RELIGIOUS POLICY- THE PRACTICES (III)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

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.   

Religious Policy—The Practices (II)

                                                                                                                                     

In February 1953, the Viet Minh government launched operations for Land Rent Reduction, paving the way for the Land Reform. Landowners were questioned whether or not they had evaded taxes or had not paid them duly. 

Article 4 of Chapter II of the Decree 197/Sl, promulgated on December 19, 1953 stipulates that “only superfluous cultivated land, castle, and farm implement were confiscated. Nevertheless, landowners and their families were thrown out of their houses. Communal houses, temples and pagodas were turned into granaries, hangars, or classrooms. Priests and dignitaries were executed. Catholic priests and Buddhist monks were classified into the category of reactionaries. The Buddhist MonK Thich Tue Chieu in Thanh Hoa Province was given the death sentence for tax evasion. The Catholic priest Mai Ba Nhac was sentenced to 15 years for the same charge. In Hung Hoa Diocese, Fr. Thero Nay and Fr. Phero Thuyet were brought to stand trials and Fr. Ngo was imprisoned, also for evading taxes.

The government had to postpone operations of land reform until after the Communist troops took over Haiphong from which people could escape to the South. On July 22, 1954, prior to the withdrawal of the French Expeditionary Corps from North Vietnam and the termination of evacuation of the refugees to the South, Ho Chi Minh called on the Vietnamese of all societal layers to cooperate with him to serve the Fatherland. On the Christmas Eve of the same year, in his message to the Catholics, he promised to guarantee religious freedom. On September 20, 1954, the government declared that “All religious institutions, churches, temples, pagodas, and so on of a religious character belonging to any religious denomination, shall be respected by the people. No one shall cause any damage to them.”

On July 4, 1955 the Workers’ Party of Vietnam declared in the official press that while it “entertains confidence in the scientific accuracy of Marxism-Leninism, but it also admits that such belief must be self-imposed and freely accepted and cannot be forced upon anyone.” On June 14, 1955, before operations for land reform resumed, the Ho Chi Minh government promulgated a decree on the protection of freedom of conscience and worship. Article I of the decree states that “the government shall guarantee the freedom of conscience and freedom of worship of the people. Nobody is allowed to infringe on these freedoms. Every Vietnamese citizen shall have the right to practice a religion or not to practice any.” Article 10 of the decree states that “in the process of land reform, a part of the land property owned by religious groups which was requisitioned by the Government earlier with or without reparations or distribution to peasants, shall be left to the church, pagoda, or sanctum concerned with a large enough area to ensure the performance of worship and to provide for living conditions of priests and religious dignitaries in order for them to carry out their religious activities.” Article 13 of the decree states: “The authorities shall not interfere in the domestic affairs of the various religions.” Article 15 of the decree states: “Freedom of conscience and freedom of worship are the rights of the people. The authorities of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam always respect these rights.”

The promise of the Patty and the stipulations of the laws are mere rhetoric. Religious intolerance is essentially not born from conflict between the communists and the Churches. It derives from the principles of materialist dialectic, of the dictatorship of the proletariat, and of class and class struggle. Religion is the opium of the people. Extermination of this scourge necessarily goes hand in hand with other forms labor exploitation and social injustice, and thus obstructing achievements of the revolution on the path to socialism. From this cause of necessity, the communists never hesitate to bring down religion at any time and in any place. In Vietnam, under communism, religious persecution is ever lasting and excruciating. It becomes increasingly merciless after the partition of the country following the Geneva Agreements in July 1954. Dictatorship of the proletariat prevailed, and the communist State monopolizes power, giving itself the authority over the existence of religion, which is a vital and spiral component of society but which is not considered a moral person and a legal entity.  

