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Subject: Persecution report for April 2, 2002.

Date: Sun, 31 Mar 2002 21:16:19 -0700

From: "Bruce Atchison" <ve6xtc@telusplanet.net>

To: "Ted Hilts" <thilts@help-for-you.com>

Mission Network News reports the following incidents of Christians being persecuted.

Israel:

The war on terrorism may harm believers.

Many fear for the safety of Palestinian Christians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Retaliation for the Palestinian suicide bomber’s Passover Massacre could put the lives of innocent Christians in danger. Christian Aid Mission ‘s John Lindner. "We are supporting two Christian ministries there. And recently, a week ago, they were both in (danger) because of the presence of military tanks and Israeli armed forces and they had to close down temporarily. They couldn’t even go outside of their buildings for fear of their lives. And now, these people will be under threat yet again." Lindner says Christians need to pray for these believers because they’re doing a wonderful work. "These Arab Christians, who are carrying out a Christian witness among Arab peoples. And, what more could we want in this day and age. At the same time, the high school is training young people to be useful citizens of their society and they won’t become terrorists."

Philippines:

Rumour of ransom payment denied.

A U-S news network is reporting that the U-S government has facilitated a ransom payment for Martin and Gracia Burnham— missionaries being held captive in the Philippines. However, New Tribes Mission’s Scott Ross denies that. "I got a call saying that this report has come out and that was the first time we’d ever heard or seen something like that. (We) called the Philippines and asked them what they know about it, they knew nothing about it. And, we have not been able to really track down what the source was that even initiated this report. New Tribes has a no ransom policy. We’ve not paid any type of ransom. The families are not involved." The Burnham’s have been held hostage now for 10 months. Ross says people need to pray. "This is probably the most dangerous time for kidnapping victims is when things might be moving—things might be productive. Tremendous prayer (is needed) for Martin and Gracia.

Indonesia:

Refugee camps ordered closed.

A corresponding report from Religious Media indicates things are getting worse for the believers who have been the targets of earlier sectarian campaigns. According to the information, leaders of all the refugee camps in Northern Sulawesi have received an order that all refugee camps across Indonesia are to be closed. The camps in Sulawesi are to be closed in April. People are to be repatriated or relocated, depending on the situation in their home towns. Christians are asking that they be upheld in prayer.

Ivory Coast:

Local Bible teachers quit.

According to New Tribes Mission, work in the Ivory Coast is facing a challenge. Missionaries there say over the past few years, there has been headway with the Palaka tribe. However, recent developments with Palaka Bible teachers have been disheartening. New Tribes workers say all but one have decided to stop teaching, and he is being called "Judas" for continuing to help the missionaries teach evangelistic Bible lessons. This is a serious setback not only for the teaching, but for the development of the Palaka church.

Please go to http://www.mnnonline.org to read about these stories plus missions news. There is also a weekday news cast in MP3 and streaming audio.

Keston News service reports these occurrences of persecution.

Azerbaijan:

Believers identify religious liberty black spots.

Local authorities in several locations in Azerbaijan have been threatening, fining, detaining, beating and expelling or attempting to expel believers who simply want to practise their faith peacefully, as well as closing places of worship, Keston News Service was told on a recent visit. Believers of a number of religious minorities identified the city of Gyanja as a particular black spot, but cited violations of their rights in other areas too. Many leaders told Keston that harassment of their communities was stepped up after the announcement of the compulsory re-registration process last year. The central authorities in Baku have done little to stamp out such violations.

Azerbaijan:

And then there were two.

The Baptist church in the north-western city of Gyanja has now achieved re- registration, Keston News Service has learned. It is the second of five Baptist congregations in the country to have achieved this status and the first non-Muslim religious organization to gain re-registration outside the capital Baku. The news came as two religious organisations in Baku lodge challenges to the legality of the re-registration process itself. The process was due to be completed at the end of March, but is still continuing. The State Committee for Relations with Religious Organisations refuses to provide precise statistics on which religious organisations have achieved re-registration, which have been refused and which are still being considered.

Kyrgyzstan:

New religion law to increase state control?

A new draft religion law could be approved by the Kyrgyz parliament as early as May, the chairman of the committee which prepared the draft told Keston News Service on 20 March. The government has consulted widely in producing the draft and the chairman believes it conforms to international standards, but the law would considerably enlarge the state’s opportunities to control the life of believers, for example banning non-registered missionary activity. Already there is evidence of the tightening of control over both Muslim and Christian groups.

Please go to http://www.keston.org for further details on violations of religious liberties in communist and post-communist lands.

The Voice Of The Martyrs reports these news stories.

Cambodia:

According to a prayer alert report from the Religious Liberty Commission of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, the Vietnamese government’s harassment of the refugees has become so intense that the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has withdrawn from its agreement to work with Vietnam and Cambodia to return the refugees to Vietnam. The Montagnard refugees that have already been forcibly returned to Vietnam have faced imprisonment and violence at the hands of authorities. The UN withdrew from its agreement with Vietnam and Cambodia after an incident on March 21 in which the Vietnamese government sent 12 buses of Vietnamese citizens into one Cambodian refugee camp to persuade the refugees to come home. The camp was overrun and both refugees and UN staff workers were violently threatened by the invaders. On March 25, Cambodia agreed to let the refugees on their soil be resettled in the United States as a humanitarian gesture. Vietnam has remained adamant that the refugees must be returned to Vietnam by any means necessary.

Nigeria:

Government Calls for Repeal of Sharia Law.

In a move that has brought international praise but harsh criticism from local state governments, Nigeria’s central government described the use of strict Islamic law (Sharia) in areas of Nigeria as "discriminatory and illegal." Kanu Agabi, the justice minister, wrote to the governors of the 12 provinces where Sharia law has been adopted explaining that it would have to be dropped because it was in breach of the country’s constitution on the grounds of discrimination. In the letter dated March 18, Agabi writes, "Individuals and states must comply with the constitution. A court which imposes discriminatory punishments is deliberately flouting the constitution. The stability, unity and integrity of the nation is threatened by such action." He states that this action came in response to international pressure. "It is my solemn duty to bring to your notice the hundreds of letters which I receive daily from all over the world protesting the discriminatory punishments now imposed by some Sharia courts for certain offenses." (To read the full text of this letter, entitled "Prohibition of Discriminatory Punishments," go to www.persecution.net/nigerialetter.html) This pressure was particularly strong in response to the impending death sentence of Safiya Husseini, on charges of adultery. She continued to plead innocent, saying she had been raped. She was acquitted of all charges on March 25.

Sri Lanka:

Persecution by Buddhist Increasing.

A recent report from the Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka (released by the Religious Liberty e-mail Conference of the World Evangelical Alliance) outlines escalating violence against Christians in recent months through action by the Sri Lankan Society for the Preservation of Buddhism. This society was formed to monitor Christianity and prevent conversions.Independent evangelical churches are often targeted in the rural areas of Sri Lanka, where Buddhist monks incite the local people to harass or attack the small Protestant fellowships, which they feel threaten to undermine the cultural and religious unity of Sri Lanka, a Buddhist nation.In Walpitamulla, Veyangoda, Pastor Chandrakumar was ordered to stop his ministry. When he continued, a mob entered the church during a Sunday service and attacked the worshippers, including stabbing the pastor’s six-year-old son. Since that time, the house church has faced numerous attacks. Pastor Chandrakumar and his family have been forced to flee but continue to be in grave danger. Christian workers have also been attacked in the villages of Ganemulla, Dambulla, and Welikanda by mobs stirred up by the Buddhist monks.

Please check http://www.persecution.net to learn more about these stories and what can be done about them.

   

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