American Buddhist Net

August 7, 2008

HANOI - VIETNAM has legalised some types of sex change surgery but will let government physicians have the final say on what gender a patient is, a health official in the communist country said on Thursday.

The decree published this week allows corrective surgery for hermaphrodites and people born with certain genital deformities, but not for people who are physically of one sex and request gender reassignment surgery.

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04/08/2008

The non-stop hustle and competitions of daily life have made people ignore themselves and the things around them. In the chaos of it all, everyone could benefit from a minute or two relaxing and musing on the life they are living.

The 63 photos in the Buddhist-themed exhibition Khoang Lang (The Tranquillity) hosted by HCM City Photographers’ Association depict and suggest the call for the restless to come back to their real, human livelihoods. They record the destinies of a handful of fates.

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Monks from the Viet Nam Buddhist Sangha’s Giac Ngo newspaper have taken students from around the country on an annual camping trip.

29/07/2008

Last weekend’s visit to the Giang Dien Waterfall in Dong Nai featured 1,200 students from 12 provinces and some foreign countries who learnt about Buddhism, including meditation.

The young campers were divided into four sub-groups named after Buddhism’s major doctrines – tu bi (compassion), tri tue (intelligence), tinh tan (industriousness), and thanh tinh (tranquillity).

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Written by Kay Kimsong
Friday, 11 July 2008

Cambodia urged to clear path for return of Khmer Krom activist Tim Sakhorn

The Khmer Krom Buddhist Monks’ Association and US-based Human Rights Watch have called on the Vietnamese authorities to lift any restrictions on the liberty of a monk who disappeared after being released from prison in Vietnam late last month.

Tim Sakhorn, 40, a member of the Khmer Krom minority that lives in southern Vietnam and Cambodia, was released from prison on June 28 after serving nearly nine months of a year-long sentence for “undermining national unity.”

...Following his release from prison, Sakhorn was taken by Vietnamese officials to his home village in An Giang province, where residents said he was presented with a plot of land and a big house in what was seen as an attempt to persuade him to remain in Vietnam. But after only a few hours at the village, residents said he was taken away and has not been seen since.

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HANOI (AFP) — Thousands of followers on Friday mourned the death of Vietnam's top dissident Buddhist monk Thich Huyen Quang at a funeral at his pagoda in central Vietnam, supporters, a witness and an official said.

Quang, who died last Saturday aged 87 after decades of internal exile, led the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV), which has refused to come under state control and was effectively outlawed in the early 1980s.

"Thousands of people and followers were at the funeral, many of them Buddhist monks wearing their robes," said the Vietnamese eye-witness, who asked not to be identified. "The funeral was organised by his followers."

A provincial official, speaking to AFP on condition he not be named, said: "No representative from the Vietnamese government attended the funeral."

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HANOI (AFP) — A US-based human rights group Wednesday called on communist Vietnam not to interfere with the funeral of a leading Buddhist dissident monk who died last weekend after decades of internal exile.

Thich Huyen Quang, the patriarch of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV), which has refused to come under communist state control and was outlawed in the early 1980s, died last Saturday aged 87.

"Members of the banned Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam should be allowed to organise and attend funeral services for their patriarch without government interference," New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) said.

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Mon Jul 7, 2008

HANOI (Reuters) - Police have detained two custodians who were about to harvest their first crop of cannabis, a source of drugs like hashish and marijuana, from a cemetery in Vietnam's capital, a state-run newspaper reported on Monday.

Police took in Nguyen Manh Hung, 44, who heads the caretaker team at the cemetery in Hanoi's outer district of Hoang Mai, and Ho A Lau, 46, after the authorities found cannabis plants grown on a 25 square metre (82 square feet) patch, the Vietnam Labour Confederation-run Lao Dong newspaper said.

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Where in Asia do people eat dog meat?

Monday July 7, 2008
By MAJORIE CHIEW

...In recent times, the bulk of dog meat has been produced commercially by dog breeding farms. Various breeds are reared but many farmers prefer St Bernards for their rapid growth, bulk and flavour. Today, however, they appear to have fallen from favour because of their substantial feeding costs.

Farmed dogs endure short, cramped, miserable lives. Brutal death awaits them. Many are said to be tortured or bled to death slowly. This results in adrenaline-rich meat which, according to folklore, makes men who eat it more virile.

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By MARGIE MASON – 6 hours ago

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Thich Huyen Quang, the patriarch of an outlawed Buddhist church in Vietnam who spent more than two decades in and out of house arrest, died Saturday after months of ailing health. He was 87.

The leader of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam died of multiple organ failure a day after being transferred from a hospital to his monastery at his request, said Penelope Faulkner of the International Buddhist Information Bureau in Paris, which speaks for the outlawed church.

