Huỳnh Phương Ngọc - Translated by Như Ngọc (Danlambao) - On April 15, 2014, my sister Huynh Phuong Thao and I rode to Tam Ky to greet our friends Bui Tuan Lam and Nguyen Duc Quoc.
Lam and I are both from Quang Nam, Da Nang, and close friends on Facebook. On International Human Rights Day, Dec. 10, 2013, Quoc was brutally attacked by police in Hoa Minh district and hospitalized at Da Nang Hospital. I was studying there and joined some friends to visit him in the hospital then called for his support by posting his pictures and information about the attack online. Le Thi Phuong Anh and some of her friends from Quang Tri came to help and were also beaten by Hoa Minh police, their personal belongings were robbed as well. After that terrible ordeal, we became friends.
On April 15, 2014, Lam called to tell us he was planning to do some charity works with his friends in Quang Nam in late April and May 2014. Because he is not familiar to Tam Ky he asked us to recommend some needy families in this town.
Thao, Lam, Quoc and I had lunch together then headed to Thang Binh by motorcycle. There are many poor families in this area and they desperately need help. We went to the church of Viet An parish to meet father Minh and asked him to help provide a list of the neediest families. We then returned to my hometown of Tam Thanh to rest. My family served dinner then arranged rooms for Lam and Quoc to stay overnight at a local motel. As planned, we would go to Quang Ngai the next day to meet a local priest asking for the same recommendation. However, the trip to Quang Ngai was cancelled due to the priest’s schedule.
And so, Lam and Duc decided to return to Da Nang by bus after making a short visit to my uncle Huynh Ngoc Tuan. During the visit, I saw several security agents circling my uncle’s house but I thought it was their routine activities. Lam and Quoc later said goodbye to my uncle and were escorted by my cousin Thao, Hoang and I to Tam Ky bus station. On the 8-kilometer trip from Tam Thanh to Tam Ky we were chased by 8 security agents on 4 motorcycles. The men looked very aggressive.
When approaching the Ky Phu Bridge, a security agent suddenly seized Thao’s arm forcing her to stop. After stopping us, they demanded to check our motorcycle registration and we rejected their request. One of them asked who Lam is and why he came here.
Then the group leader told us to pull over for a search. Predicting that they would soon attack us, we refused to do so. Shortly, they demanded us to come with them to a police station.
We refused to do what they asked and continued the trip. While we were crossing the bridge, the men cut off our motorbikes again.
After a short argument, they yelled at us: “You guys hit and run!” Immediately, 6 strong security agents rushed in to brutally attack Lam on his head and face. Thao and I yelled: “Do not assault people.”
Seeing Lam was beaten so badly, I jumped in to help and was kicked on the right hip by the biggest man in the group.
Meanwhile Thao confronted the group leader who was wearing a blue shirt.
Thao: You are a coward; your people make gang attack. Do you attack women too?
Security agent: Whom did you call a coward?
Thao: I said you are! All of you are working for a corrupt and dirty regime.
Security agent: What did you dare to say about the regime? Say it again?
Thao: I said you all are so cowardly; there is no reason for you to stop us, demand a search, assault women and carry out such a gang attack. Men like all of you are so despicable.
The man ended the argument and walked away. At that moment, a large crowd of local residents came to see what was happening and the security agents left the scene.
Later, they resumed chasing us all the way to downtown Tam Ky.
After Lam and Quoc boarded a bus and the bus left Tam Ky for Da Nang we still saw 6 security agents chasing that bus; the other agents kept monitoring us.
Dodging another failed attack by regime-hired thugs on the bus, my friends safely returned to Da Nang.
Today I have time to tell the whole story because I am still scared from witnessing that terrible and brutal attack.
In addition, I have suffered pains on my back and hip due to that heavy kick. Sitting too long makes me unbearable.
Again, I oppose and condemn the violent actions carried out by Quang Nam security. I also want to report the threats that my cousin Huynh Trong Hieu and I have received in recent days.
The use of violence [by authorities] against civilians is in violation of law, [making Vietnam] unworthy to have a seat in the Human Rights Council of the United Nations.
Tam Ky, April 18, 2014.
