Directive No. 01/2005/CT-TTg on some tasks regarding the Evangelical Church

DIRECTIVE OF THE PRIME MINISTER

On some tasks regarding the Lutheran Church

Implementing the Party's and State's policies on tasks related to the Lutheran Church, over the past time, ministries, sectors, and localities have made many efforts and achieved important results. Pure religious activities of Lutheran clergy and believers have been guaranteed, creating enthusiasm among ethnic groups following the religion, consolidating faith in the leadership of the Party and State. Ethnic groups following the Lutheran Church have enthusiastically participated in economic, cultural, and social development movements, contributing positively to the country's construction effort.

To continue effectively implementing the Party's and State's policies on beliefs and religions in general and on Lutheranism in particular, the Prime Minister requests ministries, sectors, People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities to closely coordinate with the Vietnam Fatherland Front and people's organizations to strictly and effectively implement the following tasks:

1. Organize the thorough dissemination and full implementation of the Party's guidelines, state laws on beliefs and religions, and policies towards the Lutheran Church; at the same time, organize the effective implementation of programs for economic, cultural, and social development, improving material and spiritual living standards for the people, and creating conditions for ethnic groups following the Lutheran Church to integrate more closely with the community and participate increasingly better in economic, cultural, and social activities, contributing positively to the country's construction and defense efforts.

2. Strengthen propaganda work, create favorable conditions for Lutheran clergy and believers to effectively implement the Party's policies and state laws on beliefs and religions, bring Lutheran religious activities into regular patterns consistent with the law; encourage all clergy and believers to live "good lives and beautiful faith," "serve God, serve the country and the nation." Ensure the freedom of belief and non-belief, freedom to follow a religion or not for every citizen; strictly prohibit forcing ethnic groups to follow or abandon a religion. Firmly combat the plots and tactics of hostile forces exploiting religion, disguising themselves as the Lutheran Church to incite and lure our ethnic groups to divide the nation and undermine the country.

3. Guide and assist the General Association of the Vietnam Lutheran Church (Northern Region) and the General Federation of the Vietnam Lutheran Church (Southern Region) to carry out religious activities in accordance with the Constitution and Regulations of the church and comply with legal provisions.

4. Regarding ethnic groups following the Lutheran Church in the Central Highlands, South Central Coast, and central provinces:

Continue to consider recognizing branch associations under the General Federation of the Vietnam Lutheran Church (Southern Region) and create favorable conditions for these branch associations to build places of worship, train and arrange clergy to guide religious activities for branch associations that have been recognized according to legal regulations.

For areas that do not yet meet the conditions to be recognized as branch associations, if believers there have a need for pure religious activities, commit to complying with legal regulations, do not engage in activities for the Fulro reactionary group, and are not involved with "Degar Lutheranism" (essentially an organization of the Fulro reactionary group), then village-level authorities should create conditions for believers to conduct normal religious activities at home or approve believers to register for religious activities at suitable locations within villages.

5. For ethnic groups in the northern mountainous region who recently followed the Lutheran Church, based on their religious needs, appropriate policies should be formulated in the direction of:

For parts of the ethnic groups who have been following the Lutheran Church for some time and have genuine religious needs, initially guide them to conduct religious activities at home, or where needed, guide them to register for religious activities at suitable locations within villages. When they meet the necessary conditions, facilitate their normal religious activities according to legal regulations.

For parts of the ethnic groups who have been following the religion but now have a need to return to their traditional beliefs, create conditions and assist them to realize this wish.

6. Publicly announce to the ethnic groups so they clearly know those who disguise themselves as Lutheran clergy to engage in anti-state activities, causing division among ethnic groups, and their illegal actions, as well as the measures for handling and the state's lenient policies. Strictly handle according to the law those who illegally propagate religion.

7. For Lutheran sects that do not meet the legal conditions for recognition of legal personality, if it is found that they genuinely have religious needs, guide them to register for religious activities with village-level authorities. Gradually consider recognizing legal personality for Lutheran sects that were active before 1975, if they meet the legal conditions, approve them to hold a General Assembly to recognize legal personality.

8. According to current legal regulations, local People's Committees need to pay attention to assisting in resolving the demand for building places of worship, ordaining clergy, and nurturing doctrines for recognized Lutheran sects.

9. Ministers of ministries, heads of agencies equivalent to ministries, heads of government agencies, and Chairmen of People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities are responsible for widely disseminating and strictly implementing this Directive.

The Government Office of Religion is responsible for monitoring, guiding, inspecting, urging the implementation, and regularly reporting to the Prime Minister./.