CHRISTIANITY IN THE LAO CONTEXT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 VIENTIANE 000311

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/MLS, DRL/IRF

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/03/2016
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL SOCI KIRF LA
SUBJECT: CHRISTIANITY IN THE LAO CONTEXT

REF: A. 05 VIENTIANE 1302


B. 05 VIENTIANE 710

Classified By: Ambassador Patricia M. Haslach, reason 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary. In a late February visit, DRL/IRF analyst
Dr. Clarissa Adamson met with religious leaders and
government officials to press for greater religious freedom
and the release of four religious prisoners. Noting the slow
pace of progress in Laos, Bishop Khamse of Vientiane,s
Catholic Diocese reported the GoL has still not authorized
the Church to conduct its first ordination of a priest since

1975. The United Methodists are again seeking official and
separate recognition by the GoL, but suspect the Lao
Evangelical Church (LEC) may be blocking their request. Some
sources allege that LEC head Khamphone may be using church
funds to influence the Lao Front for National Construction
(LFNC) and to prevent the recognition of other Protestant
denominations. According to recent reports, a local official
in Oudomsay Province has confiscated the land of eight
Christian families in Ban Nam Heang Village. End Summary.

Catholics: Things Move Slowly in Laos
--------------

2. (C) In a February 27 meeting, Catholic Bishop Khamse
described to Dr. Adamson and the Ambassador the situation of
Laos' Catholics. There are approximately 41,000 Catholics in
Laos. The Vientiane Diocese includes around 11,000 members,
and the congregation of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in
Vientiane numbers roughly 2,000. Bishop Khamse heads the
Vientiane Diocese. Luang Prabang is a separate Diocese, with
membership slightly higher than that of Vientiane. There is a
Catholic church in Luang Prabang, but the provincial
government will not allow it to open, and the building has
been occupied by police since 1975. The Catholics also have
a church in Pakse in southern Laos, which Khamse said was
watched very closely by local officials, who forbid the
community to engage in some religious activities. The Bishop
said the church in Thakhek, the principal church of
Khammouane province's 12,000 Catholics, had few problems with
local authorities.


3. (C) Bishop Khamse noted that the GoL is afraid that
government opposition may develop within religious groups,
and for that reason the Catholic Church must be patient and
not push the government. He described the Catholics as being
locked up their own world. Despite 120 years in Laos, the
Bishop said, there has been little progress in the situation
of the country's Catholics. They have no schools, no
healthcare facilities, and some land and buildings that used
to be the property of the Church have been seized by the
government.


4. (C) In regard to the cancelled ordination in late 2005,
the Bishop said "we are Lao, things move slowly." He shared
his view that the Lao Front for National Construction (LFNC)
understood the need for the ordination to go forward, noting
that the central problem was with officials in Bolikhamsay
Province, whom the Bishop said "seem to fear we are doing
something that will destroy them." The Bishop consistently
mentioned the split between the central and provincial level
governments and the fact that policies dictated by the
central government are often not understood or enforced in
the provinces. The LFNC has given no indication regarding
when or if the ordination will be allowed to proceed.

Wielding Influence
--------------

5. (C) Having had their application to register with the LFNC
as an official religion rejected in 2004, the Methodists
approached the government in early 2006 with a renewed
request to register. Pastor Sengdeuane of the United
Methodists told Dr. Adamson that while the LFNC has not yet
approved the Methodist,s registration request, he believes
most of their difficulties originate from the LEC and not the
government. He said the LEC has close relations with and
influences the LFNC. Sangdeuane went on to say that when he
was an LEC member he witnessed the transfer of "gifts" from
LEC head Khamphone to the LFNC, alleging that Khamphone has
helped LFNC officials build homes, purchase cars, and fund
travel. Pastor Polo, an LEC Pastor in Vientiane and ethnic
Khmu (closely protect),said that much of the money flowing
into the LEC headquarters comes not only from LEC church
donations, but also from religious groups in the US, Korea,
Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand.


