When the Vatican delegation is still in Vietnam, hundreds of Sisters of the Daughters of the Charity of Saint Vincent De Paul (Compagnie des Filles de la Charité de Saint Vincent De Paul) protest today asking for their home back.
Ho Chi Minh city (13th June 2008) - Under the sweating heat of the summer, hundreds of Sisters of the Charity of Saint Vincent De Paul in Ho Chi Minh city stand all day in front of a house, once their own home, praying for justice. Police in mass reportedly surround the protestors to prevent anyone to join them. The protest is still on-going with the sisters vow to stay there until the government returns their home back to them.
The property in question on Nguyen Thi Dieu street has belonged to the Order since December 1959 after the French Red Cross transferred ownership to the sisters. The nuns opened a day care center that operated till 1975 when the communists came to power. Eventually the archdiocese of Saigon and the Order had to agree to let the local government use the facility as a school for kindergarteners.
Despite protests of the Order, in 1997, the goverment issued a decree to transfer the ownership to the People’s Committe of Ho Chi Minh city arguing that the property was in the state of absentee-landlord. Soon, the property was rented out in order to financially support local government and converted to a dancing club. In 2007, police raided the club and reported that the property was actually being run as a brothel. The club was shut down.
In the meantime the sisters continued to petition the authorities demanding that the building be returned since it had no socially relevant function, but their demand went nowhere.
In November 2007 ownership was transferred to the Bureau of Railroad System Management which expressed the intention of tearing it down to build a hotel with night club.
The archdiocese joined the sisters, calling on the authorities to reverse the decision. All they got was that the sign advertising the future night club was removed whilst demolition continued.
On 15 December some 70 sisters took matters into their hands, organising a vigil prayer together with a group of students in front of news reporters. Their action momentarily stopped the demolition.
Since the beginning of the year hundreds of them had been gathering every day to pray in front of their seized property until late in March when the goverment promised to return their home.
So far, no move has been made. The protest erupts again today as the People’s Committe of Ho Chi Minh city has just signed another decree to transfer the ownership to the Third district of Ho Chi Minh city.
Sr. Marie Nguyen, a protestor, said: “They try to kick the ball around, again and again, rather than listen and dialog seriously with us on the dispute”.
Ho Chi Minh city (13th June 2008) - Under the sweating heat of the summer, hundreds of Sisters of the Charity of Saint Vincent De Paul in Ho Chi Minh city stand all day in front of a house, once their own home, praying for justice. Police in mass reportedly surround the protestors to prevent anyone to join them. The protest is still on-going with the sisters vow to stay there until the government returns their home back to them.
The property in question on Nguyen Thi Dieu street has belonged to the Order since December 1959 after the French Red Cross transferred ownership to the sisters. The nuns opened a day care center that operated till 1975 when the communists came to power. Eventually the archdiocese of Saigon and the Order had to agree to let the local government use the facility as a school for kindergarteners.
Despite protests of the Order, in 1997, the goverment issued a decree to transfer the ownership to the People’s Committe of Ho Chi Minh city arguing that the property was in the state of absentee-landlord. Soon, the property was rented out in order to financially support local government and converted to a dancing club. In 2007, police raided the club and reported that the property was actually being run as a brothel. The club was shut down.
In the meantime the sisters continued to petition the authorities demanding that the building be returned since it had no socially relevant function, but their demand went nowhere.
In November 2007 ownership was transferred to the Bureau of Railroad System Management which expressed the intention of tearing it down to build a hotel with night club.
The archdiocese joined the sisters, calling on the authorities to reverse the decision. All they got was that the sign advertising the future night club was removed whilst demolition continued.
On 15 December some 70 sisters took matters into their hands, organising a vigil prayer together with a group of students in front of news reporters. Their action momentarily stopped the demolition.
Since the beginning of the year hundreds of them had been gathering every day to pray in front of their seized property until late in March when the goverment promised to return their home.
So far, no move has been made. The protest erupts again today as the People’s Committe of Ho Chi Minh city has just signed another decree to transfer the ownership to the Third district of Ho Chi Minh city.
Sr. Marie Nguyen, a protestor, said: “They try to kick the ball around, again and again, rather than listen and dialog seriously with us on the dispute”.