Association to Protect Freedom of Religion, April 2018
PART 1: OVERVIEW ON FREEDOM OF RELIGION IN VIETNAM IN JANUARY-MARCH 2018
The Law on Religions and Beliefs became effective on January 1 this year. Before that, from being publicized as a draft until approved by the parliament, many religious organizations had many important opinions in a bid to protect the right to freedom of religion enshrined in the country’s Constitution 2013. On June 1, 2017. His Excellency Archbishop Giuse Nguyen Chi Linh, president of the Archbishop Council and Archbishop Phero Nguyen Van Kham, secretary genral of the Archbishop Council, on behalf of seven millions of Catholic followers in Vietnam, sent opions to the parliament and its chairwoman pointing out that the law aims to limit the right to freedom of religion. However, the parliament ignored their objection.
In the first three months of 2018, there were a number of important events including the visit of a delegation from Vaticane to Vietnam and its meeting with the local government. The delegation was led by Monsignor Antoine Camilleri,the current Under-Secretary for Relations with Stateseffectively, deputy foreign minister of the Holy See, Vietnamese Monsignor Francis Cao Minh Dung from the Vatican’s Secretariat of State, and Monsignor Yovko Genov Pishtiyski from the Apostolic Nunciature in Singapore.
Monsignor Antoine Camilleri said Vatican has a policy to promote bilateral relations with Vietnam to contribute to the country’s development, especially in education, healthcare and charity. In turn, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc expressed his hope to intensify relations with the Holy See, including the exchange of high-ranking delegations.
However, there were government’s harassments against religious groups in the first quarter of 2018, including the Catholic community in Vinh diocese, Protestant followers in the North-western region, followers and monks of Hoa Hao Buddhist sect and Cao Dai sect. The biggest harassment is the conviction of six Hoa Hao followers with heavy sentences, who were accused of “causing public disorders” under Article 245 of the country’s 1999 Penal Code. Mr. Bui Van Tham was charged additionally with “resisting on-duty state officials” under Article 257 of the Penal Code. Mr. Bui Van Trung and Bui Van Tham were convicted for the second time as in 2012, the two were sentenced to four years and two years in prison, respectively, for fighting for religious freedom.
Mr. Brad Adams, Asia director of Human Rights Watch, said the conviction “appears to be the latest instance of official persecution of members of this religion” and “The government should stop harassing and arresting those who belong to unsanctioned religious groups and leave people to practice their faith as they see fit.”
A number of foreign embassies were expressing their concerns about religious freedom in Vietnam and met with representatives of the Inter-faith Council to understand more about the issue.
PART II: VIOLATIONS OF THE RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF RELIGIONS BY VIETNAM’S STATE AGENCIES IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2018
2.1 Violation in January
First violation: Authorities in An Giang block the event of Hoa Hao Buddhist Purity Sect on January 11.
According to the news from the sect’s communication unit, authorities in Cho Moi district set up two blockages in the two sides of the road leading to the site in Long Giang commune where the sect held a commemoration of the birthday of His Excellency Founder Huynh Phu So in a bid to prevent followers from gathering to the event.
According to the plan of the organizers, senior clerks of the sect will gather on January 11 to mark the event. However, authorities in Cho Moi district deployed communal police and militia to block the roads leading to the event. All vehicles were barred from the roads.
Authorities also sent policemen to the prirate residences of Ha Van Duy, the leader of the sect in An Giang province.
Police halt movement of followers and even banned them from decorating the main site with flowers.
Despite harassment, Hoa Hao Buddhist followers still carried out the birthday of their late leader, who was killed by communists five decades ago.
Second violation: Hue authorities continue harassing Thien An Monastery
On January 10, authorities in Thuy Bang commune, represented by its Chairman namely Thin, sent people to demolish the chicken farm of the monastery in a bid to seize the land on which the farm is located.
Within a month, the pine forest with a total acreage of 5,000 square meters of the monastery were destroyed by individuals and workers of the Tien Phong Hue state farm with supports of authorities in Thua Thien-Hue province.
According to Le Thi Duc, wife of Le Ngoc Lan from Cu Chanh 1 village, Thuy Bang commune, Huong Thuy town, the land slot was granted by the communal authorities and a ministry which she did not unveil.
