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Vietnam

Advocacy Assists in Release of Vietnamese Pastor from Mental Hospital
Advocacy by Christians around the world is being credited as a significant element in securing the release of Rev. Than Van Truong from the Bien Hoa Mental Hospital on September 17, where he had been held against his will for the past year.
Earlier this year, The Voice of the Martyrs reported on the plight of Vietnamese pastor, Than Van Truong, who was being detained the Bien Hoa mental hospital because Communist authorities declared him to be "insane" due to his zeal for God. Kept in solitary and injected with mind altering drugs, he was told that if he would simply cooperate with authorities and admit that their lies were accurate he would be allowed to leave. He refused.
^{Postcard sent in campaign supporting Pastor Truong}
Few knew of his plight until last spring, when visitors to Mennonite prisoner Le Thi Hong Lien discovered him after learning that Pastor Truong had given her a Bible. Upon learning of his situation, The Voice of the Martyrs, together with our sister missions in the United States and Australia, and other organizations around the world, launched a letter writing campaign on his behalf. People were encouraged to pray for his release, and to send postcards to him in the hospital and write letters to government officials protesting his mistreatment.
According to reports, this campaign frustrated and angered Vietnamese authorities and caused prosecuting authorities and Bien Hoa hospital officials to blame each other for the unwanted publicity. Prosecutors were unable to find criminal charges to lay against him, and a doctor at the hospital told his wife that he showed no signs of any mental illness. The hospital committee responsible for re-evaluating Pastor Truong, however, insisted on finding him "delusional" because he persisted on his belief in God.
As Pastor Truong's case became more public, however, the hospital stopped giving him the drugs and allowed his wife to visit him more regularly. In recent weeks, his health began to improve. He began to share the gospel with other prisoners and even baptized some who gave their lives to Christ.
Finally, on September 16, his wife received a telephone call from Pastor Truong, telling her to come and pick him up the following day.
Praise God for Pastor Truong's release and for the faithfulness of God's people in intervening on behalf of this servant of God. Continue to pray for other Christians who continue to suffer in prison in Vietnamese prisons because of their faith in Jesus Christ. We want to thank each of you who joined in the campaign to secure Pastor Truong's freedom. His release demonstrates, once again, the effectiveness of prayer and advocacy on behalf of those in bonds for Christ.
For more information on the persecution facing Christians in Vietnam and for more information on Rev. Truong,click here.
Homes in Vietnam Burned for Refusing to Deny Christ
In recent weeks, the homes of eleven Christian families have been burned to the ground in Vietnam because they refused to deny their faith in Jesus Christ, according to a September 16 report from Compass Direct.
The most recent incident was on August 21 when the police incited a crowd to burn down the home of evangelist Dinh Van Hoang in the Son Ha District of Quang Ngai Province. On the morning of Sunday, August 21, the local public security police chief, Dinh Van Hoanh, and his deputy, Thai Mai Quan, came to the home of Dinh Van Hoang and told him that his Christian faith would no longer be tolerated. He had to sign a paper declaring the recantation of his faith in Christ or face the destruction of his home. When he refused, a mob forced itself into the house and destroyed one of the walls of the home. When he and his wife still refused to deny Jesus, his home and all his property were burned. This is the third time Hoang's home has been burned down. He is an official worker with the government approved Evangelical Church of Vietnam (South).
Sources in Vietnam also report that ten homes of Christian families from the Hre ethnic minority in Quang Ngai Province were destroyed on July 26 and 31 because they refused to give up their faith in Christ. In recent years, opposition to Christianity has been intense in this province. The number of Hre Christians has increased from 500 in 1991 to around 6000 today.
The official Vietnamese press denies these allegations. On September 9, the Vietnam News Service (VNS) published the government's view of the incidents. They claimed that Hoang had no association with the Evangelical Church of Vietnam (South) and that he had been warned several times to not "lure people to blindly believe in nonsense and refuse to work." The government claimed that the villagers eventually had enough of his preaching and burned his house down. In explaining the destruction of the other ten homes, VNS claimed that the homes were in an unsafe location because of the potential for landslides. Authorities claimed that new homes had been built for the families, but they refused to move. To force them to move, authorities claimed they were forced to burn down their old ones. Christian sources in Vietnam say there are no new homes for the families.
Pray for the families now displaced because of their faith in Jesus Christ. Pray for Hoang, as he continues to spread the Gospel, despite the ongoing persecution.
For more information on the persecution of Vietnam's Christians,click here.
Pastor Quang Released from Vietnamese Prison
The Voice of the Martyrs has received news that Pastor Nguyen Hong Quang was released from prison on the afternoon of August 30. It is unknown if his release is related to a recently announced amnesty in conjunction with celebrations of Vietnam's independence. More details about the circumstances and conditions of his release will be made public as they become available.
Approximately 100 Christian leaders remain imprisoned in Vietnam. Glenn Penner, spokesman for VOMC, expressed his continued concerns, "While we welcome Pastor Quang's release from prison, we expect the Vietnamese government to grant him full liberty to pick up his responsibilities with the Mennonite Church of Vietnam without conditions or restrictions. We also urge the Vietnamese government to release evangelist Pham Ngoc Thach and other Christians who are still unjustly imprisoned."
Praise God for this unexpected release and for His goodness, faithfulness and mercy. Continue to pray for Pastor Quang, his wife and church members, as government pressure will undoubtedly continue.
For more information on the persecution facing Christians in Vietnam, as well as more information on Pastor Quang,click here.
International Church in Vietnam Closed
^{New Life Fellowship Website Announcement}^{; Windsor Plaza Hotel}
On August 27, Vietnamese police ordered the immediate closure of a 500-member international church that has been meeting for the past eight months in the Windsor Plaza Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City. According to an August 30 report from Compass Direct, the New Life Fellowship was closed because they did not have a permit. The church has, however, made concerted efforts to obtain such a permit since its inception eight years ago. Pastor Eric Dooley believes the closure ordered originated with local officials and is not an action against the church by the federal government.
The church will continue meeting in small groups. The church's website, www.nlfvietnam.com, has posted the following message: "Due to police action, until further notice NLF will not hold corporate worship services. Church members should stay in contact with their Lifenet group leaders. Jesus is Lord! Please keep praying."
Pray for the continued ministry of the New Life Fellowship in Ho Chi Minh City. Pray for wisdom and direction for the church as they consider future plans.
For more information on the persecution of Christians in Vietnam,click here.
Update: Vietnamese Pastor Offered Release
Vietnamese prison officials have offered to release Pastor Nguyen Hong Quang as part of the yearly amnesty on September 2. The only condition is that he confesses to the charges of "interfering with officers doing their duty" for which he is serving three years in prison (see links on Vietnam's country report for more details). According to an August 15 report from Compass Direct, Pastor Quang maintains his innocence and will not change his position.
Quang's wife, Le Thi Phu Dzung, has also filed a petition seeking redress destruction of part of her home and the Mennonite worship centre on July 19. Click here for more details and photos of the destruction.
Partially Destroyed Church Centre in Vietnam Raided

