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06-Jan-2004

Subject: PERSECUTION REPORT FOR JANUARY 6, 2004

Date: Sun, 4 Jan 2004 17:34:12 -0800

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

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

PERSECUTION REPORT FOR JANUARY 6, 2003.

The Voice Of The Martyrs provides these bulletins regarding Christians suffering for their faithfulness.

China:

House Church Raided on Christmas Eve

Just after noon on Christmas Eve, five officers from the Public Security Bureau (PSB) in Fengqiu county, Henan province, raided a house church where about one hundred believers were meeting to celebrate the birth of Christ. According to VOM sources, the members were ordered to celebrate Christmas at an approved church or face punishment. The leader of the church, Li Shansong, was taken away and, at last report, his whereabouts are unknown. Li, who is over sixty years old, started the house church four years ago.

For more information on China, go to http://www.persecution.net/country/china.htm.

Egypt:

Christian Symbols Bring Police Harassment

For the past year, a controversy of sorts has arisen in Egypt over bumper stickers. It started when Christians began displaying stickers on their cars with a fish logo; an ancient symbol of Christianity. These are often used in the West to show that the car owner is a Christian. As these gained popularity among the Coptic minority in Egypt, Muslims began producing and displaying stickers with a shark chasing a fish, sometimes with the phrase "No god but Allah."

Some Egyptian human rights activists expressed concerns in mid-November that this war of the bumper stickers could ignite tensions between Muslims and Christians, particularly within the more militant elements of society.

According to a December 18 report from The U.S. Copts Association, Cairo police began stopping vehicles displaying the fish symbol in mid-December, demanding that the stickers be removed and handing out heavy fines. One driver reported receiving a fine of 500 Egyptian pounds (over $100.00 Cdn), along with the temporary suspension of his license. Police state that they are acting upon orders from the Minister of the Interior.

There are no reports of Muslims being similarly stopped. Michael Meunier, President of the U.S. Copts Association, points out the inconsistency, of this new policy, since Muslims have freely displayed religious slogans on their cars for years. "This is an outright discrepancy, and an unacceptable violation of the individuals' freedom of expression."

Nigeria:

Government Action Averts Christmas Attacks

In the early morning of December 18, a combined team of army, air force and police raided a Muslim militant stronghold in the city of Jos, Nigeria in order to pre-empt attacks planned on Christians during the Christmas holidays. According to a December 30 report from Compass Direct, the Nigerian government ordered the raid after receiving reports that militants from Niger and Cameroon had come to join in attacks on Christians on Christmas Day.

In the attack, five militants were killed and one hundred and seventy-five were arrested, including their leader, Mallam Ibrahim Mai-Mai. Some military and police personnel suffered gunshot and machete wounds in the attack. Mallam Mai-Mai ran an Islamic school, with three hundred students. It is believed that the school was used to train Islamic militants.

Sources in Jos indicated to VOM in 2001 that foreign militants had been active in attacks on Christians in the city during the violence of September 2001 that left hundreds dead.

In a December 20 broadcast on radio and television, Plateau Governor Joshua Dariye warned that patience with Islamic militants was running out and they would deal decisively with all those who threaten peace and order.

For the past several years, the Christmas season has been a time of violence against Christians around the world. Praise God with us that this season has thus far been relatively calm in 2003, in part because of actions like that in Nigeria. For more information on persecution in Nigeria, please go to http://www.persecution.net/country/nigeria.htm.

Sri Lanka:

Tensions Surround Death of Buddhist Monk

On December 23, the Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka called on Christians to pray that there would not be an increase in attacks against Christians in the wake of the death of a prominent Buddhist monk Ven. Soma Thero, who passed away while in Russia to accept an honourary degree. While the cause of death was determined to be a heart attack, militant Buddhist groups suspected foul play and some wildly speculated that his death was the result of a Christian conspiracy. Thero was a champion of the Buddhist nationalist movement in Sri Lanka.

Following Thero's funeral on December 24, a riot erupted, with five people severely beaten, one man because he was identified as a Christian.

Police increased security for churches, particularly in areas where violence was a particular concern, and some churches cancelled services. On December 28, two churches in Puvakpitiya, 60 km east of Colombo, were attacked by mobs at the close of the worship services. While there were no reports of injuries, there was extensive damage to the buildings. Local police are reported to be questioning fifteen people and expected to make arrests.

Illustrating the rising hatred for Christians by Buddhist militants, posters have begun appearing around Colombo claiming that NGOs (non-governmental organizations) such as World Vision are part of a "diabolical conspiracy" by Christians to convert and corrupt the nation. The posters read "Let's defeat the NGO mafia" and feature pictures of Thero walking with the Sri Lankan army.

In response to this tension, the Sri Lanka Daily News reported today that the government will be setting up "religious unity committees" to maintain peace and prevent religious tensions. These reconciliation committees are being set up under the direction of the Ministries of Buddha Sasana, Christian Affairs, Muslim and Hindu Religious affairs.

