US embassy cable - 02HANOI2255

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 002255 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/BCLTV AND DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL 09/16/2012 
TAGS: PHUM, KIRF, PGOV, VM, HUMANR, RELFREE 
SUBJECT: CONGEN MEETING WITH THICH HUYEN QUANG 
 
 
1.  (U)  CLASSIFIED BY EMI L. YAMAUCHI, CG; REASON 1.5(B) 
 
2.  (SBU) SUMMARY: CONSUL GENERAL AND POLOFF VISITED THICH 
HUYEN THQ (THQ) AT THE PHUOC QUANG PAGODA IN QUANG NGAI 
PROVINCE ON SEPTEMBER 6. THQ WAS CANDID AND FEISTY IN 
DESCRIBING HIS HEALTH AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF HIS 
CONFINEMENT.  HE CRITICIZED THE GVN'S "CONDUCT OF ELECTIONS 
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PAGE 02        HANOI  02255  01 OF 02  170852Z 
AND POLICIES ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND RELIGIOUS FREEDOM." 
ACCORDING TO THQ, HE WOULD BE WILLING "TO CONSIDER" MOVING 
BACK TO HIS HOME PROVINCE OF BINH DINH ONCE THE GVN 
PRESENTS HIM WITH AN OFFICIAL DOCUMENT DETAILING WHY HE HAS 
BEEN DETAINED, THAT HE HAS FULFILLED THE TERMS OF HIS 
DETENTION, AND THAT HE IS FREE TO TRAVEL.  POST UNDERSTANDS 
THAT GVN AUTHORITIES REFUSED A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 
DELEGATION'S REQUEST FOR A MEETING WITH THQ DURING THIS 
SAME TIMEFRAME.  END SUMMARY. 
 
3.  (U) ON SEPTEMBER 6, CONGENOFFS MET WITH THQ IN A ROOM 
WITH A LONG TABLE, CHAIRS, AND BOOKCASES, SITUATED ACROSS A 
COURTYARD FROM THE MAIN PAGODA.  A POLICE STATION STANDS 
OPPOSITE THE PAGODA'S OUTER GATE, ABOUT 200 FEET AWAY.  AT 
ONE END OF THE ROOM WERE A BED AND SOME OTHER SMALL 
FURNISHINGS.  PROVINCIAL ESCORTS FROM THE EXTERNAL 
RELATIONS OFFICE AND QUANG NGAI'S "COMMITTEE ON RELIGIOUS 
MANAGEMENT" ATTENDED. 
 
4.  (SBU) WHILE THQ SAID HIS HEALTH WAS DETERIORATING (DUE 
MOSTLY TO OLD AGE, HE NOTED RUEFULLY), HE APPEARED TO BE IN 
GOOD HEALTH FOR A MAN OF 83 YEARS.  HE GREETED CONGENOFFS 
STANDING UNASSISTED IN A DRIVING RAIN, SAT UPRIGHT 
THROUGHOUT THE 50-MINUTE MEETING, AND ROSE SPRYLY TO SEE 
OFF HIS VISITORS.  HE WAS ALERT AND COHERENT AT ALL TIMES, 
BUT APPEARED HARD OF HEARING (ALTHOUGH THIS COULD HAVE BEEN 
BECAUSE OF THE HARD RAIN AND WIND).  THQ'S PRIMARY MEDICAL 
COMPLAINTS WERE AN INCREASING LOSS OF SENSATION IN HIS 
RIGHT HAND FINGERS OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, AND EPISODES OF 
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE.  FROM TIME TO TIME, HE EXPERIENCED 
SOME NUMBNESS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HIS BODY.  STILL, HE 
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PAGE 03        HANOI  02255  01 OF 02  170852Z 
NOTED HIS AILMENTS DID NOT KEEP HIM FROM WRITING BOOKS ON 
BUDDHIST RITUALS.  HE SAID HE RECEIVED REGULAR MEDICAL CARE 
AND MEDICATIONS AND HAD NEVER BEEN DENIED PERMISSION TO 
VISIT A DOCTOR. 
 
