E/CN.4/1999/58/Add.2 page 21 no provision for this Committee, which is completely controlled by the authorities; it is therefore a flagrant violation of the statutes. This period was also marked by the arrest, detention and house arrest of Cao Daist clergy. (c) 1996 to date: implementation plan No. 01-HK/TV of 27 May 1996, of the Tay Ninh Communist Party Executive Committee, aiming at the dismantling of the Tay Ninh Cao Dai Church between June and September 1996, its replacement by a State Cao Dai Church and the exclusion of clergy described as “bad and extremist elements”. Issue on 5 May 1997 of a new charter conflicting with the Constitutional Charter of Cao Daism. Two distinct groups are now associated with Cao Daism: a Management Committee, comprising a few church officials controlled by the authorities, and a majority of independent church officials opposed to the Committee. The non-governmental sources therefore denounce a policy that denies freedom of religion through interference in the internal affairs of the Cao Dai religion. D. Hoa Hao community 84. The Special Rapporteur was not able to meet representatives of the Hoa Hao community either officially or in private. After his mission, non-governmental sources provided information alleging that pressure had been placed on the representatives it had been planned to meet in private by the security services, which had made it impossible to hold the meeting. 1. Information from the authorities 85. With regard to the situation of the Hoa Hao community, the information on State policy in respect of religion, obtained from the authorities and contained in chapter II, is still valid. The representative of the Office of Religious Affairs stated that the Hoa Hao religion was one of the six official religions. A representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, however, that there was no Hoa Hao organization. 2. Non-governmental information 86. According to non-governmental sources, including Hoa Hao sources, the authorities have stood by their 1975 decision to close all the central, regional and local administrative offices of the Hoa Hao church (3,589 in all) and all places of worship and religious, social and cultural establishments (a total of more than 5,000, including, in An Giang province, a university, a hospital and a centre for the propagation of the faith). Also prohibited are the dissemination of Hoa Hao sacred scriptures and the public celebration of Hoa Hao religious festivals, including the holy day commemorating the founding of the Hoa Hao church. According to these sources, Hoa Hao believers are subject to strict police surveillance and religious officials, who were arbitrarily arrested in the past, continue to be detained.