UPDATE ON HOA HAO MONK WHO CLIMBED THE TREE

UNCLAS HO CHI MINH CITY 001304 SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV AND EAP/PD/MSPEER DEPARTMENT ALSO FOR DRL/IRF CINCPAC FOR FPA SECDEF FOR ISA/EA/ABLAGG UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HO CHI 01304 161027Z E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM KIRF VM HUMANR RELFREE SUBJECT: UPDATE ON HOA HAO MONK WHO CLIMBED THE TREE REF: A. HCMC 1266 B. HANOI 2924 ¶1. (U) REF B REPORTED THAT ON NOVEMBER 6, HOA HAO MONK NAM LIEM HAD CLIMBED A TREE IN THE COMPOUND AT HIS PAGODA IN THE MEKONG DELTA CARRYING A CAN OF GASOLINE AND A KNIFE AND THREATENING SUICIDE TO PROTEST LOCAL POLICE ACTIONS AGAINST HIM. REF A REPORTED THAT ON NOVEMBER 9, LIEM CAME DOWN FROM THE TREE IN A WEAKENED CONDITION AFTER CUTTING HIS INNER THIGH WITH THE KNIFE EARLIER IN THE MORNING. ¶2. (SBU) ON NOVEMBER 15, LE QUANG LIEM AND TRAN HUU DUYEN, HOA HAO ELDERS WHO RESIDE IN HCMC, PROVIDED POLOFF WITH AN UPDATE ON NAM LIEM'S SITUATION. ACCORDING TO THE HOA HAO ELDERS, NAM LIEM REMAINS INSIDE HIS HOME AT THE PAGODA COMPOUND UNDER THE CARE OF HIS MOTHER AND FATHER AND A COUPLE OF OTHER HOA HAO FOLLOWERS WHOM THE POLICE HAVE ALLOWED INSIDE. SOME LOCAL TOWNSPEOPLE HAVE DELIVERED MEDICINE FOR TREATING AN INFECTION OF LIEM'S LEG WOUND, BUT SO FAR NO DOCTOR HAS SEEN HIM. SEVEN TO EIGHT POLICEMEN REMAIN AT THE PAGODA COMPOUND, BUT HAVE NOT ATTEMPTED TO ENTER LIEM'S HOME OR OTHERWISE COMMUNICATE WITH HIM. ¶3. (SBU) ACCORDING TO HOA HAO ELDER DUYEN, THE PROVINCIAL FATHERLAND FRONT AND PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE HAD DECIDED TO PLACE LIEM UNDER ADMINISTRATIVE DETENTION UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HO CHI 01304 161027Z (HOUSE ARREST) AFTER LIEM HAD LOCKED LOCAL POLICE OFFICIALS INSIDE HIS PAGODA ON NOVEMBER 1. WHEN AUTHORITIES ARRIVED AT THE PAGODA ON NOVEMBER 6 TO PRESENT LIEM WITH THE HOUSE ARREST ORDER, LIEM REFUSED TO SIGN IT AND CLIMBED UP THE TREE. ¶4. (SBU) LIEM APPARENTLY IS IN NO IMMEDIATE DANGER AS THE RESULT OF HIS WOUND. HIS LEGAL STATUS, HOWEVER, IS UNCERTAIN. IF HE IS ORDERED UNDER HOUSE ARREST, POST BELIEVES HE WILL EVENTUALLY CHALLENGE THE ORDER, IN ONE MANNER OR ANOTHER. YAMAUCHI UNCLASSIFIED