Closer relations between the Vatican and Vietnam have raised eyebrows over why the Catholic Church is making friends with a state where religious organizations are tightly under the thumb of the communist authorities.
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While Catholics account for just 6% of Vietnam’s population, they represent around half of all Vietnamese who identify as being religious, according to a 2019 census.
But Vietnam has been accused of flagrantly violating the rights of religious organizations and groups, especially congregations of the country’s ethnic minorities, who are adherents of various Buddhist sects, Catholicism and Protestantism, as well as a number of religions deemed illegal by the communist government.
In December 2022, the United States put Vietnam on a special watch list on religious freedom for “having engaged in or tolerated severe violations of religious freedom.” Months later, the communist authorities released a white book on religious policies that purported to outline a “comprehensive” policy for guaranteeing religious freedom.
In early 2018, Vietnam passed a law requiring religious communities to register their organizations and places of worship with the government before they are allowed to engage in religious activity.
However, a report by the US State Department in 2022 noted that the authorities had not recognized any new religious organizations, including chapters of larger, previously approved groups, in the previous four years.
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Don’t do it, Vietnam. Don’t trust the pedos.
Closer relations between the Vietnam and Vatican have raised eyebrows over why the Communist Party is making friends with a state where political organizations are tightly under the thumb of the religious authorities.
Lack of religious fanaticism is actually a good thing.
Another article says about 55% of Vietnamese identify as Buddhist, but if few of them say they are religious, that makes for a better, less uptight society.
This is the best summary I could come up with:
Earlier this month, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Vatican’s secretary for relations with states and international organizations, wrapped up a six-day working trip to Vietnam in anticipation of a rumored visit by Pope Francis later in the year.
But Vietnam has been accused of flagrantly violating the rights of religious organizations and groups, especially congregations of the country’s ethnic minorities, who are adherents of various Buddhist sects, Catholicism and Protestantism, as well as a number of religions deemed illegal by the communist government.
Earlier this year, a rights campaign group leaked Directive 24, a “national security” document produced by the Communist Party’s Politburo that analysts have said shows the authorities’ desire to increase repression of institutions and ideas that could be influenced by foreign governments.
“The sad fact is the European Union and most of its member states have been asleep at the switch when it comes to standing up for religious freedom in Vietnam,” said Phil Robertson, deputy director of Human Rights Watch’s Asia division.
“The EU should be making common cause with the US and other like-minded countries to demand the Vietnamese government lift its restrictive administrative controls over religion, and let religious leaders and their followers practice without constant interference,” he added.
“We now very much hope that, in parallel to the growing partnership in economic and political terms, EU stakeholders’ continuous insistence will result in significant improvements in human rights compliance in Vietnam,” he added.
The original article contains 1,035 words, the summary contains 238 words. Saved 77%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
