Government confiscates 3 churches in Laos

(February 27, 2012) Communist officials in south-central Laos, have confiscated three churches in recent weeks, according to Human Rights Watch for Lao Religious Freedom. After calling residents in Kengweng to a seminar entitled “Tricks of the Enemy,” Communist officials in Savannakhet Province ordered the Christian church closed on Wednesday and forbade the village’s 25 Christian families from gathering for worship. If Christians want to start using the building again, they must submit a formal written request to the authorities of the village, district and province, obtaining approval from each of the three levels. Human Rights Watch for Lao Religious Freedom noted that the confiscation of Kengweng church took place two months after the confiscation of another church in Nadaeng, in the same district. Laos’ 6.5 million population is 67% Buddhist and 2% Christian. In all, 0.7% of Laotians are Catholic; 17 priests minister in 77 parishes, according to Vatican statistics.