I am Nguyen Tu Thanh, having penname as Thomas Thanh NguyenTu (Tel: 01222.110.653), currently residing at 111/2 Thich Quang Duc street, ward 4, Phu Nhuan district, Ho Chi Minh City.
At 2.50 PM of June 30, 2012, I received an invitation of Ward 4’s Public Security, Phu Nhuan district with content as follow: “At 15.00 PM of June 30, 2012, be present at the office of ward 4’s public security to be asked about some issues concerned”.
I immediately walked to the office according to the content of the invitation but after a while, two security men riding a new model motorbike followed me and “politely” asked me to sit on their bike for a faster moving. When we came there, there were two security men of the city, two others of the district and the permanent security men of the ward. They did not tell me event their full names and ranks. In the interrogation, at first, they kept turning around the issues which I had been asked in the interrogation last time – April 27, 2012 – as:
- Why have you joined Bach Dang Giang Foundation?
- I realize that it has been established with the aim of helping the former boat people among whom I was also one, so I have joined it. Moreover, the criteria of foundation don’t work against the line and humanitarian policy of Vietnamese Government.
- Why didn’t “chap” Hai choose another name but Bach Dang Giang? Bach Dang Giang Organization is a reactionary and anti-State one and have been banned from its operation and not been granted permit yet.
(Needing to add: Calling someone else as “chap” proves that the caller’s manner is not civilized and polite. Thus when mentioning to any security man, can I call him as Chap, too? While all of you are younger than me. Mr. Pham Ba Hai is leader of our boat people)
- As you said our Bach Dang Giang Foundation is a reactionary. I don’t know how it was before but since I have joined it so far, realizing it has only performed the pure humanitarian activities, “from hearts to hearts”, so is it reactionary? Bring the book of Vietnamese Law and show me what article I have violated. As for the name “Bach Dang Giang” – when fulfilling this mission, you are certainly educated and Vietnamese citizens. Do you dare to say that you don’t know any iota of History and People of Vietnam? I promise I will argue to you to the utmost.
- Since having been released from prison up to now, “thằng” Hai has not gone to work just a day but still lived comfortably with the money sent from overseas. He is a vegetarian but does he has a girl friend?
- That is his private affair. Now let’s say a close and concrete circumstance between you and me. Your relatives send money to you, I ask you friendly: Do you receive any money this month? How much is it? So I really got foul? You are kind to invite me a cup of coffee or a few beers and it is OK, so why do I have to have query? Moreover, I sometimes see Mr. Hai helping friends of same situation facing the difficulties or going to present the condolences to somebody. There is no reason why I ask: How many dollars have you received and how much did you help them, Mr. Hai? Then I am a so improper indeed. Mr. Hai himself is a vegetarian, whenever we get together for fun, ignoring we drink beer or wine, he only takes vegetarian food and has soft drink. As for whether or not Mr. Hai has girlfriend, I have not seen any. If any, it is a common issue such as 2 + 2 = 4, Mr. Hai is still a single man and it does not violate any Law of Family and Marriage? How can Mr. Hai conceal? Event you, the educated, handsome and attractive ones, knowing how to talk, so don’t say that girls are not crazy about you. Men fall in love with their eyes and women with their ears. In short, it’s not a strange thing if a certain girl is crazy about Mr. Hai but frankly I have seen no one. So bring out a law book and show me what article we have violated.
- We don’t mention about that. It is true with the human conscience for you to help the poor who face the difficulties or to go to present the condolences to somebody. But we are afraid that “chap” Hai is utilizing his influence to incite the boat people to do other political things.
- Be at ease. In the minute of the last interrogation, you obliged me to report to you at once if I know Mr. Hai involving in any political activities. On the other hand our criteria of operation don’t have the intention of opposing Vietnamese State but the pure humanitarian activities.
- Have you performed any more about “Thuyen Nhan Tay Du Ky” (i.e. the title of series of articles reporting on plight of people boat returnees in Mekong Delta) since your last one? Why is there no more aid so far since the last one at Lien Tri Pagoda?
