perhaps because he has been convicted
of trying to overthrow the government -- she finally found a bed in a
military hospital in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), but it is apparently very poorly
equipped medically. Prison authorities have given him 30 days to recuperate,
at which time he'll be sent back to the labour camp.
Postscript (June 17, 1994): Since the publication of this article,
we have learned from family members living in California that NVT's health
began to improve during his stay in hospital, and that the prison
authorities gave him permission to remain there until he had recovered more
fully. The family members told us that the concession made by the government
had to do with pressure applied by PEN members worldwide, who wrote letters
calling for his release, and from Amnesty International, which issued a
medical alert warning to its network of physicians shortly after we informed
them of NVT's condition. In the hospital, he is able to see family members
everyday (despite the security officials posted to watch his room), and they
bring him both food and medicine, using money sent over by his family in the
U.S. PEN Canada has contacted a delegation of Vietnamese officials currently
visiting Canada to request NVT's release on humanitarian grounds."
Recently published in PROLOGUE: QUARTERLY OF THE NATIONAL
ARCHIVES is a three-part article describing records related to
Vietnam. The first part, by Charles Shaughnessy, describes the
scope and content of the textual records collection.
Approximately 30,000 cubic feet of materials created in the
Republic of Vietnam by army commands and Joint Service
headquarters were transferred to the National Archives in 1987.
To date, about half have been processed and about 6,000 feet
opened to researchers. An estimated 5,000 cubic feet of records
remain closed due to their security classification.
The second part of this article is by Margaret O'Neill Adams of
the Center for Electronic Records. Her article describes the
variety of records in the Center's collection as split into two
main categories; military and nonmilitary records.
a) Military records include the following: Combat Area Detail
and Summary Files (OPREA), 1961-1973, Combat Naval Gunfire
Support File (CONGA), Mar. 1966-Jan. 1973, Mine Warfare
Activities File (MINEA), May 1972-Jan. 1973, Naval
Surveillance Activities File (NAVSA), Feb 22, 1966-Dec. 9,
1972, Situation Report Army File (SITRA), 1966-1973, the
[Southeast Asia] Combat Area Casualties Database, Hamlet
Evaluation System (HES), Jan 1967-Jan 1974, Herbicide File
(HERBO-2), 1965-1970, Military Prime Contract File, 1966-
1975, Phung Hoang Management Information System, Jan 1969-
Jun 1972, Combat Operations Loss and Expenditure Data-
Vietnam, 1968-1970, National Police Infrastructure Analysis
System (NPIASS), Subsystems I and II, 1971-1973, and the
Army Adjutant General's Center Casualty Information System,
1961-1981.
b) Nonmilitary records cover a number of topics and were
collected from a variety of government agencies.
Nonmilitary records related to Vietnam include the
following: the Survey of Campus Incidents as Interpreted by
Collecge Presidents, Faculty Chairmen, and Student Body
Presidents (RG 220, Records of Temporary Committees,
Commissions, and Boards - the President's Commission on
Campus Unrest), a number of public opinion polls conducted
by the US Information Agency during the early 1970's, and
the Consistency Audit Data Base and Demographic Survey of
Applicants (RG 429, Records in the Exective Office of the
President, The Presidential Clemency Board, 1974-1975).
The third part of the article, by Elizabeth Hill, briefly
describes the collection of photographs in the Still Pictures
Branch of the National Archives. These photographs have only
recently been transferred to the Archives and contains
approximately 60,000 images. The bulk of the records date from
1964-1971.
For those interested in obtaining a copy of this issue of
PROLOGUE, individual copies of the Spring 1991 issue (Vol. 23,
No. 1), can be ordered for $3.00 each. Please make check or
money order payable to the National Archives Trust Fund (NEPS)
and send to the Cashier, National Archives, Washington, DC
20408.
For specific questions about electronic records from the Vietnam
Era, the Reference Services office of the Center for Electronic
Records can be contacted at (202) 501-5579 or via BITNET at
TIF@NIHCU. Our address is Center for Electronic Records (NNX),
Reference Services, ATTN: Margaret Adams, Washington, DC 20408.
Theodore Hull
Archival Services Branch
Center for Electronic Records
---
The Center for Electronic Records, National Archives,
reproduces and distributes copies of the Combat Area
Casualties Current File (1957-1989). This file con-
tains records with final data on U.S. military per-
sonnel who died as a result of hostilities (killed
in action, died from wounds, died while missing,
or died while captured) or other causes (died from
injury or illness, nonhostile; died from other non-
hostile causes; died while missing, nonhostile) in
Cambodia, Communist China, Laos, North Vietnam,
South Vietnam, or Thailand during the conflict in
Southeast Asia.
The file is made available in two formats: as a
machine readable dataset (cost $90, plus documenta-
tion) or as a hardcopy printout. Printouts for
the entire file (58,152 records) cost $48. In
addition, the Center for Electronic Records makes
available state lists of casualties arranged either
by 'home of record' or alphabetically by the cas-
ualties last name for $4.50 per list with a minimum
order of $6.00.
For further information about the content of the data-
set, please contact the staff in the reference section
of the Center for Electronic Records. The address is:
Center for Electronic Records (NNX)
Attn: Margaret Adams
National Archives
Washington, DC 20408
The Center may also be contacted at (202)501-5579
THEODORE J. HULL
Archives Specialist
Center for Electronic Records
------
The Center for Electronic Records of the National Archives and
Records Administration has recently made available a brochure
titled "Information About Electronic Records in the National
Archives for Prospective Researchers." This brochure attempts to
answer general questions about the Center, the scope of our
holdings, access restrictions, and reference services. Copies of
this brochure may be obtained by replying to TIF@NIHCU.BITNET;
by writing to Center for Electronic Records (NNX), ATTN: Margaret
Adams, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington,
DC 20408; or by calling (202) 501-5579.
TED HULL
Center for Electronic Records
National Archives
>From anders@cce-mail.hut.fi
Subject: Member profile - Vietnam
Universities in Vietnam, long isolated from most of the
international scientific community, are facing severe
problems brought about by global political and economic
changes. With the doi moi-opened door-policy of the
Vietnamese Government in recent years, the national social
and economic development and international relations are
increasing rapidly. As a result, the demands on highly
qualified manpower for telecommunications become utmost
urgent problem.
>From anders@cce-mail.hut.fi
Subject: The Hanoi National Polytechnic University (HPU) is the
oldest and largest of Vietnam's three technical universities.
The two other universities of technology are located in the
south, in Danang and Ho Chi Minh City.
Based on the former Indo-Chinese Institute from French
colonial time, HPU was founded in 1956. The main task of the
HPU has been to provide qualified engineers for rebuilding
country after the war and to develop industry in such fields
as energy, mechanical engineering, chemistry, metallurgy,
electronics and telecommunications.
Currently, annual enrollment is 800 students and to date the
university has trained more than 25,000 engineers,
representing most branches of engineering and technology. The
full-time program is a five-year degree leading to an
"Engineer of Technology" degree, which the university equates
to a Bachelor's degree.
Since 1976 HPU has trained postgraduates (M.S.). There are
50 postgraduate students every year on two-year programs.
HPU also undertakes other forms of further training and
continuing education for postgraduate engineers with an aim
to give them the latest know-how, consolidate their basic and
primary knowledge, as well as acquaint trainers with research
methods on profound professional matters. Such training is
organized in long-time courses of 3-12 months or specialized
courses of several weeks.
>From anders@cce-mail.hut.fi
Subject: "Too much theory"
At present, Vietnam's public expenditure for personnel
training and science study are far behind the demand. This is
felt also at HPU.
Most of the facilities of the University which were provided
by the Soviet Union in 1965 are now quite out of date. Some
donor agencies have assisted the institution, for example a
Dutch donation of some equipment for the solid physics and
automatic control areas five years ago. Some French
assistance is provided for postgraduate training.
"In an under-developed country like Vietnam, our training
program has shown many shortcomings," says Professor Hoang
Trong Yem, Rector of the Hanoi National Polytechnic
University. "There has been too much theory and too little
practice and students rarely have access to modern industry."
Access to updated information on international scientific
and technical development also hinders both students and
teachers, and there is lack of reference books, documents and
facilities.
"We have a rather well-qualified teaching staff of more than
nine hundred," said Professor Hoang. "Of these, 42 per cent
have a Master's or Ph.D. degree, and ten per cent are
professors or assistant professors."
Professor Hoang feels confident that his graduate engineers
still can meet the production demand in Vietnam. "It is,
however, urgent for them to be further trained in business
management and scientific and technical development to meet
the requirement of a market-oriented economy in the future."
>From anders@cce-mail.hut.fi
Subject: First in continuing education
HPU was the first institution to carry out continuing
education in Vietnam and the University's Center for
Continuing Education is the biggest in the country. As the
other departments, it is short of documents and facilities.
Professor Pham Duc Gia, director of the center complains of
the severe lack of equipment and funds.
"We have one computer terminal classroom with a Soviet made
IBM 360 clone EC 1022, provided by the USSR in 1965. We have
eight continuing education auditoriums, but the state only
provides finance of an equivalent of US $40,000 per year.
This centre can therefore train only 50 postgraduate students
each year.
Also the equipment of the other department laboratories are
used for continuing education, but they suffer from the same
problems. For example, the five laboratories in the
Department of Radioelectronics and Communications have one
workshop for students' practical exercises and one computer
room with three IBM-PC AT/XT microcomputers.
"Except for the computers, almost all equipment in the
laboratories is are very old, made 20, or even 30 years ago,"
says Professor Pham Duc Gia. "Many of these are not any more
in use. For example, all the LF generators were made in the
1960s, but only one of them is still usable."
>From anders@cce-mail.hut.fi
Subject: Desperate need for equipment
A lot of the laboratory exercises and student practice work
are based on electronic tube models. "These were relevant
twenty years ago, but now they have only historical value,"
shrugs Pham.
"Our training efforts need external financing to become
fruitful and to help promoting the process of
industrialization and solving the poor conditions in
Vietnam."
The library is an important source of information. Before
1990, most of the literature came from the Soviet Union and
Eastern European countries. But with the changes that have
taken place in Eastern Europe this source does not exist any
more. Lack of hard currency makes the shortage of scientific
literature particularly serious.
The Vietnamese Government provides the University budget for
research and training, including the fund for employee
salaries, funds for laboratory equipment and the library, and
student scholarships. However, the total state budget for
education and training is less than 0.5 per cent of the
national budget.
The Hanoi Polytechnic University total annual budget is some
3 billion Vietnamese dong, equivalent of US $400,000. As the
largest part, about 2.5 billion, goes to salaries and
scholarships, the fund left for the equipment in the
individual departments is very small. Department of
Radioelectronics and Communications gets about 5 million dong
- less than US $700.
In addition to the state budget, the departments can earn
extra funds for their activities by carrying out contract
research work with industry. But the lack of modern
facilities and up-to-date information prevents this
contribution from growing substantially.
>From anders@cce-mail.hut.fi
Subject: Contact: Hanoi National Polytechnic University, 1
Duong Dai Co Viet, Hanoi, Vietnam, tel +84 42 62 115. AH
Following will appear in the next issue of the Indochina
Chronology (due out in late July). It may be useful to SEASIA-L
netters seeking bibliographic data on Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and
Southeast Asia. (Indochina Chronology is edited by Douglas Pike and
published by the Institute of East Asian Studies, U.C. Berkeley,
Berkeley, CA 94720).
