In a rare communication from a Vietnamese forcibly returned from Hongkong, VANG A NHI, a member of the Nung minority, reveals the reception he received in his homeland. Now there is concern for the author of this letter - an edited version of which appearsbelow - and Asiawatch is planning to look for him when it visits the country later this year.
ON THE morning of August 4, 1992, my family was forced to go to Kai Tak by Hongkong police. We were put on a C- 130 military aircraft, to be taken back to Vietnam. When we arrived at Noi Bai airport in Hanoi, Hongkong officials delivered us to the Vietnamese communists.
We were transferred by Vietnamese security to a reception centre, where we were searched very harshly.
On the night of August 8, 1992, special security at the centre gave each of us two personal history forms. We were very frightened and stayed up all night to finish them.
This is the content of the forms: List personal history, address before leaving Vietnam, who are the relatives both in Vietnam and overseas (such as parents, and siblings on both husband's and wife's side).
Reason for leaving Vietnam. How did you escape from Vietnam? Who organised the trip? Location of the departure. Who were with you? How many people were there on the boat? Who was the captain? Of those on the same boat with you, who returned with you? Howmany camps have you been in? Specify the time spent at each camp. Which room did you stay in? Who was the head of your room? What did you say during screening sessions? Which lawyer or international organisations? From which countries? Who are the leaders? Who are members of those organisations at the detention centre? During your stay in Hongkong, did you participate in any of the riots? How many times did you participate? What kind of slogans did you shout? What were put on the banners? Who were the leaders? Among the leading group, who were the chief officers? During the riots, was there anyone who took the opposite position? Was the leading group sponsored by an overseas organisation? What are the names of those organisations? Who performed as connections and to what religions/group did they belong? In the detention centre, how many organisations expressed an anti-Vietnamese Government view? The Vietnamese Militarymen Association of your centre has how many members? Who were the leaders? Under what forms would they rebel against Vietnamese communists? How did they communicate with other reactionary groups overseas? Do you know who communicated with foreign journalists? What are the names of their newspapers/magazines and their views? Afterwards, each person had to pledge these words were told truthfully and if they were false, would take complete responsibility under the laws of the Vietnamese Government. With such a personal history as mine, I was certain I would have to face furthercomplications and headaches.