On January 17, monks from the Thien An Monastery were terrored by the authorities in Hue who conducted administrative checking not in line with the current laws. The local authorities have also diseminated wrong information to outrage priests and monks of the monastery.
Third violation: Families of members of the unregistered Hoa Hao Buddhist Purity Sect’s communication unit were threatened
Mr. Nguyen Minh Nhut, deputy head of the Department of Communication and Liasion of the unregistered Hoa Hao Buddhist Purity Sect announced that “Since January 17, Dong Thap province’s police called my grandmother by telephone to ask her to go to a police station for interrogation. They have continously been calling her to demand her not to allow me to participate in the sect’s affairs and meet with the sect’s leader Mr. Nguyen Van Dien.” He said the police act aims to threaten him and force him to give up his work as communication officer of the sect.
Atthe same time, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Kim Huynh, the wife of the department’s Head Nguyen Ngoc Tan said that when she took their children to her native district of Can Duoc to visit relatives, some district security officers came and threatened her by saying “The work of Mr. Tan will affect the future of their children.” They also came to her relatives to question them about their relations and collect information about her.
Mr. Nguyen Van Cuong, head of the sect’s Department of Organization said Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Tan and Nguyen Minh Nhut are responsible for the sect’s communication which is important for the sect so they have been under constant harassment of the local authorities.
Inthe first half of 2017, the private residence of Mr. Tan was attacked with dirty waste six times. Now authorities continue to pressure on their relatives in order to force them to give up their works in the sect, said Mr. Cuong.
Mr. Phan Tan Hoa, deputy head of the Central Committee of the Hoa Hao Buddhist Purity Sect, religious followers, especially of the unsanctioned religious groups, have been harassed by authorities.
Fourthviolation: Senior clerk of Hoa Hao Buddhist Purity Sect in Vinh Long summoned by police in Quang Ngai
On January 26, the communal police head in Dong Thanh commune, Binh Minh town, Vinh Long province handed over the summoning letter of the Quang Ngai province’s police to Mr. Le Van Soc, deputy head of the Central Committee of the Hoa Hao Buddhist Purity Sect. The letter asked him to go to the Dong Thanh communal building to work with police officers from Quang Ngai.
However, Mr. Soc denied to go to the meeting.
Fifthviolation: Life of Cao Dai sect’s Official threatened
The health of Human Livelyhood Sect Mr. Hua Phi of the Cao Dai Church, is critical and his left leg is paralized maybe caused by brain blood stroke after being interrogated by Lam Dong province’s police officers in many days.
Before falling into critical health situation, Mr. Hua Phi was questioned by 10 police officer from Lam Dong province about his interviews to foreign media and meetings with international delegations on freedom of religion as well as calling for demonstrations from January 12 until January 28. Due to the interrogation, his blood pressure rose to 210 from 120 and he collased in the communal building on January 29
After he fell, police took him to a taxi to his private house, however, they continue to send officers every day to ask him to go for interrogation if he recovers. Police also blocked his family from taking him to a local hospital for medical treatment.
Police also blocked representatives of the Inter-faith Council from coming to his house for visit.
2.2 Violationsin February 2018
First violation: Six Hoa Hao Buddhist followers convicted for participation in commemorizing the death of Leader Huynh Phu So on April 19, 2017
On February 9, four Hoa Hao Buddhist followers in a family, Mr. Bui Van Trung and his son Bui Van Tham, his wife Le Thi Hen, his daughter Bui Thi Bich Tuyen and two other followers namely Nguyen Hoang Nam and Le Thi Hong Hanh were tried by the People’s Court of An Phu district, An Giang province on allegation of “Causing public disorders” under Article 245 and “resisting on-duty state officials” under Article 257 of the 1999 Penal Code.
Thedefendants were arrested on April 19, 2017 after protesting authorities in An Phu district who dispersed followers’ gathering in the private residence of Mr. Bui Van Trung in Phuoc Hoa village, Phuoc Hung commune for commemorizing the death of Huynh Phu So, the founder and leader of the Hoa Hao Buddhist sect.
