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Human Rights Watch for Lao Religious Freedom |
Breaking News and Reports:: |
Savannakhet Provincial Authorities Unlawfully Seized a Building of 50 Years Old Church On January 7, 2012, Lao officials ordered the confiscation of Nadaeng church building and placed it under the control of Nadaeng village government. Since then, no Christians have been allowed to enter the church building to conduct any religious activity. Savannakhet provincial authorities stated that they recognize only seven churches in seven locations throughout Savannakhet province: Tungsamakee, Posai Tai, Dongpoong, Kengkok, Songkorn, Nakham, and Saynoun. Since Nadaeng church was not recognized by the authorities, all its religious activities are considered illegal and all of its possessions, including church building, are deemed belonging to the state. Read Full Article - December 23, 2010 (Lao Time) , seven Katin Christian families, consisitng of 15 believers, expelled from their home village (Katin) due to their Christian faith...Read More Lao Authorities Release Khammouan Pastors from Prison After One Year Just a year ago, Pastor Wanna and Yohan, along with nine other Christians, were ambushed and taken away by gunpoint and detained in Khammoun Provincical Prison. Although the other nine were later released, Wanna and Yohan were charged with organizing a Christmas celebration (deemed as a "secret meeting") and have been kept in prison until yesturday. Read Full Article Lao Authorities Appeals to Village Customs over the Law to Eradicate Christian Faith At 12:00 noon today (December 30, 2011), village authorities of Boukham finally charged and fined seven church leaders (whom Boukham village authorities and security forces have arrested and detained in wooden stocks since December 16). Unable to charge Christians for violating the law, Lao authorities have resorted to charging them for violating village’s local customs and beliefs. The village authorities claimed that Christians due to their beliefs and practices of the Christian faith have violated the village’s hiit, which are village’s traditional customs and spirit beliefs. If not admitting to the charges and paying fines, seven leaders will continue to be subjected to torture in wooden stocks. Total fines equiv. to US$1,425 were imposed on Christians. (The average monthly wage for an unskilled laborer in the province is close to US$40.) Read Full Article Lao Authorities Issued Eviction Order to Forty-Seven Christians for Refusing to Give Up Their Faith Around 9:00 AM on December 21, 2011 (today), four Christian family leaders were summoned by the Natoo village chief to the village government headquarters. In the meeting, the village authorities (consisting of the village chief, village religious affairs and village security forces) ordered all forty-seven Christians, including men, women and children, to give up their belief in Christ and to cease all Sunday worship meetings. The authorities ordered, “If you want to live in our village, you must cease all beliefs and practices in the Christian faith.” The authorities continued, “If you continue holding on to your faith, then you are forfeiting your right to live in our village and you must move out by tomorrow.” The Christian believers responded to the authorities with a question, “Who is giving this eviction order?” The village authorities replied, “We are the ones giving the order because we are the owners of this village.” Read Full Article Eight Church Leaders Arrested for Holding Christmas Service On Friday, December 16, 2011, around 9:00 PM, the village security forces of Boukham village acted under the order of the village chief and arrested eight church leaders during a Christmas gathering in Boukham village (Ad-Sapangthong district of Savannakhet province in Laos). The village authorities escorted the Christian leaders out from the gathering two at a time. The leaders were then taken to the village government headquarters and detained there. Four of the eight leaders—namely, Kingmanosorn, Sompong, Puphet, and Oun—were placed in handcuffs and wooden stocks. The rest of the leaders were unrestraint. Family members delivered blanks and food to the prisoners. Read Full Article ao Believers Ordered to Cease Worshipping God In June 2011 (on Sunday), while five Christian families (consisting of 13 individuals) in Pornsaad village gathered to worship God in a home of one of the believers, three Hongsa district police directed that the worship services be stopped. The police authorities ordered: “Since you do not official approved for gathering, you must cease gathering for worship. You must first seek approval from appropriate authorities before you can continue gathering.” The believers were threatened with arrest if they continue to gather for worship. Read Full Article
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