NOTE ON BIBLIOGRAPHIC RESEARCH
There follows a guide to bibliographic data available at the
University of California (Berkeley) Indochina Archive, data are
available at no cost to anyone who can make his/her way to
northern California.
* Unit Nine: Bibliography. In three subsections:
-- Sub-Section A: Published Bibliographies. Lists of books
on Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, some running to 400 pages. Some
general, some special topic such as Sino-Vietnamese relations;
some "recommended reading lists" produced by the Library of
Congress, and others.
-- Sub-Section B: Book Reviews. Published reviews of
virtually every Indochina book written for the past 30 years (in
some cases as many as 50 reviews of the same work). Listed
alphabetically by author or publisher.
* Indochina Chronology - Since its inception in 1982 the
editors of Indochina Chronology have sought to offer an annotated
list of all books and all significant periodical articles on the
three Indochina countries they can lay their hands on published
in the previous quarter. Collectively this represents perhaps the
most complete, certainly the most accessible, listing of current
published works on the three Indochinese countries. We also
publish a listing of all unpublished papers and monographs we
have received over the last quarter.
Subscription to the Indochina Chronology is $25/year, $40
for airmail overseas, check payable to Indochina Chronology.
Vietnam War data are available on-line from the American War
Library, Phill Coleman, Senior Librarian. Modem: 310-373-9792.
Address: 25601 Narbonne, Suite 6, Lomita, CA 90717-2513. The
user-friendly, menu-driven library also offers an extensive
collection of other materials on the Vietnam War including an
ever-expanding list of veterans and veteran associations willing
to share their experiences/materials with researchers. The
Library is well-organized in topic-specific wings so researchers
can quickly access detailed files on subjects of interest. The
Library accepts and publishes all works by researchers/historians
on the Vietnam War.
* ISP Published Bibliographies:
-- Five Hundred Books. Bibliographic reviews on Vietnam, Laos,
Cambodia, Indochina and Southeast Asia books from The Indochina
Chronology, 1982-88. (1988).
-- Indochina Bibliography (Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos). A
collection of 14 bibliographies principally of Indochina,
Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, but also including bibliographic
materials on Thailand and Southeast Asia. (1989).
-- Indochina Bibliography: Periodicals. Bibliographic reviews on
Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Indochina and Southeast Asia periodical
articles from The Indochina Chronology, 1982 through 1987.
(1988).
-- Southeast Asia Reading Materials, Volumes I and II. Collection
of reading materials (61 entries plus 48 pages of maps and
graphics), used as a reader for a political science class on
Southeast Asia at U.C. Berkeley. (1984). Two volumes.
-- Inventory of Vietnam War Captured Documents, Volume I and
Volume II.
-- Vietnam War: An Official Standard Names Gazetteer. A listing
of 46,250 entries for places and features in North and South
Vietnam and the South China Sea as they existed during the
Vietnam War (1959-1975).
-- Vietnam War: A Bibliography. Book reviews drawn primarily from
The Indochina Chronology, arranged by topic. (1989).
-- Directory of Officials of Vietnam. A listing of officials
holding government and party posts, prepared by the Central
Intelligence Agency. (1988).
-- Dictionary of Vietnam War Terminology. A glossary of
terminology, acronyms, abbreviations and slang on the war.
(1986).
If you wish to obtain any of these monographs, contact us at
sdenney@uclink.berkeley.edu. You can also write to the director,
Douglas Pike, Institute of East Asian Studies, Univ. of
California , Berkeley, CA 94720; tel: (510) 642-6539; fax: (510)
643-9930.
G'day,
Following are 3 articles about education & health problems of VN highland
people, posted on VN-Ed Forum.
Pls discard this, if you've already subscribed to the VN-Ed list.
Regards,
Bi`nh.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Binh Anson FAX: (61-9) 244 4726 (Perth, Australia)
Email: anson@csuvax1.murdoch.edu.au
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
>From lhuynh@EECS.Berkeley.EDU Thu Jul 7 21:29:56 1994
Date: Wed, 6 Jul 1994 12:42:53 -0700
From: Luong Thu Huynh <lhuynh@EECS.Berkeley.EDU>
Subject: [ARTICLE] A Need for the Mountain Area
The Boarding School
A NEED FOR THE MOUNTAIN AREA
Viet Hung
Vietnam Pictorial 12/93
The Minority Pupils' Boarding School in Na May hamlet, Bac
Thai province, is one of 35 boarding schools in Vietnam that were
founded to help educate highland ethnic minorites in order to
eliminate the gap in education between students in the plain and
mountain areas.
The school opened in 1991-1992 with an enrollment of 100
pupils and a modest legacy, including some old houses left by the
former Teachers' College there. In the 1992-1993 school year, the
school enrolled 150 pupils, and in 1993-1994, 230 pupils, who are
members of the Tay, Nung, Xao, H'mong, Cao Lan, and San Chi
minority groups. The teachers here are also members of these
ethnic minority groups and graduated from the Teachers' College.
The school is now being upgraded gradually through aid from the
Ministry of Education and Training. Two new two-story buildings,
dining-houses, and kitchen were built for the pupils who both live
and learn at the school.
Another two-story building will be rebuilt and the school
yard will be widened and planted with trees of economic value,
including sandalwood and iron wood, and shade trees such as
flamboyant and terminalia. The lakes surrounding the school yard
are stocked with fish to make the grounds more beautiful and to
supplement the pupils' meals.
The school staff is located in a simple house with a tiled
roof. There we saw the assistant principal, Ban Van Thang,
receiving the couple Ban Van Dao of the Zao ethnic minority in Dinh
Hoa district, who came to visit their 10 year-old daughter in the
5th grade. Mr. Dao told us; "We have 6 children. We want to send
them to the school but cannot because we are so poor. The boarding
school gave priority to one of our children, Ms. Van. When see
her in nice dresses and learning letters, we feel assured."
Like Ban Thi Van, many pupils have lived in remote hamlets
and could not afford to go to school. Some pupils had to go on foot
all day to reach a road where they then waited for a bus. Now,
living in the boarding school, they are not only learning lessons
but also learning how to look after themselves. The teachers have
guided them with devotion and helped them to live better.
The Bac Thai boarding school pupils have learned well and
proven their talent. Dam Thi Khen, of the Cao Lan minority in Vo
Nhai district, is an outstanding student in the 6th grade. She was
chosen to attend the National Festival of the Ethnic Minorities'
Good Pupils held recently in Hanoi. Dam Thi Thai, a 9th grader of
the Tay in Na Ri district, won second prize at the Pioneer Beauty
Contest in Bac Can Town. Furthermore, in the National Culture and
Sports Festival of the Ethnic Minorities' Boarding Schools held in
September this year, the Bac Thai boarding school's chorus won the
bronze medal with the song "Grateful to the Flower Planters,"
composed by Principal Ha Xuan Hau.
Earlier this year, Mr. David Pgarson, representative of the
Ockenden Venture, donated a reading room to the school. This room,
called the David Pgarson-Ockenden Venture Reading Room, is equipped
with many books and magazines for the pupils' use. The school hopes
it will receive more such humanitarian gestures.
At nightfall, the Bac Thai boarding school is full of the
sounds of laughter, voices, "tinh" zithers, and songs. As one
writer said, "The pupils are our hope and the flowers of the
mountains and forests in the Bac Thai province."
************
>From lhuynh@EECS.Berkeley.EDU Thu Jul 7 21:30:04 1994
Date: Wed, 6 Jul 1994 12:38:20 -0700
From: Luong Thu Huynh <lhuynh@EECS.Berkeley.EDU>
Subject: [ARTICLE] Victims of Neglect
VICTIMS OF NEGLECT
Lack of education, poor health plague minorities
4/23/92
Murray Hiebert in Pleiku
[Posted without permission]
Only two out of the 96 Bana ethnic minority families in A Luk
village near Pleiku in the central highlands send their children
to the neighbourhood school 2 km away. Villagers say they need
their older children to help in the fields, and keep the younger
ones home because they fear they could get hurt by logging trucks
as they walk to school.
Vietnam has made impressive gains in educating its lowland
population in recent decades, but its minorities still lag far
behind. According to 1989 census figures, illiteracy among the
Bana stands at 80% against the national average of only 12%. But
for the Hmong of the northern highlands, the figures are even more
dismal. Only 10% of the group's members--and 3% of its women--can
read and write.
Only about 12,000 out of 400,000 school age Hmong children
currently attend school, says Vietnam's Deputy Minister of Education
Tran Xuan Nhi. In the central highlands the figures are somewhat
better, with 5,200 out of 57,000 school=age Jarai children attending
school.
Of the minority children who do go to school, only a tiny
proportion are girls. "We have the traditional idea that a boy
belongs to us and a daughter to someone else," says Giang Seo My, a
Hmong and head of the Women's Association in Lao Cai province. "When
she grows up she will get married and join another family. Until
then, we keep our daughters at home to help with housework."
Nhi says the shortage of teachers poses another problem. He
estimates that only 20% of the teachers in the highlands areas are
minorities themselves or ethnic Vietnamese who come from highland
areas. "Even if we offer teachers salaries of five to seven times
higher than that offered to teachers in the lowlands, they don't want
to go to the highlands because the living standards are so low and
it's so easy to get sick," he says.
To tackle this problem, the education ministry has begun
setting up boarding schools in highland areas. Nhi says four such
schools have been set up at the national level, 31 at the district
level and 100 in larger villages. The advantage of boarding schools
is that they can serve a scattered population with limited staff,
but the disadvantage is that the cash-short government cannot afford
to run them.
Officials readily admit that the government's curriculum,
developed for ethnic vietnamese, is often irrelevant to the lives of
minority children. Minority children are particularly disadvantaged
by the fact that Vietnamese, a language unknown to all but a handful
of them, is the medium of education. Nhi says his ministry is trying
to introduce teaching in minority languages in the fourth grade, but
admits this is difficult because only 12 of the 54 languages in the
country have a written form.
The highlands also pose unique health problems for Hanoi. The
incidence of malaria, which had been sharply reduced in the 1960s and
1970s, has been rising since the mid-1980s in the central highlands
and areas bordering Laos and Cambodia, says health ministry official
Dr. Le Duc Chinh.
One reason is that malaria in these areas has become resistant
to known drugs, Chinh says. Another is that Vietnam has lost its
supplies of cheap pesticides from the former Soviet Union. The health
ministry in 1990 recorded nearly 140,000 known cases of malaria, which
resulted in 3,340 deaths.
Goitre, caused by iodine shortages and believed to reduce its
victims' intellectual capacity, also plagues minority areas. Dr. Trinh
Tuyet Nhung, who heads Lao Cai province's health department, says
41-43% of the province's population suffer from the goitre compared
with only 3-4% of the people living in the Red River delta.
Although the Vietnamese Government claimed by the late 1980's
to have increased nationwide immunisation coverage for children under
one year to over 70%, children in the highlands still lag far behind.
In Gia Lai, 54% of the children under five have received some
vaccinations, while in Lao Cai the figure is only 52%, according to local
health officials.
