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Subject: Persecution report for April 22, 2003.

Date: Sun, 20 Apr 2003 19:06:48 -0600

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

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

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

The Voice Of The Martyrs reports these incidents of Christians being persecuted.

Colombia;

Three killed, two wounded in Good Friday procession attack.

Like Christians all over the world, Catholics in the small Colombian town of Delores (125 miles south of Bogota) were marching through the town in a religious procession marking the Stations of the Cross. Without warning, approximately 15 suspected guerrillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) opened fire on the crowd. One soldier and two civilians, including a 14-year-old boy were killed. Two others, including another young child, were wounded in the attack.

Prior to Holy Week, the country's armed forces had promised Colombians they would guarantee security during the Christian holiday. Armed convoys are escorting motorists along strategic highways. Apparently, the Marxist guerrilla organization saw the government assurances as a challenge and there is now fear of more rebel disruptions during the Easter festivities, as the guerrillas seek to undermine the authority of the police and government of President Alvaro Uribe. Uribe was elected on the basis that he promised to take a harder line with rebel groups in Colombia.

The Marxist FARC guerrillas are no friends of Christians of any denomination. According to government statistics, they have been responsible for the murders of almost 40 priests and pastors over the last four years. Glenn Penner, Communications Director for The Voice of the Martyrs, said concerning this most recent attack, "It is an unspeakable evil that, during a peaceful procession, armed thugs would deliberately seek to butcher those who had only come to remember the death of their Saviour. Now we must remember the slain and their families in our prayers. And we must double our efforts to win to Christ those who commit such atrocities. Jesus is a friend to terrorists, even if they reject Him. They are filled with hate. But Jesus loved them enough to die for them. This is what we commemorate during Easter and which we will seek to remind them of in the days to come."

Jordan:

Mixed news for widow.

For several months The Voice of the Martyrs has been following the story of a Jordanian widow, Siham Qandah. On April 10 a report was received from Middle East Concern with two developments for which we urge you to pray.

Qandah has been informed that the local court has begun proceedings to enforce the ruling that she be imprisoned unless she gives up custody of her two children, Rawan (15) and Fadi (13). However, she has also been offered assistance by the office of a Prince in challenging the custody due to his apparent fraudulent use of the benefits received. Her brother, Abdullah al-Muhtadi, has allegedly been using the family's benefits for purposes other than the care of her children.

In 1994, Qandah's husband died. When she tried to claim her widow's pension, she was informed that he had converted to Islam in 1991. As a result, the children were to be considered Muslims and pension benefits could only be paid to a Muslim guardian. In order to receive and administer the benefits, Qandah asked her brother to become the children's legal guardian. He agreed and for three years functioned in this role, although he only occasionally gave the money to the family.

In 1998, al-Muhtadi began legal proceedings to take the children from his sister's custody. Two separate courts have since ruled in his favour, including the Supreme Court in 2002. There are no further avenues available for Qandah in the courts.

Pakistan:

Family attacked and threatened with death.

A family in Pakistan faced an imminent death threat if they didn't renounce their faith in Christ by April 18. According to an April 14 report from Christian Aid, between 150-200 Muslims attacked the home of Sadeeq, a recent convert from Islam, beating him, abusing his daughters, and giving him an ultimatum to renounce his faith by Good Friday or be killed. Christian leaders are attempting to relocate the family.

Malaysia:

Iban-language Bible banned.

Iban-speaking Christians in the state of Sarawak in north-west Borneo are asking the government to clarify why the Malaysian Home Ministry has put the Iban-language Bible, "Bup Kudus" on a list of 35 books banned for being detrimental to public peace. According to the official news agency of Malaysia, BERNAMA, the Association of Churches in Sarawak has asked for an explanation, saying, "To find Bup Kudus banned now has caused confusion, fear, anxiety and alarm among the Christian community in Sarawak."

Bup Kudus was first published in 1988 and is the only complete Bible in the Iban language. While more educated church members may understand English, rural churches in particular depend on the Scriptures in their native language.

