House Church in Military Raided in Xinjiang
by Staff
August 14, 2007
MIDLAND, Texas, (christiansunite.com) -- CAA learned a military House Church in Xinjiang was raided and members were detained and abused during their interrogation. Some of their relatives were punished by the military.According to reliable sources, on June 1, a House Church at the house of brother Gao Hongzhi was raided by 10 PSB officers. Six believers including Mr. Gao was detained for 12 hours until the following morning. One believer was beaten up during the detention time. Mr. Gao's house was searched without a search warrant and Bibles, calendars, and a blackboard were confiscated as "illegal religious materials" without issuing official confiscation paper. The believers were video taped without permission. They were forced to sign a document entitled "Document on Guarantees and Responsibilities".
The document issued by agencies under Division 49 of 3rd Agricultural Division of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps holding relatives of Christians responsible if these Christians are found to be in a gathering, sharing Gospel materials, Bible studies, or other activities. According to this document, the relatives of Christians have the obligation to help the Christians reform; they must always be watchful of the activities of the Christians; they must make sure these Christians don't meet in a gathering and prevent them from establishing ties with each, sharing Christian literature, and materials, etc. The last part of the documents provides a list of penalties on the relatives for failing to supervise the Christians well.
Subsequently another secret document issued on June 29, 2007 is entitled "Document from Committee of Company 49 of 3rd Agricultural Division of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps of the Communist Party of China, Tuan Dang Fa (2007) No. 16" a circular detailing the penalties dealt out to the son of Gao Hongzhi and two Party secretaries for failing to supervise the Christians well. The two Party secretaries were fined and Gao Hongzhi's son was dismissed.
This production and construction corps has been under military control since 1959 when the PLA rushed to Xinjiang and crushed the Uygur rebels now deemed as secessionists.
China Aid thinks this is a step backward on the social progress in China and urges the authorities at Division 49 of 3rd Agricultural Division of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps to go with the tide of history and repeal these documents and guarantee religious freedom for house church Christians in Xinjiang.
