Vietnamese peasants protesting over land policy in Saigon could face attack by Police

SOUTHEAST ASIA DEMOCRACY COALITION

Ready to attack

Chantilly, Virginia, U.S.A - July 17th, 2007 - Well over 1300 Vietnamese peasants currently protesting over land policy in Saigon could face attack any moment by the Vietnamese Communist regime's police.

According to our source, Vietnamese Communist has deployed armed police in uniformed in marked and unmarked vehicles surrounding the protestors, ready for an attack.

Protesters vowed not to give up this time

For the past decade, small landowners from the provinces have gone to the main urban centers of Saigon and the capital, Hanoi, complaining that the communist-run government had failed to adequately compensate them for their land and properties. But despite their persistence, and a lot of promises from the Vietnamese Communist regime, there were no settlements.

This time, for nearly 4 weeks, an ever growing score of peasant farmers have protested outside of the office of Vietnam Congress, at 194 Hoang Van Thu Street, Saigon, over land appropriation for development, one of the longest-running demonstrations of its kind in Vietnam.

In the 32 degree Celsius (90F) heat and humidity, the farmers sat or lay under colored tarpaulin sheets strung up at the door of a National Assembly office. Additional protesters from other cities are moving in SaiGon to join the protest. In protesting, they all became homeless, sick tired and hungry. To discourage them, Vietnamese police have shut down public restrooms and stopped people from surrounding areas to offer them food, beverages and medicine.

The protesters, coming from many provinces have vowed to stick to protest sites no matter what will happen. Some even vowed they will protest until their last breath, and refuse to come back to their home towns until their issues are resolved.

A plea for help

Under the circumstance, Southeast Asia Democracy Coalition (SEADC) has issued an Action Alert calling to all Vietnamese abroad and at home to help these poor protesters.

By way of this press release, we are pleading to Governments and Department of States of all nations, all Non-Profit Organizations, all Embassy Offices in Vietnam, to take immediate actions to prevent another Tiananmen Square from happening.

Please forward this to all concerns as appropriate.

Thank you and God bless us all!

About Southeast Asia Democracy Coalition Southeast Asia Democracy Coalition was founded by the Force of Vietnamese People for Democracy in September, 2006, when members met to prepare for a meeting with the United Nations in New York City, New York. Southeast Asia Democracy was formed to create a strong alliance to help one another in bringing democracy and true freedom to the people in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.

Contact info: Ms. Hoang Giang Thanh info@llqdvn.org