The 40th anniversary of the Chinese invasion of the Paracels Islands (January 19, 1974) and the 35th anniversary of the Chinese invasion of Vietnam's northernmost provinces (February 17, 1979) represent two historical dates on which numberless Vietnamese have fallen to defend the Vietnamese fatherland. The blood and bones and souls of these compatriots of ours are still there... Yet the authorities in Vietnam are deliberately forgetting both those dates and those heroic fighters for our nation. Not a single ceremony is held to pay them homage. And the people's spontaneous expressions of their gratitude are even repressed (through unconscionable activities such as stone-cutting and using loudspeakers to drown out the ceremony on January 19 at the Ly Thai To Memorial in Hanoi and brazen group dancing to the tune of Chinese melodies on February 16 to do likewise), an inexplicable reaction on the part of a still independent nation and one which is sitting in the UN Human Rights Council.
The 26th anniversary of the Chinese invasion of the Spratlys (March 14, 1988) is coming. Shall we act like slaves and continue with our ungrateful silence?
No! Definitely not!
For the future of our nation, we, the undersigned, irregardless of who was behind the above scenarios, enough to evoke not only outrage but also an awakening among the people who who come together in solidarity, hereby forcefully declare to the world--in what is hoped to reflect the sentiments of all the people of Vietnam:
1. The gathering of people to offer flowers and light candles in memoriam of historic days of the nation represents a spiritual and ethical act, one that will not accept foreign interference.
2. We cannot afford to forget: "January 19, the Paracels - February 17, the Border War - March 14, the Spratlys." These are historical dates that no one has the right to forget, erase, or disparage. Seventy-four Republic of Vietnam Navy heroes who have gone down with their ships in the Paracels must be honored. Sixty thousand soldiers and civilian casualties in the Border War cannot be written off. Sixty-four People's Navy soldiers who were sacrificed in the Spratlys must get recognition from the Fatherland.
3. The marking of their sacrifices is not only a must historical event, it is also our duty and honor when our country is daily threatened by the hegemonic ambitions of China.
4. Honoring and commemorating these heroes is something that the state must proclaim and correspondingly solemnly mark.
5. All actions of preventing and harassing those who wish to carry out these memorial functions should be considered acts of defiance launched at the self-respect and conscience of all Vietnamese concerned with the territorial integrity of our country.
6. The people's freedom of expression as well as their other human rights must be respected. We respectfully send these S.O.S. Vietnam signals out to Freedom-loving persons and countries all over the world which no longer have political prisoners. Please pay close attention to what is happening in Vietnam, a country torn by human rights violations.
Let us then tightly hold hands in a people's self-determination day of commemoration not only in Vietnam but around the world as well. Let us affirm that March 14 is a sacred day of commemoration of our fighters fallen in the Spratlys in the name of our Fatherland. No dark force can possibly prevent us from loving our country.
Long live Viet Nam!
Respectfully submitted to you for your signature. Each of our signatures is a catalyst for both our speaking up as well as for our friends and compatriots.
Translated by Nguyen Ngoc Bich
