AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

SOUTHEAST ASIA REGIONAL ACTION NETWORK

   

COUNTRY NEWS
!
Cambodia, p. 3

Indonesia, p. 3

Malaysia, p. 5

Myanmar, p. 5
 
Philippines, p. 6
 
Nguyen Chi Thien   Thailand, p. 6
 
Former AI Prisoner of Conscience, Vietnam, p. 6
 
Vietnam  
 
Born in 1939 in Hanoi, Vietnamese poet  
Nguyen Chi Thien has been imprisoned My Poetry’s Not Mere   Poetry, No
throughout his life for a total of twenty- Nguyen Chi Thien,   1970
seven years. His first arrest was in 1960  
My poetry’s not mere poetry,   no,
when he was accused of “Anti-
 
propaganda” for questioning a high school but it’s the sound of sobbing from a life,
 
history curriculum. the din of doors in a dark jail,
 
the wheeze of two poor wasted   lungs,
In 1979 he decided that he needed to
the thud of earth tossed to  bury dreams,
send the poetry he had composed in  
prison, without paper, abroad for the clash of teeth all chattering from cold,
 
publication. He delivered his manuscript the cry of hunger from a stomach
  wrenching wild,
to the British Embassy in Hanoi, and the helpless voice before so   many wrecks.
afterwards was immediately arrested  
All sounds of life half lived,
outside the gates. It is fortunate that the  
British Embassy sent the manuscript to of death half died—no poetry,   no.
London, where the Foreign Office gave it  
to Prof. Patrick Honey at the School of  
Hoa Dia Nguc/Flowers From Hell, a bilingual edition of
Oriental and African Studies (SOAS). poems selected and translated from the Vietnamese by
Prof. Honey gave it to Vietnamese Huynh Sanh Thong. Council for Southeast Asia
refugees in the U.S.A., who published his Studies, Yale Center for International & Area Studies,
1985.
poems in Vietnamese. The first published
 
English translation was the one that won
the Rotterdam International Poetry Prize
in 1985.  

October  2010                                                                          SEA  RAN  Newsletter   1  

 AI adopted Nguyen Chi Thien as a Not One Seat on This Train, the Earth
prisoner of conscience, and in 1991 Nguyen Chi Thien, 1970
he was released from prison,
weighing a mere 80 pounds. He has Not one seat on this train, the earth:
struggled to regain his health, and I am a passenger left high and dry,
currently lives in Southern California. Went to the wrong station, missed my trip,
  I stand squeezed in
on the floor of the filthiest car:
Not One Seat on This Train, the Earth was
a dingy car for cattle, for beasts.
composed while the author was on a train,
with many other prisoners, transferred Translated by Huynh Sanh Thong
from a prison in the Yen Bai province, in Hoa Dia Nguc/Flowers From Hell
the highlands of North Vietnam, to Phong Council for Southeast Asia Studies, Yale University
Quang, a village near the China border (1985)
which contained a huge prison. The  
journey of about 100 miles took ten hours because the train stopped many
times to drop and collect freight. The cars were normally used to transport
pigs, and were not cleaned before the prisoners were herded into the freight
cars.  

The relationship of prisons and prisoners to pigs was a constant one. Many
prisons were pig farms. Because of their monetary value, the pigs received
better care than the prisoners. Antibiotics were available for their infections.
The Communist government earned a good deal of money from the sale of
pigs. They also saved money by feeding the prisoners the same diet they
were growing for the pigs, manioc, potato, and
Indian corn. The prisoners were not allowed
to eat any of the meat from butchering. The
pigs became part of prison language—“Mr.
Pig” being a veiled reference to a warden or
official.

In one of the American bombing raids in 1969,

the prison at Yen Bai was accidentally
targeted. The pig enclosure took a direct hit,
Nguyen Chi Thien, July 2005
and were the only casualties. However,
  another bomb dug a huge hole in a nearby
hillside. As rains came and the hole filled with
water, it became a place for bathing for the prisoners at Yen Bai.

Amnesty activists all have that “first case” that cements their passion, and
for our Vietnam Country Specialist, Jean Libby, Nguyen Chi Thien’s case was
her introduction to human rights work. Jean maintains an active blog called
VietAM Review, and remains in contact with Nguyen Chi Thien. He now
lives in Southern California and is an American citizen.

October  2010                                                                          SEA  RAN  Newsletter   2  

Update: Cambodia
Amnesty News:

• Human rights groups, including Amnesty International, have urged the

Cambodian government to immediately release a human rights worker
who was sentenced to two years in prison for giving out anti-
government leaflets. Leang Sokchouen, who works for the Cambodian
League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO),
was recently convicted on charges of "disinformation" after a trial
marked by numerous procedural flaws.

• AI has just released a new report detailing persistent human rights

abuses in Cambodia. Highlighted in the report are forced evictions, the
precarious status of human rights defenders, constrictions of freedom
of expression, resurgent violence against women and girls, and recent
developments in the Cambodian legal system. Click for the full report.

