Vietnam-U.S Society denounces shameless fabrication


Ha Noi, Jan. 19 (VNA) -- The Viet Nam-U.S. Society described a recent article entitled "Terrifying Abuses in Viet Nam", carried by the Washington Times on Jan. 13, as a shameless fabrication.

In a letter dated Jan. 19 to the Washington Times' editorial board, the Viet Nam-U.S. Society pointed out that the paper's Jan. 13 article written by Michael Benge, a senior adviser to the Montagnard Human Rights Organisation, distorted the situation in central highland region of Tay Nguyen, and slandered Viet Nam's policies toward ethnic minority people.

The letter read: "The U.S. war in Viet Nam killed more than three million people and left behind it extremely severe consequences. For nearly 30 years now, the Vietnamese people have been living in peace, exercising their policy of national unity, giving mutual assistance to one another, including help to the Tay Nguyen people to build a better life".

"We have learnt that the article's author - Michael Benge - has been serving as a senior adviser to Montargnard Foundation. He had directly engaged in the US war in Viet Nam for many years. Since then he has kept carrying out sabotage acts against Viet Nam, helping hostile forces to hinder the normalisation of Viet Nam-U.S. relations. He plotted to use human rights, religion and ethnic issues to cause instability in and act against Viet Nam. The Vietnamese people and people with conscience and goodwill in the U.S. strongly condemn the slanderous allegations against Viet Nam, considering it an act running counter to the progress of the normalisation process of Viet Nam-U.S. ties."

"The Vietnamese people have put aside the past and are looking toward the future. We call on the US Congress and people not to be deceived by people like Michael Benge, as well as not to allow them to undermine the existing relations between the two countries," the letter said.

The Viet Nam-U.S. Society is a mass organisation whose aim is to boost mutual understanding, friendship and cooperation between the peoples of Viet Nam and the U.S.--VNA