On November 1980, an officer at the Z30A camp came to my room and announced, “Nguyen Van An, stay home for further assignment.” At first, I couldn’t realize “What kind of assignment I would be called for?” Anyway, enjoying a day, or at least a morning off, was a good opportunity. [I had been called for a meeting with the officer several months earlier. He had proposed me to assume the duty of head of the working group. Being a “head of the working group” meant becoming more or less “red”, i.e. sort of “being integrated into the communist system” in regards of communist ideology and doctrine. Although there were not without overwhelming and challenging on the delay of being possibly released from “re-education camp” if I obstined to not accept such a duty, I still refused, arguing that I was not “ready” for such a hard duty.]

When all my “classmates and schoolmates” had gone to work, I began going to the public toilet area. To my surprise, I met four of my Juniors, Alphonse Minh, Anthony Thanh, Andre Thang and Thanh Hoang (Bobo), going to the rest area. They were discussing about something like I had been wondering. I shared with them about my thoughts in staying home today for “further assignment.”

A few minutes later, we rushed to find other Brothers of our La Salle Mossard Community. Except Brothers Gervais Ha and Pierre Thang, and Brother Francois Anh who had been moved to Z30B, other Brothers, Jerome Diep and Augustin Phuc, stayed home, too, for “further assignment.” At about 10:00 AM, Brother Francois Anh brought his luggage from Z30B to join our group.

Even though we couldn’t be clear what could happen to our community members, except to Brothers Gervais Ha and Pierre Thang, we all were able to guess that we’ll be released. The only question was, “Why these two Brothers Gervais and Pierre didn’t join us?”

Indeed, at about noon, we were sitted, comfortably on the DESOTO van, escorted by two armed guards and the chief policeman. The groups working at the field begun to return “home” for lunch. I saw Brother Gervais looking at the van. I waved my hand as au-revoir. He percieved my hand and slightly nodded his head, more or less sad. I did the same thing when I saw Brother Pierre. But this time, it seemed that tears running down his eyes and he showed himself much more frustrated.

***

Before ordering the driver to depart, the chief policeman said, “You may guess what will come to you. We’ll be going to the Police Station of Ho Chi Minh City. So, behave yourself on the car. Do not stupid things!” We looked at each other, smiling, delightly. Everyone understood that we will be “re-education graduated ”, i.e. released from hard labor camp.

We were driven to a relatively clean but tightly closed room whose unique way to communicate with outside was a small rectangular window called judas. A few minutes after we had been installed, we heard voices from the opposite room asking something like “Who are you over there? We are former chaplains of Saigon Armies, just driven from Hanoi.” Brother Francois answered, “We are the La Salle Brothers, just come from K3 Xuan Loc.”
- "Oh! Were you involved with La Salle Mossard, Thu Duc? You are great! Congratulations!"
- "How do you know it?"

Instead of responding to the question, a song was sung, describing the pride of being loyal to and faithful to “Mother Vietnam of the South!” and many other songs they had composed while they were in the re-education in Hanoi.

I knew later that they were 8 priests. Seven of them had been chaplains of the former Saigon Armies, presented to the new government and driven to the North since ‘75 to be “re-educated,” and the other priest was arrested for unknown reason and had undergone the re-education program in K4, Long Khanh. They just came back to Saigon a day earlier and, hopefully like 8 De La Salle members, would be released by December, 1980. As my understanding, that was from “the negotiation of the Vatican with Hanoi: Vatican offered to Hanoi a large ship full of medicines and food in exchange for the liberation of all priests and religious men from the re-education camp.” But I didn’t know why there were, at that time, only 16 of us - 8 priests and 8 De La Salle members - were so luckily chosen in the drawning by chance.

***

Before being released from prison, we benefitted from a better meal ration: two bowls of white rice per day and a small fish and a cup of vegetable soup. In addition, we had more time to sleep!

On December 7, I was called to work with the officer in charge of Religion&Religious Service. After a few words exchanged in the climate of mutual respect and comprehension, the officer told me, “We know that La Salle Brothers had not been involved into politics...” I couldn’t remain calm. I questionned, almost promptly, “If so, why did you arrest me and other Brothers, and put us in jail for 3 years, without any citation in Court?” He looked at me, amazed for a while, and then said, “After three years in the re-education camp, and you remain the same!”