As a matter of fact, no sooner had the law taken effect than religious repression began. Fierce operations of land reform ravaged the provinces in the Red River delta. Genii and saints were ridiculed, and priests and dignitaries were executed. Cadres in the Bui Chu Diocese carried out strict measures not only to wipe out landlords but also to extenuate those whom they considered enemies of the regime. Among them were intellectuals of the old regime, the clergy of all faiths, specifically Catholic priests and followers. These “reactionaries” were brought to stand trials before the People’s Court charted by the cadres. The victims were persecuted on the spot. Dinh Van Tac, a pious and virtuous Catholic of Quat Lam Parish, was one of the first victims. Fr. Dinh Quang Hien of Phu Nhai Parish was charged with tax evasion. Unable to produce evidence, the court flatly accused him of having evaded taxes since the founding of the parish dating from 200 years before and sentenced him to six years in prison. The Buddhist monk Thanh Quyet of Tra Lu Trung Pagoda, Xuan Truong District, Nam Dinh Province, was classified in the category of the infamous reactionaries to be brought to a people’s court on charge of having used the opium of religion to lure people into sleep. Terrified, he hung himself to be spared from the humiliation of a people’s trial.

Towards the end of the land reform, the Workers’ Party and administration step by step obliterated all religious organizations and associations and replaced them with State-linked associations operating within the orbit of the Party-affiliated Mat Tran Lien Viet (Viet United Front). All religious, educational, and cultural physical establishments were dispossessed, and all religious institutions were forced to close down. Religious education, retreats and renewals were forbidden, and religious services and activities were subject to control and ban. The General Association of Buddhism was replaced by the State-created Unified Buddhism with the Venerable Tri Do at the head. The Most Venerable To Lien, the leader of the association, was expelled from Quan Su Pagoda after sessions of crimes relegation against him. Young monks and nuns were to return home. Years passed by. Old monks passed away. Most pagodas and temples were without guardians and were in ruins. The leadership of congregations of Evangelical Christianity was dissolved.  The administration in Hanoi neutralized all forms of religious services and activities. Bible studies and parties for prayers at chapels and houses were forbidden. Pastors and ministers were subject to surveillance by local authorities. They played a nominal role as representatives for their congregations. Pastor Bui Hoanh Thu, a protégé of the regime, was nominated head of the Evangelical Church in Hanoi as a sign of favor.   

The Roman Catholic Church suffered tragic losses, physically and institutionally. All its properties including humanitarian establishments, schools, hospitals, dispensaries, social shelters, and orphanages were either dispossessed or confiscated. Fr. Luong Huy Han, the director of Little Seminary at Trung Ninh, Bui Chu Province, was arrested and imprisoned. Foreign missionaries, among whom were the Dominicans and the Jesuts from the Missions Etrangeres de Paris, were expelled from the country. Fr. Dupont was killed at Ke So, Ha Nam Province. Fr. Fournier was assassinated in Hanoi. Little and grand seminaries in Hanoi, Haiphong, and Nam Dimh were closed down. Religious services were allowed but performed under watch. Texts of preaching were censured, and religious activities could only be performed on prior authorization. Programs for religious education and cycles of formation and ordination of priests were banned or interdicted.

High dignitaries and the clergy were targeted with tight repression and persecution. Bishop Nguyen Nang Tinh faced treats in Bui Chu. Bishop Pham Dinh Tung of Bac Ninh Diocese served faith in humiliation. Bishop Le Duc Trong was separated from the faithful in Nam Dinh. Bishop Trinh Van Can faced isolation in Hanoi. Fr. Nguyen Van Vinh, director of Little Seminary in Hanoi, who served faith with resilient resistance, was imprisoned and died of a doubtful death in 1960.

In September 1960 the Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam proclaimed its official policy to concretize a resolution passed by the Third Party Congress of the Vietnamese Workers’ Party. According to these rulings, Marxism-Leninism should be dominant in the moral life of the country. It is the ideology of all the people. It is the basis on which the people build a new morality. Traditional spiritual and cultural values and institutions were in gradual decadence. Cathedrals, chapels, pagodas, and temples were gloomy and desolate. Priests, monks, and the followers served faith in silence.

RELIGIOUS POLICIES—THE PRACTICES

On March 17, 1988, during a national congress of the Bureau of Religious Affairs, Nguyen Tan Dung, vice-premier in charge of the economy, defended with fervor the Party and State’s religious policy against allegations as regards   abuses of power. These allegations, according to the vice premier, created the citizen’s negative attitudes towards the government by the people and of the citizens of all faiths, and thus sowed division between the government and the people. The vice-premier placed stress on the social role that religion can play in Vietnam. The practices of religious instruction, for instance, could contribute to the elimination of numerous social illnesses that were ravaging the country. Contrarily to what certain press agencies maintained, emphasis on the positive character of religion is not new. The vice premier quoted Bishop Nguyen Minh Nat’s statement, as saying, “Religion is not an epiphenomenon. It is the reality of everyday existence,” and thus it has to be taken into consideration. 

