http://www.fva.org/0997/voice.htm


VOICE OF THE MASSES

VIETNAMESE IN EASTERN EUROPE PROTESTED IN SUPPORT OF 
THAIBINH'S UPRISING


On August 27-29, 1997, a 70-hour hunger strike by overseas Vietnamese 
took place in front of the UNESCO building in Paris to protest the
Vietnamese Communist Party's violations of human rights and
oppressions of religions, and specifically to express their solidarity
with fellow Vietnamese who were standing up for their rights in Thai
Binh province, Vietnam. 

Among the protesters were 250 Vietnamese youth from the Czech
Republic, Hungary, Russia, Germany, Bulgaria, and Poland, representing
the community of 300,000 Vietnamese sent by Hanoi to the former
Eastern Europe Bloc countries to study and work to repay war debts.
Despite their past association with the communist regime, these young
Vietnamese courageously spoke out their conscience and the destructive
role of the Vietnamese Communist Party on the nation and people of
Vietnam. 

Following is their declaration at the event. 

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Declaration of 250 Vietnamese youth from Eastern Europe on the crimes
of the Vietnamese communist authority. 

At the demonstration and hunger strike in front of the UNESCO building

and the Trocade'ro Square, Paris on August 27, 28, and 29, 1997 


Ladies and Gentlemen, 

We, the undersigned, represent the 300,000 youth - students,
technicians and workers - sent by the communist government in Hanoi to
Eastern European countries for studying, researching, and working to
pay off war debts. [Despite] our being children of the current
communist regime, we strongly condemn before the world the violations
of human rights, the blocking of freedom, and the oppression of
religions that the ruling clique is imposing on our people. 

Rights to life, freedom, and the pursuit of happiness are supreme and 
belong to each human being. Both Western and Eastern political 
philosophy urge the population to overthrow any regimes that violate 
these fundamental rights, and to build a foundation for the respect of

freedom, the protection of people's lives, civil rights, and human 
rights. 

- The Vietnamese communist ruling clique has claimed it works for the 
country and people. In reality, they treat citizens like lab animals, 
exploit the nation resources and people's hard work for the benefit of

their Party and the ruling clique. 

- The Vietnamese communist ruling clique has bragged about democracy.
In reality, they rule with police force, smother freedom, restrict
religions, and exterminate civil rights and human rights. The
authorities continue to arrest and incarcerate religious leaders, 
particularly those of the United Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV). 
Recently, the authorities arrogantly disbanded the Buddhist Family 
Fellowship under the UBCV, and set in its place the communist League
of Young Buddhists for easy manipulation and termination. 

- The Vietnamese communist ruling clique has made promises of
prosperity and open economy but reality has shown the opposite.
Ironically, the open economy must coexist with the practice of
Stalinist communism. Current foreign investment in Vietnam is but to
feed the corrupt ruling machine and enrich the red Mafia with no
concern for the horrible sufferings of the people. 

- The Vietnamese communist ruling clique has proudly showcased
progress. In reality, the country is backward in all respects,
including in ideology. They maintain the policies of low popular
education, hermetic society, and one-way information. 

- The Vietnamese communist ruling clique disperses families, replace
the thousand-year-old traditions and morality with gloomy lives, full
of worry, fear, suspicion, and animosity. Day after day, people live
in frustration, repugnance, and humiliation. They are surrounded by 
informants, abusive Public Security cadres, and corruption. 

To protest those behaviors, we, the children, and at the same time,
the victims of the current Vietnamese communist dictatorship from
across Europe gather here in front of the UNESCO building and the
Trocade'ro square in Paris to participate in the 70-hour hunger
strike. 

We call on Western governments to use their influence and power to 
condition all economic cooperation, diplomatic exchanges, and 
humanitarian aid on the Vietnamese communist authority's respect for 
human rights and freedom of religion. Without such conditions, all of 
this cooperation and aid simply makes the West an accomplice to the 
criminals, directly or indirectly. This aid gives the authorities more

means to oppress our people. 

[We call on the world] to use its economic, political, social, and
media power to force the Vietnamese authorities to return the right of

self-determination to our people with truly free and democratic 
elections under international observation. 


Respectfully.