Hanoi, Nov. 24, 2008 (CWNews.com) - Eight Vietnamese Catholics face criminal trial in Hanoi because of their peaceful protests at the Thai Ha parish, where lay Catholics have demonstrated for the return of property seized by the government from a Redemptorist monastery.
The prosecution of the Thai Ha activists is seen by Vietnamese Catholics as a human-rights violation, since the parishioners were exercising their religious freedom on property to which, they argue, the Church retains legal title. The prosecution is also viewed by many of the Vietnamese faithful as a tactic of intimidation.
Father Joseph Nguyen Van Khai, spokesman for the Hanoi Redemptorist monastery, reported that the case of the 8 parishioners would come to trial on December 5 at a court in Hanoi. Public officials have threatened to punish them severely for what they describe as “damaging state property and disorderly conduct in public.” However, Father Nguyen, in a statement released on November 22, stated that “the said 8 parishioners who are being wrongfully charged did not do anything violating the law.”
Since 1996, Redemptorists and Thai Ha parishioners had sent their petitions pleading for the restitution of the land seized illegally in 1950s. All their petitions had fallen into deaf ears. The public protests began in January, after Thai Ha parishioners discovered that local government officials had secretly sold their land to other private owners.
According to Father Nguyen, the protests have taken place outside a surrounding brick wall, on which protesters had hung their icons and crosses, until August 14: the eve of the feast of our Lady of Assumption on. After days of continuous rain, part of the wall collapsed on that day. Foreseeing that other parts would soon collapse as well, possibly causing injury to those engaged in prayer vigils, parishioners removed several feet of the wall and moved their icons and statues to a more secure location.
Local government immediately accused parishioners of “damaging state property.” One Hanoi official claimed that the monetary value of the wall was about $200, and a dozen parishioners were arrested for their part in the demolition. At least four of these protestors have been jailed for weeks.
Shortly after the incident that gave rise to the charges, the government bulldozed the wall and surrounding area, announcing that space would now be converted for use as a public park.
Why would the government throw the full force of prosecution behind an effort to punish ordinarily law-abiding citizens for such a comparatively minor matter? Vietnamese Catholics see the official drive as an intimidation tactic. Sister Mari Nguyen of Saigon reasons: "The reason is quite obvious: They are going to those Catholics punish severely to threaten anyone who wishes to ask for their property back." Father Nguyen, the Redemptorist spokesman, emphasizes that the trial is unjust and asks Catholics around the world "to be united in prayers for victims of justice and truth."
The prosecution of the Thai Ha activists is seen by Vietnamese Catholics as a human-rights violation, since the parishioners were exercising their religious freedom on property to which, they argue, the Church retains legal title. The prosecution is also viewed by many of the Vietnamese faithful as a tactic of intimidation.
Father Joseph Nguyen Van Khai, spokesman for the Hanoi Redemptorist monastery, reported that the case of the 8 parishioners would come to trial on December 5 at a court in Hanoi. Public officials have threatened to punish them severely for what they describe as “damaging state property and disorderly conduct in public.” However, Father Nguyen, in a statement released on November 22, stated that “the said 8 parishioners who are being wrongfully charged did not do anything violating the law.”
Since 1996, Redemptorists and Thai Ha parishioners had sent their petitions pleading for the restitution of the land seized illegally in 1950s. All their petitions had fallen into deaf ears. The public protests began in January, after Thai Ha parishioners discovered that local government officials had secretly sold their land to other private owners.
According to Father Nguyen, the protests have taken place outside a surrounding brick wall, on which protesters had hung their icons and crosses, until August 14: the eve of the feast of our Lady of Assumption on. After days of continuous rain, part of the wall collapsed on that day. Foreseeing that other parts would soon collapse as well, possibly causing injury to those engaged in prayer vigils, parishioners removed several feet of the wall and moved their icons and statues to a more secure location.
Local government immediately accused parishioners of “damaging state property.” One Hanoi official claimed that the monetary value of the wall was about $200, and a dozen parishioners were arrested for their part in the demolition. At least four of these protestors have been jailed for weeks.
Shortly after the incident that gave rise to the charges, the government bulldozed the wall and surrounding area, announcing that space would now be converted for use as a public park.
Why would the government throw the full force of prosecution behind an effort to punish ordinarily law-abiding citizens for such a comparatively minor matter? Vietnamese Catholics see the official drive as an intimidation tactic. Sister Mari Nguyen of Saigon reasons: "The reason is quite obvious: They are going to those Catholics punish severely to threaten anyone who wishes to ask for their property back." Father Nguyen, the Redemptorist spokesman, emphasizes that the trial is unjust and asks Catholics around the world "to be united in prayers for victims of justice and truth."