US embassy cable - 02HOCHIMINHCITY695

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HO CHI MINH CITY 000695 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV AND EAP/PD/KFOSTER 
DEPARTMENT ALSO FOR DRL/IRF 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, KIRF, VM, HUMANR, RELFREE 
SUBJECT:  HOA HAO RELIGION THRIVING AGAIN IN VIETNAM 
 
1. SUMMARY:  FOLLOWERS OF VIETNAM'S HOA HAO RELIGION 
HAVE ENJOYED CONSIDERABLE FREEDOM TO WORSHIP SINCE THE 
GVN GRANTED OFFICIAL RECOGNITION IN 1999 TO THIS 
PREVIOUSLY OUTLAWED BUDDHIST SECT.  DURING A JUNE 23-25 
VISIT TO AN GIANG PROVINCE IN THE MEKONG DELTA, POLOFF 
VISITED A SPARKLING NEW HOA HAO BUDDHIST PAGODA AND 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HO CHI  00695  01 OF 02  150601Z 
SPOKE WITH SEVERAL OPTIMISTIC FOLLOWERS OF THE RELIGION 
AT PHU MY (HOA HAO) VILLAGE.  ON JUNE 28, MORE THAN 
200,000 HOA HAO DEVOTEES JOURNEYED TO PHU MY TO ATTEND 
AN ANNUAL RELIGIOUS FESTIVAL.  STILL, SOME BELIEVERS 
REMAIN DISSATISFIED WITH THE GVN'S HANDLING OF HOA HAO 
AFFAIRS, AND THE GVN REMAINS WARY OF HOA HAO MONKS IT 
CONSIDERS "DISSIDENT."  SEPTEL WILL REPORT ON A HOA HAO 
MONK RECENTLY RELEASED FROM PRISON AND ON POLICE 
PREVENTING POLOFF FROM MEETING WITH ANOTHER DISSIDENT 
MONK.  END SUMMARY. 
 
FREEDOM TO WORSHIP 
------------------ 
 
2. THE HOA HAO WERE AMONG THE LAST RESISTANCE TO 
COMMUNIST FORCES IN THE MEKONG DELTA IN 1975.  THEIR 
ANTI-COMMUNIST HISTORY STEMS FROM THE VIET MINH'S 
EXECUTION OF THEIR FOUNDER, HUYNH PHU SO, IN 1947.  IN 
SUMMER 1975, THE GOVERNMENT DISBANDED THE HOA HAO, 
CONFISCATED THEIR PROPERTIES, AND OUTLAWED THEIR 
PRACTICES.  BECAUSE ITS BASIC TENETS EMPHASIZE 
INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY PRAYER AT HOME RATHER THAN PUBLIC 
WORSHIP AT PAGODAS, THE RELIGION SURVIVED. 
 
3. IN 1999, THE GVN ORGANIZED A HOA HAO CONGRESS THAT 
SELECTED OFFICERS FOR A NEW GOVERNMENT-SANCTIONED HOA 
HAO REPRESENTATIVE COMMITTEE. THIS LED TO OFFICIAL GVN 
RECOGNITION LATER IN THE YEAR.  MANY HOA HAO FOLLOWERS 
ALLEGE THAT THE REPRESENTATIVE COMMITTEE IS ANYTHING 
BUT REPRESENTATIVE -- THE 11 OFFICERS ELECTED AT THE 
CONGRESS WERE THE SAME 11 PERSONS THE GVN HAD SELECTED 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HO CHI  00695  01 OF 02  150601Z 
TO ORGANIZE THE CONGRESS. 
 
4. SINCE RECOGNITION IN 1999, THE GVN HAS RELAXED 
SIGNIFICANTLY ITS EARLIER RESTRICTIONS ON HOA HAO 
PRACTICE.  MOST IMPORTANTLY, HOA HAO BELIEVERS MAY NOW 
WORSHIP FREELY IN THEIR HOMES AND PUBLICLY AT 
RECOGNIZED PAGODAS.  THE GVN NO LONGER FORBIDS DISPLAY 
OF THE FOUNDER'S PHOTOGRAPH, ALTHOUGH IT STILL 
PROHIBITS DISPLAY OF THE HOA HAO FLAG.  THE OFFICIAL 
REPRESENTATIVE COMMITTEE HAS PUBLISHED SOME, BUT NOT 
ALL, OF THE HOA HAO SACRED LITERATURE.  PROVINCIAL 
GOVERNMENTS HAVE RETURNED A FEW PREVIOUSLY CONFISCATED 
PAGODAS, BUT CONTINUE TO HOLD AND USE FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES MOST HOA HAO PROPERTIES THAT HAD BEEN 
CONFISCATED AFTER 1975. 
 
