Côn Äảo Prison


Côn Äảo Prison (Vietnamese: Nhà tù Côn Äảo), also Côn SÆ¡n Prison, is a prison on Côn SÆ¡n Island (also known as Côn Lôn) the largest island of the Côn Äảo archipelago in southern Vietnam (today it is in Bà Rịa–VÅ©ng Tà u Province. The prison was built in 1861 by the French colonists to jail those considered specially dangerous to the colonist government. Many of the high-ranking leaders of Vietnam were detained here. It is ranked a special historical relic of national importance by the government of Vietnam. The most famous site in this prison is "tiger's cage" (vi:"chuồng cá»p"). The cage covers an area of 5.475 m2, of which the area of cell is 1.408 m2, sunbath room covers 1.873 m2 and other space covers 2.194 m2. The prison includes 120 cells. The prison was closed after the country united and just opened for visitors later.
History
French era
In 1861, the French colonial government established a prison on the island to house political prisoners. In 1954, it was turned over to the South Vietnamese government, who continued to use it for the same purpose. Notable prisoners held at Côn SÆ¡n in the 1930s included Phạm Văn Äồng and Lê Äức Thá».[1] Not far from the prison is Hà ng Dương Cemetery, where some of the prisoners were buried.
Vietnam War
During the Vietnam War, prisoners who had been held at the prison in the 1960s said they were abused and tortured. In July 1970, two U.S. Congressional representatives, Augustus Hawkins and William Anderson, visited the prison. They were accompanied by Tom Harkin (then an aide), translator Don Luce, and USAID Office of Public Safety Director Frank Walton. When the delegation arrived at the prison, they departed from the planned tour, guided by a map drawn by a former detainee. The map led to the door of a building, which was opened from the inside by a guard when he heard the people outside the door talking. Inside they found prisoners were being shackled within cramped "tiger cages". Prisoners began crying out for water when the delegation walked in. They had sores and bruises, and some were mutilated. Harkin took photos of the scene. The photos were published in Life magazine on July 17, 1970.
Notes
- Citations
- ↑ Kelley, p 5-116
- References used
- Kelley, Michael P. (2002). Where We Were in Vietnam. Hellgate Press, Central Point, Oregon. ISBN 978-1-55571-625-7.
External links
- Trang tin tức Côn Äảo - Du lịch Côn Äảo - Lịch sá» Côn Äảo
- Giá»›i thiệu Côn Äảo
- Di tÃch lịch sá» - Nhà tù Côn Äảo
- Khái quát địa lý nhân văn Côn Äảo
- The Tiger Cages of Con Son