February (Web-only) 2003

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Chinese government: "Terminate illegal Christian activities"
Human rights organization Voice of the Martyrs has posted what it says is a top secret document from the Chinese government—"the first one of its kind ever seen by the public"—ordering "an ongoing, systematic campaign to expose and destroy unregistered Protestant churches in Hebei Province."

"This directive is a smoking gun," Voice of the Martyrs spokesman Gary Lane says in a press release. "It proves the Public Security Bureau is working on the provincial level to destroy unregistered churches and severely punish their leaders."

 "To embrace the victorious opening of the 16th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, and create a sound and secure social environment, in light of the demand of the meeting on Christian issues in our city, a concerted citywide action will be taken, under the unified leadership of Party Committee and Government of our city, against illegal Christian activities from August 20 to October 20," the August 20, 2002, memo (English translation) from the Public Security Bureau says.

Know clearly all illegal Christian activities, and bring their organizers and freelance missionaries to justice; ban all illegal Christian meeting places; make sure that the spread of illegal Christian activities in our city is effectively contained. Establish a secret force which has wide coverage, and can acquire deep-depth intelligence and information; make sure reliable information needed in discovering, fighting illegal Christian activities is available. Ban, according to the law, various cultic organizations operated in the name of Christianity. Make religious work a daily work of all grassroots police stations, set up detailed plan, and make sure religious ...