{"id":46888,"date":"2023-01-27T20:57:31","date_gmt":"2023-01-27T20:57:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/queme.org\/?p=46888"},"modified":"2023-01-27T21:02:32","modified_gmt":"2023-01-27T21:02:32","slug":"vo-van-ai-has-passed-away","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/vo-van-ai-has-passed-away\/","title":{"rendered":"Vietnamese writer and human rights defender Thi V\u0169 V\u00f5 V\u0103n \u00c1i has passed away"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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PARIS, 27\nJanuary 2023 (VCHR) \u2013 The Vietnam Committee on Human Rights<\/strong> (VCHR) and Qu\u00ea\nM\u1eb9: Action for Democracy in Vietnam<\/strong> are deeply grieved to announce that V\u00f5\nV\u0103n \u00c1i<\/strong>, founder and President of our two organizations passed away in Paris\non Thursday 26 January 2023 after a long struggle against illness. He was 88.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

V\u00f5\nV\u0103n \u00c1i, <\/strong>also\nknown by his pen-name Thi V\u0169, <\/strong>was a <\/strong>human rights defender, writer and\npoet. A Buddhist and proponent of non-violence, he devoted\nhis life to the movement for freedom, democracy and human rights in Vietnam. Through\nhis long years of advocacy, he inspired young generations of civil society\nactivists to use international channels to speak out against oppression and press\nfor improvements and lasting change in Vietnam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Born in Central Vietnam in 1935, he was\narrested and tortured at the age of 11 for participating in the resistance\nmovement and for the independence of Vietnam. In 1964, he became overseas\nrepresentative of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) and worked\nactively in support of the nonviolent Buddhist movement for democracy and peace.\nAfter Vietnam was unified in 1975, in Paris he founded Qu\u00ea M\u1eb9 <\/em>(Homeland),\na magazine on culture, democracy and human rights circulated clandestinely in\nVietnam and in the Vietnamese diaspora worldwide. In 1976 he founded the\nVietnam Committee on Human Rights (VCHR), and spoke regularly at the United\nNations and other international fora.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

V\u00f5 V\u0103n \u00c1i played a key role in calling\nworld attention to human rights abuses under the communist regime by drawing up\nthe first map of \u201cre-education camps\u201d with\n150 camps and 800,000 prisoners,and launched a campaign that led\nto the release of hundreds of thousands of religious and political prisoners.\nIn 1978 he helped initiate a campaign to launch of the “Ile de Lumiere”<\/em>, the first rescue ship to save\nVietnamese Boat People fleeing for freedom on the South China seas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thi V\u0169 V\u00f5 V\u0103n \u00c1i was also well known as a poet, writer and historian. He lectured extensively on Vietnamese culture, history and philosophy in Europe, Asia and the USA, and contributed to publications such as Le Monde, <\/em>the Wall Street Journal, World Affairs Journal <\/em>etc. In addition to numerous articles and reports, his written works include 21 books of poetry, essays and philosophy, as well as studies on Buddhism and Vietnamese history. Many of his literary works are available on the Vietnamese website Gi\u00f3 O<\/a><\/em>. Just days before his passing, he finished work on a book on Vietnamese Buddhism and democracy which we will publish shortly. We will publish more details of his life in the next posting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