The court sentenced the six followers to a total 24 years in prison after the unfair trial which lasted three and half hours as follows:
– Mr. Bui Van Trung, 58: six years in prison for charge under Article 245 and 257
– Mr. Bui Van Tham, 31: six years in prison for charge under Article 245 and 257
– Mr. Nguyen Hoang Nam, 36: four years in prison for charge under Article 245 and 257
– Le Thi Hong Hanh, 39: six years in prison for charge under Article 245 and 257
– Bui Thi Bich Tuyen, 36: six years in prison for charge under Article 245 and 257
– Le Thi Hen, 56: two years of probation for charge under Article 245 and 257
Mr. Trung and his son Tham were former prisoners of conscience. They were arrested in 2012 and later sentenced to four and two years in prison, respectively, for objecting the local authorities’ supression on freedom of religion.
Second violation: Discrimination against Catholic students in Dien Doai commune
Schools in Dien Doai commune, Dien Chau district, Nghe An province have issued decisions banning Catholic students from going to study because their families refused to pay unreasonable fees of the schools. When Catholic students came to the schools, teachers and guards expelled them and not allowed them to go to their classes.
Being denied, Catholic children called their parents to their schools to settle the issue. Instead of holding negotiations with students’ parents, the schools’ leadership informed district police who came to supress the parents.
Some Catholic students, who failed to contribute fees for clean water, were reportedly beaten by their teachers after drinking water from the common tapes.
Teachers have also placed Catholic students to those locations far from the board where they hardly hear teaching.
It was reported that Dien Doai commune’s schools request students’ parents to contribute many fees not in the list approved by the Ministry of Education and Training.
2.3 Violations in March 2018
First violation: Hue authorities groundlessly confiscate working tools of monks of Thien An monastery.
On March 1, monks of the Thien An Monastery chopped down a died pine in the monastery’s pine forest. However, officials of Thuy Bang commune and staffs of the Tien Phong Hue state farm came and accused them of illegal deforestation. They intended to make a violation report and confiscate chopping tools of the monk as well as the fallen pine.
One of the monks reported that “The authorities confiscated our tools and request us to have permision for chopping because the pine forest is under state management.”
One monk said that chopping down a dried pine tree at the pine forest which was grown by the monastery and belongs to the monastery is not violating the regulations of forest protection. This is because the authorities in Hue want to harass the monastery and its monks.
Second violation: Catholic followers summoned to police station after Priest Dang Huu Nam removed from Phu Yen parish
Authorities in Nghe An have issued letters to summon many Catholic followers to police station for interrogation about their gathering to the An Hoa communal building on October 3, 2016.
The move came after Catholic priest Dang Huu Nam from the Phu Yen parish was transferred to another place.
Ms. Bui Thi Nhiem, Ms. Sam, Mr. Hoan from Tan An village were requested to be to the building of the People’s Committee of Quynh Luu district on March 9 to “work” about people’s gathering two years ago.
Thefollowers were interrogated by police officers for many hours before being allowed to return home.
On October 3, 2016, more than 500 Catholic followers of the Phu Yen parish and adjacent arreas gathered to the People’s Committee building in An Hoa commune to ask the local authorities to verify that Priest Dang Huu Nam is their legal representative in a lawsuit against environmental polluter Formosa. Authorities in An Hoa commune rejected to make this verification.
In the past two years, residents of Tan An village in the Phu Yen parish have been harassed by authorities in Nghe An province. While the Catholic followers have acted peacefully and legally, the local authorities have sought to attack them and create division between Catholic followers and non-Catholic residents.
It seems that the Nghe An province’s government is acting against Catholic followers in the Phu Yen parish, and protect the Taiwanese Formosa steel plant which discharged a huge amount of toxic industrial waste into the water in the central coast, causing the biggest environmental disaster for Vietnam for decades.
So far, local residents have yet to received compensation pledged by Formosa. Many people lost their jobs due to consequenses of the Formosa’s disaster.
Thirdviolation: Protestant followers from four Hmong families in Vietnam’s northernwestern region were assaulted by thugs who are supported by local authorities
As many as 24 Protestant followers from four Hmong families in Vietnam’s northwestern region have been attacked by a mob led by the village chief, local sources have revealed to World Watch Monitor.
Four people were hospitalised for eight days after the 1 March attack, with injuries to their heads and arms.
All four families are from the Hmong people group and only recently converted to the Christian faith.
The provincial authorities had advised them against continuing with their newfound faith, and village leaders told them that unless they renounce Christianity they will be forced to leave their village.
The families’ pastor is understood to be in talks with local authorities about the incident.
