INTOLERANCE
By Van Nguyen
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 the country and 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 body of spiritual leadership and the physical structures
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 to
the State, neutralizing to all intents and purposes their opposition and
resistance. The law provides rules and regulations to put the 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. 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 transfers of priests or monks
are subject to State authorization.
To blot out all Churches'
infrastructures at the base, the administration closed down, confiscated, or
"borrowed" from them all institutions, establishments, and facilities
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, cathedrals, and chapels were subject to the control. 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 placed under the
administration of the State.
To count out the influence
of the religious leadership of all Churches over their followers, the
authorities created State-affiliated Patriotic Committees for Religions to
operate 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 faiths in conformity with its
religious policy. It instituted new organizations with executive councils in
replacement of the traditional religious organizations or associations of the legitimate
Churches. Parallel to this vile scheme, they executed mass arrests of priests, dignitaries,
and prestigious followers. Thousands of them were arrested and imprisoned
because of expression of faith or religious practices or persecuted for unfounded
reasons. 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 at all levels still carried on plans to
isolate the clergy from religious leaders and the laity. They believed, in the
long run, they would gradually wear out the Church leaders and members in
various religious executive boards and councils of all Churches and replaced
them with their party members and cadres. State- affiliated religious
organizations were created to operate alongside the hierarchical bodies of all
Churches at all levels to manipulate and control their services and activities.
Besides, intelligence networks were set up to implant agents in legitimate religious
associations and organization, spying on the Churches’ clergy and keeping an
eye on the followers’ activities. Repressive measures were executed, if
necessary.
The Persecution
The Cao Dai Church
Brutal persecution befell the Cao Dai Church. The Tay
Ninh 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 for unfounded charges. 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, Nguyen
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), the 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 American 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, the death
sentence; Le Van Nho, the death sentence; Pham Ba Hung, the death sentence;
Tran Minh Quang, the life imprisonment; Dinh Tien Mai, the life imprisonment;
Nguyen Thai Dung, the life imprisonment; Doan Van Bach, the life imprisonment;
Nguyen Thanh Liem, the death sentence; Huynh Thanh Khiet, the death sentence
Huu Hia, death sentence; Le Tai Thuong, the , death sentence; Nguyen Anh Dung
alias Phan Dang Chuc, the life imprisonment, Truong Phuoc Duc, the life
imprisonment; Nguyen Ngoc De, the life imprisonment; and Vo Van Thng, the 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 the 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 and
28 provincial Executive Boards, High dignitaries and notables were arrested and
sent to reeducation 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 Trai, 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 interrogation, 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 in and around the Holy Temple. They posited check-points at
bus stations and ferry landings and patrolled roads and rivers to stop Hoa Hao
followers from 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 institutions, establishments,
and facilities was carried out along with bans on religious services at the
pagodas and temples. Authorities at all levels 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 confiscation
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 administration of the State.
Prominent monks
and prestigious dignitaries of the Vietnam Unified Buddhist Church and other
Buddhist sects were arrested or isolated. 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 Council, was imprisoned without
a charge. He was reportedly tortured and 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 authorities’ suppression, the Venerable Thich Tue Hien and 11
monks and nuns at Duoc Su Monastery, Can Tho, immolated themselves by fire.
Mass arrest ensued. On April 4, 1977, other high-ranking monks were arrested
and imprisoned. Among them were the Most Venerable Thich Huyen Quang,
Vice-chairman of the Central 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 of the Office of Propagation
Services; the Most Venerable Thich Thong Buu, Head of the 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 also 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, VUBC, 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 who were 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 Studies at Gia Lam Pagoda. On the
same day, the Most Venerable Thich Tri Thu was brought to the police headquarters
for interrogation. He was forced to sign a confession attesting that he might
have covered subversive activities of reactionary Buddhists. At the refusal of
such of false accusation, his was brought back to his pagoda to think over the
matter. 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. Chaplains
who served in the Armed Forces of the Republic of Vietnam were sent to
reeducation camps. Many, pastors and ministers, especially, preachers in the
Central Highland were detained on ungrounded charges. Chapels and worship
places were closed down or requisitioned.
Being viewed as an American religion,the Evangelicals became the primary target for hatred
and elimination. Only several days after the takeover of Saigon, the Communist
administration confiscated the cultural center that was originally a church
built by the Reformists and administered by a Swiss pastor. It dispossessed the
Chapel on Tran Cao Van Street, Saigon, under the administration of the Reverend
Ho Hieu Ha, the facilities of the (American) Assembly of God on 7 Nguyen Van
Thoai Street, Saigon, and all facilities belonging to the Evangelical Churches
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 transformed them into offices for Communist Youth groups.
Simultaneously, the Communist authorities at all levels throughout the country sought
to strike hard at the leaders of the Churches. Pastors, ministers, and prestigious
followers suffered all forms of persecution. They were restricted to house
surveillance and forbidden to serve faith. Most unfortunately, Evangelicals in
the Central Highlands were subject to maltreatment, detention, Y De and Y Thang
of the ethnic minority, for instance, was rearrested in December 1980.
Persecution in the Central Islands loomed ahead.
The Roman Catholic Church
The loss 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 clergy. 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, The vice-
archbishop of Saigon Archdiocese, Nguyen Van Thuan, Fr. Hoang Quynh of Binh An
Parish, Fr. Tran Huu Thanh of the Redemptorists Order, Fr. Tran Hoc Hieu. Fr. Hoang Quynh and Fr. Nguyen Van Vang were
arrested. 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. 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. They arrested Fr. Nguyen Quang Minh,
the lawyer Nguyen Khac Chinh, and Nguyen Ngoc Thiet on charges for conspiracy
to overthrow the new regime. While conducting operations for dispossession of
the Church’s properties, the new regime sought to dismantle both the
supra-structure infrastructure of the Church. Under the Resolution No. 297-CP
promulgated on November 17, 1977, the Communist authorities restricted the Church
religious services and 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 the 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 to incite the
participants to vote in favor of the project at the Catholic Convention in
Saigon. The Union of Patriotic Catholics was vested with authority to operate
along with the clergy at all levels to manipulate the Church’s religious
administration, making recommendations on appointments and transfer of priests,
and supervising the laity’s religious activities. Still, 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 trials in
court. They were sentenced 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 for pacification in the local parishes, the administration took
assuring steps and unwavering measures. In the following years, 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.
