{"id":2283,"date":"2014-05-07T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2014-05-07T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/queme.org\/en\/over-sixty-religious-figures-nobel-peace-prize-laureates-legislators-and-civil-society-leaders-call-on-vietnam-to-cease-religious-repression-and-release-thich-quang-do-on-un-vesak-day\/"},"modified":"2016-09-09T13:41:02","modified_gmt":"2016-09-09T13:41:02","slug":"over-sixty-religious-figures-nobel-peace-prize-laureates-legislators-and-civil-society-leaders-call-on-vietnam-to-cease-religious-repression-and-release-thich-quang-do-on-un-vesak-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/over-sixty-religious-figures-nobel-peace-prize-laureates-legislators-and-civil-society-leaders-call-on-vietnam-to-cease-religious-repression-and-release-thich-quang-do-on-un-vesak-day\/","title":{"rendered":"Over sixty religious figures, Nobel Peace Prize laureates, legislators and civil society leaders call on Vietnam to cease religious repression and release Thich Quang Do on UN Vesak Day"},"content":{"rendered":"

PARIS, 7 May 2014 (Vietnam Committee) \u2013 As Vietnam hosts celebrations of the United Nations Day of the Vesak<\/strong> (Birth, Enlightenment and Passing away of the Buddha) at the Bai Dinh Temple in Ninh Binh from 7-11 May, sixty one prominent international personalities have launched a joint appeal to the Vietnamese leadership to cease repression against the banned Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam and release its Supreme Patriarch Thich Quang Do<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The signatories include four women Nobel Peace Prize laureates, Mairead Maguire<\/strong>, Shirin Ebadi<\/strong>, Rigoberta Menchu Tum<\/strong> and Tawakkol Karman<\/strong>, Roman Catholic Bishop Vaclav Maly<\/strong> of Prague, US Congress members Frank Wolf<\/strong>, Chris Smith<\/strong>, Loretta Sanchez<\/strong> and Zoe Lofgren<\/strong>, former Canadian Prime Minister Kim Campbell<\/strong>, Vice-President of the European Parliament Edward McMillan-Scott<\/strong> and prominent MEPs from the UK, Italy, Portugal, Spain and France, Lord David Alton<\/strong> and Lord Eric Avebury<\/strong> (UK House of Lords), Emma Bonino<\/strong>, former Foreign Minister (Italy), David Kilgour<\/strong>, former Minister (Canada), laureates of the Norwegian Rafto Prize from Estonia, Hungary, South Africa, Mexico, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Azerbaijan, Nigeria and Bahrain, as well as civil society leaders from the USA, Europe, Burma, Mongolia, Taiwan, Tibet and Japan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"Nobel<\/td>\n\u00a0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
Nobel Peace Prize laureates Tawakkol Karman, Mairead Maguire, Rigoberta Menchu Tum and Shirin Ebadi<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\u00a0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

\nIn their joint letter to Vietnamese government and Communist Party, the 61 international personalities expressed concern at the stark contrast between the grandiose celebration of Buddhism\u2019s most sacred festival and the renewed intensity of State repression against Buddhists in Vietnam. \u201cWe are deeply disturbed by recent reports of grave repression against Buddhism, the very faith you claim to celebrate\u201d<\/em>, they wrote, noting that \u201cUBCV monks, nuns and lay-followers all over the country are routinely harassed, and Security Police are preventing Vesak celebrations in UBCV temples in Danang, Hue and elsewhere\u201d<\/em>. Only the State-sponsored Vietnam Buddhist Sangha is involved in the ceremonies, whereas UBCV leaders remain \u201cprisoners in their own pagodas\u201d<\/em>.<\/p>\n

They urged Vietnam to celebrate Vesak more meaningfully by releasing Supreme Patriarch Thich Quang Do, 86, who has spent the past three decades in detention, re-establishing the legitimate status of the banned UBCV and ceasing all repression against the UBCV. (Full text below)<\/em>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Joint Letter to the Vietnamese Government and Communist Party
\non the occasion of UN Vesak Day<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
H.E. Truong Tan Sang, President, Socialist Republic of Vietnam
\nH.E. Nguyen Tan Dung, Prime Minister
\nH.E. Nguyen Phu Trong, Secretary General, Communist Party of Vietnam
\nH.E. Nguyen Sinh Hung, President of the National Assembly<\/div>\n
Paris, 5 May 2014<\/div>\n

Excellencies,<\/p>\n

From 7-11 May 2014, your government will host the 2014 United Nations\u2019 Day of the Vesak at the Bai Dinh Temple in Ninh Binh province. This sacred festival, which commemorates the Buddha\u2019s Birth, Enlightenment and Passing Away, is a world-recognized religious and cultural event. It should be a joyful occasion, a day to remember Buddha\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

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\u2019s Fatherland Front, is involved in these celebrations, whilst the independent, historical Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) remains banned and its leaders are prisoners in their own pagodas.<\/p>\n

