Z30 D Survivors

IN HONOR OF THE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF MEN AND Sunday, April 29, 2001

WOMEN WHO DIED IN VIETNAM’S RE-EDUCATION CAMPS THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
At least 165,000 people perished in Vietnam’s re-educa-

tion camps after the fall of Saigon in 1975, according to

published research in the United States and Europe. The

Hanoi government declines comment. Following is a partial
list documented by the Vietnam Human Rights Watch, a pri-
vately funded organization.

C A M P Z 3 0 - DSgt. Abdul Hamide, Tan Lap Re-education Camp (Vinh

Phu), died in 1979. Ali Hung, Navy Seals, executed. Capt.
Anh Dong, Paratrooper Camp 5, Ly Ba So Re-education

The survivorsCamp (Thanh Hoa), died in detention. 1st Lt. Au Duong

Diep, Z30-A Re-education Camp, died from hunger strike
in 1980. Capt. Au Duong Minh, national police, Z20-A 1975-2001
Re-education Camp, died from hunger strike in 1979. Lt.

Col. Bach Van Hien, air traffic control at Tan Son Nhat Air-

port, died of untreated illness at unknown location in

North Vietnam. 2nd Lt. Bao Thanh, 1st Supply Battalion,

Long Giao Re-education Camp (Dong Nai), executed at la-

bor site in December 1978. Bao Trong, deputy commander

for national police, Phan Dang Luu Detention Center, died

after repeated torture. Lt. Bon (family name unknown),

national police, Re-education Camp 4 (Yen Bai), died in

detention. 2nd Lt. Bui Bang Bim, Thanh Hoa Re-education

Camp, hanged himself. Lt. Col. Bui Hien Ton, national po-

lice, Thanh Hoa Re-education Camp, died in 1979. Lt. Col.

Bui Hong Viet, military police, died of untreated illness.

Cpl. Bui Huu Kiet, Nha Do Re-education Camp (Song Be),

died of malnutrition and overwork on April 10, 1977. Bui

Huu Kiet, Nha Do Re-education Camp, tortured to death in

1977. Bui Huu Tinh, Nam Ha Re-education Camp, died un-

der interrogation in 1979. Capt. Bui Kim Dinh, Office of Mil-

itary Security, shot by a camp guard, July 1975. Sgt. Bui

Long Tim, Binh Dinh National Police Command, Z30-A

Re-education Camp, died of pneumonia in August 1982.

Bui Luong, head of a labor union, Xuan Phuoc Re-educa-

tion Camp, died in 1984. Bui Ngoc Phuong, presidential

candidate, Xuan Phuong Re-education Camp (Phu Khanh),

died in 1983. Maj. Bui Nguyen Nghia, infantry, Xuan Phuoc

Re-education Camp, died in 1980. 1st Lt. Bui Quoc Dong,

Counter Intelligence Bureau, Ha Tay Re-education Camp,

died of suspected poison injection in March 1982. Maj. Bui

Van Ba, Vinh Liem Military Training Center, died in 1975. 1st

Lt. Bui Van Bai, Vung Tau National Police Headquarters,

Nam Ha A Re-education Camp, died in 1979. Maj. Bui Van

Lang, national police, died during transfer from North to

South Vietnam. Brig. Gen. Bui Van Nhu, national police,

Nam Ha Re-education Camp, died in 1983. Col. Bui Van

Sam, 33rd Ranger Brigade, Z30-C Re-education Camp,

died in 1983. Rev. Bui Van Thay, Catholic priest, My Tho K3

Re-education Camp (Vinh Phu), died in early 1980. Capt.

Cam (family name unknown), artillery division, died at un-

known location in North Vietnam. Lt. Col. Can (family

name unknown), military choir, Son La Re-education

Camp, died of liver disease in 1976. Maj. Cang Van Nhieu,

Suoi Mau Re-education Camp, died of diarrhea in 1979.

Capt. Cao Phuoc An, artillery unit in Vinh Long Province,

Tan Hiep Re-education Camp, died in 1978. Capt. Cao

Quang Chon, prosecutor, K2 Re-education Camp (Thanh

Phong, Thanh Hoa), disappeared after interrogation. Lt.

Col. Cao Tan Hap, governor of Vinh Binh Province, Camp

No. 6 (Nghe Tinh), died in 1978. Lt. Col. Cao Trieu Phat,

paratrooper, died at unknown location in North Vietnam.

