Democracy in Vietnam Takes Step Back

By Matt Steinglass
Hanoi
17 November 2008
Vietnamese watched the U.S. elections on November 4 with fascination and enthusiasm. But their attitudes toward introducing more democracy in Vietnam are mixed. Last month, the government proposed a pilot program to allow direct elections for some local leaders. But on Saturday the National Assembly rejected the plan. Matt Steinglass has [...]

Vietnam halts election project

HANOI – COMMUNIST Vietnam’s legislature on Saturday put the brakes on a trial plan to allow direct local elections next year, in a last-minute change before closing its autumn session.
The National Assembly instead voted to extend by two years until 2011 the terms of commune and district leaders who were indirectly elected in a process [...]

Hanoi U-Turn: Vietnamese journalists are convicted for exposing alleged corruption

The Vietnamese economy’s Achilles’ heel is the country’s reputation for corruption. A recent court case shows why.
Last week Nguyen Viet Chien of Thanh Nien (“Young People”) newspaper and Nguyen Van Hai of Tuoi Tre (“Youth”) were convicted for “abusing freedom and democracy.” Mr. Chien will serve two years in jail, while Mr. Hai will be [...]

Vietnamese authorities release three Viet Tan members detained on humanitarian visit

April 5th, communist authorities expelled from Vietnam three members of Viet Tan: Nguyen Thi Xuan Trang, Swiss citizen, Mai Huu Bao, American citizen, and Nguyen Tan Anh, Australian citizen.
The three individuals were released 48 hours after being detained on April 3rd at the Ministry of Public Security detention center on Nguyen Van Cu street, district [...]

Vietnamese police detain Viet Tan members for visiting imprisoned colleagues

PRESS RELEASE
Security police in Vietnam detained three members of Viet Tan as they went to visit colleagues who have been held for over four months at a Ministry of Public Security detention center in Saigon.
The three recently detained Viet Tan members are:

Ms. Nguyen Thi Xuan Trang, 35-year-old medical doctor and Swiss citizen. Dr. Nguyen is [...]

Rep. Royce Nominates the Most Venerable Thich Quang Do for 2008 Noble Peace Prize

WASHINGTON, DC– Today, along with two of his colleagues, Representative Ed Royce (R-CA) requested that the Noble Peace Prize Committee consider the Most Venerable Thich Quang Do for the 2008 Noble Peace Prize.  In his letter, Rep Royce stated:
“The Most Venerable Thich Quang Do, a Buddhist monk, well-known writer and Deputy Head of the banned [...]

Democratic pebble in Vietnam’s shoe

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/JA18Ae01.html
KUALA LUMPUR – Before an audience of enrapt young ethnic-Vietnamese pro-democracy advocates, the political dissident spelled out his movement’s non-violent strategy for undermining Vietnam’s ruling Communist Party’s pillars of political power.
Behind the speaker hung conspicuously the red-and-gold striped flag of the former South Vietnam, a still potent symbol for the country’s post-1975 diaspora. So potent, [...]

High Political Oppression

 http://www.unpo.org/article.php?id=7423
Speaking under house arrest, Mr. Thich Quand Do reveals the political oppression he is facing along with other dissidents of the Vietnam’s government.
Below is an article published by Al Jazeera:
At 80 years old, Buddhist Monk Thich Quang Do is still one of Vietnam’s most prominent dissidents.
He is deputy leader of the outlawed Unified Buddhist Church [...]

Spratlys row gives Vietnam youth a taste for protest – Feature

 http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/161355.html
Hanoi – For two weekends in a row, hundreds of young people have marched and chanted in the streets of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, waving protest banners and dodging phalanxes of helmeted riot police. The cause they are demonstrating for is one the government approves: Vietnam’s claim that it, and not China, owns [...]

Hawaii man jailed in Vietnam vows to continue democracy fight

HONOLULU (AP) – A Hawaii man who spent almost a month in a Vietnam jail after he was found preparing to distribute pro-democracy pamphlets said Wednesday he’s happy to be back in the islands and vowed to campaign for the release of colleagues left behind.
About 30 supporters met Leon Truong at Honolulu International Airport and [...]