I recalled this conversation to my Confreres and Juniors. Brother Francois Anh laughed then said, “Me too! he told me the same thing, and I replied exactly with the same words as yours!”

A few days later, we heard the interrogation at the office desk:
- “ Name?”
- “ Doan”
- "... Address?”
- “ Dac Lo Center...”
- “ Diploma?”
- “ Sub-Ph.D”
- “ What?”
- “ Just right down Sub-Ph.D.”
...

We recognized who were arrested: the priests of the Company of Jesus, SJ, at the Dac Lo Center.

***

On the morning of December 15, the priests from the opposite room shouted with joy. I heard their foot steps getting out of the room. Some rised voice, clearly, “We are free! La Salle Brothers, see you outside!...” About a minute later, someone got back and said loudly, “The Bishop Nguyen Van Binh came to welcome us back home!” Our group of 8 excitedly prepared luggage and anxiously waited for being called to go home. We waited and waited... Lunch time came, and we still waited. Nothing happened.

But yes, the time came! A guard opened the front door of our room and said, “Be prepared! You have to move to another camp!” All of us were so surprised and disappointed that no one could say a word. Indeed, we were driven into the opposite room where a few hours earlier 8 priests chanted joyfully for their liberation.

In the new room, there were 5 “new comers” welcoming us. They were parishoners or employees at Dac Lo Center who had been arrested a few days earlier and moved to this room, right after 8 priests had been released. They were surprised, too, seeing 8 of us “coming back to jail.” Three days had passed. No one exchanged a word.

***

On the fourth day, a young man in his 30s came to me and said, “Brother An. Maybe you don’t know me, but I saw you and knew you in December 1977.” I smiled then nodded my head, friendly. His name was Joseph Thang. He came to La Salle Mossard Thu Duc for the Christmas Celebration on December 24, 1977. After the Eucharist, we had a brief meeting, wishing each other “Merry Christmas! Good Luck for the coming Years!”

He continued, “Do not worry! I am sure you’ll be freed. Moving you to this room instead of freeing you at the same with 8 priests is just a way to tyrannize your mind for the last time!” “I hope so!” I whispered. He then took a serious appearance, confided to me the following:

“I have something more important to confer to you. As you know it, Dac Lo Center has been “visited” a few days ago. Reverend Doan, SJ, director and some employees, I am included, were arrested and put in jail. It’s really Providential that I have the good opportunity to meet you here.

First of all, I had the chance to identify the man who led policemen to Dac Lo Center. We did suspect him working for the government a long time before, but we didn’t have any proof yet. He used to sit at the refreshment kiosk in front of the Ky Dong church administered by the Redemptorists. Every Saturday, he was there from 3:00PM to 5:00PM. It is easy to recognize him with his bicycle and there is always a rush basket hanging on it. Please alert other Orders and Congregations to be careful about him.

Second thing is about an ex-Brother - forgive me for not disclose his name because he is my close friend, and overall you know each other so much - perhaps you can guess who I’m talking about. He had been arrested on the road fleeing overseas, and I was with him. In exchange for his liberation, he has to follow and report to the police any activities of certain priests, of your Congregation, especially at your Provincialate House at Nguyen Du Street. As my knowledge, he was appointed to particularly follow up the way your Brother Visitor exchanged and/or transferred money from overseas. Please inform your Brother Visitor about it.”

***

On the morning of December 22, 1980, our group of 8 La Salle members were freed. Each one recieved “the certificate of liberation” and a certain amount of money, just enough to buy a train or bus ticket for returning to his own native village. I recieved the highest amount of money, 100 State Bank Dong, because my native village is in Hue, Vietnam Center.

I quickly read my “certificate of liberation” and noticed that the date of arrestation was incorrect. I related this incorrection to the officer who replied, “Keep it and get out, or if you want, return to the camp!

At the gate out of the Police Station, a guard stopped me and obliged me to change the cloth before going out. I wore shirt and pants from the K3 re-education with the stamps “CAI TAO K3” (K3 Re-Education Camp) on them. I said, “I have nothing else to change. May I go out naked?”