Hanoi - Hanoi’s Catholics felt much encouraged with the visit to Archbishopric Palace by Vietnam Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on Sunday 30th December in which he saw by his eyes people praying in front of the former Apostolic Delegate’s Office and waiting in long queues to sign a petition to ask that the building should be returned to the Church. However, most protesters did not believe that justice would triumph soon.

Meeting between Archbishop Joseph Kiet and Dung

So far, no promises from the Prime Minister have been put forward and mass media controlled by Vietnam government have reported nothing about the event. In other words, there has not yet been a concrete signal that the dispute would be settled in a short time. Consequently, people keep coming in groups to pray and light candles in front of the building.

It was reported that before Christmas, Dung, himself, signed an order to ask that the Son La’s local government should allow Christians in the province to celebrate Christmas. However, in reality, Christians in the province suffered more persecutions than ever. Police raided prayer houses, beat some of them violently. At least, one priest was arrested and forced not to say Christmas Mass.

It is common that promises from Vietnam government regarding religious affairs are hollow ones. Groups with diverse interests in the communist party often come up with different altitudes on religious affairs; and rulings in this regard from the central government are seldom put in practice by local authorities.

A priest in Hanoi who has lived for quite a long time under communist rule told VietCatholic: “Others may believe [in the good will of the government to settle the dispute]. It’s up to them. For me, I cannot believe. The dispute about the lands and the properties of Hanoi archdiocese [which have been administered illegally by the government] is still complicated. We still have to pray and put forward some actions for a long run. Hence, be awake and keep praying so that we are not asleep and tempted”.