WHO ARE YOU ?
By Viet Khang
May I ask, who are you?
Why arrest me? What have I done wrong?
May I ask, who are you?
Why beat me without the slightest mercy?
May I ask, who are you?
To keep me from protesting
For love of this country, whose people have endured far too much!
May I ask, where are you?
Forbidding me from opposing a Chinese invasion
May I ask, where are you?
Why scold me in the language of my people?
Where is your nationalism?
Why consciously take orders from China?
You will leave a mark to last a thousand years
Your hands will be stained with the blood of our people
I cannot sit still
While Vietnam collapses
And my people sink
Into a thousand years of eternal darkness
I cannot sit still
My children and the next generation deserve a future
Where will our roots be
When Vietnam is no longer in this world?
To whom we hope are concerned,
We are writing to you as fellow songwriters, artists, free expressionists of this great nation in hopes that you will be changed by what you read below and are compelled to help free an innocent expressionist.
Very currently, on December 31st, 2011, a year of music and patriotic passion has ended for a fellow songwriter in Vietnam. 2012 is not looking hopeful for him or any of us who believe in human rights as well as freedom of expression for the country. In light of China and Vietnam's current dispute over the Spratly islands Hoang Sa and Truong Sa, Vietnamese singer/songwriter VIET KHANG had written and shared songs of grief over his country's loss. They've spread rapidly online. His songs titled "Anh La Ai (roughly translates to: 'Who are you?')" and "Viet Nam Toi Dau ('Where is my Vietnam?')" spoke on behalf of the Vietnamese citizens hurting from these current events. He has recently been arrested and imprisoned by the Vietnamese government for said actions. With lyrics that ask, why does my country deserve more bloodshed?, from a patriotic soul, many are outraged that a song written to express love and concern for its country would yield such violent reactions from its own leaders.
In a world where rapists, murderers, and terrorists roam among us, it begs the question, why are these authorities using precious security resources to arrest a patriotic singer/songwriter? VIET KHANG is still currently held in jail, under an accusation unbeknown to us. Above is an English translation to his song "Anh La Ai". We ask, with as much assertiveness as you will allow us, that you take action by passing this letter forward to your sources, writing to national authorities, signing the existing petitions online to 'Free Viet Khang', and using every heard voice within your network to free this silenced artist.
We here in America have the gift of freedom to stand by what we believe in and speak on what is just, so please use that precious right to free your fellow artist. Do what you can and everything you can so that the hope for basic human rights throughout this world does not continue to wither as 2012 has only begun.
Anh là ai ?
Xin hỏi anh là ai?
Sao bắt tôi tôi làm điều gì sai?
Xin hỏi anh là ai?
Sao đánh tôi chẳng một chút nương tay?
Xin hỏi anh là ai?
Không cho tôi xuống đường để tỏ bày
Tình yêu quê hương này, dân tộc này đã quá nhiều đắng cay!
Xin hỏi anh ở đâu?
Ngăn bước tôi chống giặc Tàu ngoại xâm
Xin hỏi anh ở đâu?
Sao mắng tôi bằng giọng nói dân tôi?
Dân tộc anh ở đâu?
Sao đang tâm làm tay sai cho Tàu?
Để ngàn sau ghi dấu
Bàn tay nào nhuộm đầy máu đồng bào
Tôi không thể ngồi yên
Khi nước Việt Nam đang ngã nghiêng
Dân tộc tôi sắp phải đắm chìm
Một ngàn năm hay triền miên tăm tối
Tôi không thể ngồi yên
Để đời sau cháu con tôi làm người
Cội nguồn ở đâu?
Khi thế giới nay đã không còn Việt Nam
