Small Blessings Of Human Rights for Vietnamese Christians

In recent months, Protestants in Vietnam have seen intense activity on the religious rights’ front and point to four incidents of government concession that may indicate a change in the religious liberty climate.

After Baptist house church leader Huynh Tan Tai documented a series of abuses he had suffered, provincial officials apologized to him and returned the Bibles they had confiscated.

Local administrators who denied residence papers to Dinh Van Hoang for refusing to recant his Christian faith were transferred from their post after an American visitor brought Hoang’s plight to the attention of senior government leaders.

A police station sit-in and prayer vigil persuaded police in Ho Chi Minh City to release about 20 young people arrested for distributing Christian literature during the Southeast Asia Games. Finally, a court postponed legal proceedings against Rev. Bui Van Ba who was charged with “resisting an officer doing his duty” in connection with a police raid on a prayer meeting in the Ba home.

Observers believe the concessions are due to Vietnam’s concern for its international image coupled with newfound resolve within the country’s house churches.