The veteran Communist Nguyen Ho pointed out that “by believing in such
Marxist concepts as materialism is antagonistic to spiritualism and atheism is
antithetical to theism, the Communist Party of Vietnam have executed policies
of oppression, repression, and even
murderous terrorism against all religious faiths. Caodaism, Hoa Hao Buddhism,
Buddhism, Catholicism, and Evangelical Christianity are all antagonistic to
communism. Therefore, they are anti-communist. Religious followers are
"reactionaries.” They are "henchmen of the imperialists." With
the armed forces at hand, the Communists, at various periods during the
Resistance War years of 1945-1949, launched attacks against the Caodaists and
Hoa Hao Buddhists. They executed series of mass killings of dignitaries and
followers of these religions. The target for elimination was followers at the
base areas of Cao Dai in the Eastern provinces comprising Tay Ninh, Gia Dinh,
Thu Dau Mot, Bien Hoa, and Ba Ria. Hoa Hao Buddhism suffered terrorism mostly
in the Western provinces, including, Long Xuyen, Chau Doc, Rach Gia, Bac Lieu,
and Can Tho. Throughout the nine years
of resistance against the French invaders (1946-1954), and twenty years of the
country's partition, the Catholics and Evangelicals in the North were the
objects of fierce repression. At the time of the Geneva Agreements were signed
(July 1954), two million Catholics and Evangelical Christians immigrated in
waves to the South to escape the "Communist Peril." The twenty years following it, the clergy and
followers of these two religions who stayed in the North lamentably endured
repression and persecution. They were treated as prisoners (Nguyen Ho, 1993:
39).
Religious
Policy under the People’s Democracy
On January 27, 1973, representatives of the United
States of America and North Vietnam or the Democratic Republic of Vietnam
signed the Agreements on Ending the War and Restoring the Peace in Vietnam.
Article 9b of the agreements provides self-determination for the people of
South Vietnam. Article 11 promises to honor the civil and political rights of
the Vietnamese people, with all citizens being equal and free to enjoy
authentic democratic freedom. Nevertheless, upon completing the Agreements,
North Vietnam prepared an invasion into South Vietnam. Following the all-out
offensive in April 1975, it took over the South. During the May 75 victory
celebration in Saigon, the Secretary-general of the Communist Party of Vietnam
Le Duan promised to bring peace, to turn prisons into schools. To the contrary,
reeducation followed suit, sending hundreds of thousand officers and officials
of the Republic of Vietnam, intellectuals and public figures, and priests and
dignitaries to concentration camps.
Dissolution of the leadership and Dispossession of properties of all
Churches
The new regime, in fact, waged a "war of
attrition" against the religions in the "liberated South." They carried out a consistent and systemic
policy with projected plans to obliterate at the same time the spiritual
leadership and physical structure of all religious faiths. Immediately after the
campaigns for elimination of the bourgeoisie and appropriation of private
industry and enterprise” in 1975-1976, the
Communist administration sought to dismantle the spiritual leadership of all
Churches and dispossessed all their properties. On November 11, 1977, it issued
Resolution No. 297-CP to subdue all religions under forced submission,
neutralizing to all itents and purposes their opposition and resistance. The
law provides rules and regulations to put religions under strict control. Religious
services and activities are restricted and can only be conducted or performed within
the worship place. Any activity performed outside designated places is illegal,
and the offender will be sent to long-term reeducation camps. Religious associations
such as the Legio Mary the Holy Eucharist Youths, and the Buddhist Youths are
denied operations. Monasteries are not allowed to admit novices. Promotions and
transfer of priests or monks are subject to State management.
To blot out all Churches' infrastructure at the
base, the administration closed down, confiscated, or "borrowed" from
them all establishments, facilities, and properties in the name of "the
Revolution." Cultural and religious centers for studies were confiscated
or dispossessed. Universities, colleges, schools at all levels belonging to the
Churches throughout the South came under the possession of the State. All
Churches of Vietnam suffered tragic losses. Pagodas, rumples chapels, and cathedrals
were subject to the control of the State. Grand and little seminaries were
closed down. Cultural and charitable centers, hospitals, universities, colleges,
and thousands of schools at all levels throughout the country belonging to the
Churches were confiscated or "borrowed by and placed under control of the
administration.
