The religious news of November 2024 includes the following major events:
Laos forced the deportation of 10 followers of Bà Cô Dợ back to Việt Nam.
Three handwritten letters believed to be from Thích Minh Tuệ emerge.
New information related to Tịnh Thất Bồng Lai.
Laos Targets Bà Cô Dợ Community with Recent Deportations of 10 Followers
On Nov. 16, the Lao authorities returned 10 followers of the Bà Cô Dợ religion to Vietnam due to their having illegally crossed the border into Laos.
It is known that these followers, who are from Lai Châu Province, were detected as soon as they entered Laos. It is possible that they illegally crossed the border to escape religious persecution in Vietnam.
Lai Châu is one of the northern provinces that has been actively cracking down on the activities of independent religions, and as a result, many followers have fled to neighboring countries out of fear of religious persecution.
For example, in January 2023, the Lai Châu Provincial Police reported that 70 Hmong people had sought asylum in Thailand between 2012 and 2023.
Three Handwritten Letters Believed to be from Thích Minh Tuệ Emerge.
From Nov. 13-26, social media was abuzz when the Gia Lai Newspaper unexpectedly published three letters believed to have been written by Thích Minh Tuệ long after his disappearance.
Specifically, on Nov. 13, Gia Lai Newspaper published the first handwritten letter. In the letter, Thích Minh Tuệ requested that his image not be posted on social media and asked that people not gather in large crowds when he appeared to ensure traffic safety.
However, many doubted the authenticity of this letter, with some claiming that the content did not align with Thích Minh Tuệ's former style and views.
On Nov. 17, another handwritten letter also believed to be written by Thích Minh Tuệ, surfaced. This letter bore the signature "Minh Tuệ" and the red seal of Phát Tâm Thiên Định Tuệ Co., Ltd. (a company that is owned by Thích Minh Tuệ’s brother.) In the letter, he announced the temporary suspension of his alms collection due to the "complicated social conditions and political security situation which were unsuitable for practicing the alms-seeking lifestyle”. On the same day, he also issued a citizen's power of attorney for his brother, Lê Anh Tuấn, and Phát Tâm Thiên Định Tuệ Co., Ltd.
On Nov. 26, Gia Lai Newspaper published the third handwritten letter. In the letter, Thích Minh Tuệ expressed his desire to walk to India, the homeland of the Buddha.
Thích Minh Tuệ's real name is Lê Anh Tú. He became an internet sensation in April 2024 due to his pilgrimage across Vietnam. On May 16, 2024, the Vietnam Buddhist Association confirmed that he was not a Buddhist monk and accused some individuals of exploiting his image to distort the life of Buddhist monks.
Vĩnh Long Sentences Nine Khmer Krom Buddhist Followers
From Nov. 25 to 26, the People's Court of Vĩnh Long Province held trials for nine Khmer Krom Buddhist followers. They were sentenced to prison terms ranging from two to six years under Article 331 and Article 157 of the Penal Code.
According to state media, this group had built an illegal structure (the nature of which is unclear) on a rice field belonging to Thạch Thị Ôi in Loan Mỹ Commune, Tam Bình District.
The People's Court of Tam Bình District ruled that they must return the land to Ôi. However, the followers argued that the land was donated by Thạch Thị Xà Bách (Ôi's sister) for the construction of a lecture hall, and thus, they did not comply with the court’s order, resulting in a prolonged dispute.
In addition to this case, the followers had multiple conflicts with the local authorities. Notably, in November 2023, the followers clashed with a working group from the Tam Bình District People's Committee at Đại Thọ Pagoda.
The authorities accused Thạch Chanh Đa Ra, who identified himself as the head monk of the pagoda, of assaulting and injuring members of the working group, locking them inside the pagoda, and preventing them from leaving. He also allegedly posted content on Facebook that defamed the authorities.
In March 2024, the Vĩnh Long provincial authorities arrested several of these Khmer Krom Buddhist followers on charges of "abusing democratic freedoms, violating the interests of the State, and the legal rights of organizations and individuals" under Article 331, and "kidnapping or unlawfully detaining a person" under Article 157 of the Penal Code.
