Updated news of Roman Catholic Rev. Thaddeus Nguyen Van Ly,

prisoner of conscience

 October 12th, 2007

             

At 6AM, Wednesday October 10, 07, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Hieu (Father Ly’s sister) and Ms. Minh (his cousin) exhaustedly scrambled for days from Dong Nai province and Thua Thien/ City of Hue to prison camp K1 at Ba Sao, Nam Ha, Ha Nam province to submit a request to visit Father Ly, the prisoner of conscience. Around 9AM, the prison guard escorted Father Ly to the visiting room.

 

Quite differently from the visit of the two priests a month ago which was set up with 2 camcorders on the wall to record the conversation from beginning to end with 4 security guards to search and guard inside and outside the prison (please refer news report dated September 10, 07), in this visit there were only 2 public security officers, one sitting next to Father Ly and the other sitting in the corner taking notes. The one who took notes was Major Nam, who always has been assigned to “take care” Father Ly during his jail time from 2001 to 2005. To start the conversation, Father Ly explained:

 

- You, sister and cousin, should not have the wrong idea that I have admitted  “guilt” and worn this black-and-white striped prison suit. I have never admitted or pleaded guilty. When I am in my cell room I have never worn this prison suit. Today, I have to wear it or the jail officers will not allow me to meet you. Father Tran Van Quy and Father Ho Van Uyen recently visited me. I initially planned not to meet them when I was required to wear this jail uniform. But thinking of our priesthood friendship, they were from Hue, a very far city, coming here to visit me, therefore, I had no other choice than wearing it against my free will.     

 

The two priests’ visit was the authorities’ bad show. They recorded the visit in camera to show off to other international visiting delegations when needed. However, sister Hieu, please meet with those two priests, thank them for visiting me, and tell Father Tran Van Quy that he should resign from his position of council member of City of Hue. He will not be able to make or change anything. He should be straight and strong enough to struggle face-to-face against the government to grab good chances to make things better for our beloved Country and our suffered Church.   

 

Mrs. Hieu suddenly asked: “Do you know your picture in which your mouth was smothered in the Kangaroo court of March 30, 07 has been broadcast all over the world”?

 

Father Ly replied: “ I know, I know it real well”. I had anticipated such situation, therefore, in “Freedom of Speech” monthly magazine, which was published by my priest friends and myself, in the second issue, a big picture of a citizen whose eyes and mouth were smothered was included. That is the bad nature of this regime. And I am the evidence. But the suppression of freedom of speech is effective only to those who are afraid of them. To those who are not afraid the suppression is useless. It’s right, still there are many people who are so scared of them and are not willing to receive “Freedom of Speech” magazine we publish.  However, this monthly paper is still circulated nationwide in Vietnam, from provinces of Lang Son, Ha Noi to Soc Trang, Can Tho, etc. 

 

 President Nguyen Minh Triet and Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung recently visited America and

some other countries and declared there are no political prisoners in Vietnam. Why not? Live evidence is Nguyen Van Ly here and many other democracy activists who are currently in jail across Vietnam. I will stay in jail forever until Vietnam authorities admit they still keep in jail many political prisoners and prisoners of conscience.

 

- The Catholic Bishops are attending the Bishop’s Annual Conference in Ha Noi. Are you aware of that?  - Asked Mrs. Hieu.

 

- Please do not remind about them. Let them do best their jobs in compliance with their good conscience and fair responsibilities. By the way, let me tell you about my two priest visitors a month ago. They happily brought over here a bottle of (Mass) wine and a little box of communions and declared them to the jail chief. Drinking wine is prohibited in here. So, officers did not allow me to receive those gifts and they kept them instead. I had talked to Officer Nam here to return to me that wine bottle so you can bring home but he did not bring it out today (Officer Nam sat quietly, with no reply). Probably Father Quy mistakenly thought he is the City Council member so he is authoritative and valuable so he should be well respected by jail officers. Huh! This regime does not respect anybody. Furthermore, they do not respect people who follow, work and compromise with them. They respect people who dare to challenge and fight them.

 

- Do you still receive family gifts we send you regularly via the post office? I ask you because I have not received your receipt signature. Since you had been in jail this time, we have received only 1 mail from you.  -   Asked Mrs. Hieu.

 

- I have received gifts from you via the post office on regular basis. And I always asked jail officers giving me pieces of paper and pen to write you back. But I do not know why my mails have never been delivered to you. Another thing, why did you write on the gift box “To: Mr./ Brother Nguyen Van Ly” instead of “To: The Rev. Nguyen Van Ly”?

 

- Addressing to ”Priest” (on the gift box) is not authorized by the post office. They will not send those gifts to you. The reason is this government “does not imprison Church’s people”. Have you received the Bible I sent you”? –  Said Mrs. Hieu.

 

- Not yet, even papers and pen are not allowed to keep, not to mention to Bible. They only allow me to read “Law” magazine you sent me. I am still in single confinement cell. Cell floor was refaced with new tiles to show off to visiting delegations. But until today, there is no delegation visiting me.  – Replied Father Ly.   

 

The family's short and emotional visit lasted about 1 hour and a half. When signing his name to acknowledge his gift receipt, Father Ly clearly wrote down: “The Rev. Nguyen Van Ly, prisoner of conscience”. Before saying farewell to his sister Hieu and cousin Minh, Father Ly said:

- Next times when you come here visiting me, if you do not see me coming out to meet you please do not surprise!  Go ahead leaving the gifts to me and go home peacefully with no worry.

   Reporter FNA reported from Hue, October 12th, 2007