VIETNAMESE SPRAY POISON GAS
ON HMONG CHRISTIANS

March 2, 2003


Vietnamese police used noxious gas to break up a Christian worship gathering attended by 40 Hmong people in the Dien Bien Dong district of northern Vietnam on Sunday, Dec. 29. "Police discovered the meeting, so they came to stop it by spraying noxious gas on these Christians," said a confidential source. "Now 20 Christians are in hospital; five of them seem to be unable to recover as they are in serious convulsions." Many of the Hmong believers came to Christ as a result of broadcasts from Far East Broadcasting Co. "Since they believed Jesus, they have been under constant intimidation and oppression from the government," the source said. FEBC President Jim Bowman urged all Christians to "join us in praying for the Hmong people, and also contact your local government representatives and request investigations to be made into these unconscionable acts of brutality."

Vietnamese authorities have also executed 3 Montagnard believers from Buon Gram Village in the central highlands, for participating in "anti-government activities" in February, 2001.

- Pulpit Helps,

March, 2003, p. 31.