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Subject: PERSECUTION REPORT FOR MARCH 16, 2004.

Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2004 17:07:19 -0800

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

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

 http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html

PERSECUTION REPORT FOR MARCH 16, 2004.

The Voice Of The Martyrs provides these bulletins of persecuted Christians.

China:

Church leaders under siege

This week the Voice of the Martyrs received a number of reports demonstrating the Chinese government's continued campaign against Christians who refuse to compromise with their Communist ideology.

a. House church leaders confirmed in custody or Prosecuted

On February 18, the Persecution and Prayer Alert reported the arrest of Xu Yongling (also known as Deborah Xu) on January 25. It is now confirmed that she is being held by the Henan National Security Bureau.

On March 5, she was allowed to finally contact her relatives and expressed concern that false promises may be used by police to trap her nephew. She warned her relatives, "Please be very careful of your decision." The home of her nephew was raided by Nanyang police the next day.

Three Christian leaders recently detained have now been formally prosecuted, facing trial for "providing intelligence to overseas organizations." Liu Fenngang, Xu Yonghai and Zhang Shengqi were arrested late 2003. Liu's wife received official notification of the charges in late February. Referring to the charges they face, Bob Fu from China Aid Association said, "There are no state secrets in this story. These men were arrested for telling the truth about how their government treats Christians. The government does not want that truth to be known."

b. Church leader re-Arrested; another in hiding

On March 1, Zeng Guangbo tried to cross the border from China to Russia to minister in a house church there. Instead, he was detained in customs and then taken into custody by the Nanyang Public Security Bureau. Zeng was originally arrested on January 25, but managed to escape and went into hiding.

For more details, see http://www.persecution.net/news/china36.html. Apparently Zeng's passport number had been entered into the national custom's computer system, resulting in his recent arrest.

Bob Fu, president of China Aid Association, expressed deep concern for Zeng. "The police in Nanyang are notorious for their brutality towards house church Christians. Because Zeng has been closely working with the 'Born-again' Movement leader Ms. Xu Yongling, the police may use whatever means necessary including torture to get information from him."

When Public Security Bureau officers raided his house church on February 9, Chu Wei and his wife, Yin Yan-ling, were interrogated for a day, along with ten other church members, before they were released. The next day, Yin was again taken to the police station where she was ordered to not speak about God, even in the privacy of her home. She also overheard police talking about sending her husband to a camp for "re-education through labour." She immediately warned her husband and they went into hiding. Their two oldest children (14 and 15) remained in the family home, while the youngest (11) stayed with relatives. Yin has since returned to be with her children, but Chu remains in hiding from the police.

c. Catholic bishop arrested

According to Zenit. Bishop Wei Jingyi of the underground Catholic Church was arrested on March 5 in Heilogjiang in northeast China. Wei was returning from meeting friends at the Harbin airport when he was arrested at a toll booth. Wei (45) has been arrested twice and served time in labour camps from 1987 to 1989 and 1990 to 1992.

For current in-depth analysis of the situation facing Christians in China, you may want to purchase the following resources available online from the Voice of the Martyrs: "Jesus in Beijing" by David Aikman and "The Cross: Jesus in China," a four-DVD set of interviews and reports recently filmed in China.

Go to http://www.persecution.net/catalog.htm.

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

Bolivia:

Mob Blames Christians for Hail Storm

Recognizing the pagan and sinful nature of the Carnaval festivities celebrated in their community, members of an evangelical church in the Quechua village of Chucarasi, one hundred miles southeast of the city of Oruro, Bolivia, chose to spend the festival days working in their fields. However on February 27, two days after Carnaval ended, a severe hail storm struck the area, damaging the crops. According to a March 8 report from Compass Direct, the villagers began blaming the evangelicals for the storm, saying they had angered the spirits by not participating in the Carnaval festivities.

A village meeting was called and the evangelicals were summoned. Only one came, Fortunato Bernal, who believed his elected position in the community would protect him. The rest of the church members gathered to pray on a mountainside. When he arrived, Bernal was beaten unconscious by the mob that had gathered. When the rest of the church members did not arrive, the mob completely destroyed the church building. When church leaders filed an official complaint, demanding reparations for the damage, the sub-prefect of the province sided with the animists, refusing to arrest those responsible for the attack and setting the value of the building at a fraction of the actual cost of replacement.

