By BosNewsLife Asia Service
VIENTIANE, LAOS (BosNewsLife)– Three Christian pastors have been jailed in southern Laos for spreading Christianity, their supporters told BosNewsLife Thursday, February 7.
The jailed Christians, who lead evangelical congregations in Savannakhet province, were identified as Pastor Bounma of Alowmai Village Church in Phin district, Pastor Somkaew of Kengsainoi Village Church in Phin district, and Pastor Bounmee of Savet Village Church, in Sepon district.
In Laos people often use only their first name.
The church leaders were detained late Tuesday, February 5, in Savannakhet province where they tried to copy a Christian movie at a local compact disk store, said Human Rights Watch for Lao Religious Freedom (HRWLRF) in a statement.
“After three copies were made, the owner of the shop, along with the three pastors, tested one of the CDs…While they were testing the movie CD, [a] police [officer] saw them viewing it and contacted his superior,” HRWLRF said.
POLICE IN SHOP
Soon after “Police Lieutenant Khamvee accompanied by his two deputies stormed the shop and arrested the three pastors,” the group added. The shop owner was briefly detained before being released, according to investigators.
Christians said they were surprised about the detention as the movie about the “end times” before Christ’s return is also sold in other shops of Savannakhet province.
The pastors have told police interrogations that they made three copies of the movie “so each could view it in their own homes”, Christians familiar with the case said.
Lao authorities have reportedly countered that the pastors were trying to spread the “Christian religion portrayed in the movie.”
TARGETING CHRISTIANS
Local officials have often target Christian leaders in the province, who they view as threatening local traditions in the otherwise Communist-ruled Asian nation, BosNewsLife learned.
The HRWLRF, which is in close contact with local believers, told BosNews that that it has urged the Lao government “to release the three Lao pastors” who are in the Phin district jail “arbitrarily for spreading the Christian religion.”
The group said it had also asked the government “to punish the Phin district’s Police Lieutenant Khamvee and his two deputies for abusing power causing Christians to suffer injustice.”
There was no immediate response from local officials.
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stories are usually distorted once detainment has been made.laos gives freedom of religion to all as you can see many churches in vientiane. however some people break the law by distributing printed religouse material.keep in mind that it is wrong to give hungry hilltribes food and then tell them that god is the way to go.i go up 2000 meter above sea level and i was amaze to see illiterate hill tribes with bibles.what knowledge do they have of christainity up there? how did that faith get there of it wasnt for aid workers prostitizing or imposing christianity to a bunch of hungry people.they are breaking the law…respect the law. dont distort the truth and stop trying to save us!
Dear Jai,
You sound rather cruel by saying “stop trying to save us.” The Christians you talk about want to do more than just saving people for a day with food. They want to spread the Good News that everyone can have eternal life in Jesus Christ. You are amazed to see “illiterate tribes” with Bibles: the point is that many have learned reading often with the help of the same Christian aid workers you seem to hate. Thank you for confirming that there is NO true freedom of religion in Laos, by saying “people break the law by distributing religious material”. Why it is wrong to give hungry hill tribes food and tell them there is a God who loves them? Or as John 3:16 says:
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
God bless you,
Stefan J. Bos, BosNewsLife
they are killers, that here I can tell))))), they do not understand the word freedom of speech and religion
I love Laos and Lao))))) but I am ashamed that Laos manage killer Democrat
Christian should just leave all Religion in the World alone ! Quite spreading BS stuff ! Everyones in the World are not Christian for a Fact ! It is the way of lives ! My wife is Christian & Going to Buddhist temple with me. I won’t & never goes to their Church & she don’t also ! Buddhism are the BEST & The way is it & life ! You all needs to wake up & stop being Brainwash by Europeans ! You all are ignorant peoples just because the give u $$$$$$ & tell u lies after lies & Bullshits ! BUDDHA Bless U !
why dont you missionaries go to saudi arabia or bagdad and spread your faith over there.some of you people got your head sink deep in the sand and feel that you should save us.it is wrong to use money or food to convert people. shame on you ostridge!
Dear Saina, Keotabog and Thee,
For Saina and Keotabog: Am not sure who you talk about when mentioning killers. It can’t be about the Christians who besides food and other aid share the Biblical truth about eternal life. And for Thee: Am sure they leave religion alone, since what they preach has nothing to do with religion, but with a personal relationship with Christ. You talk about the many dollars they allegedly received, while in fact these are Lao pastors jailed by Lao authorities for evangelism.
Best regards,
Stefan J. Bos
each person has the right what religions he it wants serve or you already got used specifies a human right that it should do
and can be to you it is pleasant to specify as the person that you should do or where you should go or a toilet you shouldn’t goes – likely it is pleasant to you
I Buddhist but have the right of each person what religions he wants serves instead of that that others want it
Speak that the law should be observed but who writes these laws? People who call itself communists? Or God writes these laws? How you think this law is fair after all people all guilty? If it is honest, I am not surprised that communists stand up for human rights on the right and on left, that that they don’t possess after all people them didn’t kill and didn’t steal it, means didn’t violate foreign rights.
