Vietnam: Don’t Interfere in Buddhist Patriarch’s Funeral Government Attempt to Take Over Funeral Risks Confrontation (New York, July 9, 2008) – Members of the banned Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) should be allowed to organize and attend funeral services for their patriarch without government interference, Human Rights Watch said today. The Vietnamese government has announced that the state-sanctioned Buddhist church will organize the funeral for the UBCV Supreme Buddhist Patriarch, Thich Huyen Quang. A Buddhist peace activist who opposed French colonial rule and the US war in Vietnam, Thich Huyen Quang was a lifelong champion of human rights and religious freedom in Vietnam. He passed away in a monastery in Binh Dinh province in central Vietnam on July 5, 2008, at the age of 88. As a member of the UBCV since the 1960s, which is banned by the Vietnamese government because of its refusal to join the state-sanctioned Vietnam Buddhist Church, Thich Huyen Quang spent much of the last three decades in government-imposed internal exile, house arrest, or prison. “Thich Huyen Quang gave up his liberty for 30 years in a quest for greater human rights and religious freedom in Vietnam,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “His followers should be allowed to pay their last respects without government interference, at a ceremony of their own choosing.”   more »

Paris, 5 July 2008 (IBIB) - The 4th Supreme Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV), who passed away on 5th July at the Nguyen Thieu Monastery in Binh Dinh, was one of Vietnam’s most loved and respected spiritual leaders. He was also a determined opponent of tyranny in all its forms. For his uncompromising determination to stand firm, he paid a high price, spending over half his life in prison, internal exile or under house arrest under a succession of political regimes. Together with the Most Venerable Thich Quang Do, Thich Huyen Quang waged three decades of peaceful opposition to the Communist regime, becoming a symbol of the non-violent Buddhist movement for religious freedom and human rights. But he was also a great peacemaker and a man of dialogue, seeking every opportunity towards harmony and the healing of divisions in a Vietnam torn by war and conflicting ideologies. In April 2003, he was received in Hanoi by Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai to discuss the situation of Buddhism. This is the first time a political prisoner had ever been received by a top government official in Communist Vietnam. The International Buddhist Information Bureau wishes to make public some salient points of his life and work. More information and translation of his major texts will be posted on the IBIB website. On 20.11.1993, from house arrest, Thich Huyen Quang issued a landmark 12-point “Buddhist Proposal for Democracy and Human Rights”. This was a turning point for the UBCV. Whereas the Buddhists had limited their demands to religious freedom, Thich Huyen Quang called for fundamental political reforms such as free elections, a multi-party system, and the end of the Communist Party’s political monopoly. "The abolition of Article 4 (of the Constitution on the VCP’s political mastery) does not imply the exclusion or the dissolution of the Communist Party... [it will] stimulate the participation of all sectors of the population, regardless of their political affiliations or religious beliefs [and] foster competition as a mutually reinforcing relationship, not as a race to oust one's opponents. After all, whether our compatriots be communists or members of any other political party, they are first and foremost Vietnamese. Our common heritage of 5,000 years' civilisation will form the basis for future dialogue and co-operation, and we will be bound together in one common aim - that of forging a place within the community of nations for a stable, flourishing and prosperous Viet Nam" . Thich Huyen Quang’s Proposal defined the Buddhist vision of a just and open society, and underlined the UBCV's resolve to struggle not only for religious freedom and Church independence, but for the fundamental rights and freedoms of Vietnamese people as a whole. He also stressed the role of Buddhism and religious movements this process: "After 50 years of devastating war waged in the name of conflicting, imported ideologies, religious movements alone possess an unparalleled capacity to temper hatreds, defuse conflict and restore moral values in a society plunged in a spiritual and moral crisis. As such, they have a vital role to play in the reconstruction of our country...".   more »