Indonesia:

Islamic cleric on trial.

On April 14, Abu Bakar Bashir, a Muslim cleric accused of leading the Jama'ah Islamiyah (JI) terror network, was charged with treason. He is alleged to have helped plan a series of bombings on Christmas Eve 2000 which left 19 dead. He is also accused of involvement in a foiled attempt to bomb foreign embassies in Singapore. If convicted, he could face life imprisonment or the death sentence.

His lawyers are attempting to have him released until his trial because of his age and health, but it is expected that Indonesia's president will insist that he remain in prison. There are fears that, if released, he would disappear and be unavailable for trial.

The fact that Bashir is being charged at all is seen by many as a positive move, since the Indonesian government has been reluctant to put accused Muslim terrorists on trial for fear of antagonizing Indonesia's predominantly Muslim population.

This trial comes at the same time that Rev. Rinaldy Damanik is facing weapons charges and remains in custody despite being very weak. Recent reports indicate that the prosecution has yet to produce any real evidence or credible witness. Christians in Indonesia contend that Damanik was framed by the police.

Please go to http://www.persecution.net to learn more about the persecution of Christians and what can be done to help them.

Christian Aid Mission has these incidents to report.

North Korea:

Famine much worse than feared.

Two aid workers report that famine in North Korea is much worse than feared. It is so severe families are committing mass suicide rather than die slowly of starvation.

The workers were Korean Christians living in China who have been in and out of Korea since 1996 and know the situation very well. Their report was forwarded to Christian Aid after visiting North Korea in the last few days.

They said that many families are killing themselves by taking rat poison rather than die slowly from starvation. "There had been incidents of this before, but mass suicide has become more frequent and widespread now," they reported.

In the past, North Koreans have looked forward to some kind of food distribution honouring Kim Il-Sung's birthday on April 15. This year there was nothing.

Even members of the army seem desperate. They break into any house they think might hold food or anything valuable and take what they want. The aid worker watched while members of the army robbed one house in broad daylight, taking the family's bicycle. "All were well armed," the worker said, "and the residents could not even protest. There is no law in North Korea now."

When the aid workers went to the railroad station, they saw people fighting over a pile of ashes to warm themselves. "Their faces looked black and bloodless from starvation," the worker said. "They could not walk straight. They all said that half the residents of their city would perish this year if they did not get help."

The situation is so destitute even farmers have no seed to plant. Nobody is working. The markets are empty. Nobody has money to buy anything.

Things are much worse than the 1996-1998 famine, which was thought to be very severe at the time. "Nobody can predict what will happen this spring in North Korea," the contact in China said. "The aid worker who saw and reported these things is a strong Christian, but could not complete the report by phone and hung up, crying."

Vietnam:

12 ways in which Christians suffer greatly.

Vietnamese authorities continue their clampdown on house churches in their country. A Vietnam observer, who wishes to remain anonymous, names 12 ways authorities are persecuting Christians:

• 1. People are fined for converting to Christ, or for seeking to convert someone else (witnessing).
• 2. Christians are bypassed in the distribution of government rice. They are told they must renounce their faith if they want to get state rice.
• 3. If a family becomes Christian, its electricity is cut off.
• 4. Christians are watched. In some places, they are barred from visiting other Christians or from having home meetings. In many places police try to strike fear into Christians to keep them from meeting together.
• 5. Authorities seize and destroy Bibles and hymnals.
• 6. Hundreds of churches have been confiscated or torn down. In Dac Lac Province, there used to be 417 churches. All but two have been shut down.
• 7. Authorities are aggressively going after pastors and church leaders. About 70 are in prison, and many others are under house arrest. In some cases, both the pastor and wife are under house arrest so neither one can do anything for the ministry. Moreover, anyone who tries to visit them is also put under arrest.
• 8. Even if someone else steps forward to preach, local authorities will insist it's illegal to preach.
• 9. Authorities gassed Christian villages in the North in late December, killing several children, causing pregnant women to miscarry, sending several to the hospital, and rendering over 100 unconscious.
• 10. Authorities have burned down the homes of Christians in some villages to pressure them to renounce their faith.
• 11. Some Christian children are dismissed from school; other schools will not accept them.
• 12. Christians are labelled as criminals and treated worse than animals. They have been beaten, sometimes to death. In some cases they are prodded with electric cattle prods in their mouths and on other parts of their bodies until they can't control themselves. Then the authorities mock them and say, "Look at the crazy Christians."

