The issued document dated January 20 calls for an enhanced dissemination of the Law on Belief and Religion 2016 and its guiding Decree 162 amongst Buddhists, as well as strict sanctions for violations of state laws in religious activities.

The official note asked local authorities and the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha’s chapters in provinces and cities across the country to strengthen to guide heads of Buddhist places to organize worshipping activities within Buddhist establishments in accordance with the belief and religion law and Decree No. 110 issued by the Government in 2018 for regulating the organization and administration of festivals; to strictly implement the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha’s guiding notes No. 031 dated February 12, 2018, 033 dated February 20, 2019 and 016 dated January 06, 2020 calling for promoting fine traditional values and avoiding superstitions and profiteering activities in the name of belief or religion, or activities relating unauthentic teachings of the Buddha, during and after the lunar New Year festival and; to strictly deal with activities which are superstitious or contrary to the fine customs and Buddhist traditions.  

For activities taking place in belief establishments during and after the traditional New Year, the local authorities are requested to follow the Government Committee for Religious Affairs’ guidelines released in the Note No. 1400 dated November 28, 2019.   

PTT