Vietnamese authorities continue to pressure the Mennonite believers after the partial destruction of their centre on July 19 (click here for details). According to a press release from the Vietnam Mennonite Church Central Church Office, fifteen believers had gathered for prayer in what remains of the Mennonite worship centre on July 24. Just before 7:30 PM, thirty officials surrounded the building and broke up the meeting. The area policeman, Nguyen Quang Trung, ordered the believers to stop praying and demanded that Le Thi Phu Dung (the wife of imprisoned Pastor Nguyen Hong Quang) dismiss the meeting. Mrs. Dung was cited for "gathering a crowd and disturbing public order" and for "conducting illegal religious activities." Two of those gathered for prayer were also taken to the police station but they released them later that evening.
^{Le Thi Phu Dung}
Approximately an hour after the first raid, officials returned again, claiming that someone had reported a meeting going on. When the police found no meeting, they began examining the registration papers for the motorcycles in the building. Mrs. Dung objected to their investigation since they did not have a search warrant. The officials left after the workers signed declarations that they were operating their vehicles legally.
Pray for endurance and strength for these believers facing this persecution from authorities. Pray for wisdom for church leaders, as they determine the proper response to this harassment.
For more information on the persecution of Christians in Vietnam,click here. Earlier this year, VOMC released a video report on the persecution being suffered by members of Vietnam's Mennonite Church. You can view this video (which includes an interview with Mrs. Dung) on www.vomcanada.com.
VOMC Condemns Destruction of Mennonite Property in Vietnam
The Voice of the Martyrs in Canada strongly condemns the destruction done to the building that serves as the main centre of the Vietnam Mennonite Church and the home of imprisoned Rev. Nguyen Hong Quang on July 19, 2005. According to a press release by the Vietnam Mennonite Church General Office received by VOMC yesterday, some 200 District 2 officials cordoned off the area around the Mennonite Church center in Binh Khanh Ward in District 2 at 8:00 AM on July 19, 2005 in order to tear down the rear portion of the centre.

