China Aid Association
(SICHUAN – July 23, 2009) On July 21, the Bureau of Civil Affairs of Chengdu City called Elder Wang Yi of Autumn Rain Church and told him that the Bureau of Civil Affairs of Qingyang District, Chengdu City had been instructed on July 17 to correct their mistake in the decision to abolish Autumn Rain Church. However, on July 19, church members were still prevented from attending their church service in their rented building, and for the sixth time this year, the 89 church members worshiped outdoors by the riverside. Recently, Wang Yi was interviewed by VOCN.TV. Watch the July 18 news report at VOCN.tv.
Authorities announced the abolishment Autumn Rain Church on June 21. The church was meeting at a nearby hotel for a congregation conference, because authorities had blocked them from entering their normal gathering site. More than 10 law enforcement officers entered the conference room, stopped the gathering, and read a notice abolishing Autumn Rain Church as an “unregistered social organization.” Since then, the house church has been forced to meet outdoors.
On June 26, Autumn Rain Church filed an application for administrative reconsideration to appeal the abolishment of their house church. Autumn Rain Church believes that the decision of the Bureau Affairs of Chengdu City to instruct the Bureau of Civil Affairs of Quingyang District to correct their mistake in abolishing their house church is a direct result of the church’s decision to legally challenge the local abolishment and also the support of the international community for their church.
Call the following government authorities on behalf of Autumn Rain Church and ask that authorities end their harassment of the Christians, withdraw the abolishment and allow the church to meet freely.
Du Kaizong, Director of Civil Affair Bureau, Chengdu, Sichuan Province Office
Address: 3nd Floor, Blvd 4, 966 North Street of Tianfu Ave.
Office Tel.: +86-28-61881809 or +86-28-61881810
Civil Affairs Bureau of Qing Yang District:
Office Tel.: +86-28-86633643
Chengdu National Bureau of Religious Affairs, Director Zhao Lu
Office Tel: +86-28-61880989; +86-28-86637474; Fax: +86-28-61880988
Chengdu People’s Government: +86-28-86636113
Chengdu, People’s Chief of Staff: +86-28-86646533
China Aid Contacts
Rachel Ritchie, English Media Director
Cell: (432) 553-1080 | Office: 1+ (888) 889-7757 | Other: (432) 689-6985
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.chinaaid.org
