US embassy cable - 05HOCHIMINHCITY15

UNCLAS HO CHI MINH CITY 000015 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, SOCI, PREL, PGOV, KIRF, VM, HUMANR, RELFREE 
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR VISITS UBCV LEADER IN HCMC 
 
REF:  A) 04 HCMC 1503; B) 04 HCMC 1481 
 
1. (SBU) During a December 5 visit with the Ambassador and Consul 
General, Thich Quang Do, Secretary General of the banned Unified 
Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV), thanked the Ambassador for his 
continued interest in the UBCV and welcomed international pressure 
calling for greater religious freedom and human rights in Vietnam. 
He praised the USG designation of Vietnam as a Country of 
Particular Concern (CPC) and said it would be a "strong pressure 
on Vietnam's leaders" to change their attitude toward religious 
freedom, although he acknowledged that he has not seen any 
improvement in the GVN's attitude toward the UBCV since the CPC 
designation. 
 
2. (SBU) Echoing his comments to DRL DAS Dugan in December (Ref 
B), Thich Quang Do railed against the "dictatorship of communist 
leaders in Vietnam" and vowed to continue his campaign for a multi- 
party, democratic system of government.  He rejected the idea of a 
union with the GVN-recognized Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS), which 
he said is a tool of the GVN.  His goal is a UBCV that operates 
freely and independently of the GVN and is able to use its 
influence to promote political change in Vietnam.  He admitted 
that UBCV membership in Vietnam has dwindled over the past 30 
years to no more than 70 monks.  Nonetheless, he claimed that 
"brave, courageous" monks have been selected to replace UBCV 
leader Thich Huyen Quang (age 87) and himself (age 77), when 
necessary. 
 
3. (SBU) Thich Quang Do was still unclear of his exact legal 
status or any charges against him, although he remains under 
unofficial "pagoda arrest."  After his thwarted attempt to visit 
UBCV Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang in November (reftels), he 
attempted to visit a colleague in another district of HCMC and was 
again stopped by police.  The police have summoned him for 
questioning several times over the past month, but he has refused 
to go or to allow the police into his pagoda to speak to him. 
 
4. (SBU) Thich Quang Do said he will attempt to visit Thich Huyen 
Quang in Binh Dinh Province during the Tet New Year in February. 
He asked the Ambassador to express his support for such a visit to 
the GVN, although he noted that "the government is very determined 
to separate us" and that he doubts that the authorities will allow 
the visit.  (Note: We informed the authorities that the Ambassador 
would meet with Thich Quang Do at his pagoda and met with no 
interference.  End Note.)  Thich Quang Do predicted that the 
police would come again shortly after the Ambassador's visit, as 
they had after DAS Dugan met with him, but he has no intention of 
cooperating. 
 
5. (SBU) Comment: Thich Quang Do's statements reiterated his 
position of pressing greater religious freedom as a mechanism for 
advancing political change.  He has no desire to cooperate with 
the communist authorities in any way or to have the UBCV 
officially recognized by the GVN, unless this can be achieved 
without conditions.  Given his strong anti-communist stance and 
his open advocacy for rapid political change, the GVN hardline 
attitude toward him is no surprise.  We will continue to monitor 
the GVN's treatment of Thich Quang Do and any attempts to prevent 
him from visiting Thich Huyen Quang during Tet.  The Ambassador 
will be expressing his support for the visit to senior GVN 
officials next week.  End Comment. 
 
WINNICK