Vietnamese opposition movement forms in France

Agence France Presse
Some 350 Vietnamese expatriates from Europe, Canada and the United States on Monday formed an opposition movement to support peaceful actions of the Vietnamese population against the Hanoi regime.

The Federation of Vietnamese Communities Abroad, to be based in Strasbourg, met at the headquarters of the European Parliament here. Lai The Hung, president of the European section, said the aim was "to use all political and diplomatic means to draw public attention to human rights violations committed by Hanoi."

He said the new movement will be officially set up after another meeting of Vietnamese expatriates in Santana, California, early next month.

Those meeting here handed a petition to several members of the European Parliament and European Human Rights Commission.

Hung said the petition asked for European pressure to be brought on Hanoi for the release of political prisoners and the holding of free elections under UN auspices.