- No. But if it is necessary, I will go again, why do I have to quit? Before I carried out that journey, I thought that I was an utterly miserable one but when I went there, seeing with my own eyes, hearing with my own ears, the situations of boat people, they are much more miserable. They event do not have rice to eat and a case of 20 year-old girl died as a result of sickness. How heart-rending! You have ever heard of refrain from food but sickness, right? When people have no money to buy rice then how to see a doctor for medicine? As you know, although saying that "the honest physician as the clement mother ", but before placing stethoscope to the patient’s heart or lung, physicians place it into patient’s wallet first, right? And I myself was also a boat person with a little bit of English, is it possible for me to keep silent? Say whether or not I am a human being if I turn a blind eye like that? If calling helps from the boat people who have resettled overseas I also will get my part from its aids. In brief, I go to help the others as I help myself. With regard to the issue of giving aids again, I really don’t know because I don’t contact overseas friends.
- What do you think when writing the article “Sorrowful When Recollecting The Date of April 30”?
- You certainly know that I used to be a former commissioned officer of former regime (before 1975). Being sorrowful as our army had been defeated is an extremely common thing. Now hand me the pile of my articles and analyze what points I have opposed against the regime or government. And what points that you don’t understand clearly, I am willing to analyze them then we will have an argument.
- There is no reason why you cannot remember the articles you wrote?
- Let me ask you this, the great poets as Xuan Dieu, Huy Can, Luu Trong Lu…..the great writers as To Hoai, Nam Cao, The Lu…are the masters whom I chose to learn from their style of writing or poetry. Even musician Tran Tien, are you sure they remember hundred thousands of their writings. If saying yes, off with my head, I accept without objection.
- Have you got support from the State since having repatriated?
- Absolutely not! It’s contrary to the undertaking documentations between Vietnam Government and UNHCR about helping boat people after their repatriation such as vocational training and creating job for them which I read and translated into Vietnamese when I was still in Thailand. For my part, I didn’t receive anything else but VND $2.828.000 only (USD $360).
- You worked as an English teacher, right?
- Absolutely wrong. I had earned my living by driving a pedicab and learnt English in university before fleeing the country in 1989. In camps, I practiced by myself owing to a dictionary without beginning and ending parts, a voluntary translator for offices of UNHCR and Camp Office, an interpreter for mental health hospital and a tutor to earn my living. After my repatriation in 1997, with instinct for survival, I earned my living by myself without support from anyone.
It rained cats and dogs outside. The local security man stepped in:
- You are invited to be present at ward at 7AM tomorrow (July 1, 2012) for interrogation.
- Oh! The interrogations are not enough so far? Tomorrow is Sunday, anything new else to interrogate? Why don’t you turn upside down game of cards? We are men, be outspoken, no need to be ambiguous, an investigation about the demonstrations, right?
The security man just now kept asking:
- Why do you know there is demonstration tomorrow morning, July 1?
- You ask so strangely, want to check me? The articles posted on website www.thuyennhan.info, we don’t hand over to you but you also found them and printed out a pile of them! Do I not know to search on Google? Just typing word “Demonstration”, there will be a lot of results for choice, and continue typing “demonstration on July 1, 2012” there will be more continued results.
- What do you think about this issue?
- It’s extremely right. Firstly the demonstrations perform exactly the human rights according to the regulations of Universal Declaration for Human Rights in which our Vietnam is also a signatory. Human rights are invaluable, inalienable or nonexchangeable. Secondly they express patriotism of citizens to their beloved nation. Love for the beautiful country with the curve of letter “S” always boils in the blood-vessel in the Vietnamese people. According to the content of the article which I read, it is a peaceful and non-violence demonstration with the aim of supporting the sea law of Vietnam, re-asserting eloquently the divine sovereignty of Vietnam over the two islands: Paracels and Spratlys and the waters based on the international law. China also has viciousness of annexing the entire two islands: Paracels and Spratlys and the nearby coasts of Vietnam. In other words, China has officially determined and made public malice for carrying out sovereignty of “the U-shaped East Sea line” which covers 80% of South China Sea. Besides, they also patronizingly summoned Vietnamese Ambassador to China in Beijing to hand their appeal to protest against Vietnam “serious violation of the sovereignty”! Since twice having cut the exploring cables of Vietnam boats, China have not had any sign of going to stop provocation by series of arrests, confiscation of fishing gears from dozens of Vietnamese fishing boats which made fishermen go into bankruptcy.