Despite growing land pressures in the highlands, the
government's family planning efforts in the region have so far met with
almost no success. The army newspaper Quan Doi Nhan Dan reported in
March that the birth rate in Lao Cai province's Bac Ha district, a
predominantly Hmong area stood at 5% compared to the nationwide average
of 3.2% and the urban rate of 2.3%. The paper attributed the high rate
in part to the fact that 30% of the district's girls were married by the
time they were 14 years old.
************
>From lhuynh@EECS.Berkeley.EDU Thu Jul 7 21:30:11 1994
Date: Wed, 6 Jul 1994 12:42:01 -0700
From: Luong Thu Huynh <lhuynh@EECS.Berkeley.EDU>
Subject: [ARTICLE] Education in the Highlands
EDUCATION IN THE HIGHLANDS
Vu Huyen
Vietnam Pictorial 12/93
An interview with Doctor Nguyen Duy Luong, head of the Teachers'
Training College in Viet Bac, the northern highlands of Vietnam,
inhabited by a dozen national minorities.
Q- Over a quarter of century thousands of students have
graduated from the College, among them 3,000 sprung from national
minorities. This is no mean achievement given the wars and
upheavals shaking the country all these years. Tell us something
about the College, the policy it pursues, the obstacles if faces,
the road it has travelled...
A- The educational and cultural policies pursued by the
State with regard to the highlands have had a direct and favourable
influence on the development of the College. Unfortunately,
unfavourable factors are many: more than 20 years of wars and
upheavals and endemic economic difficulties. The College has had
to be relocated many times. Only a few years ago, it was
unthinkable that we could one day equip it with computers or
establish relations of cooperation with foreign institutions.
One should look into the hardships still being endured
by members of the staff. Their most cherished wish is to be able
one day to devote all their strength and energies to their
educational work.
Q- You have had a lont experience managing different college
at different places. What is in your view the interesting point
in training teachers sprung from national minorities?
A- With very few exceptions, teacher trainees coming from
national minorities are hard-working and open-minded. Provided they
benefit from the State's solicitude right from the start, they show
the same capacity to receive instruction as students from the
majority nationality. One notes among them an aptitude for artistic
and cultural activities which stems from well-preserved traditions.
Without those trainees there can be no future educational
personnel for the highlands for the peoples they come from are the
true masters of these remote places. Their voices, the prestige they
enjoy, and the practical results of their activities exert a decisive
influence on the implementation of the State policies on cultural and
educational development in the highlands.
In fact the aim of our College is not merely to train teachers,
but to form a body of skilled personel at the grassroots. College
alumni have become members of the National Assembly, chairmen and
vice chairmen of provincial administrations, directors of provincial
departments, headmasters of many college, etc.
Q- We have heard of preferential tratment for students coming
from remote areas in the highlands. How true is this?
A- Yes, some follow special curriculums. Others may repeat
their classes. But minimum requirements for graduation are maintained
for all.
Preferential treatment for certain categories of students stem
from specific conditions. We need personnel for the highlands. On
the other hand, local conditions are far from attractive: bad
infrastructure, low salaries, no prospect for further training, and so
on. It is not easy to persuade college graduates from the plains to
come and work here. Indeed, some highlander students do not want to
go back to their region of origin after graduation.
Q- How have you been trying to raise the standards of teaching?
A- At present our staff numbers nearly 400, including one
doctor, 25 candidate doctors and 7 associate professors who are college
alumni or graduates from Hanoi University, Hanoi Teachers' Training
College, or foreign institutions.
We have started a system of post-graduate studies to help train
personnel for our College, and for other regional or provincial economic
and scientific establishments.
Over the last few years we have been supplied with fairly
sophisticated equipment, e.g. a computer room; however we still face
difficulties in providing the staff with adequate housing and giving
them the benefit of various social policies.
Q- What about your external relations?
A- Mere opportunities to have contact with foreign institutions
are beneficial enough. Recently we received an invitation from the
Teachers' Training Institute of South China to come over and discuss
cooperation in educational matters. Before that our Ministry of
Education and Training had sent some members of our staff to Shantung
province in China in pursuance of research in educational fields.
Foreign experience in the development of education is most worthy of our
attention.
*************
G'day,
Following are 3 articles about education & health problems of VN highland
people, posted on VN-Ed Forum.
Pls discard this, if you've already subscribed to the VN-Ed list.
Regards,
Bi`nh.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Binh Anson FAX: (61-9) 244 4726 (Perth, Australia)
Email: anson@csuvax1.murdoch.edu.au
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
>From lhuynh@EECS.Berkeley.EDU Thu Jul 7 21:29:56 1994
Date: Wed, 6 Jul 1994 12:42:53 -0700
From: Luong Thu Huynh <lhuynh@EECS.Berkeley.EDU>
Subject: [ARTICLE] A Need for the Mountain Area
The Boarding School
A NEED FOR THE MOUNTAIN AREA
Viet Hung
Vietnam Pictorial 12/93
The Minority Pupils' Boarding School in Na May hamlet, Bac
Thai province, is one of 35 boarding schools in Vietnam that were
founded to help educate highland ethnic minorites in order to
eliminate the gap in education between students in the plain and
mountain areas.
The school opened in 1991-1992 with an enrollment of 100
pupils and a modest legacy, including some old houses left by the
former Teachers' College there. In the 1992-1993 school year, the
school enrolled 150 pupils, and in 1993-1994, 230 pupils, who are
members of the Tay, Nung, Xao, H'mong, Cao Lan, and San Chi
minority groups. The teachers here are also members of these
ethnic minority groups and graduated from the Teachers' College.
The school is now being upgraded gradually through aid from the
Ministry of Education and Training. Two new two-story buildings,
dining-houses, and kitchen were built for the pupils who both live
and learn at the school.
Another two-story building will be rebuilt and the school
yard will be widened and planted with trees of economic value,
including sandalwood and iron wood, and shade trees such as
flamboyant and terminalia. The lakes surrounding the school yard
are stocked with fish to make the grounds more beautiful and to
supplement the pupils' meals.
The school staff is located in a simple house with a tiled
roof. There we saw the assistant principal, Ban Van Thang,
receiving the couple Ban Van Dao of the Zao ethnic minority in Dinh
Hoa district, who came to visit their 10 year-old daughter in the
5th grade. Mr. Dao told us; "We have 6 children. We want to send
them to the school but cannot because we are so poor. The boarding
school gave priority to one of our children, Ms. Van. When see
her in nice dresses and learning letters, we feel assured."
Like Ban Thi Van, many pupils have lived in remote hamlets
and could not afford to go to school. Some pupils had to go on foot
all day to reach a road where they then waited for a bus. Now,
living in the boarding school, they are not only learning lessons
but also learning how to look after themselves. The teachers have
guided them with devotion and helped them to live better.
The Bac Thai boarding school pupils have learned well and
proven their talent. Dam Thi Khen, of the Cao Lan minority in Vo
Nhai district, is an outstanding student in the 6th grade. She was
chosen to attend the National Festival of the Ethnic Minorities'
Good Pupils held recently in Hanoi. Dam Thi Thai, a 9th grader of
the Tay in Na Ri district, won second prize at the Pioneer Beauty
Contest in Bac Can Town. Furthermore, in the National Culture and
Sports Festival of the Ethnic Minorities' Boarding Schools held in
September this year, the Bac Thai boarding school's chorus won the
bronze medal with the song "Grateful to the Flower Planters,"
composed by Principal Ha Xuan Hau.
Earlier this year, Mr. David Pgarson, representative of the
Ockenden Venture, donated a reading room to the school. This room,
called the David Pgarson-Ockenden Venture Reading Room, is equipped
with many books and magazines for the pupils' use. The school hopes
it will receive more such humanitarian gestures.
At nightfall, the Bac Thai boarding school is full of the
sounds of laughter, voices, "tinh" zithers, and songs. As one
writer said, "The pupils are our hope and the flowers of the
mountains and forests in the Bac Thai province."
************
>From lhuynh@EECS.Berkeley.EDU Thu Jul 7 21:30:04 1994
Date: Wed, 6 Jul 1994 12:38:20 -0700
From: Luong Thu Huynh <lhuynh@EECS.Berkeley.EDU>
Subject: [ARTICLE] Victims of Neglect
VICTIMS OF NEGLECT
Lack of education, poor health plague minorities
4/23/92
Murray Hiebert in Pleiku
[Posted without permission]
Only two out of the 96 Bana ethnic minority families in A Luk
village near Pleiku in the central highlands send their children
to the neighbourhood school 2 km away. Villagers say they need
their older children to help in the fields, and keep the younger
ones home because they fear they could get hurt by logging trucks
as they walk to school.
Vietnam has made impressive gains in educating its lowland
population in recent decades, but its minorities still lag far
behind. According to 1989 census figures, illiteracy among the
Bana stands at 80% against the national average of only 12%. But
for the Hmong of the northern highlands, the figures are even more
dismal. Only 10% of the group's members--and 3% of its women--can
read and write.
Only about 12,000 out of 400,000 school age Hmong children
currently attend school, says Vietnam's Deputy Minister of Education
Tran Xuan Nhi. In the central highlands the figures are somewhat
better, with 5,200 out of 57,000 school=age Jarai children attending
school.
Of the minority children who do go to school, only a tiny
proportion are girls. "We have the traditional idea that a boy
belongs to us and a daughter to someone else," says Giang Seo My, a
Hmong and head of the Women's Association in Lao Cai province. "When
she grows up she will get married and join another family. Until
then, we keep our daughters at home to help with housework."
Nhi says the shortage of teachers poses another problem. He
estimates that only 20% of the teachers in the highlands areas are
minorities themselves or ethnic Vietnamese who come from highland
areas. "Even if we offer teachers salaries of five to seven times
higher than that offered to teachers in the lowlands, they don't want
to go to the highlands because the living standards are so low and
it's so easy to get sick," he says.
To tackle this problem, the education ministry has begun
setting up boarding schools in highland areas. Nhi says four such
schools have been set up at the national level, 31 at the district
level and 100 in larger villages. The advantage of boarding schools
is that they can serve a scattered population with limited staff,
but the disadvantage is that the cash-short government cannot afford
to run them.
Officials readily admit that the government's curriculum,
developed for ethnic vietnamese, is often irrelevant to the lives of
minority children. Minority children are particularly disadvantaged
by the fact that Vietnamese, a language unknown to all but a handful
of them, is the medium of education. Nhi says his ministry is trying
to introduce teaching in minority languages in the fourth grade, but
admits this is difficult because only 12 of the 54 languages in the
country have a written form.
The highlands also pose unique health problems for Hanoi. The
incidence of malaria, which had been sharply reduced in the 1960s and
1970s, has been rising since the mid-1980s in the central highlands
and areas bordering Laos and Cambodia, says health ministry official
Dr. Le Duc Chinh.
One reason is that malaria in these areas has become resistant
to known drugs, Chinh says. Another is that Vietnam has lost its
supplies of cheap pesticides from the former Soviet Union. The health
ministry in 1990 recorded nearly 140,000 known cases of malaria, which
resulted in 3,340 deaths.