PARIS, 3 July 2008 (IBIB) - The International Budhist Information Bureau is shocked and outraged by the news report issued by the official Vietnam News Agency and relayed on 3rd July by several State-run newspapers in Vietnam (Thanh Nien, Hanoi Moi etc) concerning the “imminent funeral” of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang, 89, who is gravely ill at the Quy Nhon General hospital in Binh Binh. Under the title “Unmasking the dark intentions of Quang Do”, VNA states that Venerable Thich Quang Do and several senior UBCV dignitaries and Buddhist Youth leaders have gathered in Binh Dinh “on the pretext of visiting Thich Huyen Quang”, but are in fact “awaiting his death” and “plotting to make use of his funeral make public the banned UBCV”. The official press agency accuses Thich Quang Do and the UBCV of “usurping the right” (sic) to organise Patriarch’s funeral, and claims that the funeral should be organised by the State-sponsored Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in Binh Dinh. Whilst denouncing Thich Quang Do’s presence beside the UBCV Patriarch, the news agency’s statement commended members of the Government Religious Board and local religious officials for visiting Thich Huyen Quang in hospital, “even though he is not a member of the [State-sponsored] Vietnam Buddhist Sangha”. Mr. Vo Van Ai, UBCV International spokesman and IBIB Director, expressed his profound indignation at this “cynical and inhumane” statement, which reveals the “heartless political manipulations of the Hanoi regime”. Since Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang was taken into the emergency ward of Quy Nhon hospital on 27th May, many senior UBCV dignitaries travelled to Binh Dinh to visit him. “Thich Quang Do went out there immediately to bring comfort to his leader and lifelong friend, hoping that his prayers, presence and care could help Thich Huyen Quang to recover. Yet whilst Thich Quang Do and the UBCV pray for the Patriarch’s life.   more »

Vietnam, State Department Houston discuss consulate by PHAN, your online buddy Link: http://phanthanh.multiply.com/links/184 Vietnam, State Department Houston discuss consulate.... June 26, 2008, 2:25PM Vietnam, State Department discuss Houston consulate Prime minister meets with business leaders... Mayra Beltran: Houston Chronicle June 26, 2008, 2:25PM Vietnam, State Department discuss Houston consulate Prime minister meets with business leaders By JENALIA MORENO Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle Vietnam's ambassador to the U.S. said in Houston today that his nation would like to open a consul general's office here. "We have agreed in principle," said Ambassador Le Cong Phung, during a break in today's meeting between Vietnam's prime minister and Texas business leaders at a Galleria-area hotel. "We have got one office in the East, the embassy, and one in the West in San Francisco. The United States is a huge country. We cannot cover it all." Nguyen Tan Dung and his delegation of more than 100 Vietnamese officials are meeting with Texas cotton producers, energy company officials and airline executives to discuss ways to expand trade between the two nations. His meeting comes amid protests from members of the local Vietnamese community who claim Dung's government has one of the world's worst records on human rights. ********************** Pictures follow of demonstration by the Vietnamese community in Houston. If you haven’t seen Phan Thanh’s excellent site before – be prepared to spend a couple of hours looking at historic photos and current events. His own essay “I will return to Vietnam when …” is heartbreaking. All the better for bilingual readers, some are in Vietnamese and some in English. Jean Libby, editor VietAm Review http://vietamreview.blogharbor.com   more »

