Buddha's Birthday Commemorated in Vietnam, Amidst Controversy

ANCHOR: In Vietnam, Buddhists celebrate Vesak Day, the day when Buddha's birth, enlightenment and death are remembered. But with the celebrations come accusations of religious intolerance against those who don't follow the state sponsored religion. Here's more
STORY: Hundreds of monks in yellow, maroon and saffron robes mixed with
government officials and diplomats in suits in a Hanoi convention centre for
the week-long U.N. sponsored Vesak Day.
[The Most Ven Thich Thanh Tu, the Vice President of Vietnam Buddhist
Sangha]: "Buddhism came to Vietnam more than two thousand years
ago, but it's now that we have a such great celebration. This is also an
international celebration day, so it will have a great impact to the Vietnam
Buddhist Sangha and Vietnamese followers as well."
The event had been held since 1999 and has drawn more than 1,000 delegates to Hanoi.
But Buddhists opposed to state-sanctioned religion in Vietnam asked the U.N.
to call for the release of two prominent monks living under restrictions
in their pagodas.
The two monks are UBCV Supreme Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang and his
deputy Thich Quang Do.
A U.S. government panel and U.S.-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) this
month recommended that the U.S. State Department reinstate Vietnam on its list
of "countries of particular concern" for the worst abusers of
religious rights.
Western diplomats and rights groups say reports persist from remote
areas of harassment and imprisonment of followers of various
religions.
The government rejects the accusations and says its hosting of Vesak demonstrates its respect for
religious practices. Among religions, Buddhism has the most influence on
Vietnamese society with 85 million adherents.

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• ntd
• buddha
• vietnam
• vesak
• day
• religion
• monks
• hanoi