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17-Sep-2002

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

Africa:

3 mission leaders murdered.

the African church has suffered a setback this month with violence that has directly affected its leaders, three of whom have been murdered. One incident involved Samuel Nimubona, head of World Outreach Initiatives, and involved in a partner radio outreach with HCJB World Radio. HCJB’s Heide Jones says they were shocked by this report. "He’s been so involved in this area and it’s just such a huge loss to hear the news that he was killed on the 7^th of this month." Jones says despite Nimubona’s murder, the outreach is bearing fruit through 15-hundred specially tuned radios. "The Christian radio, since it has been on the air, has really played a huge part in healing people in this area. He estimated that in the few months since those radios have been sent out, about a thousand people have come to know the Lord." Nimubona is survived by his wife, Delphine, and two daughters.

Uganda:

Rebels rampage and hamper Christian work.

Terror continues to hamper the work of an evangelical ministry. Food for the Hungry’s Dwight Vogt says the Lord’s Resistance Army is kidnapping young teens to be wives and soldiers. Vogt says fear is forcing people from their homes. "Many of these people are fleeing to these main cities, so you’ve got 60,000 to 100,000 extra people and others are hiding in the bush. The farmers aren’t able to farm. That’s creating a huge food shortage now. So, it’s all sort of escalating, spiralling in a very horrible manner." Vogt says their child sponsorship program is on hold in many areas. However, they’re planning something more in the days ahead in an effort to ultimately share Christ." One of the things we’re doing right now as well, is putting together a very large relief proposal and we’re seeking funding for that, not just to sponsor children and their families, but all of these people that are fleeing that are going to need food in the next three to six months."

Indonesia:

Jihad violence threatens Christians.

A deadly attack in Indonesia’s Papua Province is causing tensions to build. The event shakes those involved with the fragile peace holding in that area. That is causing alarm for those serving in missions. Christian Aid Mission’s John Lindner explains." Observers can see that it is being prepared for violence-in other words, there are things coming up in that place that look like there’s gonna be an outburst of violence, possibly, in the near future. The military is building up forces there; there has been an observation of an influx of jihad personnel." Lindner says believers should pray for Christians in Indonesia. "Pray for God to intervene. They should pray for those attacking, to fail. They should pray that the government authorities would finally face up to their responsibility to be the protectors of all peoples of the country."

Please go to http://www.mnnonline.org to learn about missions news and a weekday audio news broadcast.

Keston News Service has this incident to report.

Russia:

Another two Catholic priests denied entry.

A further two foreign Catholic priests have been denied entry to Russia, despite holding valid visas. Keston News Service has learnt that Father Jaroslaw Wisniewski, based in Sakhalin, was detained at Khabarovsk airport on 9 September and deported to Japan. Father Wisniewski had complained in an open letter to Russia’s "Pravda" newspaper about the treatment of Bishop Jerzy Mazur, previously denied entry to Russia. These are the third and fourth foreign Catholic clerics this year to be refused entry. The Vatican has declared its intention to resolve the problem through diplomatic channels.

Please check http://www.keston.org to learn more about religious persecution in communist and post-communist lands.

The Voice Of The Martyrs has the following incidents to report.

Tajikistan:

Home-Based Religious Services Banned.

According to Asya Shumarkova, pastor of an Evangelical Christian church in Chkalovsk on the outskirts of Khojand in northern Tajikistan, a government decree has been issued preventing church members from meeting in private homes, despite Tajikistan’s religion law, which allows it. According to a report from Keston on September 4, 2002, the church was assigned a building, but it was unsuitable for their needs and so they were meeting in a private home. Two years ago a decree was issued that private homes were to be used for housing only. This decree was issued to stop residential first floor homes and apartments from being refitted as bars and restaurants. It is only recently that this decree was used against religious gatherings. This is in spite of Article 21 of the religion law, which specifically allows services in private homes. Mukim Nuraliyev, the public prosecutor, has argued, "The law is the law. Services must be held at the address at which the community is registered."

Pakistan:

Suspects in Church Attack Killed.

Four suspected militants, including two men linked to a bloody attack on a church last year, were killed in a shootout with the police in eastern Pakistan early on Sunday, September 8. A police convoy was carrying the prisoners when it was attacked by gunmen. The prisoners managed to escape but were later shot and killed, along with two of the three gunmen. This ambush closely mirrors a similar attack on July 31 where four prisoners and two gunmen were killed (see www.persecution.net/pnpupdate.html). According to a report from Reuters, the two prisoners were Mohammad Waseem, a civil engineer expert in handling explosives, and Mohammad Akram, alias Sheeraz, a college dropout. According to police, Waseem was also involved in the August 9 attack on a missionary hospital in Taxila, near Islamabad, in which four Pakistani nurses and an attacker were killed. Both of the men were members of a Sunni Muslim militant organization, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi. Christians throughout Pakistan continue to face the fear of attacks by militant groups. Compass Direct reported on September 9 that the Pakistani authorities have advised churches to arm themselves as protection against attacks. Each parish was urged to get gun licenses, hire and train guards, and instruct its congregation and staff on how to respond in case of attack. One bishop has restricted his movements around the city, travelling only in a borrowed car to prevent being identified. "Sundays are bad for us," one clergyman stated. "Pray for us, that our people will get their confidence back, and not be afraid to come to church."

Please go to http://www.persecution.net to learn more about these stories and what can be done to help those believers.

ASSIST Ministries reports this persecution incident.

Turkmenistan:

Russian church journal banned along with all Russian literature..

Turkmenistan’s President, Saparmurat Niyazov, has banned all Russian newspapers and magazines, including the church journal of the country’s only legal Christian denomination, the Keston News Service (KNS) reported Friday, September 13. The Russian Orthodox Church in Turkmenistan is now barred from subscribing to its main journal, the Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate, and other church publications from Russia, KNS said.Reports from Turkmenistan say that subscribers stopped receiving Russian publications from July 17 and that those who have already paid subscriptions will be refunded. Customs officials have been instructed to confiscate all Russian publications from those entering Turkmenistan, including Christian publications. It was not clear what an effect, if any, this could have on Russian Bible imports.

Please see http://www.assist-ministries.org to learn more about this plus read other interesting articles._

   

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