In the past many years, they have worked tirelessly to mobilize for the freedom of Vietnamese democracy activists, who are being persecuted and jailed. Not long ago, they were seeking signatures and petitions for the release of Father Nguyen Van Ly. They mobilized the international community to raise its voice and call for the release of Attorney Nguyen Van Dai. They walked among protestors and marchers demanding for the release of Attorney Le Thi Cong Nhan

They were also Vietnamese.

They lived in Southern California, Paris, Honolulu, Ubon Thailand.

They had their freedom.

They are Nguyen Quoc Quan, Nguyen Thi Thanh Van, Truong Van Ba, and Somsak Khunmi.

They were the ones who have traded their precious freedom for the freedom of the entire people.

In the past many years, for almost their entire life, they lived in hope of freedom. They hoped to have ownership over their fate. They hoped to have a partial ownership of their nation’s future. They struggled in pain witnessing the entire people living in a giant prison while still fear of being jailed in a smaller prison. They have stepped out of their own fear in the face of the brutal regime and stood up to lend a hand and opened the door for freedom and democracy.

They are Nguyen The Vu, Nguyen Trong Khiem, and Nguyen Viet Trung, who have just been arrested from the giant prison and placed in a smaller one.

They are Vietnamese from all corners of the world, from a common vision for the people, they have met each other in Sai Gon and they have shared a common fate on November 17, 2007 when they became prisoners of the dictatorial regime of Communist Vietnam. Their crime: the pursuit of freedom for the people of Vietnam.

They have become prisoners, like Father Ly, Mr. Dai, and Ms. Nhan. But together, they truly are the Symbols of Democracy. If there are no such symbols, freedom will be a dream that will never come. Freedom is not given by anyone but one must stand up and demand it! If there are no such symbols, then there will be no demand for freedom. If there are no such symbols, freedom will truly be dead.

Let’s nurture the Symbols of Freedom. Let’s bring Freedom out of darkness. Let’s do everything that each one of us can do. Let’s use one of our free days to bring back a free life for one person. Let’s use hundreds of our free days to bring back freedom for thousands of lives. Let’s use our free life to bring back Freedom for all the people of Vietnam.

Free Nguyen Thi Thanh Van

Free Nguyen Viet Trung