5.  (SBU) WHILE THE MAJORITY OF HIS TRIPS OUTSIDE THE 
PAGODA WERE FOR MEDICAL ATTENTION, THQ MENTIONED TWO LOCAL 
TRIPS WITHIN THE LAST YEAR TO MY LAI AND THE DUNG QUAT 
INDUSTRIAL ZONE.  IN WHAT MAY HAVE BEEN STAGED FOR OUR 
BENEFIT, THE QUANG NGAI RELIGIOUS MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE 
ESCORT REMINDED THQ THAT HE HAD JUST GONE TO QUANG NGAI 
TOWN THE DAY BEFORE TO VISIT WITH A FELLOW MONK.  THQ SAID 
HE LED A NORMAL LIFE, READING RELIGIOUS TRACTS AND 
RECEIVING REGULAR VISITORS.  LATER ON, HE SAID HE HAD VERY 
FEW VISITORS, ASIDE FROM THE YOUNG NUNS AND MONKS WHO CAME 
FOR A FEW HOURS EACH DAY TO COOK AND CLEAN.  THESE YOUNG 
FOLLOWERS ROTATED ABOUT EVERY 15 DAYS.  THQ LIVES ALONE, 
WITH NO ACCESS TO TELEPHONE OR MAIL.  HE HAD BEEN INFORMED 
OF CONGENOFFS' UPCOMING VISIT BY THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES. 
 
6.  (U) REGARDING THE BASIS FOR HIS CONFINEMENT, THICH 
HUYEN QUANG EMPHASIZED THAT HE WAS UNDER DETENTION FOR 
RELIGIOUS - NOT POLITICAL - REASONS.  HE IS UNABLE TO LEAVE 
THE PAGODA WITHOUT POLICE PERMISSION.  THROUGHOUT THE 
VISIT, THQ REFERRED TO THE FACT THAT HE HAD BEEN DETAINED 
BY THE "FRENCH COLONIAL GOVERNMENT FOR THE FIRST TIME MORE 
THAN 30 YEARS AGO."  HE SAID HE WAS UNAWARE OF THE REASONS 
FOR HIS CURRENT DETENTION AND HAD NEVER SEEN AN OFFICIAL 
DOCUMENT DETAILING THE CHARGES AND SENTENCE.  ACCORDING TO 
THQ, NO ONE HAD EVER EXPLAINED THE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH 
HE COULD TRAVEL/MOVE.  THUS, WHENEVER HE WAS INVITED TO GO 
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ELSEWHERE, HE TOLD PEOPLE HE COULD NOT LEAVE.  OTHER 
PAGODAS WERE HESITANT TO INVITE THQ BECAUSE THEY KNEW HE 
COULD NOT MOVE. 
 
7.  (U) THE RELIGIOUS MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE ESCORT 
INTERRUPTED TO SAY THAT THQ HAD BEEN OFFERED AN OPPORTUNITY 
TO RETURN TO BINH DINH PROVINCE (HIS HOME PROVINCE) LAST 
YEAR, BUT "HAD CHANGED HIS MIND."  THQ CONTRADICTED HIM, 
POINTING OUT THAT HE HAD MERELY ASKED TO SEE HIS OFFICIAL 
CHARGING DOCUMENT, TO KNOW THE REASONS FOR HIS ARREST AND 
LENGTH OF DETENTION "BEFORE MAKING UP HIS MIND."  THQ MADE 
IT CLEAR THAT HE COULD NOT COMMIT TO A MOVE UNTIL HE HAD 
SEEN OFFICIAL PAPERS DETAILING THE REASONS FOR HIS 
DETENTION, CERTIFICATION THAT HE HAD COMPLETED THE 
DETENTION SUCCESSFULLY AND HAD BEHAVED CORRECTLY, AND 
CONFIRMATION OF HIS FREEDOM TO TRAVEL. 
 
8.  (SBU) THICH HUYEN QUANG STATED THERE HAD BEEN NO 
(POSITIVE) CHANGES IN VIETNAM WITH REGARD TO ELECTIONS, 
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, OR HUMAN RIGHTS.  HE SAID THE GVN HAD 
NOT ALLOWED THE UNIFIED BUDDHIST CHURCH OF VIETNAM (UBCV) 
TO OPERATE AFTER 1975, AND THAT FEWER PEOPLE NATIONWIDE 
WENT TO WORSHIP.  WHEN ASKED HOW HE REGARDED THOSE WHO 
BELONGED TO THE GVN-RECOGNIZED BUDDHIST CHURCH, THQ 
 
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                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ2124 
 
PAGE 01        HANOI  02255  02 OF 02  170853Z 
ACTION EAP-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AID-00   AMAD-00  CIAE-00  DODE-00  PERC-00 
      SRPP-00  DS-00    EB-00    FBIE-00  VC-00    H-01     TEDE-00 
      INR-00   IO-00    LAB-01   L-00     VCE-00   AC-01    NSAE-00 
      NSCE-00  OIC-02   OMB-01   OPIC-01  PA-00    PM-00    PRS-00 
      ACE-00   P-00     SP-00    STR-00   TRSE-00  USIE-00  PMB-00 
      DSCC-00  PRM-00   DRL-02   G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00     /009W 
                  ------------------E8554F  170853Z /38 
R 170845Z SEP 02 
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 7568 
INFO ASEAN COLLECTIVE 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 HANOI 002255 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/BCLTV AND DRL 
 
CRITICIZED THE ORGANIZATION ITSELF AS STATE-RUN (SOMETHING 
"CREATED OUT OF EXPEDIENCY, IN A TIME OF NEED"), BUT 
EMBRACED ITS FOLLOWERS AS "ALL OUR PEOPLE."  ASKED WHETHER 
OTHERS IN VIETNAM OR OVERSEAS WERE AUTHORIZED TO SPEAK FOR 
HIM, THQ RESPONDED VAGUELY THAT THERE WERE OUTSIDE 
ORGANIZATIONS THAT SPOKE ON HIS BEHALF. 
 
