Taking advantage of faith to incite
>>The tree wants to be still, the wind never stops?!
(Baonghean) - On September 18, 2013, Nghe An Newspaper received document No. 05/13-TG dated September 15, 2013 from the office of the Xa Doai Bishop's House "protesting the document No. 139/UBND-NC dated September 8, 2013 of the People's Committee of Nghe An province and related issues". The content of the document of the Bishop's House deliberately distorted the truth to deceive public opinion, blaming the government. As a media agency with a group of reporters witnessing the entire incident, Nghe An Newspaper has the responsibility to discuss and clarify the issues that some Bishops and Priests do not understand or intentionally do not understand about the cause and developments of the incident that occurred at My Yen Parish, in Nghi Phuong, Nghi Loc. In order for the issue to be viewed objectively and truthfully, first of all, Nghe An Newspaper systematizes the entire developments and events related to the incident:
The cause began with the first instance trial of Ho Duc Hoa and his accomplices for the crime of overthrowing the people's government, which took place on January 8-9, 2013 at the People's Court of Nghe An province. Before, during and after the first instance trial of the 14 defendants, members of the Viet Tan Party and reactionary groups colluded with extremist opposition elements in Nghe An to entice and incite a number of people and relatives of the defendants to carry out fierce opposition.
On May 22, 2013, Father Dang Huu Nam, parish priest of Binh Thuan, Nghi Thuan commune, Nghi Loc district, took advantage of preaching at Trai Gao church, My Yen parish, Nghi Phuong commune (not under Father Nam's responsibility) to communicate and pray for 8/14 defendants in the case of Ho Duc Hoa and his accomplices who committed the crime of overthrowing the people's government, which was tried by the Supreme People's Court on appeal in Vinh City on May 23, 2013.
The opposition, including the one who preached directly at the prayer service, Priest Nam, distorted and incited the gathering of parishioners to march to Vinh to protest the appeal trial. The criminals who aimed to overthrow the people's government were brought to trial, but Mr. Nam "praised" them as "seeds to show humanity that the truth will be the truth...", "patriots unjustly convicted by the government...", he also incited "If anyone still has doubts, I will invite those who will come to Vinh City, will come to the People's Court of Nghe An province so that we will see the first thing that we invite...".
Extremist parishioners threw stones at the authorities.
To grasp the situation and have a plan to protect the trial, a police working group was sent to the communes on Highway 534. At about 7:30 p.m., when the police officers were on their way to Nghi Phuong commune (600 meters from Trai Gao church), they were blocked by a number of extremist parishioners, who restrained and beat three officers (including comrades Tran Van Nhung, Nguyen Quoc Nhan, and Nguyen Van Tien) and took them to the Cultural House of Hamlet 13, Nghi Phuong commune. Hundreds of parishioners then went to Hamlet 10, surrounded the house of Mr. Dau Van Son - Military Commander of Nghi Phuong commune (about 400 meters from Trai Gao church), cursed, threw bricks and stones at the house, smashed and burned many properties, and threatened the lives of everyone in the house...
When the incident occurred, the local government and the police agency notified and requested Bishop Nguyen Thai Hop and local priests to come directly to the scene to coordinate in dispersing the crowd of parishioners to take the injured officers to the emergency room. At about 10 p.m. the same day, Bishop Nguyen Thai Hop and a number of priests arrived at the scene. However, instead of promptly taking the three seriously injured police officers to the emergency room, they were busy instructing the Pastoral Council of Trai Gao parish to draw up a report with distorted content, not true to reality, and forced the injured officers to sign the report before taking them to the district police headquarters.
On May 25, 2013, the Investigation Police Agency of Nghe An Province Police initiated a case, prosecuted and temporarily detained two suspects, Ngo Van Khoi and Nguyen Van Hai, for the crime of "disturbing public order" in Nghi Phuong Commune, Nghi Loc District, according to Article 245 of the Penal Code of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The two suspects also confessed, admitted their guilt and asked for leniency from the law.
It is worth mentioning that, immediately after the Nghe An Provincial Police Investigation Agency arrested Ngo Van Khoi and Nguyen Van Hai, the police agency notified the local authorities, the defendants' families and the Vinh Diocese. However, with the argument: "The police arrested the wrong person", "illegally arrested", the Pastoral Council of My Yen parish filed a collective petition, the priests: Tran Phuc Chinh - Dean of Nhan Hoa, Dang Huu Nam - Dean of Binh Thuan, Nguyen Van Huong - Chief of Office of the Vinh Diocese filed a petition to the authorities at all levels and the Provincial Police demanding the immediate release of the defendants, regardless of the provisions of the law. From there, they lured and incited a number of extremist, radical parishioners and relatives of the defendants to commit acts of causing trouble and opposing the government.
The prayer session was turned into a preaching session by Priest Dang Huu Nam to incite opposition to the government.
On August 26, 2013, after returning to the Vinh Diocese Bishop's Palace from abroad, Mr. Nguyen Thai Hop raised the issue with the provincial leaders and the police about requesting bail for the two suspects Ngo Van Khoi and Nguyen Van Hai on the grounds that some priests and their families wanted the two subjects to be released on bail before September 4, 2013 - the time when the Bishop's Palace held the ordination ceremony for the assistant bishop of Father Nguyen Van Vien to "stabilize the situation".
When the representative of the General Security Department II and the leaders of Nghe An Provincial Police visited and congratulated the Vinh Diocese Bishop's Palace on the upcoming consecration of Auxiliary Bishop Nguyen Van Vien, Bishop Nguyen Thai Hop continued to raise the issue of requesting the release of the two defendants, and if necessary, the Bishop's Palace would stand as a guarantor. The representative of the General Security Department II leadership took note of the request and reported it to the competent authorities (not as Mr. Nguyen Thai Hop told the parishioners that the Ministry of Public Security had agreed to release the people).
