VIETNAM, NEWS ANALYSIS, JULY 10, 1999.

According to reports from Long Xuyen, Vietnam, nearly one million Hoa Hao Buddhist pilgrims from many southern provinces were rushing to the holy site at An Hoa Pagoda, Phu My village to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Inauguration of the Hoa Hao Buddhist Faith by the Venerable Master Huynh Phu So, the founder of the sect.

After more than 24 years banned by the Vietnam Communist Party (VCP), the Hoa Hao Buddhists were permitted for the first time to stage such a rally. Hanoi had estimated that the celebration would attract only some hundred thousand people. From June 25 to July 1, the date of main events, however, large crowds were coming by buses, by boats and on foot to An Hoa in hundreds of thousand people every day.

To prevent the turnout from growing into an unwanted number, Communist authorities allowed only passenger vehicles and boats having been granted written permission to serve the pilgrims. When too many of them kept coming, they were stopped at places 5 to 10 kilometers away from An Hoa. Pilgrims had to walk on foot but few of them failed to reach the holy site.

The organizers had planned to set up more than 30 supply points to provide worshippers with food and drink. The Communist authorities allowed only 6 of those to operate. The reduced supplies, however, failed to frustrate people from coming, even days after the celebration. It should be noted that summer heat is in its peak in July and it is also time of heavy showers. Bad weather failed to discourage them either.

To make sure that any disorder will be suppressed, many regular army units were deployed around the area to reinforce Public Security force. But the Hoa Hao people, who always show good discipline, were wise enough to refrain from any spontaneous action that could have given Communist authorities good reasons to crush them.

According to the latest reports from Vietnam on Wednesday, July 7, many religious leaders of the Hoa Hao Sect were detained for interrogation in local Public Security agencies.

The Hoa Hao Buddhist Faith originated in the Mekong Delta provinces long time ago - more than 100 years - with the first leader Phat Thay Tay An, or "Buddhist Master of Western Peace" in the primary period of 1849-1856.

In 1939, a young man Huynh Phu So, who was preaching revised Buddhism in simple words advocating realistic religious and social objectives, became a charismatic and very popular leader. His sermons were circulating from village to village, greatly influencing people in the region especially the peasants.

People considered him as the successor of Phat Thay Tay An, respectfully calling him "the Venerable Master." The sect has been named after his native hamlet of Hoa Hao. During World War II, the sect attracted about 2 million followers.

The sect also formed its political arm "Dan Xa Dang" (Social Democratic Party) and raised armed militant groups that fought both French colonial authority and Vietnam Communists. The fierce battles against the Communists led to bloody massacres. Tens of thousands Hoa Hao followers including many women and children beheaded, shot or clubbed to death and buried in mass graves.

The Cao Dai followers also shared the same fate at the same time. In recent years, the VCP has stopped denying the fact that the killing of Hoa Hao and Cao Dai in 1947 had been ordered by the central level - the head of which was Ho Chi Minh. Classified political lessons reserved for VCP Public Security officers confirm the facts.

The Ven. Master Huynh Phu So was missing during the 1947 bloodshed. But he is living forever in the hearts of about 4 million people who are his faithful followers.

In the resistant war against the French after the Ven. Master was missing, some four war lords under the title of "Hoa Hao" army were controlling various territories in the Mekong Delta as autonomous areas. In 1955-56, President Ngo Dinh Diem launched military campaigns to wipe out all of the sectarian military forces.

The sect recovered its national position after Diem was overthrown. Hoa Hao, the most fervent anti-Communist group, is not organized as a church. It does not have a ruling body of clergy. In the Hoa Hao region, there is a board of managers at each level - village, district, province - and a national council.

During the Vietnam War, Hoa Hao peasants were the best fighters against Communist guerillas and regulars. Until 1975, there had been no curfew imposed in the countryside of An Giang province where most people are Hoa Hao followers.

After taking over South Vietnam in 1975, the Communist Party planned to eradicate Hoa Hao Buddhist Sect in 15 years. In fact, the party has been unable to carry it out. Meanwhile, Hoa Hao people continue their silent and non-violent passive resistance.

Early this year, Hanoi staged a congress for Hoa Hao people to establish a Council of Managers whose leaders are pro-Communist or real Communists to run the sect religious affairs under the central party and government control. People seem to be giving the council only frigid greetings.

A few months ago, the Hoa Hao officially requested permission to celebrate the 60th anniversary of their sect inauguration by the Ven. Master. At the same time, rumors ran that the Hoa Hao believers would celebrate the anniversary at any cost, even with their blood.

As it had done in the ceremonies commemorating the La Vang Holy Mother of the Vietnamese Catholics last year, Hanoi granted the permission to avoid unpredictable dangerous protests. But it was making every dastardly attempt to prevent or to dissuade people from coming, in order to minimize the rally as much as possible.

With the state-run council, Hanoi certainly hoped to dominate the Hoa Hao Sect as it has done to the four largest religions in Vietnam - Buddhism, Christianity, Hoa Hao Buddhism and Cao Dai. But realities prove to the contrary. Many Vietnamese believe that the religions will contribute a great part to the struggle to dismiss the Communist regime and to the restoration of true democracy and liberty in Vietnam.