Hanoi Archbishop is virtually under house arrest by a multitude of telephone spying equipments and cameras deployed overtly in nearby buildings, and thugs gathering in front of his residence yelling anti-Catholic slogans.
Archbishop Joseph Ngo Quang Kiet of Hanoi is virtually under house arrest as his office must be closed all the time and while he has to limit his outside activities, less people dare to call in on his office. Staff in the archbishop’s office have to lock the office’s gate as a measure to avoid sudden attacks from pro-government mob of dozen thugs gathering frequently around, yelling out slogans in praise of communism and calling into question the suitability of the prelate. Some of his normal activities have also been delayed or cancelled due to security reasons.
While the prelate has to limit to mimimal outside activities, less people dare to call in on as well. From the rooftop of Hoan Kiem primary school, right after the archbishop’s office; and from nearby buildings, a network of spy equipments deployed overtly to spy telephone conversations, and monitor all activities of the office. The overt deployment of spy equipment is also used as a tactic of intimidation threatening anyone who wants to contact with the archbishop.
Other measures to isolate Msgr. Joseph Ngo have also been employed. The church at Mac Thuong in Ly Nhan, Ha Nam, was raided by a hundred thugs on Wednesday. They went inside the church shouting obscenities at those who were praying there threatening that their lives would not be easy until the archbishop was removed. Fr. Phuong, pastor of Mac Thuong, reported that his parish had no means to defense themselves. Mac Thuong is a small parish with only 300 faithful and most men in the parish have to work far away from home.
Catholic correspondents in Hanoi also reported a number of cases elderly people have been hired at 20,000 VND (1.2 USD) to go to the archbishop’s office, masquerading as Catholics, to call for his resignation.
Despite of obscenities and threats shouted at them by pro-government mob, hundreds of Catholic protestors who keep their daily protests at the nunciature stay calm and focus on their prayer stubbornly asking for justice.
In another incident, the archbishop’s office released a protest letter against an order of the chairman of People’s Committee of Hoan Kiem district. In the order 740/QĐ-CTUBND, Hoang Cong Khoi, chairman of the committee accused the archbishop’s office of placing a statue of the Pieta illegally on a state building. Along with the decision to confiscate the statue, the committee also impose on the archbishop’s office a fine ticket of 1,750,000 VND (105 USD).
Fr. John Le Trong Cung, vice chancellor of the archbishop’s office, argued that “the nunciature and its land are not state properties. They are Church’s properties. Hanoi Catholics did nothing wrong when they placed the statue on the ground of the building.”
Also, “The fine ticket of 1,750,000 VND and the removal of the statue out of 42 Pho Nha Chung are unlawful as they violated session 4 of the Ordinance on Belief and Religion,” he stated.
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| A telephone spying equipment from the rooftop of Hoan Kiem school |
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| Camera from a nearby building to monitor the gate of archbishop's office |
While the prelate has to limit to mimimal outside activities, less people dare to call in on as well. From the rooftop of Hoan Kiem primary school, right after the archbishop’s office; and from nearby buildings, a network of spy equipments deployed overtly to spy telephone conversations, and monitor all activities of the office. The overt deployment of spy equipment is also used as a tactic of intimidation threatening anyone who wants to contact with the archbishop.
Other measures to isolate Msgr. Joseph Ngo have also been employed. The church at Mac Thuong in Ly Nhan, Ha Nam, was raided by a hundred thugs on Wednesday. They went inside the church shouting obscenities at those who were praying there threatening that their lives would not be easy until the archbishop was removed. Fr. Phuong, pastor of Mac Thuong, reported that his parish had no means to defense themselves. Mac Thuong is a small parish with only 300 faithful and most men in the parish have to work far away from home.
Catholic correspondents in Hanoi also reported a number of cases elderly people have been hired at 20,000 VND (1.2 USD) to go to the archbishop’s office, masquerading as Catholics, to call for his resignation.
Despite of obscenities and threats shouted at them by pro-government mob, hundreds of Catholic protestors who keep their daily protests at the nunciature stay calm and focus on their prayer stubbornly asking for justice.
In another incident, the archbishop’s office released a protest letter against an order of the chairman of People’s Committee of Hoan Kiem district. In the order 740/QĐ-CTUBND, Hoang Cong Khoi, chairman of the committee accused the archbishop’s office of placing a statue of the Pieta illegally on a state building. Along with the decision to confiscate the statue, the committee also impose on the archbishop’s office a fine ticket of 1,750,000 VND (105 USD).
Fr. John Le Trong Cung, vice chancellor of the archbishop’s office, argued that “the nunciature and its land are not state properties. They are Church’s properties. Hanoi Catholics did nothing wrong when they placed the statue on the ground of the building.”
Also, “The fine ticket of 1,750,000 VND and the removal of the statue out of 42 Pho Nha Chung are unlawful as they violated session 4 of the Ordinance on Belief and Religion,” he stated.