Four Missionaries Tortured in Yunan Province
By Michael Ireland
Special Correspondent, ASSIST News ServiceYUNAN PROVINCE, CHINA (ANS) – Four missionaries have been arrested by the local police in Wuyi Township, Mengla County, Jinghong City, Yunan Province charged with “superstitious activity.”
Four missionaries have been arrested by the local police in Wuyi Township, Mengla County, Jinghong City, Yunan Province charged with “superstitious activity.”According to the Midland, Texas-based China Aid Association (CAA), the head of the local police station, who was allegedly drunk that evening, and ten policemen tortured the four missionaries from 8 PM, July 24 until 2 AM the next day. One female missionary had her hair torn out.
“In this remote area, where it is far from the emperor, I can beat you until you obey. You have nowhere to lodge a complaint,” the police threatened.
The police even discussed handing over the two women missionaries to a minority tribe to rape them.
CAA says the police handcuffed the four missionaries to chairs in their office and left them there until 2 PM, July 25, 2006, when they were escorted to Mengla County National Security Guard squad office.
“The police could not prove they had committed any crime so they set them free at 8 PM, July 25, 2006, after searching their pockets. The police confiscated $400 in cash, Bibles, and hymn disks and did not issue any receipts,” says a CAA report obtained By ANS.
It adds: “The 4 missionaries were in so much pain they could hardly walk out the gate of the National Security Guard office. They stated that they did not think they would survive the interrogation.”
The 4 missionaries are: Xing Baoying and Wang Guizhen from Luohe, Henan; Li Jianying from Jinghong town, Jinghong city; Li Tuying from Jinghong Farm. Xing Baoying and Wang Guizhen were just released on March 10, 2006 from the Reeducation through Labor camp, where they served their sentence of 2 years because of religious sake.
Sister Wang Guizhen was converted in 1984. 10 years after her conversion she studied in southern China Theological Seminary. She worked for the
Three-Self church for 1 year after graduation. In 1999, Sister Wang left the Three-Self church, and started serving in house churches. Sister Wang Guizhen and her husband, brother Xing Baoying were arrested on July 25, 2004. They endured cruel torture in the custody centre. They were later put into Re-education through labor camp for 2 years because of sister Wang refused to cooperate with the Three-Self church. Sister Wang Guizhen and Brother Xing Baoying had just been released in March 2006.
CAA calls upon the international community to protest the treatment of these persecuted Christians and the atrocities of the local policemen.
