The September 19 move, confirmed by several Christian groups and Catholic leaders, came after months of Catholic prayer vigils over disputed land seen as one of the largest demonstrations in recent years against Vietnam’s Communist authorities.
Witnesses said bulldozers drove in to destroy the nunciature while several protestors were arrested and beaten, including an Associated Press (AP) agency reporter. Ben Stocking, the Hanoi bureau for AP said he was punched, choked, and hit over the head with a camera by police. "They told me I was taking pictures in a place that I was not allowed to be taking pictures. But it was news, and I went in," he told the AP.
Taken to the police station, he said when he reached for his camera a policeman “banged me on the head with the camera and another police officer punched me in the face, straight on.” Stocking was released from police custody after about two and a half hours, requiring four stitches on the back of his head.
PROTESTS AGAINST TREATMENT
John Daniszewski, the AP’s managing editor for international news, protested Stocking’s treatment, saying "It is an egregious incident of police abuse and unacceptable treatment of a journalist by any civilized government authority." The US Embassy has also reportedly filed a formal statement of protest with Vietnam’s Foreign Ministry.
In a statement, Archbishop of Hanoi Joseph Ngo Quang Kiet condemned the government’s actions and urged Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet and Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung asking them to "immediately intervene."
Saying a "great mass" of police and security forces, militiamen, and police dogs had "besieged" the archbishop’s residence, and said the violence was is "going against the policy of dialogue that the government and the Archbishop’s office are conducting," Catholic news media reported.
IMPACT ON RELATIONS
The Vatican and Vietnam have been trying to warm relations, but it was unclear what impact the latest clashes would have on these talks. Christian leaders have said the destruction of the former Vatican embassy is a sign that the government is breaking its promise to Catholic officials in February to negotiate a settlement concerning nationalized church properties.
Church observers have described the move as a major blow to Christians’ struggle to get the government to return confiscated church properties. Vietnam’s government has defended its policies saying current legislation stipulates that lands subject to "land management and socialist land reform policies in place before 1991" cannot be considered.
The US Embassy has reportedly filed a formal statement of protest with Vietnam’s Foreign Ministry.
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