Press Release: On the brutal attack of the Vietnamese government against parishioners of My Yen, Nghe An in the diocese of Vinh
The Federation of Vietnamese Catholic Mass Media
9/8/2013
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE.
Sydney -September 07, 2013 – The Federation of Vietnamese Catholic Mass Media protests before the international community and sternly condemns the ongoing harsh persecution of Catholics by the Vietnamese government.
The date of September 04, 2013 should have been a joyful day of Catholics in the diocese of Vinh in Vietnam, as it was the day that the new auxiliary bishop of the diocese was installed. However, the Vietnamese government turned it into a day of mourning.
On that very afternoon, hundreds of public security agents, riot police, militia, professionally trained dogs brutally attacked a group of parishioners of My Yen, in the province of Nghe An.
At 3:30 pm, pursuant to the Promissory Note of the local government, signed on Sept 3, 2013, a group of parishioners of My Yen parish came to the office of the People Committee of Nghi Phuong commune to pick up and take home two other parishioners – Peter Ngo Van Khoi and Anthony Nguyen Van Hai – who had been arrested illegally for unknown reasons.
Upon their arrival, they were surprised to learn that there was no such commitment to be undertaken. On the contrary, the authorities were planning a large scale deployment with hundreds of public security agents, riot police, militia, professionally trained dogs, tear gas… to block the entrance to office of the People’s Committee of Nghi Phuong commune.
When a small group of Mr Khoi and Mr Hai relatives approaching the barbed- wire fence of the mobile police with the intention of going into the office of the People’s Committee, they were immediately met with tear gas, sticks, clubs, explosives, professional dogs… as the barbaric attack was launched. Many people fainted; the rest became panic stricken and ran off in all directions. Several ran off to take refuge at the houses across the street from the office of the People’s Committee of the Commune.
Immediately, the government forces broke doors, rushed into the houses, destroyed furniture, attacked all those who were present, assaulted and arrested the owners.
Even more seriously, they smashed and insulted holy statues inside Anthony Nguyen Van Van residence. This is a blatant act of sacrilege, severely insulting their religious belief.
The devastating attack resulted in the injuries of 40 people, including women and adolescents. A number of victims are still in critical condition, fighting for their lives.
In communion with victims of the brutal violence of the Vietnamese government, we urge Vietnamese Catholics around the world to pray for the injured, especially for those who are still in critical conditions, fighting for their life.
The Federation of the Vietnamese Catholics Mass Media sternly condemns and denounces before international community the inhumane conducts and the barbaric, violent actions of public authorities and ask the communist government of Vietnam to do the followings:
1) ) Stop immediately the terroristic acts against the parishioners of My Yen.
2) Stop the persecution of the Catholic Church and other religions. Enforce security at places of worship of all religions.
3) Solemnly abide the law promulgated by its own government and return all seized properties to the Catholic Church and other religions in Vietnam.
4) Absolutely respect Human Rights and Religious Freedom as the Charter of the United Nations affirmed.
With our complete trust in God, we would be in communion, share and accompany the My Yen parish, and the diocese of Vinh in their way of the cross. We earnestly call for all Congresses, governments, political parties of all nations, the Human Rights organizations, the Amnesty Internationals, the International Commission on Human Rights, any organizations with special concerns for Freedom and Human Rights in Vietnam, and the World Communication Agencies to please accompany us in the struggle for Human Rights and Religious Freedom in Vietnam.
Contacts:
Bishop Vincent Nguyen Van Long
Auxiliary Bishop of Melbourne, Australia
Monsignor Peter Nguyen Van Tai
Director of Radio VERITAS Asia
Rev. John Tran Cong Nghi
Director of VietCatholic News Agency
Rev. Joachim Viet-Chau Nguyen Duc
Editor of the People of God Monthly Magazine ( in America)
Rev. Anthony Nguyen Huu Quang
Vice Director of VietCatholic News Agency
Editor of the People of God Monthly Magazine ( in Australia )
Rev. Stephen Luu Thuong Bui
Editor of the People of God Monthly Magazine (in Europe)
Rev. Paul Van- Chi Chu
Vice Director of VietCatholic News Agency
The Federation of Vietnamese Catholic Mass Media
