by Nguyen Hung

Police first detains and then releases on bail Nguyen Dan Que, a 69-year-old pro-democracy activist. Online, Bloc 8406 urges people to take to the streets for a ‘jasmine revolution’. Police detains bloggers and activists, seizes their computers. Would-be demonstrators are described as extremist.

Ho Chi Minh City (AsiaNews) – The first pro-democracy protests are taking place in Vietnam in the wake of the ‘jasmine revolution’ sweeping North Africa. At the same time, police detained and later released Nguyen Dan Que, a dissident accused of trying to overthrow the Communist government. He was let go because of poor health and for helping police.

Since protests broke out in Tunisia and Egypt, Bloc 8406 (named after the date, 8 April 2006, when it was founded) issued a statement online, urging the Vietnamese people to follow the example of North Africa and the Middle East and demand more democracy and human rights in Vietnam.

On 21 February, Dr Nguyen Dan Que, 69, one of southern Vietnam’s leading dissidents, launched an appeal in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly known as Saigon), asking people to take to the streets to save the country. A Vietnamese website picked up the appeal on behalf of a group, describing itself as young Vietnamese at home and abroad, in which they urge their fellow citizens to meet each Sunday in a square of a big city like Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hue, Da Nang, Hai Phong or Nha Trang.

At present, no one knows if the call to protest was heeded. However, it appears the government is trying to nip in the bud any potential revolution. In fact, the police’s own newspaper, Cong An Nhan Dan, reported that on 23 February they conducted anti-riot drills in Binh Thuan province (central Vietnam) in preparation for possible unrest that might affect public order and security. In it, would-be demonstrators were described as extremist.

Meanwhile, Vietnamese websites reported a few days ago the death of Pham Thanh Son, an engineer by profession, who set himself on fire in front of the offices of the Provincial People’s Committee in Da Nang, a port city in central Vietnam. Official media said his death was accidental, caused by an explosion to the gas tank of his motorcycle.

Recently, pro-democracy activists and bloggers breaking from the party line were summoned by police for interrogation. Their homes were searched and their computers seized.