House Church members detained in Guizhou Province

By Michael Ireland
Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service
GUIZHOU PROVINCE, CHINA (ANS) — Several house church members were gathered at the home of Wu Yao Hua in Erli Village, Xishui County, Guizhou Province, when police officials disrupted their meeting and ordered the members to stop their activities. The officials confiscated hymnbooks and leaflets from the house church.

China Aid Association (CAA) says the raid occurred on March 15, 2008 and that Police officials disrupted the church meeting again on March 29.

A media release from CAA says: “One of the house church members, Wu Guang Qing, began to argue the legality of the gathering by reading to the officials the law and regulations regarding citizen’s rights of Religious freedom. The officials ignored his remarks and confiscated Bibles, flashlights, and the book of law and regulations that Wu had read from.”

CAA stated: “Two of the church members, Wu Xin Quan and Wu Guang Qing were summoned to the Erli Police Station. Two more members, Li Shi Zhen and Zhang Shao Lin were taken by force in the afternoon of the same day. The members were detained and charged with ‘participation in an evil cult.'”

CAA added: “Family members of those detained were informed of the charge and told to take legal action if they so desired. Police officials failed to give proper documentation concerning the arrest and detentions. According to sources the names of those involved are: Wu Guang Qing, Li Shi Xue, Zhang Shao Lin, Wu Xin Quan.”

This case is yet another incident revealing the pretentiousness of this Government’s policy for tolerance and religious freedom, CAA says.

The human rights organization says: “In no way were these church members afforded fair or adequate treatment concerning proper legal procedure which is a constitutional right afforded to all Chinese citizens. CAA and its supporters call for the members of the Erli house church to be adequately and fairly recompensed for the injustices done to them by corrupt Government Officials.”

CAA has also learned that Government officials have turned away house church members who have volunteered to help those who have been affected by the recent devastating earthquake in Sichuan Province.

The CAA statement says: “These actions are comparable to the recent events in Myanmar, where the ruling Junta refused free aid while thousands of victims suffered without food or shelter. Such biased behavior is a reminder of the irrational prejudice the CPC holds against house church members who want nothing more than to have true religious freedom and help their fellow countrymen in this hour of need.”