Protesters demand an end to oppression in Viet Nam

Protests have followed the trail of Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet during his hisc U.S. visit and meeting with President Bush, the Union-Tribune reported Sunday.

Around 2,000 protesters stood outside Triet’s hotel in California on Saturday to show their support for the victims of human rights violations during Viet Nam’s ongoing democracy crackdown. “In Vietnam, anybody who is against him ends up in jail,” said Loc Nguyen, a political refugee at the protest.

The protest came the day after Triet’s meeting at the White House on Friday. While the topics included increased trade relations with Viet Nam, Bush seemed to allude to the crackdown when he stressed the importance of democracy and free expression in his public remarks.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Triet said that Viet Nam does not need improvements in human rights protection. “It's not a question of improving or not. Vietnam has its own legal framework, and those who violate the law will be handled,” he said.

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