Law Limiting Religious Freedom Adopted
Hanoi (AsiaNews/EDA) The National Assembly has adopted a bill regulating religious beliefs. It is scheduled to become law on November 15, 2004.
Cardinal Jean-Baptiste Pham Minh Mân, archbishop of Hô Chi Minh City, has stated unofficially that it would be better that the bill be dropped adding that it is worse that the one adopted in 1955 by Hô Chi Minh which was more liberal than the one proposed today even though it was de facto never implemented. Government authorities have said that the new law helps religious practice. In reality, sources in Hanoi have told AsiaNews that its regulations are more restrictive of religious freedom.
The newly adopted bill in fact outlaws spreading religion in ways contrary to existing laws. People in prison for example are not allowed to preside over religious ceremonies. In addition, the bill requires stricter terms and conditions for registering religious organisations and associations.
The bill was 6 years in the making and consists of 6 chapters and 41 articles.
A first approved draft of the bill was presented in December 2000 but caused negative reactions among the Vietnamese clergy and bishops. The bishops of Hô Chi Minh City Province had especially made the point that "religious freedom is a right, and rights cannot be satisfied with a system that functions by filling out application forms and granting authorisation certificates."
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