DISSIDENT HOA HAO MONKS UNDER HEAVY POLICE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HO CHI MINH CITY 000719 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV AND EAP/PD/KFOSTER DEPARTMENT ALSO FOR DRL/IRF E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM KIRF VM RELFREE HUMANR SUBJECT: DISSIDENT HOA HAO MONKS UNDER HEAVY POLICE SURVEILLANCE REF: A. HCMC 0695 ¶B. HCMC 1255 (01) ¶C. HANOI 2924 (01) ¶D. HCMC 0755 (99) UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HO CHI 00719 01 OF 02 190741Z ¶1. SUMMARY: PROVINCIAL PLAINCLOTHES POLICE PREVENTED POLOFF FROM MEETING WITH A DISSIDENT HOA HAO MONK IN AN GIANG PROVINCE IN THE MEKONG DELTA. POLICE SAT IN ON POLOFF'S MEETING WITH ANOTHER DISSIDENT MONK IN THE SAME PROVINCE, BUT FAILED TO INTIMIDATE HIM OR STOP HIM FROM SPEAKING HIS MIND. END SUMMARY. THE MAN WHO CLIMBED THE TREE -------------- ¶2. ON JUNE 24, POLOFF ATTEMPTED TO VISIT HOA HAO MONK NAM LIEM (VO THANH LIEM) AT HIS RESIDENCE IN CHO MOI DISTRICT, AN GIANG PROVINCE. NAM LIEM HAD GAINED LOCAL CELEBRITY IN 1994, WHEN HE CLIMBED A TALL PINE TREE IN HIS BACKYARD TO ESCAPE POLICE WHO HAD COME TO ARREST HIM. AFTER FOUR DAYS, HE CAME DOWN FROM THE TREE, WAS ARRESTED, AND SPENT THE NEXT FOUR YEARS IN PRISON. POLOFF HAD VISITED HIM AFTER HIS RELEASE FROM PRISON IN 1999 (REF D). ¶3. IN NOVEMBER 2001, LOCAL POLICE CAME TO TEAR DOWN HOA HAO FLAGS THAT LIEM HAD DISPLAYED INSIDE HIS PRIVATE PAGODA. WHILE POLICE WERE INSIDE, LIEM LOCKED THE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE. MORE POLICE CAME TO ASSIST, AND LIEM WENT UP THE TREE AGAIN. UPON HIS DESCENT THIS TIME, ACCORDING TO HOA HAO SOURCES, THE POLICE GAVE HIM A STERN LECTURE, BUT DID NOT ARREST HIM. DOZENS OF LIEM'S PERSONAL FOLLOWERS CONTINUE TO VISIT HIS PRIVATE PAGODA EACH DAY (REFS B AND C). UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HO CHI 00719 01 OF 02 190741Z ¶4. WHEN POLOFF ARRIVED AT THE BRICK ENTRYWAY LEADING TO NAM LIEM'S PAGODA ON JUNE 24, THREE YOUNG MEN BLOCKED THE WAY. SEVERAL OTHER MEN WHO APPEARED TO BE WITH THEM STOOD ON THE LAWN OF A NEIGHBORING TEA SHOP. ONE OF THE YOUNG MEN WAS HIGHLY AGITATED AND WARNED POLOFF TO GO AWAY. HE SAID THE PEOPLE IN THE AREA DID NOT WELCOME AMERICANS AND "DID NOT WANT ANY AMERICANS TO DISTURB THE MONK AT THE PAGODA." POLOFF SAID HE HAD VISITED AND HAD BEEN WELCOMED THERE THREE YEARS AGO, AND FOUND THE PEOPLE OF THE AREA TO BE FRIENDLY. POLOFF INDICATED HE WOULD TURN BACK, HOWEVER, IF AUTHORITIES OFFICIALLY HAD PLACED THE LIEM UNDER HOUSE ARREST OR OFFICIALLY RESTRICTED VISITORS TO THE PAGODA. THE YOUNG MAN, NOW ANGRY AND USING VULGAR LANGUAGE, DENIED HE WAS A POLICE OFFICER AND SAID THE MONK WAS NOT UNDER ANY RESTRICTIONS. HE REPRESENTED THE COMMUNITY, HE SHOUTED, AND THE COMMUNITY DID NOT WANT ANY AMERICANS IN THE VICINITY. ¶5. POLOFF NOTICED MORE PEOPLE APPROACHING AS THE EXCHANGE CONTINUED. SEVERAL HOA HAO FOLLOWERS (DISTINCTIVE BY THEIR HAIR BEING TIED BACK IN A BUN AND THEIR WEARING OF PLAIN BLACK OR GRAY TUNICS) LISTENED INTENTLY, THEN SOME OF THEM BEGAN ARGUING WITH THE