[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 45 (Thursday, March 20, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E540]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   IMPRISONMENT OF DR. NGUYEN DAN QUE

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. TOM DAVIS

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 20, 2003

  Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to strongly 
condemn the arrest of Dr. Nguyen Dan Que by the Vietnamese Communist 
government on March 17th, 2003. I am outraged to hear that these 
Communist officials detained Dr. Que at a local security station in 
Saigon, while they had their secret police break into his house to 
seize his cellular phones, laptop computer, and collection of written 
essays.
  As you may know, Dr. Que is the most vocal and ardent advocate in 
Viet Nam for freedom, democracy and human rights for almost the past 30 
years. When Saigon fell into Communist hands in 1975, Dr. Que refused 
to leave Viet Nam, and later turned down a government offer to resettle 
in the United States. Dr. Que could have continued a successful medical 
practice in America, but he consciously chose to remain in Viet Nam to 
speak out and defend the human dignity and rights of all Vietnamese 
people.
  Because of his unrelenting efforts in the pursuit for freedom and 
human rights for Viet Nam, the Vietnamese government imprisoned Dr. Que 
in 1978. He remained in detention, often under inhumane conditions, for 
10 years, pending formal charges and a trial. During this time, he was 
tortured, beaten, and placed into solitary confinement where his hands 
and feet were chained together. Due to the continuous intervention of 
the Congressional Dialogue on Viet Nam and international human rights 
groups, Dr. Que was finally released in 1988 after 10 years in prison.
  On May 11, 1990, Dr. Que founded the Non-Violent Movement for Human 
Rights. He issued a manifesto appealing to all individuals and 
organizations inside Viet Nam and throughout the world for support of 
his moderate, non-violent struggle to establish human rights for all 
Vietnamese people. He demanded that the Vietnamese government invest in 
the welfare of its people, and reduce the size of its military. His 
manifesto also stipulated that the Communist government of Viet Nam 
cease its aggressive actions towards neighboring countries, and to 
bring about lasting peace for the region in Southeast Asia.
  Dr. Que was arrested again in June 1990, and forcibly returned to 
prison without trial. His family received information that he was 
tortured and had received emergency medical care several times due to 
these beatings. Finally Dr. Que was released from prison in September 
1998, but remained under house arrest with constant government 
surveillance and restrictions on any use of communication, such as 
phone calls and letters.
  Mr. Speaker, Dr. Que's arrest by the Vietnamese government comes at a 
time when the world is preoccupied with the impending conflict in Iraq. 
I believe they made this decision on the basis that we, the 
international community, would not likely express strong condemnation 
towards their actions--but they are wrong. I urge my colleagues to join 
me now to collectively voice our strong opposition to the arrest of Dr. 
Que by the Vietnamese Communist government and demand his release 
immediately.

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