An outspoken proponent of religious freedom and human rights, Quang had long been confined to the Nguyen Thieu Monastery in the southern province of Binh Dinh.

"He was a real pioneer, and that's why Vietnam kept him isolated and they wanted to keep him out of the way," she said. "He kept determined to the very end."

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HANOI (AFP) — Thich Huyen Quang, the head of the Vietnamese Buddhist movement that has refused to come under communist government control, died on Saturday aged 87, his supporters said in a statement from Paris.

"Most Venerable Thich Huyen Quang, 4th Supreme Patriarch of the outlawed Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV), passed away today at the Nguyen Thieu monastery," said the International Buddhist Information Bureau.

He died peacefully at his monastery in central Binh Dinh province, where he had returned from hospital Friday at his own request after spending more than a month in intensive care for heart, lung and kidney ailments, the bureau said.

His death was announced by the UBCV's deputy leader Thich Quang Do, the presumed successor, who has like Quang spent decades under house arrest and police surveillance, and who led a morning prayer ceremony for Quang.

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HANOI (AFP) — Human Rights Watch called on communist Vietnam Thursday to lift any restrictions on the liberty of an activist Buddhist monk who disappeared on the day he was released from prison last week.

Tim Sakhorn, an activist for the Khmer Krom ethnic Cambodian minority of southern Vietnam, was freed Saturday, but his whereabouts were unknown since he was last seen together with government officials, the rights group said.

"While his release from prison is welcome, as a peaceful activist and human rights defender, Tim Sakhorn should never have been imprisoned in the first place," said Brad Adams, Asia director of the New York-based group.

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Human Rights Defender Released from Prison, but Whereabouts Unknown

July 3, 2008

The Vietnamese authorities should immediately lift any restrictions on the liberty of Buddhist monk Tim Sakhorn, who was released from prison in Vietnam on June 28, 2008, Human Rights Watch said today. Sakhorn’s whereabouts are unknown. He was last seen in the company of government officials.

On June 30, 2007, authorities in Cambodia arrested and defrocked Sakhorn and sent him to Vietnam. On November 8, 2007, a criminal court in An Giang province sentenced Sakhorn to one year of imprisonment on charges of “undermining national unity” under article 87 of Vietnam’s penal code. Sakhorn reportedly had no legal representation during his trial. Human Rights Watch said that the politically motivated prosecution of Sakhorn was a thinly veiled attempt by the Vietnamese and Cambodian governments to stop peaceful dissent by the Khmer Krom minority in both countries.

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By Andrew Harding
BBC News in Haiphong, Vietnam
23 June 2008

Tran Trong Duyet - a sprightly retiree and amateur ballroom dancer - must rank as one of John McCain's more unlikely supporters.

Four decades ago, during the Vietnam war, Mr Duyet was in charge of the notorious Hoa Lo prison - the place where Mr McCain says he was brutally beaten and tortured during five-and-a-half years as an American prisoner of war.

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18/06/2008 (GMT+7)

VietNamNet Bridge – As many as 276 places of worship of the Hoa Hao Buddhism sect in 14 central and southern provinces and cities will organise grand ceremonies to celebrate the sect’s 69th founding anniversary falling on the 18th day of the fifth lunar month (June 21).

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29/05/2008

...Vietnamese people are deeply fond of this 1,000-year old art form, which is also arguably the only performance art that has proved popular with foreign audiences. “While the lack of audiences is the toughest problem for most traditional arts such as Cheo, Tuong or Cai Luong, for puppetry it is a lack of manpower,” says Nguyen Thuy Nga, the deputy head of Central Puppetry Theatre’s Art Management Division.

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These guys are good riders and I admire their skills. This used to be a common sight in Taiwan, but no longer. ABN
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05/14/2008 - 15:44.

One thing I could never get over in Viet Nam was the sheer variety of things people carried on their motorbikes. Whether panes of glass, crates of eggs, animals, washing machines or even refrigerators it was all fair game!

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Patrick Goodenough

(CNSNews.com) - A U.N.-sponsored international event marking the Buddhist religion's "contribution to building a just, democratic and civilized society" has begun in Vietnam, but critics are questioning the suitability of the venue, given the communist government's record on religious freedom and political dissent.

More than 4,000 Buddhist leaders from dozens of countries are expected to attend the May 13-17 U.N. Vesak celebration being co-hosted by the Vietnamese government, the country's official Buddhist organization, and an international organizing committee.

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10-05-2008
by Thu Huong

HCM CITY — Selling kidneys for cash has been a decade-long global concern. But to most poor Vietnamese who regularly sell their blood at HCM City’s hospitals, the illegal trade in kidneys was virtually unknown – until now.

The recent case of 22-year-old To Cong Luan, who sold one of his kidneys in China and is now in a critical condition, has served as a warning to the public about the high risks of such a surgical procedure.

