A former prisoner met the man who viciously tortured him in Phu Quoc Prison on Phu Quoc Island and forgives him, over 40 years later.

After being taken into Phu Quoc Prison on March 3 1967, Communist Vu Minh Tang helped 100 prisoners to escape from the jail. As soon as the prisoners fled, spies detected Tang’s action and then he was brutally tortured by prison guard Tran Van Nhu also known as Bay Nhu.

The horrific experience

Tang said every night during over the past 40 years, he was distraught and distracted with the memories of being beaten, tortured and targeted by Bay Nhu. Things that he remembered most were a long iron stick and hammer used for pulling his teeth out. Nhu took the stick to hit the prisoner’s mouth, causing him to bleed profusely.

Then, the jailer forced the captive to drink his own blood. If any drop of blood was spilled, Tang’s life was threatened. “When I could not swallow my own sharp-pointed teeth, Nhu asked his troops to pour water into my mouth. My mouth at that time was full of blood and water,” shared Tang.

After Tang regained consciousness, Bay Nhu used the hammer to attack him again. Nhu also used the tool to break the prisoner’s knees and used iron pieces to cut his ankles. The warden tormented Tang again and again whenever he was conscious. “Then I was put into a solitary confinement room where these captives had to drink their urine to survive. Here, the jailers forced them to eat rice mixed with blood and human excrement,” Tang recalled.

During the time in solitary confinement, Tang tried to dig through his own feces to look for his missing teeth. Nine had been knocked out but he only managed to find eight and an ultrasound showed that the remaining one is still in his stomach.

He kept the teeth for over 600 days of imprisonment by putting them in the belt of his trouser. He held the teeth for 30 years until giving them to a museum in Phu Xuyen District, Hanoi.

Meeting again after 40 years

After an article that I wrote of Mr. Tang’s terrifying ordeal was published on Dan Tri, many readers felt very sympathetic with his condition and expressed their expectations to see the gathering between the former prisoner and jailer.

I tried my best to arrange the meeting between them.

I took Mr. Tang back to Phu Quoc Prison, a place he called “hell on earth” to meet a man he considered the devil, Bay Nhu.

Before the journey, Mr Tang came to the museum in Hanoi to take his eight teeth to Bay Nhu’s house to show him what he had done, but I advised him not to bring them and he agreed.

Bay Nhu now lives alone and isolated from surrounding people. He tries to avoid all human interaction. Even motorbike drivers and tour guides, who have taken visitors from Hanoi to Phu Quoc Prison for 15 years, have never seen him. Most people did not think that he was still alive. He even laid mines around his house to avoid being broken into for fear of revenge and one mine caused his youngest son to lose a leg.

Thanks to the support of border soldier Luu Quang Muoi, who manages the area where Bay Nhu is living, I and Mr Tang came to Bay Nhu’s house.

Initially, Bay Nhu did not recognise the former prisoner, but when Mr Tang took out his fake teeth, leaving gums only, Nhu said in a trembling voice that “I remember you.”

Mr. Tang kept calm, reminding him of the time he was put into prison. At that time, Nhu lost his self-control, admitting that he followed American instructions to torture the communists, including Tang. “I was an only a hunting dog for imperialists.”

Then Bay Nhu moved his arms towards Mr. Tang, saying that “I am here, you can take your revenge on me.”

Mr. Tang eased the voice from the anger and asked Nhu why he tormented him so cruelly in the prison.

After that, they talked and shook hands with each other, laughed and then cried to remember the old things of 40 years ago. “I am grateful for your forgiveness,” Nhu said.

Bay Nhu also spoke about another former prisoner named Ke who was also tortured by him and even sentenced to death. He is still alive and then also came to visit Nhu.

Life of the former prisoner

Mr Tang, 70 years old, is living in a simple house in Vinh Hao Commune, Vu Ban District, Nam Dinh Province, with his 72-year old wife who is suffering from rheumatism. Mr. Tang has to care for his 63-year old younger brother who is paralysed and has a mental disorder. He has been caring for his brother’s every need for 50 years.

After many years living with sickness, Mr. Tang was finally examined by a doctor. The doctor was shocked when he saw a piece of bullet that had remained in his right eye. They also found pieces of bones in his knees and cracks in his rib. Holes are also detected in his stomach.

Readers have donated gifts, including a wheelchair, worth VND80 million (USD4,000). Two readers in Quang Ngai Province and Ho Chi Minh City bought him a set of fake teeth worth VND30 million (USD1,500).

Eight teeth of Mr Tang displayed at the museum in Hanoi

Mr Tang returns to Phu Quoc Prison

The paper of Bay Nhu’s guilty admission with signatures of witnesses

The two shake hands with each other

Both men cried

Mr Tang and his wife have to take care of his disabled younger brother for 50 years

Mr Tang now has to live with many illnesses