Religion Bulletin - August 2024 Venerable Thich Minh Dao Leaves The Vietnam Buddhist Sangha; Authorities Continue To Suppress Falun Gong
Surprise Religious Inspections
The Ministry of Home Affairs, along with several other ministries, has formed three inspection teams to carry out sudden checks at some religious establishments in Quảng Ninh, Bà Rịa - Vũng Tàu, and Hồ Chí Minh City. These inspections aim to check compliance with laws on religion.
For example, in Bà Rịa - Vũng Tàu Province, an inspection team recorded reports about some monks preaching in ways that went against Buddhist teachings, promoting superstition, and causing discomfort and anger in the community.
The authorities will collaborate with the Standing Board of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha to manage monks and correct activities that do not follow the Sangha's charter and rules and the laws on religion.
Earlier, the authorities asked the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in Bà Rịa - Vũng Tàu to discipline Venerable Thích Chân Quang and Venerable Thích Nhuận Đức for allegedly preaching superstitious beliefs and speaking disrespectfully about Khmer people. After that, the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha banned Thích Chân Quang from organizing large gatherings at Phật Quang Pagoda and other places for two years. Meanwhile, Thích Nhuận Đức was indefinitely banned from giving sermons.
Meanwhile, the spiritual phenomenon regarding Trương Thị Hương in Hải Dương, known for her famous saying “accept if right, argue if wrong,” is now facing administrative fines and possible criminal charges.
These recent government measures have raised suspicions that the authorities are discriminating in handling cases related to alleged superstitions.
An Independent Protestant Believer Arrested
On Aug. 14, 2024, the Security Investigation Agency of the Đắk Lắk Provincial Police arrested Y Pŏ Mlô, accusing him of "Undermining the national unity policy" under Article 116 of the Penal Code.
According to the authorities, Y Pŏ Mlô had contacted and received instructions from Y Min Alur, Y Thanh Êban, and Y Pher Hdruê (who are believed to be members of the Fulro organization in Thailand) to spread propaganda, distort information, incite division, and undermine religious and ethnic unity, as well as to oppose the party and the state. However, Y Min Alur and Y Pher Hdruê denied these accusations.
Since the attack on the police headquarters in Đắk Lắk in 2023, the authorities have increased prosecutions against independent Protestant believers. They are accused of abusing their right to free expression, especially in activities advocating for religious freedom.
A Monk Leaves the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha
On Aug. 12, 2024, Venerable Thích Minh Đạo, a monk belonging to the state-run Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, announced that he was leaving the monkhood and returning his robes, alms bowl, monk registration, ordination certificate, and Buddhist studies diploma.
In a video posted on social media, Thích Minh Đạo appeared wearing colorful clothing similar to Thích Minh Tuệ, who was known as the “walking monk” in Vietnam for the last seven years, and officially declared that he had taken off his robes.
However, about two weeks later, the Standing Committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in Bà Rịa - Vũng Tàu sent a document to request the People’s Committee of Phú Mỹ Town and the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs to check the legality of child care and support activities at Thích Minh Đạo’s monastery. This caused public dissatisfaction and raised concerns that the fate of the monastery might be similar to that of Tịnh Thất Bồng Lai where the people of this temple were prosecuted and sentenced under Article 331.
In May 2024, the official Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in Bà Rịa - Vũng Tàu disciplined Thích Minh Đạo, requiring that he undergo two months of review and repentance for statements related to Thích Minh Tuệ.
Since the appearance of Thích Minh Tuệ, many people have used his image to criticize the monastic life of monks under the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha. In response, the Sangha issued a document asking followers to stop the wave of public opinion that insulted the monks they manage. However, many followers did not comply and continued to support and follow Thích Minh Tuệ. Venerable Thích Minh Đạo is a clear example of being that follower.
A Member of Tịnh Thất Bồng Lai Passes Away
At the end of July 2024, Lê Thu Vân, a member of Tịnh Thất Bồng Lai Temple, passed away at the age of 65.
According to the authorities, Lê Thu Vân was the seventh person persecuted in the Tịnh Thất Bồng Lai Temple case and an accomplice of Lê Tùng Vân. In May 2022, Lê Thu Vân was prosecuted for “abusing democratic freedoms to infringe on the interests of the state and the lawful rights and interests of organizations and individuals.”
However, at that time, Lê Thu Vân was not present at Tịnh Thất Bồng Lai Temple. In April 2024, the authorities in Long An Province prosecuted Lê Tùng Vân, the head of Tịnh Thất Bồng Lai Temple, on the charge of incest, after claiming that they had gathered evidence confirming that he had an incestuous relationship with his biological daughter, Lê Thanh Kỳ Duyên. This raised doubts about the validity of the DNA test results conducted by the authorities nearly two years earlier.
Two Districts in Hà Giang Province Announce There Are No More Followers of the San Sư Khẻ Tọ Religion
Authorities in Hà Giang Province announced that there are no longer any followers of the San Sư Khẻ Tọ religion in Yên Minh and Mèo Vạc districts.
San Sư Khẻ Tọ is a little-known Vietnamese folk religious sect originating in the northern mountainous regions. It blends elements of ancestor worship, animism, and indigenous spiritual practices. Largely undocumented in official records, the sect is practiced discreetly within close-knit local communities.
Previously, there were 33 households in Mèo Vạc and 234 households in Yên Minh that followed the San Sư Khẻ Tọ religion.
Since the end of 2023, the authorities in Hà Giang have continuously launched campaigns and propaganda efforts to persuade people to abandon the San Sư Khẻ Tọ religion. They stated that all followers in these two districts have voluntarily given up the religion and returned to traditional customs.
Earlier, in April 2024, the authorities of Hà Giang also announced the complete elimination of the San Sư Khẻ Tọ religion in Đồng Văn district.
The suppression of San Sư Khẻ Tọ is part of Project No. 23-DA/TU and Resolution No. 27 by the Hà Giang authorities, aimed at eradicating “heretical” religions in the province.
The San Sư Khẻ Tọ religion is one of the religions that are not permitted to operate in Vietnam. The authorities regard the religion as heretical and have sought to suppress, condemn, and eliminate it.
Continued Suppression of Falun Gong
On Aug. 6, 2024, the Ministry of Home Affairs announced that it would direct government agencies to prevent the formation of illegal organizations by Falun Gong practitioners and that it would apply measures against adherents.
In addition, the ministry stated that Falun Gong does not meet the government conditions required to be recognized as a religion. Falun Gong practitioners have never requested official recognition as a religion
Falun Gong was founded by Li Hongzhi in China in 1992 and was introduced into Vietnam in the 2000s. Currently, it is estimated that more than 7,000 people practice Falun Gong at 565 practice sites across the country. Similar to China, the Vietnamese government has regarded Falun Gong as a heretical group and has continuously sought to prevent the movement and to suppress its practitioners.