House church leader sends open letter to Chinese president over persecution

China Aid Association (CAA) has learned that several orphan children and their caretakers were forced to spend the night in a hotel room after having been evicted from their orphanage by local police officials on Christmas day.

The orphanage's caretakers, Ming Xuan Zhang along with his two sons, had prepared to celebrate Christmas with the children, but were in no way prepared to deal with the situation that unfolded that morning.

After presenting an eviction notice, officials then proceeded to beat the caretakers and the children until they were forced onto the street.

The Director of Security order of the Village of Sanhe, along with other government officials from the Religious Bureau and United Work Front Department, had threatened the landlord to stop renting land to Zhang and the children or face imprisonment.

Left with little choice, the landlord was forced to evict Zhang after five years of occupancy. The children slept in a hotel room as Zhang searched for space to rent for the orphanage.

Unfortunately, Government officials did not limit the Christmas Day eviction to a single affair. On three separate occasions, landlords were scared into not to renting space to Zhang and the orphans by threats of criminal charges and prison time.

Government officials continue to persecute Ming Xuan Zhang for his leadership role in the Chinese House Church. Affectionately known as "Bike", Ming Xuan Zhang has experienced severe persecution and has been imprisoned 12 times by Government officials, who are trying to isolate him from the Chinese house church alliance.

In 2006, US President George W Bush requested a meeting with Ming Zhang during his visit to China, but was denied by Communist Party officials. Zhang and his son were kidnapped at a train station after CPC officials discovered he had been invited to meet the President.

Zhang has written a second open letter to President Hu Jintao, in hopes of receiving relief from persecution. No response has been issued.

In his letter, he writes, "President Hu, the Land belongs to the Nation, but the district tells us arrogantly that it is his.

"They intimidate the populace, which brings great crimes to the Party, our Nation and the People, and destroys the great blueprint of building a peaceful society."

CAA said, "Government officials continue to hinder Zhang from renting space for his orphanage by threatening landlords who offer to lease to him. Zhang and the children continue to remain homeless as they search for permanent living space.

"We implore the international community and those involved to take action against the crimes committed against Ming Zhang and his orphanage.

"The eviction and closure of an orphanage on Christmas day, due to the religious persecution of its caretaker is behaviour that can not be tolerated of any Government or nation."