Hanoi: Report on the Network of Vietnamese Bloggers’ Discussion of the Rights to Freedom of Movement

Opening speeches by Blogger Nguyen Ho Nhat Thanh and Me Nam - Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh (Photo: Danlambao)

Danlambao - Translated by Jasmine Tran (Danlambao) - At 9:30 am on 20 March 2014, a discussion took place at Joma Bakery Coffee (22 Ly Quoc Su, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi). The topic: “Viewing the prohibition of citizens from exiting the country due to national security reasons from an international perspective”.

Around thirty people were present at the meeting. They were representatives from the Embassies of Germany, Australia, Sweden, and the European Union – Dr Nguyen Quang A, Professor Chu Hao, Mr Nguyen Hoang Duc, and members of the Network of Vietnamese Bloggers.

Representatives of the police force failed to turn up for the discussion, even though Me Nam – Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh had sent an invitation to the Chief of the Department of Immigration Management of the Ministry of Public Security. One notable fact was the presence of Hoang Thi Nhat Le, a member of the group protesting Statement 258 (the Network of Vietnamese Bloggers’ Statement, requesting that the Vietnamese government amend laws for more human rights).

Blogger Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh revealed: “Even though there were some troubles, the meeting occurred as planned.”

Civilians participating in the Network of Vietnamese Bloggers’ 

discussion on“The Rights to Freedom of Movement”. 

Photo: Danlambao

Joma Bakery Coffee was chosen as the meeting spot, however that morning it announced it was to remain closed due to “maintenance”.

However, outside the café, the discussion continued as planned with the attendance of representatives from the Embassies of Germany, Australia, Sweden, and the European Union.

A remarkable point today was the participation of group of youth representing the protesters against Statement 258. After speaking about and stressing the importance of freedom of movement, a speaker for the Network of Vietnamese Bloggers started the conversation.

Despite a formal invitation, the table reserved for the police was unoccupied. 

Around the café, many police made recordings and monitored the meeting’s contributors.

Video: Blogger Me Nam - Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh and Nguyen Ho Nhat Thanh started the discussion on the Rights to Freedom of Movement and introduced the visitors

Nguyen Ho Nhat Thanh mentioned:

Our discussion today will continue what was discussed in Saigon about the freedom of movement. From the day Statement 258 was announced, followed by activities such as travelling abroad to gain support from international organizations and embassies, more and more citizens have been blocked from departing the country. This was especially seen for those that already signed their support to the Statement; they were all denied the right to exit Vietnam.

“National security” has been used as a wide-ranging pretext from the Vietnamese government in banning people from departing the country without providing them with any departure prohibition orders beforehand. “National security” is the vague reason given to anybody abused by such prohibitions, and is not followed by any practical or detailed clarification. In such cases, which laws did these citizens (whose rights to depart the country were prohibited) violate to disturb national security? The government has not given them an answer.

Based on the vague grounds of “national security”, authorities have great freedom to arbitrarily exercise their power. They can prevent anyone from leaving if they feel threatened by these people’s activities. Such a system of police functioning has the potential to cause great human rights abuses. 

So for all these reasons, in today’s discussion a member in Saigon has analysed some unreasonable rules in the Vietnamese law.

We will also discuss “how the international community regards the given excuse of ‘national security’”.

National security is a requirement for all nations worldwide. But, it is usually followed by clear laws and regulations on what citizens can and cannot do, unlike the imprecise rules of Vietnam.

Invited guests to the discussion:

- Mr. Schwarz, German Embassy

- Mr. Skowronski, Australian Embassy

- Mr. Alex, European Union

- Professor Chu Hao and Dr Nguyen Quang A were also in attendance.

It is very good that today’s discussion was joined by Hoang Thi Nhat Le’s group. Nhat Le shows support for the government and has a different opinion. It is valuable to have people of different perspective to discuss an issue.

Representatives from the Australian and German Embassies attended the discussion 

Photo:Danlambao

Mr David Skowronski, second secretary of the Australian Embassy and 
Mr Felix Schwarz, Political Counsellor and Consul of the German Embassy 
gave speeches on the right to freedom of movement at the discussion. 
(Video: Danlambao)

In his speech, Mr David Skowronski, second secretary of the Australian Embassy, spoke very fluent Vietnamese:

Good morning everyone,

Thank you to all of you for inviting us to join the discussion today, my special thanks to Me Nam. Today’s event is a great opportunity for us to learn more about the human rights status in Vietnam.

