Local Implementation of the New Religious Regulation

Since the national Regulation on Religious Affairs (RRA) became effective in March 2005, central and local Party officials have held high-level meetings and training sessions to promote implementation of the new regulation in “standardizing” management of religious affairs. Reports this month from Anhui and Yunnan show local officials’ reaction to the implementation drive.

In Anhui, local officials reacted repressively. On June 13, officials in Lingbi county in Anhui province reported on their work to “standardize management” of religious affairs. Their report focuses on punishing religious organizations and venues for violations of the regulations. The punishments included banning 81 out of 119 privately established religious venues, seizing and detaining 21 illegal preachers, and eradicating 23 "nests of evil cult activity."

In Yunnan, local officials indicated their intention to increase regulation of the internal affairs of religious venues. At an implementation seminar held on June 20, Deputy Governor Li Hanbo described Yunnan's plan to "standardize management" over large areas of the internal affairs of religious sites. He said: "Yunnan province will hereafter guide, inspect, and supervise the management of the internal affairs of religious venues, and help the venues comply with regulations on personnel, finance, accounting, policing, fire prevention, cultural protection, and preventive healthcare." Li also warned that, in the future, construction of Buddhist and Daoist temples and open-air religious images would be regulated.

Despite this emphasis on punishment and control, however, officials from both provinces also recognized a duty under the law to protect the legal rights of religious believers. Deputy Governor Li of Yunnan said the new Regulation clarified punishment of those who violate the legal rights and interests of the religious community, including citizens' freedom to believe. The Anhui report claimed to have successfully punished violations of the rights and interests of believers in 30 cases.