Capt. Cao Xuan Huong, Lam Dong Re-education Camp,

died in 1982. Judge Chau Tu Phat, Saigon District Court, U

Minh Ha Re-education Camp, died under interrogation.

Capt. Chieu (family name unknown), military police, An

Duong Re-education Camp, died of illness in 1976. Capt.

Chu Minh Loc, deputy chief for military security in Tuyen

Duc Province, Hoang Lien Son Re-education Camp, bea-

ten to death after failed escape. Col. Chung Van Bong,

governor of My Tho Province, detention center in Bien

Hoa, died of illness. Capt. Chuong (family name unknown),

T3 Re-education Camp (Hoang Lien Son), drowned along

with seven others. Capt. Cu (family name unknown), mil-

itary police, Hoang Lien Son Re-education Camp, drowned

2 THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER THE SURVIVORS

Camps in Vietnam INTRODUCTION

More than 1 million people were imprisoned in re-education camps Millions of lives
after 1975, some as long as 17 years. The Aurora Foundation estimates
that about 150 camps were in operation. Each circle below represents changed forever
a known prison camp.
with Saigon’s fall
VIETNAM CHINA
Stories by ANH DO & HIEU TRAN PHAN
HANOI
“I’m sorry, so sorry,” he says. “Soldiers don’t
LAOS Gulf of cry.”
Tonkin
But his shoulders contort, his body racks with
Mekong River sobs. His hands try to wipe away the tears.

THAILAND “Please forgive me,” murmurs the former
lieutenant colonel, shaken by memories of
CAMBODIA nearly 13 years in a prison camp. “This is what
re-education does to you.”
Phnom HO CHI
Penh MINH CITY Hung Huy Nguyen, 71, along with an estimated 1 million
South Vietnamese, is a man who came to know death and
CAMP torture in the years following a war that tore apart fam-
Z30-D ilies, countries, generations.

For a His was a world where friends died suddenly. Violently.
detailed Where others slowly wasted away from malnutrition and
look at disease. Where stealing a grain of rice led to lashes on the
Camp Z30-D’s back, down bony legs. Where men and women silently en-
dured, night after night, grasping at hope that someday
>>buildings and layout, they might see their children again.

please see Pages 10, 11. There are no official figures on how many prisoners
were executed or how many died from poor treatment.
There are no known government records of who was sent
to the “re-education” camps, or for how long. There are no
archives on the jails, or of what went on. Such are the ways
of war, and the treatment of those on the losing side.

A four-month review by the Register of these camps,
however, shows a widespread pattern of neglect, persecu-
tion and death for tens of thousands of Vietnamese who
fought side by side with American soldiers.

To corroborate the experiences of refugees now living
in Orange County, the Register interviewed dozens of for-
mer inmates and their families, both in the United States
and Vietnam; analyzed hundreds of pages of documents,
including testimony from more than 800 individuals sent
to jail; and interviewed Southeast Asian scholars. The re-
view found:
q An estimated 1 million people were imprisoned without
formal charges or trials.
q 165,000 people died in the Socialist Republic of Viet-
nam’s re-education camps, according to published aca-

at Thac Ba Falls during hard labor on Sept. 28, 1976. Re-education Camp, committed suicide in February Gia Trung Re-education Camp, died in 1979. Lt. Col.
Cu Minh Kien, chief of Can Dang Hamlet, executed at 1976. Col. Dam Trung Moc, police academy, Ha Tay Dang Binh Minh, helicopter pilot for the president,
Chuong Binh Le School. Capt. Cuu (family name un- Re-education Camp, died in 1982. Capt. Dan (family Yen Bay Re-education Camp, died in 1978 or 1979.
known), Vuon Dao Re-education Camp (Cai Lay), died name unknown), retired, executed at Binh Minh Camp. Officer Dang Dinh Tung, Trang Lon Re-education
in 1979. Capt. Dam Dinh Loan, military academy, Van Capt. Dan (family name unknown), Nam Ha Re-educa- Camp (Tay Ninh), committed suicide with an over-
Ban Labor Camp No. 4, died in 1977 of unknown cause. tion Camp, died of hypothermia during winter of 1978. dose of chloroquine. Capt. Dang Duc Chau, Hoang
Lt. Col. Dam Minh Viem, engineer corps, Suoi Mau Maj. Dang (family name unknown), ordnance officer, Lien Son Re-education Camp; camp authorities said