In addition, I myself am a Buddhist, so there is not strange to obey the call-out of Superior Thich Quang Do (Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam). This peaceful and non-violence demonstration is sure to be taken part by thousands of Vietnamese people in all ages and careers according to the spirit of Clause 69: Citizens are free for speech, meeting and demonstration. Thinking that this is a thing to do and should do at the moment aimed at warning China, there is no reason why we wait until Vietnam becomes a district or province of China then we carry out opposition? You know, in civil war before, Navy Force of Republic of Vietnam had a fierce sea battle with the China on January 19, 1974? The current Vietnamese Government is too soft, so China disregards and keeps encroaching. In article “Why Not Learning From The Ancient Example” that I wrote, we should learn from The Emperor Quang Trung who fought while negotiating. If meeting high ranking leaders, you propose to provide the veterans of former regime with “weapons”, we will fight and Vietnamese State is the big rear, keeping negotiation. Recently, one guy showed me a set of pictures of battles on Paracels and Spratlys, a lieutenant colonel of navy force was killed in combat. So it was not a small but big battle. The insolent Chinese dares to discount Vietnam.
- So do you take part in the tomorrow demonstration?
- Admitting that you had a good question! I posted more than 80 articles on www.thuyennhan.info, both in literatures and poems. If I didn’t write any, so you don’t know how I look like. When writing, I know how to analyze the psychology of character. There is no reason why you are the elite security officers without learning any bit of psychological subject? Moreover, in your interrogations, I realized that there was understanding between the interrogators and interrogatees. You evaluate essence through phenomenon, you should understand how the self of this “chap” Thanh is. If I was a scum, you will certainly not hear the gentle and polite words like that but the bad language. My articles always dignify patriotism, so now why I have to steal away when there is a demonstration to express patriotism? Think that you are also citizens, a bridge between the State and people.
The district’s security man raised his voice:
- That is so. You don’t think wrong but right. However, besides the genuine demonstrators there will be bad guys who provoke and lead the demonstration into another direction. So we ask you to stay home tomorrow.
- I give up with you all. Is rally together to show patriotism wrong? And the other, you are so foresighted. What is your crowded force over there for? If there is bad change, they can handle that.
- Please tell me again so that I can record in the minute. Do you have any sickness when attending our interrogation?
- Yes, besides high blood pressure, I am not mentally ill, so up to now I have answered all your questions.
- What do you think about the interrogation this afternoon?
- As I have said just now, this interrogation got comfortable, cheerful and there is respect from both sides. So you don’t express browbeating and imperiousness.
- Can you tell me password to post articles?
- I don’t know password, it’s the work of editorial board in Texas, USA. It’s very easy to send an article, everyone can send it, just clicking mouse at the button “Gui Bai” (Send Article). You can send your articles, just pick up a penname such as “Nam Map” (Five Fat) or “Tu Lun” (Four Short) is OK.
- Please read the minute and sign.
Before signing, I wrote more “You are security men, the bridge between the State and the people. You are also Vietnamese citizens, you should join the demonstration”.
At 8PM, I received the invitation, from the local security man, with an appointment for interrogation at 7AM of July 1, 2012. Since then and all night long, four security men kept watch at the front yard in front of my house, from time to time going to and fro, lamping into my house.
My nerve was tense and I got high blood pressure, so at 7AM I could not go to the ward according to the invitation. The district’s security man came to take back the invitation and then four men kept me in the house until around 5PM.
I also know that Mr. Pham Ba Hai was kept watch by a group of security men in front of his house from the dawn of June 30, 2012 and today, Mr. Hai was interrogated from 8Am till 6PM on July 1. As for the case of Mr. Nguyen Huu Huan, who also was interrogated from 2PM of June 30, 2012. At 8PM, because of being unable to call me (I was being interrogated), Mr. Huan rode a bike to my house, but he was followed, forced to go to the local ward and being there until 11,30PM.
