Free Vietnam Alliance
Press Release
February 9, 2000
To raise international attention to the lack of human rights and religious freedom in Vietnam, a coalition of organizations within the overseas Vietnamese community launched an international effort to nominate Venerable Thich Quang Do for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Venerable Thich Quang Do is currently Director of the Institute for the Dharma Propagation of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV). He has been imprisoned repeatedly since 1975 for opposing the Vietnamese government's decision to dissolve the UBCV and replace it with a state-sponsored Buddhist entity. In 1994, Venerable Thich Quang Do wrote a 44-page letter detailing the government's persecution of religions. In 1995, he was sentenced to five years in jail for organizing a relief mission for flood victims in the Mekong delta. Under international pressure, the communist authorities released Venerable Thich Quang Do in September 1998. Although constantly followed and threatened by the authorities, Venerable Thich Quang Do has steadfastly campaigned for religious freedom and human rights. In clandestine letters, interviews, and meetings, he has brought to outside attention the Vietnamese government's violations of basic rights.
To celebrate his courage and convictions, in September 1999, the Free Vietnam Alliance proposed to Rep. Loretta Sanchez the idea of lobbying U.S. Members of Congress to nominate Venerable Thich Quang Do for the Nobel Peace Prize. Rep. Loretta Sanchez embraced the proposal and led the nomination effort along with colleagues in the Congressional Dialogue on Vietnam. On the occasion of International Human Rights Day on December 10, 1999, 29 members of Congress submitted a joint letter to the Nobel Selection Committee in Oslo, Norway nominating Venerable Thich Quang Do for the Nobel Peace Prize.
In Canada, the Federation of Vietnamese in Canada, the Alliance for Democracy in Vietnam, the Movement to Unite the People and Build Democracy, and the Free Vietnam Alliance worked together to lobby 95 parliamentarians to support Ven. Thich Quang Do's nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize.
In Europe, the Nobel effort begin in October 1999 with the participation of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam in Europe and local Vietnamese communities and organizations. The campaign won the support of 26 senators and 15 National Assembly members in France, 17 parliamentarians in Belgian, and two professors in Germany.
Meanwhile, the Australia-Vietnam Human Rights Committee in coordination with Vietnamese communities and organizations in Australia successfully lobbied 25 political leaders and professors to support Ven. Thich Quang Do's candidacy for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Finally, in Japan, the Nobel campaign was supported by Professor Hideo Takeichi.
The outpouring of support is an indication of both the international concern for human rights violations in Vietnam and strong respect for a Vietnamese monk who has devoted his life for the cause of freedom. According to the nomination letter signed by 29 U.S. members of Congress: "The Nobel Peace Prize, more than any other national or international symbol, upholds the virtues of peace, promotes social justice, and honors those brave enough to risk life, limb, and liberty in their pursuit. The Venerable Thich Quang Do is such a person. Like the Reverend Desmond Tutu of South Africa, and His Holiness the Dalai Llama of Tibet, the Venerable Thich Quang Do has exemplified the best of the human spirit in his quest for one of the most basic of human rights, freedom of worship."
Attached are the names of 209 individuals who have nominated Venerable Thich Quang Do for the Nobel Peace Prize. This list includes only the names and copies of nomination letters received by the Free Vietnam Alliance thus far and is undoubtedly an incomplete list. For more information on the international campaign to nominate Venerable Thich Quang Do for the Nobel Peace prize, please visit our web page, www.fva.org.
