A very highly respected Redemptorist among Vietnamese Catholics and a Pro-Life hero has been under attack for his work against abortion and his open criticism on the government's reckless policy when he set up a Web site asking all Vietnamese nationals at home and overseas to sign a petition expressing disapproval of the state's bauxite exploitation plan.
Amid the Thai Ha continuous clashing with the government on the land issues, Fr. Le Quang Uy of the Saigon Redemptorist community has suddenly found himself in the spotlight of the Vietnamese government for his active role in mobilizing Catholics youths to tackle social evils in a spiritual, humane way, and his calling out for all Vietnamese to question the government's decision when they open central highlands of Vietnam to mining plans which are viewed by a collective number of Vietnamese scientists, intellectuals, former government officials and many concerned citizens as too risky for the environment and national security in the long run.
The effort of Fr. Joseph Uy evidently seemed to anger the government enough for them to launch a swift, blunt attack against his personal character as well as his political view by means of their state-run media. Specifically on Monday April 27, the Capital Security newspaper had mocked Fr. Joseph Le of being “stupid” and “ignorant”, sabotaging the national unity block, the national construction and development process; and plotting to overthrow the communist regime. The paper then called on its owner-Vietnam government- for “immediate and severe punishment” against Fr J. Uy and another Redemptorist priests Fr. Nguyen Van Khai “before they go too far”. The accusations leveled against the two priests, especially “the sin” of plotting to overthrow communist regime - an offense that leads to capital punishment, were so severe that many have believed that Vietnam government has been preparing public opinions for an imminent crackdown.
Fr. J. Uy, 50 yrs old, has long been known by Vietnamese Catholics and non-Catholics alike for his tireless work against homelessness, AIDS, and abortion in a country with the highest rate of abortion in the world.
Family Planning Association, the country has one of the world's highest abortion rates. About 1.4 million abortions are performed annually in the country, which has a population of 82 million. Gender inequality -- which increases the rate of sex-selective abortion -- and the communist party’s population planning policy are the main causes of the high abortion rate, experts say. In addition, the average age sexual debut in the country has decreased from age 19 seven years ago to age 14.5 today, according to a survey by the National Committee for Population, Family and Children.
He has been dubbed by many Saigon youths as the spiritual leaders of DOJs or "Disciples of Jesus" who set out every day to help comfort the poor, the homeless with small donation or to look for aborted fetuses to give them a proper burial ritual in a makeshift cemetery. Some of those courageous people are determined to follow the young girls with unwanted pregnancy, trying to persuade them not to opt for abortion but adoption instead. Unfortunately, Fr J. Uy's operation didn't seem to be welcomed by the Vietnamese government since abortion is considered one of the most effective tools widely utilized in their family planning policy.
Facing unwavering attacks from state-owned media, so far, Fr. Uy has maintained his silence. But his superior has not. Fr. Vincent Nguyen Trung Thanh, the Redemptorist provincial superior of Vietnam, on April 28 has issued a statement in which he defends action of Fr. Uy and Fr. Khai, also praising them as patriotic noblemen whose worries and concerns “are proper which serve as proof of their patriotism”.
Amid the Thai Ha continuous clashing with the government on the land issues, Fr. Le Quang Uy of the Saigon Redemptorist community has suddenly found himself in the spotlight of the Vietnamese government for his active role in mobilizing Catholics youths to tackle social evils in a spiritual, humane way, and his calling out for all Vietnamese to question the government's decision when they open central highlands of Vietnam to mining plans which are viewed by a collective number of Vietnamese scientists, intellectuals, former government officials and many concerned citizens as too risky for the environment and national security in the long run.
The effort of Fr. Joseph Uy evidently seemed to anger the government enough for them to launch a swift, blunt attack against his personal character as well as his political view by means of their state-run media. Specifically on Monday April 27, the Capital Security newspaper had mocked Fr. Joseph Le of being “stupid” and “ignorant”, sabotaging the national unity block, the national construction and development process; and plotting to overthrow the communist regime. The paper then called on its owner-Vietnam government- for “immediate and severe punishment” against Fr J. Uy and another Redemptorist priests Fr. Nguyen Van Khai “before they go too far”. The accusations leveled against the two priests, especially “the sin” of plotting to overthrow communist regime - an offense that leads to capital punishment, were so severe that many have believed that Vietnam government has been preparing public opinions for an imminent crackdown.
Fr. J. Uy, 50 yrs old, has long been known by Vietnamese Catholics and non-Catholics alike for his tireless work against homelessness, AIDS, and abortion in a country with the highest rate of abortion in the world.
Family Planning Association, the country has one of the world's highest abortion rates. About 1.4 million abortions are performed annually in the country, which has a population of 82 million. Gender inequality -- which increases the rate of sex-selective abortion -- and the communist party’s population planning policy are the main causes of the high abortion rate, experts say. In addition, the average age sexual debut in the country has decreased from age 19 seven years ago to age 14.5 today, according to a survey by the National Committee for Population, Family and Children.
He has been dubbed by many Saigon youths as the spiritual leaders of DOJs or "Disciples of Jesus" who set out every day to help comfort the poor, the homeless with small donation or to look for aborted fetuses to give them a proper burial ritual in a makeshift cemetery. Some of those courageous people are determined to follow the young girls with unwanted pregnancy, trying to persuade them not to opt for abortion but adoption instead. Unfortunately, Fr J. Uy's operation didn't seem to be welcomed by the Vietnamese government since abortion is considered one of the most effective tools widely utilized in their family planning policy.
Facing unwavering attacks from state-owned media, so far, Fr. Uy has maintained his silence. But his superior has not. Fr. Vincent Nguyen Trung Thanh, the Redemptorist provincial superior of Vietnam, on April 28 has issued a statement in which he defends action of Fr. Uy and Fr. Khai, also praising them as patriotic noblemen whose worries and concerns “are proper which serve as proof of their patriotism”.