The press release reports that, with government video cameras rolling and pictures snapping, seventy government officials and hired hands used hammers and electric saws to destroy an 8 by 4.7 meter rear portion of the two-story home of Rev. Nguyen Hong Quang and the main center of the Mennonite Church of Vietnam in Ho Chi Minh City. After four hours of destructive work, they left a pile of rubble including brick, wood and metal rebar. In addition to the rear four meters of the building which they accused Pastor Quang of having illegally constructed several years ago, authorities also destroyed four meters of the church's meeting room where weekly worship services are held. The space above the church’s meeting room is the home of the family of the Rev. Quang and was constructed in 1999. Authorities charged that it had been built without a permit. This is a technicality that is rarely required in Vietnam. The Mennonite Church of Vietnam reports that they had petitioned officials many times, pointing out the irrational nature of the order, but the People’s Committee of District 2 refused to deal fairly with the issue.

Only Mrs. Nguyen Hong Quang and two of her small children were at home when the area was cordoned off and the destruction of part of the building took place. Other Mennonite workers and students who normally resided at the house had been expelled from the centre at the end of 2004. Rev. Nguyen Hong Quang himself, who has recently suffered a serious decline in his health, has been incarcerated since June 8, 2004 and is currently held in the infamous Dac Trung prison in Dak Lak Province.

While government authorities were tearing down the building, they blocked the mobile phone of Mrs. Quang so she could not communicate with anyone. Mrs. Quang urgently requested the authorities to respect the law and not tear down parts of the building that were not included in the dispute. They ignored her and continued to order those they had hired for the job to destroy part of the church’s meeting room not included in the order. Those hired to do the dirty work asked Mrs. Quang to please "sympathize with us. We are only hired hands and are doing this because we need food on our tables; we don't want to destroy the church and we will be very careful not to destroy the church's property." Mrs. Quang and her two small children could only watch and pray in anguish as they witnessed the destruction going on.

Local Christians who learned of the incident were kept away from the site until after the officials left at 12:40 PM. Upon their departure, a steady stream of Christians came to visit and comfort Mrs. Quang and her two small children, and helped her tidy up the awful mess left by the destruction.

In their July 19 press release, the Vietnam Mennonite Church General Office wrote, "We call on the worldwide community of Mennonites and Christian communities to continue to pray and to do all in your power to encourage and support the family of the Rev. Nguyen Hong Quang and the Vietnam Mennonite Church during this time of heavy repression. We call on international human rights organizations, mass media organizations and governments who care about human rights to please do everything within your power to raise your voices to support us."

