Dissident buddhist monk questioned in Vietnam
HANOI - A controversial Buddhist monk, who was
questioned and later released, has vowed to defy a ban on visiting his
detained patriarch in a move likely to prompt a showdown with the
Vietnamese authorities.
Thich Quang Do, the second-highest monk in the outlawed Unified
Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV), told Reuters that local People's
Committee officials accused him of seeking to undermine the Communist
government.
``They summoned me there and they said I was violating the law,'' Do,
73, said by telephone from the Thanh Minh Zen Monastery in Ho Chi
Minh City.
The questioning of Do came a day after authorities arrested a dissident
Catholic priest for ``propaganda against the government.''
Do said authorities rejected his request to visit Thich Huyen Quang, the
83-year-old patriarch of the UBCV who has been under house arrest
for 19 years in central Quang Ngai province.
Nevertheless, Do said he would defy the ban and attempt to visit Quang
in early June.
``I may be arrested, but I am ready,'' he said.
The confrontation came as a U.S. envoy voiced concern about the
arrest of 54-year-old Catholic priest Nguyen Van Ly, who was
denounced in March for urging the United States to link religious
freedom to trade.
James Kelly, the assistant secretary of state for Asian and Pacific affairs,
met Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien on Friday and raised the issue of
religious freedom, specifically mentioning Ly, a U.S. embassy
spokesman said.
Vietnamese Foreign Ministry officials were not immediately available for
comment on Do's questioning, but said on Thursday that Ly violated his
probation by continuing to act against the government.
Vietnam insists its citizens have full religious freedom. The country has
more than five million Catholics and 80 percent of its 78 million people
are at least nominally Buddhist.
However, abuse of religion is a crime punishable by up to a year in
prison and any political activity by clergy is not tolerated.
Reuters - May 18, 2001.
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