Goitre, caused by iodine shortages and believed to reduce its
victims' intellectual capacity, also plagues minority areas. Dr. Trinh
Tuyet Nhung, who heads Lao Cai province's health department, says
41-43% of the province's population suffer from the goitre compared
with only 3-4% of the people living in the Red River delta.
Although the Vietnamese Government claimed by the late 1980's
to have increased nationwide immunisation coverage for children under
one year to over 70%, children in the highlands still lag far behind.
In Gia Lai, 54% of the children under five have received some
vaccinations, while in Lao Cai the figure is only 52%, according to local
health officials.
Despite growing land pressures in the highlands, the
government's family planning efforts in the region have so far met with
almost no success. The army newspaper Quan Doi Nhan Dan reported in
March that the birth rate in Lao Cai province's Bac Ha district, a
predominantly Hmong area stood at 5% compared to the nationwide average
of 3.2% and the urban rate of 2.3%. The paper attributed the high rate
in part to the fact that 30% of the district's girls were married by the
time they were 14 years old.
************
>From lhuynh@EECS.Berkeley.EDU Thu Jul 7 21:30:11 1994
Date: Wed, 6 Jul 1994 12:42:01 -0700
From: Luong Thu Huynh <lhuynh@EECS.Berkeley.EDU>
Subject: [ARTICLE] Education in the Highlands
EDUCATION IN THE HIGHLANDS
Vu Huyen
Vietnam Pictorial 12/93
An interview with Doctor Nguyen Duy Luong, head of the Teachers'
Training College in Viet Bac, the northern highlands of Vietnam,
inhabited by a dozen national minorities.
Q- Over a quarter of century thousands of students have
graduated from the College, among them 3,000 sprung from national
minorities. This is no mean achievement given the wars and
upheavals shaking the country all these years. Tell us something
about the College, the policy it pursues, the obstacles if faces,
the road it has travelled...
A- The educational and cultural policies pursued by the
State with regard to the highlands have had a direct and favourable
influence on the development of the College. Unfortunately,
unfavourable factors are many: more than 20 years of wars and
upheavals and endemic economic difficulties. The College has had
to be relocated many times. Only a few years ago, it was
unthinkable that we could one day equip it with computers or
establish relations of cooperation with foreign institutions.
One should look into the hardships still being endured
by members of the staff. Their most cherished wish is to be able
one day to devote all their strength and energies to their
educational work.
Q- You have had a lont experience managing different college
at different places. What is in your view the interesting point
in training teachers sprung from national minorities?
A- With very few exceptions, teacher trainees coming from
national minorities are hard-working and open-minded. Provided they
benefit from the State's solicitude right from the start, they show
the same capacity to receive instruction as students from the
majority nationality. One notes among them an aptitude for artistic
and cultural activities which stems from well-preserved traditions.
Without those trainees there can be no future educational
personnel for the highlands for the peoples they come from are the
true masters of these remote places. Their voices, the prestige they
enjoy, and the practical results of their activities exert a decisive
influence on the implementation of the State policies on cultural and
educational development in the highlands.
In fact the aim of our College is not merely to train teachers,
but to form a body of skilled personel at the grassroots. College
alumni have become members of the National Assembly, chairmen and
vice chairmen of provincial administrations, directors of provincial
departments, headmasters of many college, etc.
Q- We have heard of preferential tratment for students coming
from remote areas in the highlands. How true is this?
A- Yes, some follow special curriculums. Others may repeat
their classes. But minimum requirements for graduation are maintained
for all.
Preferential treatment for certain categories of students stem
from specific conditions. We need personnel for the highlands. On
the other hand, local conditions are far from attractive: bad
infrastructure, low salaries, no prospect for further training, and so
on. It is not easy to persuade college graduates from the plains to
come and work here. Indeed, some highlander students do not want to
go back to their region of origin after graduation.
Q- How have you been trying to raise the standards of teaching?
A- At present our staff numbers nearly 400, including one
doctor, 25 candidate doctors and 7 associate professors who are college
alumni or graduates from Hanoi University, Hanoi Teachers' Training
College, or foreign institutions.
We have started a system of post-graduate studies to help train
personnel for our College, and for other regional or provincial economic
and scientific establishments.
Over the last few years we have been supplied with fairly
sophisticated equipment, e.g. a computer room; however we still face
difficulties in providing the staff with adequate housing and giving
them the benefit of various social policies.
Q- What about your external relations?
A- Mere opportunities to have contact with foreign institutions
are beneficial enough. Recently we received an invitation from the
Teachers' Training Institute of South China to come over and discuss
cooperation in educational matters. Before that our Ministry of
Education and Training had sent some members of our staff to Shantung
province in China in pursuance of research in educational fields.
Foreign experience in the development of education is most worthy of our
attention.
*************
Steve Denney has reintroduced the issue of religious freedom in Vietnam
and in particular the question of how religious practices and political
subversion are or are not connected--in his view, in my view, and in the
view of Vietnamese officials. I'll try to respond more specifically to
Steve's points shortly (although the books I need are all checked out
from the library and it'll take some time to recall them).
In the meantime, I ran across this BBC translation of an article in Quan
Doi Nhan Dan (People's Army Daily) that reflects some of the thinking of
Vietnamese officials on the issue of externally produced religious radio
broadcasting aimed at ethnic minorities in Vietnam. My clarifications
below are enclosed in double brackets; the remarks in parentheses and
single brackets are those of BBC-SWB.
Frank Proschan
BBC-SWB material follows:
Copyright 1994 The British Broadcasting Corporation
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts
August 23, 1994, Tuesday
SECTION: Part 3 Asia - Pacific; SOUTHEAST ASIA; VIETNAM; FE/2081/B ;
LENGTH: 1400 words
HEADLINE: INTERNAL AFFAIRS;
"Hostile forces" making use of ethnic minorities
SOURCE: Voice of Vietnam, Hanoi, in Vietnamese 1430 gmt 18 Aug 94
BODY:
Text of "article by Hoang Huan in the 20th August issue of 'Quan Doi Nhan
Dan'"
As our compatriots of various ethnic minority groups are characterized by
their diverse and complex emotions, customs and traditions and by their limited
education, hostile forces often take advantage of them to oppose and sabotage
our country's revolution. It is particularly noted that with the recent further
intensification of their peaceful evolution strategy to eradicate socialism in
our country, the imperialists have given specific attention to the ethnic
issue,
regarding this and the human rights and religious issues as an attacking
spearhead to sabotage us. They have sought to approach, infiltrate and
transform
a number of ethnic compatriots in the sensitive, inaccessible and remote areas
where economic difficulties are considerable and the people's intellectual
level
is still low. Through propaganda, they have incited national division in a bid
to establish autonomous zones for ethnic groups and thereby undermine our great
national unity bloc and cause the people to lose their confidence in the
renovation undertaking of our party and state.
Proceeding from this reality, we must study this attempt by hostile forces
substantively and scientifically if we are to foil it.
Looking back at history, we see that it is not only today, when the peaceful
evolution strategy exists, that the enemy has exploited the ethnic issue. The
old (French) and the new (US) colonialists once tried this in our country. From
1951 to July 1994, the French colonialists dropped 40 special forces teams of
1,074 men to areas inhabited by ethnic minority groups, mainly in Hmong ethnic
areas, so as to collude with reactionary elements to carry out piratic and
rebellious activities. From 1961-68, the United States dropped 18 special force
espionage teams of 114 men to the north-western region. From 1954-89, not to
mention the period from 1989 onwards, there were 35 cases of self-coronation
and
such ceremonies that caused trouble in ethnic minority areas. These cases are
evidence of international imperialist and reactionary forces' attempts to
oppose
and sabotage us by exploiting ethnicity.
A study of a certain ethnic groups, for instance the Hmong, will enable us
to
be more aware of this perfidious scheme. In our country, there are
approximately
450,000 Hmong scattered in various villages along the border of Lai Chau, Hoang
Lien Son, Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang, Son La, Thanh Hoa, Cao Bang, Nghe An and Ha
Tinh. The Hmong are characterized by their communal lifestyles divided
according
to clans . The Hmongs would support and assist the one who is in the same
clan, however distantly related irrespective of nationality. Secondly, they
highly respect the chiefs of their clans, like other ethnic minorities.
During their aggression against our country, the colonialists studied the
psychological make-up of the Hmong and tried to exploit them for their
aggressive designs. All of them, from (?Sevina), a Catholic father, to Gen
Salan, agreed that only by getting the support of the chief of an influential
clan could they win the hearts of the Hmong. In this way, they attained certain
results in their policy to use the Vietnamese to control the Vietnamese in the
areas of the Hmong, climaxing in the many turmoils between 1951-54.
[[This should be Savina, a French Catholic missionary who made dictionaries
and "histories" of the Hmong in the early years of French colonialism in VN.
FP]]
After the French lost their war, the Americans entered Indochina. The
Americans also used the areas inhabited by Hmong to oppose and sabotage the
Vietnamese revolution and other Indochinese countries. To win the support of
the
Hmong, the United States colluded with the Lao reactionaries in raising the
propaganda label: Autonomy for the Land of the Meo [another name for Hmong].
They appointed (?Phom Miniphong) as head of the state and Vang Pao as special
forces commander.
[[Does this refer to Phoumi Nousavan, right-wing military leader in the early
1960s?? FP]]
Today, international reactionaries are colluding to control areas inhabited
by Hmong under the label of the Federation of the Self-Ruled Indochinese Meo.
They are recruiting the most notorious reactionaries who once served as lackeys
of foreign countries such as (?Vang Chong), (?Hoanh Nenh), (?Giang Bi Cua) and
Vang Pao. They have even given the leadership of that reactionary federation to
Vang Pao and moved his command post in Thailand to the Golden Triangle. The
Federation of Self-Ruled Indochinese Meo is now cooperating with some other
exiled reactionary forces to sabotage Vietnam. For instance, the Vietnam
Renaissance Organization of Tran Trong Ha in California, USA, has also worked
out a programme of cooperation with that federation to oppose and sabotage the
Vietnamese revolution.
On the other hand, they have also organized ethnic-language broadcasts from
overseas to broadcast incendiary propaganda among the Hmong and destabilized
the
areas they inhabit inside Vietnam. These include the Hmong language radio
programmes from Radio FEBC which teaches Christianity. This programme quoted
King Vang claiming that Jesus Christ came down from heaven to care for the
Hmong
from the day they were born until they die. Therefore, Hmong people must
convert
to Christianity.
Thus, to foil the attempts by hostile forces to exploit the Hmong in
particular and other ethnic minorities at the border areas in general, we must
conduct many coordinated activities. First, we must carry out ideological work
to lay bare the enemy's perfidious schemes before the people. We must also
strengthen and consolidate the great unity bloc of ethnic groups in support of
the renovation process in the new stage.
With the promotion of national unity being regarded as the fundamental
policy
of our party and state, the idea of unity must be reflected in various policies
and lines of the party and the state. We must intensify various leadership
measures of the party and the local administration at various levels with
attention being given to the various areas - political, economic, social,
security, national defence and foreign relations - in order to meet the
interests, aspirations, rights, duty and obligation of citizens and the nation.
We must regard the interests of our multiethnic compatriots as the main goal
for building an equitable and civilized life, a prosperous people and a
powerful
country. This is very significant and must be a decisive factor in the struggle
to foil the enemy's attempts to sow national division.
