{"id":42358,"date":"2020-02-27T17:56:48","date_gmt":"2020-02-27T17:56:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/queme.org\/?p=42358"},"modified":"2021-07-16T16:10:18","modified_gmt":"2021-07-16T16:10:18","slug":"international-community-pays-tribute-to-thich-quang-do","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/international-community-pays-tribute-to-thich-quang-do\/","title":{"rendered":"International community mourns the passing of Buddhist Patriarch Th\u00edch Qu\u1ea3ng \u0110\u1ed9, proponent of freedom and human rights in Vietnam"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"250\" height=\"335\" src=\"https:\/\/queme.org\/app\/uploads\/2017\/07\/tqd_a.jpg\" alt=\"Most Venerable Th\u00edch Qu\u1ea3ng \u0110\u1ed9, 1928-2020 (Photo IBIB)\" class=\"wp-image-35929\" srcset=\"https:\/\/queme.org\/app\/uploads\/2017\/07\/tqd_a.jpg 250w, https:\/\/queme.org\/app\/uploads\/2017\/07\/tqd_a-150x201.jpg 150w, https:\/\/queme.org\/app\/uploads\/2017\/07\/tqd_a-224x300.jpg 224w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/><figcaption>Most Venerable Th\u00edch Qu\u1ea3ng \u0110\u1ed9, 1928-2020 (Photo IBIB)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p> PARIS, 27 February 2020 (VCHR &amp; IBIB) &#8211;  The <strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Most Venerable Th\u00edch Qu\u1ea3ng \u0110\u1ed9 (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/profile-of-venerable-thich-quang-do\/\" target=\"_blank\">Most Venerable Th\u00edch Qu\u1ea3ng \u0110\u1ed9<\/a>,<\/strong> Fifth Supreme Patriarch of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) died on Saturday 22nd February 2020 in Saigon at the age of 93. He suffered from diabetes, a heart condition and high blood pressure for many years. Four decades spent in prison, internal exile and house arrest also took a heavy toll on his health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A revered  spiritual leader, renowned scholar and writer, Th\u00edch Qu\u1ea3ng \u0110\u1ed9 was an  outspoken dissident and pillar of the movement for human rights,  religious freedom and democracy in Vietnam. Subjected to persecution,  torture, detention and police surveillance until the very last moments  of his life, he refused to bow down before the Vietnamese Communist  authorities. For millions of people all over the world, Th\u00edch Qu\u1ea3ng \u0110\u1ed9  was a hero and an inspiration because of his nonviolent struggle against  injustice in all its forms. For the <strong>International Buddhist Information Bureau<\/strong> and the <strong>Vietnam Committee on Human Rights<\/strong>,  he was our mentor and our guiding light. He will continue to inspire  our actions to promote freedom of religion or belief, human rights, the  rule of law and democracy in Vietnam and beyond. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The passing of <strong>Th\u00edch Qu\u1ea3ng \u0110\u1ed9<\/strong> has been widely reported in the international media, with articles in the <em><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2020\/02\/24\/world\/asia\/thich-quang-do-dead.html\" target=\"_blank\">New York Times<\/a>, <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/local\/obituaries\/thich-quang-do-vietnam-dissident-buddhist-monk-dies-at-91\/2020\/02\/25\/e179c012-5806-11ea-ab68-101ecfec2532_story.html\" target=\"_blank\">Washington Post<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/time.com\/5790787\/thich-quang-do-vietnam-dies\/\">Time Magazine<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/45d30fc51360dd7644af4cfc23b685fe\">AP<\/a>, AFP, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.japantimes.co.jp\/news\/2020\/02\/23\/asia-pacific\/vietnamese-dissident-monk-nobel-dies\/#.XlNaSErjK1u\">Japan Times<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.republicworld.com\/world-news\/rest-of-the-world-news\/vietnam-monk-thich-quang-nominated-for-nobel-peace-prize-dies-at-93.html\">the Republic<\/a> <\/em>(India),<em> <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thestandard.com.hk\/section-news\/section\/6\/216586\/Heroic-Vietnamese-monk-dies\" target=\"_blank\">the Standard<\/a> <\/em><a>(Hong Kong)<\/a>and many more, and messages of condolence and support have poured in from international personalities and admirers all over the world. We publish below some of the first messages as a means of honouring and remembering this hero of our times.