Christians in Laos expelled from their homes and forced to live in the jungle in the rain

Although the Constitution and the Law of Religious Freedom in Los officially guarantee the right to worship, Christians from rural areas of this country in Southeast Asia are being violently evicted from their homes.

“No one should have to live like this. Children … in the jungle! In the rain! It is simply inhuman,” He affirmed UCA News A humanitarian worker based in Bangkok, who asked not to be identified for security.

The situation occurs in the middle of Monzones, when the daily rains reach up to 26 millimeters and night temperatures descend up to 10 ° C. Many of the displaced – including entire children and families – take refuge in forests without access to food, safe shelter or medical care.

Anthony Williams, researcher at the International Christian Aid Agency Barnabas AID, said that “persecution in Laos is worse in rural areas, where local leaders have more freedom to take measures against Christians, and especially against the converts of a traditional religion.”

Although the 2019 Evangelical Church Law allows to practice cult and proclaim the Gospel, “in rural peoples and settlements, the law is usually ignored, either by ignorance or malice,” Williams added. “The Government is largely glad at the fact that Christians are forced to leave their homes.”

According to the researcher, local leaders even deny official documents to Christians, as birth certificates, and “in most cases, central and provincial governments do not act to enforce the law.”

In February, a mob destroyed a church in the district of Xonboury, province of Savannakhet. Surprisingly, a month later the authorities allowed their reconstruction and peaceful cult, although cases like this are exceptional.

The hostility has manifested itself in evictions, imprisonments and even murders. In July 2024, Pastor Thongkham Philavanh was shot dead in Oudomxay province shortly after resuming his meetings after serving four years in prison for preaching the gospel.

“Often, an increase in the number of converts leads to higher levels of persecution. This world hates Christ (Jn 15,18), and in this sense, Laos is no exception,” said Williams.

With an eight million population, the country has about 300,000 Christians – including 50,000 Catholics -, which represents less than 2% of the population. The rest are mostly Buddhists or practice syncretic religions with animism.

Williams warned that if Christianity continues to grow in laos, “the persecution will increase, both in scale and in intensity,” and regretted that “it is unlikely that the government considers the protection of Christians as a priority” given the political and economic tensions of the region.