MP Chris Hayes’ address in Australian House Debates on Human Rights in Vietnam – 17 June 2013

Chris Hayes
(Fowler, Australian Labor Party)

OpenAustralia
17.6.2013

Almost 50 years ago, when speaking about freedom on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, Martin Luther King Jr changed the world when he declared: ‘I have a dream.’ I refer to Martin Luther King because he is a prime example of a courageous individual who enlivened the global consciousness with his vision of freedom and harmony. I find it incredible that people like him are brave enough to challenge governments and social norms, with the courage to stand up to fight for what is right. Through their efforts they have changed the world and made it a better place.

In recent years I have seen increasing numbers of young Vietnamese people demonstrate the same courage and conviction, young people who have challenged the Vietnamese government by demanding freedom and respect for human rights. Freedom of speech is not just a fundamental human right, it is also a vital component in any successful modern society. The human mind is an extraordinary thing, with a potential to achieve incredible things for our world. By restricting freedom of speech, the Vietnamese government is not only depriving people of their basic human right but is also limiting Vietnam’s incredible potential to develop and prosper in today’s global society.

I have on many occasions spoken about the alarming level of human rights abuses in Vietnam. Today, I would like to specifically refer to two young human rights activists, Nguyen Phuong Uyen and Dinh Nguyen Kha. These young activists were recently sentenced by the People’s Court of Long An to imprisonment of six to eight years respectively, convicted under article 88 of the Vietnamese penal code for spreading information against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

The two activists have been distributing leaflets in Ho Chi Minh City, protesting against China’s claims to the Paracel and Spratly islands in theSouth China Sea. According to Human Rights Watch, the leaflets accuse the Vietnamese Communist Party of allowing China to exercise inappropriate influence over the country by occupying the islands, leasing forest lands and exploiting natural resources. The Vietnamese state media reported this as ‘distorting the party and the policies of the states relating to religion and land and exhibiting a twisted viewpoint regarding the Spratly and Paracel islands and the borders between Vietnam and China’.

Though they were vilified by the Vietnamese government and the state media, the two activists have been described as heroes by the international community. Their courage to stand up for what they believe to be right is truly commendable. This is particularly so given the fact of their very young ages.

A very bright young woman, Nguyen Phuong Uyen, a 21-year-old student from Ho Chi Minh University of Food Industry, was arrested and taken to the police station on 14 October 2012 in the Tan Phu District. They did this without any notification to her parents or family. Eight days later her family were finally contacted and told that she had been transferred to the police at Long An province and charged under article 88 of the penal code. On 26 April this year, when Nguyen Phuong Uyen‘s mother visited her in prison, she saw her daughter covered in bruises. Phuong Uyen told her mother that she had been severely beaten while in detention.

According to the police, Dinh Nguyen Kha, a 25-year-old student from the Long An University of Economics and Industry, on 10 October 2012 together with Nguyen Phuong Uyen distributed anti-government leaflets at the An Suong overpass in Ho Chi Minh City. He was arrested on 11 October 2012. At his trial he made a statement I feel reflects the truth of the character of this young man. He said:

I am a patriot and I love my people. Always have and always will. I would never be against the people of Vietnam. What I’m against is the communist party.

Over the past three years, the Vietnamese community in my electorate have drawn my attention to the disturbing levels of human rights abuses in Vietnam.

This year alone at least 38 activists have been convicted of alleged anti-state activity. Earlier this year I spoke about the 14 human rights activists who were tried and convicted in January and handed sentences ranging from three to 13 years imprisonment for exercising their fundamental human right of freedom of expression.

In Australia, as in most democratic countries, the doctrine of separation of powers applies to ensure independence of our judiciary so judges and courts can act without fear or favour in the administration of justice. In Vietnam, however, there appears to be no clear division between the legislature, executive or judiciary as all administrative organs of government are ultimately under the direct oversight of the Communist Party. As Australians we believe that the protection of individual human rights is vital in our global efforts to achieve lasting peace, security, freedom and dignity for all. As Australians, our commitment to human rights is a reflection of our national values whereby a person’s liberty and freedoms are respected.

The international community have strongly criticised the actions of the Vietnamese government. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have regularly released statements criticising human rights abuses in Vietnam. Recently the US embassy in Hanoi released a particularly strong statement exercising its concerns about the latest arrest of the two young activists in Ho Chi Minh City. Although Vietnam is a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, it is evident that the Vietnamese government and, indeed, the Vietnamese courts are denying human rights activists a fair trial.

As we speak today the ninth annual Australian Vietnamese human rights dialogue is taking place here in Canberra.

I believe that the human rights dialogue presents a great opportunity for appropriate representations to be made on such vital issues. I have written to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Bob Carr, and brought to his attention various cases of human rights abuses which should be raised during this dialogue. These cases include: the 14 activists who were sentenced on 8 January this year; Viet Khang, who was tried and convicted on 30 October 2012; Nguyen Van Hai, Ta Phong Tan and Phan Thanh Hai, who went to trial on 24 September 2012; and Nguyen Phuong Uyen and Dinh Nguyen Kha, the two activists who were sentenced on 16 May this year.

In March 2012 eight Hmong protesters were also sentenced to two years imprisonment for ‘partaking in a separatist ethnic movement’. In February 2012 Pastor Nguyen Cong Chinh was sentenced to five years for ‘distorting the domestic situation by criticising the government and the army in the foreign media’. In December 2011 Nguyen Van Lia, a 71-year-old who raised international awareness about the situation faced by fellow members of the Hoa Hao Buddhists was sentenced to five years imprisonment for ‘distributing anti-government propaganda’.

Although Vietnam is a member of the United Nations and a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, these cases are evidence of the continuing human rights abuses in Vietnam and the country’s failure to comply with their international obligations.

In the gallery today we have Joachim and Boa KhanhNguyen and representatives of Bloc 1706, all very proud Australians, active community members and passionate about the issue of freedom and human rights in Vietnam. While they look very strongly to the future they cannot forget the past or what the people of Vietnam currently suffer. I congratulate them and thank them for being here.

Earlier I referred to Martin Luther King, who awakened the world with his incredible vision of courage in standing up for change. Along with the Vietnamese community in Australia, I too have a dream. I dream: that the 90 million people living in Vietnam will have their fundamental human rights honoured by their government; that the heroes brave enough to speak up for what is right will be respected rather than vilified and thrown into prison; and that the Vietnamese government will comply with its international legal obligations and take its place among the advanced nations of the world. I join with my community in dreaming that one day soon freedom, democracy and human rights will be restored for the people of Vietnam.

Source: OpenAustralia

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