Thank-you letter from Mrs. Nguyen Tuyet Lan, mother of Me Nam

The 88 Project, January 10, 2017: It has been three months since blogger Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh (aka Me Nam) was arrested. Her family has been able to send her food supply, but they have not been allowed to visit her. This letter was written by Mrs. Nguyen Tuyet Lan, Me Nam’s mother, before Christmas. It expresses her appreciation for those, near and far, who have spoken out for Me Nam and/or supported her family during the hard time the family had to endure after Me Nam’s arrest.

We hope the international community will continue to stand with Me Nam’s family and Vietnamese activists in seeking justice for Me Nam.

Mrs. Nguyen Tuyet Lan, mother of Me Nam, December 22, 2016: After days and days with eyes filled with tears, today I manage to pull myself together to write this letter, to thank you.

I would like to send this letter to all the brothers, sisters, and people whom I have never met, those who have showed sympathy, encouraged and helped when my family and I were treated unjustly.

The situation of my daughter, blogger Me Nam (Nguyễn Ngọc Như Quỳnh), remains unclear until now. The hope in the rule of law as well as in the humane treatment for my daughter has ceased to exist. I try my best to pull myself together to look after my two innocent grandchildren and to fight with perseverance to seek justice for my daughter in the coming days.

When my family and I panicked, worried, and became disoriented, you held my hands tight, showed kindness, and pulled me up from the abyss of family tragedy.

You have come from everywhere: some from the other side of the planet, whom I have never met; some are my neighbors who, although scared of the police, have treated me kindly as neighbors are supposed to do.

Some have come from far away to my house just to share with me prayers, to bring me some treats. A young mother from the new economic zone of Khanh Vinh took a coach to come visit me and give me a bunch of bananas, oranges and relieved some grief from me.

Standing with me are not only those from the same nation, but also those of different skin colors and languages.

There are those who support me publicly, and those who silently stand by my side.

From the bottom of my heart, I thank you all and deeply appreciate your kindness, your compassion. I will never forget the support you have given Quynh.

May God bless you and your families.
I hope on this difficult and painful path to seek justice for my daughter, you will always by our side.

December 22, 2016

Nguyen Tuyet Lan

Source: Facebook Nguyễn Tuyết Lan

English translation © 2017 The 88 Project