Among the one million Hmong in Vietnam, there are an estimated 400,000 Christians – a higher proportion than in Vietnam’s population as a whole (about 9%). The religious transformation of the people group has been described as “remarkable”. The Hmong, just like Vietnam’s other Christians, face threats to their religious freedom through the government’s new Law on Belief and Religion, which came into effect this year and has, so far, been used to criminalise a Catholic mass.
Vietnam’s Hmong live mainly in the country’s northwest and central highlands.
The repression by the Vietnam government of religious and other freedoms has been raised at the 37th session of the Human Rights Council, currently meeting in Geneva.
Fourth violation: Communication officers of the Hoa Hao Buddhist Purity Sect under An Giang government’s pressure
Mr. Nguyen Minh Nhut, deputy head of the Department of Communication and Liasion of the independent Hoa Hao Buddhist Purity Sect has been under great pressure of authorities in Dong Thap province.
He was requested to go to the Lai Vung district police on March 21 for interrogation about his works in the sect.
Security officers have also requested his grandmother not to allow him to involve in the sect’s activities.
“Mr. Nhut is the youngest member of the sect’s Central Steering Committee. He is very active and good follower,” said one of senior clerks of the sect.
Authoritiesin Dong Thap province have summoned Hoa Hao followers in a bid to prevent them from participating in the sect’s events or meeting with foreigners or even family’s occasions.
For example, many senior clerks were summoned when they planned to gather in the private house of Mr. Bui Van Luot, head of the sect in Vinh Long province, when he organized a meeting to commemorize his mother on the day of her death on March 21.
Policein Dong Thap have also interrogated the province’s head of the sect about a report condemning the local government’s harassment against the sect’s followers in the past decades. The report was circulated on social networks.
On March 16, a delegation of 12 police officers and state officials from Dong Thap province, Lai Vung district and Tan Phuoc commune came to the private residence of Mr. Nguyen Van Dien, head of the sect’s Central Steering Committee to question him about the report in which he had signed.
Mr. Le Quang Hien, general secretary of the committee, said in a public statement that this is the torture against Mr. Dien who is suffering from high blood pressure.
Fifth violation: Redemptory Church priest hassassed with administrative precedures
Catholic priest Dinh Huu Thoai of the Ky Dong Redemptory Church in Saigon has been harassed with administrative procedures.
According to his report, he made residence registeration in Go Vap district for the period between August 2008 and July 2015 and later in Phu Nhuan district from July 2015 until July 2019 when he bought his own house there.
With his ownership of a house in Phu Nhuan district, the priest has his right for permanent residence there. However, the district police reject to provide his permanent residence, saying he does not meet requirements. They have blamed him of cheating as registering temporary staying in many places.
He defended himself, sayin as a priest, he is moving from one to other places.
The priest has filed a complaint to request the Phu Nhuan district authorities to review his case.
As of March 24, the priest did not receive response from the authorities.
Priest Thoai is among religous clerks supporting human rights promotion and multi-party democracy in Vietnam. He, like other democracy campaigners, have been targetted by the government.
Meanwhile, Vietnam is still apply strict control over residence registration, requesting local people to register to authorities when they remove from one province to other locations.
PARTIII: EVALUATION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
3.1 Evaluation
Based on the overview of freedom to religions in Vietnam in the first quarter of 2018 and the number of violations of the right to the freefom of religions committed by state agencies, a conclusion can be made that violations of religious freedom still exist and are regular in small religious communities such as the Hoa Hao Buddhist Purity Sect and Cao Dai Church as well as Protestant groups. Catholic clerks and followers have been discriminated and troubled with adminisrative procedures.
OnJanuary 1, the Law on Religion became effective despite its shortcomings that religious clerks pointed out and requested for being amended. The approval and implementation of the law which is not supported by senior religious clergy will affect the right to the freedom of religions and beliefs so followers will meet challenges in the coming years.
3.2 Recommendations
– All state agencies from the grassroot to the central levels must respect the right to freedom of religions and beliefs of all Vietnamese citizens.
– All Vietnamese state agencies must respect every religious follower and stop all discriminations based on religions.
– State agencíe must to respect unregistered riligious groups and allow them to freely conduct their religious activities.
The state must respect Article 24 of the Constitution on the freedom of religions and beliefs of citizens.
