Viet Nam Human Rights
No-U Club: A football club or a reactionary group
31/1/16
As tensions between Beijing
and Hanoi escalate over the South
China Sea in May, 2014, Vietnamese anti-government elements have
found a new form of sabotage: football. Yes, at first, it sounds funny, but then,
with their sophisticated schemes, they have turned a sport to kind of
reactionary, a football club to an anti-State
of Vietnam group. Let see
what this football club is doing.
Established in 2011, they call
themselves "No U FC" -- a reference to their opposition to the
U-shaped “nine-dash line” that China draws on maps to assert its sovereignty
over almost the entire South China Sea, passing close to Vietnam, then around
Malaysia and north to the Philippines, an area where potential oil deposits,
strategic shipping routes and fishing rights converge in one of Asia's most
combustible territorial disputes.
They
came together during protests against China’s
expansionist moves in the South China Sea. For
years, dozens of players and supporters of No-U FC, mostly anti-government
dissidents, have gathered every Sunday in Hanoi,
Vietnam’s
capital, to kick a ball around — and talk reactionary plots. They also have
joined together in political campaigns that caused turbulence and disorder on
streets. They aim to promote so-called civil society movement in Vietnam that is
misused purposely to protest the Party and State of Vietnam.
"FC" stands for Football Club, but some extreme
considers it as "Fuck China".
Its’ members are mostly dissidents and anti-government individuals such as Le
Van Dung, Nghiem Ngoc Trai, Nguyen Tien Nam, Nguyen Chi Tuyen, La Viet Dung,
Pham Van Chinh, Nguyen Lan Thang, Nguyen Van Dung, Dang Thi Phuong Bich, Bui
Minh Hang,… But, after a short time, due to internal conflicts, some have
separated from the club and acted on their own.
Among the club's fans are notorious
dissidents for anti-government activities such as Le Gia Khanh, 80, who was
imprisoned for six years for helping former colonial ruler France during the
First Indochina War that ended in 1954. He was jailed a second time during the
Vietnam War with the United
States. They wore
black-and-white soccer jerseys with a crossed-out U-shaped crest on the front.
Emblazoned on the back: "Hoàng Sa", the Vietnamese name for disputed
islands also known as the Paracels. The club now has hundreds of members
nationwide. Most have been jailed — some
are currently in prison.
Like many Vietnamese, they are angry
that China seized control of the Paracel Islands after a battle with South
Vietnamese forces in 1974; that it continues to harass Vietnamese fishermen;
and that it has now embarked on a massive program of land reclamation in the
Spratly archipelago. But the anger goes a wrong way. In March 2015, they took
advantage of Hanoi’s
program of chopping down trees on the streets to conduct anti-government
propaganda. In November 2015, several members of No-U FC took to the streets
again to protest a visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping which totally goes
against the country’s interests and diplomatic courtesy.
As
members of No-U FC describe it, they try to distort the Party and State of
Vietnam’s policies by false allegations that the Communist Party in Vietnam is not defending the country’s national
interests in the South China Sea because it depends on China’s Communist leaders to shore
up its rule. They propagandize that their target is democracy — multiparty
democracy, freedom and a more equal society.
Internet
penetration has mushroomed, with nearly
45 million people — almost half the population — now
online. Facebook is enormously popular among the young. In this environment,
No-U FC has inspired others to form small civil society groups across Vietnam. The
unregistered groups work on anything from land protests to calling the release
of prisoners who have broken laws.
So, as that, we can see the true face of this club, self-claimed as
patriots but not, what they really do is to sabotage the administration of the
Party and State of Vietnam for their own benefits under the names of democracy
and freedom which our Party and State have been widely admitted as done quite
good.
It’s sad that some members of No-U club
are intellectuals and bloggers whose anger is abused beyond Beijing to sensitive domestic issues — from a
widening rich-poor divide to land evictions and go against the government.
They criticized the government for what
they see as a weak response to assertions of Chinese sovereignty, especially
when China brought the
oil-rig HD981 into Vietnam’s
EEZ.
"The Vietnam
government needs to put more pressure on China," they said.
But, they should share condolences for Vietnam’s leaders that the country’s economy
depends heavily on China.
Imported Chinese machinery, refined oil and steel are at the heart of Vietnam's factory-fuelled economy, stretching Vietnam's trade deficit with China which our
Party and State have worked hard to downgrade. I share the same Chinese
resentment that runs deep, rooted in feelings of national pride and the
struggle for independence after decades of war and colonialism. Faded grey
pagodas etched with Chinese characters are studded around Hanoi, a reminder of the more than 1,000
years of Chinese rule that ended in the 10th century. Even, some recall the invasion
of Chinese forces in northern Vietnam
in 1979 and the border skirmishes that continued into the 1980s.
But, at this time, we must refrain from
hard protests. However, Vietnam’s
authorities have done its jobs to raise condemnations on China’s activities on the South
China Sea. So, let the government do its jobs and have faith,
because after all, we are all Vietnamese./.
Popular Posts
-
Religion is a part of the spiritual life in society, this phenomenon of the superstructure has been strongly changed with economic - social... -
Vietnam has just done well for the second cycle of Universal Periodical Review (UPR) in Geneva, Switzerland. So, what’s the UPR? an... -
Thai people in Shutdown Bangkok protests Not until this crisis, we have realized the ne... -
A street flowers vendor in Hanoi Another new spring has come to Vietnam, bring... -
Representatives from foreign countries congratulate Viet Nam on its election to the Human Rights Council for the first time on November ... -
If nothing changes, there will be a preferential credit program with hundreds of thousands billion of capital for agriculture and r... -
Recently, several anti-governmental individuals have established series of illegal groups and organizations in the name of civil soci... -
Radio Free Asia (RFA) is a private, nonprofit international broadcasting agency of the United States government that broadcasts and...
All comments [ 16 ]
protesting China' illegal actions in the East Sea shows patriotism, but taking advantage of this action against the Goverment is unacceptable
in Vietnam many groups disguised fight for democracy but actually intend against the State
No-U is an clear anti-State of Vietnam group, not a pure football clup
right, all members of this club include anti-government people
No-U try to distort Vietnam’s policies by false allegations that the Communist Party in Vietnam is not defending the country’s national interests in the East Sea because it depends on China’s Communist leaders to shore up its rule.
Yes, there's no football club like this, they are just mixed group that aims to undermine the leadership of our Party and State.
Not just only them who worry about the country's sovereignty!
I agree with Deck Hero14, we are all Vietnamese people, we all concern for our country, our fatherland, but not like what they have done.
we can see the true face of this club, self-claimed as patriots but not, what they really do is to sabotage the administration of the Party and State of Vietnam for their own benefits.
So funny that they said they propagandize that their target is democracy — multiparty democracy, freedom and a more equal society. Who could believe in that?
Who, I don't!
It's dangerous that they think what they have done are right, and among them there are some intellectuals.
They are totally an reactionary group, no discussion. I think we all know can see their true face now.
They should share condolences for Vietnam’s leaders that the country’s economy depends heavily on China. And, once we oppose China so harsh, our people, our economy will be affected negatively.
We may admit that their purpose is firstly good, but their actions are wrong and have caused many problems for the country.
Yeah, let the government do its jobs and keep the faith1
Your comments