To count out the influence of the leadership of all
Churches over their followers, the authorities created State-affiliated
Patriotic Committees for Religions to work alongside the Churches' clergy at
all levels with an intent on controlling and manipulating all Churches’
priests, leaders, and followers. Coupled with this scheme, the Communist rule
executed concerted plans to "regularize” the religious life of the
followers of all faith in conformity with its religious policy. It instituted
new organizations with executive councils in replacement of the leadership of
the legitimate Churches. Parallel to this vile scheme, they executed mass
arrests of dignitaries, priest, and prestigious followers. Hundreds of
prominent priests were arrested and imprisoned because of expression of faith
or religious practices or persecuted for unfounded reasons. Still, high
dignitaries of all faith were arrested. Among them were the Honorable Phan Vo
Ky, Chairman of Council of Religions of Vietnam, and the Honorable Phan Ba Cam,
Chairman of the League of Human and Civil Rights of Vietnam, and Mgrs. Nguyen
Van Nam.
Authorities executed plans to
isolate the clergy from religious leaders and the laity. They believed, in the
long run, they would gradually wear out the leadership and members in various
religious executive boards and councils of all Churches and replaced them with
their party members and cadres. State-owned
religious organizations were created to operate alongside the hierarchical
bodies of all Churches at all levels to manipulate and control them. Besides,
intelligence networks were set up to implant agents in religious associations
and organization, spying on the Churches’ clergy and keeping an eye on the
followers’ activities in order to execute repressive measures, if necessary.
The Cao Dai Church
Brutal persecution befell the
Cao Dai Church. The Holy See was seized and was under control of the new regime. His Eminency Conservator Ho
Tan Khoa was expelled from the Legislative Body on charge of having connections
with Communist China. High dignitaries were abducted, arrested, or brought to
stand trials. His Excellency Tran Quang Vinh was abducted to unknown
whereabouts. His Eminence Nguyen Van Hoi. His Eminence Nguyen Van, Bishop
Nguyen Thanh Danh, Priest Le Van Mang, and 25 other notables were sent to
re-education camps. Some were released after six months due to sickness and old
age, but were forbidden to serve faith; others spent many years in the camp. Prominent
Cao Dai members were tried and sentenced to imprisonment. Among them were Pham
Ngoc Trang, Nguyen Thanh Liem, Huynh Thanh Khiet, Ho Huu Hia, and Le Tai
Thuong. Dissenters on charges for subversive activities were arrested and
brought to stand trials before the People’s Court. Among them were Hien Trung,
Nguyen Duy Minh, Bguyen Van Chiem, Trinh Quoc The, Pham Ngoc Huong (female) the
engineer Hoa, Le Van An, Nguyen Chi Buu, Nguyen Van Hiep, and 50 other Cao Dai followers.
On July 22, 1978, 19 Cao Dai
followers were convicted on charges for waging subversive activities against
“the Revolution.” Pham Ngoc Trang was given the death sentence; Nguyen Thanh Diem, the death sentence; Dang Ngoc
Lien, the death sentence; Nguyen Minh Quan, the life imprisonment sentence; Cao
Truong Xuan, the life imprisonment sentence; Ly Thanh Trong, the life
imprisonment sentence; Chau Thi My Kim (female), life imprisonment sentence; Tran Van Bao, the
20 -year imprisonment sentence; Nguyen Ngoc Minh, the 20-year imprisonment
sentence; Phan Thanh Phuoc alias Rai, the 20-year imprisonment sentence; Nguyen
Van Dong, the 20-year imprisonment sentence; Nguyen Van Doi, the 18-year
imprisonment sentence; Nguyen Thanh Minh, the 15-year imprisonment sentence; Do
Trung Truc, the 15-year imprisonment sentence; Tran Van Phi, the 15-year imprisonment sentence; Nguyen Tan Phung, the
12-year imprisonment sentence Phuong Van Duoc, the eight-year imprisonment
sentence; Ngo Van Ttung, the 8-year imprisonment sentence; and Ta Tai Khoan,
the 7-year imprisonment sentence.