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April 18, 2018
REPORT ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN VIETNAM- 1st QUARTER 2018
by Nhan Quyen • [Human Rights]
Association to Protect Freedom of Religion, April 2018
PART 1: OVERVIEW ON FREEDOM OF RELIGION IN VIETNAM IN JANUARY-MARCH 2018
The Law on Religions and Beliefs became effective on January 1 this year. Before that, from being publicized as a draft until approved by the parliament, many religious organizations had many important opinions in a bid to protect the right to freedom of religion enshrined in the country’s Constitution 2013. On June 1, 2017. His Excellency Archbishop Giuse Nguyen Chi Linh, president of the Archbishop Council and Archbishop Phero Nguyen Van Kham, secretary genral of the Archbishop Council, on behalf of seven millions of Catholic followers in Vietnam, sent opions to the parliament and its chairwoman pointing out that the law aims to limit the right to freedom of religion. However, the parliament ignored their objection.
In the first three months of 2018, there were a number of important events including the visit of a delegation from Vaticane to Vietnam and its meeting with the local government. The delegation was led by Monsignor Antoine Camilleri,the current Under-Secretary for Relations with Stateseffectively, deputy foreign minister of the Holy See, Vietnamese Monsignor Francis Cao Minh Dung from the Vatican’s Secretariat of State, and Monsignor Yovko Genov Pishtiyski from the Apostolic Nunciature in Singapore.
Monsignor Antoine Camilleri said Vatican has a policy to promote bilateral relations with Vietnam to contribute to the country’s development, especially in education, healthcare and charity. In turn, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc expressed his hope to intensify relations with the Holy See, including the exchange of high-ranking delegations.
However, there were government’s harassments against religious groups in the first quarter of 2018, including the Catholic community in Vinh diocese, Protestant followers in the North-western region, followers and monks of Hoa Hao Buddhist sect and Cao Dai sect. The biggest harassment is the conviction of six Hoa Hao followers with heavy sentences, who were accused of “causing public disorders” under Article 245 of the country’s 1999 Penal Code. Mr. Bui Van Tham was charged additionally with “resisting on-duty state officials” under Article 257 of the Penal Code. Mr. Bui Van Trung and Bui Van Tham were convicted for the second time as in 2012, the two were sentenced to four years and two years in prison, respectively, for fighting for religious freedom.
Mr. Brad Adams, Asia director of Human Rights Watch, said the conviction “appears to be the latest instance of official persecution of members of this religion” and “The government should stop harassing and arresting those who belong to unsanctioned religious groups and leave people to practice their faith as they see fit.”
A number of foreign embassies were expressing their concerns about religious freedom in Vietnam and met with representatives of the Inter-faith Council to understand more about the issue.
PART II: VIOLATIONS OF THE RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF RELIGIONS BY VIETNAM’S STATE AGENCIES IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2018
2.1 Violation in January
First violation: Authorities in An Giang block the event of Hoa Hao Buddhist Purity Sect on January 11.
According to the news from the sect’s communication unit, authorities in Cho Moi district set up two blockages in the two sides of the road leading to the site in Long Giang commune where the sect held a commemoration of the birthday of His Excellency Founder Huynh Phu So in a bid to prevent followers from gathering to the event.
According to the plan of the organizers, senior clerks of the sect will gather on January 11 to mark the event. However, authorities in Cho Moi district deployed communal police and militia to block the roads leading to the event. All vehicles were barred from the roads.
Authorities also sent policemen to the prirate residences of Ha Van Duy, the leader of the sect in An Giang province.
Police halt movement of followers and even banned them from decorating the main site with flowers.
Despite harassment, Hoa Hao Buddhist followers still carried out the birthday of their late leader, who was killed by communists five decades ago.
Second violation: Hue authorities continue harassing Thien An Monastery
On January 10, authorities in Thuy Bang commune, represented by its Chairman namely Thin, sent people to demolish the chicken farm of the monastery in a bid to seize the land on which the farm is located.
Within a month, the pine forest with a total acreage of 5,000 square meters of the monastery were destroyed by individuals and workers of the Tien Phong Hue state farm with supports of authorities in Thua Thien-Hue province.
According to Le Thi Duc, wife of Le Ngoc Lan from Cu Chanh 1 village, Thuy Bang commune, Huong Thuy town, the land slot was granted by the communal authorities and a ministry which she did not unveil.