The Vietnamese Canadian Federation in Ottawa has published Gift of Freedom; How Ottawa welcomed the Vietnamese, Cambodian, and Laotian Refugees by Brian Buckley (General Store Publishing House, 2008). $20 The book sales benefit the Boat People Museum in Ottawa. Review by Jean Libby, VietAm Review: Gift of Freedom is an English-language history of the Southeast Asian refugees in Canada. It is professionally written and historically helpful for anyone who wants information about the issues and experiences of Boat People refugees to Canada from Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos between 1979 and 2008. That’s right, 2008 – when the last refugee camp of Vietnamese Boat People in the Philippines, Palawan, was closed. The people who had not been accepted by other countries were in danger of deportation back to Vietnam. The Vietnamese Canadian Federation persuaded the Canadian government to take them as Permanent Residents immediately. The unique Canadian history alone would be worthy of a book, but Gift of Freedom also develops the original exodus beginning in 1977 and its roots in the Vietnam War of 1954-1975, continuing with the wars between the victorious Communist countries and that important relationship to the desperation so great that people knowingly risked their lives and those of their children to cast themselves into the China Sea on rickety boats to seek refuge and asylum. It is the best history for general readers of English that I have seen of the Vietnam War – in which Canadian troops also fought in alliance with South Vietnam –and the aftermath as it affected people in the defeated country. Buckley describes it as a “proxy war between East and West, a struggle between contending ideologies, an interstate conflict among local powers, and a guerilla war.” Paths of migration of all ethnic groups are mapped. The graphic appeal of Gift of Freedom; How Ottawa welcomed the Vietnamese, Cambodian, and Laotian refugees is a meeting of professionalism and passion for the subject matter demonstrated by the Book Committee of the Vietnamese Canadian Federation, particularly former president Can D. Le. My own response as an editor of Vietnamese American authors is to change the description of the books on my website to “Vietnamese Diaspora Titles.” Please enjoy the new look at www.atozproductions.com/Vietnamese_Titles.html   more »

English translation by Nguyen Chi Thien, the author of Hoa Lo, Hanoi Hilton Stores (Yale University Council on Southeast Asia Studies, 2007) "The Vietnamese refugees who have their relatives who died in reeducation camps located in the jungles of North Vietnam (after the fall of Saigon) demanded that the remains of their relatives should be brought home. These graves have been neglected so long. The Vietnamese government has accepted this non-political humanitarian demand. HO/POW Association P. O. Box 8496 Pear Land TX 77584 Tel. 832-725-3231. USA, March 23, 2008 Translation on June 5, 2008. Thank you Mike Benge for alerting us about this new policy of the VN government.   more »

State Schools Chief asks for public input to update History-Social Science Framework Now is the time to make your viewpoint known about the Vietnam War and the Southeast Asian refugee experience in California textbooks. Three focus groups will be held on May 30 in San Jose, June 5 in Los Angeles, and June 6 in San Diego to gather public input on updating the existing History-Social Science Framework. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell has organized these meetings to “ensure that the framework reflections the most current and confirmed research on education in the subject area. The focus group meetings will be open to the public, and comments made at each meeting will be forwarded to the Curriculum Development and Instructional Materials Commission and the State Board of Education for consideration. The agenda for the May 30 meeting, to be held at the Santa Clara County Office of Education, 1290 Ridder Park Drive, San Jose from 3 to 6 p.m. allows 40 minutes for public comment. Written comments are encouraged, brought to the meeting in your location. The June 5 meeting is at the Los Angeles County Office of Education, 9300 Imperial Highway, Downey. The June 6 meeting is at the San Diego County Office of Education at 6401 Linda Vista Highway, San Diego. For more information on the specifics, see http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/hs/cf/index.asp Duc Nguyen, a California filmmaker (Bolinao 52) has organized an online histories collection group to bring to the attention of the State Superintendent and the Curriculum Framework Commission. You can join this group at ab2064-subscribe@yahoogroups.com My personal participation will be to donate five books in English by Vietnamese American authors to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell on May 30: Quang X. Pham, A Sense of Duty; My Father, My American Journey (2005) Trinh Do, Saigon to San Diego, Memoir of a Boy Who Escaped from Communist Vietnam (2005) Nghia Vo, The Vietnamese Boat People, 1954 and 1975-1992 (2005) Andrew Lam, Perfume Dreams, Reflections on the Vietnamese Diaspora (2005) Life, Poetry and Prison -- Cuoc Song, Thi Van, va Tu Day; Nguyen Chi Thien's poetry translated by Nguyen Thi (2007) Special thanks to Quang Pham, Nguyen Chi Thien, and Nghia Vo, for your support in donating these books to me for discretionary use. Jean Libby, editor VietAm Review   more »

