A Plea For Help
A PLEA FOR HELP
Respectfully addressed to:
– Mr. Nguyen Phu Trong, Chairman of Vietnamese Communist Party.
– Mr. Truong Tan Sang, President of Republic Socialist of Vietnam.
– Mr. Nguyen Tan Dung, Prime Minister of Republic Socialist of Vietnam.
– Mr. Nguyen Sinh Hung, Chairman of Congress of Republic Socialist of Vietnam.
Also, respectfully addressed to:
– Central Committee of the Vietnamese Communist Party, General Le Hong Anh.
– General Tran Dai Quang, Secretary of Central Police Department.
– Central Committee for Vietnamese Women Association, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Thanh Hoa.
– Central newspapers including: Women of Vietnam, Labor, People’s Police, Social Laws, Life and Laws…
– Electronic publications including: People’s Intellect, People’s Newspaper, Vietnamnet, VNExpress…
My name is Dang Thi Quynh Anh. I was born in 1986, and my current registered residence is at 75 Pham Hong Thai St., Quang Trung Ward, Son Tay City, Hanoi.
I am the oldest daughter of Mrs. Bui Thi Minh Hang, who is currently being detained by Lap Vo’s District police department, Dong Thap province. She is being accused of “Assaulting police officers on duty and serious obstruction to common traffic” (as exactly cited from the letter with serial number 14/CSDT from Investigation Office of Lap Vo’s District Police Department). However, according to the information that I have received from witnesses, the incident happened on February 11th, 2014 was completely fabricated by government authorities. Lap Vo’s police personnel ambushed and arrested my mother along with twenty other individual when they were on the way to Lap Vo to visit a friend.
On the following day, February 12th, 2014, eighteen people of the arrested party were released; my Mother and her two friends were still in detention. On February 15th, my brother, Tran Bui Trung went to Lap Vo’s district police to inquire information about my Mother, and the officer at this office gave him a Notice of Detention for my mother. I have included a copy of this Notice along with this letter. On February 23rd, 2014, thirteen days after my Mother’s arrest, the official information that I had received was this Notice along with news that my Mother went on a hunger strike since her arrest to protest the unlawful conduct from Lap Vo’s District police. Because of my concern for my Mother, I brought my seven-month old daughter from Son Tay town, Hanoi to Dong Thap province to visit her.
I arrived in Cao Lanh City, Dong Thap Province on February 15th, 2014. After a long journey with many searching efforts, I finally made it to An Binh prison. During my meeting with the officers on duty, I was told “Our obligation here is to detain the person of interest. We do not have the authority to grant visits without permission from the Investigation Office. Now you can go to the Province’s Police headquarter to obtain a visitation permit.” Acting on the officer’s recommendation, I caught a moped ride over a 56 kilometers passage with my little daughter in my arms. The officer on guard at Dong Thap province’s Police headquarter told me that the provincial police force only provided secondary support, and they were not directly involved in the investigation. I was also told that I needed to acquire visitation permits from Lap Vo’s District Police. I continued my quest along with my daughter over a journey of 60 kilometers to and from Lap Vo district. Once I arrived at Lap Vo’s police headquarter, I was barred from seeing the officer working on my Mother’s case. After I plead my case, the officer on guard instructed me to “wait so I can call for approval.” After a short while, I was told to “go home and wait for our notice.” In my opinion, Vietnamese Laws are not very transparent on visitation for people of under investigation. In addition, my Mother’s accused violation, (if it was possible), was not a very serious crime. Dong Thap’s authority’s diversion to meet my request for a simple 5 minute visitation after more than 2000 kilometers with my 7-month old child to all over the province could not be justified in any ways or manners.
Even though the circumstances do not allow me to, I still have to abandon my other 3-and-a half year child, my home, and my work in Son Tay town, Hanoi to wait for a visitation permit from Lap Vo’s District Police. I do not have ideal as when this visitation will be granted. Therefore, I respectfully present this letter to you desperately urging for your help so I can visit my Mother, Mrs. Bui Thi Minh Hang.
Vung Tau, February 27th, 2014
Respectfully yours.
Dang Thi Quynh Anh
Ti Hon Bắc Truyển Nguyễn