And here what wrote this law, it violates foreign rights. Because it has no right to operate other people! Though that here it is possible to tell.
I remember as at school studied and as forbade us to dress bell-bottoms or trousers pipes, speak that it is imperialists wanted to teach Laotian youth to bad behavior, or hair more long too it is impossible. But I consider that the person has the right as to put on and what hair at him his same body, and it means he doesn’t violate foreign rights. The person can do that that he wants, instead of that that others want.
It is a pity to me that many people of Laos blinded mass media, propagandists, especially what didn’t leave side-altars of Laos they see communists only up to the feet and I understand it after all I when that, I was the patriot of communists and now I understand on how many I isn’t right.
I wanted to ask what are still confident in communism. You can come to streets with posters what to express the opinion? And I am sure that you at once will put in prison on long therefore think for the sake of future the children
that is if you the Buddhist that and others has to too Buddhists because you wanted it, and their opinion to you don’t interest, so communists taught you
such methods communists taught you
I’m going to tell you…God doesn’t write laws…You are not comprehending.Any person can believe in whatever he/she want.But to distribute religious materials outside churches is not right.If it was legal to use money and pay every hungry person to go to church it would be a capital war.People have to find faith on there own not being bought.Money talks especially to hungry people.Please drop the communist crap.Its all about how you and your religious organization move in another country.Your nonsense is just a waste of server space…And stop using my name.
If God wrote the law it would be fair,but it is written in the law people and people are sinful so the law can not be valid((((simply I don’t know English simply I write through онлай the translator therefore not everything correctly translates
and who am I to disseminate religious, I such the Buddhist as well as you (((((simply at everyone has to has the rights to a choice on life instead of them will force (((((((there is none do not force you to make believe Christian and everyone has to make a choice and God does not choose who Asians or Europeans, Africans((god loves all identical and he wants that we would love each other, and money here not and(((believe I 18 years in Laos after school and 17 years in Europe I then was a patriot communist as well as you my father was at war aside communists therefore I well know that such communists and what their propagandists but if you never left outside Laos that, you once don’t know on how many Laos far from a freedom of speech and the rights of people (((and Europe is not one country does not ban what religions he wants believe farther Buddhists instead of as you are their charges
I know that god didn’t write the law ((((((and if god wrote the law that it would be fair))))))))))only the law of man wrote so the law can not be valid))))because people are sinful
I thought why did you use my name, my name, too, ’cause it’s just a short Keo name
Dear Keo,
I agree with you that laws of this world are written by sinfull men. ((God actually wrote a law, given through Moses to the people of Israel, which included by the way things such as:Exodus 34:14 Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.
2 Kings 17:35 When the LORD made a covenant with the Israelites, he commanded them: “Do not worship any other gods or bow down to them, serve them or sacrifice to them.
Psalm 81:9 You shall have no foreign god among you; you shall not bow down to an alien god.))
However since nobody could keep the law he send his only begotten son so everyone who believes in Him shall have eternal life. Jesus Christ fulfilled the law by dying for our sins, which was the punishment under the law, and rising up from the death on the third day, so those who believe are no longer under the law but have eternal life. As Jesus says in Mathew 5:17: “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.” Or in the words of Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Ofcourse these now detained Lao pastors wanted to share this Good News with their fellow Lao people. They did not want to keep this news only within the church walls. I think not distributing what you call “religious materials” would be cruel, especially to those seeking hope and love. These pastors obviously don’t view it as religious materials since what they preach has nothing to do with religion, but a personal relationship with a loving God. No money in the word can by that love; it’s only though faith in Jesus Christ, as shown in the previous Bible verses.
I wish you His blessings,
Stefan J. Bos, BosNewsLife
and who write here writes comment I’m not surprised .My father was a soldier for the Communists I was brought up the Communists during lessons I often wrote that people who fled from Laos they betrayal of their country and lies ass imperialist but now I realize I was wrong they no betrayed their homeland They fled their homeland with tears in his eyes from pursuit of Communists
No wonder you are a missionary and thank god you are not a legislator…Please keep in mind that the Lao PDR is a sovereign nation and has it own values/ belief..To come in another nation imposing your western values/ ideas..do you think it is right? You see mosque in Vientiane, you see Churches, you see animism exist in Laos. Tell me why they are not burned down if the Lao PDR obstructs freedom of belief?abide by the law and everything will be ok.Oh and thanks for the blessing Stefan…
my name is Keo as you though it is not a full name and the full name donkeo)))I can tell you it is very difficult to explain to man who knows but does not want to understand ((means in your opinion mean that all of Europe is not a sovereign state because all people have the right to choose including Buddhists)))))))Do not be so blind and selfish
something that people explain the Bible man is against the law???and the fact that people wrote down the words of the bibles of the disc is also against the law??you were somewhere other than Laos???I feel sorry for you that you were like me ,I also once under the influence communist propagandists(((((((((
Bias,one side media..