Viewed from another angle, the Vietnamese people come from many ethnic
groups
with complex and diverse historical backgrounds, customs and traditions.
Therefore, we must firmly grasp the local situation and the psychological and
emotional traits of each ethnic group. For instance, while maintaining
relations
with the Hmong in our country, we must see this as a part of our ties with
Hmong
compatriots in Southeast Asia. Only by doing this will we be able to deal with
this issue scientifically and accurately, to orient the compatriots towards the
revolution without allowing them to be exploited by the enemy and to adopt
practical and accurate counter measures.
Obviously, we are required to be persistent in initiating a mass movement
among our multiethnic compatriots in order to understand the local situation,
step up the movement to safeguard the national security at the border and
eliminate all the possible causes of instability in localities. Meanwhile, we
must know how to coordinate our suppression efforts against existing
reactionary
forces while managing, educating and transforming various former reactionary
elements who are being drawn by the enemy.
Our compatriots of various ethnic minorities are psychologically very
sensitive. Therefore, we must be cautious in dealing with them and must not
allow things to go beyond our control. The need to eliminate this possibility
is
fully supported by science. Our inclination is to continue to rely on prominent
people and the chiefs of ethnic clans to mobilize and persuade the compatriots
of various ethnic groups to defend the revolution and the border, isolate the
counterrevolutionaries and prevent the enemy's sabotage schemes.
Essentially, we must work out our socioeconomic development strategy so that
the various ethnic minorities will have abundant and spiritual lives. This is
essential in our efforts to orient them towards the revolution, to defend the
border and to destroy all attempts to exploit the ethnic issue to sabotage our
country's revolution.
Dear Giang Dang
Regarding your request for recent publications on the on-going economic
transition in Vietnam,and papers on several sectors (agriculture, labor
market, foreign trade, etc.).I suggest: Vietnam Economic Commentary and
Analysis produced by ADUKI Pty Ltd (PO Box 506, Mawson, ACT 2607 Australia;
e-mail: l00250.l76@compuserve.com; fax: +6l6 286 2l52. This is produced by
Dr. Adam Fforde and a very competent team of economists and researchers.
I also suggest the Economist Intelligence Unit's Vietnam Country Report and
its quarterly reports on Vietnam and Laos. The material on Vietnam is
prepared by Steven Seneque, an economist at The Australian National
University.
Adam Fforde is the author of at least three books on Vietnam's economy and
is co-author of a forthcoming book to be published by Westview Press in
Boulder, Colorado.
I was recently the convenor of the annual Vietnam Update conference series
held at The Australian National University. The Update began in l990 and
consists of two parts, (a) an update on the past year's major developments
in politics, economics, and society and (b) a focus on a specialist theme.
This year is was civil society, last year it was rural transformation and
the previous year the rule of law. Information on publications arising from
the Update may be obtained from Beverley Fraser: bevley@coombs.anu.edu.au
This year the Update (background briefing) was expended to include papers
on the environment, labour relations and commercial law.
Carl Thayer
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Assoc. Prof. Carlyle A Thayer _--_|\ cat@coombs.anu.edu.au
Political & Social Change / \ Telephone : +61 6 249 4453
Australian National University \_.--._* Facsimile : +61 6 249 5523
Canberra, ACT 0200, AUSTRALIA v Home Fax : +61 6 251 3749
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The Vietnamese State and Associational Activity
Vietnam's market reforms has not only given birth to a legalized private
sector, but has led to the revitalization of group and organizational
activity at the local level and the emergence of groups and associations
formed as a result of local initiative. With the exception of groups which
have attempted to engage in overtly political activity, state authorities
have generally tolerated - if not encouraged - the activities of
revitalized organizations and newly formed associations.
The emergence and continued existence of non-political associations and
groups, formed in response to economic change and as a result of local
initiative, cannot easily be reconciled with the mono-organizational model
discussed above. Some newly active organizations are pre-existing ones
which have evolved in the context of a market economy to take on new roles
and functions (e.g., trade unions). Others are newly formed which have
emerged to meet needs peculiar to a market economy (e.g., Vietnamese NGOs,
consultancy groups, etc.). The legal status of these groups and
associations is unclear (Beaulieu 1994b). Some were previously registered
but now engage in activities beyond the scope of their original charters.
Others have petitioned for legal registration only after their formation.
Still others remain unregistered but are tolerated because they perform
what authorities perceive to be a useful function. In contrast, the state
has moved to repress any group which has taken an overt political stance
(see Table 2.1).
Vietnamese party and state authorities have attempted to control the
activities of these groups by bringing them under existing regulations. In
many cases, existing regulations do not cover the activities of groups
formed to cater to the needs of a market economy, such as the Vietnam
Bankers' Association. Vietnam has responded in an ad hoc fashion by
issuing new directives or by drawing up legislation to legalize the
activities of these groups. For example, when foreign owners of joint
enterprizes reportedly defaulted on contract conditions and provoked a
spate of walk-outs by local trade unions, Vietnamese authorities responded
by passing a new Labor Law which legalized the right to strike, but only as
a last resort. The legalization of the activities of private groups and
organizations, whether by decree or by law, is an illustration that the
Vietnamese state is capable of responding to political pressures from below
(as it did to economic pressures from below in the late 1970s).
TABLE 2.1: Typology of Groups & Associations With New Roles or Newly Formed
1. Political Club of Former Resistance Veterans
Freedom Forum; editor: Doan Viet Hoat
High Tide of Humanism Movement;Nguyen Dan Que
Mass Organization Vietnam Peasants' Association
Vietnam Women's Union
Vietnam Confederation of Trade Unions
Vietnam Federation of Youth
Vietnam War Veterans' Association
2. Business, Commercial Vietnam Bankers' Association
and Professional Vietnam Lawyers' Association
3. Science and Technology Vietnam Union of Science and Technology
Associations
4. Arts and Culture Han Literary Society
5. Social Welfare/NGO Club of Former Political Prisoners
credit societies; hui (informal credit circles)
Towards Ethnic Women
6. Religious An Quang Buddhists
Protestant Evangelical
Unified Buddhist Church
7. Friendly Associations clan and ethnic community groups
groups to help the disabled and assist the poor
8. Public Affairs consultancy and policy research institutes
Given the limited data available, the above table is schematic and is
presented for illustrative purposes only. There are definitional
difficulties in classifying various organizations by function as some may
be multi-functional. The point here is to illustrate that the scope of
group and associational activity in Vietnam has expanded greatly after the
adoption of doi moi. There were fewer associations and societies in the
pre-1986 period and these were grouped under the umbrella of the Vietnam
Fatherland Front. Many organizations, like the Vietnam Union of Science
and Technology Association, grew out of existing bodies and now include a
plethora of affiliated groups and societies. It would appear that many of
the new groups and associations, while not wholly autonomous from the state
and therefore not purely popular, are in fact "semi-governmental" if not
"quasi-governmental." According to Ljunggren (1994, 33):
"While hardly any of the organizations can be described as truly
autonomous, it seems clear that a new realm of free social and cultural
space for social organizations, discourse and advocacy is emerging, and
that this development is affecting the Vietnamese model and, gradually, the
inner dynamics of political life in Vietnam."
The impact of the doi moi, particularly the shift towards a market economy,
have revealed facets of state-society relations in Vietnam that cannot be
easily accounted for by the model of mono-organizational socialism.
Traditional village associational activity, centred in the family and clan
structure, is now being revived. State-society relations at grass-roots
level are no [longer] conducted through the structure of the agricultural
producers' cooperative. Both the Vietnamese party-state and new
associations (as well as revived ones) have reached new forms of
accommodation. The exceptions to this pattern are those groups, such as
the Unified Buddhist Church, which resisted the imposition of
mono-organizational socialism in the post-unification period, or new groups
which have mounted an overt challenge to the party's political supremacy,
particularly by appealing for overseas support.
Political and economic power is now no longer exclusively located in Hanoi
as it was in the decade following reunification. Ho Chi Minh City has
emerged as countervailing economic centre in its own right. Other centres,
less powerful, are also emerging such as Da Nang in central Vietnam, the
port city of Hai Phong, and regions, such as the Mekong Delta, northern
highland provinces and central Vietnam. For example, a caucus of southern
deputies emerged during the National Assembly's eighth legislature
(1987-92). Also, Military regions have been recognized by the inclusion of
their commanders on the party Central Committee (Thayer 1994:60-63).
The power of the Vietnamese state has always been constrained by provincial
and village government. Prior to unification there were no provincial
representatives on the party Central Committee. In the post-unification
period, provinces were merged into larger units to ease central control and
local officials were appointed to the Central Committee for the first time.
The new enlarged provinces proved difficult to control and were likened to
"independent kingdoms" by some Vietnamese critics. Eventually in 1991-92
the enlarged provinces became so powerful that they were broken up into
their original units.
Despite these efforts, the central state has still not succeeded in
imposing its writ on local authorities. They still retain the negative
power to thwart or undermine national policy with which they are in
disagreement. When circumstances dictate, they have the capacity to act
independently in pursuit of particularistic interests. For example,
despite a central government decree banning the export of timber, it was
discovered in 1993 that timber continued to be exported through the port of
Qui Nhon. Government decrees requiring the payment of import taxes are
regularly flouted by smugglers along the Sino-Vietnamese border.
In order to overcome the entrenched power of provincial people's
committees, the executive organs of elected people's councils, an attempt
was made in 1992 to amend the 1980 state constitution to give the prime
minister the power to appoint the chairman of provincial people's
committees. This was successfully resisted. Under the terms of the 1992
state constitution, the prime minister can only make such an appointment on
the recommendation of local people's councils. The prime minister,
however, may dismiss provincial leaders. Vo Van Kiet exercized this power
in 1994 when he sacked local officials in Da Nang and Ba Ria-Vung Tau.
As with state-society relations at the village level, Vietnam has witnessed
an accommodation between central and provincial authorities too. For
example, after the administrative break-up of the large provinces mentioned
above, many of the new provincial party secretaries were appointed to the
Central Committee following the January 1994 mid-term party conference.
There is a rough balance between representatives of the central party and
state apparatus and provincial representatives on the Central Committee.
The proposition that socio-economic change has led to new forms of
accommodation between the state and society may be illustrated with
reference to two major issues which have confronted national party leaders
in recent years: corruption and Buddhist dissidence. The problem of
corruption in Vietnam's socialist system is not a new phenomena (Turner
1975:217-220). However, as a result of the transformation of Vietnam's
economy in the 1980s, so-called "negative phenomena," emerged as a major
political issue, resulting, for instance, in considerable animosity between
local authorities and villagers (see Kerkvliet's chapter, this volume).
The heart of the matter is the abuse of power by party and state officials
who engage in corrupt acts. Corruption and abuse of power provoked popular
outcry, and severely undermined the party's image of incorruptibility and
self-sacrifice which it had cultivated during its struggles against the
French and the United States. Party officials have publicly stated that
corruption is the one issue which has the capacity to undermine the party's
legitimacy to govern.