The Voice of the Martyrs urges believers from around the world to pray for Mrs. Quang and her family during this time. You may write a letter of encouragement to them at:

Ba Le Thi Phu Dung
C5/1H Tran Nao, Khu Pho 1
Phuong Binh Khanh, Quan 2
Ho Chi Minh City
Vietnam

Letters of protest to the Vietnamese embassy in Canada can be sent to:

Her Excellency Thi Hoi Nguyen, Ambassador
Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
470 Wilbrod Street
Ottawa, ON K1N 6M8
Canada

Addresses to Vietnamese embassies in other countries may be found through our links page.

Earlier this year, VOMC released a video report containing an interview with Mrs Quang and other Mennonite church workers and their families who have suffered from almost continual persecution from Vietnamese authorities. This report can be viewed on VOMC's multimedia website, www.vomcanada.com.

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

On June 1 2005, on their Vietnamese language program, Radio Free Asia (RFA) interviewed Doctor Hoang Trong Tam who has been treating brother Than Van Truong for the last eight months in Dong Nai mental hospital.

Dr. Tam: If I was asked I would say, in my opinion, Mr. Truong has a mental attitude that is excessive. He is fanatical and over the limits about his beliefs.

RFA: When the police transferred him to the mental hospital, what did they say to the hospital about his case?

Dr. Tam: They said this case is receiving "the obligatory treatment" because he has broken the law and has all the indications of a mental problem. The police transferred him here. But with me, on a professional level I can say he is fanatical. Extremely fanatical. He has an extreme belief in God. Normal Christians do not behave like him.

RFA: Who determined that brother Truong has a mental problem?

Dr. Tam: It wasn't me. I didn't say he was mental. The expert Medical Council made that determination.

RFA: Which medicine did you inject or give to him to take?

Dr. Tam: The kind of medicine that acts as a strong tranquillizer, such as haloperidol.

RFA: What is your personal opinion about Mr. Truong?

Dr. Tam: After the eight months I have treated him he is fanatical. Extremely fanatical. He is somewhere between normal and mental. It is not pathological, but very close to a pathological condition. He is an extreme believer. He is fanatical but with HOPE.

RFA: How is he in recent times - how is his health in general?

Dr. Tam: In recent days, he is all right, and his health is normal. He is nearly recovered and he is not receiving any medicine or injections.

Doctor Speaks Out About Vietnamese Pastor
On June 1, Radio Free Asia interviewed Doctor Hoang Trong Tam who has been treating lay pastor Than Van Truong. Brother Truong has spent the last eight months in Dong Nai Mental Hospital reportedly because of his strong dedication to Christ. According to Doctor Tam, Truong is "fanatical" with "an extreme belief in God" which authorities believe warrants treatment. Click here for an English translation of the interview.
The Voice of the Martyrs is launching a postcard campaign on behalf of Brother Troung. While supplies last, you can receive up to five postcards for free. Each postcard is preprinted with an encouraging message for Brother Troung. All you need to do is place the appropriate postage on the card, sign it with your first name and drop it in the mail as soon as possible. You can invite your friends to use the other cards.
The greeting on the card reads: "Dear Br. Truong, Warmest greetings in Christ from your friends around the world. Your Christian testimony has inspired us and we pray that you will be released from this unjust treatment and returned to your family. We pray that the Bible verse will be a comfort and a strength for you. May God bless you richly."
To request up to five postcards, please visit our website (no longer available). Sorry, the offer is only available to residents of Canada.
For more information on the persecution of Christians in Vietnam,click here.
Vietnamese Christian Leader Released
Seventeen days before his eleven-year prison term for spreading religion was to end, Vietnamese Hmong Christian leader Sung Seo Pao was released from prison on May 3. According to VOM sources in Vietnam, Seo Pao looked well and was strong in his faith.
Seo Pao was first arrested in 1990. He served eight months in prison and was released on the condition that he would not preach the gospel. Unable to meet such a condition, he was arrested again in May 1995.
Praise God that Seo Pao has been released. Pray for him as he continues to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ in Vietnam. Pray that promised religious reforms in Vietnam will truly result in increased freedom of religion. Pray for strength for others presently suffering for their faith in Vietnamese prisons.
For more information on the continuing persecution of Christians in Vietnam,click here.

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