Church in Dong Nai Province

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June 6, 2004

Ms. Pham Thi Kim Huong serves as pastor of a growing Mennonite church that meets at To 13, Ap 1, Xom Ray, Thanh Phu town, Vinh Cuu district of Dong Nai province. On Easter Sunday, April 11, 2004, when 80 persons in the church were worshiping, security police arrived and demanded that they cease meeting. Pastor Huong asked them to allow the service to be concluded. The police moved outside where they jotted down the license numbers of all the motorbikes, and stopped every vehicle as they left. A 16-passenger van was detained for several hours even though all the papers were in order. The pastor was ordered to go to the police station for questioning on the charge of conducting "illegal religious activity."

Evangelist Truong Tri Hien was present. He had planned to stay to preach at an evening service, but was ordered to also go to the police station. Since it was Sunday he said he could not go but would return the next day. However, the police got an administrative order for Hien to go to the town People's Committee office, forced him into their vehicle at 4:00 PM, and did not release him until 9:00 PM. The church arranged for another evangelist, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tam, to speak at the 7:00 PM service again attended by 80 people. Some police threatened Tam on his way back to Ho Chi Minh City that night.

Over the next few days the police came to the Vinh Cuu church several times, inspecting the house, and checking ID cards of persons staying there. They asked many to come to the police station and asked them to sign an agreement that they would no longer meet at the church for worship. On March 19 they ordered the electricity to be cut off the church property. The authorities objected to persons temporarily residing at the church.

Police continued to harass the congregation every Sunday. On Sunday, May 2, the security police surrounded the church where 20 persons were meeting for worship at 7:30 AM and demanded that the service be dismissed. When they did not dismiss, the police broke down the doors, injuring some of the people with flying glass. The police rushed into the building, handcuffed Pastor Huong and eight other believers, led them out of the church in front of the neighbors, threw them into stinking vehicles used to transport pigs, and took them to the police post, not releasing them until 5:00 PM.

On Sunday, May 16, while the believers were worshiping, the police and government authorities rushed into the church, declaring that the believers were attending an illegal meeting, and demanded that the meeting be dismissed. The authorities said their actions had nothing to do with religion, while at the same time they demanded that the people sign a statement that they would no longer meet with the church.

The Mennonite Church at Vinh Cuu wants to meet without harassment.