Thỉnh Nguyện Thư yêu cầu Bộ Di Trú Úc hủy chiếu khán của du sinh Dương Đức Thịnh vì đã xúc phạm Cờ Vàng

Sign Petition to Demand Cancellation of Visas of those involved in Publicly Desecrating Vietnamese Yellow Freedom Flag in Australia

On 30/4/2021, a group of Vietnamese Overseas Students studying in Australia, were involved in sickening, disgraceful actions, publicly desecrating and dishonouring the Republic of Vietnam’s Flag, disrespecting the ethos and values of multicultural and democratic Australian society.

We call on the Department of Home Affairs to investigate this incident and take action. We call on the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs, The Honourable Alex Hawke MP, to exercise the discretion to cancel the Visas of all those involved with the despicable behaviour.

The Vietnamese Community in Australia and abroad strongly condemn the disrespectful behaviour. Student Visa Holders are subject to Condition 8303, where the visa holder “must not become involved in activities disruptive to, or violence, threatening harm to, the Australian community or a group within the Australian community. For example, engaging or promoting extremist views and interrupting the operation of the Australian community.” Under s116 of the Migration Act, when a visa holder breaches their Visa Condition and/or is a risk to “the health, safety or good order of the Australian community or a segment of the Australian community”, the Department of Immigration has the right to cancel a visa.

The disgraceful actions were deliberate acts to disrespect the Yellow Flag and to insult the Vietnamese Community in Australia. The disrespectful acts were purposely filmed and circulated, where one of those involved can be seen in the film wilfully taking down the Yellow Flag without permission, maliciously stamping on and kicking the flag all over the ground, whilst verbally insulting the Vietnamese Community in Australia in a menacing tone. A companion shouts to “Burn the flag!”

As a multicultural and democratic society, it goes against the Australian ethos and values and has deeply harmed and hurt the Vietnamese Community in Australia. The promotion of such sickening behaviour has incited fear and anger within the Vietnamese Community. We the undersigned submit that the Vietnamese Overseas Students involved have breached their Student Visa condition and it is within the Minister’s discretion to cancel their Student Visas and we call on the Minister to exercise that discretion.

The Yellow Freedom Flag is a symbol of democracy and freedom, representing millions of Vietnamese refugees and diaspora, living in Australia and worldwide. Councils such as, Fairfield and Bankstown, have passed Motions, recognising the Yellow Freedom Flag, as the official flag of the Vietnamese people in Australia.

The incident occurred on the Vietnamese National Day of Mourning (30/4), a day where the Vietnamese Community remembers all those who lost their lives to the Communist regime after the Vietnam War ended on 30th April 1975. The unacceptable behaviour has triggered extreme hurt and anger among the Vietnamese Community here in Australia and also worldwide. It has caused extreme offense, especially to all those who sacrificed their life under the Yellow Flag, for democracy and freedom. It has triggered extreme trauma, putting salt into wounds of the many Vietnamese refugees who had to flee the Communist regime and those who lost loved ones in the seas and jungles in the search for freedom.

The footage of the repugnant actions can be found here:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=3fnuBHkZLNs

Such abhorrent behaviour has no place in multicultural Australia and we cannot tolerate any person who does not respect Australian ethos and values and causes harm to any individual or group in Australia.

Accordingly, we the undersigned call the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs, The Honourable Alex Hawke MP, to cancel the Visas of all those involved in the public desecration of the Vietnamese Freedom Yellow Flag.