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VBN - Yesterday (21/11/2014), Deputy Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel (also the Minister for Economy & Energy and the President of the Social Democratic Party - SPD) met with the human right activists in Vietnam. Mr. Garbriel is in Saigon for the 14th Conference of German Enterprises in Asia-Pacific (APK).
Also attending this meeting were Ms. Brigitte Zypries (Secretary, Economy & Energy Ministry) and Mr. Stephan Steinlein (Federal Secretary, Foreign Affairs Ministry), Ms. Tabea Roessner and a number of German diplomatic officials.
Representing Vietnam’s human rights activists were blogger Mẹ Nấm, businessman Lê Quốc Quyết (Lawyer Lê Quốc Quân’s younger brother), Mr. Nguyễn Trí Dũng (blogger Điếu Cày’s son), Mr. Phạm Bá Hải, blogger Huỳnh Thục Vy anh her younger brother Huỳnh Trọng Hiếu.
Mr. Gabriel says improved human rights together with economic gains are needed for the growth of a country. He expressed concerns regarding blogger Mẹ Nấm being harrassed and detained for expressing her views on Internet.
Also discussed was how to make the people not fearful when expressing their views as part of the normal daily life. This is particularly important for business people who are concerned with human rights and want to see improvements in this area as the much needed change for Vietnam.
We also talked about prisoners of conscience who are ill but not allowed to receive medical treatments like Ms. Mai Thị Dung whose case had been included in the agenda for the meeting with Prime Minister Nguyễn Tấn Dũng to discuss economic co-operation and human rights.
Regarding many reports on the human rights situation in Vietnam, blogger Mẹ Nấm explained that in wanting to promote Vietnam as a stable, beautiful and happy country with strong growth the Vietnamese Government has been trying to hide human right violations. The bloggers described some real-life cases to illustrate the ugly reality: the activists want to express themselves peacefully but are cruelly suppressed to make others fearful.
Meetings like this one are an effective way to let the Government of Vietnam know that other countries want to see human rights promoted together with economic interests, and the human right activists’ efforts are recognised.
The meeting concluded with Mr. Gabriel saying: “Please continue using the social networks to achieve the changes for the better that you like to see for Vietnam”.
Translated by Hanh Trần
