Visit Of The Prime Minister Of The Socialist Republic Of Vietnam

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Speakers - Newman Mr John
Business - Private Members Statements

VISIT OF THE PRIME MINISTER OF THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM

Mr NEWMAN (Cabramatta) [5.44]: Members of the Vietnamese community in New South Wales and in particular those living in Cabramatta have asked me to express their objection to the forthcoming visit to Australia from 26th May to 30th May of the Prime Minister, Mr Vo Van Kiet, of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. On 15th May, 1990, I raised similar objections to the visit to Sydney and to this House of a delegation from the Vietnamese Government, consisting of three parliamentarians, Ly Quang Dao, Ngo Ba Thanh and Vu Mao. Their visit caused public outcry by the Vietnamese community and in fact a demonstration was held at the rear and front of Parliament House.

On behalf of my Vietnamese constituents, I advise honourable members that the situation in Vietnam under the Kiet Government still involves political and religious persecution, and that Vietnamese living in New South Wales do not welcome his visit. I do not wish to meet Mr Kiet; in fact, he is not welcome in Cabramatta. As a number of honourable members from both sides of the political arena have indicated their strongest objection, I hope that Mr Kiet will not be invited to this House. It surprised me to learn that the Premier is to hold a State dinner for Mr Kiet. Some 100,000 refugees who escaped his terrible regime are still living in camps throughout Asia, which should be enough to make the keenest diplomats lose their appetite.

In 1988 and 1993 I visited refugee camps in Thailand and interviewed refugees who had fled Vietnam with horrific accounts of torture and persecution. Torture and ill-treatment are still a feature of police investigations and a means of punishment in prisons and re-education centres, despite legal safeguards. Punishment includes violent and brutal beatings, being shackled in small, dark cells for long periods with inadequate food, poor or no medical care and severe punishment for minor infractions of camp rules. Arbitrary arrest and detention continue under old administrative provisions which clearly conflict with new legislation.

But there are many more cases in which rights and freedoms are expressly denied in the law. There are severe restrictions on the freedom of speech, freedom of the press and the right of assembly. Freedom of religion and freedom of movement are
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also restricted. Citizens are not free to change their Government. The Vietnamese Government does not permit private human rights organisations to form or operate in Vietnam and it prohibits private citizens from contacting human rights organisations. Many citizens face discrimination in employment, education and social services and are subject to forced relocation. Vietnamese workers are not free to form or join unions of their own choosing and compulsory labour is permitted by the constitution. The mass exodus of Vietnamese people has been a tragic part of the international landscape for many years.

Prime Minister Kiet's delegation has nothing to be proud of. Its Government has a woeful record of arrests and executions of people, ranging from writers, artists, intellectuals to political activists and even buddhist monks and catholic priests. Venerable Thich Thien Minh, a high dignitary of the Unified Buddhist Church, was tortured and killed in Ham Tan concentration camp in 1978. Venerables Thich Huyen Quang and Thich Quang Do were arrested, tortured and held in total isolation in 1977. On 7th July 1982 the headquarters of the Unified Buddhist Church - An Quang Pagoda - was confiscated. In 1984, 12 prominent Buddhist leaders and eminent scholars including the nun, Thich Nu Tri Hai, were arrested. Since 1975 many pagodas have been closed down, confiscated and converted into workshops or factories. Buddhist University Van Hanh is now the manufacturer of soya sauce.

On 8th December, 1980, Father Vu Khanh Tuong was tortured to death in Tan Hiep re-education camp. In April 1984 Mgr Nguyen Kim Dien, Archbishop of Hue, was placed under house arrest at the Archbishopric. Fathers Tran Dinh Thu, Tran Ba Loc, Vu Duc Tuan, Nguyen Van Ly, Nguyen Khac Nghieu, Nguyen Thai Sanh and many more were arrested and sentenced to many years imprisonment. Several of these cases have been adopted by Amnesty International as prisoners of conscience. In April and August 1983 High Priest Cao Dao Pham Ngoc Trang and 63 other priests were arrested. Priests Nguyen Hoang Oanh, Truond Vinh Chau were condemned to death. These are only some cases of violations of the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion - Amnesty International June 1991 AI index: ASA 21.4.91.

On 1st July, 1992, the National United Front for the Liberation of Vietnam directorate of overseas affairs released a paper which named 275 political prisoners held by the Kiet Government with terms in prison and concentration camps ranging from three years, 30 years and life. It would be fitting if Prime Minister Kiet were presented with this list and asked about his Government's policy towards freedom of speech and civil rights. I realise that our Prime Minister has good intentions in meeting Mr Kiet and that he intends to raise the issues of civil and religious freedom in Vietnam during Mr Kiet's visit to Canberra. [Time expired.]

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