As a result of the ruling in their favour, community leaders have begun insisting that the evangelicals renounce their faith or leave the community. Church leaders have been seeking outside support but community members are threatening to kill anyone who attempts to intervene.

Uzbekistan:

Church registration revoked

On February 27, Forum 18 learned that the Uzbek authorities have decided to revoke the registered status of the Urgench Baptist Church in northwest Uzbekistan. This leaves only one other church in the region; the Protestant Korean Church.

The authorities claimed that the church had been working with children without parental consent. Uzbek law forbids "the enticement of underage children into religious organizations, as well as the religious instruction of children against their or their parents' will." The church claims that the parents had given consent but that the parents were coerced into denying this after pressure from the secret police.

The parents have since asked the church's forgiveness.

Only registered churches are allowed to meet for religious meetings in Uzbekistan, including in private homes. The Protestant Peace Church in Nukus, 250 km from Urgench, lost its registration in August 2000 and has unsuccessfully tried three times since then to re-register. They have continued to meet, however, even though police have raided the church four times, each time fining the leaders.

For more information on the situation facing Christians in Uzbekistan, go to http://www.persecution.net/country/uzbek.htm.

Vietnam:

Police harass and beat evangelists

On March 2, Rev. Nguyen Hong Quang, vice president and general secretary of the Mennonite Church in Vietnam and an evangelist, Pham Ngoc Thach, spotted undercover security police spying on them at Quang's home in Ho Chi Minh City.

According to a March 8 report from Compass Direct, they took down the license number of the police motorcycle and reported the police presence to the city ward. When Thach and a teacher named Mr. Hien attempted to take a picture of the motorcycle as evidence, the police attacked them. A scuffle broke out and the police retreated to call in more officers. As they fled on their motorcycle, it skidded out of control and fell. When the Thach and a co-worker approached the officers to ensure there were no serious injuries, the officers struck them in the face.

Thirty minutes later, dozens of police officers from Special Unit 113, the district police, undercover police and local defense forces arrived with guns and electric cattle prods, ordering the twelve Christian workers who had gathered at Quang's home to remain inside. The police then tried to incite neighbours to attack the Christians and produced an unidentified woman who signed a complaint for "disturbing public order."

One church elder, Nghia, was taken into custody. When three of the evangelists, Pham Ngoc Thach, Nguyen Van Phuong and Nguyen Thanh Nhan, went to inquire about Nghia later that night, they were also arrested.

Two were beaten unconscious and then charged for "resisting an officer."

At last report, the three evangelists are still being held. It is believed they may be released when all physical evidence of the beatings has healed.

For more information on persecution facing Christians in Vietnam, go to http://www.persecution.net/country/vietnam.htm.

Please go to http://www.persecution.net for information on persecution and for ways to help Christians who suffer it.

Mission Network News relays this item about persecution.

India:

Converts bribed by Hindu extremists

Christians around the world are being asked to pray for tribal believers in India as radical Hindus are attempting to re-convert them back to Hinduism. These Hindu radical are the same people that the media in India are calling, "Christian-hating fanatics."

According to the World Evangelical Alliance, radical Hindu groups are targeting 400,000 tribal Christians. Apart from having their feet washed and receiving special clothing, they're also being given food and in some cases are being promised an education. These activities are taking place despite anti-conversion laws in many states. Reports indicate most of these re-conversion activities are happening under provisions of the Freedom of Religion Act.

Radical Hindu leaders call it a homecoming. They claim Christians are alluring tribal people with money and other promises.

Christian leaders and ministries in India categorically deny bribing tribal people to convert to Christianity. Christians also claim most of the tribal people are refusing the re-conversion attempts, making radical Hindus even angrier. Despite increasing violence against Christians in India, thousands of people in India are turning to Christ.

Please check http://www.mnnonline.org for missions news and a weekly audio broadcast.

Forum 18 has this religious rights violation to report.

Azerbaijan:

Senior Official "SLANDERS ADVENTISTS"

Adventists and Muslims have rejected as "slander" accusations by Azerbaijan's senior religious affairs official that an Adventist pastor, Khalid Babaev, tried to gain converts through bribery, that the Adventist relief organisation ADRA is seeking to attract converts "at all costs" and that religious liberty group IRLA is an "Adventist organisation" funded by the United States "special services." Rafik Aliev made the claims in television interviews, but Forum 18 News Service has been unable to reach him to find out why he made the allegations. Babaev was forced to flee the Nakhichevan exclave after receiving death threats. IRLA's secretary general in Azerbaijan, Ilgar Ibrahimoglu, imam of Baku's Juma Mosque, is awaiting trial while a court has ordered the community expelled from the mosque.

