Two Christians arrested in Laos
Pastor Dale Morgan
19 August, 2006
*Two Christians arrested in Laos*
Government is trying to stem growing evangelisation according to human
rights group.
Paris (AsiaNewsWires) – Two Protestant Christians have been arrested in
southern Laos to stop them from pursuing their evangelisation work, this
according to the Lao Human Rights Movement (LHRM), which is critical of
Vientiane’s Communist regime. A-Kouam, 60, and A-Vieng, 35, were taken
into custody on August 11 and are being held in Depone in the southern
province of Savannakhet.
According to reliable sources cited by the LHRM, “the arrest and
imprisonment of the two Christian men is meant to stop the spreading of
the Christian religion, especially among religious minorities”.
The Paris-based LHRM lamented the fact that in Laos “freedom of religion
is still very limited and religious minorities are victims of
intimidation, threats, arrests and violence, both physical and moral.”
In the last few years dozens of Protestants have been arrested.
Fear among Lao Communist officials that they might lose support in the
population explains the anti-Christian repression at a time when more
and more people are starting to question the party’s ideology.
According to Christian organisations operating in the country, Christian
Churches are growing in number despite the campaigns of persecution.
Since 1975 Laos has been governed by the Pathet Lao, the Lao Communist
Party. Following its takeover all foreign missionaries were expelled and
religion was persecuted.
Since 1991, it implemented what it has called “centralised democracy”
under the leadership of the Revolutionary Party of the Lao People (the
latest version of the Pathet Lao).
Despite greater economic opening in the last few years, the party’s hold
on society and religion has remained very tight.