UPDATE: The Assembly Appropriations Committee chair Mark Leno has placed AB2064 into Suspension. All are encouraged to ask him to release the bill back to the floor of the Assembly. I am writing in strong support of AB 2064, which would require the State Board of Education to adopt textbooks and instructional materials to include instruction on the Vietnam War. Specifically to include the "Secret War" in Laos, the role of Southeast Asians in that war, and the refugee/immigrant/new American experience as a result of the war. The adoption of Assembly Bill 1076 on February 22, 2005, on this topic excluded the provision in the present AB 2064 for refugee/new American experiences about the Vietnam War. AB2064 also provides curriculum inclusion specifically directed to the next cycle of the History-Social Science Framework which begins in January, 2009. The Timeline of Curriculum Framework and Evaluation Criteria Committee Application and scheduled Focus Groups to advise the CFECC for the mandated State Board of Education provision of thirty months’ notice to publishers for evaluation criteria is imminent for the next submission cycle. Focus groups to solicit public input on the framework update in AB2064 are scheduled for May and June 2008 Applications for the Curriculum Commission to draft the framework between February and June 2009 are due on September 3, 2008. Therefore the opportunity for Southeast Asian citizens and their organizations to influence the framework in the expanded definition of the subject of the Vietnam War and immigrant/new American experience is extremely short. In your discussion on May 7, please include provision for inclusion of participants in the Vietnam War who immigrated because of the war and are now citizens of California and the United States not limited to the ‘Secret War’ in Laos and those who provided intelligence to the U.S. military during the unspecified period of the ‘Vietnam War.’ This should include participants in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) and the Government of the Republic of Vietnam (GRVN) which was allied with the United States, persons rescued from the April, 1975, invasion of South Vietnam including Operation Babylift, medical personnel, and civilians associated with missionary and charitable organizations. Further, include persons who escaped the imprisonment, property confiscation, and discrimination of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam as “Boat People” refugees and Orderly Departure assisted by the United Nations between 1975 and 1990, those who immigrated through the Amerasian Homecoming Act of 1988, and those who immigrated through the Humanitarian Operation (H.O.) program of prisoners of the Socialist government of Vietnam and their families beginning in 1992 and renewed by the U.S. Congress as recently as 2007 All of these are conditions and experiences of present citizens and residents of California. If they are included in Focus Groups and encouraged to apply for the CFCC through organizations such as the Amerasian Fellowship Association, ARVN veterans societies, geographical community associations, religious organizations that are outlawed and adherents persecuted in Vietnam such as the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) and Catholic parish and Protestant organizations, Overseas Women Associations, ethnic media, medical, and professional organizations, Immigrant Resettlement and Cultural Centers, Southeast Asian student and youth groups seeking memoir such as the Digital Clubhouse at History San Jose by the Assembly Appropriations Committee in your action on AB2064, the spirit as well as the letter of the AB2064 will be upheld. Thank you for your attention to this vital inclusion in the History and Social Science Framework Update for the 2009 – 2011 cycle. Sincerely, Jean Libby, editor VietAm Review http://vietamreview.blogharbor.com   more »

CONCERNS ABOUT THE DEPORTATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIANS IN THE UNITED STATES TO SOUTHEAST ASIA 1628 – 16th Street, N.W. _ Washington, D.C. 20009-3099 _ Tel: 202/667-4690 _ Fax: 202/667-6449 Email: searac@searac.org _ Website: www.searac.org SUMMARY OF CHALLENGES FACING SOUTHEAST ASIAN AMERICANS • In 1996 laws were put into place requiring that non-citizens who were convicted of crimes called “aggravated felonies” be deported from the United States. At the same time and since 1996, the definition of “aggravated felony” has been expanded to include crimes that carry sentences of two years or more – even if no actual time was spent in jail because of suspended sentences or parole. • In 2002, Cambodia and the U.S. signed an agreement making it possible to deport non-citizens to Cambodia. As of December 2004, 126 people had been deported to Cambodia. As far as we know, no deportations of refugees to Laos or Vietnam have taken place yet, although the U.S. and Southeast Asian governments are negotiating agreements. DETENTION BEFORE DEPORTATION • Before they are deported from the United States people from Southeast Asia and other parts of the world are often kept in “detention,” where they have little access to visits from family or friends, and where they have few legal rights. • Hundreds of people are in detention, and thousands are in danger of being deported to Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam (if and when agreements are made between the U.S., Laos, and Vietnam WHAT CAN WE DO? 1. Educate more community members about deportation so they will be able to avoid it, and so the laws can change. 2. If you or someone you know is facing a criminal charge, or deportation, get a lawyer. A list of “pro bono” lawyers is available on SEARAC’s website: http://www.searac.org/probono_legal.html 3. Learn more about deportation by visiting SEARAC’s website: http://www.searac.org/cambrepbak6_02.html 4. Support organizations that work with deportees and their families in the U.S. and Southeast Asia. Organizations in the U.S. can be found by searching the keyword “deportation” at http://www.searac.org/maa/. The Returnee Assistance Project, of Cambodia, can be visited at http://www.rapcambodia.org   more »