<br><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/queme.org\/app\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Mairead-Maguire-02.jpg\" alt=\"Mairead Maguire\" class=\"wp-image-42360\" width=\"100\" height=\"125\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Mairead Corrigan Maguire<\/strong>,<br> <em>Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, (1976) Ireland<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Please accept my condolences on the death of Thich Quang Do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>His spirit of peace and nonviolence was an inspiration to many people and he will be remembered for his great witness to loving kindness<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To all<br>Peace<br><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/queme.org\/app\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Logo-Thorolf-Rafto.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-42332\" width=\"140\" height=\"140\" srcset=\"https:\/\/queme.org\/app\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Logo-Thorolf-Rafto.jpg 225w, https:\/\/queme.org\/app\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Logo-Thorolf-Rafto-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/queme.org\/app\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Logo-Thorolf-Rafto-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 140px) 100vw, 140px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Rafto Foundation<\/strong>,<br>\n<em>Bergen, Norway<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cI am isolated but I am not alone, for I am part of the Rafto family<\/em> (Th\u00edch Qu\u1ea3ng \u0110\u1ed9 in a recorded message at the Rafto Foundation 30th year anniversary in 2016).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is with great sadness the Rafto Foundation received the news that the most Venerable Th\u00edch Qu\u1ea3ng \u0110\u1ed9, Rafto laureate 2006, passed away on Saturday 22nd February, aged 93. As a Buddhist monk, dissident, scholar and patriarch of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) he dedicated his life to the promotion of democracy, human rights and religious freedom in Vietnam. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a human rights defender Th\u00edch Qu\u1ea3ng \u0110\u1ed9 payed a heavy price. He was\npersecuted, imprisoned and tortured. He has spent the last three decades in\nhouse arrest and has been under close government control and surveillance until\nhis very last moment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cThich Quang Do\u2019s\nnon-violent struggle for human rights, democracy and religious freedom will\ncontinue to be a great inspiration to the Rafto Foundation and to his many\nfollowers in Vietnam and internationally. He will be deeply missed by the\nentire Family of Rafto Laureates, that he was such an important part of,\ndespite his isolation. We will contribute to keeping his legacy alive\u201d<\/em>, says\nJostein Hole Kobbeltvedt, Executive Director of the Rafto Foundation for Human\nRights. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Th\u00edch Qu\u1ea3ng \u0110\u1ed9 was never allowed by Vietnamese authorities to travel to Norway to receive the Thorolf Rafto Memorial Prize in 2006. Therese Jebsen of the Rafto Foundation was arrested and interrogated by Security Police when she came to the Thanh Minh Zen Monastery to hand Th\u00edch Qu\u1ea3ng \u0110\u1ed9 the Award diploma. <br><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/queme.org\/app\/uploads\/2006\/04\/carl_gershman.jpg\" alt=\"Carl Gershman\" class=\"wp-image-42258\" width=\"100\" height=\"125\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Carl Gershman<\/strong>,<br>\n<em>President, National Endowment for\nDemocracy<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thich Quang Do was admired by freedom-loving people around the world, and they mourn his passing. He was an example for all humanity of tolerance, compassion, and devotion to human rights and dignity.&nbsp; He suffered greatly for his courage and his unyielding commitment to principle and truth.<br><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/queme.org\/app\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Elliott-Abrams-01.jpg\" alt=\"Elliott Abrams\" class=\"wp-image-42283\" width=\"100\" height=\"125\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Elliott Abrams<\/strong>, <br>\n<em>Senior\nFellow, Council on Foreign Relations, Former Chairman, US Commission on\nInternational Religious Freedom (USCIRF), Former US Secretary of State for\nHuman Rights<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thich Quang Do was a hero to millions around the world for his steadfast, peaceful, conscientious support of the freedom of his own people and the cause of freedom around the world. He is one of the millions of victims of communism who paid with years of suffering, deprivation, and isolation for his insistence on freedom of conscience, thought, and religion. Few of us can aspire to the courage he always showed, but we can all be inspired by his life of benevolence and