Government of Free Vietnam

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Federal Republic of Vietnam
Chính Phủ Lâm Thời Việt Nam Tự Do
Flag of the Federal Republic of Vietnam
Anthem: "March of the Youths"
Headquarters Garden Grove, California, U.S.
Missouri City, Texas, U.S.
Official languages Vietnamese
Government Government-in-exile
 -  Head of state John C. Cooke
Federal Republic established
 -  Proclaimed April 30, 1995 
Website
www.gfvn.org[dead link]

The Provisional Government of Free Vietnam (GFVN; Vietnamese: Chính Phủ Lâm Thời Việt Nam Tự Do), also known as the Federal Republic of Vietnam, is an anti-communist political[1] organization headquartered in Garden Grove, California, and Missouri City, Texas.

Contents

History [edit]

The Government of Free Vietnam is an anti-communist political organization that was established on April 30, 1995, by its founder Nguyen Hoang Dan. Its headquarters are in both Garden Grove, California, and Missouri City, Texas.

In 1995, Nguyen Huu Chanh was chosen as the Prime Minister, General Linh Quang Vien as Vice Prime Minister, Admiral Lam Nguon Tanh as Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Nguyen Khac Chinh as the Minister of Information, Nguyen Huy Dau as Minister of Justice, Nguyen Son Ha as Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Edgar Foshee as Chairman of the International Committee, and Ngo Trong Anh as President of the advisory council.

The Government of Free Vietnam claims 6,000 members and 100,000 supporters.[citation needed] They also claim 75 chapters in Asia, Australia, and Europe, though these claims are unsustained. Although the GFVN prides itself on its widespread support, many argue that the GFVN never received a true mandate to represent the Vietnamese diaspora community.

In 2004, Nguyen Huu Chanh promised to organize a political upheaval similar to Tiananmen Square Protest 1989 to overthrow Vietnamese communist government in year 2005, but this never materialized. Later, Nguyen Huu Chanh officially stepped down as leader of this organization.

Prior to 2005, the GFVN, was actively trying to remove the Communist government militarily, but due to the threat of being listed a terrorist organization, they ceased military operations. The current organization's goal is to remove the government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam politically.

On January 2, 2005, the Government of Free Vietnam's general assembly elected General Nguyen Khanh, former prime minister of South Vietnam, as the GFVN's chief of state of the newly-christened Federal Republic of Vietnam. Nguyen Huy Dau and lawyer Nguyen Khac Chinh, were also elected president of the Judiciary Council and the National Assembly, respectively.[citation needed] Khanh died in January 2013.

Recently,[when?] three Americans were arrested in Vietnam for plotting to set up an anti-communist broadcast station within the country.[citation needed]

Organization [edit]

Political goals [edit]

The Government of Free Vietnam states that the political goals of its organization are to:

  1. dismantle the Communist government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam by a peaceful, practical and persistent approach;
  2. establish a free and fair elected government of Vietnam;
  3. establish a practical free market economic system;
  4. prohibit all forms of provocation; and
  5. establish the Federal Republic of Vietnam for 2018.

Economy [edit]

The GFVN has an apparent budget of about US$1 million a year, allegedly donated by Vietnamese businessmen around the world[citation needed].

Criticism [edit]

The GFVN has caused drawn much criticism worldwide for its actions and the way it conducts them. Until 2005 the GFVN attempted to conduct military operations to overthrow the government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, however these actions were suspended when the US Government threatened to classify the GFVN as a terrorist organization. The GFVN has been accused of perpetuating many terrorist acts against the Vietnamese government and Vietnamese citizens abroad.

In 1999, Vietnamese police arrested 38 members and seized 37 kilograms of explosives in connection with a plot to bomb statues of Ho Chi Minh to disrupt national Vietnam festivals. The individuals were suspected members of the Government of Free Vietnam.

In September 2000, the Government of Free Vietnam was alleged to be involved in arson at the Vietnamese Embassy compound in London, UK.

In April 2001, the Government of Free Vietnam was alleged to have caused a bomb to explode at the Vietnamese embassy in Phnom Penh, injuring a guard.

In September 2001, Philippine police charged three suspected members for allegedly plotting to bomb the Vietnamese embassy in Manila, they suspected that the Government of Free Vietnam was involved.

In October 2001, The Government of Free Vietnam gained greater attention when a member, Vo Duc Van, was arrested at John Wayne Airport (Orange County Airport) for the attempted bombing of the Vietnamese embassy in Bangkok, Thailand. The arrest led to an outcry by the Communist Vietnamese government to pressure the United States to shutdown the Government of Free Vietnam and led to FBI investigations into Nguyen Huu Chanh and the organization, and demonstrations in support of Vo Duc Van from Vietnamese American communities.

The GFVN has also been accused of fostering hate and dissent within the global Vietnamese community. Yonger generations are more inclined to view the GFVN as a hate group, started by ardent anti-communists unwilling to accept their defeat in the Vietnam War.

See also [edit]

References [edit]

  1. ^ Johnson, Kay (October 29, 2001). "Terror Made in the U.S.A.". Time. Time, Inc. Retrieved February 22, 2013. 

External links [edit]

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