Tensions mount to a combustible level as Hanoi Catholics continue sit-in protests in the garden of the building that once housed the apostolic nuncio in defiance of a government order to vacate the site before 5pm last Sunday. State-controlled media start a new wave of insulting Hanoi’s clergies and faithful.
Preparing public opinion for repressing Hanoi Catholics’ protests, since Monday 28 January, state-controlled media have started a new wave of insulting Hanoi’s clergies, depicting them as “liars” who have forced their flock to demonstrate against the government.
The New Hanoi newspaper describes protesters as “naive people” who have put completely their trusts in their religion leaders who want to seize the building illegally. Meanwhile, the Capital Security of Hanoi Police, accuses Hanoi’s clergies of “lieying their flock” and “forcing them to demonstrate against the government”.
Joseph Vu Van Khoat, a protester who has camped out in the residence garden since last Friday, decried the press coverage as “nonsense”. “I don’t care what they say. You go out and ask anyone on the streets. No one believes them. In fact, those who have written such articles know well that we have gathered here voluntarily to pray peacefully for justice. But it’s their job to spell out lies”.
Hundreds protesters have camped out in the residence garden since last Friday despite cold rains and biting winds with temperature dropped to 9°C.
“Why they do not dare to publish on their newspapers the Archbishop’s statement?” asking Maria Doan Thi Tuyet when asked about charges of State Press. “In there, the Archbishop argued point-by-point all charges leveled on us. We have been holding protests because we are victims of a partisan spirit. For 30 years, we have forwarded petitions asking for the requisition of the building. They all have gone unanswered. The government always treats Catholics as second-class citizens”.
Asked about ominous warnings from the Vietnamese government for “extreme actions” against sit-in protester, Fr. Joseph Nguyen reported directly from the site at 7 pm Tuesday “At the moment, in the lawn of the building, hundreds religious and lay people are praying. Large numbers of security police, in uniform and in plain-clothes, are on the site, surrounding the protesters and mingling in their ranks, taking photos and filming with video cameras. I am afraid they may attack us tonight”.
“The congregation keeps focusing on their prayers despite threatening gestures of security forces. The Archbishop has told us that ‘Worshipping is a basic human right protected by laws. I'm prepared to go to jail for my flock should the government jail them,’. I want to elaborate that if the government prohibits us to pray here, in our property, then this country is just a big jail”.
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| The congregation focuses on praying |
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| Despite threatening gestures from police |
The New Hanoi newspaper describes protesters as “naive people” who have put completely their trusts in their religion leaders who want to seize the building illegally. Meanwhile, the Capital Security of Hanoi Police, accuses Hanoi’s clergies of “lieying their flock” and “forcing them to demonstrate against the government”.
Joseph Vu Van Khoat, a protester who has camped out in the residence garden since last Friday, decried the press coverage as “nonsense”. “I don’t care what they say. You go out and ask anyone on the streets. No one believes them. In fact, those who have written such articles know well that we have gathered here voluntarily to pray peacefully for justice. But it’s their job to spell out lies”.
Hundreds protesters have camped out in the residence garden since last Friday despite cold rains and biting winds with temperature dropped to 9°C.
“Why they do not dare to publish on their newspapers the Archbishop’s statement?” asking Maria Doan Thi Tuyet when asked about charges of State Press. “In there, the Archbishop argued point-by-point all charges leveled on us. We have been holding protests because we are victims of a partisan spirit. For 30 years, we have forwarded petitions asking for the requisition of the building. They all have gone unanswered. The government always treats Catholics as second-class citizens”.
Asked about ominous warnings from the Vietnamese government for “extreme actions” against sit-in protester, Fr. Joseph Nguyen reported directly from the site at 7 pm Tuesday “At the moment, in the lawn of the building, hundreds religious and lay people are praying. Large numbers of security police, in uniform and in plain-clothes, are on the site, surrounding the protesters and mingling in their ranks, taking photos and filming with video cameras. I am afraid they may attack us tonight”.
“The congregation keeps focusing on their prayers despite threatening gestures of security forces. The Archbishop has told us that ‘Worshipping is a basic human right protected by laws. I'm prepared to go to jail for my flock should the government jail them,’. I want to elaborate that if the government prohibits us to pray here, in our property, then this country is just a big jail”.