OVERSEAS HOA HAO BUDDHIST ASSOCIATION
17101 Overhill Road, Derwood, MD 20855 - USA
contact: Mr. Chau Nguyen, (301) 520-9265
email: cnguyen54@yahoo.com
PRESS RELEASE
The Overseas Hoa Hao Buddhist Associaiton, headquartered in Derwood, MD, received news from Saigon, Vietnam that Mr. Le Quang Liem, has been captured.
At 5:00 AM March 17, 2001 (Vietnam time), over two dozen uniformed and plain cloths police officers arrested Mr. Le Quang Liem near Le Van Tam Park, District 1, Saigon Vietnam. At this time, Mr. Le Quang Liem has been transferred back to District 1 Police Barricks, Saigon Vietnam. Fellow Hoa Hao Buddhists have gathered infront of District 1 police barricks to protest and demand the release of Mr. Le Quang Liem.
Several eye witnesses reported that a doezen uniformed and plain cloths officers brutally attacked and arrested Mr. Le Quang Liem. Currently, we do not know what condition Mr. Le Quang Liem is in. As news is received from Vietnam, the Overseas Hoa Hao Buddhist community will release further details.
Background information about Mr. Le Quang Liem.
Mr. Le Quang Liem is 82 years old. He is a resident of Quan Phu Nhuan, Saigon Vietnam. Since 1997 to the present, Mr. Le Quang Liem has spearheaded a campaign for religious freedom in Vietnam and religious freedom for Hoa Hao Buddhism. At present, Mr. Le Quang Liem is the Chairman of the Hoa Hao Buddhist Church of Vietnam and Deputy Chairman of the Vietnam Interfaith Council in Vietnam.
After the establishment of the Vietnam Interfaith Council with Venerable Thich Thien Hanh, Reverend Nguyen Van Ly and Reverend Chan Tin on February 5, 2001, all members of the Interfaith Council were harassed and brutally attacked by Vietnam's state run media. The main purpose of the Interfaith Council is to promote Religious Freedom and Human Rights for Vietnam.
For questions, please contact:
1. Mr. Nguyen Van Coi, 301.675.5761, coi3450@pghh.org
2. Mr. Le Van Huong "Henry", 408.640.7800, bathotnot@aol.com
3. Mr. Nguye Chau, 301.520.9265, cnguyen54@yahoo.com
4. Overseas Hoa Hao Buddhist Association Office, webmaster@pghh.org
News Source:
Mr. Le Van Hien, Hoa Hao Buddhist Church of Vietnam
Saigon, Vietnam
March 16, 2001, 07:00 PM