Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09HANOI805
2009-08-31 10:43:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Hanoi
how-toVZCZCXRO4855 OO RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHPB DE RUEHHI #0805 2431043 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O R 311043Z AUG 09 FM AMEMBASSY HANOI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0099 INFO ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE RUEHHI/AMEMBASSY HANOI RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 0013
C O N F I D E N T I A L HANOI 000805
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 2019/08/31
TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV
SUBJECT: Hanoi Blogger Arrested
CLASSIFIED BY: Michael Goldman, Deputy Political Counselor; REASON:
1.4(B),(D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L HANOI 000805
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 2019/08/31
TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV
SUBJECT: Hanoi Blogger Arrested
CLASSIFIED BY: Michael Goldman, Deputy Political Counselor; REASON:
1.4(B),(D)
1. (C) SUMMARY: Prominent dissident blogger Bui Thanh Hieu --
better known by his pen name "Nguoi Buon Gio" ("Wind Trader") --
was formally arrested August 30 after three days of pretrial
detention. Well known for views sharply critical of Vietnam's
policies toward China, Hieu's arrest was precipitated by his
efforts to print T-shirts with anti-China slogans; however, his
postings supporting Catholic land-use protestors also likely
rankled authorities. Hieu's arrest follows the August 25 dismissal
of well-known journalist and blogger Huy Duc from Saigon Thiep Thi
newspaper and comes one year after the arrest and conviction of
dissident blogger Dieu Cay. Together, these actions signal a
continued tightening of restrictions on free speech and come in the
context of a larger effort to quell political dissent. In the past
three months, eight political activists have been arrested. END
SUMMARY.
2. (C) On August 30, one of Hanoi's leading dissident bloggers,
Bui Thanh Hieu was formally arrested. One of Hieu's colleagues,
well-known dissident attorney Le Quoc Quan (protect),provided
further details of Hieu's arrest, telling PolOff that he spoke with
Hieu shortly after he was initially detained for questioning August
27. Hieu's wife Lien told Quan that the police had visited both
her home and Hieu's parents home on the morning of August 30 and
seized three computers. At that time, the police informed Lien
that her husband was formally under arrest.
3. (C) Hieu is a well-known blogger in Hanoi who has been sharply
critical of the GVN's policies toward China, which he characterizes
as overly conciliatory, as well as its approach to land disputes
with the Catholic Church. Entries on his blog are routinely
circulated on other well-known dissident blogs based in the United
States and elsewhere. On the 30th anniversary of Vietnam's border
war with China, Hieu traveled to the border region and interviewed
local residents about the many hardships the war had caused. He
also published several articles on the bauxite mining controversy
and Vietnam's maritime disputes with China. More recently, Hieu
wrote several blog postings in support of Catholic parishioners
calling for the return of the Tam Toa church ruins in Quang Binh
province. (Note: According to Quan, Hieu began studying
Catholicism last year at the height of the Thai Ha prayer vigils in
Hanoi and intended to be baptized in the Catholic Church later this
year. End note.)
4. (C) Quan told PolOff that Hieu had been regularly questioned by
authorities about his blogging over the past year, but shortly
before his arrest his questioning took on a decidedly more
accusatory tone. In a blog posting on August 25 Hieu suggested
that he might be detained in the near future. Quan said that the
real reason Hieu was arrested was perhaps due more to increased
political activism than to his blogging per se, explaining that in
July Hieu had begun working with other dissidents to raise money to
print T-shirts with anti-Chinese slogans regarding the Spratley and
Paracel islands. According to Quan, after some shirts were printed
in July and attracted attention on the internet, Hieu decided to
enlarge the project. Hieu worked with female blogger Quynh Nhu in
Nha Trang who found a printer that would print 100 T-shirts for 5
million VND (approximately $265). Hieu then solicited ten friends,
most of whom fellow dissidents, to each contribute 500,000 VND
($26.50) to fund the project. Quan himself contributed 500,000
VND.
5. (C) Comment: Hieu's arrest, together with the August 25
dismissal of well-known journalist Huy Duc from Saigon Thiep Thi
newspaper, is further evidence that the authorities are
increasingly concerned with the activities of dissident bloggers.
