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09-Dec-2003

Subject: PERSECUTION REPORT FOR DECEMBER 9, 2003.

Date: Sun, 7 Dec 2003 19:21:06 -0800

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

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

CC: "John M. Lindner" <jml@christianaid.org>

PERSECUTION REPORT FOR DECEMBER 9, 2003.

The Voice Of The Martyrs supplies these bulletins of Christians suffering for their faith in Christ.

Pakistan:

Travel Ban Lifted for Religious Rights Leader

On Friday, November 28, The Voice of the Martyrs received the welcome news that the Pakistani government has removed Shahbaz Bhatti, chairman of the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA) and a leading voice for religious liberty in Pakistan, from the country's Exit Control List. This list is normally reserved for criminals and dissidents and made it impossible for Mr. Bhatti to travel outside the country since mid-October.

At Shahbaz' request, we want to thank all of you who wrote to the Pakistani authorities on his behalf. We urge you to continue to uphold him in your prayers as he labours on behalf of Christians and other religious minorities in Pakistan.

China:

House Church Raided; Members Fined and Detained

VOM has learned that on November 23, 2003 at 10:00 a.m., ten Public Security Bureau (PSB) officers raided the Sunday service of a house church located at #1, Building #201 Longguang Hutong, Longyan Road, Hexi Street in Longjing City, Jilin Province where thirty Christians were meeting. All of the Bibles, hymn books and benches were confiscated and the house was declared an "illegal religious site." The officials ordered the Christians not to have similar meetings in this house ever again. Mr. Zheng, the director of the Longjing City PSB office, told them that if the believers were found there again, all of them would be formally arrested. Five of the church members were fined 50 Yuan ($10 CDN). Four visiting Christian business men attending the meeting were detained for five days and the wife of the house, Sister Chen Yufeng, was sentenced to 15 days in the local administrative detention centre. Her husband, Brother Liu Guojun was able to escape during the raid and is being sought by authorities. Three days later (November 26), another member of the church who lives in a neighbouring community was arrested and his whereabouts is unknown.

China:

Wife of Christian Prisoner Appeals to Christians Around the World to Pray

As reported in the Persecution and Prayer Alert, Dr. Xu Yonghai, a prominent Christian psychiatrist was arrested in Beijing on November 9,2003 and interrogated about the activities of Liu Fenggang, a house church leader who has been held by the PSB since October 13 (http://www.persecution.net/news/china5.html).

VOM sources learned this week that Brother Liu has been moved from Beijing to Xiaoshan City in Zhejing Province, where Liu Fenggang is also being detained.Apparently, authorities are continuing to try to tie Xu together with Liu who has been falsely charged with revealing national secrets (http://www.persecution.net/news/china8.html).

Xu's wife was not informed of her husband's whereabouts by authorities and only learned of her husband's location through VOM sources this week. She has written an open letter to Christians around the world on her husband's behalf:

"Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord, the Church of Christ in the world. Peace to you in the Lord:

My husband, Dr. Xu Yonghai, is a Christian believer. He is a graduate of the medical school of the Beijing University and is now a doctor at Pingan Hospital. He has been a believer for many years. Since the day I met him until the day he was arrested, he has been spreading the gospel. Besides his professional job as a doctor, he dedicated most of his time to the Lord.

He shares the gospel to everyone he knows and dedicated his only house (which is only 10 square metres in size) as a house church and by God's grace, many people have come to believe in the Lord in that house. Every Sunday, brothers and sisters gather together at that house, praying, singing and having Bible studies. In order to prepare for church services, my husband often read the Bible and studied the Lord's lessons when he returned early on Sunday morning from his Saturday night shift without taking any rest. Though facing all types of persecution, yet he relied on Christ and our house church meetings persisted until the government forcibly destroyed our house.

My husband is a good believer and a good doctor. He has been bringing the love of our Lord Christ to anyone whom he has been able to encounter. He cares very much for everyone and is always busy interacting with ordinary people. Their difficulties became his difficulties. He was raised in an ordinary family and he was dedicated to serving ordinary people. Wherever there is injustice, you can find his shadow. He is a very fine social activist.

His arrest today is a great irony to the phenomenon of social injustice.I am convinced that my husband is innocent, having committed no crime.I call upon the Chinese government to release my husband. I plead to the brothers and sisters in the Lord to pray before the Lord on Brother Xu's behalf. Pray that the Lord will protect him with peace. Pray that he will come back home peacefully as soon as possible.

