The Formation and Role of Opposition Parties and Dissident Forces in Vietnam

Human Rights Conference “For Freedom and Solidarity”

Warsaw, Poland 

December 10, 2007

Warsaw,Poland Dec. 2007

The Communists don't like the term "opposition political party." They are endlessly paranoid and intolerant of anything referring as "opposition". To them, all must be strictly under control of the party -- period. Basically, the principles of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights go against the concept of communist government. They are in contradiction as much as day versus night, light versus dark and truth versus lie.

Vietnam does not go beyond such contradiction. Similar to Eastern European countries, efforts to form dissident forces in Vietnam have been relentlessly suppressed and the Vietnamese people have paid a harsh price for their desires. On the dissident forces of nations under totalitarian regimes, former Czech Republic President Václav Havel once wrote: "This specter has not appeared out of thin air. It is a natural and inevitable consequence of the present historical phase of the system it is haunting. It was born at a time when this system, for a thousand reasons, can no longer base itself on the unadulterated, brutal, and arbitrary application of power, eliminating all expressions of nonconformity." (1)

In Vietnam, during the Communist era, many dissident forces have been brutally oppressed. The Vietnamese government is very good at covering up their practice of systematic suppression -- their crimes have not gotten much notice from the world community. However, the collapse of communist idealism and structures, the development of world wide Internet and rapid reformations in economy have all contributed positively to the Vietnamese political environment, serving as encouragement and giving hope to these dissident forces to continue their works.

In the year of 2006, the forming of Block 8406 was a historic and revolutionary event. This loosely structured organization is driven by the people's will to publicly raise their voices, and fully knowing that they risk their own lives. Many leading dissidents, together with the lesser known, have taken leading roles in challenging the communist leadership. Just as members of Czechoslovakian Charter 77 were arrested and harshly persecuted, many leaders and members of Block 8406 have been harassed, detained and imprisoned. Father Nguyen Van Ly, a leading member of Block 8406 was sentenced 8 years of imprisonment while many other members have been fleeing Vietnam seeking refuge.

The formation of opposition parties, operating in public and clandestinely has flourished and unfortunately so has its suppression. The Vietnam Progression Party was violently suppressed after its recent forming. Their leader, Mr. Nguyen Phong was sentenced to 6 years of imprisonment; lawyer and spokeswoman Le Thi Cong Nhan, was sentenced to 4 years which was reduced to 3 years on appeal in November 2007.

Human rights lawyer Nguyen Van Dai was behind bars with 5 years sentence, which was later reduced to 4 years for his alleged crime of  "propagating against the state". In truth, his only crime was to form the Committee for Human Rights in Vietnam.

The Democracy Party in Vietnam was formed and led by Professor Hoang Minh Chinh, a former high ranking communist party member since Ho Chi Minh's time and former director of the Marxist-Leninist Institute. Since giving up his communist ideology and turning to pro-democracy dissident, he has spent more than 10 years in jail and 9 years in house-arrest.

The United Workers-Farmers Organization in Vietnam is not an exceptional case. Formed in 2006, the United Workers-Farmers Organization in Vietnam organized in order to demand fair labor practices, fair wages and compensation, and their right to strike. It is fair to say that the successful struggle of the Solidarity Union in Poland has given them the courage and hope to fight their own fight. However, after going public, their spokesperson, lawyer Tran Quoc Hien was arrested and sentenced to 5 years in jail. The remaining founders including Nguyen Tan Hoang (Doan Huy Chuong) and farmers Tran Thi Le Hang (Le Hong) and Doan Van Dien, all were incarcerated in November 2006 and still await trial. (2)

Finally, the People's Democratic Party, a non-violent party formed in 2004 with the aim of promoting the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was also harshly suppressed. Their founders including Dr. Le Nguyen Sang, lawyer Nguyen Bac Truyen, and journalist Huynh Nguyen Dao, are currently spending their lives behind bars due to their dissident views.

 

It is a hard lesson to learn, but valuable for all who have suffered under communism: Freedom – Democracy and Human Rights are not free gifts but rather expensive ones, bought through brave dedication and commitment.

In a country whose constitution guarantees the "leading role to govern the state" of a party, there is no basic ground for the legitimate existence of other parties. In the long run, without any challenge to its authority, such a "self-designated party" would rule the country forever. Quite similarly might a King passes his Kingdom on to his heir, keeping the power far from the people. Currently, the Vietnam Communist party has given itself such a privilege. Article 4 of the Vietnamese Constitution states: "The Communist Party of Vietnam, the vanguard of the Vietnamese working class, the faithful representative of the rights and interests of the working class, the toiling people, and the whole nation, acting upon the Marxist-Leninist doctrine and Ho Chi Minh's thought, is the force leading the State and society. All Party organizations operate within the framework of the Constitution and the law."

As such this article goes against the spirit of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of which article 20 confirms: "(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association. (2) No one may be compelled to belong to an association."   Or article 1 states "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights" and article 21 "1) Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives. (2) Everyone has the right of equal access to public service in his country."

Vietnamese history has been witnessed to so many changes since the Imperialist period. These empires of past did not need any constitution to guarantee their absolute power but still considered their laws to be without challenge. However, history has already proven that the Vietnamese people have struggled fiercely to protect their rights. The maturation of pro-democracy individuals and formation of dissident forces and opposition parties of present day have been a long time coming. It is in fact, a Vietnamese way of life to continuously fight to preserve themselves, free from abuse of power.

In reality, in confrontation of such a pro-collective and experienced organization as the Vietnam Communist Party, the battered dissident forces have learned much in order to survive. They have come a long way, from pro-democracy individuals to loose groups, to collectives and organizations. In combining the principles of non-violence as the core of their policies while operating either publicly or secretively, in order to protect themselves. These dissidents have sought International and Vietnamese Overseas support in their fight to lead Vietnam towards Freedom – Democracy and Human Rights, and to peacefully transform Vietnam from a dictatorship regime to a democratic society.

The fight for Freedom, Democracy and Human Rights has crossed international borders. What was happening in Vietnam can now reach the whole world only a few hours later. The existence and development of Internet have totally unmasked the dark side of totalitarian regimes. The progress of this fall's democratic strike in Burma as well as the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe about twenty years ago have not been forgotten and today still gives strength and confidence to the dissident forces in Vietnam.

Through it all, we recognize the true power of the people. If the people could overcome their fear, this totalitarian regime will collapse someday. They, the ordinary people who were once powerless and fearful of state oppression, had no clear will to fight. But the people need only to realize that they have the power to make a change and to take back what have been lost. A remarkable history will be written in Vietnam.

 

In such circumstances, the existence of opposition forces in Vietnam as leading figures is obvious and impossible to ignore as a stepping stone in the process of democratic development. The tasks ahead are enormously difficult and extensively challenging.  Violent suppression from the dictatorship regime is unavoidable and is to be anticipated. But we are rich in what we have learned and know that we are willing to pay and sacrifice. (3)

International Human Rights Day, 2007

Cong Thanh Do

(1) Havel, Václav, The Power of the Powerless. 1978. Czechoslovakia.

(2) Ha Noi authorities sentenced four leading members of the United Workers-Farmers Association in Vietnam on December 10, 2007. Total of more than 11 years of imprisonment.

(3) This article is dedicated to Dr. Le Nguyen Sang, lawyer Nguyen Bac Truyen, journalist Huynh Nguyen Dao, the People’s Democratic Party underground members and many other pro-democracy activists who fight and sacrifice everyday for Vietnam's future.