Persecution ever intensified. On November 1, 1978, the
administration of Tay Ninh sent 31 prominent Cao Dai personalities to
re-education camps. Approximately two
hundred other dignitaries and believers were convoked for interrogation at Bau
Keo Temple Long Yen Hamlet. Fear and anguish were so pervasive that His Excellency
Ngoc Sanh Thanh had to sign a motion pledging allegiance with the political
regime. To suppress opposition, the Fatherland Front in Tay Ninh, on September
20, 1978, issued an indictment accusing the leaders of Cao Dai Church with such
crimes as having served as henchmen for imperialism and the old political
regime. During December 8-9, 1979, the people’s Court of Ho Chi Minh City
brought to trial dozens of dignitaries and prominent followers of the Church on
charges for subversive activities. They were recognized by names and sentences as Nguyen Van Manh, death sentence;
Le Van Nho, death sentence; Pham Ba Hung, death sentence; Tran Minh Quang, life
imprisonment; Dinh Tien Mai, life imprisonment; Nguyen Thai Dung, life
imprisonment; Doan Van Bach, life imprisonment; Nguyen Thanh Liem, death
sentence; Huynh Thanh Khiet, death sentence Huu Hia, death sentence; Le Tai
Thuong, death sentence; Nguyen Anh Dung alias Phan Dang Chuc, life
imprisonmemt,Truong Phuoc Duc, life imprisonment; Nguyen Ngoc De, life
imprisonment; and Vo Van Thng, life imprisonment.
On December13, 1978, the People’s
Council in Tay Ninh, by an administrative decision, dissolved the Cao Dai
Church in Tay Ninh. On March 3, 1979, three highest dignitaries of the Cao Dai
Church resigned themselves to sign the Ecclesiastic Order o1/HT/DL to dissolve
the entirety of the Church’s politics organizations at all levels (Ban Tin Dai
Dao, 1994:22).
The Hoa Hao Buddhist Church
Having seized power, the
Communist administration of Long Xuyen Province executed plans to eliminate the
religious leadership and destroy physical religious establishments and
facilities at all levels of the Hoa Hao Buddhist Church. It arbitrarily
dissolved the entire body of religious leadership including the Central
Executive Board of Hoa Hao Buddhist Church, 28 provincial Executive Boards,
High dignitaries and notables were arrested and sent to re-education camps.
Among them were the Secretary-general of the Social Democratic Party Phan Ba
Cam, Brigadier General Lam Thanh Nguyen’ the Honorable Trinh Quoc Khanh, the
Honorable Nguyen Van Phung, the Honorable Nguyen De, the Honorable Nguyen Van
Lau, the Honorable Nguyen Van Khiet, the Honorable Nguyen Van Oanh, the
Honorable Le Chon Tinh, the Honorable Nguyen Van Coi, the Honorable Nguyen Van
Ba, the Honorable Nguyen Van Ut, the Venerable To Ba Ho, and the Honorable
Nguyen Thanh Long. Others were sentenced
to life imprisonment terms. Among them were the Honorable Nguyen Van Dau, the
Honorable Nguyen Van Hung, the Honorable Nguyen Van Train and the Honorable
Nguyen Van Dung.
All Hoa Hao religious
establishments were confiscated, including the Central Office at the Holy See
in Chau Doc Province, the Hoa Hao Monastery, the Holy Temple, the Center for
Propagation of Hoa Hao Buddhist Faith, 4,168 preaching halls, and 462 meeting
halls, 2876 offices at various districts, villages, and hamlets. All scriptures
and books for religious preaching were confiscated. Fervent Hoa Hao Buddhists
were targeted with threat and violence. Hoa Hao followers were forbidden to
congregate. Failures to comply with the order were subject to detention or
arrest. Religious services were allowed but only performed within the residence.
