Vietnam Overview

http://www.ri.net/middletown/gaudet/studentwork/human_rights/human_rights_block_c/vietnam2_jc/index.htm



Overview:

Vietnam is a country located in Southeast Asia. It is south of China, west of the South China Sea and runs alongside Thailand and Laos. Vietnam is very diverse when it comes to religions and languages. Some languages are Vietnamese (official language), English, French, and Chinese. Vietnam is a Communist country, so most people don’t have much freedom. The people in Vietnam are often abused, ignored, and lack human rights. These violations were starting to take notice in 2002 and worsened in 2004, but little has been done about it. The Vietnam citizens aren’t being treated like they should. They aren’t being treated like human beings, even though they are just as much human as the rest of us.


Violations:
Adults and even children aren’t treated like they should be in Vietnam. Factories and other manual labor jobs force children, which are usually fifteen years old or younger, to work countless hours. They are exposed to hazardous materials that can cause severe harm to them. On top of that, the children are often mentally and physically abused by the person who hires them. Each year, thousands of children (mostly girls) and women are trafficked in Vietnam. Trafficking children and women means they are kidnapped or taken and are forced to work into prostitution to make money for their captor. They work on the streets that are usually in high standard living areas so the person that forced them can make more money. Children can’t look forward to the life ahead that they could have, because they are usually trapped with that job and can never leave. If they are lucky enough to escape, they would have no money with them and would be living in poverty. They children and women work for their captor as servants and laborers. People in Vietnam haven little to no freedom of expression. Newscasters and journalists aren’t allowed to give direct criticism to the government. The media also isn’t allowed to travel outside of Hanoi without permission from the Foreign Ministry. People have been arrested and tried for charges for being overheard about criticizing the government. Also in Vietnam, there aren’t many freedoms when it comes to religion. Protestant and Christians are forced to give up practicing their religion or they will be sentenced to jail.

Government Structure:
Since Vietnam is a Communist country, everyone has to have everything equal (besides the leaders). They have to follow the rules and laws of their dictator or they will have consequences. Everyone gets the same pay, practices the same religion (if they have any), and lives practically the same lifestyle. Although these are the ways they are suppose to live, people still practice their own religions, say what they want about the government, and live their own way. Some of the dictators let the power go to their heads, so they believe they are better than the citizens. therefore, they think the citizens can be treated any way the dictators want.

Personal Motivation:
What drives people to cause these human rights violations is the power that they have. In a communist country, the dictators have a separate way of living because they don’t have to follow the rules they create. The dictators or rulers make themselves believe that they have all of the power; therefore other people shouldn’t be treated like they should. The citizens have no importance to the dictators, so whatever happens to them isn’t a big deal to the dictators. What also drives them is that they are a poor country. So the more work they produce, the more money they will make. Therefore, more people need to work long hours to make that money, including children.

Education:
Vietnam’s education and health care are very low. Most children are forced into working at young ages or forced into trafficking. So they can’t get the education they need to live a successful life. If children don’t grow up with education, then they won’t be able to support their families in the future. The health care is low because when they are forced into work, they are usually exposed to hazardous materials which can cause great damage to their health. Even children are exposed to deadly chemicals, pesticides, and other dangerous materials.


Economic Status:
Vietnam’s economy plays a big roll on how these people are being treated. Vietnams per capita GDP is 2,800 per year, making this country very poor. To make more money so the economy will get better, there needs to be more people working jobs and working long hours. Most children are forced into working at a young age, giving them no time for education. Families rarely get to see their mothers or fathers or even daughters or sons because they are working countless hours. This is all for the governments selfish needs.


Resolution:
The Vietnamese government should ease up on a few of their laws. They should release the people they have under house arrest or in jail because of their freedom of religion or political arguments and send them to a center where they can peacefully practice what they need to. They need to take children out of working at young ages and trafficking at young ages so they can get an education. Because it might not be making them money now, but in the outcome, they will have a better economy. They are just as much human as the dictators are so they need to be treated like humans. The government is skating on thin ice by abusing the citizens of Vietnam and people are reacting to their decisions. Organizations to protect these people should take action. You can still be a communist country but not abuse the citizens. That is what the Vietnamese government needs to realize.