Vietnamese Officials Resort to Force in Civil Dispute

 

Compass Direct

24.5.2006

Compass Direct reports that police and other officials used overwhelming force to address an alleged building permit violation by the Vietnam Mennonite Church.

An estimated 50 public security police and other security forces and officials from Binh Khanh Ward in District 2 converged on the Mennonite church, office and residence of the Rev. Nguyen Hong Quang on Monday afternoon (May 22). Beating construction workers and others, authorities arrested 11 people, including Rev. Quang, who had been released from prison last August after serving 15 months of his three-year sentence for “interfering” with police officers. Pastor Quang was the last to be released on Tuesday evening (May 23).

He had received a building permit to repair the damage authorities had previously done to the Mennonite building. His peers believe that authorities resorted to use of force in a civil matter in order to set a trap for him, hoping to provoke him. A long-time Compass source noted that it is especially puzzling that Vietnam would risk the fallout of more negative publicity at a time when it is trying hard to get off the U.S. list of religious liberty offenders.

 

 

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