Vietnamese Monk Dies in Fiery Protest in U.S.

Reuters ^ | 12/27/2003

[Born Conservative]

MIAMI (Reuters) - An elderly Vietnamese monk set himself alight in a Buddhist temple in the United States to protest at the lack of religious freedom and demand democracy in his communist homeland, a follower said on Saturday. Thich Chan Hy, 74, killed himself in front of a statue of Avalokita Bodhisattva, a figure of compassion, before daybreak on Christmas Eve, said Phuong Huynh, a youth group leader at the Lien Ha temple in Charlotte-Mecklenburg in North Carolina.

"He left a letter to his master on a scroll...with three wishes that he had given up his life for," Huynh told Reuters.

"The three reasons were I wish that all the people living in Vietnam be entitled to freedom of religion and belief, I wish that all the people in Vietnam be entitled to human rights and democracy, and I wish that Vietnam will preserve its sovereignty of its lands and sea borders."

Hanoi recognizes six religions and permits only a single official representative group of each to operate.

The country has been condemned by foreign governments and organizations for cracking down on an outlawed Buddhist group, the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam.

Hy's last wish was in reference to a border dispute with China, Huynh said.

Hy had been the spiritual leader of the Lien Ha temple for a decade and had never shown any inclination that he might one day resort to self-immolation as a form of protest. He spent years in a re-education camp in Vietnam after the communist north took over the south, and immigrated to the United States in 1991.

"He is an older man and all the time that I have known him he has always been so happy and gentle," said Huynh. "It all came as a big surprise to all of us."

[jimtorr]

You staged your protest in the wrong country, Mr. Hy. We already tried telling Vietnam to what to do, and much of the world rallied to their defense.

You should have tried complaining to Jane Fonda. I think John Kerry was involved with Vietnam once, too.

[martin_fierro]

"No, I think we have to go all out. I think that this situation absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody's part."

-- Otter, Animal House

[sgtbono2002]

Too bad some American protesters from Hollywood cant choose this way of protesting , a few names come to mind, one of them thinks she can sing.

[Free Trapper]

Dang,I figured they'd done enough of these self immolations during our war in Vietnam.

[Cvengr]

If he ever had faith in God through the Son, then he's received eternal life and merely committed a sin unto death where God no longer had any good usefulness for him prior to His first death because of his deep rebellion from God. If he rejected Jesus Christ and never had faith in the Son, then he merely accelerated his ultimate destination for an eternal firey torment and good riddance.

[angkor]

You staged your protest in the wrong country, Mr. Hy.

Hanoi pays close attention to the workings of the Viet Khieu, or overseas Vietnamese, because the send about $5 or $6 billion annually to their families still in Vietnam. In fact Hanoi is a little bit scared of them.

And they'll take note of this because it'll be on the front page of the several dozen Vietnamese newspapers published in America every weekend.

[angkor]

If he rejected Jesus Christ and never had faith in the Son, then he merely accelerated his ultimate destination for an eternal firey torment and good riddance.

Surely you don't really mean that. If so, it's a very sick sentiment toward a man trying to attain religious freedom.

[jimtorr]

Hanoi pays close attention to the workings of the Viet Khieu, or overseas Vietnamese, because the send about $5 or $6 billion annually to their families still in Vietnam. In fact Hanoi is a little bit scared of them.

Thanks for the information. I retract half of my statement on suiciding in the wrong country.

[Cvengr]

Only in faith through the perfect sacrifice will we be recogized for having anything of perfect righteousness by God through the Son. Without anything of perfect righteousness, we will be judged as simply good for nothing and cast into the Lake of Fire, a place which burns everlasting.

Our seeking religious freedom doesn't obtain salvation. Only faith in God through the Son provides a way to approach the Father.

Human good without any Divine Good is merely used by the Adversary to promote evil.

[Cagey]

If he rejected Jesus Christ and never had faith in the Son, then he merely accelerated his ultimate destination for an eternal firey torment and good riddance.

And, do you include Jews and Hindus along with this Buddihist?

[mhking]

Darwin's been busy, huh?

Just damn.

If you want on the new list, FReepmail me. This IS a high-volume PING list...

[angkor]

Our seeking religious freedom doesn't obtain salvation.

But surely it warrants something more than "good riddance" from the righteous and saved folks such as yourself?

That is what you said, yes? "Good riddance"? To a Buddhist monk?

[Lockbar]

I like the idea of the "Nose", and Alex Baldwin, too. Why can't they set the standard, and show everybody that they really care? We could make it a documentary: "Hollyweird Burning".

[verity]

Old habits die hard.

[ThanhPhero]

You staged your protest in the wrong country,

Ong Hy knew what he was about. He knew his target.The communists will take note. They want no disaffection in the overseas community. The Viet Khieu are the basis of their economy. Those remittances have not only provided cash to keep things lubricated but that cash has been the seed money for many small and some larger businesses that the government knows it needs because it knows that Viet Nam must attain some sort of prosperity- a strong econoomy to resist China. They don't quite know how to go about it and not lose their own power and position, though, and probably they can't.

[NYpeanut]

Set himself alight, huh? Boy, that will teach us.

[angkor]

They don't quite know how to go about it and not lose their own power and position, though, and probably they can't.

Absolutely correct on every point, and particularly this last one.

As the old fogies in Hanoi fade away, things are getting better and better in VN. Slowly but surely.

I was in Saigon last month when the USS Vandergrift docked. It was terrifically moving and definitely illustrated the gradual changes in Hanoi.

Yeah, the Viet Khieu wield immense influence on the Hanoi government. But I think also the younger generation in Hanoi (many of whom were educated in Australia, Europe, and even the States) have been saying to oldsters like General Giap, "Thanks a lot guys for your many contributions to VN. Now it's time for us to move on. This isn't 1954 or 1975 anymore."

[angkor]

Boy, that will teach us.

It's normally a good idea to read the article before posting.

He was making a point to the Hanoi government, not to "us."

[ladyrustic]

You obviously didn't read the article.