No change despite Vietnamese government' opening to Protestants
Hanoi (AsiaNews/UCAN) The Vietnamese government has promulgated a new directive dealing specifically with activities of non official Protestant groups in the country.
The directive offers official recognition to such groups on the condition they submit to strict state control.
It claims that it will create favorable conditions for Protestant congregationsBaptists, Mennonites, Mormons, Pentecostals, Jehovah's Witnesses and Seventh-day Adventiststo build places of worship and hold training courses. However, in exchange they are required to obey all regulations and stay away from for reactionary overseas Vietnamese.
According to Nguyen Thanh Xuan, vice-chairman of the government's Committee for Religious Affairs, different criteria apply to unrecognised Protestant denominations depending on whether or not they existed in the country before 1975, the year Vietnam was reunited under communist rule.
Groups present before 1975 will be allowed to go through the formalities necessary to hold a congress at which time they adopt a constitution and elect an executive board, so as to be recognised by the government.
Those groups that came to Vietnam later would be allowed to register their activities with local administrations if a real need existed for religious activities.
If Protestant groups satisfy these conditions, Xuan said, local authorities will "create favorable conditions for them to carry out normal religious practices at home or allow them to register their activities for a suitable site in their villages."
Besides, Xuan said, reactionaries are seducing and attracting ethnic minority Protestants in the highlands into undermining the political and social security of the country. Based on such accusations Mennonites and Montagnard Christians have been persecuted; clergymen and faithful have been imprisoned, with churches and private homes used as places of worship destroyed.
International reactions have so far been muted. "We must wait and see how nice words are put into practice", said a member of the US Commission on religious freedom.
Recently, the same Commission called on the Bush administration to impose economic sanctions on Hanoi for its very worrying violations of religious freedom. A decision on whether to impose sanctions or not is expected for March 15.
The Commission has called the directive "vague and open" to interpretation by public officials and security forces. "Before passing judgement we must see what concrete steps the authorities will take," it said.
In the meantime, Pope John Paul II appointed Bishop Joseph Ngô Quang Kiêt as the new archbishop of Hanoi, replacing Cardinal Paul Joseph Pham Dinh Tung. He will help the help the sick prelate in his functions, according to a government spokesperson.
In Vietnam the government prevents the Vatican from freely appointing bishops. Cardinal Tung, who is 86-year-old, had to wait a long time before the authorities approved his replacement.
The Pope also named Father Francois Xavier Le Van Hong as Auxiliary Bishop of Huê. (LF)
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