EFE – Beijing
31/01/2018
Muchos católicos desafían al Gobierno chino al asistir a las llamadas iglesias "clandestinas", in communion with Rome and persecuted by Beijing, which also harasses the country's Muslim minority. Now, The communist regime tightens its grip on religions with new, even harsher regulations.
Starting tomorrow, A revised version of the Religious Affairs Regulation comes into force, tightening the authorities' control over religious activities and establishing new legal responsibilities and fines.
Repression is not new. In recent months, China has demolished several churches, claiming they were illegal, has confiscated crosses and forced portraits of Christ to be replaced with others of President Xi Jinping.
It has also banned veils or beards in the home of the Uyghur ethnic minority., of muslim faith, and does not allow children to attend religious activities during the holidays.
Although officially in China there is freedom of religion, the reality is very different: "No se puede llamar libertad religiosa, sino persecución religiosa disfrazada de libertad", denuncia a Efe Brynne Lawrence, from China Aid, organization that from the US coordinates a wide network of Chinese clandestine activists and Christians.
"China se asegura de que lo que se predica coincide solo con lo que el Partido Comunista quiere que la gente crea", dice, y asegura que la situación en el país asiático es actualmente "la peor en términos de derechos humanos y libertad religiosa desde los días del presidente Mao".
There are nearly ten million Catholics in China, although divided between those who follow the official Church - whose bishops are appointed by the Government- and those faithful to the pope, who practice religion in unofficial churches and are persecuted by the communist regime.
La nueva normativa sigue prohibiendo a aquellos que no han obtenido el permiso gubernamental a ejercer como "profesionales religiosos", and insists that unauthorized groups will not be able to receive donations or spread religious information on the internet., among others.
Who breaks the law, will face harsher sanctions than current ones, as fines of between 100.000 and 300.000 yuan (some 12.700 and 38.200 euros) for organizing large religious events without authorization.
Although, for now, only economic sanctions are specified, everyone knows that there is also the risk of being arrested.
"Las nuevas regulaciones otorgan a los funcionarios más poder sobre los ciudadanos religiosos de China, y es probable que lo usen", advised China Aid, who fears that repression will now increase.
Uno de los jóvenes que acuden habitualmente a estas iglesias "clandestinas" -and asks to remain anonymous- lamenta a Efe que las restricciones sean cada vez "más estrictas".
They usually celebrate masses in homes, although they are moved to avoid being detected by the strict surveillance of the authorities. The priests, top officials of these clandestine meetings, are now at greater risk: "Me parece injusto", dice.
However, The toughening of the law has not surprised the priests not recognized by Beijing, as is the case of Xiao (fictitious name), who was arrested in the past for being part of the group of clandestine Catholics in China.
"Siempre nos han obligado a registrarnos. This law is not new, porque antes ya nos lo pidieron y no lo hicimos", explains this cure, who assures that he will continue celebrating mass being faithful to his principles.
Everyone hopes that this battle between China and the Vatican will end soon and an agreement will be reached, Because for months there has been a rapprochement between both parties.
But not only Catholics are targets of the communist regime. También los musulmanes han sufrido recientemente las restricciones de las autoridades bajo el pretexto de "frenar el extremismo religioso".
The authorities have also imposed new controls on Larung Gar, the largest independent academy of Buddhism in Tibet, Human Rights Watch denounced.
From now on, en el monasterio se enseñará "el honor y apoyo al PCCh y el sistema socialista", y se entrenará a los monjes para que "defiendan la unificación de la patria, mantengan la unidad nacional y la religión patriótica y cumplan sus votos".
"La libertad de religión o creencia no existe en China, a pesar de que la Constitución garantice la libertad de culto", China Aid concludes.