YOUNG MEN WHO HAD BLOCKED THE ROAD. BECAUSE A PHYSICAL ALTERCATION APPEARED TO BE IN THE WORKS, POLOFF DECIDED TO RETURN TO HIS VEHICLE AND DRIVE AWAY. POLOFF DROVE BY SIX HOURS LATER AND SAW THE SAME GROUP OF YOUNG MEN LYING IN WAIT. ¶6. ONE WEEK LATER, A HOA HAO ELDER IN HO CHI MINH CITY UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 HO CHI 00719 01 OF 02 190741Z WENT TO VISIT NAM LIEM. HE LATER TOLD POLOFF THAT LIEM WAS MORTIFIED AT THE LOCAL POLICE TREATMENT OF POLOFF AND ASSURED HIM HE WOULD WELCOME VISITS BY POLOFF OR ANY OTHER AMERICAN DIPLOMAT. THE HOA HAO ELDER ALSO SAID THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY WAS INFURIATED WHEN THEY DISCOVERED THE PLAINCLOTHES POLICE HAD SAID AMERICANS WERE UNWELCOME THERE. RELATIONS BETWEEN THE POLICE AND THE COMMUNITY WERE NOW VERY TENSE. COURAGEOUS EX-PRISONER -------------- ¶7. AFTER BEING TURNED BACK AT THE HOME OF NAM LIEM, POLOFF WENT TO TRY TO VISIT ANOTHER DISSIDENT HOA HAO MONK, TU TRIET (LE MINH TRIET). IN OCTOBER 1993, AUTHORITIES IN AN GIANG PROVINCE'S CHO MOI DISTRICT HAD ORDERED TU TRIET TO DEMOLISH HIS HOME BECAUSE HE HAD BUILT IT IN A PAGODA STYLE WITHOUT GOVERNMENT PERMISSION. HE REFUSED, BUT THEY DEMOLISHED THE HOUSE AND CAME TO ARREST HIM. AS A FUGITIVE, HE WROTE TO THE INTERNATIONAL MEDIA AND TO THE OVERSEAS HOA HAO COMMUNITY SEEKING ASSISTANCE. FINALLY ARRESTED IN MARCH 1994, HE WAS CHARGED AND FOUND GUILTY OF "CONTEMPT FOR THE LAW" AND OF "COOPERATING WITH FOREIGN UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PTQ5110 PAGE 01 HO CHI 00719 02 OF 02 190741Z ACTION DRL-02 INFO LOG-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EAP-00 EB-00 UTED-00 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 LAB-01 L-00 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OIC-02 OPIC-01 PER-00 PRS-00 P-00 SCT-00 SP-00 SS-00 STR-00 TEST-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00 DSCC-00 PRM-00 G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /007W -------------- CD664C 190742Z /38 R 190629Z JUL 02 FM AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY TO SECSTATE WASHDC 6537 INFO AMEMBASSY HANOI USMISSION GENEVA UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 HO CHI MINH CITY 000719 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV AND EAP/PD/KFOSTER DEPARTMENT ALSO FOR DRL/IRF AGENTS WITH THE PURPOSE OF HARMING THE NATIONAL INTEREST." HE WAS SENTENCED TO EIGHT YEARS IMPRISONMENT; HE COMPLETED HIS TERM AND WAS RELEASED AT THE END OF MARCH 2002. UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HO CHI 00719 02 OF 02 190741Z ¶8. POLOFF HAD DIRECTIONS TO TU TRIET'S BROTHER'S HOME WHERE TRIET CURRENTLY RESIDES, BUT HAD TO ASK FOR SPECIFICS AFTER ARRIVING IN THE GENERAL VICINITY. RECEIVING CONTRADICTORY DIRECTIONS FROM DIFFERENT PERSONS IS NOT UNUSUAL IN RURAL VIETNAM. HOWEVER, WITH FOUR PLAINCLOTHES POLICE FOLLOWING CLOSELY ON MOTORCYCLES, POLOFF WAS CONVINCED THAT NEIGHBORS HAD BEEN INSTRUCTED TO GIVE THE WRONG DIRECTIONS. POLOFF HAD ALMOST GIVEN UP WHEN HE NOTICED ONE POLICEMAN WHO HAD BEEN FOLLOWING