Tran Binh Nam Answers Rfa: Let The People Contribute Opinions About Article 4 Of The Vietnam Constitution.

Courtesy of RFA

RFA. 9/20/2007. The following interview by Radio Free Asia (RFA) about the speech of Vietnam Chairman of National Defense Council Mr. Nguyen Minh Triet: "Doing away Article 4 of the Constitution is suicidal" on August 27, when he visited the General Political Department (GPD) of the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN). The interview was broadcasted on Thursday evening of Sept 20, 2007 in Vietnam.

Radio Free Asia continues to note the reactions of observers inside and outside of VN about the announcement by Mr. Triet's concerning the monopolistic control of power of the VN communist party passed by Article 4 of the constitution.
Viet Hung, RFA reporter, asked around the opinions of several well known Vietnam political observers. From California, USA, commentator Tran Binh Nam points out his observations that Mr. Triet had said: "No matter how distorted a view people are talking, including those who want to do away with Article 4 of the Constitution [Article 4 vests the absolute power on the communist party], it won't happen. To do away with Article 4 is equivalent of committing suicide." I think there are two issues that need to be noticed.
First of all, this is the first time a high ranking member in the Communist Party said blankly about Article 4 of the Vietnamese constitution. Although this Article 4, in the past years, many democracy advocates had mentioned and requested for an amendment. Even a number of high ranking Communist Party members, for example General Tran Do, Mr.Le Hong Ha, after leaving their posts did raised the same issue regarding Article 4. However, the initial surprise is that the mentioned statement was straight from the highest authority in power in regarding this issue.
Secondly, Mr. Triet's statements has shown us that himself and his party is lack of confidence in the Communist Party: Since giving up Article 4 does not mean the Party in power is to cease the right to govern; giving up Article 4 of the constitution only means that in addition to the Communist Party there are others political parties to be formed. The Communist Party as well as other political parties can compete for the governing of the country through elections, and if the people vote for the Communist Party, it will still continue to govern. For that reason, there is nothing to claim that giving up Article 4 of the constitution is an act of suicide for the Communist Party. This testifies to the fact that the Communist Party is not confident in itself.

Viet Hung: In the meanwhile, there is opinion which considers Mr. Triet's statements as an "iron fist" tendency of the Vietnamese socialist regime. While other opinion considers the announcement is like the sounding bell for the internal members of the political party to bring back the issue. For one thing certain, he does remember the prior 10th congress meeting where there were motions for a re-evaluation of Article 4's monopolistic power control of the VN communist party. According to your observation which hypothesis are you leaning toward?
Tran Binh Nam: Based on Mr. Triet's statements, I am incline to accept the second opinion because I think at the time when Mr. Triet visited the high ranking members of the Army, the Army was beginning to harbor a reflection sentiment to re-evaluate Article 4 of the constitution. This sentiment worries the political department of the Communist Party, and for that Mr. Triet had to come visit with the General Military Political Department to confirm the unchanged political doctrine of the party: Demand for a change would mean an end to ones career. In reality, one could arrive to socialism without the need for an iron fist rule; because there are many approaches to socialism.
Viet Hung: There are thoughts inside Vietnam that Mr. Triet's statement breeds opportunities for internal party members to re-think the issue.
Tran Binh Nam: As Viet Hung said, how to re-think the issue?
Viet Hung: The issue presented here is that before the meeting of 10th congress, there were opinions within the party to bring up the issue to re-evaluate the monopolistic power control of the VN communist party vests in Article 4 of the constitution.
Tran Binh Nam: I do not think so. I do not think Mr. Triet's statement was intended for the internal party members to re-think that the issue of Article 4 is open for discussion. I think the statement was to mean that the issue is out. We need to pay attention to the language of Mr. Triet's speech. He was using words to describe how people talks incline either way. In the Vietnamese language, it describes a shaky stand. Mr. Triet was in front of a crowd and warned that if you are shaky then your shaky stand would bring up all sorts of damages. So I think his announcement showed us one thing: As these sentiments were circulating within the army, Mr. Triet, as a representative of the Political Department, came to visit and his speech was meant to alleviate the fear and calm the rumor.
Viet Hung: People is not too optimistic with such observations as presented by you. When discussing about a country's constitution, you must remember that such constitution has to be decided by that country's population. But you are living abroad...?
Tran Binh Nam: I agree with Viet Hung that the constitution of a country is decided by that country's people. But I think the overseas Vietnamese, including myself, have the right to contribute opinions to the constitution of Vietnam. The fact of contributing opinions has no bearing factor about being optimistic or pessimistic; especially the constitution is a very important document, the highest law of the land. So when we contribute opinions, those opinions are for a nation building. And I think such a contribution is the rights of all Vietnamese living abroad or within Vietnam.
Viet Hung: Also, in relation to Article 4 and the monopolistic power control of the VN communist party, lately there are opinions wondering why just to re-evaluate it and not abrogate it? That means a change in political system like countries of Eastern Europe.
Tran Binh Nam: This is what I think, an opportunity for a possible change in Vietnam like it had occurred countries of Eastern Europe, meaning a complete change in the political system. Such opportunity if existed in Vietnam was at the beginning of the 90's after the collapse of the Eastern European block. Such opportunity after more than ten years does not exist anymore. In this global environment, looking at the Vietnam current position, I think a chance for a sudden change of total political system that had happened in Eastern Europe does no longer exist.
For that reason, any change in VN currently would happen gradually, change by peaceful means. And the people that advocate for such change can only succeed on the principles of peacefulness and non violence. Naturally when we speak of fighting for demands, we need to have a motive to fight for, and I think currently a reason for a peaceful political change in VN is to change the Article 4 of the constitution. I want to emphasize that this constitution is still valid if Article 4 is re-evaluated.
Viet Hung: But the change based on what principle if it only Article 4 is being changed? Meanwhile the communist party leaders voiced their determination that no matter what Article 4 can't be touched. If the political system is unchanged then how the Article 4 could be changed?
Tran Binh Nam: I think that Article 4 could be changed if the people fighting for democracy and human rights continue the pressures to demand the change for Article 4 of the constitution. That change - according the current constitution which is the principal of political current system of VN - can only be made by the communist party if they wish. The Article 147 of the constitution states that only the Congress can change the constitution by two third of total votes of the Congress. The Congress is controlled by the communist party, so if the communist party wants to change it then the communist party can make it happen. But right now that's not their intention. That is their current policy, but in view of the opposition the future may hold differently. If it comes to a point in time when they realize that if no change will lead to an inevitable collapse, then it might be the time they will make change to Article 4 of the constitution.
Viet Hung: On behalf of our listeners we appreciate your views, Mr. Tran Binh Nam