Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
01HOCHIMINHCITY1266
2001-11-09 09:12:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Consulate Ho Chi Minh City
Cable title:
HOA HAO MONK COMES DOWN FROM THE TREE
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available. 090912Z Nov 01 2001HOCHI01266 - UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PTQ5584 PAGE 01 HO CHI 01266 091009Z ACTION EAP-00 INFO LOG-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 CIAE-00 SRPP-00 EB-00 UTED-00 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 L-00 NSAE-00 OIC-02 OPIC-01 PC-01 PRS-00 P-00 SP-00 SS-00 STR-00 TEST-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00 PRM-00 DRL-02 G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /007W ------------------3C29DE 091009Z /38 FM AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5683 INFO AMEMBASSY HANOI PRIORITY USMISSION GENEVA ASEAN COLLECTIVE USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI SECDEF WASHDC DIA WASHDC NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS HO CHI MINH CITY 001266
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV AND EAP/PD/MSPEER
DEPARTMENT ALSO FOR DRL/IRF
CINCPAC FOR FPA
SECDEF FOR ISA/EA/ABLAGG
E.O. 12958: N/A
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 02 HO CHI 01266 091009Z
TAGS: PHUM KIRF VM RELFREE HUMANR
SUBJECT: HOA HAO MONK COMES DOWN FROM THE TREE
REF: HANOI 2924
UNCLAS HO CHI MINH CITY 001266
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV AND EAP/PD/MSPEER
DEPARTMENT ALSO FOR DRL/IRF
CINCPAC FOR FPA
SECDEF FOR ISA/EA/ABLAGG
E.O. 12958: N/A
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 02 HO CHI 01266 091009Z
TAGS: PHUM KIRF VM RELFREE HUMANR
SUBJECT: HOA HAO MONK COMES DOWN FROM THE TREE
REF: HANOI 2924
1. (U) REFTEL REPORTED THAT ON NOVEMBER 6, HOA HAO
BUDDHIST MONK NAM LIEM, OF AN GIANG PROVINCE IN THE
MEKONG DELTA, HAD CLIMBED UP A TREE NEAR HIS PAGODA
CARRYING A KNIFE AND A CONTAINER OF GASOLINE. HE WAS
THREATENING TO IMMOLATE HIMSELF TO PROTEST LOCAL POLICE
ENTERING HIS PAGODA AND MAINTAINING A PRESENCE THERE
SINCE NOVEMBER 1. AS OF NOVEMBER 8, NAM LIEM WAS STILL
UP IN THE TREE. APPROXIMATELY 30 POLICE OFFICERS WERE
TRYING TO PERSUADE HIM TO COME DOWN. AN UNDETERMINED
NUMBER OF SUPPORTERS AND CURIOUS BYSTANDERS WERE ALSO
ON HAND.
2. (SBU) ON NOVEMBER 9, POLOFF SPOKE BY TELEPHONE TO LE
QUANG LIEM (LQL),A HOA HAO ELDER CURRENTLY UNDER HOUSE
ARREST IN HCMC, BUT WHO CONTINUES TO BE WELL INFORMED
OF EVENTS REGARDING HOA HAO ISSUES. LQL SAID THAT
DURING THE MORNING OF NOVEMBER 8, NAM LIEM CUT HIS
THIGH WITH THE KNIFE HE HAD CARRIED UP INTO THE TREE.
LQL SAID THAT EARLY IN THE EVENING OF NOVEMBER 8, NAM
LIEM CAME DOWN THE TREE. HE SAID WITNESSES TOLD HIM
NAM LIEM APPEARED WEAK WITH WHAT THEY SUGGESTED WAS A
LOSS OF BLOOD AND FATIGUE.
