Categories: christianity
Date: 09 April 2009 06:30:40
Vietnam
Languages: Vietnamese, Thai, Khmer, Chinese, many local languages
The consititution of Vietnam guarantees freedom of religion and belief but the reality is quite different. Beatings, starvation, torture are common for the many Christians imprisoned for their faith.
Vietnam has been under communist rule since 1975. While the growing Catholic Church enjoys a limited amount of freedom to gather, worship and train new leaders, Protestantism is seen as an import from the West (especially America) and a danger to communism. About two-thirds of Protestants belong to ethnic minorities and are particularly vulnerable to persecution by the government - often on trumped-up charges.