NEW HOA HAO PAGODA 
------------------ 
 
5. ON JUNE 24, POLOFF MADE AN UNSCHEDULED STOP AT 
SPARKLING NEW PHU THO ONG BA HOA HAO PAGODA IN CHO MOI 
DISTRICT IN AN GIANG PROVINCE.  THE PAGODA MANAGER, MR. 
NGUYEN VAN THOI, SAID FLOODING TWO YEARS EARLIER HAD 
SEVERELY DAMAGED AN OLDER PAGODA BY THE SAME NAME, 
LOCATED NEARBY.  HE AND OTHER HOA HAO FOLLOWERS 
REQUESTED AND RECEIVED PERMISSION FROM THE LOCAL 
GOVERNMENT AND THE OFFICIAL HOA HAO REPRESENTATIVE 
COMMITTEE TO BUILD A NEW PAGODA.  MR. THOI CONFIRMED 
THAT PHU THO ONG BA WAS THE FIRST NEW HOA HAO PAGODA TO 
BE BUILT SINCE BEFORE 1975; CONSTRUCTION WAS COMPLETED 
IN MAY 2002. 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        HO CHI  00695  01 OF 02  150601Z 
 
6. MR. THOI, HIS DEPUTY, THE SENIOR MONK, THREE OTHER 
MONKS, AND APPROXIMATELY 30 ORDINARY HOA HAO BELIEVERS 
WERE PRESENT AT THE PAGODA WHEN POLOFF VISITED. 
ALTHOUGH THE MONKS AND BELIEVERS APPEARED PLEASED BY 
POLOFF'S UNANNOUNCED VISIT, MR. THOI SEEMED A BIT 
DISCONCERTED.  STILL HE INVITED POLOFF TO STAY FOR 
LUNCH.  DURING THE MEAL, MR. THOI, HIS DEPUTY, AND A 
FEMALE FOLLOWER WHO MAY HAVE BEEN A HOA HAO NUN SAID 
THAT RECOGNITION OF THE HOA HAO IN 1999 HAD MADE LIFE 
EASIER.  THEY WOULD NOT BE DRAWN OUT ON SPECIFIC ISSUES 
WHERE THEY HAD SEEN IMPROVEMENT, HOWEVER. 
 
7. MR. THOI SAID THAT SINCE 1999, HOA HAO COMMITTEES 
HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED AT PROVINCIAL, DISTRICT, AND 
COMMUNE LEVELS IN AREAS WHERE HOA HAO BELIEVERS ARE 
POPULOUS.  HE AVOIDED POLOFF'S QUESTIONS ON WHETHER 
THESE COMMITTEES WERE ELECTED OR APPOINTED. 
 
8. THE SENIOR MONK TOOK POLOFF ON A TOUR OF THE PAGODA, 
WHICH CONTAINED SEVERAL BUDDHIST SHRINES SET UP IN TWO 
SPACIOUS ROOMS.  WORSHIPPERS PRAYED AND BURNED INCENSE 
AT THE SHRINES, WHICH DISPLAYED EITHER RED WOODEN 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ9878 
 
PAGE 01        HO CHI  00695  02 OF 02  150602Z 
ACTION DRL-02 
 
INFO  LOG-00   AID-00   AMAD-00  CIAE-00  DODE-00  SRPP-00  EAP-00 
      EB-00    UTED-00  H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00    L-00 
      MOFM-05  MOF-01   NSAE-00  NSCE-00  OIC-02   OPIC-01  PRS-00 
      P-00     SP-00    SS-00    STR-00   TEST-00  TRSE-00  USIE-00 
      PRM-00   G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00     /012W 
                  ------------------CB0CE3  150602Z /38 
P 150450Z JUL 02 
FM AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6510 
INFO AMEMBASSY HANOI PRIORITY 
USMISSION GENEVA 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 HO CHI MINH CITY 000695 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV AND EAP/PD/KFOSTER 
DEPARTMENT ALSO FOR DRL/IRF 
 
 
BLOCKS TO SYMBOLIZE THE BUDDHA OR SMALL FIGURES OF 
BODHISATTVAS.  THE CENTRAL FIGURE AT ONE OF THE MORE 
PROMINENT SHRINES WAS A BUST OF HO CHI MINH.  IT 
APPEARED THAT WORSHIPPERS PRAYED AND BURNED INCENSE IN 
FRONT OF THIS STATUE IN THE SAME WAY THEY DID AT THE 
OTHER SHRINES.  (NOTE: VIETNAMESE RELIGIOUS PRACTICE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HO CHI  00695  02 OF 02  150602Z 
INCLUDES VENERATION OF HISTORICAL PERSONALITIES.  THERE 
ARE SMALL STATUES/PORTRAITS OF HO CHI MINH IN OTHER 
GOVERNMENT-REGULATED PAGODAS.  VENERATION OF HISTORICAL 
FIGURES, HOWEVER, USUALLY IS PERFORMED IN A PAGODA-LIKE 
STRUCTURE CALLED A "DEN."  FOR HISTORICAL REASONS, THE 
BUST OF HO CHI MINH INSIDE A HOA HAO PAGODA SEEMED 
INCONGRUOUS.  END NOTE.) 
 