Earlier, in February, the People's Court of Mỹ Xuyên District, Sóc Trăng Province, sentenced Danh Minh Quang to 3 years and 6 months in prison under Article 331 of the Penal Code. He was accused of using his personal Facebook account to post, share, and livestream content related to human rights and Khmer Buddhism.
Similarly, in March, the People's Court of Cầu Ngang District, Trà Vinh Province, sentenced Thạch Cương, 36, to four years in prison and Tô Hoàng Chương, 37, to 3 years and 6 months in prison, also under Article 331 of the Penal Code.
Currently, Vietnam has several special policies for the Khmer Krom community. Many followers have fled to Cambodia, believing they are being oppressed and discriminated against.
New Information Related to Tịnh Thất Bồng Lai
Tịnh Thất Bồng Lai is an independent, unregistered religious group in Vietnam that blends Buddhist practices with media outreach and has been at the center of legal and social controversies.
On Oct 30, the group of lawyers defending the members of Tịnh Thất Bồng Lai alleged that Lê Thanh Nhất Nguyên had been mistreated in prison. According to RFA, Lê Thanh Nhất Nguyên had multiple wounds on his face and signs indicating that he was deprived of his religious freedom or belief.
In July 2022, the People's Court of Đức Hòa District, Long An Province, tried and sentenced six members of Tịnh Thất Bồng Lai (also known as "Thiền am bên bờ vũ trụ") to a total of 23 years and 6 months in prison. The defendants were convicted under Article 331 of the Vietnamese Penal Code for the offense of "abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the state and the legal rights of organizations and individuals."
Among them, Lê Thanh Nhất Nguyên was sentenced to four years in prison. During the trial, Nguyên mentioned that he had been coerced, tortured, and abused during his detention. However, he was unable to provide evidence as required by the court.
Followers of Cao Đài Chơn Truyền 1926 and Cao Đài 1997 Clash
On Nov. 1, a video was shared on Facebook allegedly showing a clash between followers of Cao Đài Chơn Truyền 1926 and Cao Đài 1997 at a funeral in Tây Ninh Province.
According to an investigation by reporters from Luật Khoa, the family of the deceased invited followers of Cao Đài Chơn Truyền 1926 to conduct the ceremony, which led to a clash with the Cao Đài 1997 group.
Cao Đài Chơn Truyền 1926 is an independent religious organization in Vietnam. Information suggests that followers often face harassment and discrimination from the authorities.
Hải Dương Prosecutes Three Followers of the Năng lượng gốc Trống Đồng Việt Nam
On Nov. 10, the Hải Dương Provincial Police announced that they had transferred the case file to prosecute three core members of the Năng lượng gốc Trống đồng Việt Nam organization for the crime of "illegally transmitting information via computer networks or telecommunications networks" under Clause 2, Article 288 of the Penal Code.
Năng lượng gốc Trống Đồng Việt Nam (NLG) is an organization founded by Lê Văn Phúc, a Vietnamese national residing in the United States, that claims to harness a universal energy to heal various ailments without medical intervention.
According to the authorities, this group of followers created Zalo groups, YouTube channels, and Facebook pages with a total of over 55,000 members to spread their illegal religious teachings.
In addition, authorities accuse Năng lượng gốc Trống đồng Việt Nam of being a heretical sect that causes psychological confusion and negatively affects the health and family happiness of its followers.
This organization was founded by Lê Văn Phúc (born in 1956, an American citizen originally from Đồng Nai Province). In June 2020, he was appointed head of the Original Energy Department at the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Human Potential Consultation and Application under the Institute for Human Potential Research and Application. However, by October 2021, this appointment was revoked, and several staff members at the center were disciplined.
Tuyên Quang: No Independent Religious Organizations Left in the Area
On November 19, Nhan Dan newspaper reported that Tuyên Quang Province had completely eliminated all independent religious organizations. According to the article, by June, the province had dismantled 12 independent religious groups, completing the task 76 days ahead of schedule.
Over the past 12 years, the local government has taken many actions to shut down the operations of independent religious organizations.
In May 2022, the People's Court of Hàm YênDistrict sentenced 15 Hmong followers of the Dương Văn Mình religion to over 38 years in prison and fined them 285 million dong ($11,044). The charges included "resisting officials on duty" and "violating safety regulations in crowded places."
