2 September 2008
The Honourable Kevin Rudd, MP
Prime Minister of Australia
Australian Parliament
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, 2600
Dear Prime Minister,
We are writing this letter to express our deep concerns about the recent dispute between Redemptorists and the Government of Vietnam over a piece of property at Hanoi Redemptorist Monastery - Thai Ha parish. We have been shocked by recent religious and human rights violations against the religious order as well as Catholic faithful who have assembled since January for peaceful prayer vigils at the site of dispute.
The property in question consists of 15 acres of land purchased by the religious order in 1928. After the Communist takeover in 1954, most of the Redemptorists in Vietnam were jailed or deported, leaving a local priest alone in charge of the land. Despite the pastor’s protests, local authorities, following a harsh anti-religion policy, had allowed individuals and state-run organisations to seize the parish’s land one section at a time. The 15-acre plot has been reduced to only about half an acre.
Since 1996, the religious order has repeatedly requested the requisition of the property claiming that it was seized illegally – all to no avail. Redemptorists and their followers in their desperation were left with no choice other than holding peaceful protests to call out for justice from the authorities.
In response, the Government of Vietnam launched a terrorising campaign against Hanoi Catholics, starting with a series of arrests on August 28. On the same day, numerous of priests and lay people were kicked and beaten brutally by police when they peacefully requested for the release of detainees. Demonstrators have claimed the police beat them and used stun guns on them.
Even worse, Vietnam police dirupted a Catholic procession at Hanoi Redemptorist Monastery on Sunday 31th August. Fr. Peter Nguyen Van Khai, the celebrant, was attacked when he was leading a procession on the ground of Hanoi Redemptorist Monastery. A police in uniform sprayed him, altar boys and people nearby with tear gas at close range causing many to faint and vomit. Another teargas-bomb was thrown into the crowd causing many ran and cried out in panic. 30 parishioners, most of them were children, suffered badly from tear gas inhalation. Among them at least 20 were hospitalised.
Australia has a long tradition of being a protector of religious and human rights throughout the world. We respectfully request that you do everything possible to ensure that the regime in Hanoi desists from all sorts of violent repression of the protestors, and seriously searches for negotiated settlements regarding the confiscated Church property that is at the root of the dispute. The Vietnam government must respect its own laws and international laws that it has signed. It must immediately take firm and concrete action to prevent further religious and human rights violations against followers of religious groups recognising their rights to practice their faiths free of harassment and oppression. For a far too long period, people of faith have suffered and persecuted under Hanoi’s repressive and brutal rule.
Sincerely,
Fr. Peter Nguyễn Minh Thuý, Chairman of Vietnamese Chaplaincy in Australia.
Fr. Peter Bùi Xuân Mỹ, Vice Chairman of Vietnamese Chaplaincy in Australia.
Fr. Paul Chu Văn Chi, General Secretary of Vietnamese Chaplaincy in Australia.
Fr. Anthony Nguyễn Hữu Quảng, Director of People Of God Magazine in Australia.
The Honourable Kevin Rudd, MP
Prime Minister of Australia
Australian Parliament
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, 2600
Dear Prime Minister,
We are writing this letter to express our deep concerns about the recent dispute between Redemptorists and the Government of Vietnam over a piece of property at Hanoi Redemptorist Monastery - Thai Ha parish. We have been shocked by recent religious and human rights violations against the religious order as well as Catholic faithful who have assembled since January for peaceful prayer vigils at the site of dispute.
The property in question consists of 15 acres of land purchased by the religious order in 1928. After the Communist takeover in 1954, most of the Redemptorists in Vietnam were jailed or deported, leaving a local priest alone in charge of the land. Despite the pastor’s protests, local authorities, following a harsh anti-religion policy, had allowed individuals and state-run organisations to seize the parish’s land one section at a time. The 15-acre plot has been reduced to only about half an acre.
Since 1996, the religious order has repeatedly requested the requisition of the property claiming that it was seized illegally – all to no avail. Redemptorists and their followers in their desperation were left with no choice other than holding peaceful protests to call out for justice from the authorities.
In response, the Government of Vietnam launched a terrorising campaign against Hanoi Catholics, starting with a series of arrests on August 28. On the same day, numerous of priests and lay people were kicked and beaten brutally by police when they peacefully requested for the release of detainees. Demonstrators have claimed the police beat them and used stun guns on them.
Even worse, Vietnam police dirupted a Catholic procession at Hanoi Redemptorist Monastery on Sunday 31th August. Fr. Peter Nguyen Van Khai, the celebrant, was attacked when he was leading a procession on the ground of Hanoi Redemptorist Monastery. A police in uniform sprayed him, altar boys and people nearby with tear gas at close range causing many to faint and vomit. Another teargas-bomb was thrown into the crowd causing many ran and cried out in panic. 30 parishioners, most of them were children, suffered badly from tear gas inhalation. Among them at least 20 were hospitalised.
Australia has a long tradition of being a protector of religious and human rights throughout the world. We respectfully request that you do everything possible to ensure that the regime in Hanoi desists from all sorts of violent repression of the protestors, and seriously searches for negotiated settlements regarding the confiscated Church property that is at the root of the dispute. The Vietnam government must respect its own laws and international laws that it has signed. It must immediately take firm and concrete action to prevent further religious and human rights violations against followers of religious groups recognising their rights to practice their faiths free of harassment and oppression. For a far too long period, people of faith have suffered and persecuted under Hanoi’s repressive and brutal rule.
Sincerely,
Fr. Peter Nguyễn Minh Thuý, Chairman of Vietnamese Chaplaincy in Australia.
Fr. Peter Bùi Xuân Mỹ, Vice Chairman of Vietnamese Chaplaincy in Australia.
Fr. Paul Chu Văn Chi, General Secretary of Vietnamese Chaplaincy in Australia.
Fr. Anthony Nguyễn Hữu Quảng, Director of People Of God Magazine in Australia.