Huỳnh Bá Hải - Translated by Như Ngọc - On April 16, 2014, after visiting the family of writer Huynh Ngoc Tuan at Phu Tam commune, Tam Ky city, Quang Nam province, the two activists Bui Tuan Lam and Nguyen Duc Quoc were assaulted by Quang Nam security agents and regime-hired thugs. After returning home, Lam and Quoc wrote and posted the incident reports on the Internet.
We have contacted Quang Nam authorities to make inquiry about the incident. First, we called Quang Nam police at +84 0510 3852579; just like other public offices in Vietnam, they tried to dodge questions about the assaults. We then called the office of the provincial police chief and his staffs followed the same protocol when answering questions.
Earlier, we could obtain some mobile numbers of Quang Nam police officers from a staff of the PA38 unit and called those numbers; however, they all told us they were not aware of the incidents.
Being frustrated, we immediately called Mr. Le Phuoc Thanh - the Chairman of Quang Nam (his number is +84 0,913,480,207). Mr. Thanh answered that he was “busy in a meeting.”
Without giving up, we called Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Quang - Vice Chairman of Quang Nam (his phone number is +84 0,913,401,903). Unlike the officials we previously talked to, Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Quang seemed to listen to us. He asked us to tell him what had happened related to the incidents. Then, he sounded "professional" in questioning why we could conclude that the two activists were attacked by Quang Nam security agents. We presented the proofs we have. First, local residents at the Trung Ky Bridge in Tam Ky City confirmed us the attackers are 8 security agents and also provided the name of those agents. Second, the two gangsters involved in the attacks confirmed that Quang Nam police hired them to attack Lam and Quoc; however, they realized the purpose of the attack is ridiculous, thus they pretended to hit the victims to get paid.
Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Quang admitted such actions are “contrary to the provisions of the law,” and promised to “investigate it.”
We also sent a message to the officials that if the family of writer Huynh Ngoc Tuan gets any troubles in the future then Quang Nam authorities will be held accountable.
Today, in case of police killing civilians in prison without witnesses, police officers are seemingly afraid to face justice and try to use money bribing victims’ families in order to avoid lawsuits. Therefore, incidents happen in daylight cannot be hidden away. In this Internet age, it just takes seconds for the whole world to know the news.
We would like to thank the security staff and the official of Quang Nam People's Committee office those who provided us the phone numbers of some Quang Nam officials.
We also want to post the phone numbers of two other vice chairmen of Quang Nam province, Mr. Dinh Van Thu - phone number: +84 0,913,481,563, and Mr. Huynh Khanh Toan - phone number: +84 0,913,480,369.
Like it or not, Quang Nam authorities have promised us to investigate this case. By posting the phone number of the officials, we determine to go to the end with cases in which security agents intimidate and/or assault human rights activists in Vietnam.
Security agents involved in the assault against Bui Tuan Lam and Nguyen Duc Quoc
