Social Activism or Social Blindness - Vietnamese President Meets American Social Activist

VietNamNet Bridge – President Nguyen Minh Triet on December 27 received Merle Ratner, an American social activist and Co-President of the Vietnam Agent Orange Relief and Responsibility Campaign (VAORRC) in the US.

Ratner informed the President that the VAORRC plans to submit a bill to the US Congress in support and compensation to Agent Orange victims in Vietnam.

She highly appreciated the cooperation of the Viet Nam Agent Orange Victims Association (VAVA) and she will work with the VAVA on activities in order to assist AO victims and to continue the legal struggle in the US in the coming time.

She recommended that Vietnam send delegations of youth, women and scientists to the US to help raise people’s awareness and public support on Agent Orange, as well as to reject the accusation of abusing human rights and democracy.

On behalf of the Vietnamese State and people, President Triet thanked Ratner, an age-old friend of the country, for her support of the Vietnamese people during their struggle for national freedom in the past and the AO victims at present.

President Triet also expressed thanks to the American people, especially to the VAORRC for their active support in Vietnam’s struggle for justice for the Vietnamese AO victims. He also expressed his hope that the VAORRC will continue helping Vietnam in this struggle to help reduce the victims’ pain.
-VietNamNet News

Really?

Okay, great work Ratner. You have found something in your life that calls to you and benefits other people. I couldn't agree more Orange Agent is a terrible chemical and it ruined many lives and America should pay for its own use of biological weapon of cruelty because this weapon not only has a short term instantaneous affect, but it affects the innocent lives of people long past after the war. And Vietnam is not the only country afflicted by this American Policy madness of that era, many Cambodians as well were affected.

Here's what I see where you are wrong though. You say that Mr. Triet should send out delegations "to reject the accusation of abusing human rights and democracy" I initially thought you had a good heart and don't have an agenda for your Orange Agent campaign, now I see its just a ploy. You don't wish to help victims of the war, you don't want to help the Vietnamese people. You are a paid government propagandist, by Triet's own word, an old friend of the government. I'm sorry if i shattered your self-acclaim ego of social worker and social activism. You're not a humanitarian, far from it.

How can you be in Vietnam and not know the situation? Do you know how many prisoners of conscious are in Vietnam jail right? How many real social activism are being bind, under house arrest, and abused because they spoke for democracy? Fought for religious freedom, and seek to introduce a multi-party, diverse and democratic Vietnam?

Do you know about the Montagnards, the Khmer-Krom? Khmer-Krom have at least 5 monks imprison and Vietnam even go to make order and arrest a citizen monk of Cambodia Tim Sakhorn. Not only is Vietnam violate the rights of its own citizen but it does not even care for international protocols and play into its weaker neighbors internal affair anytime it wants to. Also what about Father Le, Thich Quang Do, and other people who write from Vietnam and were jailed. I guess their words and suffering didn't count, what do they know, they live in Vietnam right! They're not visitors. They won't see Vietnam with an unbiased eye. Too much influenced and partiality.

Only people like you can see the truth. And I hope your truth set you free, free of your conscious that is.