...When [Luan] learned that people could sell their kidneys for VND70 million (US$4,375) in China, Luan crossed the northern border to Guangdong Province in December to have an operation.

Two months later, he was returned to Viet Nam in a vegetative state and later sent to HCM City-based Cho Ray Hospital, where doctors said several incisions on his abdomen indicated that the surgery in China had been improperly done. Luan is now severely brain-damaged and in a state of semi-consciousness, doctors have said.

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Buddhists Remain Behind Bars While Vietnam Hosts UN Buddhist Celebration

(New York, May 8, 2008) – As Vietnam prepares to host the United Nations Day of Visak next week, one of the most sacred days for Buddhists, the government should cease the persecution, harassment and imprisonment of Buddhists and other independent religious groups, Human Rights Watch said today. More than 400 people remain behind bars in Vietnam for their peaceful religious or political activities.
As a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and other human rights covenants, Vietnam must respect freedom of religious belief and worship.

“It is a travesty that Vietnam has been allowed to host a major international Buddhist celebration while its state policy is political control of every religious organization –Vietnam continues to systematically imprison and persecute independent Buddhists as well as followers of other religions,” said Elaine Pearson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “All members of the United Nations must respect freedom of religious belief and worship. Vietnam, now a member of the Security Council, should be exemplary – not among the worst – in this regard.”

Human Rights Watch also urged the United States to reinstate Vietnam on its global blacklist of countries that violate the right to religious freedom.

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29 Apr 2008

The Olympic torch has arrived in Vietnam as controversy continues to dog the run-up to the Beijing Games.

Crowds of supporters gathered at the airport in Ho Chi Minh City to greet the flame, waving the flags of Vietnam, China and the 2008 Olympics.

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By VU TIEN HONG – 25 minutes ago

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Vietnam is ending a child adoption agreement with the United States after being accused of allowing baby-selling and corruption, officials said Monday.

...The decision was made following a report from the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi that was first obtained by The Associated Press, alleging pervasive corruption and baby-selling in Vietnam's adoption system.

The report lists cases in which infants were sold or birth mothers were pressured to give up their babies. In some other cases it describes brokers going to villages in search for babies who could be possibly put up for adoption.

It also says some American adoption agencies have been paying orphanage directors for referrals, and some others have bribed orphanage officials by taking them on shopping sprees and junkets to the United States in return for a flow of babies.

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April 23, 2008

Nhan Dan- A symphony on Buddha by Vietnamese French composer Nguyen Thien Dao will be played at the closing ceremony of the UN Vesak festival or Buddha Day 2008 which is scheduled to take place in May. Composer Nguyen Thien Dao shared his opinion on the music work.

...“While symphonies honouring the Catholic God have existed since the 7th century, this is the first time in history a symphony on Buddha has been composed,” he said.

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April 16, 2008

(AP) -- Researchers from the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo have discovered a rare giant turtle in northern Vietnam - a find that carries great scientific and cultural significance. Swinhoe's soft-shell turtle was previously thought to be extinct in the wild. Three other turtles of the species are in captivity, said experts from the Zoo's Asian turtle program.

...There have been rumors for years of a mythical creature living deep in the waters of a northern Vietnam lake. Some in a village west of Hanoi claimed to be blessed by catching a glimpse of it's concave shell as it crested above the surface of their lake.

A national legend tells of a giant golden turtle that bestowed upon the Vietnamese people a magic sword and victory over Chinese invaders in the 16th century. Whether that sacred turtle has materialized in the 21st century will be a matter of cultural debate among the Vietnamese.

"This is one of those mythical species that people always talked about but no one ever saw," said Geoff Hall, zoo general curator.

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Friday, April 11, 2008

Vietnamese toddler Phung Thien Nhan, not yet two years old, is a born survivor whose horrific story and cheeky smile have touched hearts and drawn offers of support from across the nation.

Many people here remember reading about Nhan in newspapers back in 2006 after he was abandoned after birth by his teenage mother in a remote and poor central mountain area.

Dumped outside the family shack and left to die, hidden under papaya leaves and bamboo, the newborn was mauled by a wild animal, most likely a dog, that chewed off his right leg and badly savaged his groin.

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March 30, 2008
By NORIMITSU ONISHI

KWANGMYONG, South Korea — The two couples’ baby girls were born last month only two days apart, the younger one on the morning of the Lunar New Year. Each girl, everyone later agreed, had her Korean father’s forehead and her Vietnamese mother’s nose.

It was one year ago that the girls’ fathers had gone to Vietnam and, in the first two hours of a five-day marriage tour, plucked their mothers out of two dozen prospective brides at the Lucky Star karaoke bar in Hanoi.

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