In the news:

The first sentence in the trial of former Khmer Rouge genocidaires was made
on 25 July 2010 in Phnom Penh. Kaing Guek Eav, also known as Duch, who
ran the notorious S-21 torture center and prison was sentenced to 35 years
in prison. Over 16,000 people were officially murdered under his watch.
Read more.

Update: Indonesia
Amnesty News:

• AI’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Office staged a

spirited protest at the White House on
October 21st – sending a message to
President Obama that he must address
human rights concerns during his visit to
Indonesia in mid-November. In
particular, the rally highlighted the case
of Filep Karma, a political prisoner who AI activists demand the release
is the subject of the Mid-Atlantic of Filep Karma at the 10.21.10
Region’s Special Focus Case.   White House Rally.
 
• The Indonesian government should initiate an independent
investigation into reports of torture and other ill-treatment in Papua
over the last two years, Amnesty International said on October 23d. A
video published online last week shows Papuans being kicked and

October  2010                                                                          SEA  RAN  Newsletter   3  

 physically abused, in some instances by men in uniform. President
Yudhoyono has admitted that the
incident happened, and that the Click  here  to  listen  to  a  
perpetrators were members of the podcast  featuring  AI  
military. An editorial in the Jakarta Post Indonesian  researcher  
stated: “With the video online for the Isabelle  Arradon  discussing  
whole world to see, the President must the  torture  video.  
have realized this time that the old
defensive and denial tactics would not work.”
 
In the News:

• A new regulation on “anarchy management” gives the Indonesian

police further power to use force against groups or individuals who are
perceived to be a threat to public safety. “With the new procedure,
the police should no longer worry that people will question or blame
them,” said Police Insp. Gen. Soenarko.

• In September Indonesia signed the International Convention for the

Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. A year earlier,
Indonesia’s House of Representatives issued recommendations
regarding the suspected abduction of 23 student activists by
Indonesian security forces in the last months of former President
Suharto’s rule. The legislature recommends
that a court be set up to investigate student
disappearances, but President Yudhoyono has
been silent on the issue. By signing the UN
convention, the government may now more
forward on the issue of disappearances (see
the report from Human Rights Watch).

• The Indonesian Attorney General’s Office no

longer has the absolute power to ban books.
“The 1963 Law on Securing Printed Materials
whose content could disrupt public order is
against the Constitution,” said Mahfud MD,
the head of the Constitutional Court. The law
was used extensively during the Suharto
regime to discourage dissent.

Update: Malaysia
Amnesty News:

On October 10th AI issued a report and called for action regarding migrant
workers in Malaysia (Malalysia Must Protect Its Migrant Workers). Drawn by

October  2010                                                                          SEA  RAN  Newsletter   4  

the promise of employment,
thousands of men and women
from Bangladesh, India,
Indonesia, Nepal and other
countries in Asia travel to
Malaysia every year. The
country has approximately 4
million documented and
undocumented foreign workers,
representing almost one-third of its work force. AI is concerned because
migrant workers often face serious abuse and exploitation in Malaysia.
However, they are unable to seek legal redress against their employers,
recruitment agents or other perpetrators. Click here to send a letter to
Prime Minister Najib.

In the News:

In an effort to expand their joint programs in women and family

development, Malaysia and Indonesia have agreed to promote a hotline
service for Indonesian workers in Malaysia. The service, called “Talian Nur
15999” deals with problems of domestic abuse involving Indonesian maids in
Malaysia.

Update: Myanmar (Burma)

Amnesty News:

In a new report (Defend the Three Freedoms in

Myanmar), AI states that the three freedoms of
expression, peaceful assembly and association are
severely restricted in the lead-up to Myanmar’s
elections (November 7th). The vast majority of the
2,200 political prisoners in Myanmar are being
punished merely for exercising their rights to the
three freedoms. Many of those in prison are
leaders of political parties or grassroots activists
who, unless they are released, will not be able to
participate in the elections. Prison conditions in
Myanmar are harsh – torture is common and
prisoners are denied sufficient food and basic
healthcare. Take action.

October  2010                                                                          SEA  RAN  Newsletter   5  

In the News:

Linda Smith of Planet Care/Global Health Access Program, a US NGO based

in Mae Sot Thailand, helped design a survey on health conditions in conflict-
affected eastern part of the country. The survey found:
• 41% of children under five are acutely malnourished
• 60% of deaths in children under five are caused by preventable,
treatable diseases
• 28% of deaths in children under five are caused by malaria
• 7% of women are diagnosed with malaria
• 25% of all deaths are caused by malaria
• 1.8 % of the national budget is spent on health care
The surveyed households were primarily internally displaced persons (IDPs)
“who face human rights violations committed by the Burmese army and the
government - particularly forced displacement, forced labour and food
insecurity,” said Mahn Mahn, secretary of the Mae Sot-based health NGO
Back Pack Health Worker Team (BPHWT). "Human rights violations in eastern
Burma [Myanmar] are ongoing, and this impacts health.”

