Hải Huỳnh (Danlambao) - Talking to reporters, Mrs. Do Thi Thiem, a land dispute petitioner, said she was splashed with acid and is being treated at Saint Paul Hospital in Hanoi.
22 years ago, on July 4, 1991, journalist Tran Quang Thanh was also splashed with acid in Hanoi.
Mrs. Do Thi Thiem, a petitioner from Bac Ninh province is a well-known activist in land dispute lawsuits along with other farmers at Trinh Nguyen village. Police have repeatedly threatened her that they will "give you a lifetime of regret for the crime of being so active in the lawsuits." And now they have acted so.
Land dispute petitioner, Do Thi Thiem, was splashed with acid on the entire chest. Posting this picture on her blog, Bui Thi Minh Hang said: “It’s more accurate to say they ‘watered acid’.”
But the action of Bac Ninh security agents on 07/04/2013 was despicable. Mrs. Do Thi Thiem has been taking care of an injured child for more than 2 years and is seeking for assistance from the local Red Cross. Taking advantage of her situation, police have disguised as health workers to call her 4 times on her phone regarding her application for assistance. One day, they told her to go to a clinic at Hang Buom; the other day, they told her to go to the local clinic; This time, when she stepped out of the house, a man approached her suddenly with a can of acid and brutally splashed the acid on her. The acid terribly burned her skin from the chin down; and her hands suffer the most severe acid burns. She confirmed seeing her attacker escaped on a motorcycle with another man.
During the interview, Mrs. Do Thi Thiem has repeatedly confirmed that the attack was orchestrated by security office of Bac Ninh police to retaliate her for filing complaints about land issues. On the same day, July 4, 2013, more than 500 petitioners from around the country have gathered together at 46 Trang Thi - Ha Noi, the headquarters of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, to raise their voice.
When we contacted Mrs. Thiem, there were many other petitioners standing by to help her in the hospital. They also expressed their anger with the despicable actions of the police in Bac Ninh province.
The phone number of Mrs. Do Thi Thiem as posted on her FB Hang Bui is 01665775621.
