Hao Kiet letter from Christmas Island
Translation from a letter written by (name supplied) in Christmas Island
22nd April 2005
Hao Kiet boat people
Dear friend,
My name is (name supplied), a member of the Hao Kiet boatpeople. We are being detained on Christmas Island, WA.
On behalf of my fellows, I’d like to share with you as well as the free Vietnamese community our current circumstance and the reason of our escape from Vietnam.
I had to leave my homeland after being involved with the Luc Luong Doi Khang (Resistance Force), a group engaged in anti-government activities, when it came to my knowlege that those activities would cause serious troubles to me, I had no option other than fleeing my country for a safe place to stay.
I was born and grew up in the land where the people were impacted by persecution and authority’s dictatorship under the communist regime. Throughout my years in high school, I was continuously isolated and abused by the schoolmates whose families were communist. I believe it was because my father had been a soldier who fought against the communist long ago. As being targeted by discrimination I left school early.
My elder sister’s situation was also pitiful. She herself faced persecution and her children received the same treatment in primary school as I did. Similarly, I have witnessed so many families having miseries due to harshness caused by the authority in the country. And so, when the patience ran out, I joined the Resistance Force and participated in anti-communist activities to appeal on our denied human rights and civil rights such as Freedom of Press, Freedom of speech, privacy, protection etc… In doing this, the members of my group scattered leaflets with political content at different cemeteries, demanding the communist authority to change their policies for the sake of our people’s well being and happiness and stopping further sufferings which may occur.
Instead of carrying out a reform effort, the government however, sent out arrest warrants upon us. Therefore I had to flee my country, leaving behind the beloved river with its green tree lined banks and the lushy green paddock fields where I spent most of my peaceful childhood with my loving family.
After a long journey of 28 days at sea, living in hunger and thirst and being affected by sickness, we eventually found a point of stopover in Australia. My boat landed on shore Port Hedland but we were taken away back to the sea and later, the Navy brought us to Christmas Island where we’re kept until now.
Having been detained on this island for almost 2 years, we are always in fear of being deported to Vietnam. After arriving in Australia, we have publicly expressed our anti-communist views. Certainly I myself will [be] severely punished as all the Resistance Force members will be imprisoned, the women and children will be placed in strict house arrest if we are returned to VN. There is no doubt that we can never have a normal life and safety in Vietnam.
I also strongly believe there will be no agencies or organizations working there to help us when we are in jail or harassed. My mind and heart are always pre-occupied the fear of persecution, day and night.
I wish someday when being released from the detention centre, I will be able to share my joy with all the people and communities from different origins in Australia.
Thank you very much for your time reading through this letter.
My best wishes to you all.
And other news from Kaye:
Please circulate:
74 year old Grandma Thi Tu, a Vietnamese asylum seeker who arrived in Australia aboard the Hao Kiet on 1 July 2003 has a wish to live out her final days in freedom in Australia.
Thi Tu has been held mostly on Christmas island in detention however she is now in Perth due to her medical issues and is detained in an isolated house somewhere in Perth.
Grandma Thi Tu is frail and surely meets the citeria for the Minister to grant a ‘humanitarian visa’ to enable Thi Tu to spend her final days with her daughter, she has not seen for 10 years, who lives in Melboune. Thi Tu’s great grandaughter ‘Baby Amy’ was recently recognised as a refugee and together with her parents are in Melboune and they pray for Thi Tu’s release.
Thi Tu has told me she knows ‘Time is not on her side’, so Please contact the Immigration Minister and plead for the grant of a ‘humanitarian visa’ on behalf of Thi Tu.