V\u00f5 V\u0103n \u00c1i was loved and appreciated by people all over the world. Below are some comments welcoming the International Freedom Prize awarded to him by Societ\u00e0 Libera in Italy in 2011:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mairead Corrigan Maguire, Nobel Peace Prize laureate,\nIreland: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI have great pleasure in congratulating Vo\nVan Ai on the occasion of his being awarded the<\/em> <\/em>\u2018International\nAward to Freedom\u2019 from the Societ\u00e0 Libera in Italy. This award is richly\ndeserved, as Vo Van Ai has dedicated his life in courageous, loving and\npersevering service for human rights and democracy for the people of\nVietnam. I join my voice with his many friends in Vietnam and around the\nworld in congratulating and thanking Vo Van Ai, for his inspirational life and\nwork for Vietnam and humanity.” <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Carl\nGershman, President, National Endowment for Democracy, USA:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cVo Van Ai is a true champion of the cause of\nfreedom. During the long, dark years since the fall of South Vietnam in 1975,\nhe has never let the world forget the plight of the Vietnamese people and the\nsteadfast refusal of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam to submit to\ntotalitarian control. He has always spoken and acted with quiet dignity, but he\nis unyielding in his determination to defend the political and religious rights\nof the Vietnamese people. He has the courage of his convictions and a will of\niron. He is held in the highest regard by everyone associated with the World\nMovement for Democracy, and speaking on behalf of the National Endowment for\nDemocracy, I am delighted to salute him and to congratulate him upon receiving\nthe International Freedom Prize. No one is more deserving of such an honor\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thor\nHalvorssen, Founder and CEO of the Oslo Freedom Forum,
\nPresident, Human Rights Foundation, New York:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cVo Van\nAi has devoted his life to the peaceful struggle for democracy and individual\nrights in Vietnam. As one of the most outspoken and determined leaders of the\nfreedom movement for his country, Vo Van Ai was the first to draw the world’s\nattention to the more than one-million people arbitrarily sent to Vietnamese\n“re-education camps.” With an unshakable commitment to justice, he is\nan inspiration to those fighting for human rights across the globe. This award\nis fully deserved and reveals the wisdom of those who chose him. I join you in\ncelebrating Vo Van Ai–a pillar in the fight for human dignity–and hope that\nhis courageous colleagues inside Vietnam take heart that their plight under\nthat cruel dictatorship is increasingly recognized around the world as\nintolerable.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Souhayr Belhassen, President,\nInternational Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Paris:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOn behalf of the FIDH, I congratulate you for being awarded the 9th<\/sup>\nInternational Special Prize for Freedom by the Italian organisation Societ\u00e0\nLibera. It has been our honour to have worked with the Vietnam Committee on\nHuman Rights under your leadership to advance internationally recognised human\nrights in Viet Nam. The struggle for greater freedom in Viet Nam continues. The\nVietnamese authorities take severe measures to prevent the emergence of\nindependent civil society and those calling for human rights and democracy have\nbeen swiftly stifled, persecuted, intimidated or imprisoned. In light of the\nsilence enforced by the Government of Viet Nam, it is ever more important that independent\nVietnamese human rights defenders can have their voice heard nationally,\nregionally and internationally. The Prize is thus a deserving recognition of\nyour tireless efforts to demand greater respect and protection of human rights\nand to lend a strong voice to the silent majority in Viet Nam where the mere\nexercise of, and aspirations for, fundamental freedoms entail great personal\nrisks\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robert LaGamma, President, Council for a Community of Democracies, USA:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am delighted to that\nyou are to be awarded the Italian \u201cInternational Freedom Prize\u201d for a life\ndevoted to advancing the cause of human rights.<\/em> <\/em>I speak for all your colleagues on the\nInternational Non-governmental Steering Committee of the Community of\nDemocracies in saying how very proud we are to be associated with you at a time\nin which you are justly recognized for your many contributions. We can only\nimagine how difficult it is to struggle for so many years on behalf of an\noppressed people. Your struggle has been heroic which contrasts with your own\nmodesty and self-effacement. This recognition for your indomitable\ncommitment should send a signal of encouragement to all those who support the\nrights of ordinary people everywhere\u201d.  <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therese Jebsen, Rafto Foundation, Bergen, Norway:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOn behalf of the Rafto Foundation, we wish to\nexpress our heartfelt congratulations to Vo Van Ai. It is extremely well\ndeserved that he is presented with the 2011 “International Award to\nFreedom”. Through many years, the Rafto Foundation has followed and\nsupported Vo Van Ai’s tireless and self sacrificing work for religious freedom\nand human rights in Vietnam. By his high moral standard, competence,\npersistence and courage, Vo Van Ai has made a deep impression on us, and we are\nhonored and proud to be able to salute him on this special occasion.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

World Forum for Democratization in Asia, Taiwan:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe World Forum for Democratization in Asia\n(WFDA) warmly congratulates Dr. Vo Van Ai on receiving the 2011 \u201cInternational\nAward to Freedom\u201d \u2026<\/em> <\/em>We believe this award is a fitting tribute to Dr. Vo Van Ai\u2019s decades of\nselfless service to the cause of freedom, democracy, and peace in his home\ncountry and throughout the region. We hope that it will serve to raise\ninternational awareness about the grim human rights situation that continues in\nVietnam and to enhance global solidarity among human rights defenders and\nfreedom fighters\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hon.Matteo Mecacci MP, Italy, Rapporteur for the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBravo! I can tell you\nthat you have been our inspiration for a long time. Your resilience in the\nstruggle for freedom, through nonviolence, despite all difficulties and\nthe acceptance by the “free world” of Vietnam as a strategic partner\nfor economic development must be acknowledged, and be remembered for the\nday when freedom will come to Vietnam. We will be there with you!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

George Matthews, Chairman, Institute of Social Sciences, New Delhi, India:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPlease accept my hearty\ncongratulations. From the day I met you for the first time, I was a great\nadmirer of your relentless struggle for freedom and democracy. This\ninternational recognition of your life time achievement makes all of us proud.\nYou are a role model for many those who are struggling for liberty, equality\nand freedom\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

PARIS, 27 January 2023 (VCHR) \u2013 The Vietnam Committee on Human Rights (VCHR) and Qu\u00ea M\u1eb9: Action for Democracy in Vietnam are deeply grieved to announce that V\u00f5 V\u0103n \u00c1i, founder and President of our two organizations passed away in Paris on Thursday 26 January 2023 after a long struggle against illness. He was 88. …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":434,"featured_media":46892,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[137,113,98,64],"tags":[423,619],"class_list":["post-46888","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-latest-posts","category-news","category-press-release","category-vchr","tag-matteo-mecacci","tag-souhayr-belhassen"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46888","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/434"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46888"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46888\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/46892"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46888"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46888"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46888"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}