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Vietnam

• 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.

• Church Faces Destruction Once Again

  For the past month, The Voice of the Martyrs has been following the plight of the Thu Thiem Evangelical Church in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Their church building was destroyed in 2000 and, when they applied to rebuild it, approval was repeatedly delayed. Finally in June 2003 they began rebuilding without permission. Authorities stopped them and ordered them to destroy what had been built by July 12. After meeting with the officials from the Religious Department, it was mutually agreed that the approval process had been excessive, but that the building should not have begun without approval. It appeared at that point that the approval process would continue. For more details, see https://www.vomcanada.com/vn-2003-07-09.htm and https://www.vomcanada.com/vn-2003-07-16.htm.

  This week the church faced opposition from a different front. When the church applied to the city authorities for a house number, water and electricity, they received a rejection because Pastor Nganh had admitted that he had begun to rebuild the church without permission and had not paid the fine. Pastor Nganh and another church leader met with civil authorities on July 25 and were informed that the order to destroy the building remained in force, despite the meetings held with the Religious Department. Christians in Vietnam now believe the concessions made by the Religious Department were intended only to appease international observers and to bring about an admission by Pastor Nganh which could be used against him.

  We are calling on Christians around the world to continue praying for the Thu Thiem Church, that these difficulties will be resolved and that, in the midst of these struggles, they might be a testimony to those to whom they speak.

• Church Spared Destruction (Vietnam)

  Last week the Persecution and Prayer Alert reported on the Thu Thiem church that was ordered destroyed by the Vietnamese authorities. In June the congregation had gathered to begin reconstruction on a building destroyed in July 2000 but the construction was stopped when the authorities confiscated the building materials. When the church gathered again on the site for a service on July 6, the police surrounded the gathering and demanded that all new construction be dismantled by July 12.

  According to the Australian office of The Voice of the Martyrs, the Religious Department in Ho Chi Minh City called the church leaders together on July 10 to discuss the situation. They were able to reach an agreement in which the government acknowledged their mistake in taking too long to consider the application for the new building. At the same time, the church acknowledged their error in building the church on farmland before they received a government permit and Pastor Truong Van Nganh agreed to withdraw the letter of protest he had written.

  The church is giving thanks to God for His intervention in this matter as well as thanking those who prayed. Continue to pray for the Thu Thiem Evangelical Church, that all the permits will be granted and that they will be able to have a building to gather for worship.

• Church Ordered to Cease Construction

  An evangelical church in Ho Chi Minh City has been ordered to cease construction on their church building and to destroy what has already been built by July 12. According to reports received by The Voice of the Martyrs in Australia, police originally destroyed the Thu Thiem Evangelical Church in July 2000. The believers continued to meet on the concrete slab for four months until moving to a house church.

  On June 9, the congregation quietly began rebuilding at 4:00 a.m. Two hundred police officers descended upon the congregation three hours later, surrounding the site and attempting to stop the building project. According to a report from Compass Direct, the church's pastor, Truong Van Nganh and Pastor Nguyen Hong Quang, a Vietnamese Mennonite activist, spoke with the police, who reluctantly left when they realized they could not legally stop the building project. A gang of troublemakers arrived later in the day and tried to provoke those who were praying nearby. Authorities were called in to remove the agitators and, while there, cut off the electricity to the site. However, the church had a generator and continued working. Eventually construction stopped when the authorities confiscated the building materials.

  On July 6, Pastor Truong called the people together for a service at the site. Police surrounded the 140 believers who met and ordered them to dismantle the new construction by July 12. On July 8, police interviewed the assistant pastor for most of the morning and it is expected that Pastor Truong will be questioned today.

  The church has received support from Christians throughout Vietnam, including a letter of solidarity written by two Catholic priests. The church members are asking for Christians around the world to join with them in prayer during this difficult time. Pray for wisdom and strength for Pastor Truong and the other leaders as they deal with the authorities.

• New Measures for Dealing with Religion

  When the Central Committee of Vietnam's Communist Party met this month, they promised to address, among other things, the issue of religion. According to a report received on January 28 from Compass Direct, the resolution reached was to better control religion which has caused significant concern, particularly for the Protestant Christian minorities in its Central Highlands region. According to Compass sources, a resolution was passed which calls for the establishment of cells of Communist Party members within the six approved religious organizations. This resolution has caused concerns within the approved organizations as well as those considered illegal. The Evangelical Church of Vietnam (South) is officially recognized but has thus far avoided government control. There is fear that this new initiative will cause problems for the church leadership.

  There is even greater concern for the church groups considered illegal by the government who have been subjected to serious discrimination and persecution. Since the government appears to be strengthening its control on religion, there is fear of increased persecution for groups such as the Protestant churches of the Montagnard and Hmong people. The government of Vietnam has called on members of the recognized religious groups to "volunteer" in the struggle "to foil hostile forces who abuse religious and ethnic minority issues to sabotage the great national unity and act against the political regime." This appears to be a direct call against the minorities in the Central Highlands who are strongly Protestant Christian.

  On January 21, Human Rights Watch released a report outlining an intensifying crackdown on the Montagnard Christians of Vietnam. In the past year, over 400 churches have been closed in the Central Highlands of Vietnam, all Christian celebrations have been banned, and many Christians have been imprisoned and tortured. The crackdown is part of a concentrated effort to stamp out Evangelical Christian churches in the area. The report, including a list of 70 Montagnard prisoners, can be found at www.hrw.org/backgrounder/asia/vietnam/vietrights.pdf.

  Continue to pray for Christians in Vietnam, as they face this increased government pressure. Pray that those churches legally recognized will stand firm in their faith, despite the government's latest initiative. Pray for the people of the Central Highlands who are continuing to face severe persecution. Pray that governments around the world will put increasing pressure on the Vietnamese government to respect the rights of their citizens.

• Noxious Gas Used to Break Up Worship Service

  On December 29, police used noxious gas to break up a worship service in the Dien Bien Dong district of North Vietnam. A source told ANS that of the 40 Hmong people gathered for worship, 20 had been hospitalized because of the gas.

  Vietnamese authorities have been systematically attacking the Hmong people. Listeners to Far East Broadcasting report that Christian villages are under constant surveillance preventing any Christian meetings and burning any Christian literature found.

  Pray for a quick and full recovery of those suffering from the gas. Pray for endurance for those facing this ongoing persecution. Pray that the government of Vietnam will listen to international pressure and stop these attacks against their own people.