6. (C) During a meeting with Sayduam Moua, the ethnic Hmong

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Pastor of an LEC Church at Phuokhao Khouay Village north of
Vientiane, the pastor told Dr. Adamson and PolOff that LEC
head Khamphone "hates the Hmong," who, along with the Khmu,
make up the bulk of LEC members. The pastor, who was also
the LFNC representative for the village, said his church has
had no problems with the government or the local village
chief, an animist whose son has converted to Christianity and
attends the church. The church, which was built in 2005, has
a congregation of roughly 200. The pastor said the LEC
headquarters has provided a few Bibles and hymnals, but no
other support. When asked about the Methodists attempts to be
officially recognized, he commented that people should only
believe in religions that are approved by the government.

LEC Looking to China: A Plan to Increase Authority?
-------------- --------------

7. (C) During a meeting with Dr. Adamson, LEC Pastor
Khamphone, waving a copy of the Chinese policy on religious
freedom, expressed his desire for the GoL to adopt religious
policies similar to those of China. He noted that he had
organized a trip to China last year that included
representatives from the LFNC and the Ministry of Information
and Culture (Ref A). Although Khamphone held China up as a
model of religious tolerance for the GoL to follow, Pastor
Polo told PolOff that while China,s religious policy may be
an improvement over that of Laos, he suspects that Khamphone
likes China,s policy because it would give greater authority
to the LEC as the primary GoL recognized Protestant
organization.

Religious Prisoners and the LFNC,s Perspective
-------------- -

8. (C) In a February 27 meeting with Khamphuey of the LFNC,
Dr. Adamson pressed the GoL to consider the release of
religious prisoners in Laos, specifically mentioning the four
prisoners cited in the 2005 International Religious Freedom
Report on Laos, all of whom were LEC members. Denying that
there were any religious prisoners in Laos and saying that
they must be imprisoned for other reasons, Khamphuey asked
that the Embassy send a diplomatic note with their names so
the matter could be investigated. Embassy Vientiane has
since sent a diplomatic note requesting reconsideration of
the cases and is awaiting a response.


9. (C) Having just come from a meeting with the head of the
United Methodists, and knowing that they recently requested
GoL approval (again) to organize in Laos (Ref A),Dr. Adamson
asked that the Methodists be recognized and allowed to
organize and congregate freely. Khamphuey did not respond
directly to this request, but noted that this was primarily
an issue of division within one religious group - the LEC -
under which he groups most Protestants. He also noted that
"some people are trying to use religion for negative
purposes" and that "some religions do not fit Laos,
situation," going on to say the GoL must protect Lao people
from religious groups that do not teach "accurately."

Land Confiscation
--------------

10. (C) In response to reports from a religious organization
that ethnic Khmu Christians in Oudomsay Province,s Nam Heang
Village have been threatened with land confiscation, the
Embassy requested the LFNC looked into the matter. During a
March 22 meeting about the reports, LEC Pastor Polo reported
that eight of the fourteen Khmu Christian families in the
village already had their lands confiscated by the local
village chief in February. He noted that the families had
paid their taxes and had their documentation in order. The
village chief is an Animist and has reportedly given the land
to other Animist villagers. All those that were subject to
land confiscation held land plots that bordered each other.
The six Christian families that have not suffered land
confiscation farmed lands in another area. The current
village chief is apparently the same village chief who tried
to expel Christians a couple years ago.

Comment
--------------

11. (C) While they are unhappy with both the actions and
inaction of the GoL, the Methodists believe that the LEC's
back-stage obstruction is the real reason for their
difficulties gaining official recognition. That is not to
let the GoL off the hook. Even the Catholics, who are
recognized by the GoL and have been present in Laos for over
a century, believe that they have not been treated fairly by
the GoL. The Catholic leadership attributes their problems
to provincial and district level governments who have a poor

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understanding of law and policy. The LFNC often cites
incomplete dissemination of laws as a reason why local
officials sometimes get out of hand. Although we agree that
district and provincial level officials sometimes take
actions that are not supported by the central government, we
also believe that this provides a convenient cover story when
the GoL wants to dodge responsibility or ignore unsavory
actions that they condone; the GoL is very capable of
disseminating and enforcing its policies in even the remotest
areas when it wants.


12. (C) Post will continue to follow up on the confiscation
of Christian lands in Oudomsay Province. End comment.
HASLACH