Reactions of Overseas Vietnamese Towards the Passage of the Viet Nam Human Rights Act of 2007 by the US House of Representatives
Sept. 20, 2007
Do Hieu, RFA Correspondent
Courtesy of RFA

On Tuesday, Sept 18, 2007, at 3:30PM Washington DC, US House of Representatives passed a Bill for Vietnam Human Rights Act of 2007(H.R.3096), with an impressive ratio of 414 "ayes" votes to 3 "nays" votes.

After this breaking news was widely dispersed, the Vietnamese Section of Radio Free Asia has interviewed a number of overseas Vietnamese to learn about their opinions regarding this legislation.
Dr. Nguyen Dinh Thang, one of primary activists for Vietnam Human Rights Act, said under such a widespread oppression upon democracy in Vietnam this legislation not only signals a positive support to democratic movements in Viet Nam, but it also attracts the attentions from the American politicians who could help to press for a substantial change in Vietnam.
From Poland, Mr. Tran Ngoc Thanh, in unision with the voices of Vietnamese communities in the U.S, remarked that the Vietnamese community in Poland has vigorously lobbied the Government, Congress and the peoples of Poland to warn Hanoi about its human rights violations. This matter was brought to attention of Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung who has recently visited Warsaw.
Also, from Melbourne, Australia, Mr. Tran Dong informed that Ha Noi government has methodically repressed democratic movements lately, therefore, the passage of Vietnam Human Rights Act from the U.S Congress is a striking aspiration to those who have been exploited and endured unjust oppressions for years in Viet Nam.
Last but not the least, from Paris, France, Mr. Nguyen Lu opined to our RFA correspondence that this Act mainly resulted from the efforts of Vietnamese communities in the U.S, and he wishes to share this victorious joice with all Vietnamese at home as well as overseas.

Ms Ngo Thi Hien, Chairwoman of Committee To Fight For Freedom of Religion in Vietnam, stated that all democratic nations aspires for Vietnam soon to have freedom. However, there still exists an uncertainty since this legislation was twice defeated when it reached the Senate, Ms Hien was quoted as saying. According to her, in a very near future, the Vietnamese-American voters must strongly implore their home state senators to support this bill when it again face the senate for the final approval for the bill to be law.

Congressman Christopher Smith, the Bill's sponsor, has indicated that after the Government of Viet Nam had been praised for its pursuit of a new direction, they immediately singled out, confined and detained a number of intelligentsia, outspoken and the brave groups of men and women who have voiced their opinions on human rights violations. This brutally oppressive actions are immoral. This Vietnam Human Rights Act aims to let the Government of Vietnam know that future human rights violations will lead to certain retaliation measures.