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| Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan (1937-2023). |
1. In the last decades of the 20th century, the issue of human rights has received widespread international attention. Imperialism and hostile forces have used it as an important tool - a breakthrough, to sabotage and interfere in the internal affairs of socialist countries and national independent countries, including Vietnam, causing the system of socialist countries to collapse en masse. In that situation, on July 12, 1992, the Central Party Secretariat (7th tenure) issued Directive 12 on "The issue of human rights and the viewpoints and policies of our Party". This was the first time that our Party issued a very important Directive, clearly presenting the viewpoints and policies of the Party in the field of human rights, setting out urgent tasks that need to be done immediately by the entire political system in ensuring human rights and responding to dangerous attacks by the enemy. Assisting the Steering Committee is the Standing Office.
In 2002 (after the 9th Party Congress), Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan was assigned to be the Head of the Steering Committee. Immediately after taking office (2002-2006), Mr. Vu Khoan directed the summary of Directive 12 of the Secretariat to evaluate the results achieved, the shortcomings, difficulties, and obstacles to propose solutions for the following period.
After 12 years of Directive 12 being issued, the first National Conference on Human Rights Work convened leaders of central ministries, departments, and branches and localities to summarize the implementation of Directive 12. This can be considered the Dien Hong Conference on Human Rights Work, assessing the 12 years of implementation (1992-2004) under the leadership of the Party, promoting the combined strength of the political system and the entire people, the work of protecting human rights has achieved many very important achievements; proactively fighting and neutralizing activities that take advantage of democracy and human rights to cause instability. Directive 12 was issued in a timely manner, effectively responding to the activities of sabotage of ideology and internal political sabotage by hostile forces that take advantage of human rights issues, contributing to maintaining political stability. However, the implementation of Directive 12 revealed many shortcomings: the awareness of a number of cadres and Party members was not complete and unified; The implementation of the Party's resolutions, guidelines, policies, and laws on religious and ethnic affairs in some localities is still confused, weak, and lacking in loopholes; it has not created a proactive position in the struggle for human rights....
Mr. Vu Khoan's request to organize a summary of Directive 12 has brought a new breath of life, promoting a profound change in awareness of human rights work in central and local ministries, departments and branches, which is an important milestone in shaping human rights work in a systematic and in-depth manner, meeting the requirements of the new situation. This is also an important premise for perfecting the Steering Committee on Human Rights in the direction of expanding its members to create a combined strength in the work of ensuring and fighting for human rights. Immediately after the conference to summarize Directive 12, on behalf of the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan signed and issued Directive 41 on "Strengthening the work of protecting and fighting for human rights in the new situation".
It can be said that Directive 41 is a new development in our State's awareness in the field of human rights, marking his important contribution. From here, the task of ensuring and protecting human rights is placed in the top position, because only by protecting human rights for everyone can the struggle for human rights be successful!
Following that, he signed and issued the Working Regulations of the Steering Committee; directed the consolidation of the organization of the Standing Office, upgrading it to an independent unit, including full-time and part-time staff. From here, the activities of the Standing Office became more systematic and effective...
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| The editorial board of Vietnam Human Rights Magazine visited Mr. Vu Khoan at his home in 2020. |
2. Also in 2004, in his capacity as Deputy Prime Minister and Head of the Steering Committee, he directed the compilation of the book "Achievements in the protection and development of human rights in Vietnam" (White Book) published in 2005 in three languages: Vietnamese, English, and French, and the book "Vietnam and the issue of human rights" (Human rights handbook) published in the same year 2005). This was the first time Vietnam had compiled a White Book on human rights, so the departments involved in the compilation were confused about the form and content of the book, how to meet the common criteria of the international community for a white book on human rights to bring about high propaganda effectiveness not only domestically but also abroad, especially at international forums. However, under his close direction, from the name, the detailed outline and finally the content of the book gradually took shape.
Because he published the White Book for the first time and was very careful about the wording, he carefully read the manuscript and directly edited and completed the book before publishing it. The two White Books and the Human Rights Handbook, together with Directives 12 and 41, have become the "bedside books" of many generations of cadres working on human rights from the central to the grassroots levels; becoming the "framework" for us to continue compiling the White Book to update the situation and achievements in ensuring and promoting human rights in Vietnam as well as serving as a basis for building Reports under the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism of the United Nations Human Rights Council, national reports on the implementation of international conventions on human rights of which Vietnam is a member...
3. During his tenure as Deputy Prime Minister and Head of the Steering Committee on Human Rights, human rights dialogue with other countries has been expanded with many partners and in particular, we have been increasingly proactive in fighting at international forums, not allowing countries and NGOs with ill will towards Vietnam to "make waves" and monopolize the forums as before. Under the direct guidance of the members of the Steering Committee, headed by Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan, the coordination between the Steering Committee's member units has become more rhythmic, harmonious and effective, thanks to which our fighting has foiled many plots and activities of hostile forces taking advantage of human rights issues, especially at international forums.
Recall that in 2005, at the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) forum of the United Nations, thanks to the close coordination between the Standing Office of the Steering Committee and the functional units of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we fought fiercely to force the Committee of Non-Governmental Organizations (under ECOSOC) of the United Nations to decide to suspend the consultative status of the “Transnational Progressive Party” (TRP) and reject the application for consultative status of the “Free Vietnam Alliance” (FVA), a terrorist organization of Vietnamese exiles in France. With this important victory, it can be affirmed that the human rights team has grown more and more mature, but at the same time, it shows us that to achieve such success, it is thanks to our increasingly clear direction for human rights work and especially the influence of Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan, who has become a leader and inspiration for human rights officials to confidently perform their duties well.
It can be said that the issue of human rights, from being considered "sensitive" or being avoided, under the leadership of Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan, Head of the Steering Committee on Human Rights, has become a normal issue; from being passive and confused in dealing with the enemy's brutal tricks and attacks, under his correct and skillful direction and guidance, we have proactively fought, not avoiding any issue related to human rights.
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| Mr. Vu Khoan was interviewed by Vietnam Human Rights Magazine in 2019. |
I cannot help but mention a few words about his very impressive working style. I have witnessed many times how he chaired meetings. He did not need the support department to introduce the members or read the opening speech and agenda as usual, he took the initiative and often started with the question "is that enough? If it is enough, let's start working", then he expressed his opinion and assigned a speaker, very different from meetings chaired by others... And when concluding meetings, including large conferences such as the summary of Directive 12, he did not read the document but spoke coherently, going straight to the issues that human rights work was still struggling with, along with clear and concise solutions. His thinking was always ahead, accurately predicting the problem.
After nearly 20 years, the image of a leader with heart and vision, chairing the meetings of the Human Rights Steering Committee in a simple, concise, coherent and precise manner, is still engraved in the minds of generations of cadres working in human rights until now.
| “From that, I learned a lesson for myself that we need to proactively take care of implementing universal values of human rights that coincide with our own traditions and interests. That is the best way to fight against distorted arguments. That absolutely does not mean “laying down our weapons to fight” against forces that deliberately use human rights and democracy issues to sabotage us. Is that “killing two birds with one stone”? “The officials doing this job need to thoroughly understand the cultural characteristics of the ethnic groups and social classes in the countries to “tell people” and not just “tell our own people”. “An extremely important factor is that internally, at least the relevant sectors, need to have a unified perception and act in harmony to hope for the desired results. That is my wish at the beginning of the year.” ( Excerpt from the article "Some memories of "human rights" work" by Mr. Vu Khoan written exclusively for Vietnam Human Rights Magazine, Spring Canh Ty 2020 issue ) |
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