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

ASSIST News Service reports the following persecution incidents.

Sri Lanka:

146 places of worship closed in the last 4 months

The religious situation in Sri Lanka has been deteriorating for several years. However, a momentum seems to be gathering and heading towards serious confrontation between the Buddhist religious establishment, the Sri Lankan government, the NGOs and the Church. Buddhist monks, through their recently formed Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) party, are now contesting the 4 April elections. Monks are protesting and campaigning against "the NGO mafia" and targeting groups such as World Vision. Churches and Christian workers are being harassed and violently attacked on an almost daily basis.

World Evangelical Alliance Goodwill Ambassador Johan Candelin, Finland, has recently concluded a one-week official visit to Sri Lanka and is deeply concerned about the ongoing attacks in the island. "The big question is this," says Candelin, "is this just the tip of the iceberg or the iceberg itself? One hundred and forty-six places of worship have been closed down over the last four months, and as such, the world should really take a closer look at the growing trend of nationalistic Buddhism in Sri Lanka.

Another very disturbing factor is that no one has been condemned for any of the attacks. That sends a signal that you can do this without any consequences."

Please see the web site for the full version of this story.

Egypt:

Coptic Girl Abducted and forced to convert to Islam

Eighteen year-old Ingy Helmy Georgy Labibe was abducted January 4 while shopping in her hometown, Mahala el Kobra, Egypt, according to reports received from the U.S. Copts Association.

When they failed to locate her themselves, Ingy's family turned to local police officers who refused to file a missing person report. Shortly thereafter, the family was notified that Ingy was in the custody of Fahmy Taha Mahmoud and would officially convert to Islam.

The Copts Association reports that at 18 years of age, Ingy is considered a juvenile under Egyptian law, which prohibits the conversion of minors.

The report says: "She is also vulnerable to episodes of depression and has been medically diagnosed with a psychological condition. Proof of her medical condition is outlined in Dr. Hosam Al Sawees' physician report dated December 15, 2003." A copy of that report is available at www.copts.com.

Ingy's disappearance on January 4 prompted her family's frantic search for her, the association says.

"Despite the family's desperate pleas, police officials refused to report on Ingy's missing status. The following day, the family received a telephone call notifying them that their daughter was presently in the custody of Fahmy Mahmoud; her return would be contingent upon payment of a sum of money," says a US Copts report.

"Despite their readiness to pay, their daughter was not returned. Mahmoud made several other offers to have Ingy returned in exchange for payment; however, all his offers failed to materialize. After several other attempts to retrieve their daughter, the family once again sought police assistance.

Police Chief Mahmoud Mohammed Hamid repeatedly refused to file a report on Ingy's disappearance. Moreover, police officers refused the family's requests to have their daughter physically examined to assess whether she had been sexually violated."

A report with police was finally filed (#904, Year 2004). However, the police also asserted Ingy's imminent conversion to Islam. The family was told that on January 19, 2004 Ingy would be officially declared a convert to Islam. Her frenzied parents struggled to postpone the official confirmation of her forced conversion to Islam and the date was pushed back to March 1, 2004.

During this time, the family received reports that Ingy's abductor is a civilian advisor to Police Chief Hamid and his unit. In light of Mahmoud's close ties with local police, Ingy's parents face the overwhelming task of challenging the wiles of both their daughter's abductor and the forces of the local security forces.

"Vulnerable Coptic young women have repeatedly been the targets of Muslim extremists, intent on converting them to Islam. These manipulated conversions to Islam are further complicated by the polices unacceptable lack of cooperation, and must be brought to an end. It is utterly appalling that vulnerable Coptic girls are exposed to the aggression of thugs whose acts of rape and violence are protected by Egypt's law enforcement officials," stated Michael Meunier, president of the U.S. Copts Association.

"This conduct is a complete violation of the law, which prohibits the conversion of minors, and reveals the complicity of the local police in masking the offense as a conversion to Islam," Meunier said

"The U.S. Copts Association will bring Ingy's case before Egypts newly established National Human Rights Council, whose duties include promoting a human rights agenda within the nation. We await the Councils investigation of and response to the forced conversion of Coptic girls," Meunier stated.

