Prosecution of the case related to 'Bong Lai Monastery'
On the afternoon of January 4, the Long An Provincial Police Department's Security Investigation Agency initiated a case and summoned Mr. Le Tung Van and related individuals to investigate and clarify the incident related to "Bong Lai Monastery - Zen Monastery on the Edge of the Universe".
Initial verification results of Long An Provincial Police, in 2014, Ms. Cao Thi Cuc (born in 1960, permanent residence in Long Huu Dong commune, Can Duoc district) bought a house and land with an area of nearly 2,000m22in Lap Thanh hamlet, Hoa Khanh Tay commune, Duc Hoa district, Long An province, then came here to live, then repaired it to become a home-based meditation center.
Mr. Le Tung Van previously resided in Pham Van Hai Commune, Binh Chanh District, Ho Chi Minh City and self-proclaimed himself Director of Thanh Duc Nursing Home and Orphanage. Because this facility did not operate in accordance with legal regulations and did not ensure material conditions and environmental hygiene, on July 25, 2007, the People's Committee of Binh Chanh District decided to terminate the operation of Thanh Duc facility.
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| Mr. Le Tung Van changed the name of Tinh That Bong Lai to Thien Am Ben Boi Cot Co. Photo: Vinh Quang |
Since 2015, Mr. Le Tung Van has sold all the land at the above address and temporarily resided with Ms. Cao Thi Cuc in Lap Thanh hamlet, Hoa Khanh Tay commune, Duc Hoa district, Long An province, and has adopted children for charity. However, local police said that in reality, most of the children living in Ms. Cuc - Mr. Van's household are accompanied by their mothers, and are not homeless children.
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| Mr. Le Tung Van during a working session with the authorities. Photo: Vinh Quang |
Currently, Mrs. Cuc’s household still has 18 residents, including 6 children who all have their biological mothers living with them. In the past, this place has taken advantage of the name of raising orphans and homeless children to appeal for kindness from people at home and abroad, for personal gain, affecting security and order, and public opinion.
However, after the press reported on the implementation of temporary residence registration, temporary absence registration and adoption registration not complying with the provisions of the law and the tricks of taking advantage of religion, taking advantage of raising orphans for profit, labeling themselves as monks but living and working like ordinary people, public opinion clearly understood the nature and activities of the group "Tinh That Bong Lai", and turned to condemn and criticize. On January 1, 2020, Mr. Le Tung Van held a ceremony to change the name of "Tinh That Bong Lai" to "Thien am ben bo vu co".
