Visiting a special member – Prisoner of the Century Nguyen Huu Cau

Mr Nguyen Huu Cau tells us about the bizarre verdict imposed upon him which made him a prisoner for 32 years, even longer than Nelson Mandela under apartheid regime in South Africa. He recalls his friends, those prisoners of conscience who lived with him in prison camps, as Viet Khang, Tran Vu Anh Binh, Doan Huy Chuong, Bui Van Trung, etc
Mr Nguyen Huu Cau takes photograph with visitors

Mr Nguyen Huu Cau takes photograph with visitors

FVPOC | 29 Mar 2014
Translated by [rollinglinks]Le Anh Hung[/rollinglinks] (Defend The Defenders)
Tell The World

Mr Nguyen Huu Cau tells us about the bizarre verdict imposed upon him which made him a prisoner for 32 years, even longer than Nelson Mandela under apartheid regime. He recalls his friends, those prisoners of conscience who lived with him in prison camps as Viet Khang, Tran Vu Anh Binh, Doan Huy Chuong, Bui Van Trung, etc.

On 29 March 2014, at about 4pm, Former Vietnam Prisoners of Conscience (FVPOC)’s representatives – Dr Nguyen Dan Que, Dr Pham Chi Dung, Poet Hoang Hung… – paid a visit to Mr Nguyen Huu Cau, a very special member of the association.

Presently, he lives with his daughter, who rents a house in a small alley in District I. Welcoming the visitors, Mr Cau was very happy because two of them had lived with him at Z30A Xuan Loc camp. His health is more stable now as compared with the time when he was set free, but sometimes he has to rub his chest during the conversation.

Mr Nguyen Huu Cau tells us about the bizarre verdict imposed upon him which made him a prisoner for 32 years, even longer than Nelson Mandela under apartheid regime in South Africa. He recalls his friends, those prisoners of conscience who lived with him in prison camps, as Viet Khang, Tran Vu Anh Binh, Doan Huy Chuong, Bui Van Trung, etc. Before the last Tet, it was said that he was to be set free, but then nothing came from the camp’s authorities amid rumours that someone used brick to hurt himself and cause bleeding in order to protest against the guards as well as the communist regime.

Từ trái qua: Ts Phạm Chí Dũng, nhà thơ Hoàng Hưng, ông Kha Lương Ngãi, Bs Nguyễn Đan Quế, ông Nguyễn Hữu Cầu

From left: Dr Pham Chi Dung, Poet Hoang Hung, Mr Kha Luong Ngai, Dr Nguyen Dan Que, Mr Nguyen Huu Cau

On behalf of the FVPOC and the Vietnamese Women for Human Rights, Dr Que presented Mr Cau a sum of 5,000,000VND for his treatment.

Recently, the association has assisted teacher Dinh Dang Dinh, former POC Chu Manh Son and former POC Hoang Khuong (journalist)’s relatives, with 2,000,000VND each case. On behalf of the FVPOC, lawyer Nguyen Van Dai also visited and presented former POC Pham Van Troi’s mother 2,000,000VND.

A short time ago, the association also welcomed a new member from Quang Binh province: Mr Nguyen Trung Truc, 40, who was imprisoned for 21 months in 2001 for those activities that he claimed as of a POC.

Then it was time for Mr Cau’s intravenous feeding. He expressed his thankfulness to his compatriots, both domestic and  overseas, who had interested in and helped him as well as raised their voices for his release. Leaving his home, we were overwhelmed with innermost feelings about the stories of this outspoken and dauntless man.

Bác sĩ Quế trao quà cho ông Nguyễn Hữu Cầu.

Bác sĩ Quế trao quà cho ông Nguyễn Hữu Cầu.