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  • Church Leader and Religious Liberty Advocate Arrested On the afternoon of June 8 Pastor Nguyen Hong Quang was working with a group of Boy Scouts, improving a road on the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. As they were working, Quang was approached by two men posing as land officials. Suddenly they drew a pistol and, aiming the gun at his head, served him papers for his arrest. They radioed for help, quickly bringing some two dozen officers who had been hiding nearby. They stuck a pistol in Pastor Quang's mouth, handcuffed him and hauled him away.

    After they had taken Quang to prison, the police officers went to a building in District 2 of Ho Chi Minh City, which serves as the Mennonite church and office, as well as the Quangs' primary residence. Pushing their way into the house, they detained Quang's wife and children, along with others present, and for over four hours, ransacked the place. They confiscated personal papers and money and carted off computers and many files on the human rights abuses that Quang and his colleagues were investigating. It is expected that Pastor Quang will be tried in court on charges of "inciting people to resist officers of the law doing their duty." It is impossible to predict when he will actually stand trial.

    Pastor Quang's arrest is thought to be directly connected to an incident in early March when church elder Nguyen Hieu Nghia and three evangelists were arrested (click here for details). It is suspected that one or more of the four prisoners cracked under the pressure of their interrogation and provided "evidence" against Pastor Quang to the authorities, giving them an excuse to arrest him.

    Pastor Quang is one of Vietnam's leading pastors. As chairman of the legal committee of the Vietnam Evangelical Fellowship of house churches, he works as an advocate for those whose religious liberty was abused, either through quiet negotiations or peaceful legal demonstrations. Sometimes his actions succeeded in forcing authorities to relent.

    Pray for strength and courage for Pastor Quang. Pray for his wife, Dung (pronounced "yoom") and children Gideon (9), Daniel (8) and Anne (2).

    We also encourage Christians around the world to write polite letters, expressing concern for Pastor Quang and calling for his release, as well as the release of the other four Mennonites arrested in March. Contact information is available below, or click here.

    Mr. Ngo Yen Thi, Director
    Government Bureau of Religious Affairs
    53 Trang Thi, Hoan Kiem
    Hanoi
    VIETNAM

    Ambassador Richard Lecoq
    Canadian Embassy
    31 Hung Vuong
    Hanoi
    VIETNAM

    We also ask that you contact your government representatives, asking them to take action against Vietnam in response to their violations of religious rights. Notes of encouragement may also be sent to Pastor Quang's family at:

    Rev. and Mrs. Nguyen Hong Quang and family
    C5/1H Tran Nao
    Phuong Binh Khanh, Quan 2
    Ho Chi Minh City
    VIETNAM

    For more information on persecution facing Christians in Vietnam,click here.
  • Sentence Reduced for ''Good Conduct''

    A 58-year-old Catholic priest, Thadeus Nguyen Van Ly, had his sentenced reduced by five years on June 16 for what Vietnam's official news agency refers to as "good conduct." Van Ly was sentenced to fifteen years in prison in 2001, accused of attacking national unity. This was reduced to ten years in July 2003. It has now been reduced to five years in prison and five years of house arrest.

    Sources for the Catholic news agency AsiaNews claim that Van Ly had written letters praising Vietnamese socialism and the policies of the Communist Party. These letters were shown by Vietnamese authorities to a Vatican delegation in April 2004. Those allowed to visit him report symptoms of mental imbalance and suspect that drugs have been used in his "re-education." One Vietnamese priest expects that he will be released soon, since the government now has nothing to fear. AsiaNews reports that this announcement came just prior to meetings between government leaders and representatives from the European Union.

    Vietnam has been under pressure from the international community for its deplorable human rights record. Last week the Persecution and Prayer Alert reported on the arrest of Nguyen Hong Quang, a leading church leader and human rights activist. We encourage Christians to politely call on government authorities to act to secure the release of Quang, Van Ly and other prisoners of conscience in Vietnam. For contact information, click here.