In a less positive development, speaking to reporters on December 28, Thiagaraja Maheswaran, Sri Lanka's minister for Hindu religious affairs, said that he had obtained a copy of the anti-conversion legislation passed by the Tamil Nadu government in India and that, "this will serve as a model for the legislation to be passed in our country." Maheswaran expressed concern about the rising number of religious converts to Christianity among the poor. More than seven thousand Hindu families converted to Christianity in the northeast and central provinces of Sri Lanka in the past ten years. The minister seemed to link the conversions with the work of international relief agencies involved in reconstruction work.

For an explanation of the difference between proselytism and evangelism, please go to http://www.persecution.net/faq/proselytism.htm.

For more information on persecution facing Sri Lankan believers, please go to http://www.persecution.net/country/srilanka.htm.

Please check out http://www.persecution.net for background on persecuted Christians and how to help them.

Forum 18 provides these examples of religious rights violations.

Russia:

Church stolen at christmas

Just before western Christmas, on 23 December, Forum 18 News Service has learnt that the new "owners" of a Methodist church in Moscow "violently and with the use of force" evicted Pastor Kim-Jun-Kyu, his family including two young children, and a range of other church officials, without even giving them time to dress before throwing them onto the cold street at 7 am. Church members immediately contacted the police, who have now sealed the building against both the new "owners" and church members. The church held a Christmas service on the street outside the church, and will be holding another street service this coming Sunday.

Pastor Mikhail Kuznetsov, of the Moscow Interconfessional Pastors' Council, has told Forum 18 that "the violence was accompanied by nationalistic expressions and crude insults towards the Protestants," and has called for a special night of prayer for the church on 2 to 3 January 2004.

Turkmenistan:

Baptist freed after international pressure

Baptist Geldy Khudaikuliev was freed on 20 December from the secret police headquarters in Turkmenistan's capital, Ashgabad, Forum 18 News Service has learnt. Sources who did not wish to be named have told Forum 18 that he has now returned to his family and is very grateful to everyone who helped to secure his release, which they attribute to Forum 18's coverage of his case.

However, as unregistered religious activity is seen as criminal activity by the Turkmen authorities, the situation of Baptists and of other religious communities continues to cause international concern.

Please go to http://www.forum18.org to learn about religious rights violations in communist and post- communist lands.

ASSIST News Service reports the following persecution incidents.

China:

Arrests house church leaders and writer

The Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) urged prayers for a jailed Christian Internet writer Zhang Shengqi and other Christian contacts who were arrested amid a crackdown against house churches across China, ASSIST News Service (ANS) monitored Tuesday, Dec. 30

VOM, a leading Christian human rights watchdog, said "10 Chinese Public Security Bureau (PSB) officers raided the house" last month of the writer's seriously ill fiance Ye Jifei in the province of Jilin on the North Korean border.

"She faced constant interrogation for more than 24 hours," after being taken into custody, VOM said.

"Although she was released due to serious illness, the next morning she was arrested again and interrogated about any connection between her (and) Zhang Shengqi" as well as fellow believer Liu Fenggang who is imprisoned on charges of "leaking national secrets." asking god's comfort

The Internet writer was expected to be charged with the same alleged crime. "Pray God will comfort Zhang"s family with His peace that passes all understanding," VOM said in a newsletter obtained by ANS.

"Pray Jesus presence will strengthen Zhang as he undoubtedly faces severe interrogation. Pray for (Public Security Bureau) officials to see the light of Christ breaking into their spiritual darkness," it added.

VOM also expressed concern about the continuing crackdown by Chinese authorities "on the ever-growing house church movement," including the recent arrests of Xu Yonghai, Liu Fenggang, and Zhang Shengqi, with whom it had close contacts.

Arrested again

Two of them, Brother Xu and Brother Liu from Beijing, have reportedly been transported from the Chinese capital to Hangzhou where they are being held in custody on suspicion of what the government sees as illegal Christian activity.

They have been arrested many times and have spent time in labour camps for their stand against communist intrusion into their right to religious freedom, human rights watchdogs say.

VOM said local Christians are only taking advantage of the government's declared policy of religious freedom, meeting in homes to worship God and to proclaim the gospel message.

"Distressing" system

"It is distressing that under the Chinese legal system they can be held for months before being formally charged or brought to trial," Mission Network News, a Christian broadcaster, quoted VOM as saying.

VOM's Hong Kong office urged Christians everywhere to pray urgently as the Chinese officials "continue arrests and repression of believers in the house churches."

In addition a dozen of churches have been destroyed in Zhejiang Province, VOM claimed.

Communists concerned

Analysts have linked the crack-down to concern among Communist authorities about the growing number of Christians in China.

Former Time magazine correspondent David Aikman, who wrote the new book "Jesus in Beijing " points out that China's current population of about 1.3 billion, includes around 70 million Protestants and roughly 12 million Catholics.

In 1949, when China had a population of about 500 million, 4 million were Christians. "That is a 20-fold increase in Christians, but the population increased only 1.5 times," he told The Washington Times, a conservative newspaper, Saturday, Dec. 27.

"It is plausible that in 30 years, 20 [percent] or 30 percent of the population will become believers. That is a magic tipping point because it means that important positions within the government are held by Christians. The case that I am making is that China is going to be Christianized if that trend continues," he said.

Please visit the http://www.Assistnews.Net web site to read various Christian-oriented news stories.

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