US embassy cable - 04HOCHIMINHCITY1468

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HO CHI MINH CITY 001468 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, SOCI, PREL, PGOV, KIRF, VM, RELFREE, HUMANR 
SUBJECT: DAS DUGAN VISITS UBCV BUDDHIST LEADER IN HCMC 
 
REF:  2003 HCMC 1010 and Previous 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary:  Thich Quang Do, Secretary General of the 
outlawed United Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) told DRL DAS 
Elizabeth Dugan that he strongly opposes the GVN communist 
government.  In his first meeting with USG officials since he was 
placed under de facto "pagoda arrest" in October 2003, Thich Quang 
Do welcomed international pressure on Vietnam, lauded the USG 
decision to designate Vietnam a Country of Particular Concern 
(CPC), but opposed sanctions.  He said there were no religious 
differences between the UBCV and the GVN-recognized Vietnam 
Buddhist Sangha; his struggle was against authoritarian, one-party 
rule.  Thich Quang Do reported that he would attempt to visit 
ailing UBCV Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang in Central Vietnam the 
following day.  Despite our request to HCMC authorities, Thich 
Quang Do's visit was blocked on November 22 and reportedly was 
summoned to meet GVN officials as early as November 24.  End 
Summary. 
 
Foe of the Party 
---------------- 
 
2. (SBU) A strong and energetic UBCV Secretary General Thich Quang 
Do struck a defiant posture as an implacable foe of the Communist 
Party and the GVN in a meeting with visiting DRL DAS Dugan and the 
Consul General on November 21.  Meeting with USG officials for the 
first time since October 2003 when he was placed under unofficial 
"pagoda arrest," (reftel) Thich Quang Do said that he will carry 
on his struggle to have the Vietnamese people live in dignity 
under a government that respects human rights.  (Note: We had 
informed the authorities that we planned to visit the monk at the 
Thanh Minh Zen Monastery Pagoda and met with no interference. 
There was noticeable police presence around the Pagoda.  Thich 
Quang Do said that he had been encouraged by the police not to 
meet with us.  He fully expected to suffer some consequences as a 
result of our visit, but made clear that he was neither afraid nor 
concerned. End Note) 
 
3. (SBU) The 77-year old monk said that the GVN was more heartless 
than pre-1975 Saigon regimes, telling DAS Dugan that it took the 
self-immolation of six UBCV monks to bring down the regime of 
South Vietnamese President Diem in 1963.  In contrast, at least 12 
Buddhist monks have immolated themselves after 1975 (NFI), but the 
Communists haven't flinched.  Thich Quang Do acknowledged that 
Vietnam had made economic progress since 1975.  He argued, 
however, that this did not translate into greater human rights or 
personal freedom.  Rather, Vietnam's leadership was using the 
country's prosperity to strengthen its hold on society.  He 
criticized the lack of a free press in Vietnam, the export of 
labor and the rise of marriages of Vietnamese women to foreigners, 
saying that these policies led to both groups' exploitation. 
 
4. (SBU) Thich Quang Do said that there were no religious or 
doctrinal differences between the banned UBCV and the GVN- 
recognized Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS).  Prior to 1975, 75 
percent of all Buddhists in South Vietnam belonged to the UBCV. 
Many of these now are leaders in the VBS; Quang Do considers them 
all "brothers."  He said that the creation of the VBS reflected 
GVN efforts to neutralize Buddhist strength.  Communist Party 
leaders recognize that a unified, independent Buddhist 
organization would grow "beyond their control" and would be 
dangerous to the regime.  The GVN would never allow this to 
happen, the UBCV leader told us. 
 
Yes CPC; No Sanctions 
--------------------- 
 
5. (SBU) Thich Quang Do welcomed USG and Congressional pressure on 
human rights and religious freedom issues.  He applauded the 
designation of Vietnam as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC). 
He urged continued diplomatic pressure but said that he did not 
favor sanctions against Vietnam, as sanctions would only punish 
the people, and not the regime. 
 
Thich Quang Do's travel prevented 
--------------------------------- 
 
6. (SBU) The UBCV General Secretary told us that he would attempt 
to visit the ailing UBCV Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang in Binh Dinh 
Province the following day.  He did not know if the GVN would 
allow him to travel as he remained under unofficial pagoda arrest. 
(Per ref, Thich Quang Do's was placed under pagoda arrest for 
allegedly possessing state secrets after he participated in an 
"illegal" UBCV organizational meeting in Binh Dinh province in 
October 2003.) 
 
7. (SBU) Early November 22, assistants to Thich Quang Do contacted 
ConGen to inform us that HCMC police were preventing the UBCV 
leader from leaving the city.  In response, DPO contacted the 
Deputy Chief of the HCMC External Relations Office Le Hung Quoc to 
encourage the authorities to allow Thich Quang Do to proceed. 
Quoc did not respond.  (Septel reports on Ambassador Marine's 
November 22 call on UBCV Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang in  hospital 
in Quy Nhon.) 
 
8. (SBU) We were later informed that in the afternoon of November 
22, Thich Quang Do was allowed to depart HCMC only to be stopped 
once again in neighboring Dong Nai province some 30 kilometers 
north of HCMC.  Thich Quang Do and his accompanying monks were 
escorted back to HCMC under police escort, and  Do was returned to 
his pagoda.  The monk is in good condition, according to his 
staff.  We understand that Thich Quang Do has been instructed 
report to the People's Committee Office as early as November 24. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
9. (SBU) Thich Quang Do made it clear that he is a political 
rather than a religious opponent of the Government.  Strong-willed 
and energetic, he will not compromise with Hanoi, at least so long 
as the Communist Party maintains a monopoly on power.  Other 
dissident and religious leaders described to DAS Dugan a much more 
nuanced view of the GVN and individual rights in Vietnam (septel). 
10. (SBU) From his references to the dramatic role the UBCV played 
in toppling the Diem regime in 1963, the UBCV leader clearly 
believes that he holds latent power in Buddhist-majority Vietnam. 
He also made it clear that he would use that power to rally monks 
to oppose the Communists were he given the chance.  The Communist 
Party, which exploited the agitation of the UBCV and other 
religious-groups to further its goals pre-1975, also knows its 
history well.  In this context, its response is no surprise. 
 
11. (SBU) We will continue to monitor closely the GVN's handling 
of Thich Quang Do.  We also will attempt to intercede as 
appropriate to ensure that the UBCV leaders receive the best 
possible treatment from local authorities. 
 
 
WINNICK