Christmas in Laos (MLHR)

Ten Christians arrested in the province of Attapeu


Christmas 2003 celebrations was marked by a new campaing of religious repression in the
Lao People’s Democratic Republic ( LPDR). Eleven Christians were arrested by the communist authorities on 27 and 28 December 2003 in several villages of the district of Sanamsay, province of Attapeu (South), according to reliable informations received by the Lao Movement for the Humans Rights (LMHR). More than ten other Christians are currently sought by the local police, in this same province, for having organized meetings of prayers on Christmas time .

Thus, in spite of several official declarations from leaders of the One Party State, the programmed repression on religious minorities, started 28 years ago when the Communist Party came to power in 1975, continues with this beginning of 2004, especially in the province of Attapeu where many ethnic minorities of Laos live.

According to informations obtained by the LMHR, five Christians were arrested on 27 December 2003 at Kang village (district of Sanamsay) simply for having prayed together. They are Messrs. THONGSAVATH, VIRASONE, KEOPHONG, KHAMSOU, SOMPHINE and BOUNTHONG. On the same day and for the same reasons, Mr. HAMMONE, was arrested at Somsouk village.

On 28 December 2003, at Donephay village, always in the district of Sanamsay, three other Christians -- Messrs. VIRACHONE, THONG-UANG and THAO PHONG -- were arrested while they were praying in their home. Mr. VIRACHONE had already been jailed many times for having refused to give up his faith. On the same day, Mr SIAN, a fourth person, was arrested at Sanamsay district, also for religious practice.

After having been conducted to the district, then to the provincial Religious Affairs Office, the eleven Christians, mostly from the Khmu and Oey ethnic minority, were imprisoned and their Bibles confiscated.

Repression goes on in the district of Sanamsay. Over ten Christians, wanted by the authorities, have fled towards Pakse to escape arrests, among whom parish leaders, such as Messrs.
BOUKEO and his son SENG, KHAMSUAK, SOUVANSAY and VONGSITH from Kang village,
Mr. CHANYARK from Dongsua village, Mr. VANSAY from Dong Soung village, Mr SINOUN and Mr BOUNSOUK from Donaphad village.

The LMHR condemns these new violations on basic rights of the Lao people, and solemnly asks the LPDR authorities to cease immediately all repression against the religious and ethnic minorities in Laos, and to release without conditions all people emprisonned for their opinions or their belief.

The LMHR denounces with force the lack of sincerity and the double language of the LPDR leaders, who keep on denying all human rights violations by the régime while using religious freedom as a currency exchange and a strategy to obtain international assistance.

Consequently, the LMHR urges donators countries and organizations , in particular the European Union and its Member States, the United Nations, the United States and the International Financial Institutions, to accentuate their pressure, including economic on the Laotian totalitarian régime, so that freedom of belief and human rights are fully respected in this country.

7:23:07 PM    

Turkish Christian Makes Slow Improvement Following Brutal Beating (Compass)

After being beaten into a coma three months ago for alleged “missionary propaganda,” Turkish Christian Yakup Cindilli has been slowly improving from a nearly helpless state. Cindilli, 32, was hospitalized the third week of October after four men linked with the right-wing Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) beat him severely on his head and face for distributing New Testaments and “doing missionary work.” At a court hearing on December 17, about 60 MHP sympathizers gathered outside the courthouse in a show of support for two of Cindilli’s assailants who remain in jail. Metin Yildiran, president of the local MHP chapter, was released at an earlier court hearing. The crowd of sympathizers began shouting angrily when they learned that the defendants had been remanded back to jail custody following the hearing because, a defense lawyer stated, there was “hard evidence” against them. Cindilli, discharged on December 2 from the intensive care unit of Bursa State Hospital shortly after he began to emerge from total unconsciousness, is now at his family’s home and starting to speak, although he is still unable to care for himself, his attending doctor confirmed

Copyright 2004 Compass Direct

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