In early January of this year, US Representative Ed Royce led a two-week congressional fact finding tour through southeast Asia. In Vietnam, he came unannounced to meet with Venerable Thich Quang Do, the second highest official of the now outlawed Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam; and Mr. Le Quang Liem, the leader of the also-banned Hoa Hao Buddhist Church. Both visit were heavily criticized by the Vietnamese communist government.
Following is the full translation of the letter Mr. Le Quang Liem handed Congressman Ed Royce describing the state of the Hoa Hao Church.
VIETNAMESE COMMUNIST GOVERNMENT'S ACTIVITIES
TO CARRY OUT THEIR PLOT TO EXTERMINATE HOA HAO BUDDHISM
A. ADMINISTRATIVE MEASURES:
Immediately after April 30, 1975, the Vietnamese Communist Government implemented their plan to destroy Hoa Hao Buddhist Church (HHBC) for two main reasons:
1. Hoa Hao Buddhism is a religion with a strong anti-Communist history, stemming from their outrage over the communist assassination of the Church's Founder Huynh Phu So in 1947.
2. For grass must be kill from the root up, [the Government] already killed the Founder, they now have to exterminate the rest of the Hoa Hao Buddhists to avoid future problems.
Those are the two conclusions in the report of the Central Religion Commission (of the Vietnamese Communist Government), dated February 18, 1979 and the April 16, 1979 Directive of the Central Committee of the Vietnamese Communist Party. Both documents agreed on the plan to completely delete the HHBC within 15 years.
The Vietnamese Communist Government then concentrated on the HHBC and gradually carried out their plot:
a. They dared not unilaterally disband the HHBC for fear of international protest. So they resorted to various ways to coerce relatives of the Founder such as Mr. Huynh Van Quoc (the Founder's uncle) and Ms. Huynh Thi Kim Bien (the Founder's younger sister) to issue the Announcement to dissolve the HHBC while neither of them had any official authorities over the Church. According to the HHBC Chapter, dated October 18, 1966, the decision to dissolve the Church can only be made by a nationwide conference of the HHBC and with a three-quarter majority vote of all legitimate delegates.
b. Based on the Announcement by Mr. Huynh Van Quoc and Ms. Huynh Thi Kim Bien (as mentioned above), the Communist Government banned all religious activities of the HHBC:
- All HHBC offices, temples, teaching halls, etc from central to province, district, and hamlet levels across the country were confiscated by the Communist authorities.
- Thousands of HHBC officials from central to province, district, and hamlet levels were imprisoned under the banner "Re-education".
- Hundreds of HHBC officials and lay people were killed for their past history of opposing Communism.
- Hoa Hao Buddhist Prophet Teaching books were confiscated. Followers were not allowed to read or proselytize Prophet Teachings.
- Worship activities were forced to reduce to the minimum, canceled, or changed to different forms. Followers were not allowed to display the portrait of the Founder.
- No [unofficial] gatherings of more than 3 Hoa Hao Buddhists were allowed.
B. IDEOLOGICAL MEASURES:
a. Political sessions were set up and Hoa Hao Buddhists must frequently attend these classes to be brainwashed with Marxism-Leninism, and the merits of the Vietnamese Communist Party. [These classes] also attacked religions in general and Hoa Hao Buddhism in particular with fabricated and sordid stories.
b. They use this "Culture Venom" to destroy Hoa Hao Buddhists' faith in the Religion and the Founder. Training materials such as the "Behind the Curtain of Illusion" and books like "The Hoa Hao Teacher", "The Childhood River", etc., blatantly insulting and slandering Hoa Hao Buddhism and the Founder Huynh Phu So, were openly published and widely displayed for sale everywhere.
c. They severely punished any Hoa Hao Buddhists who dared teach Hoa Hao Buddhism or defend the name of the HHBC and Founder Huynh Phu So.
C. CONSEQUENCES IN SPACE AND TIME:
Living under such severe atmosphere, the population of Hoa Hao Buddhists has increased from 2.5 million (around April 30, 1975) to over 5 million nowadays.
As of 1990, on the deadline of the 15-year plan to terminate the HHBC, the Vietnamese Communist Government admitted their failures:
a. Spiritually, as the years passed, Hoa Hao Buddhists' love for the Founder and faith in the Church actually increased.
b. Organizationally, the HHBC was disbanded in theory. But in reality, the Church maintained its internal order albeit in smaller scale and constantly in secrecy under the leadership of Elder Le Quang Liem.
The Vietnamese Communist Government was forced to switch to another plan to erase the HHBC - "Using Hoa Hao Buddhists to Destroy Their Owns".
D. THE STRUGGLE OF THE HOA HAO BUDDHIST CONGREGATION:
Taking advantage of the Communist Government's Doi Moi policy, Elder Le Quang Liem quietly reassemble the followers under the banner "The Pure Hoa Hao Buddhists Congregation" to fight openly for the Church's freedom of religion with the following actions:
1. On 10 July 1990, Elder Le Quang Liem issued an open letter to protest the book The Hoa Hao Teacher for its malign intention to slander Hoa Hao Buddhism and Founder Huynh Phu So. The protest was intensified and led to the Government's concession of banning this book from circulation.