dedication. <br><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/queme.org\/app\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Katrina-Lantos-Swett-02.jpg\" alt=\"Katrina Lantos Swett\" class=\"wp-image-42268\" width=\"100\" height=\"125\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Dr. Katrina Lantos\nSwett<\/strong>, <br>\n<em>President, Lantos Foundation, USA; Past\nChair, USCIRF<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I join millions around the world in mourning the passing of the Most\nVenerable Thich Quang Do, Patriarch of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam\nNam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thich Quang Do, was surely a light that shone in the darkness- standing with unflinching courage and integrity for freedom of religion, conscience and belief for all people everywhere. His life\u2019s journey was one of selfless sacrifice and though he has passed on, the illumination and understanding that he brought to so many shines on. Because of him, the hope for freedom, democracy and human rights continues to burn in Vietnam Nam and beyond.<br><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/queme.org\/app\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Ahmed-Shaheed-01.jpg\" alt=\"Ahmed Shaheed, Special Rapporteur on FoRB\" class=\"wp-image-42321\" width=\"100\" height=\"125\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Dr. Ahmed Shaheed<\/strong>,<br>\n<em>UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of\nReligion or Belief<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt is with deep sadness that I learned of the passing of Patriarch Thich Quang Do in Saigon. During this time of mourning I would like to express sincere condolences to the Buddhist community in Vietnam and pay tribute to Thich Quang Do\u2019s &nbsp;life-long and courageous commitment to &nbsp;peace and the freedom of conscience.\u201d<br><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/queme.org\/app\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Nina-Shea-01.jpg\" alt=\"Nina Shea\" class=\"wp-image-42286\" width=\"100\" height=\"125\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Nina Shea<\/strong>, <br>\n<em>Director of the Center for Religious\nFreedom, Hudson Institute, USA<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I am very sorry to hear this news. Thich Quang Do was a great example of the struggle for religious freedom. While confined and repressed, he, through strong conviction and gentle resistance, drew admiration from throughout the world and across religions. His life will continue to inspire me and all who knew of him, thanks to your own tireless efforts on his behalf.&nbsp;With deepest condolences.<br><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/queme.org\/app\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Chris-Smith-Thich-Quang-Do.jpg\" alt=\"Chris Smith &amp; Thich Quang Do\" class=\"wp-image-42312\" width=\"177\" height=\"125\" srcset=\"https:\/\/queme.org\/app\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Chris-Smith-Thich-Quang-Do.jpg 294w, https:\/\/queme.org\/app\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Chris-Smith-Thich-Quang-Do-150x106.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 177px) 100vw, 177px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Chris Smith<\/strong>, <br>\n<em>Member of the US Congress<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cI am deeply saddened to hear that the <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/local\/obituaries\/thich-quang-do-vietnam-dissident-buddhist-monk-dies-at-91\/2020\/02\/25\/e179c012-5806-11ea-ab68-101ecfec2532_story.html\" target=\"_blank\">Most Venerable Thich Quang Do passed away<\/a> over the weekend at age 91,\u201d<\/em> said Smith, who has chaired 11 hearings on human rights in Vietnam. <em>\u201cHe was a courageous champion for human rights in Vietnam and one of the world\u2019s longest <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/humanrightscommission.house.gov\/defending-freedom-project\/prisoners-by-country\/Vietnam\" target=\"_blank\">held prisoners of conscience<\/a>. I had the privilege to meet him during a visit to Vietnam. He called to account Vietnam\u2019s communist regime for its suppression of Buddhists, Christians, Cao Dai, Hoa Hao and other religious believers and was detained unjustly for decades until his death. His dream of a Vietnam where everyone can speak their mind or practice their beliefs without coercion will never die and one day, hopefully soon, will be realized.