In Retrospection

Throughout its history in power, the Communist regime ever promises to guarantee the rights to regligious freedom of the Vietnamese people. The During the People’s Congress on August 17, 1945 held in wake of the uprisings, the Viet Minh called with insistence upon all the people throughout the country and all revolutionary organizations to rise up and unite in the struggle for “the rights to which the people are entitled.” These rights include “civic rights: universal suffrage; democratic freedoms, freedom of creed, freedom of opinion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, freedom of movement, and equal rights for the nationalities and equal rights for men and women.”

The Coalition Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam led by Ho Chi Minh guaranteed these rights. Article 10 of the 1946 Constitution specifies that “All Vietnamese citizens are entitled to the righto freedom of speech, of the press, freedom of publication, freedom of association and assembly, freedom of creed, freedom of residence, of movement in the Vietnamese territory and in foreign countries.”

Religious persecution, nevertheless, intensified immediately after “the August Revolution.” It even became increasingly atrocious thereafter. Records of incidents of religious persecution were voluminous. The following list is far from complete. Sporadic executions of religious dignitaries began to take place when the “Revolution” was in full swing. The Venerable Duc Hai was executed at Thanh Sam Village, Ung Hoa District, Ha Dong Province, on charge of betrayal against the country on August 19, 1945. The Venerable Dai Hai of Phap Van Pagoda, Bac Ninh Province, was arrested on charge of being a member of a national party.  Executions of religious leaders spread elsewhere in the country. On September 8, 1945, the Viet Minh in Can Tho executed three prominent leaders of Hoa Hao Buddhism --Huynh Thanh Mau, the brother of the founder of the faith Huynh Phu So, Tran Van Trung, and Pham Xuan Thieu following a peaceful demonstration of Hoa Hao faithful expressing support for the leaders of the national independence front in Saigon.

Executions of innocent Cao Dai in the Center and the South were most tragic. Ten thousand Cao Dai followers were reportedly executed following the “August Revolution.” in Quang Ngai Province, Central Vietnam. As many as four thousand victims were killed because of refusal to renounce their faith at Tra Khuc River in Tu Nghia District. Hundreds of others were buried alive in collective graves along the bank of Ve River. Witnesses also reported that about six thousand (6,000) members of the Church were murdered in the Cu Chi and Trang Bang areas, Tay Ninh Province, South Vietnam. Collective graves with thousands of remains were found in these areas. Still, a list of one thousand two hundred seventy-three martyrs was on file at the Holy See.  Massacre marked another incident. In June 1946, having failed to seize Tay Ninh Holy See by force, local Viet Minh militia, during their retreat to their safety zone, burned down buildings and houses of 50 villages along the roads in the Long Thanh area. An uncounted number of innocent Cao Dai followers were killed.

The situation in the North was much more intricate. In December 1945, facing the invasion of the French troops into North Vietnam, Ho Chi Mimh wooed political and religious leaders to unite in a front to fight against the invaders. On March 21, 1946, Ho Chi Minh signed a modus vivendi owing to which he became the legitimate leader of Vietnam. Without dignity, he made a volte face, flatly eliminating political and religious leaders and organizations. On May 27, 1946, Viet Minh troops and police began to execute campaigns of eradication against political leaders and religious dignitaries. The Roman Catholic Church suffered utter tragedy following harsh survival under the Japanese occupation. After the coup d’états of March 9, 1945, the clergy of French nationality faced stiff suppression. Priests and dignitaries were sent to and imprisoned in concentration camps, being suspected of collaboration with the French administration. Fr. Delaine Tan, the director of Vinh Grand Seminary, as a case in point, was arrested and died three days under surveillance. Intolerance against Catholicism was on the rise during and after the uprisings of August 1945. Bishops were regarded as spies for the French, and the followers, French henchmen. In Hanoi, French missionaries were regrouped and sent to concentration camps. Rumors had it that French henchmen spread poison into wells to kill innocent people, particularly, non-Catholics. Animosity between Catholics and non-Catholics dug in deeper. Political hatred against the Church was self-evident. Priests and seminarians in Thanh Hoa joined with great enthusiasm and patriotic fervor in meetings and demonstrations supporting “the Revolution,” on September 23, 1945, but received little sympathy. Persecution coincidentally began. The Congregation of Sisters of the Cross was dissolved. The seminary at Ba Lang was razed to the ground. Seminarians and novices were sent home. Chaos pervaded. Fr. Can, the pastor at Chan Lao Parish, was killed at Hoi Xuan on June 10, 1946. Fr. Chu Thao Tien was killed at Phuong Soai on July 1, 1946. Fr. Mai Ba Nhan was abducted, imprisoned, and died at Cam Thuy concentration camp. 

