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Vietnam

• House churches raided throughout Vietnam

  Police and government officials raided several house churches in Vietnam in recent weeks, according to an August 6 report from Compass Direct.

  On July 26, four police officers and two government officials raided a house church in Tran Phu Commune in Hanoi and announced that it was illegal to worship and teach religion. When the believers, who had previously attempted to register the church, refused to sign a document admitting they were meeting illegally, a police officer told them, "If I find you meeting here next Sunday, I will kill you all like I'd kill a dog!"

  Pastor Mai Hong Sanh of the Vietnam Good News Mission Church in the town of Ea Hleo, Dak Lak Province, was sentenced on July 31 to three months of "local re-education" for expanding his house and giving religious training without permission. Pastor Mai was not permitted to defend himself in court and authorities arranged for people to testify against him who were allegedly members of another church.

  Approximately 15 police officers wielding batons and electric prods barged into a house church on August 2 in Xuan Thoi Thuong Commune in Ho Chi Minh City and demanded the Christians leave immediately. The leader of the house church, Nguyen Van Chinh, had previously attempted to register the church but was told that he must permanently cease their meetings.

  Pray that Christians in Vietnam will remain true to Christ in the midst of pressure and oppression. Pray that those who oppose Christians in Vietnam will turn to faith in Jesus and become demonstrations of God's love and mercy to others (1 Timothy 1:16).

  To find out more about Vietnam's suffering Christians,click here.

• Update: Members of contested parish attacked

  Father Peter being treated in hospital Photo from AsiaNews

  Fresh violence erupted against members of the Tam Toa parish in the city of Dong Hoi, Vietnam over a building at the centre of a land dispute between authorities and local Christians (click here for details). On July 26, Father Paul Dinh Phu Nguyen was attacked by a mob, including plain-clothed police, on his way to celebrate mass at Tam Toa. He was later visited in hospital by Father Peter Nguyen The Binh, who was beaten and thrown from the second floor of the hospital by assailants who were allegedly acting on police instructions. Binh remained in a coma at last report.

  For more information on the persecution of Christians in Vietnam,click here.

• Christians attacked by officials

  The contested Tam Toa building

  Over 100 police and security officials attacked Christians in Dong Hoi, the capital city of Quang Binh province in Vietnam, on the morning of July 20. Approximately 150 Catholics from Tam Toa parish were gathered at their church compound to set up a temporary worship structure when officials arrived, firing teargas into the crowd and assaulting believers with batons, sticks and stun guns. More than 20 believers were injured and dozens were loaded into police vans. At last report, the whereabouts of the detained Christians were unknown. A cross, building materials and two generators were removed from the site and cameras and video recorders were confiscated.

  The Christians of Tam Toa parish have attended open-air services on the church compound or gathered in local homes since the end of the Vietnam War, when their church building was badly damaged. In 1996, the People's Committee of Quang Binh province confiscated the site and declared that it would become a memorial site. However, local Christians insist that the property belongs to the church.

  Pray for healing for those injured. Pray that those in detention will be released. Pray that religious freedom will be recognized and justly upheld in Vietnam.

  To find out more about the plight of Vietnamese believers,click here.

• Accused killer of Christian allowed to strike again

  On April 25, a Christian man, Koua Lo, was beaten in Meo Vac district, Ha Giang province, northwest Vietnam by a local man angered by Koua's conversion to Christianity, according to a May 11 report from Compass Direct. Koua sustained severe head injuries and remained critically injured at last report. The assailant, Lao Lia Po, is still at large and has not been charged. Lao previously attacked his own mother on February 3 because of her Christian faith, killing her by smashing her head in. Police only held him overnight before releasing him without charge. The next day he issued death threats against other local Christians.

  The approximately 100 Christian families in the area have reportedly suffered repeated harassment and abuse for their faith. The government is often complicit in attacks or else turns a blind eye to the mistreatment of believers.

