Hanoi, Vietnam, Sep 11, 2008 / 16:48 pm
Despite Vietnamese officials’ threats of “extreme actions,” many Catholic faithful are converging on Hanoi to join the demonstrations seeking the return of confiscated church property. Some laity, priests, and bishops have traveled more than 200 miles to join the demonstrations at Thai Ha church.
Writing in two newspapers on Monday, Lt. General Nguyen Van Huong, Vice-Minister of Public Security and Major-General Nguyen Duc Nhanh, the Director of the Hanoi Police Agency warned the Archbishop of Hanoi, Ngo Quang Kiet, of an imminent crackdown on the demonstrators.
Major-General Nanh even reportedly threatened to punish anyone who writes and distributes any internet articles about the Catholics’ demonstrations.
Francis Nguyen Van Sang, the Bishop of Thai Binh, responded to the officals’ comments in a Thursday statement titled “All who take the sword will perish by the sword.” He warned the government “not to use the sword,” saying “using the sword against innocent civilians is shameful, and will be condemned by international public opinion.”