In the form of an open letter addressed to APEC leaders who will attend the 14^th APEC Summit in Hanoi next month, they openly criticise the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), distort the State’s role and claim that “Vietnam is stifling freedom and democracy and violating human rights”. What’s really behind such allegations? Radio the Voice of Vietnam (VOV) has this comment.

There is nothing new in their allegations. The only difference this time is that they have sent the whole contents of their open letter which is addressed to APEC leaders to media agencies of some Western countries such as the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Radio Free Asia (RFA) and Radio France International (FRI). They have even sent a petition with the same contents to these media agencies in an attempt, as they expect to achieve through the press forums, to bring international public pressure to bear upon Vietnam to promote the democratic process. In addition, they have also colluded with some foreign hostile forces in a motion they propose to the US Congress not to approve permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) status for Vietnam and not to remove Vietnam from the list of “countries of particular concern” on religion.

Obviously, they intend to launch a slanderous campaign against Vietnam in the democracy and human rights issues with the aim of tarnishing its prestige and position in the APEC, preventing all APEC economies from boosting investment and cooperation with Vietnam and subsequently obstructing the country’s development and international integration process.

As a matter of fact, the Vietnamese Party and State are encouraging the entire people to promote the Doi Moi (Renewal) process, integrate into the world economy and make the most of outside resources in order to help the country escape poverty. So, any act of impeding the national development process will be a crime against the country and the Vietnamese nation.

After the August Revolution in 1945, Vietnamese people have become masters of their destiny, enjoying the rights to live, study and work in an independent and stable country. This is the outcome of great sacrifices and efforts by generations of Vietnamese patriots.

Under the CPV leadership, Vietnam has recorded tremendous achievements during its renovation process. Nowadays, it is widely known in the world not only for its staunch and courageous people in the past struggle for national independence and freedom, but also for its worthy experiences and achievements in the current renovation process, which has been initiated and unyieldingly pursued by the CPV.

In such a position of great inner strength, Vietnamese people will not allow any forces to deny the CPV leadership and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam regime. Those who have intentionally used the issues of human rights and democracy to pursue such dark schemes are not patriotic and really willing to build democracy in Vietnam as they claim to be.

In the country, democracy has been promoted in all fields: political, economic, cultural and social. Democracy as well as human rights can be measured by the achievement of an annual average economic growth rate of 8 percent in recent years, people’s greater role and participation in political, economic, cultural and social activities and a peaceful and stable society where people’s material and spiritual lives are increasingly improved.

However, while the Party and State are striving to ensure people really enjoy democracy, it is definitely impossible for counter-revolutionary individuals and organisations which are acting against the Party and State and undermining national interests to claim the same right to enjoy democracy like everybody else. None of the countries including those which boast of their standard democratic system can treat such ill-intentioned persons in a democratic way.

US President George W. Bush, one of the senior APEC leaders who will attend the 14^th APEC summit in Hanoi, has said that he does not support any forces which pursue a scheme to sabotage Vietnam. As he put it, coming to Vietnam he will have an opportunity to affirm that Vietnam is moving in the right direction and that his country supports Vietnam’s renovation process.

In short, those attempting to use the issues of democracy and human rights to undermine Vietnam are going against the interests of the country and the Vietnamese nation. Their discordant notes are likely to fall into oblivion soon and that’s a fact.