The action of Security police Agency has brutally trampled on the rights of the human beings.
I immediately walked to the office according to the content of the invitation but after a while, two security men riding a new model motorbike followed me and “politely” asked me to sit on their bike for a faster moving. When we came there, there were two security men of the city, two others of the district and the permanent security men of the ward. They did not tell me event their full names and ranks. In the interrogation, at first, they kept turning around the issues which I had been asked in the interrogation last time – April 27, 2012 – as:
- Why have you joined Bach Dang Giang Foundation?
- I realize that it has been established with the aim of helping the former boat people among whom I was also one, so I have joined it. Moreover, the criteria of foundation don’t work against the line and humanitarian policy of Vietnamese Government.
- Why didn’t “chap” Hai choose another name but Bach Dang Giang? Bach Dang Giang Organization is a reactionary and anti-State one and have been banned from its operation and not been granted permit yet.
(Needing to add: Calling someone else as “chap” proves that the caller’s manner is not civilized and polite. Thus when mentioning to any security man, can I call him as Chap, too? While all of you are younger than me. Mr. Pham Ba Hai is leader of our boat people)
- As you said our Bach Dang Giang Foundation is a reactionary. I don’t know how it was before but since I have joined it so far, realizing it has only performed the pure humanitarian activities, “from hearts to hearts”, so is it reactionary? Bring the book of Vietnamese Law and show me what article I have violated. As for the name “Bach Dang Giang” – when fulfilling this mission, you are certainly educated and Vietnamese citizens. Do you dare to say that you don’t know any iota of History and People of Vietnam? I promise I will argue to you to the utmost.
- Since having been released from prison up to now, “thằng” Hai has not gone to work just a day but still lived comfortably with the money sent from overseas. He is a vegetarian but does he has a girl friend?
- That is his private affair. Now let’s say a close and concrete circumstance between you and me. Your relatives send money to you, I ask you friendly: Do you receive any money this month? How much is it? So I really got foul? You are kind to invite me a cup of coffee or a few beers and it is OK, so why do I have to have query? Moreover, I sometimes see Mr. Hai helping friends of same situation facing the difficulties or going to present the condolences to somebody. There is no reason why I ask: How many dollars have you received and how much did you help them, Mr. Hai? Then I am a so improper indeed. Mr. Hai himself is a vegetarian, whenever we get together for fun, ignoring we drink beer or wine, he only takes vegetarian food and has soft drink. As for whether or not Mr. Hai has girlfriend, I have not seen any. If any, it is a common issue such as 2 + 2 = 4, Mr. Hai is still a single man and it does not violate any Law of Family and Marriage? How can Mr. Hai conceal? Event you, the educated, handsome and attractive ones, knowing how to talk, so don’t say that girls are not crazy about you. Men fall in love with their eyes and women with their ears. In short, it’s not a strange thing if a certain girl is crazy about Mr. Hai but frankly I have seen no one. So bring out a law book and show me what article we have violated.
- We don’t mention about that. It is true with the human conscience for you to help the poor who face the difficulties or to go to present the condolences to somebody. But we are afraid that “chap” Hai is utilizing his influence to incite the boat people to do other political things.
- Be at ease. In the minute of the last interrogation, you obliged me to report to you at once if I know Mr. Hai involving in any political activities. On the other hand our criteria of operation don’t have the intention of opposing Vietnamese State but the pure humanitarian activities.
- Have you performed any more about “Thuyen Nhan Tay Du Ky” (i.e. the title of series of articles reporting on plight of people boat returnees in Mekong Delta) since your last one? Why is there no more aid so far since the last one at Lien Tri Pagoda?
