|
Cambodia clamps down on missionaries |
Predominantly Buddhist Cambodia has barred Christian missionaries
from door-to-door proselytizing and handing out leaflets, saying it
disturbs people's lives and could create "insecurity in society".
A Ministry of Cults and Religions edict also prohibited the use of
cash or other incentives to get people to convert to Christianity.
"All activities disseminating Christianity in public are banned,"
said the order, which could place unprecedented restrictions on the
many Christian groups operating in the war-scarred southeast Asian
nation.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, whose young
white-shirted Mormon volunteers are seen regularly cycling around
the capital, admitted some missionary groups many employ underhand
tactics but denied any wrongdoing on its behalf.
"I think there are some breaches of those rules happening in the
country, but not by us," Cambodian mission head Robert Winegar
said, without giving details.
"I don't see the action of our missionaries disturbing anyone. Our
missionaries do not force any one and we do not pay people to come
to our church," he said.
Deputy Cults and Religions Minister Sun Kim Hun said some
missionaries working in the provinces had tricked children into
converting to Christianity by offering them sugar and money.
"This is against Buddhism, which is unacceptable," he said.
Most of Cambodia's 13 million people are Theravada Buddhist.
Its Muslim and Christian minorities are largely tolerated, although
a house church near the Vietnam border was ransacked in 2003 by
villagers blaming Christians for a drought.
 |
Show/Hide comments
Show/Hide comment form