HIM SITTING ON A PORCH NEXT TO A MAN CLAD IN WHITE. THE MAN IN WHITE WAS TRIET. ¶9. TU TRIET SMILED BROADLY AS POLOFF SAT DOWN. THREE PLAINCLOTHES POLICEMEN SAT DOWN WITH THEM. THEY LISTENED, BUT DID NOT INTERFERE IN THE CONVERSATION. TRIET RECOUNTED THE STORY OF HOW AND WHY HE HAD BEEN ARRESTED. HE SAID HE HAD BEEN ALLOWED VISITORS WHILE IN PRISON AND HAD BEEN TREATED NO WORSE THAN THE OTHER PRISONERS. HE IS CURRENTLY UNDER A TWO-YEAR ADMINISTRATIVE DETENTION AND IS NOT ALLOWED TO LEAVE THE VILLAGE WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM THE LOCAL POLICE. ¶10. TU TRIET SAID THAT AFTER EIGHT YEARS OF PRISON, THE THING THAT MOST SURPRISED HIM WAS THE DEGREE OF FREEDOM OF WORSHIP ENJOYED BY HOA HAO BELIEVERS. (REF A DESCRIBES IMPROVEMENTS FOR HOA HAO FREEDOM OF WORSHIP SINCE THE GVN RECOGNIZED THE SECT IN 1999.) TRIET SAID HE HOPED TO SEE CONTINUED IMPROVEMENTS, BUT GLANCING AT THE POLICEMAN WHO SAT AT ARM'S LENGTH AWAY, HE SAID HE WAS NOT OPTIMISTIC. UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HO CHI 00719 02 OF 02 190741Z ¶11. TRIET SAID HE OPPOSED THE GVN-SANCTIONED HOA HAO REPRESENTATIVE COMMITTEE BECAUSE HE BELIEVED ITS OFFICERS WERE SELECTED IN A SHAM ELECTION AT A HOA HAO CONGRESS THAT WAS DOMINATED BY THE GOVERNMENT. NOTING HIS OWN PAGODA HAD BEEN DESTROYED IN 1994, HE DOUBTED HE WOULD RECEIVE PERMISSION TO REBUILD. POLOFF HAD JUST VISITED A NEWLY-CONSTRUCTED HOA HAO PAGODA (REF A) AND SUGGESTED TRIET MIGHT TRY MEETING WITH THE REPRESENTATIVE COMMITTEE, EXPLAIN HIS CASE, AND SEE IF THEY WOULD SUPPORT HIS BUILDING A NEW PAGODA. TRIET LAUGHED AT FIRST, THEN SEEMED INTRIGUED BY THE IDEA. ¶12. ASKED IF THERE WAS A MESSAGE TO CONVEY TO THE USG, TRIET REPLIED THAT HE GREATLY APPRECIATED U.S. EFFORTS ON HIS BEHALF AND "FOR ALL PERSONS WHO HAVE SUFFERED ILL-TREATMENT AT THE HANDS OF THE GVN." HE SAID THE U.S. WAS A MODEL OF FREEDOM AND THAT THE VIETNAMESE WOULD DO WELL TO LOOK AT AMERICA AS AN EXAMPLE OF THE POTENTIAL OF A FREE SOCIETY. (COMMENT: POLOFF FELT THAT TU TRIET'S REMARKS -- IN FRONT OF THREE SULLEN POLICEMEN -- WERE THEMSELVES A MODEL OF BRAVERY IN THE FACE OF REPRESSION.) MESSAGE TO THE POLICE -------------- ¶13. POLOFF ALSO HAD A MESSAGE TO DELIVER, REPEATED TWICE DURING THE CONVERSATION. POLOFF TOLD TRIET HE WAS GLAD "OTHERS" PRESENT WERE LISTENING. NOW THEY WOULD KNOW THIS WAS NOT A DANGEROUS/SUBVERSIVE UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 HO CHI 00719 02 OF 02 190741Z CONVERSATION. POLOFF WOULD REPORT ON HIS MEETING WITH TRIET AND ON THE IMPROVEMENTS SEEN OVER THE YEARS IN THE HOA HAO SITUATION. HE WOULD ALSO REPORT THAT POLICE HAD PREVENTED HIM FROM MEETING WITH DISSIDENT HOA HAO MONK NAM LIEM. THERE WAS NOTHING LIEM COULD HAVE SAID THAT WOULD MAKE THE GVN LOOK WORSE THAN THE POLICE THUGS PHYSICALLY BLOCKING THE ROAD TO HIS HOUSE. POLOFF SAID HE WAS WORRIED THAT ANY INCREMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS THE GVN WAS MAKING IN RELIGIOUS FREEDOM WOULD BE OVERSHADOWED BY ITS CONTINUED HARASSMENT OF PERSONS WITH DIFFERING VIEWS. YAMAUCHI UNCLASSIFIED