Dear Members of the California State Assembly Education Committee, I am writing in strong support of AB 2064, which would require the State Board of Education and the Curriculum Development and Supplemental Materials Commission to adopt textbooks and instructional materials to include instruction on the Vietnam War. Specifically to include the "Secret War" in Laos, the role of Southeast Asians in that war, and the refugee/immigrant/new American experience as a result of the war. My experience in this topic includes service on the Southeast Asia Community Advisory Board to the Oakland Museum, contributor to the Smithsonian Exhibition “Enter Saigon—Enter Little Saigon” now at San Jose City College, and as an adjunct instructor of U.S. History and Ethnic Studies classes at SJCC, De Anza College, CCSF, Solano College, and Diablo Valley College between 1994 and 2005 (now retired). At DVC I taught a Critical Reasoning in History class that was themed on the Vietnam War era. But I didn’t learn anything about the Vietnam War until talking to students from refugee families from Viet Nam, Cambodia, and Laos. Then I went into the communities for events and commemorations and learned from their parents. Some of the leaders asked me to help with the misinformation in the high school history textbooks. We held a seminar “Vietnamese Americans in California Textbooks” at De Anza College on October 22, 2004. My experience also includes the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s and 1970s – the NAACP—in Santa Clara County. All of us learned that making changes in textbooks regarding African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans must come from the people themselves first getting support from the legislature. You are the link for inclusion and democracy. The textbook publishers are not interested in revision except when it is legislated. I am counting on you as representatives of the communities to bring this legislation forward. And I am promising you to be of as much assistance as possible in facilitating the much-needed changes regarding textbook interpretations of the Vietnam War. Jean Libby, editor VietAm Review   more »

A grand opening ceremony of the traveling exhibition on Vietnamese Americans from Smithsonian Institution, "Exit Saigon -- Enter Little Saigon" curated by Dr. Vu H. Pham of Los Angeles was held at San Jose City College on March 14, 2008. The audience heard remarks from the president of the college, Dr. Michael Burke, who is responsible for bringing the Vietnamese American Heritage Project to the campus after reading about it online. Chancellor Rosa Perez and a representative from Farmers Insurance, a sponsor, spoke. The District Vietnamese Heritage Community Advisory Committee chair Cary Pham and SJCC curator Eve Page-Mathias also celebrated the opening. The exhibit is at the Student Center, Room 206. It is free and open to the public, with hours on Mon - Wed from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thiursdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It is staffed by volunteers on the staff and faculty of the college during these hours. The Smithsonian consultant at SJCC is Trang Nguyen of San Jose. Working with the community, the college, and the Washington D.C. - based national museum, she has expertly managed the fusion. Congratulations to Trang Nguyen for a fine beginning and continued plans to celebrate the history and heritage of Vietnamese Americans in the center of the 12th largest city in the United States. Residents of San Jose who are of Vietnamese heritage are the largest Asian population group. According to the American Community Survey of the Census Bureau -- after the dot-com bust of 2000 -- the Vietnamese population increased while other Asian groups remained the same or declined. San Jose has an estimated 84,000 residents of Vietnamese ancestry according to the biennial census of 2006. This is the largest single Asian population within the total San Jose estimate of 279,350 Asians. The total population of San Jose is 916,220. All these data are from the American Community Survey released in September 2007. The report is available to anyone on the City of San Jose website. This growth is reflective of all immigration and temporary residents (such as students on visa), and the number of 84,000 should not be interpreted as Vietnamese Americans. On April 5, 2008, the San Jose City College will host Citizenship Day for people of all nationalities who are working toward the goal of becoming Americans. San Jose City College is an important conduit of citizenship by Vietnamese refugees and immigrants through academic and vocational programs, ESL, and a spirit of inclusion and pride that is testified by the "Exit Saigon--Enter Little Saigon" exhibition this spring. UPDATE Sổ tay cộng đồng:Niềm vui ngày cuối tuần http://www.calitoday.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=e57e5083b1bab7039e840427eaa40ba4 Jean Libby, editor VietAm Review   more »