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PAGE 02        HANOI  02255  02 OF 02  170853Z 
9.  (SBU) THE PROVINCIAL ESCORTS ATTEMPTED TO INTERRUPT 
WHEN THE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS STRAYED "TOO FAR FROM 
GENERAL CONCERN ABOUT THICH HUYEN QUANG'S HEALTH."  BUT 
CONGENOFFS AND THQ PRESSED ON.  AT THE END, THE ESCORTS 
ENCIRCLED THQ'S CHAIR TO SPEED UP THE FAREWELLS.  THQ SAID 
HE WOULD WELCOME A RETURN VISIT. 
 
10.  (C)  COMMENT:  THIS WAS CONGENOFFS' FIRST MEETING WITH 
THICH HUYEN QUANG.  WHILE WE FOUND HIM TO BE SOMEBODY THAT 
WE WOULD LIKE TO GET TO KNOW BETTER, WE WERE CONCERNED THAT 
HE SEEMED TO DWELL ON THE DISTANT PAST -- WEARING THE PRIDE 
ON HIS SLEEVE OF HAVING BEEN ARRESTED MORE THAN 30 YEARS 
AGO "UNDER THE FRENCH COLONIALISTS" AND DECRYING THE 
OUTLAWING OF THE UBCV IN 1975.  HE DID NOT WISH TO BE DRAWN 
INTO A DISCUSSION ABOUT FUTURE ACTIVITIES, ASPIRATIONS, 
GOALS, SO THE HISTORY LESSON WAS INTERESTING, BUT DID NOT 
NECESSARILY ADD TO OUR KNOWLEDGE. 
 
11.  (C)  ON THE OTHER HAND, WHEN CONGENOFFS RAISED THE 
NAMES OF TWO BUDDHIST FOLLOWERS WHO HAVE VISITED THQ IN THE 
PAST AND WHO ARE CURRENT CONGEN CONTACTS -- THICH NHAT 
THIEN AND A NUN WHO DESCRIBES HERSELF AS THQ'S GRANDNIECE - 
- THQ'S LANGUAGE INDICATED THAT HE HAD RESERVATIONS ABOUT 
THE FORMER.  THQ DESCRIBED THICH NHAT THIEN AS "SOMEBODY I 
HAVE WORKED WITH IN THE PAST."  AS FOR HIS GRANDNIECE, HE 
SAID THAT HE DID NOT KNOW WHERE SHE WAS, OR WHAT SHE WAS 
DOING BECAUSE SHE WAS "USUALLY VERY BUSY." 
 
12.  (SBU) POST NOTES THAT ACCORDING TO A PRESS RELEASE 
FROM THE "QUE ME" ACTION FOR DEMOCRACY IN VIETNAM/VIETNAM 
COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RIGHTS, HEADQUARTERED IN FRANCE, A 
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PAGE 03        HANOI  02255  02 OF 02  170853Z 
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION VISITING VIETNAM DURING 
SEPTEMBER 7-11, WAS DENIED MEETINGS WITH THICH HUYEN QUANG, 
THICH QUANG DO, AND FATHER NGUYEN VAN LY.  POST ALSO NOTES 
THAT QUANG NGAI PROVINCIAL OFFICIALS DID NOT USE THE EXCUSE 
OF TORRENTIAL RAINS AND FLOODED ROADS TO CANCEL OUR 
APPOINTMENT, AS IS OFTEN DONE IN THESE SORTS OF SITUATIONS. 
HOWEVER, PROVINCIAL OFFICIALS DID TRY TO KEEP THE MEETING 
BRIEF.  THE CHAIRMAN OF THE PROVINCIAL PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE, 
NGUYEN KIM HIEU, PERHAPS DOWNPLAYING THICH HUYEN QUANG'S 
STATURE, HAD TOLD CONGENOFFS EARLIER IN THE DAY THAT THQ 
WAS SIMPLY AN OLD MAN "WHOSE WAY OF THINKING DOES NOT AGREE 
WITH OURS.  WE WOULD JUST LIKE HIM TO GO BACK TO HIS HOME 
PROVINCE."  END COMMENT. 
 
YAMAUCHI 
 
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