\u201d<\/em><br><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/queme.org\/app\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Kristina-Arriaga-01.jpg\" alt=\"Kristina Arriaga\" class=\"wp-image-42271\" width=\"100\" height=\"125\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Kristina Arriaga<\/strong>, <br>\n<em>former Vice-Chair, US Commission on\nInternational Religious Freedom<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Venerable Thich Quang Do\u2019s courage before oppression and resilience during imprisonment reminded the world that we are all are born in dignity, with the right to live according to our deeply held convictions. The world is a richer place because he lived amongst us and sacrificed his freedom so others could keep theirs. Freedom-loving people all over the world will mourn him. I am heartbroken.<br><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/queme.org\/app\/uploads\/2020\/02\/US-ambassador-Daniel-Kritenbrink-01.jpg\" alt=\"Daniel Kritenbrink, US Ambassador\" class=\"wp-image-42289\" width=\"100\" height=\"125\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Daniel J. Kritenbrink<\/strong>, <br>\n<em>US Ambassador to Vietnam<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On behalf of the U.S. Mission in Vietnam, I would like to express our\nsincere condolences on the passing of The Venerable Thich Quang Do, Patriarch\nof the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thich Quang Do was a tireless advocate for religious freedom and human\nrights, and he remained committed to the non-violent pursuit of justice. These\npeaceful efforts garnered him numerous international awards, and he was\nnominated several times for the Nobel Peace Prize.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I had the honor of meeting Patriarch Thich Quang Do in 2018, and I was deeply impressed by his compassion and commitment to religious pluralism.<br><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/queme.org\/app\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Lord-David-Alton-01.jpg\" alt=\"Lord David Alton\" class=\"wp-image-42277\" width=\"100\" height=\"125\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Professor the Lord Alton of Liverpool<\/strong>, <br>\n<em>Member of the House of Lords, UK<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many will want to mark the passing of the Most Venerable Thich Quang Do, Patriarch of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam, by recalling his courageous opposition to authoritarian attempts to silence his calls for multi-party democracy, freedom of religion or belief and human rights. &nbsp;During the many times that the Communist authorities detained him over the past 45 years of his life he refused to be cowed or silenced \u2013 and that has inspired many people not to lose hope in their own struggle for fundamental rights and freedoms.<br><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/queme.org\/app\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Olivier-Dupuis-01.jpg\" alt=\"Olivier Dupuis\" class=\"wp-image-42274\" width=\"100\" height=\"125\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Olivier Dupuis<\/strong>,<br>\n<em>former Member of the European Parliament<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A thought, a shared thought, for the Venerable Thich Quang Do. Yesterday,\nthe Patriarch of the United Buddhist Church of Vietnam soared to new, unvisited\nheights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thich Quang Do, upon whom Hanoi\u2019s Leninist dictatorship inflicted prisons, re-education camps and house arrest for more than forty years, leaves us in legacy his incredible spirit of Resistance, his keen sense of Politics and his uncompromising love of Liberty, the Rule of Law and Democracy. Thank you Thich Quang Do.<br><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/queme.org\/app\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Bishop-Vaclav-Maly-04a.jpg\" alt=\"Bichop\" class=\"wp-image-42337\" width=\"100\" height=\"125\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>V\u00e1clav Mal\u00fd<\/strong>, <br> <em>Catholic Bishop of Prague, Czech Republic<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I feel sincere regret and compassion due to the death of Most Venerable Thich Quang Do, Patriarch of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam. He was a brave man advocating human dignity and supporting peaceful co-existence of people with various religious confessions.<br><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/queme.org\/app\/uploads\/2020\/02\/CSW-150x150-01.jpg\" alt=\"Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW)\" class=\"wp-image-42363\" width=\"100\" height=\"100\" srcset=\"https:\/\/queme.org\/app\/uploads\/2020\/02\/CSW-150x150-01.jpg 150w, https:\/\/queme.org\/app\/uploads\/2020\/02\/CSW-150x150-01-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 100px) 100vw, 100px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Representative of Christian Solidarity Worldwide<\/strong>, <br>\n<em>United Kingdom<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I am so sorry to hear of the passing of the Most Venerable Thich Quang Do. His courage and commitment to freedom and human rights have been an inspiration to so many. He will be greatly missed. My thoughts are with everyone affected by this loss.