United States
29 Members of Congress:
1. Loretta Sanchez
2. Brad Sherman
3. Brian P. Bilbray
4. Charles A. Gonzalez
5. Christopher Smith
6. Dana Rohrabacher
7. David D. Phelps
8. Dennis Kucinich
9. Dennis Moore
10. Edward R. Royce
11. Gary Ackerman
12. James Traficant
13. John Lewis
14. Joseph Crowley
15. Juanita Millender-McDonald
16. Lloyd Doggett
17. Merrill Cook
18. Mike Forbes
19. Neil Abercrombie
20. Nydia M. Velazquez
21. Rod Blagojevich
22. Ruben Hinojosa
23. Silvestre Reyes
24. Solomon Ortiz
25. Steny Hoyer
26. Tom Campbell
27. Tom Davis
28. Vic Snyder
29. Zoe Lofgren
Canada
12 Senators:
1. Bill Rompkey
2. Ethel Cochrance
3. Gildas Molgat
4. Mira Spivak
5. Nick Taylor
6. Raymond Perrault
7. Raynell Andreychuk
8. Richard Stanbury
9. Sharon Carstairs
10. Sheila Finestone
11. Shirley Maheu
12. Stanley Hajdasz
48 Members of Parliament (MPs):
1. Albina Guarnierri
2. Alfonso Gagliano
3. Andre Harvey
4. Beryl Gaffney
5. Beth Phinney
6. Bob Speller
7. Bryon Wilfret
8. Charles Caccia
9. Colleen Beaumier
10. Dan McTeague
11. David Anderson
12. David Kilgour
13. Dennis Mills
14. Derek Lee
15. Diane Marleau
16. Eleni Bakopanos
17. Eugene Bellemare
18. George Proud
19. Gilbert Parent
20. Gilles Bernier
21. Hec Clouthier
22. Hedy Fry
23. Ian McClelland
24. Jim Karygianns
25. Joe Fontana
26. Louis Plamondon
27. Mac Harb
28. Madeleine Dalphond-Guiral
29. Marcel Proulx
30. Marlene Catterall
31. Maurice Dumas
32. Maurizio Bevilacqua
33. Paul Steckle
34. Paul Szabo
35. Peter Milliken
36. Real Menard
37. Reginald Belair
38. Rey Pagtakhan
39. Roger Gallaway
40. Ronald Duhamel
41. Rose-Marie Ur
42. Stan Dromisky
43. Stephane Bergeron
44. Suzanne Tremblay
45. Ted Mc Whinney
46. Tom Wappel
47. Tony Valeri
48. Walt Lastewka
35 MPPs:
1. Alvin Curling
2. Bruce Crozier
3. Caroline Di Cocco
4. Claudette Boyer
5. Dalton McGuinty
6. David Caplan
7. David Levac
8. David Ramsay
9. Dominic Agostino
10. Dwight Duncan
11. Ernie Arsons
12. George Smitherman
13. Gerard Kennedy
14. Gerry Hillis
15. Jean-Marc Lalonde
16. Jim Bradley
17. John Cleary
18. John Gerretsen
19. Joseph Cordiano
20. Leona Dombrowsky
21. Lyn McLeod
22. Marie Bountrogianni
23. Mario Sergio
24. Michael Brown
25. Michael Bryant
26. Michael Gravelle
27. Mike Colle
28. Monte Kwinter
29. Pat Hoy
30. Richard Atten
31. Rick Bartolucci
32. Sandra Uatello
33. Sean Conway
34. Steve Eters
35. Tony Rurecht
France
15 National Assembly Members:
1. Bleisseig Emile
2. Bussereau Dominique
3. Cazenave Richard
4. Chossy Jean François
5. Delnatte Patrick
6. Deprez Le'once
7. Goulard François
8. Jacquat Denis
9. Martin Christian
10. Micaux Pierre
11. Nudant Jean Marc
12. Peach Arthur
13. Pinte Etienne
14. Voisin Michel
15. Weber Jean Jacques
26 Senators:
1. Pelchat Michel
2. Berchet Georges
3. Bernard Jean
4. Boratra Didier
5. Clouet Jean
6. De Broissia Louis
7. De Cosse Brissac Charles Henri
8. De La Malene Christian
9. Debavelaere De'sire'
10. Descours Charles
11. Diligent Andre'
12. Du Luart Roland
13. Dupont Jean-Le'once
14. Ferrand Andre'
15. Flosse Gaston
16. Grillot Louis
17. Hamel Emmanuel
18. Herisson Pierre
19. Laufoaulu Robert
20. Leclerc Didier
21. Loueckhote Simon
22. Mercier Louis
23. Mouly Georges
24. Natali Paul
25. Souplet Daniel
26. Vissac Guy
Belgium
17 Senators and MPs:
1. Monfils Philippe
2. Van Den Haute Jacques
3. Cerexhe Benoit
4. De Lobkovicz Ste'phane
5. Draps Willems
6. Fournaux Richard
7. Grafe' Jean Pierre
8. Langendries Raymond
9. Lefevre Jacques
10. Marneffe Jacques
11. Namotte Jean
12. Paque Luc
13. Poncelet Jean-Paul
14. Smets Andre'
15. Stiennon Marcel
16. Viseur Jean-Jacques
17. Van Weddingen Eric
Germany
1. Prof. Ernst Albrecht
2. Prof. Peter Antes
Japan
1. Prof. Hideo Takeichi
Australia
23 MPs:
1. Annette Hurley
2. Anthony Byrne
3. Bernie Ripoll
4. Christopher Pyne
5. Carmal Zollo
6. Paul Holloway
7. Jack Snelling
8. Joe Scalzi
9. Joseph Tripodi
10. Kevin Moss
11. Laurie Ferguson
12. Michael Atkinson
13. Mike Rann
14. Murray Delaine
15. Nicola Roxon
16. Reba Meagher
17. Rod Sawford
18. Tanya Plibersek
19. Trish White
20. Trish Worth
21. Jacinta Collins
22. Cameron Thompson
23. Julian Stefani
2 Professors:
1. Prof. Peter Vlahos
2. Prof. Robins