Vietnamese politics

This morning I did a recording with the girls from the Voicebox- an all girl Vietnamese radio program broadcast in English on 3CR on Tuesdays from 6:30-7pm. Our guests were from the Vietnamese Student Association and they talked about the fall of Saigon April 30 anniversary and how they went up to Canberra for a conference and protest. We discussed the political process in Vietnam and how repressive the regime was. I found it really interesting that these young people were so in the know about it and concerned about it even though they have their lives here. I have been writing a lecture about "Vixen" and have mentioned that it tries to be politically neutral portraying all human governments in Vietnam as repressive or corrupt. But I think nowadays it is impossible to be apolitical- my next novel has a protaganist who is anti Communist. My mother has warned me that when Im in Vietnam to not discuss politics. Chi Vu told me she was quizzed by the ministry about what the Viet Kieu were like in Australia. And how they viewed Vietnam. I think that we cant point fingers- Australia keeps people in detention without trial and treats indigenous people abonimably. But it will be interesting I guess.