Ủy Ban Yểm Trợ Dân Chủ Quốc Nội
Thông Cáo Báo Chí
V/ v BIỂU T̀NH
Ngày 26 tháng 11 năm 2006
- Nhận định rằng việc TT Bush để Bộ Ngoại Hoa kỳ gỡ CPC, biện pháp cần phải quan tâm đặc biệt cho chế độ CS Hà nội, bất chấp đề nghị của Ủy Hội Tự Do Tôn Giáo Thế Giới của Chính Phủ Hoa kỳ, là một việc làm không thích hợp. HT Quảng Độ và nhiều lănh tụ tôn giáo độc lập trong nước đă xem đó là sự hy sinh những nguyên tắc tự do, dân chủ Hoa kỳ cho quyền lợi kinh tế không thích đáng.
- Nhận định rằng từ ngày Bộ Ngoại giao Hoa kỳ gỡ CPC cho CS Hà nội để TT Bush có món quà tặng cho CS Hà nội khi đi dự Hội nghị Thượng Đỉnh APEC, CS Hà Nội đă tăng cường nỗ lực đàn áp một cách tàn bạo những nhà đấu tranh cho tự do tôn giáo và những nhà đấu tranh cho tự do, dân chủ, nhân quyền ở VN.
Chúng tôi những người Mỹ gốc Việt thuộc nhiều tôn giáo, chánh đảng, hội đoàn, và nhân sĩ trong cộng đồng người Mỹ gốc Việt, thể hiện ư chí và hành động qua cuộc biểu t́nh tại Little Saigon ngày Chủ Nhật 26 tháng 11, năm 2006 với những quyết nghị sau:
- Đồng thanh phản đối CS Hà nội đă đàn áp tàn bạo những nhà đấu tranh cho tự do, dân chủ, nhân quyền VN, trước , trong và sau Hội Nghị APEC.
- Đồng kư kháng thư phản đối việc gỡ CPC cho CS Hà nội trong khi CS Hà nội đă và đang tăng cường nỗ lực đàn áp các tôn giáo thuần túy và độc lập.
Làm tại Lille Saigon ngày 26 Tháng 11 Năm 2006
TM. Ủy Ban Yểm Trợ Dân Chủ Quốc Nội
Lư Ṭng Bá, Cựu Tướng Lănh QL/ VNCH
Press Release for the Demonstration
Of Vietnamese Americans
On November 26th 2006
- Whereas President George W. Bush’s removal of Vietnam from the CPC list, a necessary measure for Hanoi’s communist regime, regardless of the suggestion otherwise by the United States and the world’s Committee on Freedom of Religion and Belief, was not a suitable thing to do. Venerable Thich Quang Do and many other religions’ leaders in Vietnam have seen that a sacrifice of freedom and democracy’s principles of the United States for improper economic gains.
- Whereas from the day that the State Department of the United States took Vietnam off the CPC list, so that President George W. Bush could have a gift to give to the Vietnamese communists in Hanoi, when he came for the APEC Summit, the communists in Hanoi have increased their harsh repressions on the fighters for religious freedom and the fighters for freedom, democracy and human rights in Vietnam.
We, Vietnamese Americans, adherents of many religions, parties, organizations, and independent scholars of Vietnamese American communities, express our will with this demonstration on Sunday November 26th in Little Saigon, and with these resolutions:
- We protest against the communists of Hanoi who have violently repressed the freedom, democracy and human rights fighters in Vietnam, before, during and after the APEC Summit.
- We sign the open letter against the removal of Vietnam from the CPC list while the communists in Hanoi have been increasing their repressions of the pure and independent religious groups in Vietnam.
Little Saigon November 26th , 2006
On behalf of the Committee Supporting Democracy for Vietnam
Ly Tong Ba,
Former General of South Vietnam Army
OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT
GEORGE W. BUSH
On the occasion that Vietnam was removed from the CPC list
Dear President George W. Bush,
We, Vietnamese Americans, are very disappointed by your decision to remove Vietnam from the list of Countries of Particular Concern for religious freedom. Vietnam is still very repressive of its religious and political dissidents. These are some of the blatant violations of religious freedom, some of them happened during the APEC Summit:
- Ho Chi Minh City Police City prohibited UBCV monks from receiving foreigners until APEC leaders leave Vietnam. Any monks violating this order would be strictly punished.