I know that the Australian government and my colleagues’ governments are very concerned about the human rights status in Vietnam, and we are always pressing Vietnam on such matters.

I think this is an important forum. And I look forwards to talking more with you about your experiences, particularly about freedom of movement in Vietnam which is an important issue.

Mr Felix Schwarz, Political Counsellor and Consul of the German Embassy in Vietnam stressed the importance of the right to freedom of movement and shared his story:

I am here on behalf of my colleagues and other embassies that cannot be present today for this gathering due to their many commitments. I am glad that our discussion is based on many different points of views on the right to freedom of movement and other subjects.

I think it’s very good that we have the chance to be here today to discuss together, also with people of different opinions than we do, the topic of freedom of movement, but also other topics.

In Europe we put down our borders and we are allowed to move freely within Europe, not depending on nationality. For us that’s one of the biggest achievements of the European Union: this freedom of movement.

And I want to tell you a little story. When I was a little boy we still had East Germany and West Germany. And I lived in West Germany with my family. And when my grandmother died, family from us, from East Germany wanted to come to the funeral. But not all of them who wanted to come to the funeral were allowed to leave East Germany. And when I was a child I didn’t understand that because I couldn’t understand why people shouldn’t be there when someone of the family died.

And I am saying that because I believe that  it’s very important that people should have the right to move freely within or throughout the world and they shouldn’t have a reason for that;  not even a funeral should be a reason. They should just have the right to move.

But I want to be honest like Quang A said. Even in Germany some people are not allowed or entitled to have a passport. But that’s only the case if they really committed a terrible crime. And we believe that speaking out on different topics, and having different opinion than the government is not a crime that allows to take away the passports.

That’s actually what I wanted to say. I am here to discuss with you. I am happy that also other people in here might have a different opinion and it’s good that we share our opinions so that we can discuss because….

I just want to tell one more little example. I have two little children and they often have a different opinion than I do. They don’t want to go in bed when I tell them to do. They don’t want to eat when I tell them to eat. And sometimes they are even right.

I want to say that it’s important that you discuss things, that you say “Well, I want it that way, I want it this way.” And then if you can, come to a solution together. Thank you very much.

Dr Nguyen Quang A talks about the right to freedom of movement (Video: Danlambao)

In his speech Dr Nguyen Quang A said:

I see that all other nations have laws regarding their national security. But in Vietnam, the government uses such laws in a despotic way to prevent citizens the right to freedom of travelling, especially when travelling abroad.

When the Network of Vietnamese Bloggers’ young members returned from the Philippines or from Geneva after the Universal Periodic Review, they were detained and had their passports confiscated. This was an unacceptable act.

Nguyen Hoang Duc here, having received an invitation from the Vatican, was stopped at Noibai airport, not being allowed to exit the country.

I think that if the “national security” is truly a concern for the government, they must inform the applicants as to the security reasons behind why their applications were denied. Prior notice should also be required, allowing the applicants time to dispute or review such claims.

The important thing is that the government should manage this matter in a legitimate way, not through arbitrary means.

*

Alarming news! After participating in the gathering, at 11:35 in the morning, blogger Trinh Anh Tuan (Facebook Gio Lang Thang) was brutally beaten on his way back by plainclothes security officials. The attack took place at Giai Phong Street near Giap Bat train station.

Trinh Anh Tuan affirmed that these people were the plainclothes police who had just previously appeared and scrutinized those participating in the human rights café.

On the way home, Tuan was closely followed by at least three plainclothes security officials. Near Giap Bat train station those three police suddenly slammed into him and knocked over his motorbike. Tuan fell to the ground. As he lay there, the three officers surrounded him and hit him continuously all over his body.

After savagely beating Tuan, the three officers quickly departed on their motorbikes. Blogger Trinh Anh Tuan was badly injured; his face swollen and bleeding, scratches all over his body. His mobile phone was smashed.

Trinh Anh Tuan was born in 1989, he is a member of the Network of Vietnamese Bloggers.

Blogger Trinh Anh Tuan (Gio Lang Thang) was beaten by police 
after participating in the gathering of the Network of Vietnamese Bloggers 
focussing on the right to freedom of movement.

(Photo: Facebook Bach Hong Quyen)

Danlambao - Translated by Jasmine Tran

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