Hanoi – While the dispute on the Hanoi Apostolic Delegate’s Office has not been settled down, another dispute on Church properties lead to protests on Sunday 6th January at Thai Ha parish of Hanoi.
Thai Ha is a large parish in Hanoi and run by the Redemptorists. Part of its 60,000 m2 has been occupied by various government organs. Recently, a sewing factory backed by local authorities has built its workshops on the parish’s land.
The parishioners held a protest on Sunday Morning. Police in mass clashed with protesters. This was seen as a message that Vietnam government would not be prepared for any agreements on land disputes that satisfy the legitimate aspiration of Hanoi’s Catholics. Vietnam government still wants to solve any disputes with its citizens by oppression, regardless of international treaties it has signed. It also violates its own laws.
Article 70, Chapter 5, concerning the Fundamental Rights and Duties of the Citizen, in the 15th April 1992 Vietnam Constitution states that
“The citizen shall enjoy freedom of belief and of religion; he can follow any religion or follow none. All religions are equal before the law. The places of worship of all faiths and religions are protected by the law.”
Directive No. 379/TTg specifies that places of worship borrowed by the authorities must be returned to the churches or their owners when their use is no longer justified. If the use of the land is not for the right purposes, then it must be returned to the churches. If the places of worship are being occupied by people, it is municipal government’s task in asking these habitants to leave the properties within specific time.
Decree No. 26/1999/ND-CP provides that church properties must be kept under the management of the state, and the state should not let these places of worships be transgressed.
Ordinance No. 21/2004/PL-UBTVQH11 of June 18, 2004 regarding Religious Belief and Religious Organizations, Article 26 elaborates that the legal property of places of religious belief and of religious organizations is protected by law; any violation of this right is forbidden.
Despite all above rulings, local authorities has managed to nibble bite by bite the parish’s land.
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| Police in mass at Thai Ha parish |
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| Police in clash with Thai Ha parishioners |
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| A woman was arrested |
The parishioners held a protest on Sunday Morning. Police in mass clashed with protesters. This was seen as a message that Vietnam government would not be prepared for any agreements on land disputes that satisfy the legitimate aspiration of Hanoi’s Catholics. Vietnam government still wants to solve any disputes with its citizens by oppression, regardless of international treaties it has signed. It also violates its own laws.
Article 70, Chapter 5, concerning the Fundamental Rights and Duties of the Citizen, in the 15th April 1992 Vietnam Constitution states that
“The citizen shall enjoy freedom of belief and of religion; he can follow any religion or follow none. All religions are equal before the law. The places of worship of all faiths and religions are protected by the law.”
Directive No. 379/TTg specifies that places of worship borrowed by the authorities must be returned to the churches or their owners when their use is no longer justified. If the use of the land is not for the right purposes, then it must be returned to the churches. If the places of worship are being occupied by people, it is municipal government’s task in asking these habitants to leave the properties within specific time.
Decree No. 26/1999/ND-CP provides that church properties must be kept under the management of the state, and the state should not let these places of worships be transgressed.
Ordinance No. 21/2004/PL-UBTVQH11 of June 18, 2004 regarding Religious Belief and Religious Organizations, Article 26 elaborates that the legal property of places of religious belief and of religious organizations is protected by law; any violation of this right is forbidden.
Despite all above rulings, local authorities has managed to nibble bite by bite the parish’s land.