<br><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/queme.org\/app\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Rajiv-Narayan-01.jpg\" alt=\"Rajiv Narayan\" class=\"wp-image-42324\" width=\"100\" height=\"125\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Rajiv Narayan<\/strong>, <br>\n<em>Director of Policy, International\nCommission against the Death Penalty, Madrid<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I heard the news a few minutes ago on BBC news of the sad passing away of\nthe Rev. Thich Quang Do. I felt very sad and yet inspired by his extraordinary\nfight and staunch activism and fight for the human dignity, for freedoms of\nexpression, association, belief, religion in the face of extremely harsh\npunishment.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Vo Van Ai and Penelope, my thoughts and prayers go to you and your friends&nbsp;and supporters&nbsp;like Therese and Rafto Foundation for carrying on his struggle, believing and giving voice to his message which has such global resonance, especially today. As a saying in India goes, as long as the memory and the values of Rev. Thich Quang Do remains, he remains alive. And your efforts will continue to do so.<br><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Wilson Ip<\/strong>,<br>\n<em>Independent Human Rights Analyst<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I am very saddened to hear about the passing of Ven Thich Quang Do. He is now in a place beyond earthly shackles. I hope his spirit continues to inspire those in Vietnam and around the world to continue the pursuit for true freedoms. Keep up the good fight!<br><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/queme.org\/app\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Seal_USCIRF.png\" alt=\"Seal of the USCIRF\" class=\"wp-image-42318\" width=\"120\" height=\"120\" srcset=\"https:\/\/queme.org\/app\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Seal_USCIRF.png 300w, https:\/\/queme.org\/app\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Seal_USCIRF-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/queme.org\/app\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Seal_USCIRF-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 120px) 100vw, 120px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>United States\nCommission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Washington, DC, 25.2.2020 \u2014 The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.uscirf.gov\/\" target=\"_blank\">USCIRF<\/a>) mourned the passing of Patriarch Th\u00edch Qu\u1ea3ng \u0110\u1ed9, the leader of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV). He was under effective house arrest at Thanh Minh Zen Monastery in Ho Chi Minh City from 2001 to late 2018, when he was able to flee to Tu Hieu pagoda, where he passed away on Saturday evening. USCIRF had advocated for Patriarch Th\u00edch Qu\u1ea3ng \u0110\u1ed9 through the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uscirf.gov\/uscirfs-religious-prisoners-conscience-project\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Religious Prisoners of Conscience Project<\/a>. A USCIRF delegation met with him in September 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201c<em>This is an incredible loss for the people of Vietnam<\/em>,\u201d USCIRF Chair <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uscirf.gov\/about-uscirf\/tony-perkins-chair\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Tony Perkins<\/a> stated. \u201c<em>USCIRF urges the Vietnamese government to let UBCV members mourn their departed leader in peace.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201c<em>I had the honor of meeting Patriarch Th\u00edch Qu\u1ea3ng \u0110\u1ed9 at his pagoda this past fall<\/em>,\u201d added Commissioner <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.uscirf.gov\/about-uscirf\/anurima-bhargava-commissioner\" target=\"_blank\">Anurima Bhargava<\/a>. <em>\u201cWith his quiet strength and grace, he fought for decades to preserve and promote&nbsp;religious freedom in Vietnam.