Religious performances and ceremonies at the Holy Temple were banned. Assembly
of more than three people was forbidden. Campaigns for terrorism were activated
to repress all forms of opposition. Anyone who was seen with a Sam Giang (Book
of Sacred Teachings) by His Holiness Huynh Phu So was subject to interrogation
and arrest on the annual celebration of May 18, the day the founder of Hoa Hao Buddhism
faith professed the Enlightened Way of Hoa Hao Buddhism, police tightened control.
They posited check-points at bus stations and ferry landings and patrolled
roads and rivers to stop Hoa Hao followers coming to the Holy Sire. Anyone with
a “da” (brown tunic) was arrested and interrogated. Religious services were allowed to practice at
home only.
The Vietnam Unified Buddhist Church
Disaster befell all Buddhist
Churches of the South. Dispossession of cultural, religious, educational, and
social establishments and facilities was carried out along with bans on religious
services at the pagodas and temples. Authorities confiscated or closed down the
pagodas and temples Monasteries and other cultural, religious, educational, and
social establishments and facilities were all subject to dispossession or
control of the State. Among
them were the Central Executive Headquarters, Van Hanh University, the Institute
for Social Services Hai Duc Buddhist institute for Higher Studies Hue Nghiem
Buddhist Institute for Higher Studies, Child Care Center sand hundreds of
schools at all levels were dispossessed and placed under the State managements.
Dignitaries of the Vietnam
Unified Buddhist Church and other Buddhist sects were arrested or isolated. The
Venerable Thich Tri Quang was restricted to isolation at An Quang Pagoda,
Saigon. The Venerable Thich Thien Minh Vice-president of the Central Council
was imprisoned and tortured to death. High-ranking monks of the VUBC
were isolated or arrested. The Venerable Thich Tri Quang was restricted to
residence surveillance at An Quang Pagoda, Saigon. The Venerable Thich Thien
Minh, Vice-president of the Central Executive Council, was arrested and detained
at Saigon Police Headquarters. He was reportedly died in prison in 1979. Elsewhere
in the provinces, authorities tightened control on the clergy. On September 17,
1975, the Venerable Thich Nhu Thnh, guardian monk in Phu Long was arrested,
tortured, and buried alive. On November 11, 1975, under suppression, the
Venerable Thich Tue Hien and 11 monks and nuns at Duoc Su Monastery, Can Tho, immolated
themselves by fire in protest at the authorities’ repressive measures against
religion. Mass arrest ensued. On April 4, 1977, high-ranking monks were
arrested and imprisoned. Among them were the Most Venerable Thich Huyen Quang,
Vice-chairman of the Executive Council of the VUBC; the Most Venerable Thich
Quang Do, Secretary-general of the Institute for the Propagation of Dharma; the
Most Venerable Thich Thuyen An, Head, Office of Propagation Services; the Most
Venerable Thich Thong Buu, Head, Office of Laity Services; the Venerable Thich
Thong Tue, Head Monk, Go Vap District, Saigon; and the Venerable Thich Thanh
The, Head, Section of Social Services.
At least 19 other monks and personalities
were arrested. They were recognized as the Venerable Thich Buu Hue, VUBD
representative, Long Khanh Province; the Venerable Thich Thien Duc, VUBC, Ba Xuyen
Province; the Venerable Thich Duc Quang, VUBDC, Binh Duong Province; the
Venerable Thich Thien Thong, VUBC deputy-representative and the Venerable Thich
Chon Khong, An Giang Province; the Venerable Thich Thanh Doan, guardian monk at
Phap Vuong Pagoda, Saigon; the Venerable Thich Ke Hoi, VUBC, Phu Yen Province;
and the Venerable Thich Minh Tam, VUBG Secretary and the Venerable Thich Lieu
Minh, Thuan Hai Province. Among the monks and personalities arrested at various
localities were the Venerable Thich Giac Minh, Pham Van Toan, Tran Sau, Pham
Chi Tam, Nguyen Ke Hoach, To Thanh Nhon, Hoang Linh Thoai, and Dang Ngoc
Hung.
