(Full Moon Festivities in Lok Kha Village)

This past month has been insane…in addition to the usual craziness of work, home and the general chaos of Hanoi, Vietnam has been gearing up for its 1000th year anniversary of the founding of Thang Long-Hanoi!

Draped in red Communist banners, Vietnamese flags, ornamental lights and picturesque floral displays, the ancient streets of Hanoi have come alive! Although, these added roadside attractions come at a high price, as traffic congestion has reached manic proportions as busloads of villagers from the countryside have descended upon this already bloated city of 6.5 million just to catch a glimpse of the various festivities.

(Relentless traffic)

Granted, I must admit – even with the disastrous traffic, the incessant road blocks, and the influx of tourists, the spirit of the city is contagious! The energy is palpable, as streets are abuzz; and people appear happier, in good spirits, and in festive moods.

The apex of the celebrations were on Sunday, (10/10/10), when more than 30,000 soldiers marched in Vietnam’s biggest parade in Ba Dinh Square. Despite living around the corner from this historic site – where the late President Ho Chi Minh declared independence from the French colonialists 65 years ago, massive roadblocks prevented us from witnessing this momentous occasion.

(Me and my little girl, Jumble)

(Ho Chi Minh)

Yet, we watched in awe from my balcony as 10 military helicopters flew overhead, flying their enormous Vietnamese flags! Quite a sight to see.

However, the 10-day millennial bash was not all fun and games. Two imported containers of fireworks exploded while being transported to a dress rehearsal, killing four people (2 Germans, a Singaporean Woman and a Vietnamese) while wounding several others. Subsequently, 28 of the 29 lavish fireworks displays were cancelled. These cancellations were partially fueled by public outcry, stating that the fireworks extravaganza was wasteful amid mass flooding in central Vietnam that had killed 64 people in the past week, leaving 22 others missing and hundreds of thousands more suffering.

I full heartily support this decision and would love to see more financial support for the Vietnamese people as well as the environment. But by and large, this 1000 year celebration symbolizes Vietnam’s prosperous economic future.

On a tangentially related note, I had the privilege of visiting one of Vietnam’s 06 Drug Rehabilitation Centers (often closed to foreigners), which undoubtedly played a critical role in ‘cleaning up the streets’ in preparation for the millennium anniversary.

The government’s principal response to drug use and sex work is rooted in the criminal justice system: compulsory rehabilitation in residential detention centers from two to five years. Due to the fact that there’s no judiciary process, these centers have been heavily criticized for multiple human rights violations.

Officially known as 06 centers (there are 05 centers for sex workers, too), these facilities work under the ideology of 5 steps in drug rehabilitation: detoxification, behavior education, labor therapy, drug relapse counseling and vocational training, and post rehabilitation management at the community level.

However, the recidivism rate is upwards of 85% to 90%, meaning the majority of people who are released from these detention centers (after two or three years) relapse, immediately going back to injecting drug use. Not exactly a sign of a good program.

(Plastic flowers for sale)

While we were guided through various aspects of the facility, I definitely had mixed feelings. First and foremost, I truly believe that the director of the 06 Center wants to make a difference in these people’s lives, yet realizes that they do not have the skills, resources or the fortitude to truly rehabilitate drug users. Services are not geared towards drug dependence treatment; and harm reduction programs (including distribution of clean needles and syringes, condoms and methadone) are not allowed.

Considering HIV prevalence rates among IDUs in 06 centers average 30% to 65%, I was mortified to discover that Antiretroviral Therapy is not available inside the facility. Family members need to bring all medications, including ARVs, to the facility during their 30-minute monthly visitation. However, if there are any side effects or drug complications from the medication, medical services are not available.

The ‘labor therapy’ was more reminiscent of an indentured servant, as clients were required to work eight hours a day to pay off their room and board. It’s believed that hard work will keep their minds off drugs. At this particular facility, they were sewing together military uniforms and mosquito nets.

Policies are in place that prevents us from investing/supporting these 06 centers, but seeing that they are here to stay it makes sense to work with the Vietnamese government to improve upon this model.

On a lighter note, one of my good friends recently accepted a position in Vietnam and is now living literally on the floor directly above me…it’s nice to have another partner in crime in the neighborhood.

(Roman, Keith and Amy)

Am starting to feel a bit homesick, especially after seeing so many photos and updates from the Austin City Limits Music Festival. Sending much love to my friends and family across the globe.