Thursday, September 6^th , 2007.

Houstonian-Vietnamese's Wishes Have Realized.

Tran Kim Vy and Tran Minh Tam
Photo: Mark Tran

It has been two months since the promotion of fund raising campaign for the billboard’s image of  the Reverend Nguyen Van Ly's Muted Mouth in order to reveal Vietnamese communist  authority plundered people's rights and liberty in the homeland. In the past two months, non stop efforts was put in by The Committee For  Development of Human Rights and Democracy and the support of the news media and Houstonian-Vietnamese in Texas, an emotional inauguration ceremony for the first billboard took place at 2929 Southwest Freeway (between Kirby and Buffalo Speedway) on Monday morning,Sept 03, 2007 (Labor Day) with the presence of  about 200 fellow-citizens and policymakers, military groups, political parties and Americans-Vietnamese mass media agencies.        

After the flags salutation ceremony for United States of America , Republic of Vietnam and a minute of silence, Mr Huynh Quoc Van who represented the committee to offer sincere appreciations for the vigorous supports by the Vietnamese news media in  the campaign of fund raising to erect this billboard. He also thanked the generosity of fellow-citizens. For that reason, the Houstonian-Vietnamese  has procured a large billboard displayed in the city, 14 feet x 48 feet = 222 square meters and specially it is illuminated at night. In expressing his thoughts to the American guests, the reason the billboard has been displayed is to raise the awareness of the international community that currently in Vietnam there is no freedom of religion, human rights and this billboard is a strong evidence.

Presented at the ceremony are the Venerable Huyen Viet, Venerable Tuyen Quang, Rep. Hubert Vo, Ms. Sandra Hines represents Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, Mr Do Minh Duc, President of Vietnamese community in Houston, Mr. Ted Nguyen (Director general of Wilcare Media), and a number of  associations, military groups and friends. Specially on the side of agencies Mr. Ngu Yen, Buu Nghi (VAB-1320AM Houston radio station), Ms Ngoc Tan (900AM Saigon radio  station), Mr. Quang Chuong (Saigon Houston weekend newspaper), Mr Khoi Nguyen (Little Saigon radio station & Viet Tide newspaper), Mr. Hai Lang (Editor of Xay Dung newspaper), Ms Thuy Nga and Hung Yen (TV station SBTN Houston), Mrs.& Mr. Hoang Bach-Song Kim (Tieng Nuoc Toi radio station), Ms Hien Vy ( A Chau Tu Do reporter), Mrs.& Mr. Tran Minh Tam-Kim Vy, Mark Trần (Ðep Magazine), Mr. Burt Levine represents Saigon Tex News, Ms Kitty Wang represents TV station Asian Ch 43 and Ms Andrea Nguyen (TV station 39 CW).

Guest speakers invited to the ceremony are Rep. Hubert Vo, Ms Sandra Hines represented  Rep Sheila Jackson Lee, the Venerable Huyen Viet, Mr. Ðo Minh Ðuc (President of Vietnamese community in Houston), Mr.Truong Nhu Phung (Former Veterans Association), Mr. Ted Nguyen ( Director general of Wilcare Media), has sponsored the $10,455 cost of the whole billboard (for 4 weeks). Pharmacist Diana Tran  was also invited to speak on behalf of the youths.        

After standing nearly two hours under the scorching sun, everyone are happily clapping when the inauguration amber tape is raised by the ladies of Houston Woman's Association and jointly cut by fellow-citizens. Emotional moment has passed but it still  dwelled in fellow-citizen hearts, whose dedicated time and money on a beautiful Labor  Day morning to meet and share the same concern about the fate of Vietnam, the democracy fighters in side the country.

The first inauguration ceremony of the billboard at Southwest Freeway near Lakewood church, the biggest Baptist church in US, has been reported by television channel 39 CW and broadcasted at 9 PM news, which shown the filmstrip of Father Ly being dragged by Vietnamese communist police to the court room, then  Father Ly mouth was muted by police colonel Nguyen Minh Tan's two hands; the emotional scene of the billboard’s inauguration ceremony of Vietnamese US citizens in Houston; Goods, clothes made in VN  consumed by Americans; the efforts to intervene human rights issue by US congress has been delayed by the US senate ...somewhat satisfied the Vietnamese community in Houston in general and particularly for the member of The Committee For  Development of Human Rights and Democracy, because the main goal is to erect the billboard, even the rent is quite expensive, on the busy highway in order to attract attention, create concern  from local community more successfully. The committee continues the psychological mobilization, aiming at the Vietnamese community in cities such as  San Jose , San Francisco , Dallas , Atlanta and Brisbane , Australia , in order to reach the attention of the community and touch their consciousness

The goal to erect the billboard by The Committee For  Development of Human Rights and Democracy near the cathedrals sanctuary is for the religious leaders clearly understand the situation that the Reverend   Nguyen Van Ly, Pastor Nguyen Hong Quang, Venerable Thich Huyen Quang, Venerable Thích Quang Do...i.e  who are falsely imprisoned by the  authority of Vietnamese communist, and for the religion group in the United States of America to support the fight for religious freedom in the homeland. Hopefully the image of Father Ly's Muted Mouth on the billboard at US motorway 59 Southwest Freeway  will bring attention and concern to Pastor Joel & Victoria Osteen of Lakewood church and will give the opportunity for  more than 38 thousand members attending church in Houston, more than 200 million church goers in the United States of America and tens of millions other believers belong to 150 countries in the world who are monitoring programs, spiritual lectures broadcasting through satellite by these pastors and they will understand about the actual religious oppression situations, suppressed human rights in Vietnam.

From this uplift spirit, The Committee For  Development of Human Rights and Democracy indicated plans to accomplish the posting of  these billboards  as follows: the second image of Father Ly's Mute Mouth to be displayed on the wall of  the  Little Saigon Radio station at feeder road of  Southwest Freeway and Bellaire, with the estimate that  it will be completed in September.   Billboard on highway 249 and W. Montgomery, near Lavang’s church,  and at Pagoda Linh Son NW  will be erected at the beginning of October; and a billboard on highway 45 north, from George H W Bush airport to downtown, in a nearby park of a Methodist church at Tidwell by the end of October. In addition the committee continues to campaign the private American-Vietnamese business owners of shopping centers to support the posting of these billboards, posters in order to publicize continuously with the community the image of Father Ly's Muted Mouth by the Vietnamese communist.

To give meaning to the tasks above to take form and its continuation for  more than two or three months in order to attract attention of the community, pleads to fellow-citizens to continue support for The Committee For  Development of Human Rights and Democracy.

Check payable to:
DHPC, Ms Tran Kim Vy ,12313 Bellaire Blvd Suite D. Houston, 77072.
Direct all inquiries to Mr. Trinh:  713-253-2110 or  MsTran Kim Vy : 281-568-7070.
Please address to: Support Billboard Reverend Nguyen Van Ly, or Public Charity Funds Venerable Thich Quang Do.