As Europe strengthens its ties with Vietnam, the Netherlands-based Vietnamese Zen monk and author Cuong Lu addresses an open letter directly to party leader Tô Lâm, urging him to no longer place fear and repression above wisdom and compassion. He calls for an end to the repression of independent Buddhist communities.
Disciple of Thích Nhất Hạnh, Cuong Lu calls on Tô Lâm to stop the repression of Buddhism.
Read the full letter written by Cuong Lu to party leader Tô Lâm.
Open letter
Video message Cuong Lu
Zen teacher Cuong Lu was urgently admitted to a hospital in the Netherlands with symptoms that may indicate poisoning, prompting an official investigation by the Dutch police and forensic analysis of samples.
The incident occurred three weeks after he published an open letter to Vietnamese Secretary-General Tô Lâm, in which he called for an end to the repression of independent Buddhist communities and for genuine religious freedom.
The incident occurred three weeks after he published an open letter to Vietnamese Secretary-General Tô Lâm, in which he called for an end to the repression of independent Buddhist communities and for genuine religious freedom.
In the letter, he reiterated proposals first made by his teacher, Thích Nhất Hạnh, during his return to Vietnam in 2005—proposals that later led to escalating tensions and the violent expulsion of more than 300 monks and nuns from the Bát Nhã Monastery in 2009.
Human Rights Watch later described the incident as a serious violation of religious freedom.
Human Rights Watch later described the incident as a serious violation of religious freedom.
Documentary
The General: Vietnam in the Age of To Lam
This documentary describes the rise of Tô Lâm as leader of the Communist Party of Vietnam and how he further consolidated his power during the recent 14th Party Congress.
With this film, we aim to give the public insight into the current repression and oppression by the Vietnamese communist government, which we ourselves are currently experiencing.
May 12 at 6:00 PM at the Louis Hartlooper Complex.
Location: Tolsteegbrug 1, 3511 ZN, Utrecht