\u201d<\/em><br><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/queme.org\/app\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Marco-Perduca-02.jpg\" alt=\"Marco Perduca\" class=\"wp-image-42298\" width=\"100\" height=\"125\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Marco Perduca<\/strong><br><em>Former Senator, Italy; Coordinator, Science for Democracy <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I just heard the sad news of the death of the venerable Th\u00edch Quang Do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the age of 92, it is not unusual for a person to leave this world. But\nit is unusual for a 92-year-old to die without freedom. A private freedom from\na regime that, among many other rights, systematically denies the right to pray\nalone or in an organized manner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A regime that in violating freedom of worship has found its new god: money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The first chapter of my book \u201cRadical Farnesina\u201d is called \u201cpersona\nnon-grata\u201d. A good part of it is dedicated to Th\u00edch Quang \u0110o and his fight for\nfreedom \u2013 a struggle that was fully political, because cultural and religious,\nand that \u2013 above all \u2013 was honestly liberal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A model of existence and nonviolent resistance that needs to be made known today even more than ever.<br><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/queme.org\/app\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Bob-Fu-01-1.jpg\" alt=\"Bob Fu\" class=\"wp-image-42427\" width=\"100\" height=\"125\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Bob Fu<br> <\/strong><em>Founder and President, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chinaaid.org\/2020\/02\/remembering-thich-quang-o.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"ChinaAid (opens in a new tab)\">ChinaAid<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I am so sorry to hear about the loss of one of the world&#8217;s most fearless leaders for religious freedom, democracy, and human rights in Vietnamese Buddhist leader Thich Quang Do. He will remain an intellectual pillar and unifying force for freedom-loving people in Vietnam and around the world for&nbsp;generations to come.<br><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"text-align:center\">********<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"265\" height=\"42\" src=\"https:\/\/queme.org\/app\/uploads\/2020\/02\/new-york-logo-times.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-42378\" srcset=\"https:\/\/queme.org\/app\/uploads\/2020\/02\/new-york-logo-times.jpg 265w, https:\/\/queme.org\/app\/uploads\/2020\/02\/new-york-logo-times-150x24.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 265px) 100vw, 265px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2020\/02\/24\/world\/asia\/thich-quang-do-dead.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Thich Quang Do, Defiant Rights Champion in Vietnam, Dies at 91  (opens in a new tab)\">Thich Quang Do, Defiant Rights Champion in Vietnam, Dies at 91 <\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><br><em>As the patriarch of a banned Buddhist church, he endured prison, house arrest and internal exile but refused to bend to the Communist authorities. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"227\" height=\"309\" src=\"https:\/\/queme.org\/app\/uploads\/2020\/02\/thichquangdo-afp-ibib-01.jpg\" alt=\"Thich Quang Do after being released from prison in Ho Chi Minh City in 1998. \u201cWithout democracy and pluralism we cannot combat poverty and injustice nor bring true development to our people,\u201d he declared.Credit...Agence France-Presse\" class=\"wp-image-42381\" srcset=\"https:\/\/queme.org\/app\/uploads\/2020\/02\/thichquangdo-afp-ibib-01.jpg 227w, https:\/\/queme.org\/app\/uploads\/2020\/02\/thichquangdo-afp-ibib-01-220x300.jpg 220w, https:\/\/queme.org\/app\/uploads\/2020\/02\/thichquangdo-afp-ibib-01-150x204.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 227px) 100vw, 227px\" \/><figcaption>Thich Quang Do after being released from prison in Ho Chi Minh City in 1998. \u201cWithout democracy and pluralism we cannot combat poverty and injustice nor bring true development to our people,\u201d he declared.Credit&#8230;Agence France-Presse<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>By Seth Mydans<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Published Feb. 24, 2020 &#8211; Updated Feb. 25, 2020<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thich Quang Do, the patriarch of the banned Unified Buddhist Church of\nVietnam and a defiant champion of religious freedom, democracy and human rights\nin his country, died on Saturday. He was 91.