Letter to the Honorable Janet Nguyen

Tu Nguyen

Please let me have your assurance that you will work to see to that the integrity of the First Amendment is preserved regardless of what language it is in, and that the guarantee of the freedom of the press not be perceived as selective.

Tu Nguyen
3310 N. Braeswood
Houston, Texas 77025

January 8th, 2016

The Honorable Janet Nguyen
STATE CAPITOL Sacramento, CA 95814

District Office
10971 Garden Grove Blvd
Garden Grove, CA 92843

Dear Senator Nguyen:

My name is Tu Nguyen. My father Dam Phong Nguyen, a prominent Vietnamese journalist of a newspaper called “Tu Do” (Freedom) was killed by a criminal enterprise named “Mat Tran” (the Front) now “Viet Tan”(1) in the
documentary called “Terror in little Saigon” by propublica and PBS’ Frontlines.(2)

The other four (4) journalists likely killed by Viet Tan.

In fact, a former high ranking admitted “it was “quite possible” that Front members were behind the assassination of Dam Phong and could have committed other crimes. There was, he acknowledged, a violent faction within the organization, and when the videographers turned off the cameras, Nghia admitted he had participated in a Front meeting during which members discussed a plan to assassinate a well-known newspaper editor in Orange County. Nghia said he dissuaded his colleagues from killing the man. “It was a dark chapter in my life,” he said.(3) And Do Thong Minh, one of the founders called and confided to me that my dad was the victim of Viet Tan’s terrorism.

I was touched by the courageous and overwhelming supports of my Dad’s fellow Vietnamese-American journalists, American journalists and my beloved Vietnamese community here and aboard. I have been working with CPJ (The Committee to Protect Journalists) and a DC Law Firm to re-open the case. Unfortunately, my brother Tai Nguyen, who is residing in Orange County, CA, has brought to my attention of your letter dated November 10th, 2015, in which you were quick to draw a conclusion without knowing the premises. My family and I have waited for thirty-three years for justice, how can you not extend us a five minutes courtesy phone call before releasing your statement? So I can tell you how my dad lived and not how he died. I know for a fact that you are a TRUE champion for human rights, and this must be an oversight. I call on you to support the investigation, center on the needs of victims, and contribute to ending impunity to killer(s) of the five journalists.

The diaspora community today is very different from that of the 1990’s… Many today, in the U.S. and elsewhere, are more than willing to provide information that could help resolve these cold cases and potentially lead to convictions. However, at this critical moment in the continuing investigation, I am deeply concerned about your close connections and long-term support for an organization being accused by the mainstream media, its former leaders/founder and FBI of terrorist activities. And your public support for Viet Tan, which allows them to use YOUR name and your letter as a PR to legitimize their criminal enterprise to the people in Vietnam and some among the Vietnamese diaspora that they are well connected politically. This may also discourage potential witnesses to come forth as they wrongly believed that Viet Tan is protected by the U.S. Government therefore enjoys immunity.

Furthermore, it is important to point out that if any of your staff is a Viet Tan member or sympathizer, while working for you and paid with tax dollars, cannot be expected to keep the confidentiality of any at-risk human rights defender who sought the help of you via your staff. It fair to assume that he/she would likely pass the information to Viet Tan, an organization with alleged terrorist activities, and not to the you. That is certainly conflict of interest, split loyalty, and impropriety, which puts a person at risk.

The painful death of the five Journalist, including my father Đạm Phong have never healed. The wound that is moral, or occasioned by “contempt” and “injustice,” is the centerpiece of our anguish for at least more than three decades. I don’t think you ever get over the loss in your heart. And while that’s not to imply that you cannot proceed forward and achieve peace, the wound – the superficially healed wound – may still be deeply ingrained.

Did you not know that (1) Tammy Trần tức là Trần Thiện Tâm, Đoàn Trưởng đầu tiên của Đoàn Thanh Niên Phan Bội Châu Miền Nam California. Đoàn Thanh Niên Phan Bội Châu là tổ chức ngoại vi của Việt Tân để thu hút giới trẻ; ngoài Nam Cali, họ có chi nhánh ở Toronto và Na Uy. “Tammy Trần cho biết, khi cô gia nhập Đoàn Thanh Niên Phan Bội Châu, lúc đó mới có 16(4) tuổi và đang là học sinh trung học. Hôm nay cô đã 30 tuổi, thành ra nửa đời người gắn bó với Đoàn.” (see attached Exh A). And (2) Thỉnh nguyện thư thứ hai là do một “nhóm trẻ” phát động chiến dịch “I Love Little Saigon” ở Orange County thực hiện.

Các nhân vật chính trong nhóm trẻ này là Trinity Hồng Thuận(5), đảng viên Việt Tân, và Billy Vũ Lê, đoàn viên của Đoàn Thanh Niên Phan Bội Châu. (see attached Exhibits B & C). Tóm lại hai thỉnh nguyện thư chống đối phim Terror in Little Saigon cùng do đảng viên Việt Tân tung ra làm ra vẻ đến từ nhiều thành phần trong cộng đồng.

I ask you, how can these two known facts not beg the question of objectivity or subjectivity? The petitions by Tammy Trần and Trinity Hồng Thuận is an equivalent of the communist asking for signatures for their stand of human rights. They are self serving petitions and nothing about our beloved Vietnamese community!

Accordingly, I respectfully ask that you:

1. Urge the Attorney General of California to re-open the investigation of many murders and assassination attempts that occurred in California where many of Viet Tan’s current and past leaders were involved; and

2. Instruct your staffs NOT to accept any contributions from individual Viet Tan members for your future campaign. By not accepting contributions, you will send a strong message that you will not condone, support or tolerate any violent tactics used against Americans exercising their First Amendment, but most importantly, the voice of the Americans through you can’t be bought!

Please let me have your assurance that you will work to see to that the integrity of the First Amendment is preserved regardless of what language it is in, and that the guarantee of the freedom of the press not be perceived as selective. I can be reached via [email protected].

Sincerely,

TÚ NGUYỄN
Son of a father killed in pursuit of truth and justice through journalism

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Nguồn: Nguyễn Thanh Tú | [email protected].

(1) https://www.propublica.org/article/terror-in-little-saigon-vietnam-american-journalists- murdered (pages 16-18,24-29)
(2) http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/terror-in-little-saigon/.
http://www.democracynow.org/2015/11/11/terror_in_little_saigon_new_doc http://voiceofoc.org/2015/11/son-of-murdered-vietnamese-journalist-defends-controversial- documentary/
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/terror-little-saigon-reexamines-murders-five- vietnamese-american-journalists-n471966
https://cpj.org/regions_07/americas_07/CPJ-SilencedReport.pdf
(3) https://www.propublica.org/article/terror-in-little-saigon-vietnam-american-journalists- murdered (page 18)
(4) http://viendongdaily.com/tan-ban-chap-hanh-doan-thanh-nien-phan-boi-chau-qh3vOrTe.html
(5) http://www.nguoi- viet.com/absolutenm2/templates/viewarticlesNVO.aspx?articleid=159669&zoneid=407