Que Me : Action for Democracy in
Vietnam is a non-profit
organisation of democratic Vietnamese founded in Paris
in October 1975. Its aims are to increase international
awareness of the human rights situation, mobilize support
for victims of human rights abuses and promote efforts
for democracy in Vietnam. It has published Quê Me (Homeland),
a Vietnamese-language magazine since February 1976. The
magazine is circulated underground in Vietnam and amongst
the Vietnamese diaspora. It promotes democratic ideas,
human rights education and culture, and provides a podium
for all those working for the development of individual
liberties and human rights in Vietnam. Quê Me : Action
for Democracy in Vietnam conducts human rights campaigns
through its international organ, the Vietnam Committee
on Human Rights (VCHR). Vo Van Ai is the VCHR
President, Penelope Faulkner is Vice-President
and Vo Tran Nhat is Executive Secretary.
The VCHR's board of Advisers include : Marc Blondel
(Force Ouvriere Labour Union, France), Vladimir Boukowsky
(Russia), Bill Bradley (former Senator, USA), Larry
Diamond (Hoover Institution, USA), Paul Goma
(Roumania), Charles D. Gray (former Head, International
Dept., AFL-CIO, USA), Senator Orrin G. Hatch (USA),
David Kilgour (MP, former Deputy Speaker of the
Canadian Parliament), Stephen Nedzynski (Poland),
Douglas Pike (Vietnam Center, University of Texas,
USA), Leonid Plyush (Ukraine). Other founder members are : Milovan
Djilas (Writer, former Yugoslavia), Eugene Ionesco
(Playwright, Member of French Academy), Lane Kirkland
(Former President, AFL-CIO, USA), Jean-Francois
Revel (France).
As an affiliate of the Paris-based International Federation
of Human Rights Leagues (FIDH)
founded in 1922, the VCHR has consultative status at the
UNO, UNESCO and the Council of Europe. Vo Van Ai is the
overseas human rights spokesman for the Unified Buddhist
Church of Vietnam and Director of the International Buddhist
Information Bureau in Paris.