The U.S. Copts Association, founded in 1996, is based in Washington D.C., and advocates for democracy, religious freedom, and human rights in Egypt. The Association represents over 700,000 Egyptian Christians in the United States.

For further information Contact: Christine Tadros, Phone: 202.737.3660

Laos:

Christians threatened with eviction or death

Christians in Laos have been told they will be killed if they do not abandon their faith.

According to Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), Christians in one village were told by a Laos government official at a village meeting, "If you don't give up your faith or leave the village, you will be punished by death."

The ultimatum was delivered at a Feb. 19 meeting in Southern Laos. CSW reported that pleading for help, a Christian in the village wrote, "The officials' purpose is to totally eradicate Christianity. They are threatening to destroy ... and to burn our homes. We are not able to travel anywhere. We are kept (confined). They keep watch on us. If we do not move from our village, they said they would kill us because the whole village agrees with them."

Christians in Laos are very concerned by these threats as believers are often mistreated and significant numbers have been thrown into prison for their beliefs.

According to CSW, Tong-luang, a school teacher, was arrested on March 4 at his home in Donphai village in the Sanamchai District, because of his refusal to give up his faith. Tong-luang had been arrested previously with two others at a Christmas prayer meeting in Donphai village on Dec. 28 2003. All three were released in Jan. 2004.

Bounsouk (Manien), a Christian, has also been a target for the attacks and was allegedly nearly run over by an official on a motorbike in February. He has had his land confiscated and officials confiscated his pigs, his major source of making a living.

According to CSW, Donthapad village chief Mr. Somsuak, is fining Manien and another believer, Mr. Silanon, 900,000 kips for not abandoning their Christian faith. They have allegedly been told if they do not pay soon, the village chief will take over their property and burn their homes. Mr. Silanon was already recently fined 150,000 kips by the village chief for his Christian faith.

CSW has a copy of an official letter of expulsion signed by a Laotian government official relating to a separate incident. It reads, "The chief of the village Donsung, Udomsouk sub-district, Sanamchai district, Attopue province, has issued this letter of expulsion to one of his villagers, because she got married to a man who had adopted the (Christian) religion.

Therefore, the people's organization of the village met and came to a unanimous agreement to have her leave the village along with her husband, because the villagers do not want anybody of the (Christian) religion here."

Christians in Laos have been subject to a particularly harsh wave of persecution since 1998, CSW reported. Many have been imprisoned and widespread pressure and persecution has been implemented across the country.

Believers have been coerced and forced to sign forms abandoning their religion. Some have been forced to prove that they have given up their faith by participating in animist rituals, smoking and drinking alcohol and blood.

International attention has helped bring about a reduction in the pressure on believers, but persecution continues. CSW is asking those concerned about this situation to contact their congressional representative and urge them to raise concerns about religious freedom in Laos.

CSW Advocacy Director Alexa Papadouris said, "These latest threats against Christians in Laos are deeply concerning. That Christians should be threatened with death and have their means of livelihood confiscated simply for standing true to their religious convictions is an outrage. We have been encouraged by progress over religious freedom in Laos over the last year, but these recent incidents are a serious setback and a reminder of the vulnerability of Christians to drastic and arbitrary treatment for adhering to their faith."

According to the Laos Virtual Library (www.global.lao.net/laoVL.html), "Laos is the least developed Asian landlocked country, surrounded by China in the north, Burma to the north-west, Thailand in the south-west, Cambodia (Kampuchia) in the south-east, and Vietnam to the east. "After 600 years of being a monarchy, at the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, Laos has been ruled by a one-party Communist Government. Although Laos is opening its door to the West, under the 1991 constitution, Laos continues to be a one-party centralized system as specified in the constitution in Article 3: 'The rights of the multi-ethnic people to be the masters of the country are exercised and ensured through the functioning of the political system with the Lao People's Revolutionary Party as its leading nucleus.'"

Nigeria:

Christians axed to death at meeting

Forty-eight people have been hacked to death in Yelwa, Nigeria, by armed Muslims, many during a church meeting, according to Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW). A recent upsurge in violence in southern Plateau State in Nigeria has claimed at least 100 lives and in the worst single incident so far, at least 48 people were murdered, many during an early morning prayer service on February 24, CSW reported.

