Vietnamese test taboo on debate over Communist Party monopoly
Communist leaders unleash fierce discussion on separation of powers and democracy
When Vietnam's communist leaders asked for public comment on their plan to amend the country's constitution they did not expect to unleash an unprecedented debate on the party's monopoly on power.
What was intended as a ritualistic consultation has morphed into a fierce open discussion on topics such as human rights and land ownership, everywhere from state television to blogs.
The furore started when 72 respected academics submitted a petition in January through the National Assembly as part of the consultation, calling for multiparty democracy, respect for human rights, private land ownership and an apolitical army that served the people, not the party.
They also called for the abolition of Article 4, the clause that protects the party's power, and for a clear separation of powers between the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government - revolutionary demands in the one-party state that have spread like wildfire online.
"Vietnamese from all walks of life, including party members, are calling for them to remove Article 4 from the constitution. It is necessary for the people and for the party itself," said prominent dissident Nguyen Thanh Giang, who signed the petition.
Vietnamese from all walks of life, including party members, are calling for them to remove Article 4 from the constitution. It is necessary for the people and for the party itself
By guaranteeing the party's supremacy, Article 4 has "led to corruption and abuse of power", and allowed the unaccountable leadership to become "totally removed from reality and be an obstacle to Vietnam's development", he added.