Today, the UBCV\u2019s Supreme Patriarch Thich Quang Do, aged 86, a renowned scholar and 2014 Nobel Peace Prize nominee, is under house arrest at the Thanh Minh Zen Monastery in Ho Chi Minh City. He has spent more than three decades in detention for his peaceful advocacy of religious freedom and human rights. UBCV monks, nuns and lay-followers in twenty provincial sections all over the country are routinely harassed, and Security Police are preventing Vesak celebrations in UBCV temples in Danang, Hue and elsewhere. In the light of these grave abuses against Buddhists, as well as Catholics, Protestants, Hoa Hao, Cao Dai and other religious communities, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom recommended in its 2014 report that Vietnam be re-designated as a \u201cCountry of Particular Concern\u201d.<\/p>\n

We appreciate the progress Vietnam has made in the economic domain, but we believe that progress is only sustainable if it is built upon tolerance and respect. Vietnam is a member of the UN Human Rights Council and a signatory to key UN human rights treaties. As such, your government has a binding obligation to uphold human rights, including the universal and inalienable right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief.<\/p>\n

We, the undersigned, call upon you to mark this 2014 UN Day of the Vesak by ceasing all repression against the UBCV, releasing Supreme Patriarch Thich Quang Do and restoring the UBCV\u2019s legitimate status. By this gesture, you will uphold the noble aims enshrined in the UN Vesak Day Charter, and honour the 2,000 year heritage of Buddhism in Vietnam.<\/p>\n

Sincerely,<\/p>\n

Mairead Corrigan Maguire<\/strong>,
\nNobel Peace Prize laureate, (Northern Ireland)<\/p>\n

Shirin Ebadi<\/strong>,
\nNobel Peace Prize laureate (Iran)<\/p>\n

Rigoberta Menchu Tum<\/strong>,
\nNobel Peace Prize laureate (Guatemala)<\/p>\n

Tawakkol Karman<\/strong>,
\nNobel Peace Prize laureate (Yemen)<\/p>\n

Bishop Vaclav Maly<\/strong>,
\nAuxiliary Bishop of Prague, President of the Justice and Peace Commission
\nof the Czech Bishops Conference<\/p>\n

Congressman Frank R. Wolf<\/strong>,
\nCo-Chair, Tom Lantos Commission on Human Rights, USA<\/p>\n

Congressman Christopher H. Smith<\/strong>,
\nChairman, House International Relations Africa, Global Human Rights
\nand International Operations Subcommittee, USA<\/p>\n

Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez<\/strong>,
\nCo-Chair, Congressional Caucus on Vietnam, USA<\/p>\n

Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren<\/strong>,
\nCo-Chair, Congressional Caucus on Vietnam, USA<\/p>\n

Lord David Alton<\/strong>,
\nHouse of Lords, UK<\/p>\n

Lord Eric Avebury<\/strong>,
\nHouse of Lords, UK<\/p>\n

The Hon. Kim Campbell<\/strong>,
\nformer Canadian Prime Minister,
\nChair of the Steering Committee of the World Movement for Democracy<\/p>\n

Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett<\/strong>,
\nPresident, Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice, USA<\/p>\n

Emma Bonino<\/strong>,
\nFormer Foreign Minister, Italy<\/p>\n

Hon. David Kilgour<\/strong>,
\nformer Canadian minister for Asia-Pacific, Canada<\/p>\n

Edward McMillan-Scott<\/strong>,
\nVice-President of the European Parliament, UK<\/p>\n

Baroness Sarah Ludford<\/strong>,
\nMember of the European Parliament, UK<\/p>\n

Charles Tannock<\/strong>,
\nMember of the European Parliament, UK<\/p>\n

Niccolo Rinaldi<\/strong>,
\nMember of the European Parliament, Italy<\/p>\n

Sofia Alfano<\/strong>,
\nMember of the European Parliament, Italy<\/p>\n

Ramon Tremosa I Balcells<\/strong>,
\nMember of the European Parliament, Spain<\/p>\n

Corinne Lepage<\/strong>,
\nMember of the European Parliament, France<\/p>\n

Ana Gomes<\/strong>,
\nMember of the European Parliament, Portugal<\/p>\n

Andr\u00e9 Gattolin<\/strong>,
\nSenator, France<\/p>\n

No\u00ebl Mam\u00e8re<\/strong>,
\nMember of the National Assembly, Mayor of B\u00e8gles, France<\/p>\n

Bob LaGamma<\/strong>,
\nPresident, Council for a Community of Democracies, USA<\/p>\n

Nina Shea<\/strong>,
\nDirector, Hudson Institute\u2019s Center for Religious Freedom,
\nFormer Commissioner, US Commission on International Religious Freedom, USA<\/p>\n