Women for Human Rights in Vietnam earnestly calls on the United States government to temporarily suspend the Deportation (Agreement) process against Vietnamese until we may have arrived at the following satisfactory concerns: 1. Problem regarding the status of political refugees: Many people have left Vietnam for America in order to seek political asylum or reunite with their relatives who have fled from the dictatorial regime of Vietnam . If for whatever reason they are being repatriated to Vietnam , where they had fled, they would likely be placed under extremely dangerous situation for themselves and their families. Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms "Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution....". If for any reason, Vietnamese are being repatriated to where they had fled, they would certainly be persecuted. 2. The problem of resettlement for those who are being repatriated: Unlike the United States , Vietnam is a totalitarian state. The choice to resettle in a certain locality does not rest with the repatriated individual but with the Vietnamese government. With a vindictive policy and arbitrary law, there are no guarantee that the Vietnamese authority would fairly resolve the place of residence according to the needs of the repatriated persons, those who have fled Vietnam due to political reasons. 3. The problems of property rights of those who have fled Vietnam : properties of those who left Vietnam due to political reasons or reunions, are either being confiscated by Vietnamese government, or had been forced sold to the state with a depressed price. The problem is how to justly settle these issues of the deported persons when they are being forced back to their place of origin where their houses and properties had been taken. 4. The problem of respecting basic human rights: Vietnam does not respect their citizens right to voluntarily join parties, or their right to enjoy the freedom of thoughts. Among those who are being deported, there are a number of people who were activists or have joined parties, and organizations and have struggled for Freedom and Democracy in America , activities that Vietnam considers to be anti-Vietnam. How would the United States guarantee their safety and protect them from retaliation, harassment or harms? 5. The problem of Vietnam retaliation policy: Vietnam has been pursuing a policy of retaliation against those who they believe are suspect or not having favorable views of. Under this policy, not only these people who are being deported but their children and families will run into difficulties trying to integrate into Vietnam society in the future. The problems of education, social advancement, finding gainful employment, etc…will be apparent under the communist systematic bad treatment. Sincerely, Jane DoBui, Spokeswoman for Women for Human Rights in Vietnam   more »