  Ask God to give healing and strength to Koua. Pray that Loa will come to repentance and find salvation in Christ. Pray that Christians in Vietnam will continue to put their hope in the Lord as the One who upholds their cause (Psalm 146).

  Learn more about the plight Christians face in Vietnam.

• Stand with the Christians of the Cu Hat Church in Vietnam!

  Constructing the Cu Hat Church

  The Cu Hat Church before demolition

  In September 2008, a congregation of more than 500 Hmong Christian who had fled persecution in Vietnam's northwest provinces for the Central Highlands began building a chapel where they could worship protected from the rain and sun. When they had earlier notified local authorities of their plans, they were told they would never get permission. It would be useless to even ask. An application to build a chapel would only be considered when their denomination was granted legal recognition and all attempts to do so had been repeatedly ignored by authorities, contrary to Vietnam's new religion legislation.

  Because of their urgent need, they determined to go ahead. Before the walls of the 12-metre by 20-metre chapel were completed, officials ordered the believers to stop building and tear down what had been constructed, claiming that the lumber was cut illegally. The Cu Hat congregation met, prayed, considered and decided that they could not comply. Although virtually all buildings in this area of Vietnam are erected without building permits, local authorities accused the Christians of "illegal construction" and ordered the congregation to "voluntarily" tear it down. On December 2, 2008 the district officials made a formal decision to demolish the church within two weeks if the Christians would not do so themselves.

  To watch a video of the demolition, click here.

  At 7:00 a.m. on the morning of December 17, a large contingent of government officials, police and demolition workers destroyed the Cu Hat Church building (click here to read more). Wielding electric cattle prods, police beat back hundreds of distraught Christians who rushed to the site to protect the building. Five people were injured, including a child who suffered a broken arm and a pregnant woman who was prodded in the stomach. After the workers had loaded the lumber onto their trucks, they emptied sacks of the Christians' rice on the ground, put the roof tile into the sacks and sped away. In 90 minutes, the destruction was complete.

  Within a few days the Christians dared to build a temporary shelter of bamboo and tin to have a place to worship and celebrate Christmas. At last report, authorities were threatening to tear it down too.

  You can get involved in protesting this illegal action by the Vietnamese government!

  Download a letter of protest and encourage people to sign it. Take it to your church or office. Once you have a number of signatures, send it to the Vietnamese embassy in Ottawa:

  His Excellency Duc Hung Nguyen, Ambassador
  Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
  470 Wilbrod Street
  Ottawa, ON
  K1N 6M8

  In the United States:

  His Excellency Le Cong Phung, Ambassador
  Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
  1233 20th Street NW, Suite 400
  Washington, DC
  20037

• Church building destroyed, believers attacked

  Local government officials destroyed a church building and assaulted several believers in Dak Lak Province, Vietnam on December 17, according to a report from Compass Direct. At approximately 7:00 a.m., a large group of officials and demolition workers arrived at the site of the Vietnam Good News Mission and Church and dismantled the building. When hundreds of Christians rushed to the site to try to intervene, police officers repelled them with electric cattle prods. Several Christians were seriously injured, including a child whose arm was broken and a pregnant woman who fainted when jabbed in the stomach. The building, which was built in September, was deemed an "illegal construction" because the believers did not have a building permit. On December 2, the Christians were informed that if they did not tear the building down within two weeks, officials would. However, the Christians' registration attempts over the past year were either denied or ignored and virtually all the buildings in the area were built without permits.

  Pray that these Christians will continue to meet together for worship despite opposition (Hebrews 10:23-25). Pray for healing for those injured in the attack.

  Find out more about the plight of Vietnamese Christians at theVietnam Country Report.

• Chapel attacked in Hanoi

  Catholics gather in prayer around the Thai Ha parish Photo fromAsiaNews

  A group of communist party activists attacked the St. Gerardo chapel on the property of the Thai Ha parish in Hanoi on the evening of November 15. At approximately 10:00 p.m., hundreds of activists arrived at the monastery and asked for an urgent meeting with some of the believers. They began shouting, throwing stones at the building and trying to provoke the believers. Local Christians were quickly alerted to the attack by fellow believers and within an hour, a large group of Christians were on the scene. The attackers were eventually intimidated by the growing number of believers present and fled before they could cause serious damage to the premises. Local Christians suspect the attack is related to their ongoing battle for restitution of parish land seized by authorities.