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>His death was confirmed by the Paris-based International Buddhist\nInformation Bureau, an arm of his church. There was no information on where he\ndied. A spokeswoman for the organization said that the Vietnamese authorities\nhad held him incommunicado at the Tu Hieu Pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City and that\nit had been impossible for members of his organization to make contact with\nhim. He had diabetes and a heart condition for many years, she added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thich Quang Do had for decades repeatedly challenged, and angered, the\nCommunist government on issues of religious and political freedom and had effectively\nbeen under house arrest since 2003. He had spent the last 30 years or so in and\nout of prison, under house arrest or forced into internal exile for refusing to\nsubmit the Unified Church to government control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He issued a stream of public statements over the years, putting him in the\nforefront of religious activism in Vietnam, which permits only a single\ngovernment-sanctioned Buddhist organization. The Unified Church, founded as an\numbrella organization for various Buddhist sects in 1964, was banned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>His themes\nwere as much secular as religious, echoing some of the main concerns of\npolitical dissent in Vietnam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One such\nstatement, delivered in a video message to the United Nations in 2005, amounted\nto a political manifesto.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWithout\ndemocracy and pluralism we cannot combat poverty and injustice nor bring true\ndevelopment to our people,\u201d the statement said. \u201cWithout democracy and\npluralism we cannot guarantee human rights, for human rights cannot be\nprotected without the safeguards of democratic institutions and the rule of\nlaw.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2001,\nThich Quang Do published \u201cAppeal for Democracy in Vietnam,\u201d an eight-point\ndeclaration calling for a multiparty system, free elections, independent trade\nunions and the abolition of \u201call degrading forms of imported culture and\nideologies that pervert Vietnamese spiritual and moral values.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He was\ninstrumental in forging links between dissidents in the north and south, ending\na decades-long geographical and ideological divide. As well, he was a respected\nscholar with more than a dozen published works, including novels, poetry,\ntranslations and studies of Vietnamese Buddhism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/queme.org\/app\/uploads\/2020\/02\/thichquangdo-afp-genet-01.jpg\" alt=\"Thich Quang Do in 2007 at a monastery in Ho Chi Minh City, where he was under house arrest. A simple vow to combat intolerance, he said, led him \u201cdown a path paved with prison cells, torture, internal exile and detention.\u201d Credit...Aude Genet\/Agence France-Presse \u2014 Getty Images\" class=\"wp-image-42384\" srcset=\"https:\/\/queme.org\/app\/uploads\/2020\/02\/thichquangdo-afp-genet-01.jpg 600w, https:\/\/queme.org\/app\/uploads\/2020\/02\/thichquangdo-afp-genet-01-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/queme.org\/app\/uploads\/2020\/02\/thichquangdo-afp-genet-01-150x113.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><figcaption>Thich Quang Do in 2007 at a monastery in Ho Chi Minh City, where he was under house arrest. A simple vow to combat intolerance, he said, led him \u201cdown a path paved with prison cells, torture, internal exile and detention.\u201d Credit&#8230;Aude Genet\/Agence France-Presse \u2014 Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Thich Quang Do received a number of human rights awards, including Norway\u2019s\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rafto.no\/the-rafto-prize\/thich-quang-do\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Rafto\nPrize<\/a>, which cited \u201chis personal courage and perseverance\nthrough three decades of peaceful opposition against the Communist regime in\nVietnam.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1978, he and Thich Huyen Quang, the patriarch of the Unified Church at\nthe time, were nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by the Irish peace activists\nBetty Williams and Mairead Corrigan Maguire, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nobelprize.org\/prizes\/peace\/1976\/summary\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the 1976 laureates<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Commission on International Religious Freedom, an independent body\nestablished by Congress, spoke out on Thich Quang Do\u2019s behalf in 2018. Its\nvice-chairwoman at the time, Kristina Arriaga, said, \u201cI urge the government of\nVietnam to respect his freedom of movement and freedom to reside wherever he\nchooses.