On January 17, monks from the Thien An Monastery were terrored by the authorities in Hue who conducted administrative checking not in line with the current laws. The local authorities have also diseminated wrong information to outrage priests and monks of the monastery.
Third violation: Families of members of the unregistered Hoa Hao Buddhist Purity Sect’s communication unit were threatened
Mr. Nguyen Minh Nhut, deputy head of the Department of Communication and Liasion of the unregistered Hoa Hao Buddhist Purity Sect announced that “Since January 17, Dong Thap province’s police called my grandmother by telephone to ask her to go to a police station for interrogation. They have continously been calling her to demand her not to allow me to participate in the sect’s affairs and meet with the sect’s leader Mr. Nguyen Van Dien.” He said the police act aims to threaten him and force him to give up his work as communication officer of the sect.
Atthe same time, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Kim Huynh, the wife of the department’s Head Nguyen Ngoc Tan said that when she took their children to her native district of Can Duoc to visit relatives, some district security officers came and threatened her by saying “The work of Mr. Tan will affect the future of their children.” They also came to her relatives to question them about their relations and collect information about her.
Mr. Nguyen Van Cuong, head of the sect’s Department of Organization said Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Tan and Nguyen Minh Nhut are responsible for the sect’s communication which is important for the sect so they have been under constant harassment of the local authorities.
Inthe first half of 2017, the private residence of Mr. Tan was attacked with dirty waste six times. Now authorities continue to pressure on their relatives in order to force them to give up their works in the sect, said Mr. Cuong.
Mr. Phan Tan Hoa, deputy head of the Central Committee of the Hoa Hao Buddhist Purity Sect, religious followers, especially of the unsanctioned religious groups, have been harassed by authorities.
Fourthviolation: Senior clerk of Hoa Hao Buddhist Purity Sect in Vinh Long summoned by police in Quang Ngai
On January 26, the communal police head in Dong Thanh commune, Binh Minh town, Vinh Long province handed over the summoning letter of the Quang Ngai province’s police to Mr. Le Van Soc, deputy head of the Central Committee of the Hoa Hao Buddhist Purity Sect. The letter asked him to go to the Dong Thanh communal building to work with police officers from Quang Ngai.
However, Mr. Soc denied to go to the meeting.
Fifthviolation: Life of Cao Dai sect’s Official threatened
The health of Human Livelyhood Sect Mr. Hua Phi of the Cao Dai Church, is critical and his left leg is paralized maybe caused by brain blood stroke after being interrogated by Lam Dong province’s police officers in many days.
Before falling into critical health situation, Mr. Hua Phi was questioned by 10 police officer from Lam Dong province about his interviews to foreign media and meetings with international delegations on freedom of religion as well as calling for demonstrations from January 12 until January 28. Due to the interrogation, his blood pressure rose to 210 from 120 and he collased in the communal building on January 29
After he fell, police took him to a taxi to his private house, however, they continue to send officers every day to ask him to go for interrogation if he recovers. Police also blocked his family from taking him to a local hospital for medical treatment.
Police also blocked representatives of the Inter-faith Council from coming to his house for visit.
2.2 Violationsin February 2018
First violation: Six Hoa Hao Buddhist followers convicted for participation in commemorizing the death of Leader Huynh Phu So on April 19, 2017
On February 9, four Hoa Hao Buddhist followers in a family, Mr. Bui Van Trung and his son Bui Van Tham, his wife Le Thi Hen, his daughter Bui Thi Bich Tuyen and two other followers namely Nguyen Hoang Nam and Le Thi Hong Hanh were tried by the People’s Court of An Phu district, An Giang province on allegation of “Causing public disorders” under Article 245 and “resisting on-duty state officials” under Article 257 of the 1999 Penal Code.
Thedefendants were arrested on April 19, 2017 after protesting authorities in An Phu district who dispersed followers’ gathering in the private residence of Mr. Bui Van Trung in Phuoc Hoa village, Phuoc Hung commune for commemorizing the death of Huynh Phu So, the founder and leader of the Hoa Hao Buddhist sect.
