On September 27, 2009 nearly 400 Buddhist monks and nuns were violently expelled from Bat Nha Monastery in the central highlands of Vietnam.
The Bat Nha monks and nuns, members of the Plum Village Tradition founded by zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, are now entering their 6th week of uncertain refuge at Phuoc Hue temple, Bao Loc.
They remain under strict police control and surveillance. Government authorities continue their campaign of defamatory propaganda against the innocent monks and nuns through newspapers, radio and loud-speaker broadcasts.
In recent days, local authorities have stepped up their determined efforts to disband the community. They have set an end-of-November deadline for the monks and nuns to disperse, threatening violence if they fail to do so. Monastics leaving Phuoc Hue to travel to other temples have been followed, harassed and had their papers confiscated. Meanwhile, police have been taking the details of monks aged 18-25 as part of the national military draft process.
The government of Vietnam seems set on persecuting this young community ‘to the end’, forcing the monks and nuns to discontinue their simple path of peace, non-violence and compassionate service to their country.
Source : helpbatnha.org
