Vụ Án Công Giáo |
From:
Rev. CHAN TIN, CssR
38, Ky Dong, Phuong 9, Quan 3,
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Email: stephan_chantin@yahoo.caTo:
Most Reverend CHARLES J.CHAPUT
Ambassador JOHN V. HANFORD
Honorable Members of the U.S. Commission on International Religious FreedomVietnam, October 11, 2004
Dear Sirs and Madams,
I am Rev. Stephan Chan Tin, a Catholic priest for over 80 years and an activist for religious freedom since 1975. On behalf of everyone working for religious freedom here in Vietnam, I would like to express our deep gratitude and congratulation to the USCIRF on your success in convincing the US State Department to put Hanoi regime and others on the list of Countries of Particular Concern.
We would like to particularly thank Ambassador John Hanford for your two fact-finding trips to Vietnam. Prior to your investigation, we had been trying for years to get the information regarding the severe condition of religious oppression in Vietnam to the world community with humble results.
We believe the only effective way to make the current communist government listen is the strong and united voice of the world governments. People inside Vietnam have tried repeatedly to raise our voices peacefully but were suppressed violently every time. The latest incident was the peaceful demonstration of highland Christians in April 2004. Our brothers and sisters in this area are still being persecuted at this very moment. Currently, many religious leaders are held in prisons or labor camps. While the world know well the fight of a few such as Father Nguyen Van Ly, Reverend Nguyen Hong Quang, Venerable Thich Quang Do, Venerable Thich Huyen Quang, many other clerics and religious laypeople are sharing the same, if not worse, suffering in total darkness.
I was informed that some Vietnamese government officials and religious representatives of the government-controlled churches have been sent to the US and Europe to draw a different picture of the religious freedom in Vietnam. While trusting that you will see through such ploys I still would like to bring to your attention the Government Order on Faith and Religion (Phap Lenh Tin Nguong Ton Giao) that is issued recently and will take effect on November 15, 2004. In our opinion, this is essentially the government's legalization of on-going suppression and gradual destruction of religions in Vietnam. In short, the communist government's hostile policy toward independent religious organizations has not changed at all, except for more sophisticated camouflage to the outside world.
We sincerely pray that your honorable commission will continue to see through the cover of the perpetrators of religious oppression around the world and reach the victims in the darkest corners.
May God bless you abundantly on your holy mission.
Sincerely yoursStephan Chan Tin