To:

The Honorable Barack Obama President of the United States of America 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC. 20500

Dear President Obama: We have learned that on July 25th, 2013, you will host a State Visit for Mr. Truong Tan Sang, the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam at the White House. We are certain that you are fully aware that Communist Vietnam, while actively seeking partners abroad, especially longing for a strategic partnership with the United States, has launched an all out assault on human rights and democracy at home. They have been wantonly arresting independent bloggers and human rights activists, then setting up “monkey trials” to hand down severe yet unlawful sentences to young democracy activists like Nguyen Phuong Uyen, Dinh Nguyen Kha, and Dinh Nhat Huy, whose only crime is “to love their country and its future through fighting against official corruptions, against Chinese hegemony and regional bullyism...” Their sole purpose in this wave of suppression is to silence opposition in Vietnam so they can hang on to power indefinitely and exploit the country and its citizens to its last resources. As your unwavering supporters, we, the Vietnamese American Caucus of the Democratic Party in Houston, Texas fully understand your policy of engaging Vietnam to promote freedom and democracy for its long suffering people. However, without strong words and following through actions from the US, Communist Vietnam would undoubtedly take advantage of that policy to promote its self serving interests while further suppress the voice of freedom and democracy at home, knowing that they for sure will not face any consequence for their blatant violations of human rights from the United States. Therefore, we would like to take this opportunity to urgently ask you to bring up the above mentioned issues in your upcoming meeting with Mr. Truong Tan Sang, and on our behalf demand the following actions from Communist Vietnam:

1) To stop immediately the on going suppression of the peaceful opposition voice, particularly of those independent bloggers, human right activists, and democracy advocates.

 2) To release unconditionally young patriotic and heroic students like Nguyen Phuong Uyen, Dinh Nguyen Kha, Dinh Nhat Huy, musician Viet Khang, and blogger Dieu Cay.

 3) To respect basic human rights and the due process of law that Vietnam has loudly professed in its Constitution but shamefully denied its citizens of those rights, such as the freedom of expression, of holding peaceful protest.

 4) To take serious actions to address the dire strait environmental issues that have plagued Vietnam such as the hazardous mining of bauxite in Vietnam Central Highland as well as the irresponsible and unplanned overbuilding of hydroelectric dams in Central Vietnam that have caused numerous severe flooding in recent years.

 5) To provide more public services like healthcare and education to the most deprived regions of Vietnam such as the Mekong Delta and the Central High Land.

 We strongly believe that with your unabashed commitment to freedom and human rights as well your unyielding and sincere efforts to see a truly free, democratic, and prosperous Vietnam to join the world of civilized nations, you will do your utmost to convey these messages to Mr. Truong Tan Sang. We are eagerly looking forward to you response and wholeheartedly wish you the best of lucks, in your leadership of our beloved and blessed country, the United States of America.

 Sincerely

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