In February 1980, the Communist
administration created a new Buddhist organization to incorporating all
Buddhist Churches in a single organization operating within the Fatherland
Front. The Most Venerable Thich Tri Thu was appointed chairman of the Central
Committee, the Venerable Thich The Long, the vice-chairman, and the Venerable
Thich Minh Chau, the secretary. On October 11, 1981, police broke in An Quang
Pagoda while a meeting on unification of various Buddhist denominations was
taking place. A great number of monks were detained. Among them were the Venerable
Thich Huyen Quang, the Venerable Thich Quang Do, the Venerable Thich Thong Buu,
the Venerable Thich Thuyen and the Venerable Thich Thong Huu. On February 25,
1982, police arrested two key figures of the VUBC, the Venerable Thich Huyen
Quang and the Venerable Thich Quang Do. The Church was paralyzed. Thousands of
Buddhists assembled at An Quang Pagoda and Thanh Minh Monastery to pray for the
safety of the dignitaries. They were nevertheless deported to their home
villages and placed under house surveillance.
On March 22, 1984, the security
police burst into Gia Lam Pagoda and Van Hanh University and arrested 12 monks
known to be affiliated with the Most Venerable Thich Tri Thu. Among them were
the Venerable Thich Tri Sieu, former professor at Van Hanh University and the
Venerable Thich Nguyen Giac, professor at the School for Buddhism at Gia Lam
Pagoda. On the same day, the Most Venerable Thich Tri Thu was brought before
the police for interrogation. He was forced to sign a confession attesting that
he might have covered subversive activities by reactionary Buddhists. Due to
his refusal of such of false accusation, his was brought back to his pagoda to
reconsider. On April 2, 1984, He was, again, convoked to the police
headquarters to inform himself about his decision. At 8:00 p.m., he was brought back to his
pagoda. He was unable to talk. He was dead pale. He died at 9:30.
Evangelical Christianity
The Evangelical Christians,
being harbored as followers of an American religion, became the target for
hatred and discrimination. Beside those chaplains who served in the Armed
Forces of the Republic of Vietnam were sent to reeducation camps Many, pastors
and ministers, particularly the preachers in the Central Highland were detained
on ungrounded charges. Chapels and worship places in small towns were closed
down or requisitioned to be used for other purposes such as warehouses or
offices for Communist Youths offices. As Evangelical Christianity is
identified in Vietnam as Protestantism, the communists view it an American
religion. After the “liberation of the South,” the Church became the principal
target for hatred and elimination. Only several days after the takeover of
Saigon, the Communist administration confiscated a church built by the
Reformists and administered by a Swiss pastor and later converted into a
cultural center. It dispossessed the Chapel under the administration of the
Reverend Ho Hieu Ha on 7 Trab Cao Van Street, Saigon, the facilities of the
(American) Assembly of God on 7 Nguyen Van Thoai Street, Saigon, and all
facilities belonging to the Church at Cau Hang, Go Vap District, and Gia Dinh
Province. It confiscated the Institute of Theology in Nha Trsng, the only seminary
of the Church. It dispossessed or closed down chapels, and worship places and transforms
them into offices for Communist Youth groups. Simultaneously, the Communist
authorities sought to strike hard at the leadership of the Church. Viewed as close
associates with American imperialism, pastors and followers suffered all forms
of persecution. Chaplains, who served in the Army of the Republic of (South)
Vietnam, were sent to re-education camps. Pastors and ministers were restricted
to surveillance, and followers were forbidden to serve faith. Most unfortunately,