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thich Quang Do was born Dang Phuc Tue, on Nov. 27, 1928, in Thai Binh\nProvince, in northern Vietnam. He assumed the Dharma name Thich Quang Do after\nbecoming a monk at the age of 14. Thich is an honorary family name used by\nmonks and nuns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He said his life\u2019s course was set at the age of 17, when he witnessed the execution of his religious master, Thich Duc Hai, by a Communist revolutionary tribunal. \u201cThen and there I vowed to do all that I could to combat fanaticism and intolerance and devote my life to the pursuit of justice through the Buddhist teachings of nonviolence, tolerance and compassion,\u201d he wrote in 1994, in an open letter to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2018\/10\/02\/obituaries\/do-muoi-vietnams-leader-in-economic-transition-dies-at-101.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Do Muoi<\/a>, the general secretary of Vietnam\u2019s Communist Party at the time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He added: \u201cLittle did I realize how that simple vow would lead me down a\npath paved with prison cells, torture, internal exile and detention for so many\nyears to come.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the early 1950s, Thich Quang Do traveled for six years as a young\nresearch fellow in Buddhist philosophy at universities in India and Sri Lanka.\nIn the 1960s and \u201970s, he was a professor of oriental studies and Buddhist\nphilosophy at universities in Vietnam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He and thousands of Buddhists were arrested in 1963 in a broad crackdown by\nthe government of Ngo Dinh Diem, but he was released a few months later when\nDiem was deposed and assassinated in a military coup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Communist side won the Vietnam War in 1975, and two years later Thich\nQuang Do was put in solitary confinement for his attempts to organize a\nnonviolent struggle to protect religious freedom. Beginning in the 1980s he\nspent a decade in internal exile as punishment for his activism and public statements.\nHis 84-year-old mother was exiled with him, and died in 1985 from malnutrition\nand inadequate medical care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In a turnaround, the Communist government in 1990 invited him to take up a\npost in the state-sponsored Vietnam Buddhist Church, but he refused and\ncontinued his opposition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In April 2006, in the early years of his final term of house arrest, he\npredicted the ultimate victory of his secular ideals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThere will come a time when the authorities will be unable to silence all\nof the people all of the time,\u201d he said. \u201cThe moment will come when the people\nwill rise up, like water bursting its banks,\u201d and when that happens, he added,\n\u201cthe situation in Vietnam will be forced to change, and a democratic process\nwill emerge.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Seth Mydans reported as\na foreign and national correspondent for The New York Times and its sister\npublication, The International Herald Tribune, from 1983 to 2012. He continues\nto contribute to The Times. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>A version of this\narticle appears in print on Feb. 27, 2020, Section A, Page 26 of the New York\nedition with the headline: Thich Quang Do, 91, Buddhist Monk and Rights\nChampion in Vietnam. <\/em><em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><br><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Most Venerable Th\u00edch Qu\u1ea3ng \u0110\u1ed9, 1928-2020 (Photo IBIB) PARIS, 27 February 2020 (VCHR &amp; IBIB) &#8211; The Most Venerable Th\u00edch Qu\u1ea3ng \u0110\u1ed9, Fifth Supreme Patriarch of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) died on Saturday 22nd February 2020 in Saigon at the age of 93. He suffered from diabetes, a heart condition and high &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":434,"featured_media":42368,"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":[97,137,113,98,64],"tags":[871,870,385,638,1037,1036,1038],"class_list":["post-42358","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-ibib","category-latest-posts","category-news","category-press-release","category-vchr","tag-bob-fu","tag-chinaaid","tag-csw","tag-daniel-kritenbrink","tag-new-york-times","tag-seth-mydans","tag-tag-ahmed-shaheed"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42358","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\/434"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=42358"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42358\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/42368"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42358"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=42358"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=42358"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}