We are forwarding the following letter in the earnest and urgent hope that it will get to the proper channel so that a good life, the life of journalist Nguyen Vu Binh, can be saved.
[A short bio of Nguyen Vu Binh should be in order here]
According to the latest information that we have received, on January 7, 2007 Mrs. Bui Kim Ngan -- the wife of journalist Nguyen Vu Binh, who has been incarcerated in solitary confinement at Nam Ha prison, Viet-Nam – has made her monthly visit with him prison. On this visit, under the watchful eyes of the prison security, she was given 50 minutes or so to see her husband.
As usual, Mr. Nguyen Vu Binh spirit is strong, but his physical health is showing signs of deterioration. He has informed his wife that in the last few months he has not been given any physical check-up, nor have the prison officials taken any necessary measures or treatment for his high-blood pressure condition, for which he was diagnosed with since November 2006. This is in addition to his long-time chronic digestive tract problem.
It is of note, that on the visit of January 7, 2007, Mrs. Bui Kim Ngan has brought along an electronic blood-pressure measuring device. After taking Mr. Nguyen Vu Binh blood pressure, his wife carefully recorded the two numbers shown on the LED, which are 180 over 133.
Thus, his life is under constant threat, and at any moment an attack could be triggered by a sudden rise in his blood pressure putting his survival rate at great odd. Unless some timely and proper care would take place, it is only a matter of time that this accidental jeopardy might happen, given the criminal intent of the Hanoi’s government.
Moreover, his cell is located deep inside the prison compound, isolated from the other cell areas by a 5-meter high, .4 meter thick wall. When a heart attack or a stroke happens, there would be no one who would be there to witness or hear to help, even if they’d want to.
Throughout Mr. Nguyen Vu Binh’s imprisonment, the treatment of the Nam Ha prison authority in particular and the Vietnamese government in general have demonstrated that this prisoner-patient has been deliberately left to the cruel mercy of his critical medical conditions.
A person who has courageously spoken up and spoken out his voice of conscience in the face of his people merciless destiny, a person who has refused preferential treatment when life’s many deprivations surrounded him to have resolutely chosen his high ideals, a person who has brushed aside all threats to disrobe and unmask the degeneration of an brutal regime, a person who dare to dream of “national restoration” (1) when his family is besieged by poverty, such a person will certainly not back down in the face of danger and threats and surely will calmly with no regrets depart his prison life, except to entrust to Heaven his wife and two children that he’d leave behind, because he has given his all, not only for his ideals but for the conscience of his country.
Alas if this is Mr Nguyen Vu Binh’s fate, how would we, the people of today think and mourn him? There will be tears and cry of bereavement, our sharing of sorrows and missing! But are these things necessary, when we could do much better for him, when the most horrible fate has not befallen him, albeit we realize that that in all of our lots, there are destiny and terrestrial burden to be born and fulfilled. But would we have a clear conscience to continue our worldly journey when we know that in a moment of neglect, busy-ness and selfishness, we have not given enough concern and care to do the right and necessary thing at the appropriate time to save our fellowman, one who - despite the danger on his own person - has spoken out on our behalf -- for today and tomorrow.
Dear conscientious people!
Please raise your voice and do something when it is not too late to save your fellow human being, to save Nguyen Vu Binh from his wretched prison life.
This writer respectfully thank you for your care, empathy and appropriate action.
Pham Hong Son
January 11, 2007
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