NEW ACTIVIST COMES UNDER POLICE SCRUTINY

C O N F I D E N T I A L HANOI 000685

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/22/2015
TAGS: PREL PHUM VM HUMANR CVR
SUBJECT: NEW ACTIVIST COMES UNDER POLICE SCRUTINY

REF: A. HO CHI MINH CITY 169


B. 04 HANOI 3046

Classified By: Consul General Seth Winnick for reason 1.4 (d)

This is a Consulate General Ho Chi Minh City cable
transferred to Hanoi to transmit on the classified system.


1. (C) Summary: Do Nam Hai, better known by his pseudonym of
Phuong Nam, became known to us as an emerging Vietnamese
dissident after he posted an open letter in December 2004
protesting official harassment for advocating peaceful
democratic change in Vietnam. Hai has since been fired from
his job and faces possible arrest. In addition to his calls
for the end of one-party rule and his association with other
dissidents, Hai's critique of the GVN's China policy
triggered tougher police action against him. Hai's case
highlights how the internet is offering the Vietnamese
greater opportunity to exchange political and social views
under the radar of the Party. End Summary.

Birth of a Dissident
--------------


2. (C) In a series of phone and text-message conversations
over the past three months, 46-year old Do Nam Hai (strictly
protect),better known by his pseudonym Phuong Nam, described
how he has emerged as a budding democracy activist in
Vietnam. Hai told us that he began his political activity
while living in Australia. Between June 2000 and August
2001, Hai posted on the internet five essays critical of
one-party rule using his pseudonym.


3. (C) In early 2002, Hai decided to return to Vietnam. He
had no problem with GVN authorities upon his return. Hai
accepted a position as a marketing and customer relations
expert with Saigon Commercial Joint Stock Bank, a state-owned
financial institution. Hai told us that once in Vietnam he
quietly continued his pro-democracy activities via a
password-protected international email account, which later
served as an on-line discussion forum for invited
participants. He did not post any further pro-democracy
essays on the Internet until late 2004.


4. (C) It appears that Hai was able to operate under the
police radar until April 2004, when he began to associate
with known dissidents. In April, he met with Professor
Nguyen Thanh Giang (Ref. B),a geophysicist and prominent
dissident who was arrested in 1998 for possessing documents
critical of the Communist Party. Another dissident, Ha Sy
Phu, introduced the two via the Internet. They met in Ho Chi
Minh City and Hanoi.


5. (C) Hai believes that after these meetings, the Ministry
of Public Security (MPS) began to investigate. This
scrutiny, he believes, led to his first encounter with the
police, on August 6, 2004. Local HCMC police detained Hai
for 48 hours and questioned him about his political
activities; somehow police also were able to link Hai to the
articles he wrote in Australia under his pseudonym. Police
took no further action against Hai at that time.


6. (C) In October 2004, Hai was interviewed by Radio Free
Asia, and called for a national referendum on one-party rule
in Vietnam. On December 3, HCMC police detained Hai for 24
hours and forced him to surrender his computer. On December
10, 2004, Hai circulated via the Internet an open letter
protesting his harassment and again calling for a referendum.
Hai told us that he used a local HCMC Internet kiosk to
upload the letter. Hai refused to meet with ConGenOffs,
explaining that such a meeting would compromise "the image of
an independent patriot, acting only in the interests of
Vietnam." Hai told us that he believed by going public and
being completely transparent about his views, authorities
would view him as less of a threat. Subsequently, however,
Hai said that police stepped up pressure both on his family
and on his employer. On December 21, the Chairman of SCB
urged Hai to desist from actions that would cause problems
with MPS.


7. (C) On New Year's Day, 2005, Hai was interviewed by
"Vietnam New Horizon Radio," which is based in Germany and
critical of the GVN. On 18 January, an MPS Colonel ordered
that Hai present himself at his local police station to
"scrutinize the contents of his computer." Hai did not
comply and instead posted another letter critical of the
police. In early February, Hai conducted a written interview
with the publisher of "SaigonUSA," a bi-weekly newspaper for
the Viet Kieu community in southern California. In that
interview, Hai's criticisms were sharper; he attacked Party
corruption, and alleged GVN subservience to China in border
negotiations. Hai compared GVN officials to historical
Vietnamese figures who are vilified for colluding with the

Chinese Empire. Hai told us that at this time he also
traveled to Hanoi to meet with Hoang Minh Chinh, another
prominent dissident.


8. (C) In late February, Hai was ordered to meet with the
bank chairman. The chairman reportedly lambasted Hai for his
anti-GVN activity, focusing particularly on his anti-China
statements. The Chairman told Hai that his recently renewed
contract had been "withdrawn," and gave Hai two hours to
clear his desk. Following his dismissal a young lawyer, with
whom Hai had corresponded on democracy issues, conveyed a
police threat that if Hai did not stop his pro-democracy
activities, the authorities would take stronger action
against him. On March 5, Hai conducted another interview
with Vietnam New Horizon radio, the transcript of which was
posted on the Internet. He attacked Vietnam's one-party
state for its corruption and claimed that the recent release
of dissidents such as Nguyen Dan Que was a GVN ploy to ease
international pressure as it seeks WTO accession. He also
cited the January 8 maritime border incident between Vietnam
and China (in which nine Vietnamese fisherman were killed) as
evidence that the GVN is "very weak at protecting its people
and territory, yet very strong at oppressing democratic
voices."


9. (C) Comment: We spoke with Hai on March 10, five days
after his latest broadside against the Communist Party.
Police have not yet acted, although he anticipates that
harsher action against him is imminent. Hai says he is
undeterred and says he will continue with his dissident
activities. It is noteworthy that Hai's criticism of how
Vietnam manages its relationship with China, perhaps even
more than his calls for the end of one-party rule and
association with known dissidents, triggered intensified
police action against him.


10. (C) From time to time we see glimpses of Vietnamese
disgruntlement with the extent of official corruption and the
Party's monopoly on political power. Vietnamese do grumble,
but only do so within a trusted circle of friends and family
to avoid attracting police attention. Hai's use of the
Internet highlights how technology is facilitating greater
exchange of ideas between private Vietnamese. For example on
March 10 Hai told us that a college-aged woman from Lam Dong
Province contacted him after reading his essays on the
Internet. She has since had difficulties with police both in
Hanoi, where she went to visit with other prominent
dissidents, and in her hometown in Lam Dong Province. End
comment.
Boardman


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