Midnight Negotiators Offer Fushan Church 1.4 Million
The 9/13 Public Security Attack on Fushan Church destroyed 17 buildings and critically injured over 20 people.SHANXI–Late on Saturday night, September 19, 2009,local security officials cornered six Fushan Church leaders and broughtthem to a secret meeting place for negotiations with 20 governmentofficials. Singled out for their influence, the negotiating partyincluded the wife of the Fushan Church pastor. Under pressure from theCentral Government, the leading Fushan PSB officer expressed a desireto make amends for the agency’s corporate actions, with the goal ofpreventing any turmoil that could potentially mar the 60th anniversaryNational Day celebrations. Angered by the brutal treatment, but willingto cooperate, the six members raised their concerns, including thecontinued critical conditions of several hospitalized victims and thedestruction of 17 buildings on the factory compound. They requested 1.5million yen to cover the damages, and the negotiations wore on heatedlythroughout the night.
Despitetheir apparent willingness to negotiate, the local authorities remainedunrepentant: One officer reportedly shouted, “But the church buildingitself was illegal!.” The pastor’s wife responded, “Even if it was anillegal church, did it have to be violent?” The authorities had noresponse.
At daybreak onSunday morning, the Fushan PSB verbally agreed to pay a reparations feeof 1.4 million yen to Fushan Church, under the condition that thechurch would not construct a religious building in the future. “Call itwhatever you want; just don’t call it a church!” The six members werereleased to return home after a full night of secret negotiations.
ChinaAidPresident Bob Fu remains wary: “We are not sure if their promise wassincere. I spoke with the pastor of Fushan Church today, and they stillhad not heard from the officials. This may be a tactic to delay anyactions against the government before the National Day on October 1st.”
Therehas been little resolution for the 80,000 members of Fushan Church.Only days after the attack, the Fushan PSB shut off all power, waterand communication lines to neighboring Jin Deng (Golden Lamp) Church,whose members aided victims of the attack on September 13th. Believerswho have since assembled at the ruined site to pray for the church havebeen repeatedly chased away by security officers, threatening to beatthem and forcibly dispersing the crowds. (View video of the believers prayer vigil).Officials guard the church site and block communication and traffic tochurches in the surrounding communities, stifling all movement toprevent religious gatherings.
The crackdown continued when the Fushan PSB arrestedand detained church member Shan Yongchang on Saturday, September 17,for send text messages to friends and family about the devastation ofthe church. He is still in custody, and no one has heard from him sincehis arrest.
It isclear that the Central government will do anything to protect the imageof the Party, and suppress all perceived threats to a harmoniousNational Day celebration. In light of the facts, it remains to be seenwhether the midnight agreement with Fushan Church is kept–orcompromised.
ChinaAidthanks those who have put pressure on the Chinese government to takeaction. We continue to call on the international community to voicetheir protests against the brutal treatment of Christians and thesuppression of prayer gatherings and free communication. We pray forjustice and healing for the victims of the attack.
Wefurther pray for the souls of the participants in the crime, that theywill be internally convicted of their inhumane treatment of others bebrought to justice under the Chinese law.
Contact the following offices in Fushan County (supervised by) Linfin City:
Tel: (202) 495-2000
Fax: (202) 588-9760
