Vietnam and Bill S-219:
history should not be left to the victors
A bill introduced in the Canadian Senate to commemorate the struggle that began
for refugees on the day Vietnam fell to the communists is generating friction
between Hanoi and Ottawa. Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has written directly
to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper to register his concern over the
measure, which would declare April 30 an official day to observe the exodus of
South Vietnamese refugees after the fall of Saigon in 1975.
Dung warned in his letter that the bill
presents a distorted version of Vietnam’s history and could damage the
bilateral relations both countries have worked to build. The letter was
provided to the Privy Council Office and delivered to the Canadian Embassy in
Hanoi in December.
The bill was first introduced by Sen. Thanh Hai
Ngo, a 68-year-old Conservative Party lawmaker as “Black April Day” the term
the refugees use for South Vietnam’s capitulation, in April of 2014. The
measure’s name was changed to the “Journey to Freedom Act” to make it somewhat
more palatable. It is now before the
House of Commons Canadian Heritage Committee for study after its second reading
The measure is causing waves at a time when
Ottawa is seeking to improve its economic relationship with Vietnam. The government has named Vietnam a priority
investment target and is seeking to become a partner in the Trans-Pacific
Partnership trade agreement now under review.
Although of faint consequence to Canadians, the
bill, however symbolic should it come to pass, carries with it great meaning
for the 60,000-odd Vietnamese who now live in Canada. It would designate the day each year as a day
to remember the journey of Vietnamese refugees following the fall of Saigon.
Ngo himself is a former officer in the Vietnamese army who fled Vietnam as the
country collapsed.. He is the first Canadian of Vietnamese descent to serve in
the Canadian upper house.
The bill is not, nor has it been proposed to
be, a holiday. Its language has been softened to the point where it is not an
attempt to condemn anyone or any government. It is, if nothing else, a day on
the calendar to reflect on events that, however tragic the circumstances, gave
birth to Canada’s small but thriving Vietnamese community. Its proponents say
it is a day to recognize the generosity of Canada but most especially those
Canadians who opened their hearts and doors to so many Vietnamese refugees – an
act of humanitarianism that today has largely been forgotten save for those
whose lives were touched.
Much has been said and written on the aftermath
of the Vietnam War. Yet, due perhaps to the unsavory nature of the conflict,
there is little understanding of the consequences faced by South Vietnamese
citizens in the wake of their country’s capitulation to North Vietnam. From
political persecutions to re-education camps to famine, those who had opposed
the North Vietnamese regime during the war faced a bleak future should they
remain behind.
The bill apparently has stalled. Ngo, in a
prepared statement, said that the Liberal Party, by refusing to support it,
“has given into pressure from a foreign government – namely that of the
Socialist Republic of Vietnam – rather than listen to the voices of Canada’s
Vietnamese community.”
Perhaps not surprisingly, the Government of
Vietnam has opposed the senate bill, desiring that the past to remain where it
belongs. This opposition is expected and should not come as a surprise. Whereas
April 30 is sometimes recognized as Black April Day by those who fled the
Communist regime, it is celebrated in Vietnam as the day on which their country
was unified.
Today, Vietnam is a vibrant and youthful nation
with great potential. It is, of course, far from perfect. Democracy remains out
of reach and individual freedoms are limited. Nevertheless, the people are warm
and friendly, and the country is beautiful. History, however, should not be
left to the victors.
The experience of Vietnamese refugees differs
sharply from those who had supported the other side. While the winners can look
forward to enjoying their victory, those who lost were forced to gather their bearings and rebuild their lives.
The bill won’t rewrite history or return South Vietnam to those who once called
it home. It will, however, recognize that a people’s suffering did not end with
the war.
It is with the passage of time that first
generation Vietnamese-Canadians have grown and found their footing in Canadian society.
Difficult though it may have been, the sacrifice and hard work of first
generation Vietnamese-Canadians have established the foundations for their
children and grandchildren to succeed, thrive, and enjoy benefits their parents
and grandparents did not and could not enjoy. Yet, none of this would have been
possible without the unfailing kindness of Canadians.
In much the same way as the contribution of
Canadians towards the cause of refugees was recognized by the United Nations
High Commissioner for Refugees in 1986 through the award of the Nansen Refugee
Award, the Journey to Freedom Act speaks to all Canadians and not only those of
Vietnamese descent. The measure would honor the sacrifice of the Vietnamese
refugees and people of Canada. This is, indeed, a day for commemoration,
remembrance and gratitude.
Khanh Vu Duc is a lawyer and part-time law professor at the
University of Ottawa. His research covers Vietnamese politics, international
relations and international law.
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