Bishop of Kontum Diocese Michael Hoang Duc Oanh has recently spoken out about what he thought might be a form of governmental prejudice against Christian school children in the name of education as they are required to be present in class on one of the most important religious holiday: Christmas day. Any student being absent in class that day can be subject to disciplinary action.
Vietnamese children after 1975 had involuntarily become subject to a brand-new rule in school which had never existed under the South Vietnam regime. They are required to go to school on Christmas day by the communist government. Many public schools also scheduled for the students to take exam on Christmas day while allowing them to stay home for several weeks to celebrate Lunar New Year festival.
That policy has been viewed as strenuous on children especially on Christian youngsters who usually participate in religious activities in their parishes or at home during the holidays. To the Catholic leadership, Christmas would provide an excellent opportunity for them to introduce and educate interested Vietnamese especially young children about Immaculate Conception and Jesus' birth. Since the fall of Saigon regime in 1975, Vietnamese society had collapsed back into the most hardcore anti-Christianity culture like the rest of the remaining communist regimes in the world. Business was as usual as any working day of the week, workers and students got no break, and any religious activity had to be approved by the local officials. Worst of all, there was a time when priests who were imprisoned for serving as chaplain in the former South Vietnam army had to ask for government permission before they can celebrate masses with the congregation, hence the spirit of Christmas had to be confined within the boundary of the parish, and the restriction had created a clergy drought for so many year.
The policy had loosened up a little bit about the time Vietnam government started dialogues with the Vatican on establishing a formal diplomatic relation. As a result of that, school children have become the beneficiary of the new "tolerant policy" from the government and school officials without a full understanding of how politics had played a role in their daily lives.
But the gracious break has come to an end this year as tension between the Catholic Church and Vietnam government has reached a high point during the year. Parents from North Vietnam, especially from Hanoi area were warned during the Thai Ha/Nunciature events taking place about the consequences they might face if their children participating in the praying vigils to protest the government. Now all school children throughout the country are back in school to take the exams on Christmas day without any exception. It's something parents cannot publicly complain about since there's no written law regarding the issue. But the strain has been taken a toll on children as more of them committing suicides as a way out. According to Hanoi Net, Children Hospital 1 had received in average 5 cases of children of ages ranging from 12- 14 who tried to take their own lives to get relief from stress in only a few months time span.
Dr Pham Xuan Tuan a physician working at Trung Vuong Emergency Hospital reported:" The highest rate of suicide and suicide attempts, 71.9 percent, is among women aged between 16 and 35. It is a dangerous number because young people have a lot to contribute to society," Tuan said.
Forty-three percent of patients admitted for suicide attempts complained of depression, loneliness, hatred, stress, physical pain or disease. Family crisis and academic pressure were major factors in 62 percent of the cases." (*)
Dr Tuan called on the city department of health and relevant agencies, including the department of education, to pay serious heed to the growing problem.
Vietbao.vn also posted the result from the most recent independent study conducted by the Association of Psychiatrists from Ho chi Minh city which also disclosed that suicide rate among young Vietnamese children was 24.1 % compared to all group ages.
While no one knows for sure why Vietnamese school children seem to be the only ones who can not stay home for Christmas, the local government, however, has a habit of presenting gifts and wishes to Church leaders on Christmas day. Recently installed rule has given most outspoken critics reason to call for Church leaders to refuse accepting gifts and wishes from the government officials during Christmas season, citing the goodness if being done it should also be included in Christian children.
Vietnamese children after 1975 had involuntarily become subject to a brand-new rule in school which had never existed under the South Vietnam regime. They are required to go to school on Christmas day by the communist government. Many public schools also scheduled for the students to take exam on Christmas day while allowing them to stay home for several weeks to celebrate Lunar New Year festival.
That policy has been viewed as strenuous on children especially on Christian youngsters who usually participate in religious activities in their parishes or at home during the holidays. To the Catholic leadership, Christmas would provide an excellent opportunity for them to introduce and educate interested Vietnamese especially young children about Immaculate Conception and Jesus' birth. Since the fall of Saigon regime in 1975, Vietnamese society had collapsed back into the most hardcore anti-Christianity culture like the rest of the remaining communist regimes in the world. Business was as usual as any working day of the week, workers and students got no break, and any religious activity had to be approved by the local officials. Worst of all, there was a time when priests who were imprisoned for serving as chaplain in the former South Vietnam army had to ask for government permission before they can celebrate masses with the congregation, hence the spirit of Christmas had to be confined within the boundary of the parish, and the restriction had created a clergy drought for so many year.
The policy had loosened up a little bit about the time Vietnam government started dialogues with the Vatican on establishing a formal diplomatic relation. As a result of that, school children have become the beneficiary of the new "tolerant policy" from the government and school officials without a full understanding of how politics had played a role in their daily lives.
But the gracious break has come to an end this year as tension between the Catholic Church and Vietnam government has reached a high point during the year. Parents from North Vietnam, especially from Hanoi area were warned during the Thai Ha/Nunciature events taking place about the consequences they might face if their children participating in the praying vigils to protest the government. Now all school children throughout the country are back in school to take the exams on Christmas day without any exception. It's something parents cannot publicly complain about since there's no written law regarding the issue. But the strain has been taken a toll on children as more of them committing suicides as a way out. According to Hanoi Net, Children Hospital 1 had received in average 5 cases of children of ages ranging from 12- 14 who tried to take their own lives to get relief from stress in only a few months time span.
Dr Pham Xuan Tuan a physician working at Trung Vuong Emergency Hospital reported:" The highest rate of suicide and suicide attempts, 71.9 percent, is among women aged between 16 and 35. It is a dangerous number because young people have a lot to contribute to society," Tuan said.
Forty-three percent of patients admitted for suicide attempts complained of depression, loneliness, hatred, stress, physical pain or disease. Family crisis and academic pressure were major factors in 62 percent of the cases." (*)
Dr Tuan called on the city department of health and relevant agencies, including the department of education, to pay serious heed to the growing problem.
Vietbao.vn also posted the result from the most recent independent study conducted by the Association of Psychiatrists from Ho chi Minh city which also disclosed that suicide rate among young Vietnamese children was 24.1 % compared to all group ages.
While no one knows for sure why Vietnamese school children seem to be the only ones who can not stay home for Christmas, the local government, however, has a habit of presenting gifts and wishes to Church leaders on Christmas day. Recently installed rule has given most outspoken critics reason to call for Church leaders to refuse accepting gifts and wishes from the government officials during Christmas season, citing the goodness if being done it should also be included in Christian children.