What happened in October 2015: socio-cultural, literary, and political news and events relating to Vietnam and to the Vietnamese diaspora. [Note: Comments (in brackets “[ ]”) are the opinion of the poster and does not reflect the view of diaCRITICS]
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Announcement
• “Voices of Vietnam is an organization dedicated to bearing witness to and recording the testimony of the thousands of Vietnamese women who were victims of systemic rape and sexual assault at the hands of South Korean soldiers during the Vietnam War. Through recording and sharing their stories of survival, we seek to generate greater awareness of what was done to these women and to help them get the apology they deserve.”
Sign the petition at Change.org.
Viet Kieu in the news
• To raise awareness of survivors’ stories and struggles, Voices of Vietnam held a media event with U.S. Senator Norm Coleman at the National Press Club. Sign the petition at Change.org.
• Kim Phuc receives laser treatment for her pains and scars and hopes “no more scars, no more pain.”
• The Vietnamese population has unique health issues. [1560s = 1960s ?]
• Conflict arises over decision on using the pre-1975 Vietnamese flag.
• Linda La is the person behind the chain of Anchorage’s Pho Vietnam restaurants.
• Fashion show producer and model Jessica Minh Anh presented the J Autumn Fashion on a 100-metre floating catwalk on the Seine River in Paris.
News about Viet Nam
• Doctors report over 5,000 women in Vietnam are diagnosed with cervical cancer yearly.
• Harvard Kennedy School will break ground on the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City for the campus of Fulbright University Vietnam.
• As China’s territorial expansion continues, Hanoi is tightening military ties with the United States.
• Some in Vietnam are supportive of the U.S. sailing a warship within the hotly disputed waters of the South China Sea.
• Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Forces will visit Vietnam’s Cam Ranh Bay in efforts to counter Chinese expansion.
• Vietnam village promises to tone down gory public pig slaughter by continuing the killings in a private area. [A slaughter by any other name.]
Other News
• A Pew survey shows 59% of the public says science and religion often conflict.
Special thanks to Viet Thanh Nguyen for providing many of the news items.
RP