2. On 22 November 1993, Elder Le Quang Liem and 100 former officials signed a petition to Vietnamese Communist Central Government for the revival of the HHBC.
3. On 01 November 1994, Elder Le Quang Liem issued a statement to strongly protest the making of the movie based on the book The Childhood River. This book also fabricates, attacks, and slanders Hoa Hao Buddhism and the Founder Huynh Phu So horribly.
The movie was made by the Bong Sen Film Company of the HCM City Culture and Information Office. This is another evidence of the Government's intention to eliminate Hoa Hao Buddhism.
The fight to have the film project Childhood River canceled became heated and tense. This was the first direct confrontation between the Pure Hoa Hao Buddhists Bloc led by Elder Le Quang Liem and the Communist authorities. Facing the determination of the Elder and the Hoa Hao Buddhists after months of relentless demand, the Government decided to cancel the film project.
4. In September 1996, again the Vietnamese Communist Government granted permission for the reprint of the book "The Childhood River", which had been forbidden to be converted into a film. Once again, Elder Le Quang Liem protested against this reprint by the government. On October 22, 1995, Elder Le Quang Liem filed with the People's Court of HCM City a legal action against the author of "The Childhood River", Mr. Nguyen Quang Sang, Chairman of the Writers Association of HCM City.
Finally, the administration stopped the reprint. However, the Court, to this day, has not issued its judgement on the case after 4 years of litigation.
5. In addition, Elder Le Quang Liem sent requests for a open dialogues with various Government's Religious Commissions, who produced documents containing false information and distorted facts about Hoa Hao Buddhism. For examples,
o Letter, dated November 15, 1995, was sent to the Religious Commission of Can Tho city;
o Letter, dated July 15, 1998, was sent to Dr. Dang The Dai of the Religious Research Institute of the National Social Science and Human Culture in Hanoi.
6. Elder Le Quang Liem also sent numerous complaints to the Ministry of Interiors, protesting the Public Security's terrorize and repression of Hoa Hao Buddhists in various places. However, all effort was in vain and the Security Police continued their harassment.
7. From 1994 to 1998, every year Elder Le Quang Liem sent letters to the Communist Government, asking permission to hold a religious ceremony to commemorate the birth of Hoa Hao Buddhism, which falls on May 18 of lunar calendar; however, his request had consistently been denied, similarly to all of his other requests and appeals.
E. THE VIETNAMESE COMMUNIST GOVERNMENT'S NEW STRATEGIES TO EXTERMINATE HOA HAO BUDDHISM.
On March 17, 1999, Elder Le Quang Liem sent a letter to the General Secretary Le Kha Phieu and other Communist Government leaders, demanding an unequivocal response regarding the revival of the HHBC. At the same time, Hoa Hao Buddhists were prepared to carry out peaceful yet drastic measures if the Vietnamese Communist Government continued to deprive the HHBC its religious freedom.
Facing current international tendency to promote human rights and the determination of the Hoa Hao congregation under the leadership of Elder Le Quang Liem, the Vietnamese Communist Government could not afford not to resolve the matter. Hence, a new scheme known as " Using Hoa Hao Buddhists to Destroy Their Owns " was employed.
The Government officially formed the Hoa Hao Buddhism Representative Committee on May 26, 1999. This Body holds neither the central power nor that of a province, a district. This committee's status is no more than that of a house-keeping committee of a pagoda or a small temple...
Along with the establishment of a Hoa Hao Buddhism Representative Committee, the Government also prepared a decree for the Representative Committee to announce. This decree officially abolishes:
a. The Hoa Hao Buddhist Church, established by Founder Huynh Phu So in April 1945, despite its existence beyond April 30, 1975 after so many predicaments;
b. The brown flag of Hoa Hao Buddhism after many decades of existence;
c. 80% of the Prophet Teaching. Only 20% of the teaching will be reprinted;
d. Any demands for the return of the HHBC's properties, which had been confiscated by the government;
e. The annual commemoration of the day the Founder was assassinated in Doc Vang by Viet Minh; etc.
F. THE GOVERNMENT'S CURRENT INTIMIDATION AND REPRESSION
With the formation of the state-sanctioned Hoa Hao Buddhism Representative Committee, a campaign to suppress the popular opposition to this Committee was thoroughly conducted by the Communist Public Securities:
1. A number of prominent members of the Pure Hoa Hao Buddhists Congregation under the leadership of Elder Le Quang Liem have been placed under house arrest for the past two years; others are being followed closely by Public Security cadres, which makes their activities and travel virtually impossible.