Emmanuel, Li Shanna - November 27, 2003"

Indonesia:

Increasing Violence from Militant Islamic Groups

For over a month, the Indonesia Bethel Church in Pucung, Indonesia hadbeen under threat by a group calling itself the "Muslim Communication Forum" (FKM) who is demanding that the church stop their meetings. On Sunday morning, November 30, the church's pastor, Onisimus Moelyono, was called to a meeting with the village chief and representatives of the FKM, while a mob of over one hundred and fifty Muslims gathered, calling for the end of the services and threatening Moelyono's life. When the meeting failed to stop the services, the mob moved against those gathering to worship, throwing rocks at the building. Only police intervention prevented them from entering the building.

The mob dispersed only when the service was cancelled. Further meetings are planned for December 3 to try to resolve this issue.

On the same weekend, Christians in three villages in Central Sulawesi were attacked by unidentified militants. On November 29, two men, I Made Simson and Ketut Sarmon, were shot and killed and four others injured in the village of Kilotrans. In the village of Morowa, Ruslan Parrafik and Ririn Bode were shot dead when attackers on motorcycles opened fire on villagers who had gathered for prayer at a church. The next night around 9:00 p.m., shots were fired in the predominantly Christian village of Tiwa'a, fifteen kilometres from Poso. There are no reported casualties from this incident.In recent weeks, Indonesian Christians have faced increasing violence from militant Islamic Jihad militia groups.

India:

Hindu Militants Attack Churches, Assault Nun

A recent wave of attacks in the eastern state of Orissa, India has resulted in vandalism against church buildings, the burning of Bibles, Christian books, and an effigy of Jesus, as well as the sexual assault of a nun.

In late November, around a dozen members of the militant Hindu movement Bajrang Dal broke into a church in Deogarh, removing hundreds of books and burning them. At last report, no one had been arrested in the incident. One of the attackers was identified as a reporter with the local Orissa daily newspaper.

According to police, they were protesting the recent conversion of four families in the village of Ambulpani under the ministry of Pastor John Nayak. They also broke into Nayak's residence and vandalized it while he was away. Bajrang Dal has been implicated in the burning death of missionary Graham Staines and his two sons in January 1999.

On November 20, Hindu militants demonstrated in front of the district governor's residence, burning an effigy of Jesus, along with Bibles and Christian literature. The mob then broke into a Catholic church in the village of Rajamunda where they smashed the windows and sexually assaulted a nun. They later went to a local magistrate, protesting the growing number of conversions in the area. They were told by the magistrate, however, that the Christians were doing nothing illegal.

Orissa state is mostly Hindu and is ruled by the nationalist Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party, which strongly opposes the conversion of Hindus to Christianity or Buddhism. Orissa, along with two other Indian states, has anti-conversion legislation, requiring those who wish to convert from Hinduism to obtain written permission from the local magistrate.

Please go to http://www.persecution.net for more information on persecuted Christians and for resources to help them.

Christian Aid Mission has these incidents of persecution to report.

Vietnam:

Soldiers abuse and torture Montagnard Christians

Vietnamese soldiers have been on a rampage arresting, torturing and abusing Christians, according to a report received last week by Christian Aid.

Montagnard is the label given to several tribal groups, including the Degar, that live in the rural hills of Vietnam. Many of them are Christians, though some are animists. Because they sided with U.S. forces in the Vietnam War, the Vietnamese government hates them. It also considers anyone believing in Christianity, which they consider a foreign religion, as a traitor to their country. For this reason they are hunted down and persecuted mercilessly.

For example, in September a patrol of 15 Vietnamese and 20 Cambodian police arrested and beat four Cambodian Montagnards who were attempting to provide food to 50 Vietnamese Montagnards who had fled to Cambodia to escape persecution. The four also were fined $65 each--the equivalent of about six months' wages. The Cambodian police earn only $10 per month, so they gladly look forward to this bounty.

Cambodian Member of Parliament Son Chhay has spoken out against his country's policy of collecting bounties for returning them. The South China Morning Post quotes him as saying, "They [the Montagnards] are being chased like animals. They are sick, starving, and without medicine. They escaped from persecution in Vietnam and now they find themselves in another hell in the Cambodian forest."

On August 2 a policeman went to the village of Buon Kdun and arrested Y-Tao Eban, 24, and accused him of hiding and feeding a certain Montagnard refugee. When Eban denied this, the police allegedly paid three villagers to attack and beat him severely.

After that, the police took Eban to the station and gave him electric shocks and beat him until he was unconscious. They then forced him to sign a paper saying he had bought a gun. The police then returned to the village and arrested 11 other people, and attempted to force them to sign a paper saying that Eban had bought a gun to fight against the government.

