China continues suppression of religion.

Mid-January 1996 reports from China indicate a new wave of repression. All places of worship must register with the government under the broad accusation that "some people are using the guise of religion to subvert the state." That's easily done because anyone who thinks for himself is immediately suspect.

Over the last few years Canadian news reports and articles about human rights assaults in China have been plentiful. But they never report the 50-year-long persecution of Catholics and they only make fleeting references to another reign of terror, that which restricts married couples to one child per family.

Recent Arrests

The following is a review of recent arrests and releases of "underground" Catholic bishops, priests, and laity in China by the Beijing government

Bishop Zeng Jingmu, 76, of Yu Jiang, who was arrested by the Chinese government at 6 a.m. on October 4, 1995, was released October 18 from the Chong Ren detention center. Jingmu's diocese, Yu Jiang, has been under continuous harassment by the Beijing government during the past year. On the eve of the feast of the Assumption, August 14, 1994, there were beatings (some with electrically charged batons) and arrests of the Roman Catholic faithful. The beatings were aimed at stopping the faithful from congregating for a prayer service on a mountain top. Jingmu himself was also arrested at that time, but was released a few days later.

Another mass arrest of 30 - 40 Catholics took place during the Easter season, April 13-19, 1995. Four persons were sentenced to two and five years in prison. Fourteen of the arrested were fined 900 Chinese yen, the equivalent of almost six-months income for the villagers. Two persons were beaten so severely that they were unable to feed themselves.

Father Liao Haiqing was arrested August 4, 1995. Catholic layman Huang Tengzong was arrested August 6, 1995.

Bishop Han Dingxiang of Yong Nian and Bishop Jia Zhiguo of Zhending, Hebei, arrested August 27, 1995, were released from jail at the end of October. At the time of their arrest Dingxiang was on intravenous fluids. Fortunately, he suffered no medical problem during his detention.

In the town of Donglu, 1,000 Catholic faithful making a pilgrimage to a local Marian shrine were stopped and dispersed; roughly 50 priests and nuns were arrested. Still in a Chinese prison for practising the Catholic faith is Bishop Li Hongye of Luoyang. On February 23, 1995, Catholic layman Sun Guofu was arrested and later tortured. On April 28, 1995, Father Chi Huitian of Hebei, who was arrested because he would not cancel his Easter Mass, was released from jail at the end of October. Having been severely tortured by security officers, Huitian is now suffering a brain concussion.

The Beijing government hopes that these sporadic but repeated violations of freedom will intimidate the underground Catholic bishops and faithful. It hopes to continue this persecution without the awareness of the free world. However, increasing vocations and the burgeoning underground Catholic population continue to counter the strategy of the Chinese government. Timely reporting of these atrocities in the West will put the Chinese government on notice.

Recently, the government-approved Catholic Bishops Conference in China (not recognized by the Vatican) published its first pastoral letter since its founding in 1980, on the "Dignity and Responsibility of Women." Released on August 28, 1995, on the eve of the U.N.'s Beijing conference on women, the letter is silent about the Chinese government's policy of compulsory abortions enforcing the one-child-per-family limit. Instead it calls upon Catholics to embrace "China's Platform for the Development of Women." Full text and an assessment ("Hypocrisy or tactful machination") may be found in the monthly Catholic International, Jan. 1996, Vol 7, No. 1.