2. As for Elder Le Quang Liem, he was treated more cruelly than ever:
- On October 19, 1999, the Public Security of HCM City summoned him to their interrogation office. Mr. Liem declined to comply and asked the Public Security cadres to come to his house if there were any issues to discuss;
- On November 24, 1999, Lieutenant-Colonel Phan Anh Minh of the HCM City Public Security Investigation Unit, together with four other officers came to Mr. Liem's house to threaten and question him about his signature on the joint appeal along with three other religions (Catholic, Buddhist, and Cao Dai). This appeal demands the Communist Government allow freedom of worship to all religions and rescind Article 4th of the Constitution. Mr. Liem confirmed that he was fully responsible for his participation in this joint appeal, and forthrightly re-stated his stance on the issue of religious freedom for all in Vietnam. He also insisted Article 4 of the Constitution be rescinded since it allowed Party-run dictatorship, and thus stood against the advancement of Vietnamese in today civilized world.
- On December 6, 1999, Lieutenant-Colonel Phan Anh Minh and the four Public Securities officers paid another visit to Mr. Liem's house. The dialogue this time was very tense, and again focused on the joint appeal by the four religions. Mr. Liem responded straightforwardly that if the Vietnamese Government dared hold a public trial of [the signatories to] this joint appeal, he would be glad to answer any questions the Public Security wanted to bring forth; if not, he refused to answer any more questions. Incapable of taking on his challenge, the Public Security agents left.
- From December 15, 1999 to present, all means of communication to Elder Le Quang Liem's house such as telephone, mobile phone, fax, and computer etc. have been disconnected by the Communist Government.
- Since early December 1999, many Public Security agents have constantly surrounded Mr. Liem's house.
- At around midnight on December 20, 1999, Public Security agents demanded a house search but Mr. Liem refused to open the door and told them to come back during daytime. They finally left.
- On January 01, 2000, Elder Le Quang Liem and a group of Hoa Hao members were about to go to the Hoa Hao Holy See to commemorate the 80th birthday of Founder Huynh Phu So, but at 12:30pm the Public Security came to stop them from making the trip.
G. REACTION OF HOA HAO BUDDHISTS TO THE PUBLIC SECURITY'S REPRESSION
Despite the Public Security's blatant oppression members of the Pure Hoa Hao Buddhists Congregation continue to follow peacefully but consistently their path of struggling for freedom of religion. Tens of Hoa Hao Buddhists decided to choose self-immolation to protest against the Communist Government's plan to wipe out Hoa Hao Buddhism. Also, by committing self-immolation, they wished to light up a torch of outrage before the civilized and free world so they can see the Vietnamese Communist Government's oppression of religions, particularly the Hoa Hao Buddhism. Heading this self-sacrificial group are Mrs. Nguyen Thi Thu, 75 years old, and Mr. Ha Hai, 69 years old.
On August 25, 1999, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Thu was about to set herself afire at the An Hoa temple, (where the State-sanctioned Hoa Hao Representative Committee chose to be its office), she was detected by Public Security. They then launched a brutal suppression.
On December 16, 1999, hundreds of Hoa Hao Buddhists brought over the sign "Hoa Hao Buddhist Founder Temple" and intended to hang it over the entrance gate to the temple. Previously similar sign had been hung there for many years until 1997 when Public Security ordered it be taken down. And now, in preparation for the Hoa Hao Founder's birthday, Hoa Hao Buddhists wanted to hang up the sign once again. However, as they approached the Founder Temple's gate, Public Security agents surrounded them and violently disbanded the group with their clubs ... With no means to defend themselves, the Buddhists had to withdraw.
On December 26, 1999, hundreds of Hoa Hao Buddhists set out on a pilgrimage to the Founder Temple. Among them, a group of some ten members were in the course of negotiating with the authorities over the Holy Temple to re-hang the sign. All of a sudden, hundreds of Public Security agents charged toward the group, screamed at them to disband immediately, and began to throw punches and kicks at the members with such brutality beyond imagination in this civilized era of mankind.
Many Hoa Hao followers were severely injured but managed to escape. Nine people were arrested by the Public Security and brought to the police station, where they were subjected to more beatings before thrown into jail.
With absolute outrage, on the following day about 50 women relatives of those arrested set out to the Public Security station in Phu My City and demand the release of the nine people being held here. Upon this news, the Public Security decided to release the prisoners before the group of women arrived. However, though their family members had been released, in exasperation, the women still went to the Security Police station and screamed "Down with Public Security".
CONCLUSION
A popular proverb goes "too much water will break the dyke". Hoa Hao Buddhists have been enduring the oppression of the Vietnamese Communist Government for almost 25 years. All sufferings have their limits. The sufferings inflicted upon members of the Hoa Hao Buddhist Church by the cruel and repressive regime of the Vietnamese communists have exceeded the bearable limit. With our belief "to die with dignity is better than to live in shame", it can be predictable that there will soon be an uprising to determine, once and for all, the result of the confrontation between the Vietnamese Communist Government and the Hoa Hao Buddhists.
The last hope of the Hoa Hao Buddhists is the support of the free world and those who respect and cherish human rights. Their support will help rescue the 5 million human beings on the verge of death in this corner of the world.