On August 18 Major Nguyen Vinh Chinh took 100 Vietnamese soldiers and descended on the village of Buon Yang Reh in Krong Bong district of Dac Lac province. Three local police officers joined Major Chinh in forcing their way into H'Duen Buondap's house. They confiscated Bibles and hymn books, and took 150,000 Vietnamese Dong (US $10) cash. Still not satisfied, Major Chinh forced Mrs. Buondap into her room and raped her while soldiers and her family members looked on. After that, they searched every house in the village and beat every one they found to be a Christian.

Two days later Major Nguyen Van Phuc conducted a 7 a.m. raid on the house of Y-Lum Buon Ya, 20, in Buon Yang Reh village, Krong Bong district, Daklak province. Phuc accused Ya of feeding a certain refugee supposedly hiding in the area, and beat him so severely his eyes were swollen shut. The police later took him away, along with Y-Theip Enuol, 18, from another village, and won't tell the family members where they are.

On August 21, a group of 30 soldiers and 10 police surrounded the house of Y-Pho Eban in Buon Cuoi at midnight. Their intent was to arrest Eban for allegedly feeding Degar tribal refugees hiding in the area. His wife and children shouted loudly and woke up other villagers. The soldiers then beat up Y-Pho, his pregnant wife, and two other family members with their AK-47 rifles and stun guns. The commotion aroused the rest of the villagers who beat on the police car until it left. The next day three truckloads of soldiers were sent to the village and the fate of the villagers is unknown.

Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and the U.S. State Department have all confirmed the human rights violations against the Montagnards, many of whom are Christians. In May the U.S. International Commission on Religious Freedom stated, "The increased repression of religious freedom has been reportedly sanctioned at the highest levels of the Vietnamese government."

Letters of concern may be sent to Vietnam officials. Such conduct violates the U.N. Declaration of Human Rights and the expressed language of the Vietnam Constitution. Letters may outline the values of human life and conduct from a Christian perspective and question why Vietnam officials don't want honest, industrious and prayerful men, who are faithful to their wives and families, helping to build up Vietnam society and enable the country to prosper. A list of Vietnam officials and their addresses can be requested by writing to insider@christianaid.org and putting MI-448 740-PERS on the subject line.

*Addendum: Christian Aid has received word that police came to extradite Christian worker Ma Van Bay back to Hagiang province in the North where he will begin serving a three to 12-year sentence in Bac Quang District Prison for "using religion to take money from the people."

See last week's story, "Vietnamese Missionary Arrested" at http://www.christianaid.org/insider/insider-4-47.asp#2.

Indonesia:

Christians face renewed attacks

Christians in Poso District of Indonesia's Central Sulawesi Island fear renewed attacks by militant Muslims. In fact, a news release sent out by International Christian Concern stated that a Christian resident of Tiwaa village, about 15 km. (9 mi.) from Poso, was shot and critically wounded in gunfire about 9 p.m. Monday.

Sources told Christian Aid two other attacks occurred on November 30. Twenty well-armed gunmen entered Kilo Trans, a village 175 km. (110 mi.) from Poso inhabited by mostly Christians and some Balinese Hindus, and started shooting into the houses.

Thankfully, most of the Christian villagers were at evening prayers and were spared injury. Two Hindu men died from gunshots and several others were wounded.

About 15 minutes later, two gunmen arriving on motorcycles in the village of Tabamawo, 120 km. (70 mi.) east of Poso, entered a church service and opened fire. They killed two young men, and wounded the pastor's wife and two others, one critically.

A series of attacks in the Poso region in October left another 10 dead.

The November 29 issue of Media Indonesia, a national Jakarta daily newspaper, said that a series of violent incidents, including "explosions of bombs, kidnappings, and rounds of gunfire shot into the air" kept residents, especially Christians, on edge. The police chief confirmed that there were "pamphlets still circulating outlining plans of attacks."

He actually said "both sides" of the conflict were planning attacks, but no such pamphlets outlining attacks by Christians have been made public, whereas letters encouraging attacks by Muslims freely circulate in the streets.

Indonesian journalist Joko Harmono puts the present crisis in perspective. He told Christian Aid:

Firstly, the comments by the Police Chief, Abdi Darma, imply that there is a two-sided conflict going on. This was true in 2000 and 2001, but it is not true today.

At Christmas 1998 the Christian community in Poso was the victim of an unprovoked attack that resulted in 180 homes and shops being destroyed. The Christians turned the other cheek and did not retaliate; they just fled from a one-sided attack. During the next three months they gradually returned to their homes.

At Easter 2000 a second unprovoked attack occurred and over 1000 homes, shops and churches were razed to the ground and 15 Christians were killed. Again, the Christians turned the other cheek.