Armed Muslims invaded the service, ordered the congregation to lie face down and proceeded "to machete and axe them to death in their house of worship" according to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). The victims included women and children.

The Yelwa incident was preceded by an attack on Tunka in Shendam Local Government Area (LGA) during which 18 people were killed, including four mobile policemen who were murdered in an ambush. The deaths of the policemen, who were assigned to the area to maintain peace, caused many to flee their homes, CSW said.

A local source told CSW the attacks were being carried out by as many as 400 heavily armed Muslims who shouted "Allah u Akhbar" (God is great), wore red and black uniforms and moved with military precision.

As government reinforcements arrived in the area to stop the violence, the attackers are said to have adopted hit and run tactics, striking Christian areas and moving on before troops could engage them. By February 26 there were reports of similar violence in Shendam Town, Mikang, Langtang South and Langtang North LGAs. There were also unconfirmed reports of reprisal attacks by ethnic Tarohs on Hausa Fulanis. Joint army and police action eventually managed to enforce an uneasy peace, CSW said.

In a strongly worded statement of March 2, CAN called on Muslims in northern Nigeria to emulate their western counterparts by living peaceably alongside northern Christians.

CSW reports that over 10,000 people have died in religious violence since 1999 when several northern states decided to implement the Shari'ah penal code in defiance of the country's secular constitution. The Wase area of southern Plateau State has experienced intermittent violence since the summer of 2002 when attacks by armed Muslims on the predominantly Christian Taroh tribe left at least 5,000 people dead, 100,000 displaced and over 80 villages destroyed.

"There was a lull in the violence during 2003 when the State Governor, Joshua Dariye, convened local peace talks. However, tensions mounted once again on January 3 2004 after it emerged the Muslim Emir of Wase, deeply implicated in the violence of 2002, had brought more than 500 Muslim families to the area to settle in towns and villages abandoned by displaced Christians," CSW said.

On February 11 the Hausa Fulani delegation responded to a request for a removal of these families by declaring that its members were no longer interested in being part of the peace process, heralding an almost immediate end to the fragile peace in the area. Sources close to Christian NGO Release International confirm that on February 12, 20 youths went missing following an attack by Muslims on the village of Hamale. The sources also report that during an incident on the following day at least 100 people were killed and many houses were destroyed.

On February 20 Muslims from Bukuru are reported to have attacked a church in Tudun Wada. The attackers are said to have arrived in 13 vehicles. They beat the church's guard and threatened to burn down the building, but their plans were thwarted by police intervention, CSW reported.

A local source told CSW the violence may ultimately be aimed at undermining a recent decision by the Plateau State Government to allow the area of Kadarko to administer itself separately from the Wase Emirate. Kadarko is the largest of only three Christian areas remaining in Wase LGA following the violence of 2002.

Local sources also indicate the latest violence is part of a campaign organised by a coalition of local and external extremists, CSW said.

Right Reverend Ben Kwashi, Bishop of Jos, said: "We ourselves are not discouraged. We have outgrown retaliation, vengeance and anger. We are living by the grace of God and encouraging the faithful not to give in. What makes me sad is that as soon as we begin to reconstruct homes, churches and even people's lives, we get shattered again by events such as these. What gives me joy, on the other hand, is that we are not tired and we will continue with fresh zeal as long as there is life to reconstruct, rebuild and develop."

CSW's Advocacy Director, Tina Lambert, said: "CSW is deeply disturbed by the renewed violence and horrified by the massacre of Christians during a prayer service. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of all those affected.

"We call on the Plateau State Government to guarantee the safety of Christians in southern Plateau State and ensure that those responsible for such appalling violence are swiftly brought to justice."

CSW says that Nigeria has seen an increase in interreligious violence since several northern states began to call for full Shari'ah Law in 1999. 12 of the 36 Nigerian states have implemented full Shari'ah law. Many observers believe the Shari'ah campaign has been engineered by the Muslim northern power elite which had dominated Nigeria's political and military establishments since independence and which felt it had lost power following the election of Christian President, Olusegun Obasanjo. So far more than 10,000 people have died as a direct result of Shari'ah related clashes.

For more information please contact Richard Chilvers, communications manager, CSW on 020 8329 0045 or email richard.chilvers@csw.org.uk or visit ww.csw.org.uk

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