  

In Hanoi parishes, all associations of the Church were dissolved, and all its educational and charitable establishments were forced to shut down. Foreign bishops and missionaries were regrouped in separate concentration camps. On October 23, the bishop of Hanoi expressed anxiety over the situation. Ho Chi Minh promised to take the matter into consideration, but never came up with a solution. Thai Ha Parish, in particular, suffered tragic physical loss. Viet Minh armed militia attacked and destroyed the main office building of the local Order of Redemptorists and sent all the priests and seminarians in residence out of the area.

On December 19, 1946, the Indochina War broke out. The Viet Minh government retreated to the safety zone in the mountains. Vietnam suffered to destruction from both the French invaders and the communist Viet Minh. The French troops erased all worship buildings which they thought would serve as posts for resistance by the Viet Minh. The Viet Minh believed these large physical structures would serve as strongholds for military use by the French. Cathedrals, communal houses, and temples on the enemy march were destroyed following the Viet Minh’s scorched earth tactics. Worse still, religious worship fell into decadence after the war. The worship of Titular Genii at communal houses was undermined by the hostile unwritten religious policy of the Communist Party of Vietnam. Religion was no exception. Religious faith is deemed to be a vestige of imperialism and feudalism.

All religions, in truth, endured lasting hostility.  The Venerable Tue Quang and the Venerable Thich Tue Chieu, members of the Religious Interfaith of Vietnam were arrested and executed in 1947. On April 16, 1947, the founder of Hoa Hao Buddhism was trapped in an ambush, abducted, and killed. The massacre of innocent Hoa Hao believers raised panic. Tens of thousands members of the Church were abducted and killed. Along the boundaries of Phu Thuan and Long Thanh villages were found three collective graves. Victims were reportedly stabbed, hand-tied and eye-folded, and then dumped into ditches. Equally frightful was the massacre of eleven thousand members of Hoa Hao at Tay An Co Tu (Tay An Old Temple) on April 16, 1947.  

Persecution in Phat Diem Diocese was tragic. From the end of 1946 to the beginning of 1947, local communists in Phat Diem Diocese arrested about five thousand (5,000) people including Catholic priests and followers “for lack of spirit of resistance’ and for “being reactionary.” On January 25, 1946, Ho Chi Minh paid a visit to Phat Diem, met with Bishop Le Huu Tu, and asked the dignitary to be Supreme Advisor to the Coalition Government. In the beginning of 1947, Viet Minh armed forces laid siege to Phat Diem. The diocese was isolated from the rest of the country after a 5-day congress by the Viet Minh at Trinh Dong Village Nho Quan District, Ninh Binh Province. The Chau Son Order of which Bishop Le Huu Tu was a member was attributed to as a network of espionage for the French was subject to dissolution. In the wake of the end of the war, Viet Minh troops stormed into Phat Diem and Bui Chu dioceses, devastating the last resistance strongholds. Bloody persecution pervaded. Along with the with the pursuit of French armed forces withdrawing from Ninh Binh, Nam Dinh and Phu after the defeat of Diem Bien Phu, Viet Minh troops attacked Catholic villages on either side of the Route I. Cathedrals and chapels were destroyed, priests and followers were massacred. Witnesses saw dead bodies in waves floating from Tra Chinh River to the Kim Doi sea-mouth. Hundreds of thousand Catholics in the Red River delta moved south for fear of bloodbath.