Security Police assault Thich Quang Do in clash to prevent UBCV monks holding Buddhist celebration in Saigon – State media launches vilification campaign against Thich Quang Do and UBCV provincial committees

l At 8.00 am (Vietnam time) on Saturday 19th November 2005, Security Police clashed with Buddhists at the Thanh Minh Zen Monastery and physically assaulted Venerable Thich Quang Do, Deputy leader of the outlawed Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV). Thich Quang Do was leaving the monastery to preside a Memorial …

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Vo Van Ai welcomes U.S. decision to maintain Vietnam on black-list of “Countries of Particular Concern” for religious freedom violations

Mr Vo Van Ai, Director of the International Buddhist Information Bureau (IBIB) and International Spokesman of the outlawed Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) welcomed the announcement by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to maintain Vietnam on a list of eight “Countries of Particular Concern” (CPCs) for its grave …

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NGO Coalition Urges Creation of Credible UN Human Rights Council

The Vietnam Committee on Human Rights and 41 personalities and NGOs send the following letter to the President of the UN General Assembly to urge that the UN Human Rights Council will significantly enhance the UN’s existing capacity to protect and promote human rights : November 1, 2005 H.E. Mr. Jan …

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Vo Van Ai calls on the U.S. to retain Vietnam on the list of religious freedom violators until Vietnam releases prisoners of conscience and legalizes the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam

WASHINGTON, 28th October 2005 (IBIB) – Testifying on behalf of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) at a Congressional hearing on religious freedom in Vietnam on Wednesday October 26, Mr. Vo Van Ai, UBCV International Spokesman and Director of the International Buddhist Information Bureau, gave evidence of “continuing abuses …

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AFP : Diplomats meet Buddhist dissident in Vietnam

  Agence France Presse   HANOI, Oct 5 (AFP) – One of Vietnam’s most prominent religious dissidents Thich Quang Do urged the European Union to help improve human rights in the country, an EU diplomat said Wednesday. The deputy leader of the banned Unified Buddhist Church met British Ambassador to …

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AsiaNews : Western diplomats meet Buddhist dissident

The British ambassador and an EU representative have managed to meet Thich Quang Do, the number two of Vietnam’s Unified Buddhist Church. Hanoi (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Freedom in Vietnam “is like the picture of a sweet: it looks delicious on paper, but it cannot be eaten”, said Thich Quang Do. Second …

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EU and UK Ambassadors visit Thich Quang Do in Ho Chi Minh City – UBCV monk Thich Vien Phuong receives heavy fine for filming video message by Thich Quang Do to the UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva

PARIS, 3 October 2005 (IBIB) – Ambassador Robert Gordon, the British Ambassador to Vietnam and Ambassador David Milliot, Head of the EU Delegation to Vietnam, travelled from Hanoi to visit Venerable Thich Quang Do, Deputy leader of the banned Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) at the Thanh Minh Zen …

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