    For more information on persecution of the Church in Vietnam,click here.
  • Refugees Fleeing Persecution Sent Back

    On Easter Saturday, peaceful demonstrations were held throughout Vietnam, protesting the government's treatment of the people from the central highlands, known as the Montagnards. It is reported that a number were killed when police began beating and shooting the demonstrators (click here for more details). Vietnamese authorities were concerned that many may flee to Cambodia as a result of the attack.

    According to the Cambodia Daily, one hundred and sixty refugees fleeing the renewed violence have been arrested at the border and deported back to Vietnam. Associated Press (AP) reports that Cambodian villagers have been told by police to turn over any Vietnamese refugees. This is not the first time refugees have fled to Cambodia, only to be returned by Cambodian police who reportedly receive a cash bounty (click here for details). One Cambodian soldier told AP, "we just arrest and deport them back, but we don't know what happens to them". We heard the regular people would just be detained by Vietnam, but the leaders of the group would be executed."
  • Hundreds Reported Killed During Easter Demonstrations

     
    Montagnard Village

    Along with Easter celebrations this year, many of the persecuted Christians in the highlands of Vietnam gathered for peaceful demonstrations, protesting the government's suppression of Christianity and calling for international UN monitors.

    According to a press release from the Montagnard Foundation, the authorities responded with force to the thousands who were demonstrating, beating them with electric batons, throwing rocks, and shooting them. A number were reportedly killed. There were also reports of decapitations. There are concerns that thousands may try to flee to Cambodia.

    Responding to prior government claims that the people were seeking independence, Kok Ksor, President of the Montagnard Foundation, said, "All we want is to live as indigenous peoples on our ancestral lands without fear of persecution without the Vietnamese authorities interfering in our religious affairs nor forcing us to renounce Christ and without the fear our ancestral lands will be confiscated where we are driven to a life of poverty."

    Pray for the families of those killed as well as for many in fear for their lives. Pray for the continued ministry of the Christians throughout Vietnam. Pray also that the Vietnamese government will come to see and know that Jesus is Lord.

    For more information on persecution in Vietnam, as well as the plight of the people from the central highlands, click here.


     
  • Police Attempt to Stop Worship Celebration

     
    Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

    On the afternoon of March 4, evangelical Christians from several house churches in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, met together at the Quoc Thanh Theater for a joint worship celebration. According to a March 12 report from Compass Direct, by 5:00 p.m. one thousand worshippers had assembled. However, by that time, security police had gathered outside, preventing five hundred others from entering. Police then ordered the power to be cut and prevented the owner of the theater from starting the backup generator. Despite the darkness and oppressive heat as air-conditioners stopped, the worship continued, using light from cell phones and camera flashes. House church leaders identified many of the security police officers as those who regularly harass believers as they gather in house churches.

    Pray that the Church in Vietnam will continue to stand firm in the face of oppression. Pray that there will not be repercussions against the house churches as a result of this incident.

    For more information on persecution in Vietnam,click here.
  • Police Harass and Beat Evangelists

     
    Rev. Nguyen Hong Quang

    On March 2, Rev. Nguyen Hong Quang, vice president and general secretary of the Mennonite Church in Vietnam and an evangelist, Pham Ngoc Thach, spotted undercover security police spying on them at Quang's home in Ho Chi Minh City.

    According to a March 8 report from Compass Direct, they took down the license number of the police motorcycle and reported the police presence to the city ward. When Thach and a teacher named Mr. Hien attempted to take a picture of the motorcycle as evidence, the police attacked them. A scuffle broke out and the police retreated to call in more officers. As they fled on their motorcycle, it skidded out of control and fell. When the Thach and a co-worker approached the officers to ensure there were no serious injuries, the officers struck them in the face.