Update: Philippines
Amnesty News:

AI has issued a briefing called Philippines: Human Rights Report Card for
Aquino’s first 100 Days. After his June inauguration, AI presented President
Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III with a list of key recommendations for
addressing serious human rights abuses during his first 100 days of office.
Amnesty’s assessment is that the President has taken two steps forward, and
three steps back.

In the News:

The Philippines faces a possible downgrading on the U.S. State Department’s

Trafficking in Persons report, according to an article in IRIN. Jean Enriquez,
executive director of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women states,
“There have only been 23 convictions since 2003…the government can
certainly do more.” Data from the Visayan Forum Foundation indicates that
335 trafficking cases are pending resolution, while 167 have been dropped or
dismissed.

Update: Thailand
In the News:

An ad-hoc network of women is emerging in the southern part of Thailand to

help families struggling to secure the release of jailed husbands, fathers, and

October  2010                                                                          SEA  RAN  Newsletter   6  

sons. Sisters Anchana Semmina and Pattama Heemmima have set up the
Hearty Support Group to help women find loved ones arrested by the police
or military. Angkhana Neelapaijit, author of a study on the “Role and
Challenges of Muslim Women in the Restive Southern Border Provinces” says,
“This is a direct response to the conflict. The groups taking on justice issues
are largely led by women.” A woman from Tak Bai, speaking on condition of
anonymity said, “The men, even the imam, have stayed away from our
activity because they fear the army.”

Update: Vietnam

Casefile: Tran Quoc Hien and Doan Van Dien

Trade unionists Tran Quoc Hien and Doan Van Dien have been
imprisoned for speaking out about workers' rights and land
disputes in Vietnam. They are members of the independent
United Workers-Farmers Organization (UWFO) which was
formed by dissidents in October 2006. Independent trade unions are not
allowed in Vietnam.

Mr. Dien, who is scheduled for release in May, 2011, is in

poor health. According to an RFA interview with his wife,
he is imprisoned far from his family, making it difficult for
them to bring provisions. The government prison system
is one of deliberate starvation, which can only be
alleviated by outside supplies. Beginning in 1989,
prisoners are allowed to purchase food and supplies from
the families of prison guards. According to former POC
Nguyen Chi Thien, this policy has created a market
economy within the prisons that is great benefit to prison personnel. It is
also used for individual harassment of political prisoners within the prisons.

AI Group 15 in Concord MA has adopted this case. Click for a sample letter.

In the News:

In a press statement from the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi, October 27, 2010 –

The Embassy of the United States of America is concerned by the October 26

convictions of Nguyen Hoang Quoc Hung, Do Thi Minh Hanh, and Doan Huy
Chuong on charges of causing public disorder to oppose the people’ s
government. We are also troubled with the arrests of internet bloggers Le
Nguyen Huong Tra and Phan Thanh Hai, as well as the re-arrest of blogger
Nguyen Van Hai (aka Dieu Cay) who just completed his 2 ½ year sentence

October  2010                                                                          SEA  RAN  Newsletter   7  

for tax evasion.

These actions, together with the October 27 trial of the six Catholic
parishioners from Con Dau, three of whom were denied their right to legal
representation under Vietnamese law, contradict Vietnam’ s own commitment
to internationally accepted standards of human rights. We urge the
government of Vietnam to release these individuals.

Legislative News, by Jean Libby:

There are two Congressional bills that relate to Vietnam. One, H.R. 1572,
sponsored by Representative Christopher Smith of New Jersey, deals directly
with the village of Con Dau in Da Nang Province. It asks for United States
government investigation. It is presently in the Foreign Affairs Committee.

The second bill is the Foreign Prison Conditions Improvement Act of 2010
(S.3798, H.R.6153), introduced by Senators Patrick Leahy and Sam
Brownback and Congressmen Bill Delahunt and Joseph Pitts on September
16, 2010. This bill is the subject of support by online letter-writing from
Larry Cox. I believe the Foreign Prison Conditions Improvement Act, if
passed, can be applied directly to Vietnam. Last summer, after his medical
release, Father Ly wrote “Witness No. 4” about current harsh prison
conditions and torture. It is amended with testimony from attorney Le Thi
Cong Nhan about her observations and recent experiences in prison. Le Thi
Cong Nhan is still serving a sentence that includes several years of house
arrest, and is an adopted Individual at Risk of Amnesty International USA.

In the News:

Secretary Clinton will travel to Hanoi on October 29 for her second trip to
Vietnam in less than four months. She will represent the U.S. at the East
Asia Summit and participate in a Lower Mekong Initiative meeting. She will
also be meeting with Vietnamese leaders.

The Asian Human Rights Commission has recently

The State of Human Rights
in Ten Asian Nations - 2009
released a book: The State of Human Rights in Ten
Asian Nations -- 2009. Click here to download the
book as a pdf.
 
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Questions    Comments?    E-­‐mail  SEA  RAN  Coordinator,    Claudia  
Vandermade,  at  mailto:claudiev@gmail.com.  

Bangladesh x Burma x India

Indonesia x Nepal x Pakistan
Philippines x South Korea
Sri Lanka x Thailand

A
October  
H R
2010  
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