South East Asia

Freedom of religion in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia 

In Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, the majority of the population is Buddhist, but the countries also have animist, Christian, Islamic and other smaller religious minorities. Buddhism is the state religion in Cambodia, while Vietnam and Laos are socialist states with no official religious affiliation. The political constellations also influence the situation regarding freedom of religion in these countries. 

In Vietnam and Laos, all religious communities must have official registration in order to operate legally. The authorities must also approve the appointment of religious leaders, the construction of religious buildings and the printing of religious materials. Religious groups that are not registered with the authorities experience harassment, discrimination, eviction or demolition of religious buildings, and arrests, especially in Vietnam. Independent Buddhists, including Hoa Hao and Khmer Krom Buddhists, independent Protestant churches among ethnic Hmong and Montagnard, Catholics, Cao Dai and Falun Gong are particularly vulnerable. The authorities punish believers who have contact with Western authorities. In Laos, Christian families are thrown out of the village because they "provoke the spirits". In many cases, people lose jobs, access to basic resources and services. 

Ethnic minorities in rural areas are particularly vulnerable to abuse by the authorities. This is because these same minorities have historically resisted government control. The Vietnamese and Laotian authorities see the spread of Christianity among ethnic minorities as a Western import that threatens communism. Vietnam has long pursued a systematic policy to limit the spread of Christianity among minorities. In the 2000s, tens of thousands of Hmong and Montagnard people were forced to give up their Christian faith. Those who refused were imprisoned or thrown out of their villages. Many fled to the south of the country or across borders and lost access to basic rights and services. Many are effectively without citizenship. 

In Cambodia, the situation is different. Apart from a few isolated cases of violence between Buddhists and Christians, believers experience a high degree of religious freedom in Cambodia. The Khmer Krom Buddhist group living in the border area between Cambodia and Vietnam has been cracked down on due to political activity, but the consequences are far worse on the Vietnamese side of the border. 

Stefanus Alliance partners

The Stefanus Alliance has several partners in this area. They work to strengthen the position of minorities, in some places with training, in others with church planting, and in others directly with freedom of religion or belief.

Churches are growing rapidly in several countries in Southeast Asia. And there is a big need for leadership training, Bible teaching and theological education. Believers need help to become grounded in their Christian faith. 

Ethnic minorities experience that the authorities persecute them and prevent them from practicing their faith. Many of the Hmong people have come to faith in droves. These people are found in several countries. The first Hmong, for example, came to faith in 1986. Today, the number of Christians is around 350,000. This is causing concern among the authorities, who fear popular movements that could threaten the country's stability.  

Stefanus Alliance's partners are challenged on two levels. A church experiencing such massive growth has a great need to educate and train leaders who can serve the congregations. Secondly, to help people who are often driven away from their farms and land either by the local population who are hostile to their new faith, or by the security police who perceive them as a threat to the status quo. 

Stefanus Alliance's partners work with ethnic minorities, particularly in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.