'Human Rights Act' Should be
Abolished: war veterans

The Vietnam War Veterans' Association (VWVA), the Vietnam Peace Committee and the Vietnam-US Association (VUSA) have strongly condemned the US House of Representatives' passing of the so-called 'Vietnam Human Rights Act'.

They claimed that the act distorted the real situation in Vietnam, severely violated Vietnam's sovereignty, and brazenly interfered with the country's internal affairs.

The three organizations described the Act as a serious violation not only of the United Nations Charter but also of the fundamental principles of international law and ordinary morality.

In its statement released on September 13, 2001 the VWVA stressed that it was the US which had used army troops, bombs, and toxic chemicals to conduct a brutal and ruthless war against Vietnam, committing countless crimes and leaving long-term and serious problems for the Vietnamese people. The US is not in a position to speak about independence, democracy, and human rights in Vietnam after the countless violations to the human rights of Vietnamese people it committed during the war. It has no right to interfere with Vietnam's internal affairs, the statement said.

It noted that Vietnamese war veterans, who had fought for national independence, freedom, and sovereignty as well as for legitimate human rights, resolutely demand that the act be abolished. The VWVA made clear that they continue to protect the sacred human rights of the Vietnamese people.

The Peace Committee, for its part, expressed indignation with regard to the passing of the Vietnam Human Rights Act by the US House of Representatives. It said: "The United States, which provoked a brutal aggressive war in Vietnam, trampled on the Vietnamese people's fundamental rights, and left long-term and serious problems in Vietnam, is not in a position to preach human rights."

The committee called upon peace fighters, organizations, and individuals worldwide, particularly the US peace movement, to voice against and take action to prevent the approval of the act by the US Senate.

Meanwhile, VUSA said the passing of the Vietnam Human Rights Act brought negative impacts upon the Vietnam-US relations, and ran counter to both nations' aspiration to develop a co-operative, friendly, and mutually understanding relationship.

It emphasised that Vietnam-US relations could be developed only on the basis of respect for each other's independence, sovereignty, non-intervention into each other's internal affairs, equitable co-operation, and mutual benefit.

VUSA called on organizations, individuals and political circles in the United States to prevent the approval and promulgation of the erroneous act. (VNA)