However, at the meeting with the provincial leaders and Nghe An Police later, Bishop Nguyen Thai Hop and several other priests did not accept bail, but continued to request unconditional release. That request was against the provisions of Vietnamese law and was not accepted.
While the prosecution agencies were handling the case, on the morning of August 30, 2013, about 300 parishioners of My Yen parish (Nghi Phuong commune, Nghi Loc) went to the headquarters of Nghi Phuong commune People's Committee carrying many banners and slogans with inciting content, protesting against the government, illegally arresting people, surrounding the office of the officials, cursing, putting pressure on the government, demanding the release of the two arrested subjects. In particular, some parishioners dragged Mr. Dau Van Son, Commander of Nghi Phuong commune Military Command, from the office to the yard and insulted him, demanding to strip him of his clothes, then held him for more than 1 hour in the hot sun...
Mr. Dau Van Son's house was demolished.
Mr. Nguyen Quoc Nhan - Nghi Loc District Police was seriously beaten on the evening of May 22.
In response to this incident, the Nghi Loc District People's Committee and the Provincial Police asked Bishop Nguyen Thai Hop to coordinate to resolve the matter. Present at the scene of the incident, Bishop Hop told the parishioners: "You can go home, I have discussed this matter with the Lieutenant General of the Ministry of Public Security and the government to consider and resolve it. If the government does not release the person after 5 days, I will no longer have any responsibility. You can do whatever you want..."
On September 3, 2013, hundreds of parishioners from My Yen Parish and neighboring areas continued to surround the headquarters of Nghi Phuong Commune People's Committee, hanging banners and slogans with provocative content, disturbing public order. Then, they entered the office of Nghi Phuong Commune officials to insult, assault (beat people, tear clothes), and illegally detain (06 officials of Nghi Loc District People's Committee and Nghi Phuong Commune). The extremists also forced and controlled the Chairman of Nghi Phuong Commune People's Committee to write a commitment requesting the Provincial Police to release the two suspects Nguyen Van Khoi and Nguyen Van Hai before 4:00 p.m. on September 4, 2013. At the same time, they forced the detained officials to sign the commitment. After their demands were met, at 6:30 p.m. on the same day, the above-mentioned extremist parishioners agreed to leave.
Extremist parishioners surrounded Nghi Phuong commune headquarters all day on September 3.
Disturbing and resisting law enforcement officers on the afternoon of September 4
Officer was seriously injured by a throw while on duty on the afternoon of September 4.
Although a series of disturbing and provocative events occurred consecutively in such a short period of time, on the morning of September 4, 2013, the authorities at all levels and functional forces paid attention, guided, supported and created favorable conditions for the Vinh Diocese Bishop's Office to organize the ordination Mass of Auxiliary Bishop Nguyen Van Vien to ensure safety and great success.
However, just a few hours after the Mass ended, at around 2:00 p.m. the same day, hundreds of parishioners of My Yen Parish went to the headquarters of the People's Committee of Nghi Phuong Commune (Nghi Loc District) to shout and cause disturbances, interrupting the expanded military-civilian meeting organized by the Nghi Phuong Commune government. At around 3:30 p.m. the same day, My Yen Parish Church rang the alarm bell to incite and attract more parishioners to join the disturbance, using stones, sticks and many other weapons (prepared in advance) to attack the officials and people present at the commune headquarters, seriously injuring many people.
Faced with that situation, the authorities who were on duty (protecting the military-civilian meeting of Nghi Phuong government, preventing similar violations of the law on August 30 and September 3) were forced to use professional measures to stop the extremist crowd in accordance with the law to protect the safety of property and lives of officials and people present at Nghi Phuong commune People's Committee headquarters. The disturbance of order and attacks with stones and sticks by extremist parishioners only stopped when Priest Peter Nguyen Xuan Quy - parish priest of Xuan My was authorized by the new auxiliary bishop Peter Nguyen Van Vien to meet and discuss with the people.
In response to the law violations that occurred on (August 30, September 3, September 4, 2013), the Investigation Police Department of Nghe An Province Police has decided to prosecute cases of disturbing public order, resisting law enforcement officers, and illegal detention.
Some extremist parishioners marched and held banners distorting and opposing the government on the morning of September 16.
A series of unfortunate incidents have occurred consecutively, affecting the security and order situation, the solidarity between religions and non-religious people, causing harm to the health and life of many people. While the authorities at all levels are trying to organize activities to stabilize social life and develop production, some extremist religious dignitaries continue to have provocative acts, taking advantage of prayers to propagate distorted truths, with arguments opposing the government; using the pretext of prayer communion to organize and gather many parishioners to participate in marches, display banners and slogans with distorted content opposing our Party and State.
The leader of these is Mr. Nguyen Thai Hop - Bishop of Vinh Diocese and some priests such as Dang Huu Nam. The statements and actions of taking advantage of preaching to propagate reactionary and distorted content to incite and attract extremist elements, and to assist the Viet Tan Party and reactionary groups that sabotage our Party and State by Nguyen Thai Hop and Dang Huu Nam must be strictly handled according to the provisions of the law.
The discussion on the content of Document No. 05/13 – TG of Xa Doai Bishop's Office sent to Nghe An Provincial People's Committee on "Protesting Official Dispatch No. 139/UBND – NC dated September 8, 2013 of Nghe An Provincial People's Committee and related issues", Nghe An Newspaper will publish in the next issue.
Reporter Group