- No. But if it is necessary, I will go again, why do I have to quit? Before I carried out that journey, I thought that I was an utterly miserable one but when I went there, seeing with my own eyes, hearing with my own ears, the situations of boat people, they are much more miserable. They event do not have rice to eat and a case of 20 year-old girl died as a result of sickness. How heart-rending! You have ever heard of refrain from food but sickness, right? When people have no money to buy rice then how to see a doctor for medicine? As you know, although saying that "the honest physician as the clement mother ", but before placing stethoscope to the patient’s heart or lung, physicians place it into patient’s wallet first, right? And I myself was also a boat person with a little bit of English, is it possible for me to keep silent? Say whether or not I am a human being if I turn a blind eye like that? If calling helps from the boat people who have resettled overseas I also will get my part from its aids. In brief, I go to help the others as I help myself. With regard to the issue of giving aids again, I really don’t know because I don’t contact overseas friends.
- What do you think when writing the article “Sorrowful When Recollecting The Date of April 30”?
- You certainly know that I used to be a former commissioned officer of former regime (before 1975). Being sorrowful as our army had been defeated is an extremely common thing. Now hand me the pile of my articles and analyze what points I have opposed against the regime or government. And what points that you don’t understand clearly, I am willing to analyze them then we will have an argument.
- There is no reason why you cannot remember the articles you wrote?
- Let me ask you this, the great poets as Xuan Dieu, Huy Can, Luu Trong Lu…..the great writers as To Hoai, Nam Cao, The Lu…are the masters whom I chose to learn from their style of writing or poetry. Even musician Tran Tien, are you sure they remember hundred thousands of their writings. If saying yes, off with my head, I accept without objection.
- Have you got support from the State since having repatriated?
- Absolutely not! It’s contrary to the undertaking documentations between Vietnam Government and UNHCR about helping boat people after their repatriation such as vocational training and creating job for them which I read and translated into Vietnamese when I was still in Thailand. For my part, I didn’t receive anything else but VND $2.828.000 only (USD $360).
- You worked as an English teacher, right?
- Absolutely wrong. I had earned my living by driving a pedicab and learnt English in university before fleeing the country in 1989. In camps, I practiced by myself owing to a dictionary without beginning and ending parts, a voluntary translator for offices of UNHCR and Camp Office, an interpreter for mental health hospital and a tutor to earn my living. After my repatriation in 1997, with instinct for survival, I earned my living by myself without support from anyone.
It rained cats and dogs outside. The local security man stepped in:
- You are invited to be present at ward at 7AM tomorrow (July 1, 2012) for interrogation.
- Oh! The interrogations are not enough so far? Tomorrow is Sunday, anything new else to interrogate? Why don’t you turn upside down game of cards? We are men, be outspoken, no need to be ambiguous, an investigation about the demonstrations, right?
The security man just now kept asking:
- Why do you know there is demonstration tomorrow morning, July 1?
- You ask so strangely, want to check me? The articles posted on website www.thuyennhan.info, we don’t hand over to you but you also found them and printed out a pile of them! Do I not know to search on Google? Just typing word “Demonstration”, there will be a lot of results for choice, and continue typing “demonstration on July 1, 2012” there will be more continued results.
- What do you think about this issue?
- It’s extremely right. Firstly the demonstrations perform exactly the human rights according to the regulations of Universal Declaration for Human Rights in which our Vietnam is also a signatory. Human rights are invaluable, inalienable or nonexchangeable. Secondly they express patriotism of citizens to their beloved nation. Love for the beautiful country with the curve of letter “S” always boils in the blood-vessel in the Vietnamese people. According to the content of the article which I read, it is a peaceful and non-violence demonstration with the aim of supporting the sea law of Vietnam, re-asserting eloquently the divine sovereignty of Vietnam over the two islands: Paracels and Spratlys and the waters based on the international law. China also has viciousness of annexing the entire two islands: Paracels and Spratlys and the nearby coasts of Vietnam. In other words, China has officially determined and made public malice for carrying out sovereignty of “the U-shaped East Sea line” which covers 80% of South China Sea. Besides, they also patronizingly summoned Vietnamese Ambassador to China in Beijing to hand their appeal to protest against Vietnam “serious violation of the sovereignty”! Since twice having cut the exploring cables of Vietnam boats, China have not had any sign of going to stop provocation by series of arrests, confiscation of fishing gears from dozens of Vietnamese fishing boats which made fishermen go into bankruptcy.