Trivimi Velliste<\/strong>,
\nMember of Estonian Parliament, Rafto Prize Laureate 1988<\/p>\n

Peter Molnar<\/strong>,
\nSenior Research Fellow, Hungary, Rafto Laureate 1989<\/p>\n

Paulos Tesfagiorgis<\/strong>,
\nEritrean Human Rights Activist, South Africa, Rafto Laureate 2003<\/p>\n

Rev. Bulambo Lembelembe Josu\u00e9<\/strong>,
\nVice President of the Protestant Council of Churches<\/strong>,
\nRafto Laureate, Democratic Republic of the Congo<\/p>\n

Malahat Nasibova<\/strong>,
\nJournalist, Rafto Laureate 2009, Azerbaijan<\/p>\n

Fr. Jos\u00e9 Raul Vera Lop\u00e9z<\/strong>,
\nBishop of Saltillo, Mexico, Rafto Laureate 2010<\/p>\n

Nnimmo Bassey<\/strong>,
\nPoet, environmental and human rights activist, Rafto Laureate 2012, Nigeria<\/p>\n

Maryam Al-Khawaja<\/strong>,
\nActing President Bahrain Center for Human Rights, Rafto Laureate 2013, Bahrain<\/p>\n

Judge Essa Moosa<\/strong>,
\nJudge of the High Court of South Africa,
\nChairperson of the Kurdish Human Rights Action Group<\/p>\n

Dr. Mervyn Thomas<\/strong>,
\nChief Executive, Christian Solidarity Worldwide, UK<\/p>\n

Therese Jebsen<\/strong>,
\nExecutive Director, Rafto Foundation for Human Rights, Norway<\/p>\n

Arne Liljedahl Lynng\u00e5rd<\/strong>,
\nRafto Foundation for Human Rights, Norway<\/p>\n

Dr. Michael Kau<\/strong>,
\nTaiwan Foundation for Democracy<\/p>\n

Vo Van Ai<\/strong>,
\nPresident, Vietnam Committee on Human Rights
\nQu\u00ea Me: Action for Democracy in Vietnam<\/p>\n

Zanaa Jurmed<\/strong>,
\nCitizens Alliance Center, Mongolia<\/p>\n

Dieudonn\u00e9 Zognong<\/strong>,
\nHumanus Foundation, Cameroon<\/p>\n

Matteo Meccacci<\/strong>,
\nPresident, International Campaign for Tibet, former MP, Italy<\/p>\n

Debbie Stothard<\/strong>,
\nAlternative ASEAN Network on Burma<\/p>\n

Reiko Suzuki<\/strong>,
\nCatuddisa Sangha, Japan<\/p>\n

Vincenzo Olita<\/strong>,
\nDirector, Cultural Association Societ\u00e0 Libera, Italy<\/p>\n

Marco Pannella<\/strong>,
\nLeader of the Nonviolent Radical Party transnational and transparty, former MEP and MP, Italy<\/p>\n

Maurizio Turco<\/strong>,
\nTreasurer of the NRPtt, former MEP and MP, Italy<\/p>\n

Marco Perduca<\/strong>,
\nVice President of the Senate of the NRPtt, former Senator, Italy<\/p>\n

Filomena Gallo<\/strong>,
\nLuca Coscioni Association for Freedom of Scientific Research, Italy<\/p>\n

Marco Cappato<\/strong>,
\nformer MEP, Italy<\/p>\n

Sergio D’Elia<\/strong>,
\nSecretary, Hands Off Cain, former MP, Italy<\/p>\n

Elisabetta Zamparutti<\/strong>,
\nHand Off Cain, former MP, Italy<\/p>\n

Rita Bernardini<\/strong>,
\nSecretary, Radicali Italiani, former MP, Italy<\/p>\n

Matteo Angioli<\/strong>,
\nMember of the General Council of the NRPtt, Italy<\/p>\n

Kariane Westrheim<\/strong>,
\nChair of EU Turkey Civic Commission<\/p>\n

Olivier Dupuis<\/strong>,
\nJournalist, former MEP, Belgium<\/p>\n

Vanida Thephsouvanh<\/strong>,
\nPresident, Lao Movement for Human Rights<\/p>\n

Jackie Campbell<\/strong>,
\nHuman Rights Activist, Saltillo, Mexico<\/p>\n

Gian Luca Terragna<\/strong>,
\nArchitect, Italy<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

PARIS, 7 May 2014 (Vietnam Committee) \u2013 As Vietnam hosts celebrations of the United Nations Day of the Vesak (Birth, Enlightenment and Passing away of the Buddha) at the Bai Dinh Temple in Ninh Binh from 7-11 May, sixty one prominent international personalities have launched a joint appeal to the Vietnamese leadership to cease repression …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":375,"featured_media":28684,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[64],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2283","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-vchr"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2283","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/375"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2283"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2283\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/28684"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2283"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2283"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2283"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}