'Traitor' leaves Vietnam for U.S.
After months of negotiations, the U.S. government has reached an
agreement with Vietnamese officials to allow actor Don Duong to leave
his native country and live permanently in the United States. Duong is
scheduled to arrive Wednesday in California with his wife and two sons.
The 45-year-old Vietnamese actor who lived in Ho Chi Minh City was
branded a "traitor" by government officials for acting in two American
films, "We Were Soldiers" with Mel Gibson and "Green Dragon" with
Patrick Swayze and Forest Whitaker.
Vietnamese officials denounced Duong, contending the films "distort the
legitimate war history ... and the humanity of the Vietnamese." In August,
Vietnam's Ministry of Culture banned both films and seized Duong's
passport. The Vietnamese government threatened to prohibit the actor
from leaving the country or practicing his profession for five years.
Duong has been acting for 20 years and is a member of the Screen Actors
Guild.
Until last year, he was a star in Vietnam, having won the Vietnamese best
actor award and appearing in two films that were chosen as best picture in
Vietnamese film festivals. In 1999 Vietnam submitted "Three Seasons," in
which the actor starred, as its official entry to the Academy Awards for
best foreign language film.
Duong's plight prompted Gibson, Swayze, Whitaker, "We Were Soldiers"
director Randy Wallace, Harvey Keitel and others in the Hollywood film
community to rally behind him in a letter-writing campaign.
While Hollywood stars offered support, the Vietnamese government
began interrogating Duong. The actor was asked repeatedly to sign a
statement admitting his guilt as a traitor. Duong refused, maintaining that he
loved his country and had done nothing wrong.
"I'm proud that he did not sign," said his sister, Susie Bui. "He did the right
thing. I'm happy he's coming here, even though I know this is not what he
wanted. He wanted to stay in Vietnam. He loves the country."
Duong and his family will live, at least temporarily, with his sister in San
Jose.
By Anita M. Busch - The Los Angeles Times - April 8, 2003.
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