Trial of Vietnamese Pastor Postponed
Christian protests, international pressure bring partial victory against ‘sham’ trial.
Special to Compass Direct
LOS ANGELES, January 13 (Compass) -- Less than 24 hours before his trial for “resisting an officer doing his duty” was to begin on January 13 in Ho Chi Minh City, Rev. Bui Van Ba was served a notice postponing the trial to a later date, ostensibly because a judge was unable to attend.
Rev. Ba has been under house arrest since a police raid of a prayer meeting at his home on August 18, 2003.
But local sources do not believe the stated cause is the real reason for the postponement. They believe vigorous and direct appeals by house church leaders to authorities -- including the threat to send demonstrators into the streets, the widespread international publicity and interest shown by Western embassies -- prompted the postponement.
“It is possible that this development represents the beginning of a new stage in the battle for religious freedom in Vietnam. House church leaders, fed up with years of harassment and persecution, showed remarkable unity, determination and boldness,” one long-time human rights activist told Compass.
“However, one must not forget that most persecution in Vietnam is in the remote regions, among minorities and is quite extra-judicial.”
Vietnam’s house church Christians are thankful for the postponement. However, they consider it only a partial victory because authorities have yet to address the charges against the Rev. Ba, which they consider spurious. Nor have officials investigated the police for violations of the legal rights of Ba and fellow Christians.
On January 9, Compass sources received copies of several Vietnamese-language documents protesting the trial. Leaders of the 21 house church organizations of the Vietnam Evangelical Fellowship published a “letter of protest” on January 5. It is addressed to foreign embassies as well as to local and international mass media.
The carefully crafted letter documents police violations of six provisions of the criminal code. It concludes with a call for all charges against Rev. Ba to be dismissed. It also calls on Vietnam to respect its own laws and the international agreements it has signed in regard to religious freedom and human rights. Similar calls for religious freedom have lead to long imprisonment for other activists.
Also on January 5, Rev. Ba and two colleagues of their Full Gospel Church of Vietnam organization published a strong “letter of denunciation” concerning the charges. It is addressed to the concerned police and court in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 11 and is copied to Vietnam’s prime minister, the Bureau of Religious Affairs, the Ministry of Public Security, and members of the mass media.
After summarizing the injustices visited on Rev. Ba, the letter concludes with the words: “We are very disturbed and we wholeheartedly condemn the trial of Pastor Bui Van Ba on January 13, 2004. For the sake of justice and human dignity, we appeal to your conscience, all of you in places of high responsibility, to speak out, take action and quickly stop this abuse of the powerless, this violation of human rights and religious freedom bringing misfortune and pain on Christian believers.”
Both of these letters were personally delivered to the presiding judge of District 11 in Ho Chi Minh City, Ms. Le Thi Kim Loan, by three leaders of the Vietnam Evangelical Fellowship. She was reportedly upset with the strong language of their protest letter in which they accused the police of “abusing their position and the law to turn the Rev Bui Van Ba, a clear victim of religious repression, into a criminal summoned to be tried in court.” In another publication circulated by Christian leaders, they promised street demonstrations should the trial proceed.
On January 8, Rev. Pham Dinh Nhan, chairman of the Vietnam Evangelical Fellowship, issued a call to the thousands of Christians in the fellowship to fast and pray for justice for Rev. Ba from the morning of January 12 to the evening of January 14.
“Even though the case of Pastor Ba is just one of numerous instances of persecution of our community, we continue to pray for those in authority over us, according to the teaching of the Bible in I Timothy 2:1 and 2,” Rev. Pham said. “At the same time, we leaders of the VEF have sent a petition about this abuse to the prime minister and other high officials.”
The special three-day period of praying and fasting was only hours old when the announcement of the trail’s postponement was delivered. Organizers reported that hundreds of house churches, with as many as 65,000 Christians, were enthusiastically participating in this unprecedented campaign. Many of these volunteered to show up at the court house to demonstrate.
On receiving news of the postponement, Christians in Vietnam immediately informed supporters abroad and vowed to press for complete dismissal of the charges.
“The first step in this legal battle of us Protestant Christians succeeded, and in coming days, the battle will continue!” one of the church leaders said.
Christian leaders of the Vietnam Evangelical Fellowship met to pray and plan strategy late Monday at the home of activist pastor Rev. Nguyen Hong Quang. They were harassed by officers Hoa and Ngan of the Saigon city police, as well as by various Ward 2 policemen, sources said.
Police have set up a post to spy on Rev. Quang in a house only four meters from his residence. While the church leaders were meeting, authorities cut the electricity in the immediate area around Rev. Quang’s home. It was restored the moment the leaders left.
Christian leaders in Vietnam warned that authorities could announce a new trial date for Rev. Ba at any time, and asked Christians worldwide to pray with them in the battle to secure justice and religious freedom.
**********
Copyright 2004 Compass Direct
10:38:02 AM 
|
