ISSUES: Hundreds flock to Westminster rally calling for religious freedom in the country.
January 7, 2001
By JENNIFER McKIM
The Orange County Register
WESTMINSTER -- Le Tanner said his father was shot dead in 1975 while trying to protect a fellow Catholic in Vietnam. So the 36-year-old Garden Grove resident was especially moved Saturday to join hundreds of others in Little Saigon calling for religious freedom in the homeland he left in 1989.
"I feel this is a personal cause,'' Tanner said through a translator. "I'm here to support religious freedom for the people of Vietnam.''
Tanner, his wife and three children attended a boisterous rally on a sunny afternoon to kick off a statewide drive to collect petitions demanding religious freedom in Vietnam.
The rally, sponsored by the Vietnamese American Interfaith Council, brought together hundreds of residents, area politicians and religious leaders who called for freedom, marched and listened to speeches from religious leaders contacted by phone in Vietnam.
Young and old, protesters of many faiths said they hoped their unity and voice would help garner worldwide attention to a situation they say is reprehensible.
They also hope to show solidarity with protesters in Vietnam - led by Catholic priest Nguyen Van Ly -- who have been battling with the government over religious rights since December.
"Why do people get beaten up just to practice their faith?'' asked Diem Do, 38, a Placentia resident and event organizer. "My biggest fear is that people outside feel things are fine and dandy in Vietnam. They are not.''
The Vietnamese government calls complaints about its treatment of religious groups slanderous.
But the U.S. State Department said in a September report that the Vietnamese government continues to significantly restrict activities of unauthorized religious groups.
The report said religious groups "faced difficulties in training and ordaining clergy, publishing religious materials and conducting educational and humanitarian activities.''
Neil Nguyen, an attorney from Orange, said he felt empowered by the protest and what he said is growing activism among young Vietnamese.
"We just need time. We'll make a difference,'' said Nguyen, a bearded, bespectacled activist who led protest chants in Vietnamese.
Luc Van Vu and his wife drove from Culver City to attend, hoping the United States would take notice and consider heading back to Vietnam to fight for religious freedom.
"It happened once,'' he said.
Daniel Do-Khanh, an Irvine attorney, said he was impressed by the attendance of people whose religious convictions drew them together. The interfaith council represents Buddhists, Catholics, Baptists, Cao Dai and Hoa Hao.
Some observers said the rally drew a new group of faces to Westminster, known for activism since thousands took to the streets in 1999 to protest communist icons displayed in a local video store.
Tanner was touched. He was 11 when his father was shot after a march to protest the beating of a fellow Catholic. While he has attended many anti- communism protests, Saturday's was the first directly related to religious freedom. "I'm very excited that people want to help,'' he said.