A newly acquired 2005 document gives the lie to Vietnamese claims that religious freedom is improving in the country.
The official document gives explicit instructions for conducting a vigorous anti-Christian campaign in a Hmong area of Vietnam. Peaceful home worship groups are described as “complicated places,” “places which complicate public security,” “hot spots.”
The main target for eradication is “Tin Lanh” or Protestant Christianity with Christian leaders noted as particular targets. The goal of the campaign in relation to places where Christians meet to worship is “xoa” or “erase, wipe out, eradicate.”
Officials continue to willfully misinterpret the Hmong word for the Christian God, “Van Chu” as referring to a secular king who will lead them to political independence.
Though the document focuses on Hmong Christians, it also instructs teams to go after serious criminals—drug dealers, robbers, arms dealers, gamblers, etc. The message is that Christian followers are in the same category but have even higher priority.
Clearly there are two distinct policies in Vietnam—one for public propaganda and international relations; the other for application on the ground.
Pray:
