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TechnoratiThe situation remains particularly hard for ethnic minority churches along the borders of Laos and China in Vietnam’s northwest provinces. In these remote places, lack of registration is still used as an excuse to break up or to prevent regular worship services.
The Evangelical Church of Vietnam (North) has submitted requests for well over 600 churches, and the Northwest Highlands reports only 31 church registrations. Only 13 of the 31 church registrations came after Vietnam’s status as a CPC was lifted last November, according to Compass.
Under pressure from human rights advocates, Vietnam did release three dissidents in advance of Triet’s U.S. trip. According to a report by the Vietnam Study Group, 38 dissidents have been arrested since August 2006, and since March 30, 2007, 20 of them have received sentences totaling 80 years.
Perpetrators of religious violations have shifted from the central government to the local government. This has made the situation more complicated. For one, the international community does not have as much access to local governments when it comes to information and accountability.
Compounding this is the convenience of hiding atrocities at the local level. Cordoning off a village or a community so that people, resources and information are unable to go in and out results in news blackouts most of the time.
Overall, vigilance is the key – vigilance in prayer, advocacy and all kinds of support to our persecuted brothers and sisters in Vietnam, especially those that live in the hidden, inaccessible parts of the country. We should not let down our guard. They are still persecuted, but the face of the persecutor has changed.
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Dr. Carl Moeller is president/CEO of Open Doors USA
