The Hoa Hao Buddhist sect has launched a fundraising campaign in support of fishermen, whose livelihood in traditional fishing ground in the country’s exclusive economic zone has been badly affected since China has illegally placed a drilling rig there since early May.
A Vietnamese ship is attacked by China's ships (Source: VNA)
The fund is also to assist Vietnamese coast guard and fishery administration officers who are firmly safeguarding the country’s sea sovereignty in the field.
Over 100 million VND (4,700 USD) was collected right at the launch on May 22 by Hoa Hao Buddhist dignitaries and followers who attended their fourth congress for the 2014-19 term in An Hoa Pagoda on the same day.
At the congress, Hao Hao Buddhists issued a message severely opposing China’s deliberate violation of Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.
They asked for China’s stringent implementation of its commitments to international law, its respect for Vietnam’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity and its immediate withdrawal of the rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 out of Vietnam’s waters.
Since the beginning of May 2014, China boldly dispatched the rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 as well as a large fleet of armed vessels, military ships and aircraft to Vietnamese waters and positioned the rig at a location 80 miles deep into the Vietnamese continental shelf and exclusive economic zone prescribed by the 1982 UNCLOS. The location is 17 nautical miles from Tri Ton Island in Vietnam’s Hoang Sa archipelago, which was occupied by force by China in the 1950s.
China’s armed vessels aggressively fired high-power water cannons at and intentionally rammed, Vietnamese public-service and civil ships, causing damage to many boats and injuring many people on board.
Such acts gravely violate international law, the 1982 UNCLOS, and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), to which China itself is a signatory. These extremely dangerous acts have been directly threatening peace, stability and maritime security and safety in the East Sea.
Founded in 1939 in An Giang province, the Hoa Hao Buddhist sect has developed in 19 provinces and cities nationwide with over 2 million followers.-VNA
Hoa Hao Buddhist sect launches campaign for fishermen Related image(s)
0 comments:
Post a Comment