[Kính xin quý Đồng hương in thêm -hay cắt thêm từ báo- Thỉnh Nguyện nầy, xin nhiều chữ ký gởi Quốc Hội Úc, để ủng hộ Tự Do Tôn Giáo và Phật Giáo ở quê nhà. Xin gởi đến Tu viện Vạn Hạnh trước 18/10/07]

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PETITION

to Encourage Religious Freedom in Vietnam and Protect the Life of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam’s leadership.

To the Honourable Speaker and Members of the House of Representatives assembled in Parliament:

This petition of certain concerned citizens of Australia draws to the attention of the House

the grave and continuing abuses of religious freedom in Vietnam perpetrated by the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV) which has continuously imposed its brutal oppressions onto all religions in Vietnam, particularly to the Buddhist community, by means of official policy and hostile practices applicable since 1954 in North Vietnam, and from 1975 in South Vietnam, with a view to:

(a) banning the traditional Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV), denying its legal status, prohibiting its legitimate activities, detaining most of its leading clergy to prevent their normal religious duties, and confiscating its properties for political or economic usages;

(b) Politicising the State-controlled Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) by way of overt and covert interventions into, and exercise of its unwarranted veto power over, all of its internal and external activities.

Your Petitioners therefore request that the House to:

(1) Send a strong message and warning to the Government of the SRV requesting it to democratise its governing system, to accept the multi-layer operations of faith communities in Vietnam and to cease its discriminatory policy and practices by giving favours to one Buddhist group and penalising the others.

(2) Request the concrete action from the Government of Australia, by exercising the advantages of its bilateral relations with Vietnam, as a trade partner and development aids donor, to demand the Government of SRV to:

            (a) stop its unreasonable restrictions imposed unto the UBCV religious, educational and social / charitable activities, and lift all unfair detention orders against many leading members of the UBCV clergy, especially the Most Venerables Thich Huyen Quang and Thich Quang Do, Venerable Thich Khong Tanh, and others.

            (b) recognise the UBCV legal status and its 1973 Charter; allow the UBCV lawful activities in the spirit of the 1992 Constitution of the SRV (which guarantees religious freedom in principle but fails to observe in practice) and other government decrees (which purport to respect human rights); repeal all judicial and administrative measures used to control and manipulate all ‘State-recognised’ religious groups; and cease its interferences into all Buddhist groups making way for those Churches to be self-reconstructed, self-governed and be able to conduct socially benefiting activities.

Sign the Petition: Supporting the religious freedom practice in Vietnam.

Please collect signatures and return the signed petition (copy forms for more signatures if necessary) to: Venerable THICH QUANG BA, Van Hanh Monastery, PO box 1004 Dickson ACT 2602 (for submitting to Parliament House by 18/10/07 or earlier if possible). Contact 0412-224553.
email: quangba@tpg.com.au

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