In response to the alarming developments surrounding Tro Nom Sek temple in Dai Tho hamlet, Long My village, Tam Binh District, Vinh Long province, and the imminent visit by the VBS and Vietnamese authorities on December 3, 2023, to disavow Abbot Venerable Thach Chanh Da Ra as a Buddhist monk. It is imperative to address a fundamental issue: the Khmer-Krom temple has not voluntarily registered as a member of the VBS (Vietnam Buddhist Sangha), but it has been forced into practicing its peaceful Theravada Buddhism under the control of the VBS. This coerced affiliation renders the VBS unauthorized and lacking the right to determine the status of Khmer-Krom monks because they are not officially and voluntarily members of the VBS.
The Khmer-Krom community in the Mekong Delta has intentionally refrained from affiliating with the VBS, an organization established by the Vietnamese government to regulate Buddhist affairs. This decision is rooted in their desire to preserve the distinctive practices of Theravada Buddhism, which significantly differ from the Mahayana Buddhism observed by Vietnamese Buddhist monks within the VBS.
As the VBS is designed to oversee Mahayana Buddhism, it needs more expertise and understanding to make authoritative announcements about the status of Khmer-Krom monks practicing Theravada Buddhism. The summon letter issued by the VBS to Venerable Thach Chanh Da Ra, threatening non-recognition if he does not comply, raises serious concerns about the manipulation of religious authority by the Vietnamese government. This move exerts control over the Khmer-Krom community through the VBS, potentially leading to the unjust defrocking of a respected spiritual leader.
It is crucial to emphasize that the VBS has no legal or ethical basis for making decisions regarding Khmer-Krom monks. The autonomy of the Khmer-Krom temple, its adherence to Theravada Buddhism, and the coerced nature of VBS affiliation collectively render the VBS incompetent in determining the status of Venerable Thach Chanh Da Ra or any other Khmer-Krom Buddhist monks.
This situation underscores the importance of respecting religious diversity and autonomy, principles enshrined in international human rights standards. The international community must be vigilant in challenging attempts by governments to infringe upon the spiritual practices of indigenous communities, such as the Khmer-Krom.
The impending visit by the VBS to Tro Nom Sek temple constitutes not only an infringement on religious freedom but also a violation of the autonomy of the Khmer-Krom community. We urgently call upon Vietnam, as a member of the Human Rights Council, to intervene and order the Vietnamese authorities and the VBS in Vinh Long province to cease the harassment of Tro Nom Sek temple.
Furthermore, we urge the immediate cessation of any actions intended to defrock Venerable Thach Chanh Da Ra. Khmer-Krom Buddhist monks’ status should not be controlled by the VBS. According to Buddhist rules, recognition of a monk’s status is based on adherence to Buddhist rules, and Venerable Thach Chanh Da Ra has not violated any such rules.
The Vietnamese authorities’ disruptive actions, accompanied by gangsters, followed by attempts to frame Venerable Thach Chanh Da Ra, are tactics aimed at unjustly defrocking him and potentially imprisoning him. The international community must stand in solidarity with the Khmer-Krom people, ensuring their right to religious freedom and the practice of Theravada Buddhism without unwarranted external influence.