Vietnamese Protestants Puzzle Over “Special Instructions”

(Compass) – On February 4, Prime Minister of Vietnam Phan Van Khai released a policy document entitled “Instructions Concerning the Protestant Religion.” The new instructions promise some changes for the better, such as allowing Protestant denominations active in Vietnam before 1975 to apply for legal registration. However, veteran observers believe the policy statement merely aims to quell the international outcry over ongoing persecution of Christians, particularly in the Central Highlands. Few expect real change to take place. Two police raids on the Mennonite Church in Ho Chi Minh City in the past two weeks, resulting in the arrest and questioning of 19 Christians, have reinforced their doubts. Some house church leaders dismiss the instructions as “just window dressing to fool critics and diplomats.”