3. (SBU) AS OF NOVEMBER 9, ACCORDING TO LQL, NAM LIEM
REMAINED INSIDE HIS HOME AND PAGODA COMPLEX. LQL ADDED
THAT 30 POLICEMEN AND 50-70 LOCAL OFFICIALS WERE ALSO
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 03 HO CHI 01266 091009Z
INSIDE THE COMPOUND. THE POLICE WERE ENCOURAGING THE
LOCAL TOWNSPEOPLE TO STAY AT HOME.
4. (U) POST HAS NO WORD YET ON THE STATUS OF NAM LIEM'S
HEALTH, OR WHETHER OR NOT LOCAL OFFICIALS WILL TAKE ANY
LEGAL/POLICE ACTION AGAINST HIM. WE WILL CONTINUE TO
MONITOR THE SITUATION CLOSELY AND REPORT ON
DEVELOPMENTS.
YAMAUCHI
UNCLASSIFIED
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV AND EAP/PD/MSPEER
DEPARTMENT ALSO FOR DRL/IRF
CINCPAC FOR FPA
SECDEF FOR ISA/EA/ABLAGG
E.O. 12958: N/A
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 02 HO CHI 01266 091009Z
TAGS: PHUM KIRF VM RELFREE HUMANR
SUBJECT: HOA HAO MONK COMES DOWN FROM THE TREE
REF: HANOI 2924
1. (U) REFTEL REPORTED THAT ON NOVEMBER 6, HOA HAO
BUDDHIST MONK NAM LIEM, OF AN GIANG PROVINCE IN THE
MEKONG DELTA, HAD CLIMBED UP A TREE NEAR HIS PAGODA
CARRYING A KNIFE AND A CONTAINER OF GASOLINE. HE WAS
THREATENING TO IMMOLATE HIMSELF TO PROTEST LOCAL POLICE
ENTERING HIS PAGODA AND MAINTAINING A PRESENCE THERE
SINCE NOVEMBER 1. AS OF NOVEMBER 8, NAM LIEM WAS STILL
UP IN THE TREE. APPROXIMATELY 30 POLICE OFFICERS WERE
TRYING TO PERSUADE HIM TO COME DOWN. AN UNDETERMINED
NUMBER OF SUPPORTERS AND CURIOUS BYSTANDERS WERE ALSO
ON HAND.
2. (SBU) ON NOVEMBER 9, POLOFF SPOKE BY TELEPHONE TO LE
QUANG LIEM (LQL),A HOA HAO ELDER CURRENTLY UNDER HOUSE
ARREST IN HCMC, BUT WHO CONTINUES TO BE WELL INFORMED
OF EVENTS REGARDING HOA HAO ISSUES. LQL SAID THAT
DURING THE MORNING OF NOVEMBER 8, NAM LIEM CUT HIS
THIGH WITH THE KNIFE HE HAD CARRIED UP INTO THE TREE.
LQL SAID THAT EARLY IN THE EVENING OF NOVEMBER 8, NAM
LIEM CAME DOWN THE TREE. HE SAID WITNESSES TOLD HIM
NAM LIEM APPEARED WEAK WITH WHAT THEY SUGGESTED WAS A
LOSS OF BLOOD AND FATIGUE.
3. (SBU) AS OF NOVEMBER 9, ACCORDING TO LQL, NAM LIEM
REMAINED INSIDE HIS HOME AND PAGODA COMPLEX. LQL ADDED
THAT 30 POLICEMEN AND 50-70 LOCAL OFFICIALS WERE ALSO
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 03 HO CHI 01266 091009Z
INSIDE THE COMPOUND. THE POLICE WERE ENCOURAGING THE
LOCAL TOWNSPEOPLE TO STAY AT HOME.
4. (U) POST HAS NO WORD YET ON THE STATUS OF NAM LIEM'S
HEALTH, OR WHETHER OR NOT LOCAL OFFICIALS WILL TAKE ANY
LEGAL/POLICE ACTION AGAINST HIM. WE WILL CONTINUE TO
MONITOR THE SITUATION CLOSELY AND REPORT ON
DEVELOPMENTS.
YAMAUCHI
UNCLASSIFIED