VIETNAM: THICH QUANG DO VISITS THICH HUYEN QUANG

UNCLAS HO CHI MINH CITY 000670 SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV AND DRL ¶E. O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL KIRF SOCI VM RELFREE HUMANR SUBJECT: VIETNAM: THICH QUANG DO VISITS THICH HUYEN QUANG REF: HCMC 00585 ¶1. (SBU) The Venerable Thich Quang Do, Deputy Head of the banned Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV),met with UBCV Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang at the Nguyen Thieu Monastery in Quy Nhon July 15-20. This was Thich Quang Do's first trip outside of HCMC since being placed under "probationary detention" for two years in June ¶2001. He traveled by train accompanied by a delegation of UBCV monks. He did not inform the GVN of his travel, had no trouble during the trip, and there were no GVN officials at his meetings. ¶2. (SBU) Several other delegations of senior monks from UBCV chapters in Hue, HCMC and the Central Provinces joined the group in Quy Nhon for a meeting to discuss the future of the UBCV. They reportedly reviewed UBCV personnel throughout Vietnam from Quang Tri province southward. Among the monks who participated were Thien Hanh, Thai Hoa, Phuoc Vien, and Nhu Dat from Hue, and Hai Tang from Quang Tri. ¶3. (SBU) Thich Tue Sy spoke to ConGen after Thich Quang Do had returned to the Thanh Minh Zen Monastery in HCMC. Thich Tue Sy said he did not think Thich Quang Do has had any problems with the authorities since his return. Thich Tue Sy expressed his appreciation for the "external intervention" that had convinced the GVN to allow the monks to travel so freely. ¶4. (SBU) Thich Quang Do has, however, developed some health problems with his heart. He had a physical examination prior to his trip to Quy Nhon and got permission from his doctors to travel while waiting for the results. He will find out soon whether he will need surgery. He has no future plans to travel due to his health and had postponed his visit to Thich Huyen Quang from July 10 because of his health problems. According to Thich Tue Sy, Thich Huyen Quang is in better health at 86 years of age than Thich Quang Do is at 74. WHITE