  Pray that these Christians will be encouraged to continue meeting together for worship despite opposition (Hebrews 10:23-25). Pray that the passion of God's people in Vietnam will be a light that draws others to Christ.

  To learn more about how Christians are persecuted in Vietnam,click here.

• Authorities destroy historic Christian building

  Parishioners have held candlelight prayer vigils for months. Photo fromAsiaNews

  On September 19, government authorities bulldozed a building in Hanoi, Vietnam after a long-standing land dispute between Christians and officials, according to a September 26 report from Compass Direct. The building, which once served as the Vatican embassy and residence, was seized in the mid-1950s by the government. Late last year, Christians began holding prayer vigils and protests in response to the government's refusal to give back the land. In February, government leaders promised to negotiate a settlement with the believers over the property on the condition that the prayer vigils ceased. The government took no action, however, and Christians resumed the vigils in August. Christian leaders are calling the government's response to the believer's peaceful protests a serious setback to the religious freedom in Vietnam. Authorities are reportedly planning to use the leveled premises for a library and park.

  Pray for the government to change its mind and act justly in this situation. Pray that the Lord will continue to strengthen Christians in Vietnam in their hearts, minds, and bodies as they face opposition to their faith.

  For more information on the persecution of Christians in Vietnam, go to ourVietnam Country Report.

• Christian Lawyers Receive Sentences

  Nguyen Van Dai Lawyer for the "Mennonite Six"

  After a four-hour trial on May 11, Nguyen Van Dai and Le Thi Chong Nhan, two Christian Lawyers facing accusations relating to their defense of religious freedom (click here for more information), were convicted of "propagandizing against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam." According to a May 16 report from Compass Direct, Dai received a sentence of five years in prison and four years of house arrest. Nhan was sentenced to four years in prison and three years of house arrest. Both of them are expected to appeal to the People's Supreme Court, which is the last court of appeal in Vietnam.

  In the weeks leading up to the trial, the state media made several accusations against the lawyers, including allegations that they compiled "evidence of Vietnam's suppression of the Protestant religion" and cooperated with terrorists in their efforts to promote human rights. These and other accusations were posted on the Vietnam News Agency website one day prior to the trial date.

• Christian Lawyers Face Trial

  Nguyen Van Dai Lawyer for the "Mennonite Six"

  Nguyen Van Dai, a 38-year-old member of the main Hanoi congregation of the legally-recognized Evangelical Church of Vietnam (North), or ECVN (N), since 2000, was arrested on March 6 for accusations relating to his defense of religious freedom, including disseminating "alleged infractions of religious liberty [to Vietnam's enemies abroad]." Dai is one of Vietnam's few human rights lawyers and is a member of Advocates International, an organization which brings together Christian human rights lawyers from many countries. He defended the "Mennonite Six" in 2004-2005.

  Also arrested in early March was Dai's colleague, Le Thi Cong Nhan, who faces similar accusations. Both are due to be tried on May 11 for defaming the communist state of Vietnam. It is expected that the trial will be nothing more than a charade.

  Authorities have prohibited Dai's wife, Khanh, from visiting him and she has not been provided with any legal papers. By law she should have received a copy of the arrest order at her husband's March 6 arrest citing the reasons for his "temporary detention." Her home phone and cell phone services have been cut. Police have reportedly been trying to incite neighbours against her.

  The Voice of the Martyrs is urging Christians from around the world to pray for and to send letters/cards of encouragement to Mrs Khanh immediately. For more information, a sample letter and the address to which you can write, please go to persecutedchurch.blogspot.com.

  For more information on the persecution of Christians in Vietnam,click here.