Midland, Texas / Henan Province, China (ANS) -- China Aid Association (CAA) has released a report regarding cases of persecution against Chinese House churches by provinces in China in the past 12 months. The inconclusive report lists the main persecution events in different provinces in China from May 2005-May 2006.
According to the report, in the past 12 months, at least 1,958 Chinese house church pastors and Christians in 15 provinces were arrested.
CAA says: "Many teacher and leadership training gatherings are viewed with particular hostility by the Chinese government, whose aim is to control the indoctrination of new generations of Christians. It is reported that police officers and religious affairs cadres conducting the raids mistreated and tortured congregants."
The province by province report shows that Henan has been the worst province in persecution against House church in the past 12 months. 823 pastors and believers were arrested in 11 raids from July 2005 to May 2006, CAA said. Five American citizens were arrested at the same period of time.
Many of the arrested were abused during detention time. After the raid on March 13, 2006 at Wen county, two arrested Christian ladies whose age are 72 and 21 respectively were forced to stripe off their cloths during the interrogation. A disabled Pastor Li Gongshe was severely beaten with one of his ribs broken. (Read the whole story at www.ChinaAid.org).
The report explains the term 'Chinese House Church' refers to congregations in China that refused to join the so-called Three-self Church, which the Chinese government insists should accommodate all Protestants. House churches are independent, but usually operate underground.
CAA says: "Local Chinese officials have continually repressed religious activities that they determine to be outside the scope of the state-controlled religious system. Their decisions are often arbitrarily made in a manner inconsistent with the right to freedom of religion. Chinese officials continue to detain and arrest religious believers, close religious sites, and impose restrictions on the movements, contacts, visits, and correspondence of Christians."
It adds: "Throughout 2005 and into 2006, the crackdown on house church activities has become serious in some provinces where local officials concentrate on raiding large-scale meetings bringing together Christians from other provinces and cities. Many of those present were detained and fined and some were arrested. Many teacher and leadership training gatherings are viewed with particular hostility by the government whose aim is to control the indoctrination of new generations of Christians. It is reported that police officers and religious affairs cadres conducting the raids mistreated congregants and those detained were also mistreated by official personnel."
CAA also reports that an unusual series of coordinated raids in May 2005 at 100 locales netted some 600 believers in Jilin Province in what is believed to have been an attempt at shutting down the growing house church influence on an academic community. A few key house church leaders were detained to ensure their attendance at study sessions where they would be subjected to attempts to force their affiliation with the Three-Self Patriotic Movement (TSPM).
The Midland, Texas-based group says the sentencing of Pastor Cai Zhuohua, a house church leader in Beijing, and his colleagues on November 8, 2005, for “illegal business practices” emphasized the importance Chinese officials place on maintaining control over religious publications. Cai Zhuohua had printed thousands of copies of bibles and other Christian literature which had attracted the displeasure of state officials.
“Henan province should be put on notice having the worst religious persecution record,” said Rev. Bob Fu of CAA, “It is morally imperative for any conscientious foreign investors in Henan to address this serious issue.”
© 2006 ASSIST News Service, used with permission
