We want to know! It's our RIGHT to KNOW


In recent times, many articles mentioning “exposing the secrets of Chengdu Conference” have appeared in the wake of the publication of ‘Conference Proceedings’ by Global Times and Xinhua News in July 2014. According to this report, Vietnam will be incorporated into China by the communist government by 2020. 

In the face of such an critical declaration concerning the fate of a people, the Vietnamese government remains silent. 

There’s a saying: “Silence is Consent”. Could the communist regime’s silence be the answer for the Vietnamese people. 

We want to know!!!


Nguyen Phuong Uyen

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A society could not be democratic and progressive if the people are not allowed to know about the decisions directly affecting their lives, especially their survival as a people.

Neither a ruling party nor a clique of rulers shall be allowed to ignore the people in making agreements, signing treaties or making decisions concerning national sovereignty.

“Being informed” is a legitimate right of every citizen. That is the reason why the United Nations has chosen September 28th as ‘International Right to Know Day’.

According to FreedomInfo.org, the aim of Right to Know Day is to raise awareness of every individual's right of access to government-held information: the right to know how elected officials are exercising power and how tax-payers' money is being spent.

I want to know and I have the right to know!

Pham Thanh Nghien

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My name is Hợi, a Vietnamese citizen belonging to the 8x generation. 

Once I’ve had access to information and the outside world, I realised that most of my knowledge of history that I’d learnt from school was not the truth. Much of that information was deliberatedly distorted and skewed. Even tragic historical events were hidden – like the China-Vietnam border war in 1979, and the 1988 massacre of Vietnames sailors by Chinese communists at Johnson Reef (Spratly Islands).

I must know. All my friends must know. We must all know what happened to the heritage which our ancestors had shed their blood to leave for us and our younger brothers and sisters.

We want to know!

Thị Hợi

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What is in the 1990 Chengdu Treaty?

I was born in Northern Vietnam - the cradle of Socialism. I was given a socialist education from which I’ve learnt many glorious victories against imperialism and colonialism – the source of our people’s pride.

But I’ve never fully learnt about the loss and the suffering caused to our people by China who is supposed to be our “good friend and neighbour”. I’ve never been told about the Border War with China, or the Johnson Reef Massacre. That’s the pain of our generation – a generation that was made blind and deaf with a fictitious glory.

Only after agreements were forced to be made public, we are allowed to know.

Whose country is this? Does it belong to the people, to us, or to the Communist Party which is indeed an interest group?

If the country belongs to the people, then we have the right to know everything concerning its affairs. We also need to know what happened in history and we need to know it now.

We should not be told information concerning our destiny by Global Times and Xinhua News who have dark intentions, but by the Vietnamese Government.

So what is in the 1990 Chengdu Treaty?

Like many, I don’t know what the Chengdu Treaty contains. Now I want to know about it so that my childfren will know. I don’t want my children to suffer my fate: growing up and being fed all the lies and falsehood, and living in a country whose affairs and destiny I don’t know.

I Want to Know. We Want to Know.
It’s Our Right to Know.

Trinh Kim Tien

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Who hasn’t known:

- The red flag of Vietnam comes from Fujian – a province in Communist China?

- The so-called ‘1958 Pham Van Dong Official Communique’ written with the approval of the communist leaders of North Vietnam has acknowledged China’s territorial claim over a vast area of the South East Asia Sea including the Spartlys and the Paracels?

- The story of Ho Chi Minh containing many shocking lies?

- The crimes committed by the communists during the Land Reform Campaign (1953-56)?

- The massacre in Huế by the communists during the Tet Offensive of 1968.

- The “Liberation” of South Vietnam was in fact an invasion and a violation of an international agreement signed by all sides in January 1973.

And...

What has been agreed by the communist parties of Vietnam and China at 1990 Chengdu Conference?

I/WE WANT TO KNOW!

WHY?

Many ask why we want to know when we publicise materials for our Right-to-Know campaign. (irrelevant part omitted) To those who made rude comments on my Facebook: you have the right not to know, but don’t interfere with our Right to Know.

We want to know!!!

Phạm Văn Hải

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The people must have the right to access government information in an open channel which is a government initiative, and via legitimate requests.

The Right to Know is the basis on which people could appraise the transparency and fairness of all government’s activities.

This is a need and a basic right which must be implemented for all citizens. It is also an integral part of a democracy and an indicator that the country enjoys a law-based governance.

The Right to Know belongs to all citizens.

Nguyễn Ngọc Như Quỳnh

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