Nguyen Van Linh, the reformist party secretary general, made the
eradication of corruption and abuse of power by party and state officials
his personal crusade when he came to office in late 1986. Linh began his
campaign in a newspaper column launched in May 1987 under the heading
"things which must be done immediately". A party rectification campaign
was launched during 1987-90. Eventually Linh's reformist push, including
his campaign against corruption, stalled. Linh stood down as party leader
at the seventh congress in June 1991 and was replaced by Do Muoi. The
third plenum of the VCP's Central Committee (June 1992), considered the
issue of eradicating corruption from within party ranks as an integral part
of the party-building process. Later that year, after the amendment of the
state constitution, national elections, and the formation of a new
government, Vo Van Kiet, the new prime minister, launched a national
campaign against corruption and smuggling. The following year he appointed
a high-level steering committee to direct this campaign. One of its
priorities was to bring to trial ten cases said to involve corrupt
high-level officials.
To date the major victim of the anti-corruption campaign has been Vu Ngoc
Hai, the former Energy Minister and former member of the party's Central
Committee. Hai was charged with arranging financial kickbacks during the
construction of the North-South powerline. He was tried and found guilty
in 1994. However, the overall results of the anti-corruption campaign have
been limited. For example, a mid-1993 report to the National Assembly
noted that only 2,900 cases of corruption had been uncovered and 1,000
brought to trial. In late 1993, Do Muoi himself proclaimed that the
campaign had been ineffective and unless corruption was ended, the party's
prestige would suffer.
A recent editorial in the party's daily newspaper Nhan Dan (1 July 1994,
1,4) concluded:
"Steady progress has not been achieved. Noteworthy is the fact that many
party organizations have not closely linked efforts to reorganize the party
with efforts to fight corruption. In a number of sectors, primarily
economic units, capital construction companies, budget allocation agencies
and key establishments in charge of handling money, goods and rare and
precious materials, there are indications of misappropriation, waste and
loss of state property. As far as leading agencies are concerned, there
are also indications that a number of cadres have been involved in
embezzlement of public funds, bribe-taking and abuse of power to enrich
themselves illegally. Meanwhile, the party organizations concerned have
slackened inspection and failed to take timely action to clarify the
responsibilities of collectives and individuals, particularly party members
in charge of leadership. Some local party committee echelons, including a
significant number of party installations at central-level, do not make due
efforts to direct the anti-corruption campaign. Many local anti-corruption
and smuggling mechanisms perform poorly. In many provinces and cities,
party organizations do not attach due importance to efforts to bring into
play the strength of the mass movement against corruption. Almost all
major corruption cases brought to trial were not the results of evaluation
and criticism in the party but the outcome of denunciations by the people
and mass media as well as of investigations conducted by the agencies in
charge. The action against a number of corruption cases was not stringent
enough. In certain cases, only light action was taken against wrongdoers.
Worse still, a number of influential cadres also tried to protect corrupt
elements and bribe takers. That situation has lessened the people's
confidence in the party."
Problems in state relations with Buddhist dissidents in southern Vietnam
emerged in the post-liberation period (Nguyen Van Canh 1983). After
unification, property belonging to all religious groups, including the
Unified Buddhist Church (UBC), was confiscated. Religious social welfare,
educational and training institutions were closed down. UBC leaders, and
monks and nuns in local pagodas, were subject to heavy-handed treatment at
the hands of local security authorities. Buddhist leaders charged the
state with discrimination, persecution and interference in religious
affairs. Religious leaders, such as Thich Quang Do and Thich Huyen Quang,
who engaged in non-violent public protests were arrested and later given
suspended sentences. However, when they resisted government-initiated
moves to merge all Buddhist groups into one officially-approved and
state-controlled organization, the Vietnam Buddhist Church, they were
re-arrested placed under house detention. Further arrests of key UBC
leaders followed in 1984.
After the adoption of doi moi, the state relaxed its restrictions on
religion in general. This resulted in a revival of Buddhist activities,
temple restoration and larger attendances at Buddhist-sponsored events.
Problems in UBC-state relations surfaced again in April 1992 when the
Patriarch of the UBC died and left a will reportedly designating Thich
Huyen Quang as his successor. State authorities claimed the will had been
forged and on this basis have refused to recognize the new Patriarch.
UBC-state relations worsened in May 1993 when a man reportedly committed
suicide on the grounds of the Buddhist Linh Mu temple in Hue. UBC sources
claim that the immolation was a protest against state persecution of the
Buddhist Church. Local authorities deny this. In the event, a street
confrontation developed between local security authorities and a crowd of
"several thousand" Buddhists led by monks from the Linh Mu pagoda. A
security vehicle was overturned and set on fire. Four monks and five
laymen were later brought to trial and sentenced to prison for their
alleged actions. A separate confrontation between local security
authorities and church officials took place at a UBC pagoda in Vung Tau
city later that year.
While estimates vary, it is generally assumed that the vast majority of
Vietnam's population is nominally Buddhist. The Unified Buddhist Church is
regionally based and represents at most several hundred thousand Buddhists
primarily in central Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City. What seems clear is
that the local state authorities appreciate the popularity and influence of
the UBC within these areas. Despite the occasional arrest and detention of
outspoken UBC leaders, the state has backed away from wholesale repression
of the UBC's mass following. A curious coexistence apparently prevails.
The state, which does not recognize the legal existence of the UBC,
nevertheless tolerates church activity which is not overtly political.
Pagodas and temples which are associated with the UBC continue to function.
Excerpt from Carlyle A. Thayer, "Mono-Organisational Socialism and The
Vietnamese State," in Ben Kerkvliet and Doug Porter, eds., Rural
Transformation and Economic Change in Vietnam (Boulder: Westview Press and
Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, 1995).
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Carlyle A. Thayer _--_|\ cat@coombs.anu.edu.au
Political & Social Change / \ Telephone : +61 6 249 4453
Australian National University \_.--._* Facsimile : +61 6 249 5523
Canberra, ACT 0200, AUSTRALIA v Home Fax : +61 6 251 3749
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ven. Thich Huyen Quang Visited
The following is a report by an elderly woman who recently visited Thich
Huyen Quang, currently under house arrest in central Vietnam. This was
translated into English by a Vietnamese friend.
-Steve Denney
begin text:
Visiting Ven. Thich Huyen Quang
by Hong Tam, June 1995.
...I sighed, as if hundreds of kilograms of weights had just been
lifted from my shoulders, as I walked into my own home. My
eldest daughter cried out when she saw me: "Mom is home safe and
sound."
In the last three days, my mind was greatly strained during my
illegal visit to the place where Ven. Thich Huyen Quang was
detained, the first visit since he was brought there - to my
knowledge. At first, my family did not want me to risk
everything by visiting him. But I am old now, and I am one of
his life-long pupils. Besides, Bong Son was only about thirty
kilometers from Quang Ngai, where Ven. Thich Huyen Quang was
kept. With the help of local friends, I stayed in Nghia Hanh
hamlet for three months to search for Ven. Thich Huyen Quang's
whereabouts. It was said that he was kept here.
The August air was steaming hot. The road leading to his place
of detainment was long and winding, accessible only by ox-cart
and costing 10,000 dong. Amid a deserted patch of farmland, a
small house was newly erected to imprison Ven. Quang. There were
only a few small straw-huts nearby, within my vision. A couple
kilometers away was a mountain inhabited by some highlander
groups. I arrived at the house where Ven. Quang resides at
exactly noon. At this time of the day, the guards would most
likely be taking their naps.
"Is there anyone home? I am lost, thirsty and would like a glass
of water, please." I announced loudly. I made no attempt to
hide my presence, for doing so only attracted the attention of
the guards living next door.
The door opened. Ven. Quang walked out with the help of a cane.
"Teacher," was all I could say to him at first. The tears from
my eyes could not stop flowing and I could not find the words to
say anything else to him.
"Why did you risk to come and visit me? An old woman alone on a
dangerous trip," Ven. Quang said. "Let me open the door widely
so that the guards won't be so suspicious." He continued. "Come
on in."
"How are you, my teacher?" I asked.
"I was ill for a few months, but am getting a bit better. I do
not know about next month, however."
"Does this life in isolation sadden you?"
"The fate of the religion under suppression saddens me. Life
here is quiet and deserted. There are a few people around. But
they are the guards and I am their prisoner. We do not get along
well."
"If Nguyen Thieu pagoda submits a pardon request to have you come
there to live, would you go?"
"No. How can Nguyen Thieu pagoda do that? It had no saying in
my being imprisoned here in Nghia Hanh hamlet, how can it now ask
for my pardon? Some had approached me about this before. But,
no. I will return only to the place where I was illegally
arrested from, with proper documentation. If I had committed a
crime, bring me to a trial. If found guilty, I will totally
accept the punishments handed to me. If not, I would like to
receive an official apology from the government to the Buddhist
Faith, in which I am a member."
"When they arrested you from Hoi Phuoc pagoda, what did they do?
What did they say to you?"
"Two policemen took me by the sides and pulled me to the car.
The others glared at me with much watchful eyes. They wasted
their effort. If an old man like me decided to go against them,
he would do that with his head, not with his fists. They needn't
use such force."
"Your belongings, they confiscated. Did they return any?"
"Only the bed, a small table and a few things."
"What about files and the stamp belonging to Vien Hoa Dao
(Institute to Propagate the Dharma)?"
"They took them all, including cassette tapes which recorded
programs such as VOA, BBC, New Horizon... They did not even spare
the tapes for religious ceremonies!"
"Then teacher, did they take any money?"
"When they confiscated the money, they told me that it would be
forwarded to Tu Quang pagoda for safe-keeping. I had three
thousand US dollars sent to us from people everywhere. And they
took it all. Later, Tu Quang pagoda informed me that no money
was ever forwarded them."
"Did you file an official complaint? It has been more than six
months already, and with a large sum of money like that. And how
can you live now, in terms of food stock and medicine?"
"Oh well, let's consider everything lost for now."
"I did go to Sai Gon to visit the family of layman Dong Ngoc, and
was informed by family members that when layman Dong Ngoc was
arrested, more than five thousand US and some Australian dollars
were confiscated. That amount of money was borrowed by layman
Dong Ngoc to get ready for the flood-relief effort, for which
Dong Ngoc was arrested."
"Yes, everything is at a loss. But I firmly believe in the
Buddhas and our saints. But now, you must leave here. You have
been here for more than half an hour now. The authority forbid
me from receiving guests. Before, there were six policemen.
Now, there are sometimes four, sometimes two. Occasionally, a
whole car-load of policemen came to guard me."
Ven. Quang was concerned for me. He walked to the door and went
outside. In my head, I prepared for a dialogue with the police,
should there be one. I would say that in our conversation, the
old man (Ven. Quang) was asking me direction on how to get herbal
oil for his troubled legs. I was going through the scenario as I
took a look around to see how Ven. Quang was living. It was a
small room which included also a bathroom and a kitchen. Two
mangos and some flour on the kitchen table. That's all. How
could Ven. Quang cook and look after himself in such poor health.
Does he have the strength to get the water from the well?
"Now, you must leave, my pupil. The police are looking at you
from the other side. I am used to life in prison. The lack of
facilities here is only like mosquito bites to someone being
burnt alive. Oh, do you have any news about Ven. Thich Quang
Do?"
"No, my teacher. Some said he is still kept in Sai Gon. Some
said he had been transferred North."
