RFA 2014-01-03
A group of activists in Vietnam are moving to launch a nationwide association to help address public complaints against government land grabs, police brutality, and corruption among officials in the one-party Communist state.
The activists expressed their intention to form the Association for Victims of Injustice in an open letter to Interior Minister Nguyen Thai Binh and National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung on Dec. 31, asking for guidance and permission to operate.
They said if the minister did not respond to their request by March 2, they will go ahead and form the organization without official sanction.
The association will be aimed at helping victims of land disputes, people mistreated by police, relatives of those who died in custody, or others to file complaints against official government organs and seek redress for their grievances, they said.
Le Hien Duc, a prominent 84-year-old anti-corruption campaigner nominated to head the association, said Friday the group has received no response so far and was not optimistic about getting one.
Read more: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/vietnam/petitioners-01032014183029.html
