VZCZCXRO4896
RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHHI #0571/01 1360848
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 150848Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7833
INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH 4726
RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 000571 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MLS AND DRL/IRF 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KIRF PHUM PGOV VM
SUBJECT:  ZEN MASTER MEETS WITH AMBASSADOR 
 
REF:  07 Ho Chi Minh 0261 
 
HANOI 00000571  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: In a May 12 meeting with the Ambassador, the 
Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh noted improvements in religious freedom in 
Vietnam but said corruption and bureaucracy had hampered their 
visit.  Hanh and a delegation of the order of Lang Mai from France 
are visiting Vietnam to attend the United Nations Day of Vesak 
meetings in Hanoi May 14-17, 2008, and to hold religious retreats 
and meet with followers throughout the country.  His visits generate 
huge excitement amongst Buddhist followers in Vietnam, as he is seen 
as one of the world's leading Buddhist thinkers.  This time is no 
exception.  End Summary. 
 
Background: Long History of Promoting Peace 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Holding the title "Zen Master," Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh 
is considered one of the most prominent figures in the international 
Buddhist community after the Dali Lama.  A former member of the 
Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV), Thich Nhat Hanh went to 
the United States to study religion in 1961 and to teach at 
Princeton and Columbia Universities.  He returned to Vietnam in 1964 
and founded the Buddhist College in Saigon, which later became Van 
Hanh University.  In 1966, he again traveled to the United States, 
calling for U.S. withdraw from Vietnam.  As a result of his vocal 
opposition to the U.S. involvement in Vietnam, the then Government 
of South Vietnam refused him re-entry, effectively exiling him from 
the country. He ended up settling in France, and has built a global 
following. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The current Government of Vietnam (GVN) permitted Venerable 
Hanh to return to Vietnam in 2005, and again in 2007.  The UBCV has 
been reluctant to support Hanh, fearing his trips to Vietnam would 
be used as propaganda by the GVN.  During his first visit to Vietnam 
in 2005, Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang and Venerable Thich Quang Do of 
the UBCV refused to meet with him and the UBCV has repeatedly called 
on Hanh to make public statements against the Vietnamese 
government's record on religious freedom.  During his first and 
subsequent visits, Hanh has enjoyed increasing popularity amongst 
Buddhist followers in Vietnam and his lecturers are very well 
attended, particularly by young people.  On this visit, he again led 
a popular retreat, and plans a second following the UN Vesak 
celebrations. 
 
Zen Master Returns to Vietnam with Conditions 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) During his meeting with the Ambassador, Venerable Hanh 
detailed his history of travels to the U.S. to protest the Vietnam 
War, as well as his leadership of the Buddhist delegation to the 
Paris Peace talks and eventual establishing of an order in southern 
France.  Though he has been critical of Vietnam's communist 
government, Venerable Hanh's sometimes rocky relationship with the 
GVN seems to have improved somewhat in recent years.  Hanh stated 
that despite the GVN's unhappiness with his past criticisms, he was 
granted permission to teach, to have select titles of his books 
published in Vietnamese, and to have monastic and lay members of his 
Order accompany him around the country.  Hanh noted that he tries to 
be a voice of reconciliation in the community, supporting new monks 
in his order, conducting prayer ceremonies to help heal remaining 
wounds on all sides from the Vietnam War and leading retreats for 
monks and lay people. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Venerable Hanh stated that he agreed to attend the UN Vesak 
Day celebrations of the Buddha's birthday on the condition that his 
order be permitted to hold several retreats while in Vietnam.  He 
emphasized that he does not attend many international conferences, 
preferring the practice of Buddhism through study and retreats to 
the papers and speeches prevalent at conferences and seminars.  He 
went on to explain that he espouses an updated version of the 
Buddhist faith called "Engaged Buddhism" that practices mindfulness 
adapted to Western sensibilities. 
 
Conditions Improving, Corruption a Challenge for Religion 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Citing Vietnam's systemic corruption as the major challenge 
facing religious freedom in Vietnam, he and his followers shared 
details of a number of bureaucratic challenges thrown up by the GVN 
in connection with their visit: long delays for visas, police 
pressure on the hotel management to cancel the group's contract, 
cancellation of conference rooms, delays in getting the correct 
permits for the retreats, and attempts to charge unreasonable fees 
for services not provided or received.  However, after Venerable 
Hanh contacted "a friend" in the Office of the Prime Minister, most 
of the issues were resolved and the group was able to hold one 
retreat in Hanoi and plans to hold a second retreat in Hoi An 
following the UN Vesak celebrations.  Venerable Hanh noted that the 
GVN required both retreats and all other religious activities of the 
 
HANOI 00000571  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
group be conducted at Buddhist temples or pagodas, based on the fact 
that the group's visit was sponsored by the GVN-sanctioned Vietnam 
Buddhist Sangha. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Venerable Hanh expressed his view that although 
difficulties remain, conditions for religious groups in Vietnam are 
clearly improving.  Hanh also suggested that one of his future trips 
to Vietnam might be sponsored by the U.S. Embassy or the Embassy of 
France, in the hopes that he and his followers could conduct 
seminars, workshops and retreats outside of the Buddhist temples and 
pagodas. 
 
MICHALAK