Prayer Alert (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

Vietnam-update 06

Description: FYI #57, 2006-10-27, Pray for SEA

VIETNAM

(Socialist Republic of Vietnam)

Updated 27 October 2006

 

Capital: Hanoi

Government Type: Communist State

Independence: 2 September 1945 (from France)

 

Chief of State: President Nguyen Minh Triet (since 27 June 2006); Vice President Truong My HOA (since 25 July 2002)
Head of Government: Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung (since 27 June 2006)

Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president based on proposal of prime minister and confirmed by National Assembly

 

State Religion: none

Statistics

Population: 85,344,100 (UN, 2006 est.) Kinh (Viet) 86.2%, Tay 1.9%, Thai 1.7%, Muong 1.5%, Khome 1.4%, Hoa 1.1%, Nun 1.1%, Hmong 1%, others 4.1% (1999 census)

Religions (1999 official census): Buddhist 9.3%, Catholic 6.7%, Hoa Hao 1.5%, Cao Dai 1.1%, Protestant 0.5%, Muslim 0.1%, none 80.8%

International Religious Freedom Report 2006: Buddhists (50%), Roman Catholic (8-10%), Cao Dai (1.5-3%), Hoa Hao (1.5-4%), Protestants (1.5-2%) percent of the population), and Muslims (0.1%). Many believers belong to organisations that are not officially recognised by the Government. Many others consider themselves non-religious.  

Unemployment: 2.4% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line: 19.5% (2004 est.)

 

Vietnam is reported to be the largest producer of cashew nuts with a one-third global share, and second-largest rice exporter in the world. Tourism has become an increasingly important industry. Its population is made up of 54 distinct ethnic groups.

 

Political Development & Human Rights

The Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a one-party, authoritarian state, ruled and controlled by the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV). A new state constitution was approved in April 1992, reaffirming the central role of the CPV in politics and society, and outlining government reorganization and increased market reforms in the economy.

 

The National Assembly, according to the Constitution, is the highest representative body of the people and the only organization with legislative powers. Once seen as little more than a rubber stamp, the National Assembly has become more vocal and assertive in exercising its authority over lawmaking, particularly in recent years. It is however still subject to party direction.

 

In recent years, adherence to ideological orthodoxy has become less important than economic development as a national priority. Regardless, the government's human rights record remains unsatisfactory, despite improvement.

 

  • Government officials, particularly at the local level, continue to commit serious abuses.
  • Denial of the right to fair and expeditious trials
  • Imprisonment of persons for political and religious activities
  • Limited privacy rights
  • Restrictions on freedoms of speech, press, assembly, and association. In March 2005, the Prime Minister signed a Decree on Public Order tightly restricting public gatherings. In July additional regulations were issued in an attempt to further control access to the Internet.
  • Establishment and operation of human rights organizations are prohibited
  • Child prostitution and child labour persist.
  • Trafficking in women and children continues.
  • Societal discrimination against some ethnic minorities remains. More than 180 ethnic minority Montagnards were reported to be imprisoned throughout 2005.
  • Corruption is still endemic within the judicial system.

 

Religious Freedom

Reportedly, the status of respect for religious freedom has improved. The 2005 implementation decree for the Ordinance outlines established guidelines for religious denominations to register their activities and seek official recognition. The 2005 "Instruction on Protestantism," promulgated by the prime minister, directs officials to assist unrecognized Protestant denominations in registering their activities so that they can practice openly. The “Instruction” also calls on the Vietnamese Government to facilitate gathering for worship during the registration process. Protestant believers in the Central Highlands have reported significant improvements in their situation.

 

Both the constitution and law provide for freedom of worship; however, the government continues to restrict organized activities of religious groups that are perceived to be at variance with State laws and policies.

 

  • 2004 Ordinance on Religion and Belief requires that the government officially sanction the organization and activities of all religious denominations.
  • Government maintains a prominent role in supervising recognized religions.
  • Government continues to ban and actively discourages participation in one unrecognized faction of the Hoa Hao Buddhists. It also actively restricts the leadership of the unrecognized United Buddhist Church of Vietnam and maintains that it will not recognize this organization under its current leadership.
  • The Catholic Church reports that the government has eased restrictions on church assignment of new clergy but indicates that it would like to open additional seminaries in the North.
  • The country continues to experience protests from various groups - such as the Protestant Montagnard ethnic minority population of the Central Highlands and the Hoa Hao Buddhists in southern Vietnam over religious persecution.
  • In March 2005, forced renunciation of faith was explicitly banned.
  • Foreign missionaries legally are not permitted to proselytize or perform religious activities. Undeclared missionaries from several countries are active in the country.

 

The Government does not favour a particular religion, and virtually all senior government and CPV officials, as well as the vast majority of national assembly delegates, are formally "without religion." However, many openly practice traditional ancestor worship, and some visit Buddhist pagodas. The prominent traditional position of Buddhism does not affect religious freedom for others.

 

The Church

Protestant missionaries from Christian and Missionary Alliance began work in Vietnam in 1911.

 

There are more than 120,000 Protestants in the northern part of the country and the Northwest Highlands region. The prime minister's “Instruction on Protestantism” has noted the existence of believers in the Northwest Highlands and instructed officials to guide them in finding "suitable places" to practice their religion.

 

The Ho Chi Ming City-based New Life Fellowship Church, which was prevented from gathering in HCMC hotels in August 2005, was able to hold its first large prayer meeting for foreigners on the grounds of a HCMC hotel in April 2006.

 

In January 2006 an Evangelical Church of Vietnam North (ECVN) congregation (one of 15 legal congregations in the North registered since the mid-1960s) was given title to a church property in Thanh Hoa. The congregation was also given permission to remodel the church and build a house for their pastor.

 

The key challenges are complacency, and lack of passion in prayer and evangelism. “Churches were strong in prayer during persecution. There is now no more fire because of good life,” says a Christian leader. He believes that the Church needs to be awakened and pray for the country.  

 

The Church continues to come under government scrutiny.

 

As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people from this time forth and forever (Psalm 125:2).

 

Continue to pray:

  1. The new president and prime minister to uphold justice and righteous in governing the country.
  2. Effective measures against child prostitution, child labour, and human trafficking.
  3. Government officials to respect human rights, especially of the minority groups and the Church.
  4. Government and citizens to uphold integrity and come against corruption
  5. Greater freedom of religion and assembly.
  6. The Church
    1. Unity of churches; wisdom in strategic planning in sharing the gospel; continue to be salt & light in the society, actively engaging in nation-building
    2. Favour from the government in sharing the Gospel. God’s power and glory be manifested in their deeds and lives.
    3. Remain pure and sanctified; against the spirit of corruption within the Church
    4. Fire rekindled for prayer and evangelism.
    5. Christians in the highlands to persevere and steadfast in faith in the midst of challenges and oppression.

 

Reference:

  1. CIA Factbook, 5 October 2006
  2. Country Reports on Human Rights Practices 2005, released March 2006
  3. International Religious Freedom Report September 2006
  4. Amnesty International 2006
  5. Human Rights Watch World Report 2006
  6. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam
  7. Robbie B. H. Goh, Christianity in Southeast Asia. Singapore: ISEAS Pub., 2005.
  8. The 4th Southeast Asia Prayer Consultation (SEAPC), 10-14 October 2006. Batam, Indonesia. 

 

 



[ Back ] [ Print Friendly ]