Communist Leaders Play Santa in Vietnam

(Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam) Vietnamese from the coast to the highlands are celebrating Christmas this week with communist government leadership notably supporting and participating in the gift-giving and well-wishing.

The reported extent of the celebration of the birth of Christ is somewhat surprising given that the latest census identifies the population of Vietnam as less than 10 percent Christian, mostly Catholic.

Government leaders with the Christmas spirit include:

Vietnam Communist Party Central Committee member Ha Thi Khiet, who is also the section head of Central Commission for Mass Mobilization, visited Catholic families in the northern Province of Ha Nam. She distributed presents and wished them a healthy and happy Christmas.

On the afternoon of the same day, Pham Quang Nghi, a member of the Politburo and Ha Noi Party Committee Secretary, visited and gave gifts to 80-year-old Vietnamese heroic mother and Catholic Dang Thi Nhung, who lives in a “house of gratitude” in Dong Da District. Nhung’s only son passed away in the war against the US.

Nhung shares her house with 90-year-old Dao Thi Hoi, the widow of a revolutionary martyr.

The same day, Ha Noi People’s Committee Chairman Nguyen The Thao visited and gave gifts to two typical Catholic families in Quang Trung Ward of Ha Dong District.

Ha Noi People’s Council Chairman Ngo Thi Doan also visited and gave presents to Catholic organizations in Ha Noi.

In Can Tho City, a delegation from the Ministry of Public Security, including Can Tho police force representative Colonel Huynh Ngoc Phuong, visited and presented flowers and a letter of congratulations from the Minister of Public Security Le Hong Anh to people in Vinh Thanh District. [...]

In Kon Tum Province, authorities created advantageous conditions for Catholic and Protestant followers to celebrate Christmas.

Local officials went to churches to give gifts and wish Christians a happy Christmas.

Santa Clauses at Kon Tum Province’s house of culture for children helped children draw pictures and prepare for Christmas night.

A Ben, a 48 year-old Catholic parishioner in Kon Ktu village in Dak Ro Wa Commune, said that his villages had decorated two 20 meter Christmas trees in front of their church.

In all candor, I never thought I would ever see communist government leaders playing Santa. Bravo!

Companion post at The Jawa Report.