2010-01-07
Followers of an activist Vietnamese monk are forced underground.
AFP
Thich Nhat Hanh (R) at a pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City, March 16, 2007.
BANGKOK—Followers of a hugely influential Zen Buddhist monk say they have been forced to go underground after being evicted from the pagoda where they had been living.
Some 200 monks and nuns—devotees of Thich Nhat Hanh—fled Dec. 31 from the Phuoc Hue pagoda in central Vietnam after visits by what U.S.-based Human Rights Watch described as “orchestrated” mobs that included police.
“We are now scattered everywhere, and it’s hard to settle down,” one nun said in an interview. “The authorities won’t let us stay wherever we go. They are trying to split us up.” Continue reading RADIO FREE ASIA: Monk’s Followers Flee →
Dear friends around the world,
It is the eve of December 31, 2009, the last day of the year. It marks a special moment for many of us; many will celebrate, many will make resolutions as we move into the New Year of 2010.
This time also marks a poignant moment for a community of monks and nuns from the central highlands of Vietnam. After peacefully resisting over a year of brutal physical and psychological persecution – the government has finally succeeded in dissolving this community – the official deadline for them to disperse was today, December 31. Continue reading A call for peace →
UPDATE 30th December
On Tuesday 29th December the last of the Bat Nha monks and nuns dispersed from Phuoc Hue temple in Bao Loc town. A 31st December deadline had been forcefully imposed for them to leave, following three days of government-led mob attacks on Phuoc Hue temple two weeks ago. Threats, harassment, and tight surveillance by police continued throughout the last fortnight, including a late-night police search of Phuoc Hue temple on Christmas Eve and menacing visits from the Veterans’ Association. The monks and nuns fled ahead of a further attack by police officers and young soldiers, threatened to strike on the 31st . Continue reading Persecuted Bat Nha monks and nuns forced to disperse into hiding →
[original source]
Evading Vietnam police, monks head underground
By BEN STOCKING
Associated Press, 31 Dec, 09
Followers of a famous Buddhist monk have abandoned the temple in southern Vietnam where they had sought sanctuary and are on the run from police, who have been pressuring them for months to break up their monastic community and return to their home villages.
The students of Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, who helped popularized Buddhism in the West and sold millions of books worldwide, slipped away from the Phuoc Hue temple under cover of darkness earlier this week, a spokeswoman for the monks and nuns said by telephone Thursday. Continue reading ASSOCIATED PRESS: Evading Vietnam police, monks head underground →
Associated France Press – 30 Dec, 09
HANOI — Members of an “illegal” Buddhist group in communist Vietnam who took refuge in a temple for three months have left the pagoda in accordance with a deadline, the temple’s head said on Wednesday. Continue reading AFP: ‘Illegal’ Vietnam Buddhists leave temple: abbot →
MONKS AND NUNS THREATENED WITH EVICTION
A mob with official backing is attempting to evict nearly 200 Buddhist monks and nuns from a monastery in central Viet Nam. The group have been sheltering there since they were evicted from another monastery in September, by a similar mob.
On 11 December a mob of around 100 people, some of whom the monks and nuns recognised as police officers, forced the abbot of Phuoc Hue Monastery to sign an agreement to expel the monks and nuns no later than the end of the year. Continue reading AMNESTY INTERTNATIONAL – URGENT ACTION →
PRESS RELEASE from helpbatnha.org: 22 Dec. 09
On Monday 21 December, representatives of 400 Vietnamese Buddhist monks and nuns seeking temporary protection in France, met with Francois Zimeray, France’s Ambassador for Human Rights and Foreign Ministry officials in Paris.
“Ambassador Zimeray assured us that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would work together with the Vietnamese government in Paris and Vietnam to find a solution,” said Sister Elisabeth, Abbess of Plum Village’s meditation centre in Paris. “If that proves to be impossible, they propose to offer us visas to save our brothers and sisters.” She clarified that they are not asking for refugee status for the Vietnamese monks and nuns, just temporary visas until they can return safely to Vietnam.
“We hope that the deadline of 31st December, a day of festivity and joy here in France, will not be the day of our community’s death in Vietnam.” Continue reading Persecuted Vietnamese Buddhists: France promises to act →
Associated France Presse – Saturday 19 December
PARIS — Several hundred followers of a banned Buddhist group in communist Vietnam on Friday asked for asylum in France, where their leader is based, claiming that they face persecution at home.
“These monks are no longer safe. The Vietnamese government is not able to protect them. We are therefore appealing to the French tradition of protecting the victims of persecution,” movement spokesman Phap Linh told AFP in Paris. Continue reading AFP: Vietnam Buddhists seek French asylum →
Dec 17, 2009 [original source]
By BEN STOCKING (AP)
HANOI, Vietnam — Followers of a famous Buddhist teacher plan to seek temporary asylum in France after months of pressure from Vietnam’s communist authorities to leave pagodas in the country’s south.
Some 400 disciples of Thich Nhat Hanh, who has popularized Buddhism in the West and sold millions of books worldwide, were forcibly evicted from the Bat Nha monastery in Lam Dong province in late September. Since then, nearly 200 have taken refuge at the nearby Phuoc Hue pagoda, but they have been ordered to leave by Dec. 31. Continue reading ASSOCIATED PRESS: Vietnamese monks under pressure seek French asylum →