This concern is heightened -- and pressure turns into arrest --
when individuals move beyond on-line criticism and adopt more
outward forms of political activism, even if that activism consists
of nothing more than printing T-shirts. Hieu's is the latest in a
string of recent arrests, eight in the past three months, and
suggests a cold season for political dissent. END COMMENT.
MICHALAK
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 2019/08/31
TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV
SUBJECT: Hanoi Blogger Arrested
CLASSIFIED BY: Michael Goldman, Deputy Political Counselor; REASON:
1.4(B),(D)
1. (C) SUMMARY: Prominent dissident blogger Bui Thanh Hieu --
better known by his pen name "Nguoi Buon Gio" ("Wind Trader") --
was formally arrested August 30 after three days of pretrial
detention. Well known for views sharply critical of Vietnam's
policies toward China, Hieu's arrest was precipitated by his
efforts to print T-shirts with anti-China slogans; however, his
postings supporting Catholic land-use protestors also likely
rankled authorities. Hieu's arrest follows the August 25 dismissal
of well-known journalist and blogger Huy Duc from Saigon Thiep Thi
newspaper and comes one year after the arrest and conviction of
dissident blogger Dieu Cay. Together, these actions signal a
continued tightening of restrictions on free speech and come in the
context of a larger effort to quell political dissent. In the past
three months, eight political activists have been arrested. END
SUMMARY.
2. (C) On August 30, one of Hanoi's leading dissident bloggers,
Bui Thanh Hieu was formally arrested. One of Hieu's colleagues,
well-known dissident attorney Le Quoc Quan (protect),provided
further details of Hieu's arrest, telling PolOff that he spoke with
Hieu shortly after he was initially detained for questioning August
27. Hieu's wife Lien told Quan that the police had visited both
her home and Hieu's parents home on the morning of August 30 and
seized three computers. At that time, the police informed Lien
that her husband was formally under arrest.
3. (C) Hieu is a well-known blogger in Hanoi who has been sharply
critical of the GVN's policies toward China, which he characterizes
as overly conciliatory, as well as its approach to land disputes
with the Catholic Church. Entries on his blog are routinely
circulated on other well-known dissident blogs based in the United
States and elsewhere. On the 30th anniversary of Vietnam's border
war with China, Hieu traveled to the border region and interviewed
local residents about the many hardships the war had caused. He
also published several articles on the bauxite mining controversy
and Vietnam's maritime disputes with China. More recently, Hieu
wrote several blog postings in support of Catholic parishioners
calling for the return of the Tam Toa church ruins in Quang Binh
province. (Note: According to Quan, Hieu began studying
Catholicism last year at the height of the Thai Ha prayer vigils in
Hanoi and intended to be baptized in the Catholic Church later this
year. End note.)
4. (C) Quan told PolOff that Hieu had been regularly questioned by
authorities about his blogging over the past year, but shortly
before his arrest his questioning took on a decidedly more
accusatory tone. In a blog posting on August 25 Hieu suggested
that he might be detained in the near future. Quan said that the
real reason Hieu was arrested was perhaps due more to increased
political activism than to his blogging per se, explaining that in
July Hieu had begun working with other dissidents to raise money to
print T-shirts with anti-Chinese slogans regarding the Spratley and
Paracel islands. According to Quan, after some shirts were printed
in July and attracted attention on the internet, Hieu decided to
enlarge the project. Hieu worked with female blogger Quynh Nhu in
Nha Trang who found a printer that would print 100 T-shirts for 5
million VND (approximately $265). Hieu then solicited ten friends,
most of whom fellow dissidents, to each contribute 500,000 VND
($26.50) to fund the project. Quan himself contributed 500,000
VND.
5. (C) Comment: Hieu's arrest, together with the August 25
dismissal of well-known journalist Huy Duc from Saigon Thiep Thi
newspaper, is further evidence that the authorities are
increasingly concerned with the activities of dissident bloggers.
This concern is heightened -- and pressure turns into arrest --
when individuals move beyond on-line criticism and adopt more
outward forms of political activism, even if that activism consists
of nothing more than printing T-shirts. Hieu's is the latest in a
string of recent arrests, eight in the past three months, and
suggests a cold season for political dissent. END COMMENT.
MICHALAK