Ðằng Vân

Point of View

The worst tyrants are those without a future.

Ever since its foundation, in 1930, the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) has proclaimed itself to be:

1. The champion of the industrial and rural workers of the nation in a resolute struggle against international capitalism and rich landlords

2. The champion of national sovereignty in a resolute struggle to regain independence from French and American colonial greed and any other colonial power.

3. Since 1960, through its front organization, the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam, it has paraded itself as the champion of the Buddhist population in a resolute struggle against the so-called religious persecutions by “ American imperialist running dogs” such as Ngo Dinh Diem and Nguyen Van Thieu

4. For many decades, it has adopted the universal motto proudly displayed underneath the nation’s official title (Socialist Republic of Vietnam) for all to contemplate: Independence-Freedom-Happiness.

For decades, the above claims have formed the foundations of CPV power and legitimacy in Vietnam.

Unfortunately, CPV leaders have committed many serious errors of judgment. As a result they have systematically destroyed these four foundations:

1. Because of the totalitarian nature of the one-party regime, they are unable to control nepotism and corruption within their own ranks. As a result, their members and children have become the worst mandarins in a collective dynasty worst than individual dynasties of old. The revolt by Vietnamese peasants lasting 27 days from 22 June 07 to 18 July 07 was merely the tip of a huge iceberg, capable of sinking the CPV ship of state. Even prior to the CPV’s 10^th Congress, former deputy Minister for the Natural Resources and the Environment Dang Hung Vo had received written complaints on land rights by the people from 64 provinces measuring 64 meters or the length of a 10 storey-building. This is indicative of the irrefutable fact that members of the CPV have been given the green light to grab land from the peasants and workers it has always claimed to represent. By deliberately doing this, the CPV is digging its own grave.

2. A decade after the end of the Vietnam War, the policies of Renovation or Doi-Moi started. Directives from the politburo have mandated that America and France are no longer the colonial imperialist ogres of old, but valued friends of Vietnam instead. Then in a cynical move, all the senior leaders of the CPV began to send their cash-rich kids to these countries with a view to acquire a Western education and perpetuate the rule of the CPV elite. Thus, in the eyes of the people, the CPV can no longer legitimately argue that it is still the champion of national sovereignty: especially when it is so clear to the entire world that China is the greatest threat to our sovereignty. Yet CPV leaders are ever ready to prostrate in front of Chinese leaders in order to protect their own skin.

3. August every year is the time for the Ullambana Day or the equivalent of the Buddhist Mother’s Day. It is a fact that throughout the hundreds of Buddhist pagodas and temples in the Vietnamese Diaspora, from America to Canada, to Europe and Australia, revered Buddhist monks read to their audiences the Ullambana message of the Most Venerable Patriarch Thich Quang Do of the Vietnamese United Buddhist Congregation. This is the congregation inside Vietnam but outside the control of the CPV. This is not part of the so-called patriotic Buddhist Congregation under the tutelage of the CPV. Earlier, the Most Venerable Thich Quang Do did not hesitate to read in person a message to the above aggrieved peasants in revolt, demanding multi-party democracy and the abolition of article 4 of the constitution guaranteeing permanent power to the CPV.

Thus for all intent and purpose, the CPV is no longer the champion of Buddhist resistance against any oppression in any shape or form. It is now rather the evil oppressor for all to see, in the eyes of Buddhists across the world.

4. By impudently prosecuting and imprisoning political opponents such as Catholic Father Nguyen Van Ly, Dr. Le Nguyen Sang, Attorney Nguyen Bac Truyen, Journalist Huynh Nguyen Dao and numerous others, CPV leaders have irreparably tarnished its motto: Freedom-independence-happiness. Such motto has rapidly become a farce not only inside Vietnam, but also internationally. I would not be surprised if one day, it will be removed surreptitiously from all official documents of this shameful regime.

CPV leaders have not only systematically destroyed the foundations of their past. They have also refused to participate, together with the people, in the tremendously exciting and promising movement for democracy and human rights of the 21^st Century. By doing both things at the same time, they have become the most dangerous tyrants of history: tyrants without a future. These are by experience the most desperate and worst types humankind has ever experienced. By boxing themselves into a corner, leaders of the CPV have boxed the Vietnamese people into the same corner.

And the clash will be explosive.

Ðằng Vân

18 August 2007