Vietnam: Top dissident heaps criticism on leaders

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE in Hanoi A dissident intellectual has gone to the heart of the Communist Party to demand radical democratic reforms, saying it cannot continue to hold a monopoly on power and run a market economy.

Phan Dinh Dieu, a prominent mathematician, said such contradictions had "turned into a destructive power, consisting of all kinds of negative phenomena born of a crazy market and an unlimited totalitarian dictatorship".

"We do not yet have a satisfactory solution to settle the contradiction between the demand to develop a market economy and democratise society and the maintenance of monopolistic leadership by the Communist Party," he said in a speech to the Vietnam Fatherland Frontier - a principal support group for the regime.

His comments, which only came to light yesterday, follow last week's release of a biting critique of the party in a letter written by retired general Tran Do.

General Do, a former high-ranking party ideologue, warned the party was threatened with collapse if it did not undertake "radical reforms".

Although the Government receives thousands of letters a year from disgruntled citizens, criticism from a top intellectual and a former high-ranking party official suggest it might face a serious challenge. "Political democratisation has become imperative today," said Mr Dieu, former director of the Information Institute.

"There is a risk of regression, and a crisis would appear inevitable. The party must radically renovate itself," he said.

"But the Communist Party clings to its proletarian principles in the name of political stability and continues to strengthen its monopoly to rule in an absolute manner." Mr Dieu also said the market economy was prey to the whims of the leaders, who have encouraged inefficiency and a lack of dynamism, where "failure is obvious".

He added party decision-making by a coterie of people without "talent or dynamism to serve the interests of the country" was based on preserving power.

Addressing individual freedoms, he noted that "all thoughts contrary to the party line are forbidden" and called for freedom of expression, opinion, press and association.

His demands echoed those by General Do who called for free elections.

Meanwhile, an open letter dated January 7 by former high-level party cadre and prominent dissident Hoang Minh Chinh, who spent years in prison for his views, called for the Government to listen to intellectuals.

"There is a gap between leaders and intellectuals," said Mr Chinh. "There is no sincere dialogue."

============================================================ February 13, 1998

Vietnamese dissident heaps criticism on communist regime

HANOI, Feb 13 (AFP) - A dissident Vietnamese intellectual has called for radical democratic reforms by the communist party, which he says has failed to reconcile its monopoly on power with pressures of the market economy.

Phan Dinh Dieu, a prominent mathematician, said the party could be "sabotaged" by internal contradictions which have "turned into a destructive power from inside, consisting of all kinds of negative phenomena born of a crazy market and an unlimited totalitarian dictatorship."

Dieu is one of a number of intellectuals and former party officials to heap criticism on the communist regime, reflecting a growing division within factions of the communist party over its future policies.

"We do not yet have a satisfactory solution to settle the contradiction between the demand to develop a market economy and democratize society and the maintanence of monopolistic leadership by the Communist Party," Dieu said in a December speech seen here Friday.

The contents of Dieu's speech, which was ignored by the local press at the time of its delivery, comes to light a week after the release of a biting critique of the party in a letter written by retired general Tran Do.

Do, a former high ranking party ideologue, sent a trenchant letter to the country's leaders warning that the party was threatened with collapse if it did not undertake "radical reforms.

Although the government receives thousands of letters a year from disgruntled citizens, critiques from prominent intellectuals, and in Do's case, from a high-ranking party official, suggest the party faces one its most serious challenges in recent years.

"Political democratisation has become imperative today," said Dieu, former director of the prestigious Information Institute in a speech delivered to the Vietnam Fatherland Front, the Communist umbrella group responsible for all Vietnamese organizations.

"There is a risk of regression, and a crisis would appear inevitable. The party must radically renovate itself," he said.

"But the communist party clings to its proletarian principles in the name of political stability and continues to strengthen its monopoly to rule in an absolute manner the state and society".

Dieu also said the market economy was prey to the whims of the leaders, who have encouraged inefficiency and a lack of dynamism, where "failure is obvious."

He said that party decision-making by a coterie of people without "talent or dynamism to serve the interests of the country" was based on preserving power.

Addressing individual freedoms he noted that "all thoughts contrary to the party line are forbidden," and called for freedom of expression, opinion, press and association.

His demands echo those made by Do who called for free elections. As Dieu points out, only candidates vetted by the party's fatherland front can run for election.

The mathematician, who is likely now kept under strict surveillance, has joined the growing number of disconted former party officials and intellectuals expressing their severe discontent with the party.

Analysts say the party is divided over its future course, differences highlighted last year over its handling of violent protests by peasants against corruption among local officials in Thai Binh province.

Officially at least, the government is downplaying the dissident voices.

Earlier this week the foreign ministry described Do's explosive letter as "a normal thing."

Meanwhile, an open letter dated January 7 by a former high level party cadre and prominent dissident Hoang Minh Chinh who spent years in prison for his views, renewed his calls for democracy and a dialogue with intellectuals.

"There is a gap between leaders and intellectuals," wrote Chinh in a letter the copy of which was received by AFP. "There is no sincere dialogue," he said.