Analysis, Facts
“Vietnam: Sharp Backsliding on Religious Freedom: Harsh crackdown on Thich Nhat Hanh’s followers“, Human Rights Watch (18 Oct ‘09)
“Not just a local dispute: leaked documents reveal government’s role in repression, violence“, from helpbatnha.org (16 Oct ‘09)
“Internal dispute or government cover-up?“, from helpbatnha.org (10 Oct ‘09)
“Situation critical as authorities turn to psychological tactics“, from helpbatnha.org (5 Oct ‘09)
“Leaked memo reveals government’s role in violent eviction“, from helpbatnha.org (2 Oct ‘09)
See also: Timeline
Key Documents from Vietnam
Official report on events of Sept. 27 (no.418) from Buddhist Church of Vietnam (6 Oct ‘09)
Open Letter (petition) from Vietnamese Academics, Scientists, Publishers (5 Oct ‘09)
Leaked local government memo (no.789) inciting people to “campaign by all means” (17 Sept ‘09)
Letter of protest from Vietnam’s High Monks after first attack in June (18 July ‘09)
Leaked central government memo (no.1329) showing Bat Nha eviction was national government policy (29 Oct ‘08)
Letter of sponsorship from Buddhist Church of Vietnam (no.188) showing Bat Nha monks and nuns legally resident (13 Oct ‘08)
Letters of authorization to practice, from Buddhist Church of Vietnam (No.212) and from Central Government (No.525)
Key Letters, Comment
“US Embassy ‘deeply disturbed’” by human rights abuses - AP, AFP (14 Oct ‘09)
“Magical Sound of the Sitar“, Ven. Thich Nhat Hanh to his ‘Bat Nha Children’ (13 Oct ‘09)
“Diamond Body“, Ven. Thich Nhat Hanh to his ‘Bat Nha Children’, (7 Oct ‘09)
Letter to all people of conscience, in Vietnam and outside Vietnam from Historian Nguyen Lang, Author of the three-volume series, A Critical Review of the History of Vietnamese Buddhism (2 Oct ‘09)
Blood Letter: ’stop the violence, or we are ready to give our lives‘, from other young monks and nuns in Vietnam (30 Sept ‘09)
“Not Children of the Revolution“, Letter from Nguyen Lang to President of Vietnam (30 Sept ‘09)
“Vietnamese government failed to protect citizens from violence”, Director-General of International Service for Human Rights (30 Sept ‘09)
Vietnam Government’s actions ‘appalling’, Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez (30 Sept ‘09)
“The government is deceiving and oppressing its people“, letter from Major General Trần Khắc Lợi (30 Sept ‘09)
Senator Obama’s letter on Vietnam’s ‘Religious Persecution’, (Feb, 2008)
See also:
“A letter to our uncles in the police“, from the young refugee Bat Nha monks and nuns (17 Oct ‘09)
“The Last Walking Meditation“, from a young Bat Nha nun
“I just want to practice my faith“, from a young Bat Nha aspirant
Vietnamese Government statements to press:
17 Oct ‘09 (Dept. for Religious Affairs)
14 Oct ‘09 (Ministry for Foreign Affairs)
8 Oct ‘09 (Ministry for Foreign Affairs)
8 Oct ‘09 (Local government)