- Buddhist nun Thich Nu Dam Thoa was arrested in Hanoi on 14th November and was detained in a “Camp for social elements” in Bac Giang, Northern Vietnam. She is accused of being on a list of people allegedly seeking to meet US President George W. Bush during the APEC Summit.
- Last month, Pastor Nguyen Cong Chinh had been interrogated and beaten almost to death and serious injuries were inflicted on his body.
- Protestant house churches are obliged to renew their registration every year, and they must submit full lists of their members to the authorities.
- The government places “observers” to monitor church activities or force leadership changes. Over 4,000 house churches are not yet registered, thus illegal. Some 500 have applied for registration, but have not received a government decision.
- Local authorities in Hai Duong Province, for example, use administrative measures to mistreat Christians, e.g. denial of citizenship rights, residence permits, denial of passport for travel or work overseas.
- Reports from the Central and Northern Highlands indicate that Montagnards and other ethnic Christians continue to be pressured and even tortured to renounce their faith.
- Vietnamese government still meddles strongly into the teaching and selection of the Vietnamese Catholic church's priests.
- Millions of Vietnamese are still suffering persecution for their peaceful religious beliefs.
We, Vietnamese Americans, would like to express our concern for the policies of the United States toward Vietnam, so that you would not send a wrong message to the communists, and we wish that President George W. Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice would continue to monitor Vietnamese government’s actions on their citizens closely, and The United States should issue appropriate measures to discourage Vietnamese government from repressing its citizens in their religious worshipping and educational activities. Those measures might include putting back Vietnam on the CPC list.
Respectfully,
<lay chu ky cua nhieu nguoi>
.........
OPEN LETTER TO SECRETARY OF STATE
CONDOLEEZZA RICE
On the occasion that Vietnam was removed from the CPC list
Dear Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice,
We, Vietnamese Americans, are very disappointed by your decision to remove Vietnam from the list of Countries of Particular Concern for religious freedom. Vietnam is still very repressive of its religious and political dissidents. These are some of the blatant violations of religious freedom, some of them happened during the APEC Summit:
- Ho Chi Minh City Police City prohibited UBCV monks from receiving foreigners until APEC leaders leave Vietnam. Any monks violating this order would be strictly punished.
- Buddhist nun Thich Nu Dam Thoa was arrested in Hanoi on 14th November and was detained in a “Camp for social elements” in Bac Giang, Northern Vietnam. She is accused of being on a list of people allegedly seeking to meet US President George W. Bush during the APEC Summit.
- Last month, Pastor Nguyen Cong Chinh had been interrogated and beaten almost to death and serious injuries were inflicted on his body.
- Protestant house churches are obliged to renew their registration every year, and they must submit full lists of their members to the authorities.
- The government places “observers” to monitor church activities or force leadership changes. Over 4,000 house churches are not yet registered, thus illegal. Some 500 have applied for registration, but have not received a government decision.
- Local authorities in Hai Duong Province, for example, use administrative measures to mistreat Christians, e.g. denial of citizenship rights, residence permits, denial of passport for travel or work overseas.
- Reports from the Central and Northern Highlands indicate that Montagnards and other ethnic Christians continue to be pressured and even tortured to renounce their faith.
- Vietnamese government still meddles strongly into the teaching and selection of the Vietnamese Catholic church's priests.
- Millions of Vietnamese are still suffering persecution for their peaceful religious beliefs.
We, Vietnamese Americans, would like to express our concern for the policies of the United States toward Vietnam, so that you would not send a wrong message to the communists, and we wish that You and the State Department would continue to monitor Vietnamese government’s actions on their citizens closely, and The United States should issue appropriate measures to discourage Vietnamese government from repressing its citizens in their religious worshipping and educational activities. Those measures might include putting back Vietnam on the CPC list.
Respectfully,
<lay chu ky cua nhieu nguoi>
.........