Christians in the Central Highlands were reportedly subject to maltreatment,
detention, Y De and Y Thang of the ethnic minority was rearrested in December
1980. Persecution in the Central Islands loomed ahead.
The Roman Catholic Church
Dispossession
of physical properties of the Church was colossal. In Saigon only, thousands of
religious, cultural, educational, charitable, financial, economic, and social
establishments and facilities were confiscated or “borrowed” on order of the
Military Administration Council. Humiliation befell the Church’s authority. Only
several days after the “liberation” of Saigon, the newly-created Union of
Catholic Patriotic Committee staged a demonstration to request the expulsion of
the Vatican Apostolic Delegate and his secretary, Msgr.Tran Ngoc Thu from the
country. High dignitaries and priests suffered persecution. In Saigon, Vice-
archbishop of Saigon Archdiocese, Nguyen Van Thuan, Fr. Hoang Quynh of Binh An
Parish, Fr. Tran Huu Thanh of the Redemptorists Order were, Fr. Nguyen Van
Vang, and Fr. Tran Hoc Hieu. Fr. Hoang
Quyng and Fr. Nguyen Van Vang died in prison. Fr. Tran Hoc Hieu was executed at
Bien Hoa. In Da Nang, Bishop Pham Ngoc Chi was isolated from the laity, and in
Hue, Archbishop Nguyen Kim Dien was placed under surveillance. There were
reportedly 200 priests, including chaplains serving in the Armed Forces of the
Republic of Vietnam, were sent to re-education Camps.
Persecution
took place. On February15, 1976, security forces laid siege to Vincent
Cathedral in Tenth Precinct, Saigon, stormed into the worship place, and
arrested Fr. Nguyen Quang Minh, the lawyer Nguyen Khac Chin, and Nguyen Ngoc
Thiet on charges for conspiracy to overthrow the new regime. While conducting
operations of dispossession of the Church’s properties, it sought to dismantle
both the supra-structure of the Church. Under the Resolution No. 297-CP
promulgated on November 17, 1977, the Communist authorities restricted
religious activities and organizations’ activities, Religious performances and
activities outside the worship place were considered illegal, and the offenders
would be sent to re-education. Religious associations such as the Legio Maria
and the Holy Eucharis Youths were denied operations. Religious congregations
such as the Sisters for the Cross were forbidden to operate. Novices were
ordered to return home. Movement outside the church of priests was subject to
permission. Anti-Christianity materials such as the Tay Duong Bi Luc (Secrets
about Western Christianity, were published to discredit and slander the worship
of Christ. In 1979, the Party Central
Committee for Religions and committees of patriotic Catholics executed orders
to establish a self-directed Catholic Church. They failed in their attempt at
the convention in Saigon to vote on this matter, The Union of Patriotic
Catholics was vested with authority to work along with the clergy at all levels
to manipulate the Church’s religious administration, such as making
recommendations on appointments and transfer of priests, and supervising the
laity’s religious activities. The authorities sought to dismantle Orders and
congregation In 1980, priests of the Dao
Nhap The (Religion Reincarnated), Fr. Le Thanh Que, Fr. Nguyen Cong Doan, Fr. Khuat Duy Linh, Fr. Do Quang Chinh, and Fr. Hoang Sy Quy were
brought to stand trial and weresentenced
to long prison terms on charges of subversive activities.
The
Communist rule executed even more furtive measures against the Roman Catholic
Church in the South. The Department of Police of Ho Chi Minh City, in
particular, selected Thu Duc District as a pilot community to administer
testing measures and monitor the Catholic population’s reactions to the new
regime’s religious policy. This district harbored a large number of Catholic
parishes whose residents were the refugees from the North since the partition
of the country in July 1954. Evaluating
the results obtained from inquiries and experiences from operations of
pacification in the local parishes, the administration took assuring steps and
unwavering measures, in the years following 1984, it continued to proceed with misappropriation
of the rest of physical properties throughout the country and subdue the
leadership and clergy of the Church under forced submission.
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