PARIS, 9 May 2008 (IBIB) - Leaders of Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) in the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia have appealed to United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to call for the release of UBCV Supreme Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang and his Deputy Thich Quang Do on the occasion of the UN Day of the Vesak, celebrated in Hanoi from 13-17 May 2008. “We are deeply concerned that Vietnam is exploiting UN Vesak Day for political ends. Faced with growing criticism of its abuses of religious freedom, notably the recommendation, on 2nd May 2008 by the US Commission on International Commission on Religious Freedom to re-designate Vietnam as a “Country of Particular Concern” for egregious violations of religious freedom, the Vietnamese leadership is using the Vesak to enhance its international image, to legitimize State-controlled Buddhism and suppress the traditional UBCV. If they succeed, it would be a tragedy, not only for Buddhists, but for all the people of Vietnam. By eradicating the UBCV, they would stifle an essential voice of civil society, one that is bravely articulating the hopes of millions of Vietnamese for peaceful development, freedom and human rights”. International personalities call on Hanoi to cease religious repression and release Thich Huyen Quang, Thich Quang Do on UN Day of the Vesak in Hanoi PARIS, 9 May 2008 (VIETNAM COMMITTEE) - Forty-nine prominent international personalities including a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, religious leaders from different faiths, Members of the European Parliament, the US Congress, Senators and MPs from Italy, France and the UK launched a joint appeal to the Vietnamese leadership on the occasion of the United Nations Day of the Vesak (Birth, Enlightenment and Passing away of the Buddha) in Hanoi (13-17 May) to cease repression against the banned Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) and immediately release its Supreme Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang and his Deputy Thich Quang Do. In a letter to Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and other state leaders, the signatories expressed concern at the stark contrast between the grandiose celebration of Buddhism's most sacred festival and the renewed intensity of State repression against Buddhists in Vietnam. "We are deeply disturbed by recent reports of grave repression against Buddhism, the very faith you claim to celebrate", they wrote, noting that "in the run-up to the Vesak, Police have seized UBCV pagodas to use for State-sponsored events, evicted and harassed UBCV monks, nuns and lay-followers in Lam Dong, Hue, Quang Tri…". Only the State-sponsored Buddhist Sangha would be hosting the ceremonies, whilst UBCV leaders "are prisoners in their own pagodas". They called on Vietnam to release Supreme Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang, 88, and the UBCV's second-ranking dignitary Thich Quang Do, 80, who have both spent over 26 years in detention; to re-establish the legitimate status of the banned UBCV; and to cease all repression against the UBCV. Signatories include Irish Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mairead Corrigan-Maguire, US Congressman Frank Wolf, Roman Catholic Bishop Vaclav Maly of Prague, Rabbi Shmuel Herzfeld, prominent MEPs Graham Watson, Marco Pannella, Edward McMillan-Scott, Italian Senate Vice-President Emma Bonino, USCIRF Commissioner Nina Shea, Lord Avebury and Lord Alton of the UK House of Lords . Human Rights Watch called on the Vietnamese government to release people imprisoned for peaceful religious or political activities and end restrictions on independent religious organizations who choose not to affiliate with the officially authorized religious organizations under the control of the government. “Independent religious groups should be allowed to freely organize and manage themselves, conduct religious activities, and even engage in peaceful public protests,” said Pearson. “Vietnam’s respect for human rights and religious freedom has sharply deteriorated since the US removed it from its blacklist of religious freedom violators and Vietnam’s subsequent acceptance into the World Trade Organization.” For more of Human Rights Watch’s work on Vietnam, please visit: http://hrw.org/doc/?t=asia&c=vietnam   more »