The reason for the brutal activity, according to the observer, is that authorities saw how evangelicals boasted they were partly responsible for the overthrow of some governments in Eastern Europe, so Vietnamese authorities fear evangelicals will do the same in Vietnam if given the chance. Also, Vietnamese authorities equate being a Christian with being an American, and America is their number one enemy. Therefore, to be a Christian by definition is to be pro-American, which is treason.

Laos:

Report causes officials embarrassment.

Word has been received that the information sent out last week about Christians being arrested in specific places has troubled Lao authorities who want to look good to the international community. Christian Aid has learned that Lao national authorities are now questioning local officials to learn how this "unauthorized" persecution took place. The Christians in Laos are hopeful.

India:

Mission practices stealth baptism.

A mission leader observing 40 years of service in the North India mission fields says his missionaries in India are meeting the challenges of increased hostilities by practicing stealth baptism.

In one western state, a missionary baptized 35 new believers inside a well in the dead of night. In another village the local Christian worker baptized six believers in a secret location.

"We take these precautions to avoid unnecessary attention to this big event," the missionary said. "Opposition is growing, but God's work will never stop."

In an eastern state, the group's missionaries baptized 116 people in the last two months. In 40 years the mission has planted 1200 churches gathering 30,000 believers and has 800 missionaries on the field.

For more information write insider@christianaid.org and put MI-415 646-NMM on the subject line.

Please check http://www.christianaid.org for missions stories.

Forum 18 reports these persecution incidents.

Georgia:

Catholic radio broadcasts axed - literally.

In the wake of an attack on independent radio station Dzveli Kalaki by axe-wielding men who destroyed the antenna and put it off the air, station director Irakli Machitadze is optimistic the attackers will be brought to justice. "There was wide publicity over the attack and officials promised that the case would be dealt with properly," he told Forum 18 from Kutaisi. He said the station's weekly Catholic programme - which has aroused the anger of the local Orthodox bishop and self-appointed vigilantes - was the most likely reason for the attack. But he vowed the Catholic broadcasts will continue. "It is a question of principle."

No-one has been sentenced in Georgia for the series of attacks on religious minorities over the past few years, although the organisers are well known.

Russia:

Are Kalmykia's Protestants "western spies"?

Foreign missionaries working with Protestant communities in Kalmykia, the Lord's Love evangelical church and the Salvation Army, have been barred from Russia, Forum 18 News Service has learned. Citing the FSB (ex-KGB), they have been attacked in the local state press as "western spies" who "frequently operate within various missionary organisations, hiding behind lofty charitable ideals." Commenting on efforts by the Salvation Army, Christian Missionary Alliance and Mission Aviation Fellowship to overturn entry bans, the newspaper said this "just goes to show how greatly intelligence agencies are interested in their presence in Kalmykia." After the article described the Salvation Army as "one of the most powerful totalitarian sects in the world", it was banned from holding events for children, F18 News has been told. Despite this, local authorities still seek the aid of Protestants to help needy people the authorities can't help and to assist with anti-drug programmes. Forum 18 has also learned that it is planned to change the way religious communities represent their interests to local authorities, to the disadvantage of religions communities which are not Orthodox, Muslim or Buddhist.

Serbia:

Latest attack leaves Adventist pastor hospitalised.

Adventist pastor Josip Tikvicki remains hospitalised with concussion after being severely beaten in the night of 15-16 April when he challenged people who were attacking his church in the city of Zrenjanin. "This is the fifth such incident with Adventist churches in the last ten days. We believe there is an orchestrated campaign against us," Radisa Antic, president of the Adventists' South-East European Union, told Forum 18 in Belgrade on 16 April. Such attacks - which took place despite the current state of emergency - have left Serbia's Adventist community "threatened and insecure".

