From: nguyen@turing.scs.carleton.ca (H.H. Nguyen)
Subject: Re: Vietnam Update - Social Science
Organization:  Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 12:58:05 GMT

In article <9211102207.AA14556@coombs.anu.edu.au> cat@COOMBS.ANU.EDU.AU writes:

	... deleted stuffs ....
>
>204pm THE LAW IN VIETNAM TODAY
>The Creatin of a Labour Market in Vietnam: Legal Framework and Practice
>Dr Irene Norlund, Nordic Institute of Asian Studies
>
>Legal Issues Relating to Investment in Vietnam - Land Law, Privatisation
>and Taxation
>Mr. Nguyen Qui Binh, International Law and Treaties Department, Ministry of
>Foreign Affairs (recent post-graduate from Harvard)
>
>Vietnam's Revised Constitution: Impact on foreign investment
>Mr. Levien Do, Malleson Stephen Jacques (Australianlaw firm)
>
>4:30-6pm THE LAW IN VIETNAM TODAY continued
>
>The Developmentof CXommercial Legal Rights in Vietnam
>John gillespie, Centre for Asian Business, Deakin University
>
>Legal Practice Relating to Vietnam - Panel Discussion
>


	Greetings,

	I pray to God that there is a "better legal system" in the 
Socialist Republic of Vietnam today.

	What I knew was the official line was the Justice, Legislature,
Executive branches were all under the leadership of the communist party.
The judicial institutions in the country were then completely paralyzed.
	
	In fact, if my memory serves me right, there were no law school  
in the North from 1954, when the communist government was first formed, 
until roughly the 1985-1986 time frame. The Law School of the University
of Saigon of the Republic of Vietnam was converted to School of 
Economics. To me, it was and still is a mystery how judges were
trained and their professional quality during the 1954-1986 period. 

	With such a legal system, it was no wonder to me how things
like the Agrarian Reform, styled after the Chinese one and was
a large-scale abuse, disregard of basic legal principles, could 
happen.  And then, after the 1975 military conquer, they brought  
to the South similar social, legal, economic havocs.  Just one 
small thing: The current party boss, Do Muoi, and one of the vice
premiers, Phan Van Khai, were the leading figures in the 1978-1979
Reform of the Private Industry and Retail/Distribution Systems in the South.  
What actually happened was a process of nationalizing, confiscating 
of privately owned production, manufacturing equipment and goods.
The owners were, by government decrees, sent to "new economic zones" 
for agricultural production.

	My mom, a retired retailer, was one of them. That how I came 
across the so-called "legal system and business law."  Admittedly,
after two years in the barren "new economic zones," we returned to Saigon. 
By bribing our way, though. The official "legal system and business
law" did not apply to us. 

	Admittedly, I learnt their system not through books, or 
international academic conferences, seminars, or field trips. And I 
don't have doctoral credentials to show you. I learnt by living
there, under their rule, government, management.  I learnt by observing
the authorities in action. That was why I decided to quit. Period. 

	And I thank God that I could get out. Out of their system.
  
	Regards,
	H.H. Nguyen


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