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Tran Do, the former North
Vietnam Army lieutenant general who had also held other important jobs in the
Communist regime and lately became a leading dissident, departed this life on
August 9. Hundreds of his friends, his followers and other well-known
dissidents were attending his memorial service at the military funeral hall in
Hanoi.
He
was a brave soldier, an intellect, a devoted Communism ideologist, and a writer
who served the Communist regime nearly all his life, and was one of the main
pillars of the Vietnam Communist Party. Since the early 1990s, Tran Do has become
a dissident and attracted scores of other Communist Party high-ranking members
to his side.
Tran
Do passed away on August 9, 2002. His funeral was held on August 14. Events
taking place following his death have raised some public anger against the Communist
top leaders.
Though
he died on August 9, top Communist leaders didn't allow their state-run
newspapers Nhan Dan (People's Daily) and Quan Doi Nhan Dan (People's Army)
along with the state Television and Radio Stations to announce his death until
August 13, barely 24 hours before funeral service. People had only 4 hours to
attend the service before the cremation. Obviously it was a plot to minimize
the size of the crowds that would have rallied around the mortuary to say the
last farewell to the old soldier.
In
the announcements on Hanoi TV and radio, the general was addressed "Mr.
Tran Do" instead of "General
Tran Do" as it should be. The TV announcer didn't wear dark suit with
black tie as he had to when announcing deaths of other similar ranking VIPs.
On
the wall of the funeral hall, there was not the traditional "With
Respectful Condolences" always seen on the center banderole in every
funeral service.
No
central leaders of the party and its government paid the last visit to their
deceased comrade. The only representative of the National Assembly was Mr. Vu
Mao, head of the Committee for Foreign Affairs attended the service and
delivered a eulogy.
Vu
Mao concluded his formal eulogy saying that Tran Do "had made mistakes and
errors in his final years." Vu Mao's words surprised every body attending
the service.
Tran
Thang, Do's eldest son, immediately reacted. His stated that his family
"did not accept Vu Mao's eulogy." The audience broke out into
applause and cheers and objected to Mao's outraging remarks.
Right
after Tran Do died, Public Security searched his home without legal warrant,
seized all his papers and writings. Two of his sons were held at the city
Public Security Department for a few hours.
As
Vietnamese tradition is concerned, one must not humiliate the dead even those
who were enemies. There are several Vietnamese sayings about behaving towards
the deceased similar to that in other languages. "Let the deceased
rest." "Death squares all
accounts." "Death pays all debts." "Everything is gone with
the death."
Though
often praising the national ethical traditions, top leaders of the Vietnam
Communist Party did not act accordingly. Besides, their behavior towards their
late comrade Tran Do disclosed their small-mindedness. As state leaders, they
have competence and power to do everything legal and appropriate to treat the
late Tran Do properly even to disparage him.
In
Vietnamese and Chinese political terminology, the leader's reliance on mean
tricks is called "Ba Dao" (The Feudal Lord's Way). Acting with
magnanimity and generosity is referred to as "Vuong Dao" (The King's
Way). With this yardstick, it's easy to tell what the current Communist leaders
can do to the country and how.
The
way top VCP leaders treated Tran Do is a powerful psychological shock to a lot
of Communist veterans who are still faithful to their party. The shock may precede
successive events that will cause much troubles to the Communist Party leaders.
At this time, it is unable to predict how far their troubles will go.
On
the brighter side, Tran Do's death has encouraged the dissidents on their way
struggling for democracy and freedom. Just before Tran Do passed away, 21 men
and women of his followers, all are Party members of all ranks, signed a letter
to Hanoi top leaders, officially demanded that appropriate concrete actions
should be taken against corruption instead of dragging out the discussions; the
issues of the agreement with China on the common border must be publicly
explained; crackdown and harassment on dissidents be stopped; the Constitution
Court be established.
The
most important part in the letter is the declaration of the new group of
opposition, known as the "Group for Democracy." Mr. Pham Que Duong, a
retired full colonel of the North Vietnam Army and confidential comrade of Tran
Do, is the spokesman of the group.
It's
the first time that the dissidents work together in an organization. Now the group
is still weak. But any revolutionary organization in the world starts with a
small group before gathering strength to become a mass movement, if it is well
supported by the people inside and aids from outside.
Presently,
people can't anticipate what the group will be able to do in the difficult
struggle for its lofty cause. But the supporters seem optimistic. The
Vietnamese always believe that "bad guys (Communist tyrants) won't last
long."
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