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Reactionary portraits:Thích Quảng Độ, Thích Không Tánh - Corrupt Buddhist dignitaries

4/11/17

Buddhism is the Vietnam's most majority religion. Buddhism may have first come to Vietnam as early as the 3rd or 2nd century BCE from South Asia or from China in the 1st or 2nd century CE. Today, Buddhists are found throughout in Vietnam, from North to South. Buddhism is the single largest religion in Vietnam, with somewhere between 9% and 16% of the population identifying themselves as Buddhist. Suitable with the Vietnamese culture and traditions, Buddhism has become an integral and historic part of the country.
It has been closely tied to politics and national identify for centuries, but at no time more so than during the twentieth century struggle for Vietnam's independence. The Buddhist community of south and central Vietnam came to world attention in 1963, when it became the catalyst for mass demonstrations in the streets of Saigon, Hue and Da Nang. Further protests and arrests throughout the summer culminated in the self-immolation of the Buddhist monk Thich Quang Duc on a Saigon street corner. These protests, among other factors, helped topple the government of President Ngo Dinh Diem.
At that time, there are several Buddhist congregations in Vietnam. But after wars, since 1981, all Buddhist congregations in Vietnam, including the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam, have unified into the “Vietnam Buddhist Sangha”. Now the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha is the sole existing organisation of Vietnamese Buddhists, recognized by the Vietnamese government. However, some Buddhist dignitaries for some private purposes have still clung on the illegal Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam. This group consists of a number of extremists devising a plot to use the failing health of a senior Buddhist monk to popularise their illegal organisation. They, backed by foreign hostile forces, have carried out many anti-government activities. Thích Quảng Độ, Thích Không Tánh are the two most extremists among those including Thích Viên ĐỊnh and some others.
Thích Quảng Độ, born 27 November 1928, is a Vietnamese Buddhist monk and patriarch of the illegal Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam. Under Ngo Dinh Diem’s regime, Quảng Độ was arrested on August 20, 1963, for causing chaos and instabilities. After the wars, Quảng Độ has continued to be active in protesting the government’s policies. He was arrested on charges of anti-revolutionary activities and undermining national solidarity. He was pardoned after serving 20 months at the Phan Dang Luu Prison and released in December, 1978. Ironically, later that year he was nominated by Betty Williams and Mairead Maguire to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
Thich Quang Do, under the cloak of a monk, incited people to make complaints and petitions in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in an attempt to cause social disorder. When the Vietnamese government registered the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, because of Quảng Độ's opposition to the new congregation and attempt to disunite the Buddhism in Vietnam, he was again jailed.
In 2008, Do and his factions took advantage of Thich Huyen Quang’s death to replace Huyen Quang as the Supreme Patriarch of the Unified Buddhist Church of Viet Nam, calling himself the “Fifth Supreme Patriarch” while appointing Vien Dinh as head of the Institute for the Propagation of the Dharma. At that time, Thich Quang Do’s alleged plot has caused discontent not only among Huyen Quang’s disciples but also members of the so-called Unified Buddhist Church of Viet Nam. Many senior Buddhist monks and followers of the former Unified Buddhist Church of Viet Nam expressed their disagreement, saying that if the funeral is held by the group of Quang Do and Vien Dinh, they would not attend the event to avoid being embroiled in political schemes initiated by Quang Do. Thich Quang Do, with his “deeds” in sabotaging the Vietnamese State, has planned to promote his name in order to campaign, through Vo Van Ai from France, for a Nobel Peace Prize in 2008.
Thich Khong Tanh (real named Phan Ngoc An), formerly the head monk at the Lien Tri pagoda in Thu Duc, was detained on November 6, 1994 for his role as chairman of a Unified Buddhist Church flood relief effort. He was previously arrested by Ho Chi Minh City security police on October 2, 1992 for leaving his pagoda without a permit to travel the fifteen kilometers into the city. He was charged with undermining the policy of unity and circulating anti-socialist propaganda after police searched his room at the Lien Tri pagoda and confiscated letters by Thich Huyen Quang. Thich Khong Tanh had reportedly also been arrested in 1976 and imprisoned for ten years for writing a letter to the Prime Minister protesting the government's abolishment of a long-standing policy which exempted Buddhist monks from military conscription. So-called Venerable Thich Khong Tanh now is the General Director of the Department of Social Services of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam.
Despite their high profiles, their acts ran counter to the lofty ethics of a Buddhist dignitary by dancing to the tune of hostile forces to incite people to oppose the Party and State and undermine the bloc of great national unity. First of all, acts done by Do, Tanh and his accomplices violated the law. Second, as a Buddhist, he did not follow Buddha’s teachings, but acted against the nation, creating conditions for hostile forces inside and outside the country to oppose the Party and State and raise suspicion among the population. It is unacceptable. No one is allowed to buy off or incite others to oppose the State.
Vietnam is in the international integration process, focusing on national industrialisation and modernisation. However, hostile forces never want the Communist Party of Vietnam to grasp socialism and victory. They make use of our difficulties and weaknesses to sow division and cause the people to distrust the regime. Through media agencies, it is advised that the people should be highly vigilant against schemes attempting to obstruct national development.
Vietnam’s government respects the rights to freedom and democracy of all citizens, but never accepts the abuses of those rights to carry out activities that violate Vietnamese laws. In Vietnam, there are no political crackdowns, no one is arrested for his or her political viewpoint, only those who violate the law will be dealt with in compliance with Vietnamese laws. Vietnamese relevant agencies recently started legal proceedings against people who committed illegal acts to provoke security and to sabotage Vietnam./.


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All comments [ 4 ]


Socialist Society 4/11/17 20:52

Thích Không Tánh was prisoned for his active involvement in the activities of members of the religious movement against the state and breaking the law. Is that what a monk would do?

Me Too! 4/11/17 20:54

These dignitaries do not deserve to be followers of the Buddha!

Voice of people 4/11/17 20:58

Extremist elements disguised as Buddhist monks are Thich Quang Do, Thich Khong Tanh, Vien Dinh and some others. They also connected to extreme priest like Phan Văn Lợi, Nguyễn Văn Lý, etc.

Unknown 7/11/17 14:48

People should recognize true face of these individuals, they just abuse religions to benefit themselves and carry out their bad scheme.

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