Nghe An province: The Vietnamese Catholic Youth in Vinh diocese had just alerted that on Sunday May 28, Quynh Luu (Nghe A province) authorities had conducted a military exercise in which paramilitary groups along with hired hooligans were deployed by the local government to surround Song Ngoc church in Vinh diocese. The paramilitary group were armed with guns and grenades while the other brought iron bars and rocks to their exercise. Parishioners reported though they do not know whether guns were fired or not, but shell casings were found around the church.
Meanwhile, catechist Teresa Nguyen Thi Tra of Phu Yen parish on the same day, had been kidnapped, assaulted, and brought to the police station for interrogation, being stripped searched, and coerced into denouncing the two activists priests, Fr. JB Nguyen Dinh Thuc and Anthony Dang Huu Nam who have been advocating tirelessly for the victims of the worst environment disaster in Vietnam history caused by Formosa Steel Co. which brought detrimental effect to the majority of their parishioners along the central coastline of Vietnam.
Ms. Tra's family and fellow parishioners had quickly come to her rescue, demanding her release at the office of the People's Committee. Though many rescuers suffered serious injuries at the hands of police and contracted hooligans, but the catechist was eventually released to the determined group of fellow Catholics who would risk their lives and kept fighting on until one of their own gets to go home.
Meanwhile, catechist Teresa Nguyen Thi Tra of Phu Yen parish on the same day, had been kidnapped, assaulted, and brought to the police station for interrogation, being stripped searched, and coerced into denouncing the two activists priests, Fr. JB Nguyen Dinh Thuc and Anthony Dang Huu Nam who have been advocating tirelessly for the victims of the worst environment disaster in Vietnam history caused by Formosa Steel Co. which brought detrimental effect to the majority of their parishioners along the central coastline of Vietnam.
Ms. Tra's family and fellow parishioners had quickly come to her rescue, demanding her release at the office of the People's Committee. Though many rescuers suffered serious injuries at the hands of police and contracted hooligans, but the catechist was eventually released to the determined group of fellow Catholics who would risk their lives and kept fighting on until one of their own gets to go home.