Quê Me Quê Me: Action for democracy in Vietnam & Vietnam Committee on Human Rights
PARIS, 1st October 2006 (IBIB) – The Supreme Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) was transferred from the Cho Ray State hospital to a private clinic in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) today, 1st October 2006. UBCV Deputy leader Thich Quang Do and a group of over 20 senior UBCV dignitaries from the UBCV’s Bi-Cameral leadership (the Institute of the Sangha and the Institute for the Dissemination of the Faith, Vien Hoa Dao) followed the ambulance with the UBCV Patriarch to the clinic.
The Patriarch’s transfer was proposed by the Saigon UBCV lay-Buddhist movement, who visited the UBCV’s Deputy leader Thich Quang Do yesterday. They affirmed that the reputed private clinic could provide better medical treatment, and enable Buddhists to have better access to take care and watch over the UBCV Patriarch. Thich Quang Do agreed, and went to Cho Ray Hospital early this morning to organize the transfer. More than 20 senior UBCV monks and a crowd of Buddhists who had come to visit the Patriarch stayed at the hospital to ensure his safe departure.
Initially, doctors at Cho Ray hospital refused to allow Thich Huyen Quang to leave. They said he must have authorization from the hospital authorities, who did not work on Sunday. Thich Quang Do insisted that UBCV Buddhists were determined to ensure the best possible treatment for their spiritual leader. An ambulance from the private clinic was arriving at 3.00pm, he said. The UBCV would make sure that the Patriarch was transferred safely from Cho Ray, with or without the hospital’s approval.
Faced with Thich Quang Do’s determination and the growing crowd of monks and Buddhists gathered outside, the doctors finally gave way. At 3.30pm, the UBCV Patriarch left Cho Ray hospital in the clinic’s ambulance, escorted by Thich Quang Do and the delegation of UBCV monks.
Since early this morning, the International Buddhist Information Bureau (IBIB) has maintained contact with the UBCV delegation, checking every 15 minutes on the progress of the UBCV Patriarch’s transfer. At 16.15pm (Vietnam time), Thich Quang Do informed IBIB Director Vo Van Ai that Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang, 87, was safely settled in his room at the clinic. His health is stable, and he is in good spirits. The Patriarch’s private secretary and another assistant are keeping permanent watch over him.
l On this occasion, IBIB Director and UBCV International spokesman Vo Van Ai wishes to thank all the people and human rights organizations around the world who sent moving messages and wishes of sympathy and speedy recovery for Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang. Yesterday, Irish Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mairead Corrigan Maguire wrote : “I am sorry to read that the UBCV Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang is sick in Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Please give to the Patriarch my very best wishes and prayers for him and I do hope he will recover soon. My thoughts and prayers are also with Venerable Thich Quang Do and the monks and nuns of the UBCV. I join you all in your courageous work for Democratic reforms, religious freedom and human rights in Vietnam”.
