Title: China – Henan – Family Church – House Churches – Treatment By
Refugee Review Tribunal
AUSTRALIA
RRT RESEARCH RESPONSE
Research Response Number: CHN30919 Country: China Date: 24 November 2006
Keywords: China – Henan – Family Church – House Churches – Treatment by authorities
This response was prepared by the Country Research Section of the Refugee Review Tribunal (RRT) after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the RRT within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
Questions
1. Can you provide any specific information on the Family Church. 2. Can you provide info on harm suffered by this group by authorities?
RESPONSE
1. Can you provide any specific information on the Family Church.
No information was found among the sources consulted on a group with the formal name “Family Church” which fitted the description given by the applicant. The reports below relate to unregistered protestant or “house” churches in Henan province. The reports indicate that the province has a relatively high number of Christians: between 5 and 15 million, according to different sources, out a population of over 90 million. There are reportedly thousands of unregistered churches in the province.
A 2003 survey of Christianity in different provinces by Tony Lambert states:
HENAN Population: 92.6 million Capital: Zhengzhou (6.3 million) Henan straddles the Yellow River in China’s ancient heartland. It has seen explosive church growth since the early seventies and is the main center of the unregistered house-church movement. Even TSPM [Three Self Patriotic Movement – the official Protestant church] estimates put the number of believers as high as 5 million. Some house-church leaders estimate about 10 million believers, although this is not confirmed. Certainly, some villages are over 50% Christian. In 2001 there were 1,100 registered churches and 5,000 registered meeting-points as well as thousands of unregistered meetings. However, there are only about 100 registered TSPM pastors, aided by 394 elders and some 3,000 registered evangelists. The Born Again Movement, Fangcheng Church, and other large house-church networks all originated in Henan where the revival began in the seventies. Dengzhou City has seen growth from 2,000 believers in 1949 to 30,000 in 1984 and 50,000 by 1999. Some reports put the Christian population of Fangcheng as high as 31% (300,000 out of 970,000). By the early 1980s, house churches were sending out evangelists to other provinces. The revival among the house churches has seen vigorous itinerant evangelism. However, in recent years Henan has also seen the growth of extremism and various cults which have split existing churches. Most of the believers are peasants with lower levels of education.
PRESSURE ON HOUSE CHURCHES IN HENAN (Reports from the Hong Kong South China Morning Post and Ming Pao Daily both of 21 January 2003) Henan police have launched a crackdown on the underground “Total Scope Church” over the past two months and reportedly arrested several leaders. The China Police Daily reported that meetings of church followers in Chuandong, Qiliping and Xiaguang towns were raided and 176 followers “dealt with” on 27 December and again on 6 January. Most were aged 15 to 45 years old. This church, founded by Peter Xu Yongze, has been branded an “evil cult” by authorities. It has set up an extensive network of unregistered churches in Henan, which are often subject to raids. Police confiscated 295 “heretical” books including copies of the mainstream evangelical magazine Christian Life Quarterly published by Chinese Christians in the United States. Police accused the group of being a “doomsday cult” which had disturbed social order. Members have long denied the allegations (Lambert, Tony 2003, ‘Survey of the Chinese Church – Part II’, Global Chinese Ministries Newsletter, April http://www.us.omf.org/content.asp?id=22860 – Accessed 15 September 2005 – Attachment 1).
A 2004 DFAT report states:
A.1. Henan has a high prevalence of underground Christian church groups (which in formal terms China views as illegal). There are also more reports of the authorities in Henan taking action against such underground groups (compared to other provinces in China). This may be partly because local authorities in Henan take a more hard-line attitude towards these groups and partly because there are more of these groups than in some other provinces… (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade 2006, China: Failed asylum seeker return decision, 7 August – Attachment 2).
A 2000 Compass Direct report states:
Henan is a central province of 91 million people, and estimates of the Christian population there vary from five to 15 million. According to Samuel Lamb, a house church pastor in Guangzhou (Canton), “At any one time, there are hundreds of Christians held in jail all over Henan for evangelizing without permits” (‘Chinese evangelist suffering as authorities decide his fate’ 2000, Compass Direct News Service, 18 April, Christian Persecution Page – Attachment 3).
2. Can you provide info on harm suffered by this group by authorities?
The reports below relate to the treatment of unregistered Protestant or “house” churches in Henan province. The reports indicate that Henan is considered be a province which takes a hard line against unregistered Christian groups compared to some other provinces. In 2005- 2006, Henan topped a province-by-province list of reported crackdowns on unregistered churches.
As already noted, a 2004 DFAT report states that there are “more reports of the authorities in Henan taking action against such underground groups (compared to other provinces in China). This may be partly because local authorities in Henan take a more hard-line attitude towards these groups and partly because there are more of these groups than in some other provinces”. However, the report also indicates that this would not necessarily mean a former member of such a church would suffer ill treatment on his return to China:
In occasional cases where an underground church leader has come to the attention of the Chinese authorities, on return to China the authorities might take the person in for questioning. In rare cases the person might face further consequences (for example administrative or criminal detention), depending on the circumstances of the case. For example, a prominent leader of an underground church group which was known for proselytising might be more likely to face more serious consequences than an ordinary member of an underground church group.… (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade 2006, China: Failed asylum seeker return decision, 7 August – Attachment 2).
A Chinese Christian human rights group has recently reported that Henan tops the lists of Chinese provinces for its adverse treatment of Christians.
Chinese Christian human rights group released a report on Sunday listing the main persecution in different provinces in China during a 12-month period and concluding that Henan Province is the worst persecution offender.
China Aid Association listed persecution events from May 2005-May 2006 showing that at least 1,958 Chinese house church pastors and Christians in 15 provinces were arrested. According to the report, in Henan province, 823 pastors and believers were arrested in 11 raids from July 2005 to May 2006.
“Henan province should be put on notice having the worst religious persecution record,” said the Rev. Bob Fu, president of CAA. “It is morally imperative for any conscientious foreign investors in Henan to address this serious issue.” (Vu, Michelle 2006, ‘China: China Persecution report names Henan Province as worst offender’, Christian Post Reporter, 26 June – Attachment 4).
A 2006 Compass Direct report contains the data on which the above report is based, stating that Henan had the most documented incidents of persecution against Christians during 2005- 2006 (‘China: Chinese authorities raid house churches, arrest 80’ 2006, Compass Direct, 28 July – Attachment 5).
A recent report from China Aid online is of significance. It states that a Chinese house church Christian, who had been arrested for holding an “illegal gathering” and sentenced to re-education through labour, had his sentence revoked when he filed a lawsuit with the Hualong District People’s Court in Henan. This was the first time a house Christian had won such a verdict (‘China: Henan Court revokes the re-education through labor decision- First time a Chinese House Church Christian has won such a lawsuit’ 2006, China Aid online website, 25 September – Attachment 6).
A 2004 report from the China Aid Association is typical of Christian news reports about Christians in Henan over the past few years [more such reports can be sent if the Member wishes]. It states that “more than 100 house church leaders have been arrested in Tongxu County, Kaifeng City, Henan province”. They were “just starting their first day meeting for a two-week retreat when they were surrounded by more than 200 military police, Public Security Bureau (PSB) and other officers…(‘More than 100 house church leaders arrested in Henan’ 2004, China Aid Association, 7 August – Attachment 7).
The September 2006 US Department of State report on religious freedom in China contains several references to Henan: • “…some local officials in Henan Province often mistreated unregistered Protestants”.
• “ The Government detained some citizens for providing religious information to foreigners and prevented some religious figures from traveling abroad, including Henan Province Christian pastor Zhang Rongliang, who remained jailed”.
• “Henan Province house Christian pastor Zhang Rongliang was convicted in June 2006 of obtaining a passport through fraud and illegal border crossing. He was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison”.
• “In May several house church activists were detained in Henan Province’s Fugou County. At least three remained detained at the end of the period covered by this report” (US Department of State 2006, International Religious Freedom Report 2006: China, 15 September – Attachment 8).
On the treatment of unregistered churches in general, the same report states:
During the period covered by this report, the Government’s respect for religious freedom and freedom of conscience remained poor, especially for members of many unregistered religious groups and for groups, such as the Falun Gong, which the Government considered “cults.” The Government tends to perceive unregulated religious gatherings or groups as a potential challenge to its authority, and it attempts to control and regulate religious groups to prevent the rise of sources of authority outside the control of the Government and the CCP.
Some local authorities continued a selective crackdown on unregistered religious groups, and the Central Government did not oppose this crackdown. Police closed unregistered mosques and temples, as well as some Catholic churches and Protestant “house churches,” many with significant memberships, properties, financial resources, and networks. Several unregistered church leaders reported continuing pressure from local authorities. Despite these efforts at control, official sources, religious professionals, and members of both officially sanctioned and unregistered places of worship all reported that the number of religious adherents in the country continued to grow…
…Local officials have great discretion in determining whether “house churches” violate regulations. The term “house church” is used to describe both unregistered churches and gatherings in homes or businesses of groups of Christians to conduct small, private worship services. SARA [State Administration for Religious Affairs] officials confirmed during the year that unregistered churches are illegal, but said prayer meetings and Bible study groups held among friends and family in homes are legal and need not register. In some parts of the country, unregistered house churches with hundreds of members meet openly with the full knowledge of local authorities, who characterize the meetings as informal gatherings to pray, sing, and study the Bible. In other areas, house church meetings of more than a handful of family members and friends are not permitted. House churches often encounter difficulties when their membership grows, when they arrange for the regular use of facilities for the specific purpose of conducting religious activities, or when they forge links with other unregistered groups or with coreligionists overseas. Urban house churches are generally limited to meetings of a few dozen members or less, while meetings of unregistered Protestants in small cities and rural areas may number in the hundreds (US Department of State 2006, International Religious Freedom Report 2006: China, 15 September – Attachment 8). The report later discusses abuses of religious freedom involving unregistered churches: During the period covered by this report, unapproved religious and spiritual groups remained under scrutiny, and in some cases officials harassed members of such groups. In some areas, unregistered Protestant and Catholic groups, Muslim Uighurs, Tibetan Buddhists, and members of groups that the Government determined to be "cults," especially the Falun Gong spiritual movement, were subject to government pressure and sometimes suffered abuse.
Offenses related to membership in unapproved religious groups are often classified as crimes of disturbing the social order. According to the Law Yearbook of China, 8,119 cases of disturbing the social order or cheating by the use of superstition were filed in 2004, of which 7,751 resulted in formal charges, criminal, or administrative punishment. The number was approximately the same as in the previous year. Government officials said that no persons were prosecuted for their religious belief or activity. However, religious leaders and worshippers faced criminal and administrative punishment on a wide range of charges, including those related to the Government's refusal to allow members of unregistered groups to assemble, travel, and publish freely or in connection with its ban on proselytizing. The Government's restrictions on unregistered religious groups increased in 1999 in response to large public protests by the Falun Gong in sensitive locations including Tiananmen Square and the Zhongnanhai Communist Party leadership compound.
Religious adherents were beaten, and some died in police custody after being detained in connection with their religious belief or practice. In June 2004, the government-run Legal Daily newspaper reported that Jiang Zongxiu had died in police custody in Zunyi, Guizhou Province, after being arrested for distributing Bibles. A Legal Daily editorial comment condemned local officials for mistreating Jiang. In 2004, Gu Xianggao, allegedly a member of the Three Grades of Servants Church that the Goverrnment considers a cult (discussed below), was beaten to death in a Heilongjiang Province security facility. Public security officials paid compensation to Gu's family. In September 2005 government agents reportedly broke bones of Christian businessman Tong Qimiao at a police station in Kashgar, Xinjiang, while he was being interrogated about the activities of local house churches. In November 2005 hired thugs beat sixteen nuns, one of whom was blinded and another partially paralyzed, when the nuns protested demolition of a Catholic school in Xian. Hundreds of Catholics marched on Government offices in protest, and the Vatican publicly protested the incident (US Department of State 2006, International Religious Freedom Report 2006: China, 15 September – Attachment 8).
List of Sources Consulted
Internet Sources: Search Engines Google search engine http://www.google.com.au/
Databases: FACTIVA (news database) BACIS (DIMA Country Information database) REFINFO (IRBDC (Canada) Country Information database) ISYS (RRT Country Research database, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, US Department of State Reports) RRT Library Catalogue
List of Attachments
1. Lambert, Tony 2003, ‘Survey of the Chinese Church – Part II’, Global Chinese Ministries Newsletter, April http://www.us.omf.org/content.asp?id=22860 – Accessed 15 September 2005
2. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade 2006, China: Failed asylum seeker return decision, 7 August (CISNET – China CX160293).
3. ‘Chinese evangelist suffering as authorities decide his fate’ 2000, Compass Direct News Service, 18 April, Christian Persecution Page
4. Vu, Michelle 2006, ‘China: China Persecution report names Henan Province as worst offender’, Christian Post Reporter, 26 June (CISNET: China CX156535 )
5. ‘China: Chinese authorities raid house churches, arrest 80’2006, Compass Direct, 28 July (CISNET: China CX158437).
6. ‘China: Henan Court revokes the re-education through labor decision- First time a Chinese House Church Christian has won such a lawsuit’ 2006, China Aid online website, 25 September (CISNET: China CX162342).
7. ‘More than 100 house church leaders arrested in Henan’ 2004, China Aid Association, 7 August (CISNET: China CX164308)
8. US Department of State 2006, International Religious Freedom Report 2006: China, 15 September