VISIT TO PHU MY (HOA HAO) VILLAGE 
--------------------------------- 
 
9. ALSO ON JUNE 24, POLOFF VISITED AN HOA (THE MAIN HOA 
HAO PAGODA) AND TO DINH (THE HOA HAO FOUNDER'S 
ANCESTRAL HOME), BOTH PILGRIMAGE SITES IN PHU MY (HOA 
HAO) VILLAGE.  THE OFFICIAL HOA HAO REPRESENTATIVE 
COMMITTEE, WHOSE OFFICES ARE LOCATED AT AN HOA PAGODA, 
PREVIOUSLY HAD DECLINED TO MEET WITH POLOFF.  THEY 
EXPLAINED THEY WERE TOO BUSY WITH PREPARATIONS FOR THE 
ANNUAL FOUNDING DAY FESTIVAL - FALLING ON JUNE 28. 
 
10. PREPARATIONS FOR THE FESTIVAL INDEED WERE IN FULL 
SWING.  POLOFF SAW SCORES OF PEOPLE BUSY PACKAGING 
FOODS AND CONSTRUCTING SHELTERS FOR THE TENS OF 
THOUSANDS OF HOA HAO FOLLOWERS EXPECTED TO DESCEND ON 
THE VILLAGE FOUR DAYS LATER.  HUNDREDS OF HOA HAO 
FOLLOWERS ALREADY WERE VISITING AND WORSHIPPING AT THE 
TWO PILGRIMAGE SITES.  (NOTE: ON A REGULAR DAY, BETWEEN 
100 AND 200 FOLLOWERS VISIT AN HOA PAGODA.) 
 
11. POLOFF SPOKE TO SEVERAL OF THE ORDINARY HOA HAO 
FOLLOWERS HE ENCOUNTERED.  THEY ALL EXPRESSED 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HO CHI  00695  02 OF 02  150602Z 
APPRECIATION THAT THEY NOW COULD COME TO THE PAGODA TO 
WORSHIP FREELY AND PUBLICLY.  ONE FOLLOWER NOTED THAT 
NEIGHBORING PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENTS HAD DISTRIBUTED A 
CIRCULAR INFORMING HOA HAO BELIEVERS THAT THIS YEAR 
THEY WOULD BE ALLOWED TO HOLD PUBLIC CEREMONIES TO 
COMMEMORATE FOUNDING DAY IN THEIR OWN LOCALITIES. 
(NOTE: THE GVN HAD PROHIBITED PUBLIC COMMEMORATION OF 
FOUNDING DAY BEFORE 1999, AND FROM 1999 UNTIL THIS YEAR 
HAD RESTRICTED IT TO PHU MY VILLAGE.) 
 
12. AFTER FOUNDING DAY, POLOFF SPOKE TO SEVERAL HOA HAO 
CONTACTS WHO TOLD HIM THAT BETWEEN 200,000 AND 250,000 
PERSONS HAD MADE THE PILGRIMAGE TO PHU MY.  THEY PRAYED 
AT THE PAGODA, BURNED INCENSE AT THE ANCESTRAL HOME, 
LISTENED TO SPEECHES, AND PICNICKED IN A FESTIVE 
ATMOSPHERE, ACCORDING TO THESE CONTACTS.  MOST OF THE 
ATTENDEES WERE FROM THE MEKONG DELTA -- ABLE TO MAKE 
THE JOURNEY AND RETURN HOME THE SAME DAY.  MANY PEOPLE, 
HOWEVER, STAYED OVERNIGHT OR FOR SEVERAL NIGHTS WITH 
FRIENDS, RELATIVES, OR AT HOTELS.  POLOFF, WHO HAD 
ATTENDED THE 1999 FOUNDING DAY FESTIVAL AND HAS VISITED 
PHU MY VILLAGE THREE TIMES SINCE, NOTICED SEVERAL 
HOTELS, SHOPS, AND OTHER SIGNS OF A TOURIST INDUSTRY 
THAT WERE NOT APPARENT THREE YEARS EARLIER. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
13. RECOGNITION OF THE HOA HAO IN 1999 HAS LED TO 
SIGNIFICANT FREEDOM OF WORSHIP FOR ORDINARY HOA HAO 
FOLLOWERS.  SOME BELIEVERS, HOWEVER, CONTINUE TO 
CRITICIZE THE NON-DEMOCRATIC MANNER IN WHICH THE GVN 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        HO CHI  00695  02 OF 02  150602Z 
ESTABLISHED THE OFFICIAL REPRESENTATIVE COMMITTEE. 
LEADERS OF THE PRE-1975 HOA HAO CHURCH ARE STILL ANGRY 
AT BEING EXCLUDED FROM PARTICIPATING IN ADMINISTERING 
HOA HAO AFFAIRS.  LOCAL AUTHORITIES, MOREOVER, CONTINUE 
TO CLOSELY MONITOR AND SOMETIMES HARASS MONKS OR OTHER 
BELIEVERS WHO ORGANIZE WORSHIP ACTIVITIES INDEPENDENT 
OF THE OFFICIAL REPRESENTATIVE COMMITTEE. 
 
YAMAUCHI 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED