Attacks on
Catholics of Vinh, "religious cleansing" imposed by Hanoi
by J.
B. An Dang –
AsiaNews
07/04/2012
Authorities increasing repression on practice of
religion. The government wants to "wipe out" any trace of faith, but the people
are seeing a spiritual rebirth. The fierce opposition of the priest and the
faithful of Con Cuong and military assault by organized thugs. Local priest: to
die on the altar "a blessing".
Hanoi (AsiaNews) - The
crackdown on the free profession of religion in Vietnam is becoming more
pronounced. The last episode of violation of religious freedom in the communist
country - also a right recognized by state law - took place on July 1 last in a
Missionary Chapel in Con Cuong, a rural area of
the
province of Nghe An, in the northern diocese of Vinh; in raids on local
Catholics combat troops and "thugs" in the pay of the authorities to target
minorities or repress dissent were also used in (see AsiaNews 03/07/2012 Vinh:
Catholics targeted by thugs and authorities. Dozens of faithful injured during
Mass). Local sources speak of a real campaign of "religious cleansing" aimed at
"wiping out" any trace of faith and worship; in particular in the rural or
remote areas of Vietnam, where there is a strong revival of religious
sensibility and Christianity in particular, after decades of indoctrination and
atheistic communism.
The Con Cuong district authorities are increasingly willing to punish the
practice of worship and spiritual needs of the local population, after having
several times - in the past - hired criminal gangs and thugs to threaten and
terrorize the faithful gathered in the chapel to pray . On one occasion, they
also tried to blow up the little place of prayer, but all attempts proved
futile.
The last incident took place on Sunday, July 1. Witnesses told
AsiaNews that dozens of thugs and
plainclothes officers tried to prevent Fr. JB Nguyen Dinh Thuc from entering the
chapel to celebrate mass. The priest opposed the fierce resistance, trying to
break through the gang, in response, the officers beat him brutally punishing
the faithful who came to his rescue. Among them is Mrs. Maria Thi Than Ngho
whose skull was fractured in the struggle and remains hospitalized in conditions
described as "critical" in Viet Duc hospital in Hanoi. Many others were arrested
and locked up in jail.
The determination of the priest and the entire Catholic community to celebrate
Sunday Mass has sparked the crackdown of government officials, who requested the
intervention of a military department in support of the bands of thugs. In
addition to attacking the faithful with brutality, they have also wrecked havoc
with the symbols of Christian faith, overturning and destroying a statue of Our
Lady (pictured) in front of the stunned and frightened faithful, while hurling
insults and abuse. Thanks to the cooperation of four other parishes in the area,
some Christians faced and surrounded a dozen of these "thugs" who confessed to
receiving about 25 dollars as "compensation" for their misdeeds.
In an attempt to respond to the violence, the faithful of Con Cuong have held
demonstrations outside the police station in the district: they demanded the
release of the arrested Catholics, and an investigation into the incident, the
involvement of the authorities and the violence committed by criminals. The
local community does not intend to give in to pressures and demands the right to
free practice of religion. A struggle for religious freedom, following the
example and words of their pastor: "To die on the altar - said Fr. JB Nguyen
Dinh Thuc - would be such a blessing to me."