Thousands of people from the Hmong ethnic group have been following two cults; as authorities move in and arrest 130 followers, Christians are at risk of being caught up in the events.
Military disbands doomsday cult followers
Military personnel have been sent to Dien Bien province, north-west Vietnam, to seal off an area where followers several cult movements were disbanded by local military and the Vietnam People's Army last week. The group of ethnic Hmong had gathered following the teaching of two cult movements that have been active among the Hmong ethnic group in recent months. The military detained 130 people and three children have been confirmed dead. Several thousand cult followers, mostly women and children, were sent home, but some sources suggest up to 3,000 people remain in the area.
Poor sanitation, outside communication cut off
CSW's contacts reported that two cult leaders fled into the forest and were beaten by the military. Journalists and foreign diplomats are being denied access to the Muong Nhe area and all telephone communications have been cut. There are concerns for those who remain in the area due to the lack of access to outsiders, poor sanitary conditions and the high military presence. Thousands of Hmong have migrated from other areas of the country, including from as far as the Central Highland region, to follow the cultic teaching.
Church leaders express concern for local Christians
Church leaders in Vietnam told CSW they are concerned that the Hmong Protestant Christians who are not cult followers will be caught up in the trouble. Lending weight to these concerns, a Vietnamese government website erroneously portrays the cult's followers as Protestant Christians. Up to 350,000 Hmong have converted to Protestantism since the late 1980s after hearing short-wave radio broadcasts in local languages. The US-based Harold Camping cult, which teaches that the world will end on 21 May, has gathered a following among the Hmong after literature was distributed in the Hmong language. In addition, two men both claiming to be messiah figures have appeared in Muong Nhe district. Hmong mythological belief suggests that a messiah will appear and establish a pan-Hmong kingdom.
Religious restrictions create ideal conditions for cult influence
The mountainous north-west region has suffered some of the most severe abuses and restrictions on religious freedom in Vietnam. While the general situation has improved in recent years, the cumulative effect of limitations on religious freedom, such as restricting access to theological training and preventing a legal version of the Hmong Bible from being printed, has created conditions where cult teaching spreads easily.
CSW upholds religious freedom in Vietnam
CSW's Advocacy Director Andrew Johnston said, "CSW calls upon the Vietnamese government to show restraint and ensure that the rights of ethnic minorities are protected during this time of tension. We also call upon the international community to press Vietnam to uphold the right of religious freedom for all Vietnamese citizens and to encourage Vietnam that it is in their best interest to allow ethnic minority Christians better access to training, literature and legal Bibles so that they can protect themselves from cult teaching."
CSW continues to work toward religious freedom for all in Vietnam, and to provide advocacy and solidarity to Christians in various areas of Vietnam, through high-level representation with foreign governments, supporter letter-writing, and prayer.
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