Democratic Voice of Vietnam

Bringing the voice of Vietnam’s civil society to the world

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Category: News

  • Asean opens up after rights pact secrecy outcry

    AFP, July 8, 2012 THE Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) said Sunday it would release “key elements” of a proposed human rights declaration after international rights watchdogs slammed secrecy surrounding the document. The decision was reached after Asean foreign ministers met with members of the bloc’s human rights commission, which is drafting the declaration,…

  • Prominent dissident to Secretary Clinton on eve of Vietnam visit: Do not downplay democracy

    In an open letter to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Dr. Nguyen Dan Que calls on the US government to promote the democratization of Vietnam. A former prisoner of conscience who remains under house arrest, Dr. Que is well recognized both inside and outside the country. Since 2007, Vietnam’s communist government has waged a brutal crackdown against dissidents, sending over a hundred of…

  • Catholic Diocese protests escalation of government brutality and interference

            Vinh Diocese’s Announcement Regarding the Con Cuong Incident   Diocesan Office in Xa Doai Nghi Dien – Nghi Loc – Nghe An Tel. (0383) 861 171 tgmvinh@gmail.com                                                                                                 Xa Doai, July 4, 2012   STATEMENT Concerning the Con Cuong Incident Members of the Clergy, Seminarians and Fellow Catholics,          In recent days, Catholics in…

  • Civil society organizations express concerns over drafting process of ASEAN human rights declaration

    Open Letter to the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) on the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration  7 July 2012  To, His Royal Highness Prince Mohamed Bolkiah, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Brunei Darussalam His Excellency Hor Namhong, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cambodia His Excellency Dr. Marty Natalegawa, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Indonesia His Excellency Dr. Thongloun Sisoulith, Minister of…

  • Civil society organizations express concerns over drafting process of ASEAN human rights declaration

    Open Letter to the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) on the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration  7 July 2012  To,  His Royal Highness Prince Mohamed Bolkiah, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Brunei Darussalam His Excellency Hor Namhong, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cambodia His Excellency Dr. Marty Natalegawa, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Indonesia His Excellency Dr. Thongloun Sisoulith, Minister of…

  • Government Continues to Hamper Religious Activities in the Con Cuong Catholic Community, Nghe An Province

    July 5, 2012 Compiled by DVOV from different news sources The Vietnamese government in Nghe An Province continues to disrupt religious activities. For the past month, the local authorities have repeatedly sent agents, policemen and “thugs” to prevent Catholic priests from celebrating and believers from attending Sunday Mass in the Con Cuong District, Vinh Diocese.…

  • An Arab Spring for Southeast Asia?

    By Mong Palatino, in The Diplomat July 2, 2012 Malaysia’s electoral reform movement, known as Bersih (clean), succeeded in mobilizing tens of thousands of people in the streets last April. According to organizers, this year’s Bersih was the biggest political rally in the modern history of Malaysia. The government has disputed this claim, but the…

  • Local authorities escalate assault against local Catholics in Nghe An Province

    On July 1, a large contingent of policemen, armed soldiers and plain-clothed “thugs” physically attacked Catholics in Con Cuong District, Vinh Diocese, as they gathered at their chapel for Sunday mass. Many attending Catholics were injured as a result. One of them, Ms. Ngo Thi Thanh, suffered cracks in the cranium. At one point, the police and…

  • Police prevents Buddhist leaders from protesting China’s expansionism

    International Buddhist Information Bureau Vietnam deploys hundreds of Security Police to prevent Thich Quang Do and UBCV Buddhists from demonstrating in Hue and Saigon PARIS, 1st July 2012 (IBIB) – From the early hours of this morning, hundreds of Security Police and people’s defence brigades surrounded key UBCV Pagodas in Hue and Ho Chi Minh…

  • Rare protest in Vietnam over China claims to offshore oil blocks

    HANOI (Reuters) – Hundreds of Vietnamese demonstrated in Hanoi on Sunday against China’s moves to strengthen its claim to disputed islands in the South China Sea and its invitation to oil firms to bid for blocks in offshore areas that Vietnam claims as its territory. The authorities in Vietnam rarely allow public demonstrations and some…