Texas Friends For A Free Vietnam Committee
P.O. Box 262323, Houston, Texas 77207 - USA
Tel: (713) 640-4268 - Fax: (713) 991-1721
Email: TexasFriends@hotmail.com
PRESS RELEASE
Recently, on August 7, 1999, we learned from Reuters in Hanoi that the Venerable Thich Quang Do had been summoned and questioned by officials in Ho Chi Minh City and accused of anti-state activities.
The Venerable Thich Quang Do, seventy two, a respected Buddhist leader, has openly advocated religious freedom and democracy for Vietnam and has spent much of the last 24 years under detention or in prison.
In July, 1999, he demanded the immediate release of the Most Venerable Thich Huyen Quang (head of Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam), eighty two, from unlawful detention without trial since 1981, and 31 other political prisoners. At present, the Vietnamese Government imprisons people for peaceful expression of political or religious views. Several well-known released political prisoners, religious leaders, prominent writers and dissidents are under surveillance. There is also threat of arrest or held in ‘’administrative detainment’’ under Directive 31/CP, which authorizes detention without trial for up to two years by the Ministry of Interior.
The harassment of the Venerable Thich Quang Do and the detention without trial of the Most Venerable Thich Huyen Quang constitute violations of human rights, as guaranteed by the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Vietnam has ratified.
We, Texas Friends For A Free Vietnam Committee, represent the freedom-loving people in the State of Texas:
1. Strongly protest the Vietnamese Government for basic human rights violations and strongly condemn the oppressive actions against the Venerable Thich Quang Do.
2. Strongly demand the immediate release of the Most Venerable Thich Huyen Quang and all political prisoners.
3. Urgently call on all Texans, Americans, the Congress, and the President of the United States to hold the Trade Agreement with Vietnam until the Vietnamese Government release all prisoners of conscience and rescind the unlawful Directive 31/CP.
4. Urgently call on all freedom-loving countries, international organizations and the media in the world to use its influence to stop the harassment and terrorism of dissidents by Vietnamese authorities.
Houston, Texas
August 16, 1999