Quê Me Quê Me: Action for democracy in Vietnam & Vietnam Committee on Human Rights
PARIS, 9 May 2008 (VIETNAM COMMITTEE) – Fifty-seven prominent international personalities including a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, religious leaders from different faiths, Members of the European Parliament, the US Congress, Senators and MPs from Italy, France and the UK launched a joint appeal to the Vietnamese leadership on the occasion of the United Nations Day of the Vesak (Birth, Enlightenment and Passing away of the Buddha) in Hanoi (13-17 May) to cease repression against the banned Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) and immediately release its Supreme Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang and his Deputy Thich Quang Do.
In a letter to Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and other state leaders, the signatories expressed concern at the stark contrast between the grandiose celebration of Buddhism’s most sacred festival and the renewed intensity of State repression gainst Buddhists in Vietnam. “We are deeply disturbed by recent reports of grave repression against Buddhism, the very faith you claim to celebrate”, they wrote, noting that “in the run-up to the Vesak, Police have seized UBCV pagodas to use for State-sponsored events, evicted and harassed UBCV monks, nuns and lay-followers in Lam Dong, Hue, Quang Tri…”. Only the State-sponsored Buddhist Sangha would be hosting the ceremonies, whilst UBCV leaders “are prisoners in their own pagodas”.
They called on Vietnam to release Supreme Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang, 88, and the UBCV’s second-ranking dignitary Thich Quang Do, 80, who have both spent over 26 years in detention; to re-establish the legitimate status of the banned UBCV; and to cease all repression against the UBCV.
Signatories include Irish Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mairead Corrigan-Maguire, US Congressman Frank Wolf, Roman Catholic Bishop Vaclav Maly of Prague, Rabbi Shmuel Herzfeld, prominent MEPs Graham Watson, Marco Pannella, Edward McMillan-Scott, Italian Senate Vice-President Emma Bonino, USCIRF Commissioner Nina Shea, Lord Avebury and Lord Alton of the UK House of Lords etc. (Full text below).
H.E. Nguyen Minh Triet, President, Socialist Republic of Vietnam
H.E. Nguyen Tan Dung, Prime Minister
H.E. Nong Duc Manh, Secretary General, Communist Party of Vietnam
H.E. Nguyen Phu Trong, President of the National Assembly
Excellencies,
On 13-17 May 2008, your government will host the 5th United Nations’ Day of the Vesak in Hanoi. This should be a happy occasion, a day to remember Buddha’s message of tolerance and peace, and to inspire all people, Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike, to work together towards mutual understanding and harmonious coexistence in our world.
However, we are deeply disturbed by recent reports of grave repression against Buddhism, the very faith you claim to celebrate. Only the State-sponsored Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, controlled by the Communist Party’s Fatherland Front, will attend these celebrations, whilst the independent, traditional Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) remains banned and its leaders are prisoners in their own pagodas.
In the run-up to the Vesak, Police have seized UBCV pagodas to use for State-sponsored events, evicted and harassed UBCV monks, nuns and lay-followers in Lam Dong, Hue, Quang Tri and elsewhere. On 2nd May 2008, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) expressed deep concern on “significant official harassment of monks, nuns and youth leaders associated with the UBCV”, including the long-term house arrest of UBCV Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang, 88 and his Deputy Thich Quang Do, 80, a 2008 Nobel Peace Prize nominee. Both monks have spent over 26 years in detention for their peaceful advocacy of religious freedom, democracy and human rights. Moreover, in the light of grave abuses against Buddhists, Protestants, Catholics, Hoa Hao, Cao Dai and other religious communities, the USCIRF recommended that Vietnam be re-designated in 2008 as a “Country of Particular Concern”.
We appreciate the progress you have made in certain domains, but this progress remains uneven. As a member of the World Trade Organization, non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, and a signatory to key UN human rights treaties, Vietnam has a binding obligation to uphold all internationally-recognised human rights. This entails respect for the mother of all freedoms – the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief.
On the occasion of the UN Day of Vesak, we urge you to cease all repression against the UBCV, release Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang and Most Venerable Thich Quang Do and restore the UBCV’s legitimate status. By this gesture, you will restore true significance to the UN Day of the Vesak, and honour the 2,000 year heritage of Buddhism in Vietnam.
Sincerely,
Mairead Corrigan-Maguire, Nobel Peace Prize laureate (Northern Ireland); Congressman Frank R. Wolf, co-chair of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus (USA); Bishop Vaclav Maly (Bishop of Prague, President of the Justice and Peace Commission of the Czech Bishops´Conference); Rabbi Shmuel Herzfeld (Washington DC, USA); Nina Shea, Director, Hudson Institute Center for Religious Freedom, Commissioner, US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USA); Graham Watson (MEP, leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe); Marco Pannella (MEP, Italy); Edward McMillan-Scott (MEP, European Parliament Vice-President, UK); Luisa Morgantini (MEP, Vice-President of the European Parliament, Italy); Emma Emma Bonino Vice President of the Italian Senate; Marco Cappatto (MEP, Rapporteur for Human Rights); Lord Avebury, Vice-Chair, Parliamentary Human Rights Group (UK); Professor Lord Alton of Liverpool (UK); Robert Evans (MEP, UK); Józef Pinior (MEP); Luca Romagnoli (MEP); Charles Tannock (MEP, UK); Kinga Gál (MEP, Hungary); Raül Romeva i Rueda (MEP, Spain); Gabriele Albertini (MEP, Former Mayor of Milan, Italy); Marco Perduca (Senator, Italy); Donatella Poretti (Senator, Italy); Roberto Della Sete, (Senator, Italy); Maurizio Turco (MP, Italy); Matteo Meccaci (MP, Italy); Maria Antonietta Farina Coscioni (MP, Italy); Rita Bernardini (MP, Italy); Elisabetta Zamparutti (MP, Italy); Marco Beltrandi (MP, Italy); Andrea Sarubbi (MP, Italy); Renato Farina (MP, Italy); Giovanni Fava (MP, Italy); Noel Mamère (MP, France); Son Chhay (MP, Cambodia); Therese Jebsen, Executive Director, Rafto Foundation (Norway); Arne Liljedahl Lynngard, Chairman, Rafto Prize Committee (Norway); Tina Lambert, Christian Solidarity Worldwide; Julia Doxat-Purser, European Evangelical Alliance; Venerable Katsuyuki Imoto, Catuddisa Sangha, Japan; Jennifer Windsor, Executive Director, Freedom House (USA); Kok Ksor, President of the Montagnard Foundation; Bob LaGamma, Executive Director, Council for a community of Democracies; Daniela Lucia Rapisarda, Coordinator of the Norwegian Ecumenical Peace Platform of the Christian Council of Norway; Arie de Pater (Open Doors International); Overseas Office of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam: strong>Most Venerable Thich Ho Giac, President; Venerable Thich Vien Ly, Secretary General; Most Venerable Thich Nu Nguyen Thanh, Treasurer; Most Venerable Thich Chanh Lac, Commissioner General for Internal and Dharma Affairs; Vo Van Ai, Commissioner general for International Relations; Reverend Thich Giac Duc, Commissioner general for Planning; Most Venerable Thich Tri Lang, Commissioner general for Social Affairs; Most Venerable Thich Chon Tri, Commissioner for Education; Venerable Thich Giac Dang, Commissioner general for Information; Most Venerable Thich Huyen Viet, Commissioner general for Youth; Venerable Thich Phuoc Nhon, Commissioner general for Financial Affairs (Australia); Most Venerable Thich Tri Minh, Commissioner general for Europe; Most Venerable Thich Thien Tam, Commissioner general for Canada.
