From prison dissident Nguyen Khac Toan writes to his mother

 

 

Note: Mr. Nguyen Khac Toan is serving his unjust 12-year prison sentence, considered to be one of the most severe punishments imposed by the  Vietnamese Communist government on democracy activists. He has been said  to remain strong in his determination, as shown in the following letter to  his family.

 

 

Cell No. 1, Nam Ha prison, the first days of March 2005

 

My dearest Mother and siblings:

 

I'm writing to wish you the best in everything after a long time, almost a whole year when I was not allowed to exercise my evident and legal right of a normal prisoner that is to write home. Mom, I've been away from home over three years since I was forced to enter prison on the evening of January 8, 2002. Everybody knows well that the two so-called "legal  trials', followed by family visits with me in prison after Tet, actually  belonged to a chain of political cases set up by the Vietnamese Communist  party and state against dissidents and democracy activists who demand that  the human rights approved by the Vietnamese Constitution, and the  International Covenant on Human Rights that Vietnam pledged to respect  before the United Nations and the whole world as one of its member  nations, be enforced for the Vietnamese people. The oppression carried out by the courts on orders of the Vietnamese Communist party and state against Vietnamese intellectuals, veterans, and former officials -- those who had at one time sacrificed their sweat, blood, and even life for the consolidation of the regime -- has been shown to be part of a large tragedy for the people. Public opinion in and out of Vietnam, consequently, has expressed strong opposition against Vietnam through waves of protests from Europe, Australia, and North America. Human conscience has not remained idle to allow evil, injustice, and violence to spread. Instead, there has been a smooth but firm and comprehensive coordination to put pressure on the Vietnamese Communist party and state for the release of fighters for the great cause of freedom and democracy.  The results were the some leniency towards certain dissidents, typically former Colonel Pham Que Duong, veteran Tran Dung Tien, Dr. Nguyen Dan Queand the recent release from prison of Father Nguyen Van Ly, Dr. Nguyen Dan Que, Mr. Le Chi Quang, and Professor Nguyen Dinh Huy. The world opinion, especially from the United States, Europe, and inside Vietnam, however, continues to demand the release of remaining dissidents such as Nguyen Vu Binh, Pham Hong Son, and even your son, Nguyen Khac Toan. The fate of those still kept in prison following the special releases on September 2, 2004 and April 30, 2005 has been a particular concern, since those already freed (actually temporarily) have been placed under local strict supervision, while the ones remaining behind are forced to carry out their harsh illegal, unjust, and shameless sentences, probably for the purpose of eliminating them. That is a mystery created by the present Vietnamese Communist party and state, and also a powerful proof of the national interest being surpassed by the supremacy of the ruling party and regime.

 

My most respectful Mom, after over two years of working and being in close contact with the prison officers and cadres, especially those from the Security Ministry in Hanoi, I ended up understanding that they all are never sincerely willing to be open to political dissidents. They are "open" only under pressure from the world outside, the more powerful the pressure, the better for inmates. Cases of Tran Do, Hoang Minh Chinh, Nguyen Ho and Nguyen Van Tran are typical examples. Other intellectual cases of Drs. Nguyen Thanh Giang and Ha Si Phu, Mr. Lu Phuong, writer Hoang Tien, poet Bui Minh Quoc, female writer Duong Thu Huong and Mr. Le Hong Ha are also conspicuous ones. I think, therefore, I will be reunited with the family soon to achieve my filial duties to you and rebuild my normal life like millions of Vietnamese citizens. This will come under pressure from outside, not by my own effort in this cold prison. The role of the family, particularly yours and that of my siblings, is very important. Our door should be open to international statesmen, journalists, radio interviewers, especially petitions should be kept sending to authoritative agencies according to the law. No one of them can retaliate against you and our family, since your petitions are legal and permitted by the law. They are my only hope, and they will bring about great results. It's no surprise that the Vietnamese police are eager to prevent and threaten us all the time. Mr. Le Chi Quang's family is a good example for you to follow, as they had to endure numerous occasions of having their telephone line cut off.

In conclusion, I wish you Mom to be healthy for your longevity, and our family to be happy, lucky, and well.

 

Your son, Nguyen Khac Toan

[English translation by doithoai.com]

For more information on Nguyen Khac Toan, see:

http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGASA410132002?open&of=ENG-VNM