"Oh, I wish him well. My fate is tied with prison and his with
exile. Both of us are monks and both endure such cruel fates."
"My teacher, did they just build this house?"
"Oh, yes. They built it in twenty days, from Dec 9 to Dec 27.
On the 28th, I was taken in here. Before I stayed on the other
side. My interrogators are many. Now, there are two.
Sometimes there were four. At times, there were as many as ten.
They all came with guns and bullets strapped to their bodies. I
am all right, please go on. Please send my regards to everyone.
Things about life, about our faith, about our country need many
hours if we wish to talk. Go on home. The police are standing
up over there already."
I bowed to him as I was leaving. Ven. Quang sat silently for a
moment and then told me: "Stay calm and answer quickly if you
were stopped by the police."
I walked out, pretending that I was calm. But it hurt badly
inside from fear and from having to leave him behind.
Two policemen in civilian clothing stopped me and asked where I
was going. I told them that the water from the well was very
refreshing and I was no longer tired after having a drink from
it. As I walked I prayed to the Buddhas. After about one
kilometer away, I looked back. There was a small house amid a
deserted area. There was a monk nearly eighty years old being
imprisoned, without anyone around to look after him. Oh, people
of authority, why are you so cruel? You are executing him not by
a bullet but by many years of isolation, ill health and
interrogation sessions.
If something terrible happened to my teacher, who would know? Oh
Buddhas!
Binh Dinh, June 15, 1995
Hong Tam
VN: Government Structures
Government (October 1994)
Head Of State
President Gen. Le Duc Anh (elected by the Ninth National Assembly on
23 September 1992).
Vice-President Nguyen Thi Binh
Cabinet
Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet
Vice-Prime Ministers Phan Van Khai Nguyen Khanh Tran Duc Luong
Minister of National Defence Lt-Gen. Doan Khue
Minister of the Interior Bui Thien Ngo
Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Manh Cam
Minister of Justice Nguyen Dinh Loc
Minister of Finance Ho Te
Minister of Science, Technology and Environment Dang Huu
Minister of Labour, War Invalids and Social Welfare Tran Dinh Hoan
Minister of Education and Training Tran Hong Quan
Minister of Public Health Nguyen Trong Nhan
Minister of Culture and Information Tran Hoan
Minister of Construction Ngo Xuan Loc
Minister of Water Conservancy Nguyen Canh Dinh
Minister of Communications and Transport Bui Danh Luu
Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Nguyen Cong Tan
Minister of Marine Products Nguyen Tan Trinh
Minister of Heavy Industry Tran Lum
Minister of Light Industry Dang Vu Chu
Minister of Energy Thai Phung Ne
Minister of Commerce Le Van Triet
Minister of Forestry Nguyen Quang Ha
Minister, Chairman of the State Planning Commission Do Quoc Sam
General State Inspector Nguyen Ky Cam
Governor of the State Bank Cao Sy Kiem
Minister, Chairman of the Ethnic Minorities and Mountain Region Commission
Hoang Duc Nghi
Minister, Head of the State Commission for Co-operation and Investment Dau
Ngoc Xuan
Minister, Head of the Government's Organization and Personnel Commission
Phan Ngoc Tuong
Minister, Head of the Government Office Le Xuan Trinh
Minister, Head of the National Committee of Population Activities and
Family Planning Mai Ky
Minister in charge of Child Protection and Childcare Tran Thi Thanh Thanh
Minister in charge of Youth Work and Minister in charge of Government
Affairs Ha Quang Du
Minister without Portfolio with responsibility for Economic Affairs
Phan Van Tiem
Ministries and Commissions
Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry 6 Ngoc Ha, Hanoi; tel.
268161; fax 25399
Ministry of Commerce 31 Trang Tien, Hanoi; tel. 254915; telex 411251;
fax 264696
Ministry of Communications and Transport 80 Tran Hung Dao Hanoi;
tel. 256687; telex 412242; fax 267291
Ministry of Construction 37 Le Dai Hanh, Hanoi; tel. 268271; fax 258122
Ministry of Culture and Information 51 Ngo Quyen, Hanoi; tel. 253231
Ministry of Education and Training 49 Dai Co Viet, Hanoi; tel.
264085; fax 694085
Ministry of Energy 18 Tran Nguyen Han, Hanoi; tel. 263725; fax 254865
Ministry of Finance 8 Phan Huy Chu, Hanoi; tel. 262357; fax 262266
Ministry of Foreign Affairs 1 Ton That Dam, Hanoi; tel. 258201; telex
111516; fax 259205
Ministry of Forestry 123 Lo Duc, Hanoi; tel. 253236; fax 252542
Ministry of Heavy Industry 54 Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi; tel. 258311
Ministry of the Interior Tran Binh Trong, Hanoi; tel. 258300
Ministry of Justice 25A Cat Linh, Hanoi; tel. 254658
Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Welfare 2 Dinh Le, Hanoi;
tel. 252236.
Ministry of Light Industry 7 Trang Thi, Hanoi; tel. 253831; fax 265303
Ministry of Marine Products Bach Thao, Hanoi; tel. 252696
Ministry of National Defence 1 Hoang Dieu, Hanoi; tel. 258101
Ministry of Public Health 138A Giang Vo, Hanoi; tel. 264416
Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment 39 Tran Hung Dao, Hanoi;
tel. 252731; telex 412287; fax 251518
Ministry of Water Conservancy 164 Tran Quang Khai, Hanoi; tel. 268141
National Committee of Population Activities and Family Planning 226 Van
Mieu, Hanoi; tel. 258261; fax 258993
State Commission for Co-operation and Investment 56 Quoc Tu Giam,
Hanoi; tel. 253666; fax 259271
State Planning Commission 2 Hoang Van Thu, Hanoi; tel. 258261
State Inspectorate 28 Tang Bat Ho, Hanoi; tel. 254497
National Defence And Security Council
Chairman Gen. Le Duc Anh
Vice-Chairman Vo Van Kiet
Members Nong Duc Manh, Lt-Gen. Doan Khue, Bui Thien Ngo, Nguyen Manh Cam
Legislature Quoc Hoi (National Assembly)
Elections to the Ninth National Assembly were held on 19 July 1992. The
Assembly has 395 members, elected from among 601 candidates.
Chairman Nong Duc Manh
Vice-Chairmen Nguyn Ha Phan, Dang Quan Thuy Phung Van Tuu
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Assoc. Prof. Carlyle A Thayer _--_|\ cat@adfa.oz.au
Head, Department of Politics / \ Telephone : +61 6 268 8857
Australian Defence Force Academy \_.--._* Facsimile : +61 6 268 8852
Canberra, ACT 2601, AUSTRALIA v Home Fax : +61 6 251 3749
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Hanoi top secret admits strong opposition
VNForum@Saigon.COM - Mesg from vinsight@netcom.com (Vietnam Insight)
-
INTERIOR MINISTRY COMPILES REPORT OF ANTI-GOVERNMENT ACTIVITIES IN
VIETNAM
-
Communist Vietnam's Interior Ministry has recently distributed within
its departments a "top secret" document detailing anti-government
activities and organizations inside the country. Intended for limited
internal use, the document compiled by the ministry's
counterintelligence division contains three parts and goes under the
title "The need to eliminate attempts by reactionary forces to overthrow
our government."
The first part lists the causes and leanings of the various opposition
groups, which Hanoi considers "lackeys of the international capitalistic
nations." These opposition groups are classified according to five main
types:
1. "Ultra-reactionary" groups formed by individuals with ties to the old
South Vietnamese government. These groups advocate the overthrow of the
regime by force. Although claiming to have eliminated almost all of
these groups over the last few years, the document's authors acknowledge
that many are still active inside the country and, in fact, have managed
to infiltrate the rank-and-file of the communist party. The groups are
involved in organizing infrastructures and enlisting people and party
cadres to oppose the government.
2. Intellectuals and artists, who, in the wake of the collapse of the
Soviet Union and its Eastern European satellites, have taken advantage
of the situation to demand a multi-party system and democratic reforms.
These individuals have joined forces with "overseas enemies" to
criticize the communist party and the current social situation by
emphasizing "negative aspects" in order to create political turmoil.
3. Communist party members and cadres who have turned against the
socialist ideals and who have published illegal letters and articles
criticizing the party and regime with the intent of creating disorder.
4. Religious organizations, especially followers of Buddhism and
Christianity. These people have taken advantage of the regime's
purported loosening of control over religion to create social upheavals.
5. Individuals who under the pretense of humanitarian missions, recruit
and enlist "gullible" citizens to oppose the regime.
Having defined the five main types of opposition groups, the document
concludes that these forces have blossomed since the early 1990s as part
of the United States' effort to encourage "peaceful evolution" (of
dictatorial systems of government) worldwide. The top-secret report
stresses that these five types of opposition group act not alone, but in
concert with one another.
In the second part of the report, detailed activities of the various
opposition groups are described, including the names of the leaders.
Among the 132 groups listed, some are mentioned as being most dangerous
to the regime, including the National United Front for the Liberation of
Vietnam led by former admiral Hoang Co Minh, the National Restoration
Force led by Tran Quoc Bao, the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam led
by the Venerable Thich Huyen Quang, and the Club of Former Resistance
Fighters led by Nguyen Ho. The report boasts that 85 of these groups
have been effectively destroyed by security forces and thousands of
people arrested in the process.
The third and final part of the report proposes strategies to guard
against and to eliminate anti-government activities. The authors caution
that with normalization with the U.S. and entrance into ASEAN achieved,
there will be more opportunities for opposition groups within and
outside the country to unify and coordinate. Therefore the security
forces must screen and monitor returning overseas Vietnamese more
carefully. The counterintelligence division also advocates increasing
overseas espionage activities to keep tabs on opposition groups in the
Vietnamese communities there and prevent their link-up with domestic
forces. In limiting news and information from entering the country, it
recommends that recipients of outside documents be forced to hand over
materials to local security forces. To prevent important national
security documents from reaching the overseas communities, it proposes
that ministry heads be responsible for the distribution of highly
sensitive information.
For the first time in 20 years, the Interior Ministry has had to compile
a document on anti-government activities inside the country. Although
many of the 132 organizations listed are unknown to the overseas
community, the fact that Hanoi had to issue this report shows that the
regime can no longer hide mounting opposition and political turmoil. One
of the purposes of the secret report is to warn party members and cadres
against joining the wave of opposition building against the regime.
---------------
Vietnam Insight (vinsight@netcom.com)
URL: http://www.vinsight.org/insight.html
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New Government Lineup
Australia Vietnam Science-Technology Link
>>AVSL back postings on searchable WAIS database:
>>URL: http://coombs.anu.edu.au/~vern/avsl.html
The following is an updated list of government officials of the
Socialist Republic of Vietnam, along with their telephone and fax
numbers. This was published in the VIETNAM ECONOMIC TIMES, Dec.
1996.