Then in early May 2000, plans to assassinate church leaders and conduct further attacks on Christians were discovered, along with supplies of home made bombs. These reports were given to the police, but no action was forthcoming. None of the masterminds or attackers was arrested.

Then the governor met with the Christian leaders and told them that this had all happened as punishment from Allah because of their arrogance and that they must learn to accept their fate.

The planned date for attacks against the Christian community drew near and the Christians felt they had no more cheeks to turn. So to prevent a further attack they launched a pre-emptive strike on May 23, 2000.

The ensuing battles lasted for two weeks, with many casualties on both sides and many thousands of homes destroyed. One week into the battles, in an attempt to broker a peace deal, a Christian leader, Mr. Lateka, agreed to meet with Muslim leaders in the Poso mosque, and exchanges of guarantees of safety were made. However, when Mr. Lateka arrived at the mosque, he was immediately assassinated, being shot several times and then beheaded.

After this, the fighting intensified and more than 700 people were killed. Most of these were Muslims, but the Christians lost more homes, shops and churches.

Regrettably, some of the Christians overstepped the mark of decency and the rules of war. As a consequence, three Catholic Christians from Flores living in Poso, Fabianus Tibo, Dominggus da Silva Soares and Don Marinus Riwu, were brought to trial and sentenced to death. However, no Muslim leaders were ever arrested or charged with any of the attacks on the Christians. So Christians wonder whether any justice is possible in Indonesia.

Moreover, if the government had acted firmly and justly after the first, and even more so after the second round of attacks and arrested the perpetrators, then there would not have been any need for a pre-emptive strike from the Christian community.

After June 2000, the Christians, seeing the level of destruction that had occurred, retreated and ceased all attacks against the Muslim community. Many attempts were made to bring reconciliation, but the Muslim community continued to reject the hand of reconciliation from the Christians.

Shortly afterward, the Laskar Jihad and Laskar Jundullah began to increase their troops in the area, a build up which eventually resulted in the violence continuing to the present day.

Since the Malino Accord drawn up in December 2001, the Christians have been without weapons, have made no attacks against the Muslim community and actively sought reconciliation. In the same period more than 25 Christian villages have been attacked, over 4000 homes destroyed and more than 100 Christians killed.

It is no longer true to say it is a two-sided conflict. It is a massacre with one side armed with modern military weapons and Al Qaeda trained warriors attacking defenceless villagers in their farming or fishing communities. And the Christians suspect that the police chief charged with guaranteeing their safety is actually in collaboration with these terrorists.

It is not just a "communal conflict;" it is religious genocide. Until this root problem is comprehended and dealt with, the attacks will continue, and Christians will be terrorized and massacred, while the rest of the world sleeps in peace.

Christians are urged to write their government officials to put pressure on the government of Megawati Sukarnoputri to ensure a clean-up of Al Qaeda-type training bases and terrorist cells in the country. And if the Indonesian military (TNI) cannot ensure the safety of citizens of the land regardless of religious orientation, then U.N. peacekeepers should be brought in.

Separate lists of the violations of the Malino Peace Agreement in 2002 and 2003 can be viewed and downloaded at http://www.christianaid.org/insider/insider-4-48.asp#2. To learn how you can support persecuted Christians in Indonesia write insider@christianaid.org and put MI-448 750-PERS on the subject line.

Please check http://www.christianaid.org to learn about missions news.

Forum 18 presents this example of violations of religious rights.

Kosovo:

Renewed attacks on Serbian Orthodox

In the first such incidents since August, Forum 18 News Service has learnt that two Serbian Orthodox churches have been vandalised. As with all such attacks since 1999, when the UN took over administration of the province, no perpetrators have been identified or charged. The NATO-led KFOR, which has overall control of security, claimed to Forum 18 that it had "no knowledge of the alleged events". Despite this, Father Sava (Janjic), of Decani Monastery, told Forum 18 that the Orthodox Church remains grateful to KFOR troops for their concern and protection, "We do not know what would happen to us without them," but also commented on continuing problems, such as the 10 hours it took to assemble a military escort for priests to travel 15 kilometres to a village to comfort families whose children had been shot, killing and wounding several. Forum 18 has also learnt of numerous Orthodox graveyards being completely destroyed, including in one instance a French military cemetery from the First World War. This war cemetery is now used as a city rubbish dump.

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

ASSIST News Service has these incidents to report.

Egypt:

Symbol of suffering Muslim converts, freed

A 30-year old woman who became a symbol of suffering endured by Muslim converts to Christianity was freed after nearly two months of torture and interrogation, a human rights groups announced Thursday, December 4.

