Canberra, October 10, 2008. The Vietnamese Catholic Community in Australia (VCCA) will assemble in front of the Parliament House in Canberra on Monday Oct. 13 to express its grave concerns about the Vietnamese Communist Government’s campaign of public vilification and violent actions against Church leaders and faithful of Hanoi Archdiocese and the Redemptorist Congregation, including the city’s Archbishop, the Most Rev. Joseph Ngo Quang Kiet.

Since late last year, the Catholic community in Hanoi has been organising daily prayer vigils outside Hanoi’s former nunciature, pleading for its requisition following the unlawful confiscation of the building by the Communist regime in 1959. On Feb. 1, 2008, an agreement, in which the property would be returned to the Catholic Church, was reached. However, the government managed to delay the process through various bureaucratic manoeuvres; and then on Sept. 19, 2008, announced that it would instead demolish the building to make way for a playground.

Besides, in Thai Ha parish, Redemptorists and their faithful have also been seeking the return of another property that was seized illegally. Public protests to outcry for justice outbroke after the plot to sell secretly the property to private entities had been exposed.

The Vietnamese Communist Government has since not listened to Catholics’ legitimate aspirations rather it has attempted to silence them with large numbers of police, security forces, militiamen, and even street gangs. Last month, it started a repression campaign against the Hanoi Catholics, depicting priests as criminals and detaining a number of priests and parishioners. When others peacefully protested against the detention, they were kicked and beaten by stun guns.

In Thai Ha parish, meanwhile, street gangs desecrated sacred statues and spat at priests and religious faithful in full view of police who did not intervene.

Facing this tidal wave of persecution against their fellows, on Monday Oct. 13, 2008, VCCA as well as the wider Vietnamese Community in Australia will assemble in front of the Parliament House in Canberra to request the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd and the Australian Government to use their diplomatic influence to demand the Prime Minister, Nguyen Tan Dung and the Vietnamese Communist Government to respect human rights, adhere to international law, and in particular:

- Stop persecution against Catholic clergy and their faithful,
- Observe its own laws and return the properties to its rightful owner,
- Immediately stop the Human Rights violations occurring in Vietnam.

Australia has a long tradition of being a beacon protector of Religious and Human Rights throughout the world; and whenever humanity is in harm way. We trust that Mr. Rudd will influence the Vietnamese Prime Minister to observe these principles.

Contacts:
1. Mgr. Paul Minh Tam Nguyen, Chairman, Adelaide.
Mob: 0421 331 475
Email: minhtampaul@yahoo.com.au

2. Fr. Peter Xuan My Bui, Vice-chairman, Canberra.
Mob: 0411 328 077
Email: petermybui@iprimus.com.au

3. Fr. Raphael Duc Thien Vo, Secretary, Melbourne.
Mob: 0418 334 806
Email: vincentliem@bigpond.com

4. Fr. Paul Van Chi Chu, Treasurer, Sydney.
Tel: (02) 97730933
Mob: 0410 552 650
Email: paulvanchi@yahoo.com

5. Fr. Anthony Huu Quang Nguyen, People of God Magazine, Melbourne.
Mob: 0412 560 445
Email: quangsdb@yahoo.com

For more information, please visit: www.vietcatholic.net