    Thirty minutes later, dozens of police officers from Special Unit 113, the district police, undercover police and local defense forces arrived with guns and electric cattle prods, ordering the twelve Christian workers who had gathered at Quang's home to remain inside. The police then tried to incite neighbours to attack the Christians and produced an unidentified woman who signed a complaint for "disturbing public order." One church elder, Nghia, was taken into custody. When three of the evangelists, Pham Ngoc Thach, Nguyen Van Phuong and Nguyen Thanh Nhan, went to inquire about Nghia later that night, they were also arrested. Two were beaten unconscious and then charged for "resisting an officer." At last report, the three evangelists are still being held. It is believed they may be released when all physical evidence of the beatings has healed.

    Pray for physical as well as emotional healing for those injured. Pray for the continued ministry of the Vietnamese Church, despite the opposition from authorities.

    For more information on persecution facing Christians in Vietnam,click here.
  • Trial for Pastor Postponed

     
    Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

    Less than twenty-four hours before the General Secretary of the Full Gospel House Church in Vietnam was to stand trial on January 13 for "interfering with an officer doing his duty," his trial was postponed indefinitely because the trial judge was unable to attend. Christian leaders in Vietnam, however, suspect it was because of pressure from Vietnam's house church leaders, as well as the international attention being given to the trial.

    The charges against Pastor Bui Van Ba stem from a police raid on a prayer meeting in his home on August 18, 2003. (see https://www.vomcanada.com/vn-2003-09-03.htm). While invading the home, police knocked his ailing wife to the floor. She later fainted with severe chest pains. Believers pleaded with police to let him take his wife to the hospital, but they refused. Instead, they turned on Ba and brutally beat him, hitting his head against the concrete wall. Eventually one of the believers was allowed to take his wife to the hospital, but Ba was taken to the police station where he was chained to a post and beaten. He was released the next day, but remains under house arrest.

    While Vietnamese believers are rejoicing that the trial has been postponed, they realize that the trial could resume at any time. They call on Christians around the world to pray with them for justice and religious freedom.



     
  • Students Detained for Distributing Tracts

    Vietnamese police report they detained more than seven Christians in Hanoi on December 4 for handing out Christian flyers on the eve of the South East Asian Games. According to ABC Radio Australia, police deny that the Christians have been arrested, but are being held for questioning to determine the origin of the materials. A police spokesman said that the Christians were breaking the law because they were distributing material without the authority of the organizing committee for the South East Asian Games.

    While Christianity is officially legal in Vietnam, there is extreme repression of all religions, particularly those who are not officially state-sanctioned. Pray for physical and spiritual strength for those detained. Pray that the world community will continue to pressure Vietnam to cease its religious repression. Pray that those who received the materials before this arrest will read it and come to faith in Christ.
  • Christian Risks Torture After Extradition
    Ma Van Bay
    Photo:  Christian Aid

    In 1997, Ma Van Bay was a church elder responsible for the collections received from a small congregation in northern Vietnam. When police raided his home, they found the money and accused him of stealing it. He faced up to twelve years in prison but escaped, fleeing to the highlands in southern Vietnam. While there, he was involved in the translation of Christian materials into the Hmong language.

    According to Compass Direct, on November 17, he was arrested and on November 29 was extradited back to his home province of Ha Giang on the border with China where Christian sources fear that he will face severe torture.

    Pray for Ma Van Bay at this time. Pray that he will not be tortured, now that he has been returned. Pray for God's keeping hand on his wife and three children during this ordeal.
  • Pastors Arrested and Beaten

    Sources for The Voice of the Martyrs report that ten pastors were taken from a meeting at the home of Rev. Bùi Văn Ba in Ho Chi Minh City on August 18. After protests from the United Gospel Outreach Church, seven of the pastors were released. Pastor Ba and two other pastors were handcuffed to tables and tortured. They were released the following day after representatives of the United Nations Human Rights Committee flew to Ho Chi Minh City to intervene. Pastor Ba remains under house arrest, charged with resisting arrest.

    Pray for strength and a continued assurance of God's presence for Pastor Ba and the others arrested. Pray for protection for God's people suffering in Vietnam.

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