|
Saturday, June 23, 2012 (6:14 pm) By BosNewsLife Asia Service with reporting by BosNewsLife's Stefan J. Bos Laos Christians face persecution, new reports suggest. VIENTIANE, LAOS (BosNewsLife)-- Lao authorities have jailed four
Christians, including two Thai citizens, in northern Laos after they
were caught explaining the Bible to at least one Lao man, their
supporters told BosNewsLife Saturday.
Thai Christians Jonasa Wiwatdamrong, 54, and his brother Phanthakorn,
40, were among those detained June 16 in the village of Luang Namtha
Phone Sampan in the Long District of Luang Namtha province, added
Sirikoon Prasertsee, director of Human Rights Watch for Lao Religious
Freedom (HRWLRF). The names of the two Lao citizens were not immediately released. They were taken into custody while visiting a Christian home in the
village where a man reported them to local police, according to HRWLRF
investigators. The man allegedly went to police as he was upset after seeing Jonasa
"explaining the Bible" to another man. POLICE RAID "When the police arrived, they searched their bags and found Compact
Disks with Bible stories and a small black and white picture book of
Bible stories. Thus, the police took their passports," HRWLRF said in a
statement to BosNewsLife. "Later in the evening, the police came back to arrest them and
transported them to Long district prison" and later "transferred [them]
to Luang Namtha province prison," the group added. It said it was concerned about their treatment. "They were taken to the
provincial prison within 36 hours after their arrest without any
investigation or charges being made," HRWLRF said, adding that this
violated normal procedures. Additionally, "All personal belongings, including money, phones and
personal possessions, were confiscated," it added. Their families are trying to care for the four prisoners "since Lao
prisons do not provide adequate care [and] it is up to family members to
provide food," the rights group explained. CONTACTS DENIED Yet, these efforts have been made difficult as so far "Lao authorities
have not allowed any contact with those four Christians," HRWLRF, claimed. Lao officials were not known to have commented. It was not clear whether
Thailand's embassy in Laos had been able to intervene. Christians suggested that this is part of a wider crackdown as Luang
Namtha officials have reportedly expressed theit intention to "eliminate
Christianity" in the province. "Local believers in at least fifteen villages in Luang Namtha have all
shared" similar stories "of persecution at the hands of the Lao
authorities," HRWLRF said. The group said it has urged the Lao government to respect religious
freedom and to release the Christians. SECURITY FORCE Their reported detention follows news Friday, June 22, that authorities
in southern Laos dismissed two members of a village security force
because they and their families "accepted the Christian faith." Christian converts Khamsorn and Tonglai were told to leave the force of
Alowmai village in Savannakhet province's Phin District, last week, June
14, according to rights investigators. Lao government officials have reportedly expressed concerns that there
are an estimated 200,000 devoted Christians in the Communist-run Asian
nation, where most of the 6.4 million people are Buddhists. http://www.bosnewslife.com/22179-news-alert-laos-detains-thai-lao-chr...
Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites  |