The court sentenced the six followers to a total 24 years in prison after the unfair trial which lasted three and half hours as follows:
– Mr. Bui Van Trung, 58: six years in prison for charge under Article 245 and 257
– Mr. Bui Van Tham, 31: six years in prison for charge under Article 245 and 257
– Mr. Nguyen Hoang Nam, 36: four years in prison for charge under Article 245 and 257
– Le Thi Hong Hanh, 39: six years in prison for charge under Article 245 and 257
– Bui Thi Bich Tuyen, 36: six years in prison for charge under Article 245 and 257
– Le Thi Hen, 56: two years of probation for charge under Article 245 and 257
Mr. Trung and his son Tham were former prisoners of conscience. They were arrested in 2012 and later sentenced to four and two years in prison, respectively, for objecting the local authorities’ supression on freedom of religion.
Second violation: Discrimination against Catholic students in Dien Doai commune
Schools in Dien Doai commune, Dien Chau district, Nghe An province have issued decisions banning Catholic students from going to study because their families refused to pay unreasonable fees of the schools. When Catholic students came to the schools, teachers and guards expelled them and not allowed them to go to their classes.
Being denied, Catholic children called their parents to their schools to settle the issue. Instead of holding negotiations with students’ parents, the schools’ leadership informed district police who came to supress the parents.
Some Catholic students, who failed to contribute fees for clean water, were reportedly beaten by their teachers after drinking water from the common tapes.
Teachers have also placed Catholic students to those locations far from the board where they hardly hear teaching.
It was reported that Dien Doai commune’s schools request students’ parents to contribute many fees not in the list approved by the Ministry of Education and Training.
2.3 Violations in March 2018
First violation: Hue authorities groundlessly confiscate working tools of monks of Thien An monastery.
On March 1, monks of the Thien An Monastery chopped down a died pine in the monastery’s pine forest. However, officials of Thuy Bang commune and staffs of the Tien Phong Hue state farm came and accused them of illegal deforestation. They intended to make a violation report and confiscate chopping tools of the monk as well as the fallen pine.
One of the monks reported that “The authorities confiscated our tools and request us to have permision for chopping because the pine forest is under state management.”
One monk said that chopping down a dried pine tree at the pine forest which was grown by the monastery and belongs to the monastery is not violating the regulations of forest protection. This is because the authorities in Hue want to harass the monastery and its monks.
Second violation: Catholic followers summoned to police station after Priest Dang Huu Nam removed from Phu Yen parish
Authorities in Nghe An have issued letters to summon many Catholic followers to police station for interrogation about their gathering to the An Hoa communal building on October 3, 2016.
The move came after Catholic priest Dang Huu Nam from the Phu Yen parish was transferred to another place.
Ms. Bui Thi Nhiem, Ms. Sam, Mr. Hoan from Tan An village were requested to be to the building of the People’s Committee of Quynh Luu district on March 9 to “work” about people’s gathering two years ago.
Thefollowers were interrogated by police officers for many hours before being allowed to return home.
On October 3, 2016, more than 500 Catholic followers of the Phu Yen parish and adjacent arreas gathered to the People’s Committee building in An Hoa commune to ask the local authorities to verify that Priest Dang Huu Nam is their legal representative in a lawsuit against environmental polluter Formosa. Authorities in An Hoa commune rejected to make this verification.
In the past two years, residents of Tan An village in the Phu Yen parish have been harassed by authorities in Nghe An province. While the Catholic followers have acted peacefully and legally, the local authorities have sought to attack them and create division between Catholic followers and non-Catholic residents.
It seems that the Nghe An province’s government is acting against Catholic followers in the Phu Yen parish, and protect the Taiwanese Formosa steel plant which discharged a huge amount of toxic industrial waste into the water in the central coast, causing the biggest environmental disaster for Vietnam for decades.
So far, local residents have yet to received compensation pledged by Formosa. Many people lost their jobs due to consequenses of the Formosa’s disaster.
Thirdviolation: Protestant followers from four Hmong families in Vietnam’s northernwestern region were assaulted by thugs who are supported by local authorities
As many as 24 Protestant followers from four Hmong families in Vietnam’s northwestern region have been attacked by a mob led by the village chief, local sources have revealed to World Watch Monitor.
Four people were hospitalised for eight days after the 1 March attack, with injuries to their heads and arms.
All four families are from the Hmong people group and only recently converted to the Christian faith.
The provincial authorities had advised them against continuing with their newfound faith, and village leaders told them that unless they renounce Christianity they will be forced to leave their village.
The families’ pastor is understood to be in talks with local authorities about the incident.
