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Cambodia

• Christian Evangelism Banned in Cambodia

  

  In a directive distributed on July 10, the Ministry of Cults and Religions in Cambodia banned Christian groups from door-to-door evangelism on the grounds that it "disrupts society." The directive also stated that the distribution of religious literature will be confined to church buildings, which can only be built if they receive ministry approval. Government officials said the ruling was aimed at reducing Christian evangelical influence throughout the largely Buddhist country amid allegations of believers using gifts to convert children.

  Pray for the continued spread of the Gospel in Cambodia, despite government opposition. Pray that Cambodian Christians will echo Peter's sentiment and determine to obey God regardless of what man says (Acts 5:29).

• Partially Built Church Destroyed by Cambodian Villagers

  

  On Friday, April 28, a partially built church building in Boeng Krum Leu, 30km east of Phnom Penh, Cambodia was destroyed by approximately 300 local Buddhists. Che Saren, chief of the district, told the Associated Press that the Buddhists felt threatened by the visible presence of another religion.  Chanting "Destroy the church," and "Long live Buddhism," the villagers tore down the building and burned the rubble. According to Ros Sithoeun, a local Christian, the police gave the villagers a lecture on the laws governing religious freedom and the two sides have come to a peaceful agreement.  The Christians did not file complaints with the authorities nor demand restitution.  There are currently twenty to thirty Christians in the village.

  Pray that the Christians in Boeng Krum Leu will be able to continue worshipping the Lord without further opposition. Pray that the sacrificial attitude of these believers will draw others to Christ.

• Vietnamese Refugees Trapped on Border

  

  The Montagnard Foundation, an organization dedicated to assist and support the persecuted people from the hill country of Vietnam, has recently received information on over fifty refugees hiding in the jungles of the Vietnam/Cambodia border. According to their August 26 press release, the refugees, consisting of men, women and children, are sick, starving, and exhausted as they are being pursued by Cambodian authorities who would hand them over to the Vietnamese government for cash bounties (less than $100 Cdn/person). If returned to Vietnam, they face imprisonment, torture, and possibly death.

  For several years, the Montagnard people, many of whom are Christians, have faced systematic and brutal persecution from the Vietnamese government, both for ethnic and religious reasons. In April 2003, Human Rights Watch stated that, "despite Hanoi's statements of concern for its ethnic minorities, Vietnam is clearly escalating its repression of the Montagnards."

  Pray for protection for these people who are fleeing for their lives. Pray that the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) will get involved soon to protect them. We encourage you to politely express your concerns to government and UN officials. For contact information, go to our website at https://www.vomcanada.com/links.htm.

• Parliamentarian Calls For a Stop to Oppression

  

  A member of Cambodia's parliament is calling for a stop to human rights violations against Montagnard refugees fleeing oppression in their native Vietnam. According to Missions Insider, Son Chhay appealed to the president, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, on July 2. He demanded that the Cambodian government, "answer, clarify, and stop immediately the activities that violate human rights by the Cambodian authorities because it is inhumane and violates the 1951 International Refugee Treaty, of which Cambodia is a signatory."

  Thousands of Montagnards, many of them Christians, have fled across the border from Vietnam into Cambodia, only to be captured by the Cambodian authorities and returned to Vietnam where they face prison, torture and sometimes death. According to Chhay, the Vietnamese government has offered a bounty of one million Vietnamese dong ($90.50 CDN) for each Montagnard returned.

  Pray that this call will be heeded and that the Cambodian government will cease this oppression against those fleeing persecution. We encourage you to lend your voice in keeping this issue in the forefront of the Cambodian government by contacting embassies in your country and the United Nations. Also encourage your local politicians to look into this issue and address it. Contact information can be found on our website at www.vomcanada.com/links.htm.

• Christians Blamed for Drought, Attacked by Mob

  A mob of around 100 Buddhists attacked a church in Kok Pring in south-east Cambodia during a service on Sunday, July 13, destroying the cross at the front, breaking windows, and throwing Bibles into puddles of water. The building would have been destroyed if the police had not intervened. According to Hun Neng, governor of the province of Svay Rieng, there were some injuries, but no further details are available. A squad of police officers has been assigned to protect the building and officials have spoken with the villagers about respecting religious rights.

  It appears that a three-year drought was part of the reason for the attack. The police chief, Sort Nady, told Associated Press, "They were angry with the church. They said the presence of the church has caused continuous droughts that have prevented them from growing rice." According to a report from Zenit, the mob also accused the Christians of having contempt for Buddhists. Since many of the Christians in Cambodia are Vietnamese refugees fleeing religious persecution in their own country, there are suggestions that strong feelings against the Vietnamese refugees may have also been a factor in the attack.

  Pray that tensions between Christians and Buddhists in Cambodia will not continue to escalate, but that they might be able to live peacefully together. Pray for those attacked, that the physical and emotional wounds will be healed through the power of God's Spirit. Pray also for the physical needs of the people and that this drought will soon end.