On Tuesday evening, July 23, Pastor Thongkham Philavanh was attacked by two masked gunmen in his own home. His wife aided Pastor Thongkham after the attack, and she was able to transport him to the nearest hospital. However, upon arrival at the hospital, the injuries of the pastor proved to be fatal, and he died because of his injuries.

Pastor Thongkham belonged to the Khum ethnic group, predominantly living in northern Laos. The attack took place at the pastor’s home in Vanghay village in the province’s Xai district. According to the wife of the pastor and a relative of his who witnessed the attack, two masked gunmen dressed in black approached the pastor’s house on a motorcycle and shot twice. The investigation is still ongoing, and the police provided no further details.

“I am not sure why they killed him, but I believe that it must be because he serves Jesus Christ. One thing that I am sure of is that there are some groups of people who dislike what Thongkham does as Christian pastor” said the eyewitness relative of Pastor Thongkham.

This cold-blooded murder is another prime example of the hostility and ongoing assault against Christians in the majority Buddhist country that the Communist Party rules. Despite all the legal protection of Christians and the laws providing them freedom of religious practices, these types of attacks are not uncommon. Both the civilian population and the authorities look at the Christians with suspicion, and therefore, they are often targets of assaults and persecution.

The Christian community in Laos mourns the loss of Pastor Thongkham. Alongside the sadness, fear has spread among Christian believers. Following this murder, many fear for the lives of their pastors and community members, who can become targets because of their faith alone.

Source: Radio Free Asia

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