Among the one million Hmong in Vietnam, there are an estimated 400,000 Christians – a higher proportion than in Vietnam’s population as a whole (about 9%). The religious transformation of the people group has been described as “remarkable”. The Hmong, just like Vietnam’s other Christians, face threats to their religious freedom through the government’s new Law on Belief and Religion, which came into effect this year and has, so far, been used to criminalise a Catholic mass.
Vietnam’s Hmong live mainly in the country’s northwest and central highlands.
The repression by the Vietnam government of religious and other freedoms has been raised at the 37th session of the Human Rights Council, currently meeting in Geneva.
Fourth violation: Communication officers of the Hoa Hao Buddhist Purity Sect under An Giang government’s pressure
Mr. Nguyen Minh Nhut, deputy head of the Department of Communication and Liasion of the independent Hoa Hao Buddhist Purity Sect has been under great pressure of authorities in Dong Thap province.
He was requested to go to the Lai Vung district police on March 21 for interrogation about his works in the sect.
Security officers have also requested his grandmother not to allow him to involve in the sect’s activities.
“Mr. Nhut is the youngest member of the sect’s Central Steering Committee. He is very active and good follower,” said one of senior clerks of the sect.
Authoritiesin Dong Thap province have summoned Hoa Hao followers in a bid to prevent them from participating in the sect’s events or meeting with foreigners or even family’s occasions.
For example, many senior clerks were summoned when they planned to gather in the private house of Mr. Bui Van Luot, head of the sect in Vinh Long province, when he organized a meeting to commemorize his mother on the day of her death on March 21.
Policein Dong Thap have also interrogated the province’s head of the sect about a report condemning the local government’s harassment against the sect’s followers in the past decades. The report was circulated on social networks.
On March 16, a delegation of 12 police officers and state officials from Dong Thap province, Lai Vung district and Tan Phuoc commune came to the private residence of Mr. Nguyen Van Dien, head of the sect’s Central Steering Committee to question him about the report in which he had signed.
Mr. Le Quang Hien, general secretary of the committee, said in a public statement that this is the torture against Mr. Dien who is suffering from high blood pressure.
Fifth violation: Redemptory Church priest hassassed with administrative precedures
Catholic priest Dinh Huu Thoai of the Ky Dong Redemptory Church in Saigon has been harassed with administrative procedures.
According to his report, he made residence registeration in Go Vap district for the period between August 2008 and July 2015 and later in Phu Nhuan district from July 2015 until July 2019 when he bought his own house there.
With his ownership of a house in Phu Nhuan district, the priest has his right for permanent residence there. However, the district police reject to provide his permanent residence, saying he does not meet requirements. They have blamed him of cheating as registering temporary staying in many places.
He defended himself, sayin as a priest, he is moving from one to other places.
The priest has filed a complaint to request the Phu Nhuan district authorities to review his case.
As of March 24, the priest did not receive response from the authorities.
Priest Thoai is among religous clerks supporting human rights promotion and multi-party democracy in Vietnam. He, like other democracy campaigners, have been targetted by the government.
Meanwhile, Vietnam is still apply strict control over residence registration, requesting local people to register to authorities when they remove from one province to other locations.
PARTIII: EVALUATION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
3.1 Evaluation
Based on the overview of freedom to religions in Vietnam in the first quarter of 2018 and the number of violations of the right to the freefom of religions committed by state agencies, a conclusion can be made that violations of religious freedom still exist and are regular in small religious communities such as the Hoa Hao Buddhist Purity Sect and Cao Dai Church as well as Protestant groups. Catholic clerks and followers have been discriminated and troubled with adminisrative procedures.
OnJanuary 1, the Law on Religion became effective despite its shortcomings that religious clerks pointed out and requested for being amended. The approval and implementation of the law which is not supported by senior religious clergy will affect the right to the freedom of religions and beliefs so followers will meet challenges in the coming years.
3.2 Recommendations
– All state agencies from the grassroot to the central levels must respect the right to freedom of religions and beliefs of all Vietnamese citizens.
– All Vietnamese state agencies must respect every religious follower and stop all discriminations based on religions.
– State agencíe must to respect unregistered riligious groups and allow them to freely conduct their religious activities.
The state must respect Article 24 of the Constitution on the freedom of religions and beliefs of citizens.
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