ADHRRF – Recently, a document about deployment of banning religious venues issued by the government of Zhuanghe City in northeast China’s Liaoning Province was exposed (see photos). This document shows that since 2017, the authorities has begun to crack down on all the religious venues belonging to Buddhism, Taoism and Christian underground churches within the borders of Zhuanghe City. It also shows that the crackdown has been nearing completion on February 9 of 2018.
According to the document, the authorities stipulated that all the Buddhist and Taoist venues and Christian meeting places must be shut down by the end of this February. The specific actions include: repurposing those meeting places and disbanding all members thereof; removing all religious objects; going through the approval procedures to examine the possible registration of religious venues, but disapproving and banning all religious venue applications unless they meet the requirements of the Regulations on Religious Affairs and the Measures for the Examination, Approval and Registration of the Establishment of Religious Activity Venues and they were submitted before mid March. This document also emphasizes that wherever people are found gathering, the venue will be banned and that the religious venues must be nipped in the bud.
It’s learned that from the end of 2017 to late March of 2018, the following events frequently occurred in different places in Liaoning: The pictures with cross in Christians’ home were forcibly torn down, churches sealed, crosses dismantled, and house church meeting places disbanded; some churches were banned from religious gathers but only allowed to be used for business, etc. When sealing up the churches and house church meeting places, the authorities threatened, “Want to have gatherings? Register with the government. Without registration, you mustn’t have a gathering.” In order to restart gathering as soon as possible, many church leaders have to be busy in registration. They have undergone several twists and turns, there is no reply, though. Until now, many churches are still closed or sealed and the believers having nowhere to attend meetings.
A local church leader revealed that it is a sad story of them applying for the permit: They have been to the Religious Affairs Bureau many times but haven’t got to see any relevant officers. Moreover, rare religious venues could get a permit and resume gatherings.
Some analysts believe that the CCP is banning all religious beliefs under the guise of the order of applying for a permit. Outwardly, the authorities stipulate that the religious venues can apply for a permit, but the fact is that very few religious places could satisfy the CCP’s approval requirements, even if the meeting places are qualified, their approval qualification will be canceled by the CCP on the pretext of submitting the application too late. It has been confirmed by this exposed document with the authorities’ specific regulations and arrangements for banning religious beliefs.