PARIS, 5th February 2008 (IBIB) - From house arrest at the Nguyen Thieu Monastery in Binh Dinh province, the Supreme Patriarch of the outlawed Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) Thich Huyen Quang has sent an audio Message to the international community and Vietnamese around the world. The Message was recorded in secret and broadcast on Radio Free Asia on Monday 4th February. This is the first time in five years, since the Patriarch was placed under tight surveillance following a crack-down on the banned UBCV in 2003, that his voice has been heard on the international media. Firstly, Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang, 89, sent special thanks to Amnesty International for adopting him as a “prisoner of conscience” and launching a worldwide campaign for his release. In this campaign, Amnesty International Group 65 in Toronto, Canada, sent over 3,500 letters and petitions to the Vietnamese and Canadian governments and Amnesty sections in Massachusetts and California also sent thousands of letters to the US and Vietnamese governments, along with hundreds of post cards to Thich Huyen Quang wishing him courage and good health. The International Buddhist Information Bureau, who received copies of these letters, informed the UBCV Patriarch of this campaign. On behalf of the UBCV, Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang thanked Group 65 for “the thousands of letters they have sent to the Vietnamese and Canadian governments calling for the re-establishment of the UBCV’s legal status, and campaigning for my release and religious freedom… Your selfless actions warm my heart, and that of every Buddhist in Vietnam. There is an old saying: “Across the four oceans, all men are brothers”. Today, your concern for the plight of others in such a far-away country as Vietnam demonstrates this spirit of humanity, which transcends all borders, political opinions and religious beliefs. In Buddhism, we call this Universal Compassion, the commitment to save all beings from suffering, regardless of origin or race”. Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang also extended warm thanks to “the government and people of Canada, who, for so many decades, have shown such generous hospitality to Vietnamese Boat people in their quest for freedom. You have given them refuge, a safe haven in which to settle and live freely in accordance with their ideals and beliefs. This is a fine example of civilisation, one that should teach a lesson to developing countries such as Vietnam”. VietAm Review has attached a message from the Vietnamese Canadian Federation which describes the government and Vietnamese community support noted by Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang which was forwarded by Can D. Le, Project Director of Freedom at Last.   more »

http://youtube.com/watch?v=VcYDCGlmTKQ Thousands of Catholic parishioners in Archdiocese of Hanoi, Vietnam have been praying for almost 2 months now to demand the return of the buildings/ land that were used to house the office of Vatican 's Holy Representative in Hanoi, Vietnam for so many years, since the 17th centuries. Many other properties and social services organizations, etc. of Catholic Church of Vietnam also have been armed robbed by Communist authority of Vietnam for decades without mutual agreements, proper compensations, or returns. This specific holy property in Hanoi has been legally owned by Catholic Church of Vietnam with legitimate trust deed. It has been "ARMED ROBBED" by Communist Party of Vietnam since 1940s. Blood of our innocent Catholics will be shed very soon. Please help and pray for our poor Catholics who have been bravely fighting for their human and civil rights including the right of property ownership of their Catholic Church. Thank you. Respectfully, Viet Si Speaker International Movement for Democracy & Human Rights in Vietnam San Jose, California, USA http://www.chuacuuthe.com/   more »

California: thousands shows solidarity to Church in Vietnam SAN JOSE - 22 January 2008 Thousands of Catholics in California have been showing their solidarity to the Church in Vietnam over the weekend, while tensions between the Church and government over confiscated Church properties increased. More than two thousands parishioners of St. Maria Goretti in San José, California, attended a Candlelight Vigil on Saturday to pray for the Church in Vietnam. In the Mass concelebrated by five priests, there were special prayers for Hanoi Catholics who have protested for more than a month for the return of properties that belonged to parish churches, seminaries, and the old apostolic delegation illegally seized in the past. A slide show of ongoing peaceful prayer protests of Hanoi Catholics, despite government threats hinting that a crackdown was likely, caught the congregation's emotions. Many wept as they saw images of Hanoi Catholics have been praying earnestly not only for the justice to triumph but also for the conversion of those who have been treating them as second-class citizens or even a national security threat "I feel proud of my brothers and sisters in Hanoi", said a parishioner, "They have become increasingly vocal about past and current religious freedom abuses". "Their fight for justice is peaceful yet determined. They bear a strong public witness of the Gospel's message even when they are forced to stand up and confront with a brutal dictatorship system", said another. Parishioners including a large group of American Catholics signed petitions to President Bush, politicians, and Bishops to urge the government of Vietnam to meet certain benchmarks consistent with international religious freedom standards and find equitable solutions on returning confiscated properties to religious groups. More than two thousand people also attended a candlelight Vigils at St Elizabeth Church, Milpitas, lead by Fr Victor Tran and at the Church of Our Lady of Assumption in Claremont, Los Angeles Source: An Dang © Independent Catholic News 2008 Contact Independent Catholic News tel/fax: +44 (0)20 7267 3616   more »