The Barnabas Fund, which assists persecuted Christians in mainly Muslim nations, said police decided to free Marian Girgis Makar, the last to be released of 22 converts who were detained between Oct. 21 and Oct. 24.

Makar, "who was seriously abused whilst in custody, " was bailed for 1000 Egyptian pounds ($162)," reported the well informed Barnabas Fund, adding that "all of those released are now on bail, but charges against them still have not been formalized."

In a statement Wednesday, Dec. 3, her earlier released husband Yusef Samuel Makari, 42, said he and his wife were interrogated and beaten while in custody in Cairo. "The conditions were very bad...Sometimes we were badly treated and insulted in front of each other. She was tortured more than me," he said.

One convert, Mr. Issam Abdul Fathr, who was suffering from diabetes and at least one other medical condition, died recently while being transferred from a police station to hospital, according to church sources.

International Pressure

Makar's release came amid mounting international pressure and after Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) urged Egypt on Wednesday, Dec.3, to end the torture and interrogation of the young woman.

"Up until then it seemed that police were determined to make an example of (the) Christian convert from Islam [and]. they even employed a scholar from the Al-Azhar Islamic University in Cairo to help them bring charges," for violating Islam, said The Barnabas Fund.

She and the other converts were originally arrested on charges of illegally changing names and religion on identity cards.

No Name

While a Christian who converts to Islam in Egypt can receive new ID papers with a new Muslim name within 24 hours, there is no reciprocal arrangement for a Muslim who converts to Christianity, say human rights groups .

This is "forcing many to make the alteration illegally," noted CSW, who has urged the government to change this policy.

Converts such as Mariam Girgis Makar and her husband, who have been living openly as Christians with their two young daughters, recently issued openly urged the government allow Muslims to be able to change their names to Christian ones.

They also would like "just treatment for Christians who once converted to Islam, but then chose to reconvert to Christianity," said The Barnabas Fund, which has close contacts with the converts.

New Office

In addition the converts want the office reopened which used to administer conversions to Christianity as conversions to Islam can be officially performed in an office at Al-Azhar University.

A similar office used to be available for Muslims who wished to become Christians, which was based in the headquarters of the Coptic Church before it was closed in 1970, The Barnabas Fund said.

The Government has said it will tackle Muslim extremism, but human rights groups have noticed a wide spread crack down against Christians in Egypt, with 66 million people, Africa's second largest country by population after Nigeria.

Christians from around the world have been praying for the converts and other persecuted Christians, ASSIST News Service (ANS) established.

The Barnabas Fund can be reached at E-mail: info@barnabasfund.org or via web site: http://www.barnabasfund.org

Vietnam:

Christians refused government assistance as floods hit

Most of the people affected when Central areas of Vietnam suffered from a devastating series of storms and heavy rains on November 14, 16 and 24 have received financial assistance and immediate relief from the Vietnamese government. However, 425 Christians in the Quang Ngai province and 654 Christians in the Ninh province were refused help solely because of their Christian faith, according to the Washington, DC-based International Christian Concern (ICC).

According to ICC (www.persecution.org) approximately 75,000 houses were destroyed, 120,000 hectares of rice crop ruined, and thousands of rural people have been left homeless, as a result of the storms.

"These Christians already live in dire poverty, and this tragedy has left many hungry and sick. Without assistance, many are expected to die. The Vietnamese government routinely persecutes Christians in the rural areas of Vietnam, and this is another example of how Christians are denied the most basic elements needed to survive," says the ICC report.

It adds: "Vietnam has been, and is currently ranked as one of the worst violators of human rights. There are currently an estimated three hundred (300) Christian pastors imprisoned in these areas for simply holding legal church meetings.

"ICC urges American Christians to contact the Vietnamese Embassy and politely request that Christian flood victims of Quang Ngai and Ninh provinces be given the same flood relief as other Vietnamese. Also, please request the release of Christian pastors from prison."

Write to:

Embassy of Vietnam

1233 20th st. NW Suite 400

Washington DC 20036

Ph. 202-861-0737

Fax 202-861-0917

info@vietnamembassy.usa.org

ICC is a Washington-DC based human rights organization that exists to help persecuted Christians worldwide. ICC delivers humanitarian aid, trains and supports persecuted pastors, raises awareness in the US Church regarding the problem of persecution, and is an advocate for the persecuted on Capitol Hill and the State Department.

For additional information or for an interview, contact

ICC at 800-422-5441.

International Christian Concern

2020 Pennsylvania Ave. NW #94Washington DC 20006-1846

http://www.persecution.org

E-mail: icc@persecution.org

Please go to http://www.assistnews.net for Christian- oriented news stories.

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email: ve6xtc@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca