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Vietnamese Government Violating Religious Freedom of the Mennonite Church

in Binh Duong Province, Vietnam

Update on December 1, 2015

The Vietnamese authorities continue to harass and physically assault members of the Mennonite

Church. Following are the key incidents.

On each Sunday between November 9 and November 30, 2014, this group of over 80 individuals

participated in attacks as witnessed by at least 5 families living near the Mennonite Religious Training

Center and over 40 Church members staying in the Center in My Phuoc 1. They consisted of

approximately 10 undercover public security agents, nicely dressed and carrying expensive cell phones,

supported by over 70 men who had the looks of thugs. At least 5 families living near the Center and over

40 Church members who had been previously attacked confirmed that the 70 plus men were thugs

employed by public security and who came from the northern provinces such as Nghe An, Nam Dinh,

Thanh Hoa, Hai Phong, or Hai Duong.

November 9, 2014

- From approximately 7:30 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. on Nov. 9, 2014 public security ordered over 150 thugs to

surround and attack the Mennonite Center.

10 or more (nicely dressed) plainclothes public security agents sat in a coffee shop across the street

from the Center. They directed the attack on the Center, the attack was carried out by a group of hired

thugs. 5 other agents took up various positions on D10 Street near the Center. Pastors knew by sight

nearly all who live near the Center; and therefore recognized government personnel because they are

not local residents. Public security stopped all other civilians from approaching the center; thus, any

strangers that the pastors saw must have been part of the government’s group.

Our experience shows that public security agents who operated undercover typically wear decent

clothing and constantly use their cell phones while directing the operation.

Local residents who witnessed the attacks told the pastors that the hired thugs who did the actual work

spoke with accents typical of other provinces. That time, there were more thugs than in previous

government operations.

About 10 males penetrated deeply into the Center to smash glass windows and pots containing plants

and flowers, while at least 10 others removed the metal gate and threw it down on the street. They

pulled the 1000-liter water tank down onto the ground and destroyed the water pump to prevent

church members from having any water.

Nearly 40 church members trapped in the Center and a number of local residents witnessed the

presence of fast-reaction police (113 police) in uniform and riding motorcycles. Those police officers

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positioned themselves about 10 meters from the Center, but did not stop the thugs’ rampage. Residents

living near the Center saw everything but could not be witnesses because they fear the government.

Public security of Ben Cat District ordered 17 factory workers, all Mennonites, to report to the public

security station at 7 p.m. for an interrogation related to public order and security. Those workers did not

go to the public security station because they had to worship at 7 p.m. in the Center. Their names are

listed as Item 2 of the addendum.

- In the afternoon of November 8, 2014, 10 men stopped Pastor Tran Minh Hoa as he was coming home

from work and assaulted him as he came close to the Center. No one knew if the assailants were real

thugs or public security agents pretending to be thugs, but Pastor Hoa’s role as the senior clergyman of

the My Phuoc Church was the reason for the attack. Passers-by and local residents saw the attack but

dared not come forward as witnesses. Pastor Hoa recovered from blows to his chest and back without

long-lasting health problems.

November 12 – November 13, 2014

- At approximately 11 p.m. on November 12, 2014, about 10 plainclothes agents used hammers and

pliers to force their way through the Center’s gate. They announced themselves as public security

agents tasked with checking the status of the out-of-town trainees who were at the Center. They asked

the 9 trainees for their ID cards.

The agents also brought along 8 scantily dressed women, ordered them to stay inside, and then went

outside to film the 8 women standing among church members. The women did what the agents told

them to do, e.g., entering the Center or leaving the Center. Public security used the footage to charge

the Church with “engaging in prostitution under the guise of religion”. Public security used the same

tactic in 2010, 2012, and 2013 to charge the Church with engaging in prostitution.

When the agents first brought the 8 women inside, a number of church members, including Mrs. Le Thi

Phuoc Hien, Rev. Quang’s mother-in-law, protested the presence of so many suspicious females at a

religious facility. Other than voicing protests, those church members took no action.

- At approximately 11:30 p.m., public security took 9 church members into custody without presenting a

warrant. When church members asked agents to read aloud their official order, the agents refused.

The public security office gave the reason for the arrests: no ID cards. Yet those agents had seized the

victims’ ID cards and temporary residency permits during previous raids.

- Public security released the detainees shortly after 2 a.m. on November 13, 2014, after more than 2

hours of interrogation. Although agents tried to make the victims sign an agreement to stop

worshipping at Pastor Quang’s church, no one signed the paper. During the interrogation, an agent

introduced himself as specializing in religious affairs. He and the others requested church members,

including Evangelists and pastors, to stop “unauthorized” retreats and group prayers because the

government had not yet allowed the Church to operate.

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November 22, 2014

- On November 22, 2014, about 10 plainclothes agents directed thugs who threw rotten eggs into the

Center.

4 or 5 masked men wearing gloves brought over 100 rotten eggs penetrated the Center where they

threw many eggs at the worship room, the pastor’s room, his two sons’ room, the dining room, the

communal kitchen, and the children’s classroom. The eggs broke against windows, then dripped onto

the hallways, causing a tremendous stench.

During the attack, a public security captain constantly telephoned the Center to ask Mr. Dinh Nhat Minh

Khoa, the Center’s English teacher and Bible teacher, asking him to meet with him outside on security

and public order matters. Mr. Khoa did not come out, knowing that they would detain him if he stepped

out.

- At about 7 p.m. on November 23, 2014, about 10 men on powerful motorcycles gathered at the

intersection of Street N6A and Street D10 (50 meters from the Center) and intended to ambush and

assault Mr. Khoa. Fortunately, a local resident warned Mr. Khoa, saving him from a vicious attack.

November 28, 2014

- At about 7 p.m. on November 28, 2014, thugs resumed throwing rotten eggs, this time with dead fish

into the Center.

- At about 8 p.m., 5 to 6 men armed with knives, machetes and hammers entered the Center. Only 3

trainees were in the Center (Y Ngan, Giang Mi Mua, Trang A Xai) along with Pastor Quang’s elderly

mother-in-law. All four hid in a room used by female trainees on the third floor after locking the door.

The assailants damaged the stairs, searched the worship room and library, tipped the bookcases onto

the floor, smashed furniture, and caused other damages. The 3 students and elderly woman were safe

inside the room. After rampaging for 2 hours, the thugs left after ruining the stairs, throwing all books

and other printed religious materials to the ground, and leaving behind a pile of rubble and broken

things.

December 2, 2014 – December 3, 2014

- At approximately 11 p.m. on December 2, 2014, about 10 uniformed public security agents and 10

plainclothes agents showed up. They introduced themselves as agents from Ben Cat Ward’s public

security station. Using tools, they pried open the gate, entered, and asked to speak with Mr. Tu Van Len

and Pastor Quang’s mother-in-law, Mrs. Le Thi Phuoc Hien. Over 20 men stood outside the Center.

The 10 uniformed agents asked for Mr. Tu Van Len’s ID card and announced that they were about to

have the place searched. The plainclothes agents went everywhere in the Center, opened the doors to

the prayer room, library, restrooms, Pastor Quang’s room, the female trainees’ room, etc. to see if

anyone was hiding.

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Finally, the chief of Ben Cat Ward public security, Mr. Pham Quoc Thai, started to write a citation as they

arrested Mr. Tu Van Len at about 11:20 p.m. At the public security station, Mr. Thai completed his

citation, documenting the fine against Mr. Tu Van Len, 200,000 in Vietnamese currency, for illegal

residency.

- They released Mr. Len (by then exhausted) at around 2:30 a.m.

- In the afternoon of December 3, Mrs. Le Thi Phuoc Hien inspected the Center. She saw graffiti painted

on walls, including “House of pleasure” and other obscenities. She also saw a white strip of cloth left on

a beam to intimidate church members (photo taken on December 3, 2014, included in part II, section 3

of the Addendum 1).

- At about 10 a.m. on December 7, a church member who was traveling on Highway 13 near the Thoi

Hoa Ward public security station saw approximately 20 masked men assaulting Pastor Tran Minh Hoa,

with 2 public security agents among the assailants.

- At 10:37 a.m. on December 7, Pastor Hoa told the person reporting that public security released him

after interrogating him throughout the night. At a few hundred meters from the Thoi Hoa public security

station, near the My Phuoc 3 gate on Highway 13, assailants gave him a severe beating, including kicks

and punches aimed at his belly and other body areas. They took his cell phone and said that they would

arrest him again in the afternoon.

- The church member who had been released along with Pastor Hoa, Mr. Phuong, was also beaten. He

revealed that the beating lasted 15 minutes as they reached the gate leading into My Phuoc 3. Phuong

felt pain throughout his body. Although he had registered for his temporary stay and had government

cards authorizing his temporary absence from his community and temporary stay at the Mennonite

Center, public security warned him not to conduct religious activities at the Center.

- Mr. Dinh Nhat Minh Khoa, also interrogated that night, revealed that 2-person teams of agents took

turns to interrogate him from December 6 (midnight) through noon of December 7, 2014. They seized

his Honda motorcycle, papers, temporary residency permit, etc., after striking him very hard on his

head, causing a headache. The interrogation focused on his religious activities at Mennonite retreats

and training sessions in Tam Ky, Quang Ngai Province during the previous 2 months.

Mr. Minh Khoa is from the H'rê ethnic group in Quang Ngai, works for the Ta Tung Ny Phuoc Company in

Binh Duong Province, saved money to study English and the Bible; received his bachelor’s degree in

theology, and devoted all his time to serving Christ. This young believer teaches English and translates

from English to Vietnamese, has never done anything to harm national security. Yet the government set

up a meeting to accuse him of reactionary activities and threatened to expel him from the area.

- At 11:30 a.m. on December 12, Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Thuan telephoned to tell that public security expelled

his parents from their leased room after seizing their temporary residency permit cards. His mother and

two younger brothers work for a foreign company in the area. Although they were believers, they had

not dared to come to the Center over the past few weeks. Still, public security had blacklisted his family

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of five and arbitrarily deported them without any court decision. Thuan had been coming to the Center

to repair water pipes, toilets, etc. and do cleaning work (the other 4 family members had been staying

away out of fear). Public security must have targeted his family for his actions.

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ADDENDUM 1

I: List of victims of the religious freedom violation

1. Victims’ information - All are members of the Mennonite Church whose lead pastor is Rev. Quang

Hong Nguyen.

a.

- Family name: Tran

- Given name: Minh Hoa

- Address or Place of Origin: D10 Street, Thoi Hoa Ward, Ben Cat District, Binh Duong Province.

- Birth date: 1984

- Sex: male

b.

- Family name: Dinh

- Given name: Nhat Minh Khoa

- Address or Place of Origin: D10 Street, Thoi Hoa Ward, Ben Cat District, Binh Duong Province.

- Birth date: 1990

- Gender: Male

c.

- Family name: A

- Given name: Ben

- Address or Place of Origin: D10 Street, Thoi Hoa Ward, Ben Cat District, Binh Duong Province.

- Birth date: 1994

- Gender: Male

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d.

Family name: A

- Given name: Bung

- Address or Place of Origin: D10 Street, Thoi Hoa Ward, Ben Cat District, Binh Duong Province.

- Birth date: 1995

- Gender: Male

e.

- Family name: Y

- Given name: Ngan

- Address or Place of Origin: D10 Street, Thoi Hoa Ward, Ben Cat District, Binh Duong Province.

- Birth date: 1994

- Gender: Male.

f.

- Family name: Giang

- Given name: Mi Mua

- Address or Place of Origin: D10 Street, Thoi Hoa Ward, Ben Cat District, Binh Duong Province.

- Birth date: 1998

- Gender: Male

g.

- Family name: Ho

- Given name: Van Tuyen

- Address or Place of Origin: D10 Street, Thoi Hoa Ward, Ben Cat District, Binh Duong Province.

- Birth date: 1994

- Gender: Male

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h.

- Family name: Tran

- Given name: A Xai

- Address or Place of Origin: D10 Street, Thoi Hoa Ward, Ben Cat District, Binh Duong Province.

- Birth date: 1999

- Gender: Male

i.

- Family name: Nguyen

- Given name: Quang Trieu

- Address or Place of Origin: D10 Street, Thoi Hoa Ward, Ben Cat District, Binh Duong Province.

- Birth date: 1996

- Gender: Male

j.

- Family name: Tu

- Given name: Van Len

- Address or Place of Origin: Phan Văn Hớn Street, Xuan Thoi Thuong, Hoc Mon

- Birth date: March 26, 1989

- Gender: Male

k.

- Family name: Nguyen

- Given name: Xuan Phuong

- Address: Đường D10, Xã Thới Hòa, Huyện Bến Cát, Tỉnh Bình Dương.

- Birth date: unknown

- Gender: Male

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2. List of 16 victims interrogated at public security station on November 9, 2014

Non-victim witnesses:

- Family name: Từ

- Given name: Văn Lên

- Religion: Mennonite

- Residence: đường Phan Văn Hớn, Xuân Thới Thượng, Hoocmon.

- Tel: 0979270550

- Birth date: 3/26/1989

- Age: 26

- Gender: Nam

- Citizenship: Việt Nam

Anh Đặng Ngọc Thuận muốn công khai làm nhân chứng cho vụ việc

- Family name: Đặng

- Given name: Ngọc Thuận

- Religion: Mennonite

Order No. Family Name Given Name Gender

1 Ho Thi Dam Female

2 Ho Thi Hanh Female

3 Ho Thi Nhi Female

4 Dinh Thi Ba Huong Female

5 Dang Ngoc Thuan Male

6 Ho Van Hien Nam

7 Dinh Thi Chi Female

8 H Nha Ca Bla Male

9 Đinh Thị Lê Female

10 H Rim Nie Male

11 H Tiri Bya Male

12 H Trem Broong Male

13 H Met Bya Male

14 H Kruc Nie Male

15 H Juoong Bkrong Male

16 H Wo Nie Male

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- Residence: Mỹ Phước 2, Thới Hòa, Bến Cát, Bình Dương

- Tel: 0997227646

- Age: 24

- Gender: Nam

- Citizenship: Việt Nam

See below photos taken during the incidents

II. Photos taken during the incidents:

1- 16 Letters inviting victims to Administrative Office of housing quarter 6 of Thoi Hoa Ward for

questioning:

inviting Victim Ho Thi Dam

inviting Victim: Ho Thi Hanh

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inviting Victim Ho Thi Nhi:

Inviting victim Dinh Thi Ba Huong:

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inviting victim Dang Ngoc Thien:

inviting victim Ho Van HIen:

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inviting victim Dinh Thi Chi:

inviting victim H. Nha Ca Bla:

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inviting victim Dinh Thi Le:

inviting victim H Rim Nie:

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inviting victim H Tiru Bya:

inviting victim Juoong Bkrong:

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Inviting victim H Het Bya:

inviting H Ruc Nie:

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Inviting victim H Ju on Bkrong:

inviting victim H Wo Nie:

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2. 6 Photos of the Mennonite Training Center of My Phuoc I, D10 Street, Thoi Hoa, Ben Cat, Binh Duong

being attacked and rampaged by thugs (under the directives of public security agents), and plainclothes

agents on November 16, 2014:

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3- 9 Photos of rotten eggs thrown by thugs into the Mennonite Training Center of My Phuoc I, Binh

Duong, and different areas of the Center were sabotaged on November 22, 2014:

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