Eight parishioners will be tried soon in Hanoi for their peaceful protests at Thai Ha in a trial seen by Catholics as a threatening tactic and an overt human rights violation.
Fr. Joseph Nguyen Van Khai, spokesperson of Hanoi Redemptorist Monastery, reported that eight parishioners under Hanoi Redemptorists’ pastoral care would be tried on Dec. 5 at a court in Hanoi. Vietnam government threatened to punish them severely for what it described as “damaging state property and disorderly conduct in public.”
However, Fr. Joseph Nguyen, in a statement released on Nov. 22, stated that “the said eight parishioners who are being wrongfully charged did not do anything violating the law.”
Since 1996, Redemptorists and Thai Ha parishioners had sent their petitions demanding for the requisition of their land seized illegally in 1950s. All had gone into deaf ears. The public outcry and protests came as a result after Thai Ha parishioners discovered that local government officials had secretly sold their land to private entities. These victims in their desperation were left with no choice other than holding peaceful protests to call out for justice from the authorities since Jan. 5.
According to Fr. Joseph Nguyen, the protests had taken place outside a 2m high surrounding brick wall, built since decades on which protestors hang their icons and crosses, until the eve of the feast of our Lady of Assumption on Aug. 14. After days of continuous raining, on that day, part of the wall collapsed. Foreseeing that other parts could be collapsed soon in a domino fashion, and therefore, threatening the lives of protestors; parishioners removed about 3m in length of the wall, and moved their icons, statues and crosses inside the wall where it was obviously safer.
Local government immediately accused parishioners of “damaging state property.” A week later, the state Valuer General's Office of Dong Da district, reported on the New Hanoi newspaper and other state-own media that the value of the wall removed by Thai Ha parishioners was about 3,700,000 VND (approximately 200 USD).
For that 200 USD, a series of arrests was made since Sep. 1 with dozen of parishioners detained, and at least four of them have been in jailed for months.
“The to be trial is unjust.” For Redemptorists and Thai Ha parishioners, “the land had been, was and is still their property. They have their legal rights to remove part of the wall that was threatening their lives,” Fr. Joseph Nguyen explained.
“Anyway, the local government bulldozed everything, including the wall, to convert the land into a public park. Why they insist on suing the parishioners for something that cost no more than a breakfast of a high ranking official in Hanoi after having jailed them for months?” asked Sr. Marie Nguyen from Saigon.
“The answer is quite obvious: They are going to punish severely these Catholics to threaten anyone who wish to ask for their property back,” she added.
To conclude his statement, Fr. Joseph Nguyen begged Catholics around the world “to be united in prayers for victims of justice and truth.”
Fr. Joseph Nguyen Van Khai, spokesperson of Hanoi Redemptorist Monastery, reported that eight parishioners under Hanoi Redemptorists’ pastoral care would be tried on Dec. 5 at a court in Hanoi. Vietnam government threatened to punish them severely for what it described as “damaging state property and disorderly conduct in public.”
However, Fr. Joseph Nguyen, in a statement released on Nov. 22, stated that “the said eight parishioners who are being wrongfully charged did not do anything violating the law.”
Since 1996, Redemptorists and Thai Ha parishioners had sent their petitions demanding for the requisition of their land seized illegally in 1950s. All had gone into deaf ears. The public outcry and protests came as a result after Thai Ha parishioners discovered that local government officials had secretly sold their land to private entities. These victims in their desperation were left with no choice other than holding peaceful protests to call out for justice from the authorities since Jan. 5.
According to Fr. Joseph Nguyen, the protests had taken place outside a 2m high surrounding brick wall, built since decades on which protestors hang their icons and crosses, until the eve of the feast of our Lady of Assumption on Aug. 14. After days of continuous raining, on that day, part of the wall collapsed. Foreseeing that other parts could be collapsed soon in a domino fashion, and therefore, threatening the lives of protestors; parishioners removed about 3m in length of the wall, and moved their icons, statues and crosses inside the wall where it was obviously safer.
Local government immediately accused parishioners of “damaging state property.” A week later, the state Valuer General's Office of Dong Da district, reported on the New Hanoi newspaper and other state-own media that the value of the wall removed by Thai Ha parishioners was about 3,700,000 VND (approximately 200 USD).
For that 200 USD, a series of arrests was made since Sep. 1 with dozen of parishioners detained, and at least four of them have been in jailed for months.
“The to be trial is unjust.” For Redemptorists and Thai Ha parishioners, “the land had been, was and is still their property. They have their legal rights to remove part of the wall that was threatening their lives,” Fr. Joseph Nguyen explained.
“Anyway, the local government bulldozed everything, including the wall, to convert the land into a public park. Why they insist on suing the parishioners for something that cost no more than a breakfast of a high ranking official in Hanoi after having jailed them for months?” asked Sr. Marie Nguyen from Saigon.
“The answer is quite obvious: They are going to punish severely these Catholics to threaten anyone who wish to ask for their property back,” she added.
To conclude his statement, Fr. Joseph Nguyen begged Catholics around the world “to be united in prayers for victims of justice and truth.”