Today's News Stories:

IMPRISONED VIETNAMESE CHRISTIAN HOSPITALIZED WITH 'MENTAL DISEASE' Le Thi Hong Lien, the sole woman among six Mennonite church workers sentenced to prison in Vietnam Friday, Nov. 12, has been hospitalized with a "mental disease," say prison officials. She was arrested on June 30 and sentenced to 12 months in prison on Nov. 12. At the trial, codefendant Rev. Nguyen Hong Quang was so alarmed at Lien's appearance that he asked the court to take her immediately for a medical examination. The judge refused but agreed to allow her to remain seated for the proceedings. Lien's parents attempted to visit her in prison twice this week, but prison officials prevented access. Her parents subsequently filed a report stating, "During her time in prison, our daughter was seriously abused and beaten." Lien, 21, had been a zealous church worker specializing in teaching the Bible to small children. (Compass)

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Open Doors launches effort to help imprisoned Vietnamese Christians By Staff Reporter CHRISTIAN EXAMINER

SANTA ANA, Calif. — An international letter writing campaign has been launched on behalf of a pastor and five Vietnamese Mennonites who are imprisoned on false charges.

Open Doors—a worldwide ministry to the Persecuted Church—began the campaign in the name of Pastor Nguyen Hong Quang and five others.

According to Compass Direct, since his arrest on June 8, Quang has become the victim of a propaganda campaign. Vietnamese authorities have been spreading misinformation through Vietnamese diplomats, newspaper reports and a government Web site.

Arrested for allegedly “inciting other people to resist an officer doing his official duty,” Quang is being accused on government Web sites and in the official press of crudity, sexual immorality and “hooligan behavior,” according to Compass Direct.

Quang, general secretary of the Mennonite Church in Vietnam, has consistently documented abuses and exposed authorities who violate Vietnam’s laws regarding religious freedom and other human rights, reports Compass Direct. A colleague of Quang believes that “they (Vietnam’s authorities) are going make a hard test-case” of him.

Quang’s whereabouts are unknown, raising serious concerns for his well-being, according to Compass Direct.

A veteran Vietnam analyst told Compass Direct that although persecution of ethnic minority Christians is widespread and well known, this situation constitutes evidence of a new and worrisome persecution campaign in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, the country’s largest city.

“Some Vietnamese Christian leaders believe that timid protests by churches in Vietnam and by Western governments to recent serious religious freedom abuses have emboldened Vietnam,” the analyst added.

Besides Pastor Nguyen Hong Quang, the other Christians imprisoned include: Nguyen Van Phuong, Pham Ngoc Thach, Nguyen Thanh Nhan, Nguyen Hieu Nghia and Le Thi Hong Lien.

According to Open Doors, Vietnam is ranked No. 4 on its World Watch List, which ranks countries worldwide for the severity of persecution against Christians.

For information on this writing campaign and another writing campaign for Jordanian Christian widow Siham Qandah and her battle to keep her children, log on to opendoorsusa.org/WPAcurrent.

Published by Keener Communications Group, August 2004

How to help

Please send letters of encouragement to the prisoners at the following address: Cong An Quan 2; Luong Dinh Cua Street; Binh An Ward; District 2; Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Open Doors recommends the following guidelines: 1. Because every letter will be opened and read by the prison authorities first, before they are (or if they are going to be) released to the addressees: Make sure, therefore, that the letter does not have any political undertones. Instead, the letter should contain words of encouragement for the imprisoned brothers and sister and their families, possibly including prayers and Scripture verses. Quang understands English. The others may not, but write them anyway. Open Doors officials want to impact the jail guards and other authorities with Christian love and unity and the solid support behind Quang and the five others by brothers and sisters all over the world. The letters that come in worldwide may counter the effects of the propaganda campaign that is being spread by the government against Quang. 2. Open Doors should never be mentioned in the letter. 3. All letters should carry the address of the writer only. 4. Do not send money or gifts.

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http://www.ishr.org/press/pr2004/nov04/041119vietnam.htm

-- (Elvis-Khoeo@BaGia.Com), December 26, 2004

Answers

DU MA' CONG-SAN~ TOI^` BAI HAI DAN^ VA` BAN' NUOC*'...

DU-MA' THANG` CHO' HO^` CHO' DE~.....

-- Chau' Nam Cam (Dich me Ho chi' Minh@hanoi.vn), December 31, 2004.