In addition, I myself am a Buddhist, so there is not strange to obey the call-out of Superior Thich Quang Do (Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam). This peaceful and non-violence demonstration is sure to be taken part by thousands of Vietnamese people in all ages and careers according to the spirit of Clause 69: Citizens are free for speech, meeting and demonstration. Thinking that this is a thing to do and should do at the moment aimed at warning China, there is no reason why we wait until Vietnam becomes a district or province of China then we carry out opposition? You know, in civil war before, Navy Force of Republic of Vietnam had a fierce sea battle with the China on January 19, 1974? The current Vietnamese Government is too soft, so China disregards and keeps encroaching. In article “Why Not Learning From The Ancient Example” that I wrote, we should learn from The Emperor Quang Trung who fought while negotiating. If meeting high ranking leaders, you propose to provide the veterans of former regime with “weapons”, we will fight and Vietnamese State is the big rear, keeping negotiation. Recently, one guy showed me a set of pictures of battles on Paracels and Spratlys, a lieutenant colonel of navy force was killed in combat. So it was not a small but big battle. The insolent Chinese dares to discount Vietnam.
- So do you take part in the tomorrow demonstration?
- Admitting that you had a good question! I posted more than 80 articles on www.thuyennhan.info, both in literatures and poems. If I didn’t write any, so you don’t know how I look like. When writing, I know how to analyze the psychology of character. There is no reason why you are the elite security officers without learning any bit of psychological subject? Moreover, in your interrogations, I realized that there was understanding between the interrogators and interrogatees. You evaluate essence through phenomenon, you should understand how the self of this “chap” Thanh is. If I was a scum, you will certainly not hear the gentle and polite words like that but the bad language. My articles always dignify patriotism, so now why I have to steal away when there is a demonstration to express patriotism? Think that you are also citizens, a bridge between the State and people.
The district’s security man raised his voice:
- That is so. You don’t think wrong but right. However, besides the genuine demonstrators there will be bad guys who provoke and lead the demonstration into another direction. So we ask you to stay home tomorrow.
- I give up with you all. Is rally together to show patriotism wrong? And the other, you are so foresighted. What is your crowded force over there for? If there is bad change, they can handle that.
- Please tell me again so that I can record in the minute. Do you have any sickness when attending our interrogation?
- Yes, besides high blood pressure, I am not mentally ill, so up to now I have answered all your questions.
- What do you think about the interrogation this afternoon?
- As I have said just now, this interrogation got comfortable, cheerful and there is respect from both sides. So you don’t express browbeating and imperiousness.
- Can you tell me password to post articles?
- I don’t know password, it’s the work of editorial board in Texas, USA. It’s very easy to send an article, everyone can send it, just clicking mouse at the button “Gui Bai” (Send Article). You can send your articles, just pick up a penname such as “Nam Map” (Five Fat) or “Tu Lun” (Four Short) is OK.
- Please read the minute and sign.
Before signing, I wrote more “You are security men, the bridge between the State and the people. You are also Vietnamese citizens, you should join the demonstration”.
At 8PM, I received the invitation, from the local security man, with an appointment for interrogation at 7AM of July 1, 2012. Since then and all night long, four security men kept watch at the front yard in front of my house, from time to time going to and fro, lamping into my house.
My nerve was tense and I got high blood pressure, so at 7AM I could not go to the ward according to the invitation. The district’s security man came to take back the invitation and then four men kept me in the house until around 5PM.
I also know that Mr. Pham Ba Hai was kept watch by a group of security men in front of his house from the dawn of June 30, 2012 and today, Mr. Hai was interrogated from 8Am till 6PM on July 1. As for the case of Mr. Nguyen Huu Huan, who also was interrogated from 2PM of June 30, 2012. At 8PM, because of being unable to call me (I was being interrogated), Mr. Huan rode a bike to my house, but he was followed, forced to go to the local ward and being there until 11,30PM.
The action of Security police Agency has brutally trampled on the rights of the human beings.
NGUYEN TU THANH.
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