XI THOAI, Vietnam — A gang of youths attacked a house church July 18 as the congregation worshiped in Xi Thoai village in Phu Yen province on Vietnam’s south-central coast, Christian sources said.
The local youths smashed the walls of the home and wreaked havoc within as they railed against Evangelist Mang Vuong for being a Christian and for building his home to be a house church, the sources said.
The sources also noted that on the night of June 10 the same group, spurred by local authorities, broke into Vuong’s home in Xuan Lanh Commune, Dong Xuan district, stole more than $3,000 and destroyed household furnishings, utensils and books.
According to a petition the evangelist sent to commune, district and provincial officials June 12, it was village officials who assembled young people for a meeting June 9 and plied them with liquor. Very late at night the youths, including several sons of commune officials, attacked the evangelist’s house.
The petition blames village Chief La Mo Duc, Deputy Chief Le Minh Dien and others for inciting the young people. These two officials are also the local Communist Party leaders.
Police from local to provincial levels several times came to the area to “investigate,” visits that village Christians said were attempts to identify the Christians in the village.
“There was no other reason for this — it is religious persecution, pure and simple, incited and allowed by local government officials,” said one prominent Evangelical Church of Vietnam (South) leader. “The inaction of higher officials casts into doubt our country’s claim to uphold religious freedom.”
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