Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05HOCHIMINHCITY433
2005-04-25 11:22:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Consulate Ho Chi Minh City
Cable title:  

MEETING WITH AMNESTIED HOA HAO ACTIVIST TRUONG VAN DUC

Tags:  PHUM SOCI PREL PGOV KIRF VM RELFREE HUMANR 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

251122Z Apr 05

ACTION EAP-00 

INFO LOG-00 AID-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 EB-00 UTED-00 
 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 L-00 VCE-00 AC-00 
 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OES-00 OIC-00 OMB-00 PA-00 PM-00 
 PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00 SP-00 SS-00 STR-00 TRSE-00 
 T-00 IIP-00 PMB-00 PRM-00 DRL-00 G-00 SAS-00 
 /000W
 ------------------E40687 251101Z /32 
FM AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1389
INFO AMEMBASSY HANOI PRIORITY 
ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
UNCLAS HO CHI MINH CITY 000433 

SIPDIS


SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM SOCI PREL PGOV KIRF VM RELFREE HUMANR
SUBJECT: MEETING WITH AMNESTIED HOA HAO ACTIVIST TRUONG VAN DUC

REF: A) HCMC 142; B) HCMC 325

UNCLAS HO CHI MINH CITY 000433

SIPDIS


SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM SOCI PREL PGOV KIRF VM RELFREE HUMANR
SUBJECT: MEETING WITH AMNESTIED HOA HAO ACTIVIST TRUONG VAN DUC

REF: A) HCMC 142; B) HCMC 325


1. (SBU) We met with Hoa Hao activist Truong Van Duc on April 22
during a visit to the Mekong Delta. Duc was released from prison
on February 1 as part of the GVN's 2005 Tet amnesty (ref A). He
was sentenced to 12 years in prison in February 2001 for "causing
social disturbance" and "obstructing officials acting to carry out
their duties." (Note: Duc said that charges stemmed from an
incident on November 25, 2000, when he and his spiritual leader Le
Quang Liem were traveling to Phu My -- the birthplace of Hoa
Haoism -- to commemorate the birthday of the religion's founder.
He alleged that plainclothes police stopped them, confiscated
their camera equipment, and beat him unconscious. Duc was
released after one day, but arrested on January 16, 2001 and
charged with the offenses for which he was imprisoned. End Note)


2. (SBU) Duc said he was not beaten in prison. Nonetheless, his
health suffered because prison authorities served him a meat-based
diet even though his beliefs require him to be a vegetarian. He
said his health has improved now that he is able to eat properly.
Although his hometown is Phu Hiep, in An Giang province, Duc has
been working as a gravedigger in neighboring Ben Tre province.
Duc believes his release was a direct result of international
pressure.


3. (SBU) Since his release Duc has spoken with Hoa Hao leader Le
Quang Liem three times, once in person in neighboring Dong Thap
province, home to many Hoa Hao followers, and twice on the phone.
Duc also has been able to meet with other followers of Liem's
group in the An Giang area. There were no restrictions on their
personal worship. While complaining of police harassment, Duc
did not corroborate Liem's assertion to us that his followers in
An Giang were so restricted that they were unable to work, worship
and leave their homes (ref B). However, he said that he is
followed wherever he goes and there are three police checkpoints
around his home that monitor all comings and goings. On the
anniversary of the Founder's disappearance (April 3),a holy day
for many of the followers of unrecognized Hoa Hao groups, he hung
flags and banners in commemoration. After he refused a police
order to remove them, police set up roadblocks around his house to
prevent other followers from joining him.


4. (SBU) When asked if he had any contact with the GVN-recognized
Hoa Hao church or with the founder's family, Duc stated that the
Hoa Hao Administrative Council (HHAC) consisted of party members
controlled by the Vietnam Fatherland Front, and that the founder's
family had "sold out to the authorities." Although Duc said that
he would travel to the founder's family's house on Founder's Day -
- an estimated 200,000 believers descend on the small town of Phu
My each year to mark this event (this year on 24 June) -- he
stated that his relationship with the family had been
irretrievably damaged when they certified to police after his
arrest that he was "not a true believer."

WINNICK


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