VIGIL IN SUPPORT OF VIETNAMESE
PRISONERS OF CONSCIENCE
Nguyễn Ngọc Bích
Washington,
DC - (VanHoaNBLV) - On July 24, a candlelight vigil and hunger strike was held
by a number of Vietnamese Americans at the Victims of Communism Memorial in
Washington DC which stands at the corner of New Jersey and Massachusetts
Avenues, NW. This was observed as part
of the movement "We Are One" in coordination with a worldwide effort
to support the Vietnamese prisoners of conscience still lingering in communist
jails in Vietnam.
This
worldwide coordinated action is done in conjunction with human rights and
democracy activists inside Vietnam to show the solidarity of three million plus
Vietnamese in the Diaspora together with their friends in all free nations in
five continents (North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Oceania). That is why Marion Smith, Executive Director
of the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation (VOCMF), was there to address
the group, and so was Christopher Wright of ACAT.
This was our
way of saying to our fellow Vietnamese brothers and sisters currently in
communist jails in Vietnam, whether they are there for political reasons or
because of their religious convictions, that they are not forgotten even as
Vietnam may soon become a member of the TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) with
the United States.
Attending the
event were many prominent members of the Vietnamese Community in the Washington
metropolitan area including Mr. and Mrs. Doan Huu Dinh (he is chairman of the
Vietnamese Community of DC-MD-VA), Mr. Nguyen Mau Trinh (chairman of the
Vietnamese Senior Citizens Association), Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Bich (chairman of the
National Congress of Vietnamese Americans), Dr. Dao Thi Hoi of NCVA, Music
Professor Kim Oanh, Professor Yen Nguyen, Ms. Genie Nguyen (president of Voice
of Vietnamese Americans), Mrs. Nguyet and Mr. Doan Ngoc An of the Hoa Hao
Buddhist Church, Mr. Vo Thanh Nhan and Mr. Vo Ngoc Toan of the Cao Dai Church,
Mr. Thomas Pham (chairman of the Vietnamese Community of Maryland), Mr. Nguyen
Van Dang (Vietnamese Community of DC-MD-VA), Musician Nguyen Van Thanh and his
wife, the beautiful singer Ngoc Thuy, Mrs. Tuyet Ngoc and Mrs. Truc Nuong Brown
of the Vietnamese Mothers Group, Mr. Tran Quoc Sy, Mr. Hoang Vi Kha of Viet
Toons, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Thanh Binh (a poet and novelist), Ms. Jennifer Nguyen (a
singer), and Ms. Phan Thuy Lan among others.
Of particular note is the presence of ex-prisoner of conscience, Dr. Cu
Huy Ha Vu, and his wife, Lawyer Duong Ha, who gave a forceful message on behalf
of the political prisoners in Vietnam.
Covering the
event were reporters from SBTN, VieTV, Radio Free Asia (RFA), and Pho Nho
Newspaper.
The event was
marked by many songs of solidarity with the prisoners of conscience in
Vietnamese communist jails such as Nguyen Duc Quang's "Viet Nam Que Huong
Ngao Nghe" and Viet Khang's "Viet Nam Toi Dau?" ("Where Is
My Vietnam?") besides Truc Ho's rousing tunes.
Later in the
evening several more young people joined the vigil and hunger strike, which was
to last until the next morning.
Nguyễn Ngọc
Bích
July 25, 2015
No comments:
Post a Comment