Plum Village 3 July, 2009
An Appeal for Help and Relief
To Mr. Minister of the Public Security Ministry of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,
To Mr. Ambassador of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,
To Distinguished Members of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Government who have directly or indirectly helped and supported 400 Vietnamese monks and nuns practicing Plum Village Dharma teaching at Bat Nha Monastery
Respected Gentlemen:
Today is 3 July, 2009. It is the 6th day without food and drink for 400 young practicing monks and nuns at Bat Nha Monasterỵ.
We received news from Bao Loc residents that Master Dong Tam, Master Duc Nghi’s monk brother, sent a letter to local Buddhists saying that we have powerful international influence and want to take away the pagoda that was built with sweat and tears of the poor folks when they first immigrated there. But we have never touched their pagoda. We only stay within the residences that we built. Yet on Sunday, 5 July, 2009, the locals were told to invade Bat Nha Monastery and recapture it by all means. It would have been fine if the hard-working local Buddhists came. But we were afraid that Master Dong Hanh and Master Duc Nghi hired aboriginals to come with iron bars to strike and wound the Venerable Thai Thuan.
About 5 kilometers from Bat Nha Monastery is a hamlet by the name of Buong Dang Dung, where, upon Master Duc Nghi’s order, we the practicing monks and nuns built a school with two kindergarten classes for the aboriginal children. In the name of Master Duc Nghi, we took care of them, cleaned and washed kids from 20 months to 5 years old, taught them songs, words and fed them lunches. We paid for their food and for their teachers’ wages with the money contributed by our friends in the West, but we let the local folks think that the money came from Master Duc Nghi. Now they have been indoctrinated that we seized the Monastery from Master Duc Nghi and sent him away. So they invaded the Monastery with spears and, together with the gang that he hired on 28 June 2009, they beat up the practicing monks and nuns who are young enough to be Mr. Minister’s children. So very pitiful!
We respectfully request Mr. Minister to send Security Police from the city, some to guard the entrance to Bat Nha, some to guard around the different residences to stop aggressors from killing and spearing people. Local Security Police allowed the aggressors to throw rocks and human waste on 29 June, and let them storm through the doors of the practicing monks’ quarter.
We respectfully request the Central Public Security Department to send police to stop aggressions from the hired hoodlums. Please send Security Police to prevent the invasion of hundreds of Buong Dang Dung aboriginals who had been brainwashed and ordered to arm themselves with spears to attack and kill “those who captured the pagoda,” meaning the 400 practicing monks and nuns (in the attached photo) who are young enough to be Mr. Minister’s children. These young folks only sit in meditation, chant sutras, and advise their parents to treat each other kindly and lovingly. They had nothing to do with politics nor did they seize the Monastery from Master Duc Nghi. The Plum Village Venerable was the one who advised Master Duc Nghi to come to Bat Nha and be their master. There is something deeper beneath this situation that we don’t quite understand. But please Mr. Minister, help prevent future bloodshed.
Respectable Minister, please have compassion and help us!
Respectable Minister, please have compassion and save us!
Respectable Minister, please have compassion and emancipate us!
Respectfully yours,
Sister Thich Nu Chan Khong
