HANOI, Aug 17, 2007 (AFP) - The Australian publisher of an email newsletter in communist Vietnam said Friday the media company was "under official attack" after carrying news articles with political content.
Police in Hanoi have investigated www.intellasia.com for allegedly operating without a proper license while a state-controlled newspaper Friday accused it of spreading "illegal" and "reactionary" content.
"Intellasia has been a very active promoter of investing in Vietnam for many years now," Australian proprietor Jonathan Leech said in an online statement. "But unfortunately today, August 17, Intellasia is under official attack."
The publication -- which has a Hanoi office and emails digests of mainly financial but also general news -- said they had been subject to "six weeks of harassment and interrogation."
State media reports said Intellasia "illegally operates a website without a license," and they showed images of the site carrying news agency reports, some about court trials of Vietnamese political dissidents.
The police-run newspaper An Ninh Thu Do said: "For years, the website has operated illegally and posted many distorted and reactionary articles about Vietnam's politics, human rights and democracy."
It said the business license granted by the Hanoi Department of Planning and Investment only allowed it to operate "in the fields of advertising, commerce, market news provision, consultancy for information and informatics sector."
Leech, the proprietor and editor, said the website is run from a US-based server, its content is managed by a US company, and it is "owned and operated by two Australians, one in Vietnam and the other in Australia."
"Intellasia has always endeavoured to present a fair picture of what is happening in Vietnam during the good and lean times over the years," Leech wrote. "But now that the country has joined the WTO (World Trade Organisation), things have suddenly reverted ominously."
"This is a very dark day for what should be a civilised country to operate in," wrote Leech. "And it should be noted that any foreigner or foreign organisation here in Vietnam that also operates a website abroad could at any time suddenly find themselves in a similar position of persecution."
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Why this Blog?
There are 2 main reasons for this site:
1) There are many young Vietnamese who care about issues concerning Vietnam and the Vietnamese Diaspora, but cannot, or are not very proficient, at reading Vietnamese. Therefore, this site compiles and disseminates these news in English, so that the new generation of Vietnamese around the world can become more aware and, thus, closer to issues in the homeland.
2) Young Vietnamese have many ideas, many differing views on the prospects to democratize and develop Vietnam. The argument for peaceful development verses demands for justice and human rights. Which comes first? Can a civil, peaceful society be built without foundations of social justice?
These are the issues YOU can debate on this site. But remember, say what you mean, and mean what you say, but don't be mean when you say it.
1) There are many young Vietnamese who care about issues concerning Vietnam and the Vietnamese Diaspora, but cannot, or are not very proficient, at reading Vietnamese. Therefore, this site compiles and disseminates these news in English, so that the new generation of Vietnamese around the world can become more aware and, thus, closer to issues in the homeland.
2) Young Vietnamese have many ideas, many differing views on the prospects to democratize and develop Vietnam. The argument for peaceful development verses demands for justice and human rights. Which comes first? Can a civil, peaceful society be built without foundations of social justice?
These are the issues YOU can debate on this site. But remember, say what you mean, and mean what you say, but don't be mean when you say it.
4 comments:
To whom it May concern
Police department TP HCM
Attention: Canadian Embassy, Australia Embassy, Common Wealth Embassy
Subject: Vietnamese online Scams
To inform all the Excellencies about the scams that can be found on Vietnamese online website
This website uses underage girls. These girls are encouraged to offer their bodies in exchange for money, VISAS and Marriage.
This group brings foreigners into the country; they provide hotel rooms, Tourist VISA, Etc.
The girl is introduced; often time not the girl originally in the online profile picture. They proceed to go on “dates” by the second date the girls tell a sad story; sometimes as dramatic as a grandmother or brother in the hospital or as symbol a mobile phone has been stolen. Always theses stories end with a need of money. They real crime is the age of some of theses girls. They often have faked IDs and are encourages to lie about there age. Often they are not even “dating” just one man they are dating several. These Taxi girls can be found online, in the bars and coffee shops around Vietnam.
This girl can be found on this website with this profile.
my email for chat luthihien@yahoo.com
i have a picture and more info for your news letters..call me ...01228084130
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