Declaration to Establish The Independent Journalists Association Of Vietnam (IJAVN)
How would the Press and journalists raise their voices according to the true sense of the word “freedom”? How would the Press – once established – carry out its true God given role, critics and build a sustainable social justice for everyone, not bow or tremble before the danger of imminent foreign invasion?
It is therefore high time for the Vietnamese Press and its citizens-journalists to exercise their independent free will and answer these questions. Then to follow the experiment of the most progressive civil society in the world, thus one of the solutions commands us to establish an Independent Vietnam Journalists Association.
* The views regarding the Establishment:
– The Independent Journalists Association of Vietnam (IJAVN) should be one of the many civil society organizations in a socially progressive, democratic and pluralistic, civilized and prosperous Vietnam.
– The Independent Journalists Association of Vietnam will operate upon these premises:
+ The Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of the United Nations of which Vietnam is a member, therefore must comply with its obligations.
+ To follow the freedom of the press, freedom of speech, freedom of association – instituted in Vietnam constitution.
– Through the operation of the Press, the Vietnam Independent Press would operate as an initial non-profit organization, under the principle of peaceful non-violence; with respect for political pluralism, advocating freedom and democracy for all the people in society, and contribute critical rebukes, comments and articles in the national forum.
– The Independent Journalist Association of Vietnam aims to create an intellectual and healthy living environment for our members, especially young writers, in order to promote the freedom of expression and freedom of the press.
– The Independent Journalist Association of Vietnam is composed of those people have worked in journalism regardless of political views, religion, gender, age; irrespective of nationalities, regions, domestic or overseas; they voluntarily commit themselves to true democracy, people’s progress and happiness.
– The Independent Journalists Association of Vietnam operates independently on opinion, personnel, and financial concern.
* The Purposes for the Founding:
– To reflect honest, profound and burning societal and the national issues.
– To rebuke the irrational policies of the state concerning social management and freedom of the press.
– To host exchanges and dialogues with the authorities on press freedom and social management whenever possible. In some cases, we may agree with the State on a number of policies and measures deemed to be popular and beneficial for the people and the country.
– Support for physical, spiritual and active mutual assistance and solidarity between its members.
– Speak up and take action necessary to protect those writing for social progress, but have been harassed, arrested, imprisoned, terrorized… To fight and demands the government of Vietnam to rescind vague and unjust laws in the Criminal Code, used to oppress freedom of the press such as articles 258, 88.
– To attract and train young writers to contribute to Vietnam professional journalism in the future.
– Attract and create an environment for journalists and media contributors, irrespective of state-run newspapers or social media.
* The contents of the main activities:
– Periodic and unscheduled news information and current affairs sessions. Discuss directions and writing topics.
– Organize seminars and workshops on topics of social and national importance.
– Developing a young journalist force to succeed the older journalists.
– Speak up promptly on the cases of people and journalists being abused.
– To transfer hot button issues of the country’s urgent affairs to the international media system.
– To link and cooperate with non-governmental organizations in the international press.
– Operate an online media site for journalists and independent collaborators.
* Organization Structure:
The leadership of the Independent Journalists Association of Vietnam includes the president and a number of vice president, organizing member. The leadership committee is assigned to take their responsible tasks and by region.
Board of Directors:
The President is journalist Pham Chi Dung in charge of general tasks. Email:
phamchidungsg@gmail.com
Vice President of the Journalists Standing Committee is Father Le Ngoc Thanh in charge of South and website. Email:
naygum@gmail.com
Vice President: Journalist Nguyen Tuong Thuy in charge of North. Email:
tuongthuy52@gmail.com
Vice President: The journalist Bui Minh Quoc in charge of Central. Email:
bmquoc40@gmail.com
Member: Journalist Ngo Nhat Dang in charge of two websites Viet Nam Thoi Bao and Vietnam Times. Email:
dangngonhat@gmail.com
Committee Structure:
The Independent Journalists’ Association of Vietnam has several professional boards and web pages (
http://www.hoinhabaodoclap.org,
http://ijavn.org) – the official organs of the Association.
The Independent Journalists Association of Vietnam invites journalists who care for the nation to participate in the Association along with supporters who’d like to join force with the Association and aspiring to be at least of minimal help for the homeland.
All contacts, enrollment and support for The Independent Journalists Association of Vietnam please email:
hoinhabaodoclapvietnam@gmail.com
The Board of Directors of The Independent Journalists Association of Vietnam
– Phạm Chí Dũng
– Lê Ngọc Thanh
– Nguyễn Tường Thụy
– Bùi Minh Quốc
– Ngô Nhật Đăng
Sài Gòn, July 4, 2014
List of original members of the Independent Journalists’ Association Vietnam:
- Bùi Minh Quốc (Đà Lạt)
- Châu Văn Thi (Sài Gòn)
- Chu Vĩnh Hải (Sài Gòn)
- Dương Thị Xuân (Hà Nội)
- Đỗ Trung Quân (Sài Gòn)
- Hạ Đình Nguyên (Sài Gòn)
- Hà Sĩ Phu (Đà Lạt)
- Hồ Ngọc Nhuận (Sài Gòn)
- Huỳnh Công Thuận
- Huỳnh Ngọc Chênh (Sài Gòn)
- Huỳnh Thục Vy (Đắc Lắc)
- Huỳnh Trọng Hiếu (Quảng Nam)
- Kha Lương Ngãi (Sài Gòn)
- Lê Hải (Đà Nẵng)
- Lê Ngọc Thanh (Sài Gòn)
- Lê Phú Khải (Sài Gòn)
- Mai Thái Lĩnh (Đà Lạt)
- Ngô Nhật Đăng (Sài Gòn)
- Nguyễn Đình Ấm (Hà Nội)
- Nguyễn Hoàng Đức (Hà Nội)
- Nguyễn Hữu Vinh JB. (Hà Nội)
- Nguyễn Khắc Toàn (Hà Nội)
- Nguyễn Quốc Thái (Sài Gòn)
- Nguyễn Thanh Giang (Hà Nội)
- Nguyễn Thị Huyền Trang (Sài Gòn)
- Nguyễn Trung Tôn (Thanh Hóa)
- Nguyễn Tường Thụy (Hà Nội)
- Nguyễn Văn Thạnh (Đà Nẵng)
- Nguyễn Vũ Bình (Hà Nội)
- Phạm Bá Hải (Sài Gòn)
- Phạm Chí Dũng (Sài Gòn)
- Phạm Đình Trọng (Sài Gòn)
- Phạm Thành (Hà Nội)
- Phan Thanh Hải (Sài Gòn)
- Tiêu Dao Bảo Cự (Đà Lạt)
- Trần Quang Thành (Séc)
- Trương Minh Đức (Bình Dương)
- Tường An (Pháp)
- Vi Đức Hồi (Lạng Sơn)
- Vũ Quốc Ngữ (Hà Nội)
- Vũ Sỹ Hoàng (Sài Gòn)
- Vũ Thị Phương Anh (Sài Gòn).