Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06HOCHIMINHCITY630
2006-06-12 06:35:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Consulate Ho Chi Minh City
Cable title:
HOA HAO STANDOFF ENDS PEACEFULLY
how-toVZCZCXRO5145 PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHNH DE RUEHHM #0630 1630635 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 120635Z JUN 06 FM AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0989 INFO RUEHHI/AMEMBASSY HANOI PRIORITY 0727 RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 1035
UNCLAS HO CHI MINH CITY 000630
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM SOCI PREL PREF KIRF PGOV VM
SUBJECT: HOA HAO STANDOFF ENDS PEACEFULLY
REF: HCMC 609 AND PREVIOUS
UNCLAS HO CHI MINH CITY 000630
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM SOCI PREL PREF KIRF PGOV VM
SUBJECT: HOA HAO STANDOFF ENDS PEACEFULLY
REF: HCMC 609 AND PREVIOUS
1. (SBU) In an interview with Radio Free Asia on June 10, Hoa
Hao dissident Le Quang Liem stated that he ordered his 16
followers to end their 11-day hunger strike in the Mekong
Delta's Dong Thap province (reftel). According to Liem, on June
8, three senior police officials met with him in HCMC for
several hours and promised that the GVN will consider the
demands of the group, including their request that an
investigation be conducted into earlier allegations of physical
assault against some of the followers. The followers reportedly
will not be punished for organizing the hunger strike. Liem
said he subsequently instructed the protestors to dissolve their
protest, but if the government "does not meet its promises," the
Hoa Hao will resume protests.
2. (SBU) On June 12, we spoke with Hai Ong, Chairman of the Dong
Thap provincial Committee for Religious Affairs. He confirmed
the peaceful end of the protest on June 8 but said he was not
aware of negotiation with Liem in HCMC. The day before the
protest dissolved, he had a "heart-to-heart" talk with the son
of the Hoa Hao leader at whose house the hunger strike was
taking place. Ong said he explained "the rights and wrongs" of
their protest and urged him to convince his father and followers
to stop the hunger strike. He said the authorities made no
promises to the protestors but would not punish them for the
protest.
3. (SBU) Also on June 12, a Hoa Hao contact close to Liem to us
that the Hoa Hao dissident has "changed his strategy" and that
"there will be no further self-immolations by the Hoa Hao in the
future." He said that the Hoa Hao would now conduct a peaceful
and non-violent struggle, but would need "USG support." That
said, Liem's supporters are unpredictable and he could not
guarantee that they would always follow his orders, the contact
told us.
4. (SBU) Comment: It appears that officials have defused a
potentially volatile and deadly conflict by reaching out to the
Hoa Hao in the Delta and to their leader in HCMC. The statement
by Liem's confidant that he has abandoned self-immolation as a
protest tactic is neither categorical nor public at this time.
The Hoa Hao will mark "Founders Day" June 13, a key date for the
sect and a sensitive one for the GVN due to the presumed
Communist role in the founder's disappearance. This will
provide an early opportunity to examine both side's intentions.
End Comment.
Winnick
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM SOCI PREL PREF KIRF PGOV VM
SUBJECT: HOA HAO STANDOFF ENDS PEACEFULLY
REF: HCMC 609 AND PREVIOUS
1. (SBU) In an interview with Radio Free Asia on June 10, Hoa
Hao dissident Le Quang Liem stated that he ordered his 16
followers to end their 11-day hunger strike in the Mekong
Delta's Dong Thap province (reftel). According to Liem, on June
8, three senior police officials met with him in HCMC for
several hours and promised that the GVN will consider the
demands of the group, including their request that an
investigation be conducted into earlier allegations of physical
assault against some of the followers. The followers reportedly
will not be punished for organizing the hunger strike. Liem
said he subsequently instructed the protestors to dissolve their
protest, but if the government "does not meet its promises," the
Hoa Hao will resume protests.
2. (SBU) On June 12, we spoke with Hai Ong, Chairman of the Dong
Thap provincial Committee for Religious Affairs. He confirmed
the peaceful end of the protest on June 8 but said he was not
aware of negotiation with Liem in HCMC. The day before the
protest dissolved, he had a "heart-to-heart" talk with the son
of the Hoa Hao leader at whose house the hunger strike was
taking place. Ong said he explained "the rights and wrongs" of
their protest and urged him to convince his father and followers
to stop the hunger strike. He said the authorities made no
promises to the protestors but would not punish them for the
protest.
3. (SBU) Also on June 12, a Hoa Hao contact close to Liem to us
that the Hoa Hao dissident has "changed his strategy" and that
"there will be no further self-immolations by the Hoa Hao in the
future." He said that the Hoa Hao would now conduct a peaceful
and non-violent struggle, but would need "USG support." That
said, Liem's supporters are unpredictable and he could not
guarantee that they would always follow his orders, the contact
told us.
4. (SBU) Comment: It appears that officials have defused a
potentially volatile and deadly conflict by reaching out to the
Hoa Hao in the Delta and to their leader in HCMC. The statement
by Liem's confidant that he has abandoned self-immolation as a
protest tactic is neither categorical nor public at this time.
The Hoa Hao will mark "Founders Day" June 13, a key date for the
sect and a sensitive one for the GVN due to the presumed
Communist role in the founder's disappearance. This will
provide an early opportunity to examine both side's intentions.
End Comment.
Winnick