Vietnam church land dispute continues

Protests in Vietnam over church land seized by the government several decades ago are gaining increasing numbers, The Associated Press reported Friday.

The protests and prayer vigils have been going on since early December, and despite some encouraging signs at the close of 2007 when Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung met with Archbishop Kiet and pledged to consider the issue, the dispute has yet to be solved.

The number of people attending the vigils swelled recently due to an influx of visitors to Hanoi to celebrate Cardinal Pham Dinh Tung’s 90th birthday. Streets were blocked as demonstrators chanted and prayed for the land to be returned.

According to the article, “Church officials called on parishioners to show restraint as a number of protesters began pushing against the fence. At least two people who scaled the property's locked iron gate were beaten by guards.”

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