30 Years Of Hurt

So rang the refrain of the England song for the Euro 1996 football tournament signifying the 30 years of waiting since the English national team had won a competition - the World Cup in 1966. Tomorrow will mark an anniversary for another nation, with the sweat of sporting exertion being replaced by the blood of war - it will have been 30 years since the Fall of Saigon ended Vietnam's civil war on the 30th April 1975.

The official line of the Vietnamese communist government is that the date marks the 'liberation' of South Vietnam from democratic powers and the unification of the nation under the umbrella of communism. For those who fought against Ho Chi Minh's North Vietnamese communist guerillas to keep their families and themselves in the free democratic society of South Vietnam, this date signified the end of their war and lives as they knew it. Most tried to run to escape retribution by the communist victors but many were caught and sent to so-called 're-education' camps, only to be imprisoned, some never to return home.

This desperation to evade punishment and discrimination plus the hardships brought by communist rule whereby the authorities centralised all resources (zealously implementing skewed communist policy which would stall the country's economic development through mis-management and corruption for years), led many to flee and take their chances on the open seas, hence becoming known internationally as the Vietnamese 'Boat People'.

In recent years following the failure of communist economic policy, there has been a more open attitude to western investment and a turn towards capitalism, plus tourism provides a significant contribution to the economy. These changes may seem hopeful but political censorship, religious oppression and the running of a corrupt dictatorial regime (which has squandered resources leading to the under-development of the country) means life remains hard for those still there, whilst most who left remain in self-imposed exile.

I have family in both these categories and for South Vietnamese such as us, this anniversary most definitely represents 30 years of a communist regime which has only caused pain, suffering and the separation of family members alive and dead. Political refugees that we are, it is the end of this corrupt communist regime which we desire and the return of our own free nation. Some commentators talk optimistically of some kind of reconciliation as the regime slowly evolves to a more open western-embracing government.

However, the existence of oppression, censorship and corruption still means suffering for those remaining there, whilst the scars of past ordeals means reconciliation with the same regime which inflicted them is unthinkable for most of the South Vietnamese in political exile. To forgive is nigh impossible and to forget is to demean the huge human suffering of the past and present.

Papal Pass

With Pope John Paul II's passing on Saturday night, the world has lost not only a religious figurehead, but a remarkable man who had true humanity in his heart. He will be mourned not only by Catholics worldwide, but by a wide spectrum of people who hold this Pope in such high regard for his tireless international humanitarian work.

Not everybody agreed with his uncompromising moral teachings, especially regarding contraception, his views on homosexuals and the place of women in society (whom he wrote should naturally aspire to motherhood). Nonetheless, he held universal respect for his beliefs in humanity and the unity of the world which saw him travel across the globe to countries stricken by war and poverty amongst other socio-political problems.

The widely held esteem for him is shown not only by the numbers of pilgrims, but non-Catholics alike, flocking to Rome to pay their respects (a logistical nightmare for the Italian authorities). Most of the world's leaders will also be present for his funeral in a few days' time, to see off this moral crusader who implored them to seek peaceful remedies to their conflicts. The world has lost a true spiritual leader - not only in the religious sense, but also in the humanist sense.

R.I.P Pope John Paul II 18/05/1920 - 02/04/2005