Human rights activist Sonja Biserko told Forum 18 that the attacks are the product of 12 years of nationalism under Milosevic and the last two years of uncontrolled media promotion of the Serbian Orthodox Church. This has, she claims, created a young generation which "hates" religious minorities.

Please see http://www.forum18.org for full versions of some of these stories.

ASSIST News Service has these persecution stories to report.

Egypt:

Troops attack home for handicapped kids.

Barnabas Fund urged prayers Wednesday, April 16, for Christians in Egypt following army violence against a Christian centre for mentally as well as physically handicapped children and orphans in the Middle East nation.

"Elements of the Egyptian army commanded by a high ranking officer" attacked the Patmos Centre some 30 kilometres east of Cairo on April 5, said the well informed Barnabas Fund, which investigates the persecution of Christians.

The reported incident comes amid concern among churches across the region about Muslim violence against Christians who are seen as pro-American at a time when the conflict in nearby Iraq continues, ASSIST News Service (ANS) has learned.

Egyptian troops "came with armoured vehicles, tear-gas bombs and a bulldozer...under the command of a Lieutenant General," said Barnabas Fund in a statement received by ANS.

However workers at the centre and local Christians were said to have "bravely confronted" the soldiers, "parking their cars in front of the vehicles and even lying down in the path of the bulldozer in an effort to protect the centre's perimeter wall from destruction."

There were no reports of serious injuries among staff members or children, however workers who have protested against five previous attacks in 1996, 1997, 2001 and 2002 have been "threatened and beaten," Barnabus Fund said.

One teacher at the centre had reportedly his arm broken in February 2002. There were no immediate comments to the allegations from Egyptian authorities. But the military has apparently defended its actions by claiming the army must knock down the Patmos Centre's wall to expand a passing road.

Staff members have suggested however that other buildings closer to the road are not targeted and that the attacks seem part of a pattern of violence against Christians.

"Officials at the centre believe the attack was perpetrated by conservative Islamic elements within the military in response to the current war in Iraq because they associate Egyptian Christians with the Christian West," Barnabas Fund said.

The organization asked Christians to "pray that the centre will be able to continue its vital work, and be able to serve the needy in the local community without fear of further harassment".

Barnabas Fund also urged prayers "for good and harmonious relationships between the centre, local army units and all the relevant authorities." Similar prayer requests have also been made by other believers, including the Syrian Orthodox Church at the Turkish border with Iraq, during meetings with ANS reporters.

Malaysia:

12 Christian books banned.

In early April the Malaysian Home Ministry (KDN) banned 35 books that they considered detrimental to public peace. Twelve of these were Christian books, eleven of them in the national language, Bahasa Malaysia. The twelfth is a translation of the Bible in Iban, the language of the Iban people of Sarawak, which has been freely available in the country for over five years.

The Barnabas Fund reports the statement issued by the KDN says that the "printing, import, production, reproduction, sale, circulation, distribution and possession of books listed under the schedule are banned in the country." A jail sentence of up to three years and/or a maximum fine of 20,000 Malaysian ringgits (approx. œ3,340 or $5,267) will be given to anyone found guilty of breaking this ban. Thus, the Iban Christians of Sarawak could face such consequences simply for possessing an Iban Bible.

Those books banned include translated works by J I Packer, John R W Stott and others, which are not banned in their original English form. Such a ban discriminates against non-English speaking Malaysian Christians. Other banned books include some Islamic titles.

A press statement issued by the opposition Democratic Action Party (DAP) on April 11 states the ban "infringes on the rights of Ibans to practise their religion" and it calls on the government "to immediately lift the ban." Ibans comprise 30 percent of the population of Sarawak (the largest ethnic group in the state) and the majority of Ibans are Christian.

The Federal Constitution of Malaysia guarantees the right to practise one's own religion.

Please check http://www.assistnews.net for many interesting Christian articles.

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