- Steve Denney
-----------------------------------------------------------
Prime Minister: Vo Van Kiet
Deputy Prime Minister: Phan Van Khai
Deputy Prime Minister: Tran Duc Luong
Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Khanh
Ministry of Defense
Minister: Doan Khue
Tel: 069 5 3267
Ministry of Interior
Minister: Le Minh Huong
Tel: 825-8088
Fax: 826-0773
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Minister: Nguyen Manh Cam
Tel: 845-8201
Fax: 845-9205
Ministry of Justice
Minister: Nguyen Dinh Loc
Tel: 845-4765
Fax: 843-1341
Ministry of Planning and Investment
Minister: Tran Xuan Gia
Tel: 845-8241(3782)
Fax: 823-4453
Ministry of Finance
Minister: Nguyen Sinh Hung
Tel: 826-2266
Fax: 826-2264
Ministry of Trade
Minister: Le Van Triet
Tel: 825-7078
Fax: 826-4696
Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment
Minister: Pham Gia Khiem
Tel: 826-6688
Fax: 825-2733
Ministry of Construction
Minister: Ngo Xuan Loc
Tel: 826-8271
Fax: 825-2153
Ministry of Transport and Communications
Acting Minister: Le Ngoc Hoan
Tel: 825-3218
Fax: 826-7291
Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs
Minister: Tran Dinh Hoan
Tel: 825-3875
Fax: 826-9356
Ministry of Industry
Minister: Dang Vu Chu
Tel: 825-3386
Fax: 826-5303
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
Minister: Nguyen Cong Tan
Tel: 845-4107
Fax: 845-4319
Ministry of Culture and Information
Minister: Nguyen Khoa Diem
Tel: 825-2071
Fax: 826-7101
Ministry of Marine Products
Minister: Ta Quang Ngoc
Tel: 835-4513
Fax: 832-6702
Ministry of Education and Training
Minister: Tran Hong Quan
Tel: 869-4910
Fax: 869-4085
Ministry of Public Health
Minister: Do Nguyen Phuong
Tel: 846-2970
Fax: 846-4051
Committee for Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Areas
Minister: Hoang Duc Nghi
Tel: 846-4280
Fax: 823-0235
State Inspectorate
General Inspector: Ta Huu Thanh
Tel: 832-5231
Fax: 832-5896
State Bank of Vietnam
Governor: Cao Si Kiem
Tel: 825-3684
Fax: 826-8765
Government Committee on Organization and Personnel
Minister: Do Quang Trung
Tel: 826-4268
Fax: 822-6005
Office of Government
Minister: Lai Van Cu
Tel: 845-8241(4247)
Fax: 845-5467
Committee for Flood Protection
Minister: Nguyen Canh Dinh
Tel: 824-0327
Fax: 825-6929
Committee for Population and Family Planning
Minister: Mai Ky
Tel: 823-7456
Fax: 825-8993
Minister in Charge of Youth and Sport:
Ha Quang Du
Tel: 0804-4012
Fax: 845-5464
Committee for Protection and Care of Children
Minister: Tran Thi Thanh Thanh
Tel: 823-3340
Fax: 823-7983
Government Departments
Department General of Post and Telecommunications
Acting Secretary General: Nguyen Huy Luan
Tel: 822-5359
Fax: 826-3477
Vietnam National Administration of Tourism
Chairwoman: Vo Thi Thang
Tel: 825-3314
Fax: 826-1115
General Department of Customs
General Director: Phan Van Dinh
Tel: 826-3910
Fax: 826-3905
General Statistical Office
General Director: Le Van Toan
Tel: 846-4353
Fax: 846-4345
General Department of Physical Culture and Sport
General Director: Le Buu
Tel: 845-7264
Fax: 823-2455
General Department of Meteorology and Hydrology
General Director: Nguyen Duc Ngu
Tel: 825-7740
Fax: 826-0779
Government Price Committee
Chairman: Tran Quang Nghiem
Tel: 843-2171
Fax: 823-6390
Government Committee on Religion
Acting Chief: Vu Gia Tham
Tel: 826-1928
Fax: 825-6300
General Department of Land Administration
General Director: Bui Xuan Son
Tel: 835-7974
Fax: 835-2191
Government Committee for National Territory
Chairman: Tran Cong Truc
Tel: 845-8241(3191)
Fax: 823-6920
Government Cipher Department
Chairman: Do Van An
Tel: 835-6557
Fax: 834-3936
Department of Civil Aviation
General Director: Nguyen Hong Nhi
Tel: 827-1688
Fax: 827-1933
State Auditing Department
Auditor General: Vuong Huu Nhon
Tel: 843-2519
Fax: 843-3145
Ho Chi Minh National Political Institute
Director: Nguyen Duc Binh
Tel: 836-1066
Fax: 836-1194
National Centre for Social and Human Sciences
Chairman: Nguyen Duy Quy
Tel: 825-9073
Fax: 825-9071
National Institute for Public Administration
Director: Nguyen Duy Gia
Tel: 834-3261
Fax: 834-3223
National Reserve Department
General Director: Ngo Xuan Hue
Tel: 826-5658
Fax: 825-2692
Vietnam News Agency
Director: Ho Tien Nghi
Tel: 825-5443(2291)
Fax: 825-2984
Voice of Vietnam Radio
Director: Tran Mai Hanh
Tel: 825-2535
Fax: 826-1122
Vietnam Television
Director: Ho Anh Dung
Tel: 834-3188
Fax: 835-0882
Sent to AVSL-L by: Stephen R Denney <sdenney@uclink.berkeley.edu> (by way of vern@coombs.anu.edu.au (Vern Weitzel))
Subject: Nguyen Dy Nien
Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2000 07:12:41 -1000
From: "Thayer, Carl, Dr." <thayerc@apcss.org>
To: 'Vern Weitzel' <weitzel@undp.org.vn >
In response to January media reports from Hanoi that Nguyen Dy Nien will
replace Nguyen Manh Cam as Foreign Minister I provide the following
biography.
NGUYEN DY NIEN
Born 1935
1951 participated in the "national liberation movement".
1954 entered the foreign service, Ministry of Foreign Affairs MOFA
- Posted to Consultate General in India
- 1974 opened the DRV Embassy in Canberra, Australia
June 1980-1984 Deputy Director and then Director, [unspecified]
Department at MOFA
1984-February 1987 Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs
March 1987 Appointed Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and President
of the Vietnam National Commission of UNESCO
April 7-11, 1987 Cuban vice foreign minister Giraldo Mazola pays an
official visit to Hanoi tohold talks with deputy foreign minister
Nguyen Dy Nien on bilateral relations, and international and regional
issues of mutual concern.
September 7, 1987 Kireyev, director of the Soviet Foreign Ministry's
Socialist Countries of Asia Department, visits hanoi to hold working
discussions with vice foreign minister Nguyen Dy Nien.
September 9, 1987 Japanese vice foreign minister Tadashi Kuranari visits
Hanoi to discuss a negotiated settlement of the conflict in Cambodia
with vice foreign minister Nguyen Dy Nien.
1988 US Congressman John LeBoutillier visits Vietnam and holds talks
with Nguyen Dy Nien. Nien called for the normalization of relations with
these words, "Even though the war is over, the bleeding continues on
both sides. Only the normalization of relations can stop the bleeding."
September 6, 1989 Heng Samrin leads high-level Cambodian party and state
delegation to Vietnam. On hand to meet him at No Bai airport were
Politburo Member and Minister of National Defense Le Duc Anh, Phan Dinh
Vinh (deputy head of the party Central Committee's Foreign Relations
Department), Nguyen Dy Nien (deputy foreign minister) and Ngo Dien,
Vietnamese ambassador to Cambodia.
Ostober 5, 1989 Nguyen Dy Nien, vice foreign minster, heads Vietnam's
delegation to 44th UN General Assembly session in New York. He speaks
about national reconciliation and a negotiated settlement of the
Cambodian conflict.
June 1991 elected a new full member of the Vietnam Communist Party's
Central Committee.
August 6, 1991 vice foreign minister Nguyen Dy Nien visits Beijing for
talks on Cambodia and Sino-Vietnamese relations with his counterpart, Xu
Dunxin.
August 10, 1991 joint statement after three days of talks between Nguyen
Dy Nien and Xu Dunxin states the two discussed "quickly restoring their
relations in economy, trade, communications, postal services and other
fields." Nien met CCP chief Jiang Zemin and Premier Li Peng with whom he
discussed forthcoming visit by Foreign Minister Nguyen Manh Cam to
prepare for a summit between Jiang and Do Muoi, VCP secretary general.
July 11-13, 1993 Nguyen Dy Nien journeys to Tel Aviv to open diplomatic
relations with Israel.
March 1995 Newly appointed Secretary for Security (Hong Kung), Peter
Lai, holds discussions in Geneva with Nguyen Dy Nien and Le Minh Huong
on status of "boat people."
July 1996 re-elected full member of the VCP Central Committee.
April 1997 Nguyen Dy Nien attends meeting of Asia Pacific Minister and
delegates to Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific in
Bangkok.
December 1997 German Minister of State of the Foreign Ministry, Dr.
Werner Hoyer, meets with Nguyen Dy Nien [location not specified].
May 1998 Nguyen Dy Nien visits Peru.
June 1998 Nguyen Dy Nien speaking at a Hanoi banquet in honor of
Vasundhara Raje Scindia, acknowleedges India's status as a nuclear
weapons power.
July 1998 German Minister of State of the Foreign Ministry, Dr. Werner
Hoyer, holds talks in Hanoi with Nguyen Dy Nien on boostig bilateral
cooperation in trade and issues concerning Vietnamese living in Germany.
July 23, 1998 Nguyen Dy Nien present at a meeting between party general
secretary Le Kha Phieu and foreign ambassadors and representatives of
international organization in Hanoi.
January 1999 Nguyen Dy Nien identified as head of the Committtee for
Overseas Vietnamese.
February 9, 1999 Overseas Vietnamese Committee, Hanoi People's Committee
and Vietnam Tourism Administration jointly organize a Lunar New Year
social function which is attended by Nguyen Dy Nien.
March 1999 Nguyen Dy Nien holds talks with the Vatican's deputy foreign
minister Celestino Migliore on diplomatic relations.
March 1999 Nguyen Dy Nien attends a "recent" conference of deputy
ministers to review the country's tourism industry. Nien: "The Foreign
Ministry will work closely with the Ministry of PUblic Security tgo
improve entry visa procedures."
May 1999 Nguyen Dy Nien authors article in Quoc Te (International
Affairs review) as chairman of UNESCO Vietnam Committee, concerning
Hanoi's partiicpation in "UNESCO Prize-City for Peace" program.
July 1999 Nguyen Dy Nien holds talks with Switzerland's foreign and
external economic ministries on bilateral cooperation.
July 1999 Nguyen Dy Nien open a web site for Vietnamese residing abroad
incooperation with Committee for Overseas Vietnamese and VN-VITRANET.
October 1999 Nguyen Dy Nien received Omer Ertur, the new representative
in Hanoi of the United Nations Fund for Population Activities
from my files,
Carl Thayer
Dr Carlyle A. Thayer
Deputy Chair, Department of Regional Studies
Professor of Southeast Asia Security Studies
Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies
2255 Kuhio Avenue, Suite 1900
Honolulu, HI 96815 USA
phone: +1 808 971 8952
fax: +1 808 971 8949
home: +1 808 945 0045
home email: thayerz001@hawaii.rr.com
(http://www.pol.adfa.edu.au/staff/thayer/pubs.html)
(http://www.apcss.org/thayerc.html)
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