Teenagers document government harassment

An attack on a Christian church in Vietnam, part of the documentation assembled by a team of teenagers investigating persecution of Christians. (Voice of the Martyrs photo)

President Bush says he'll raise the issue of "the recent increase of arrests and detentions of peaceful democracy activists" when Vietnam's president, Nguyen Minh Triet, visits the White House this week – persecution that now has been documented by a team of American teenagers.

The teens visited Vietnam last year to capture on film interviews with some of the Christians who are among the peaceful members of Vietnam's population, but who still have been persecuted, and the evidence now is available in a new DVD called "Underground Reality: Vietnam."

The video is available from Voice of the Martyrs, which also provides newsletter updates on the threats facing Christians in nations such as Vietnam, where persecution still is rampant.

The White House announcement said Vietnam's president would be in Washington today to continue discussions begun by the two presidents in Hanoi last year.

"The United States and Vietnam have seen enormous progress in their relationship over the past several years," the White House statement said. The presidents are scheduled to discuss trade and the nations' economic relationship, cooperation on health and development issues, cultural and educational ties, and the goal of resolving any issues left over from the war.

Bush also will "express his deep concern" over the arrests, and "note that such actions will inevitable limit the growth of bilateral ties."

Voice of the Martyrs said the eight teenagers, six Americans and two from Australia, found out first-hand the impact of Vietnam's persecution of Christians.

They interviewed a pastor whose house church repeatedly has been torn down by police, and they were forced to flee suddenly from a Christian youth camp when police arrived on the scene.

"The president of Vietnam calls evangelical Christians law-breakers and says they should be punished," says Todd Nettleton, spokesman for Voice of the Martyrs. "But the reality is these are simply Christians who want the freedom to worship God according to their conscience. They love their country; they pray for their government leaders. These aren't trouble-makers or rebels, yet they are arrested, beaten and imprisoned. We've received a list of more than 100 Christians currently held in Vietnamese prisons."

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom listed Vietnam in its May 2007 report as a "Country of Particular Concern" for its oppression of religion freedoms.

The DVD shows one teen interviewing a young girl who had been abused by Vietnamese police, and the group met with the children of a Vietnamese pastor who has spent years under house arrest because of his Christian activities. A face-to-face interview with a formerly-imprisoned pastor was a highlight for some of the teens.

"We talk a lot today about reality TV," says Nettleton. "Well, this is the ultimate reality; the reality of life and death for Christians in Vietnam. The reality of how much they are willing to pay in order to live out their convictions and serve God in the way they feel called to serve Him. What could be more real?

"We are pleased that Vietnam's president will be visiting the United States," he said. "We call on leaders within the U.S. government to ask President Nguyen hard questions about religious freedom and the way our Christian brothers and sisters are being treated in Vietnam. Good trade relations, and high profits aren't enough to ignore the mistreatment of people of faith in Vietnam."

As WND has reported, there still are ongoing reports from within Vietnam about the martyrdom of Christians in that communist empire.

The death toll recently was reported to have risen by three. Two deaths happened in recent weeks and the third was earlier, but because of authorities' threats, it only was recently reported, according to officials with the Montagnard Foundation, which has written to Bush asking him to raise the issue of persecution.