INDIA (ANS) -- Despite a promise of security from the Chief Minister of the Government of Karnataka, Christians are being attacked by Hindu radicals, and their churches vandalized.
According to a story on www.persecution.in, the violence has also spread to the neighboring states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
According to the web site, a church was attacked and burned in Yelahanka New Town, Bangalore, at about 10.30 p.m. on Sept. 26.
The incident occurred after a prayer meeting. A small number of Hindu radicals attacked Gospel Bethel Assembly of God Church, doused the facility with kerosene and burned Bibles, hymn books and the pulpit.
Neighbors responded quickly and managed to douse the blaze.
The story reported that a complaint was filed the following morning at Yelahanka New Town police station.
In another incident on the same day, Hindu radicals broke open the glass of Our Lady's Grotto at the Sacred Heart Church at Shambur in Bantwal Taluk late Friday night
According to www.persecution.in, two attacks on churches took place in Tamil Nadu. Tarteted were St. Xavier's Church in Nagercoil and St. Aloysius Church in Erode.
In Erode, Dharapuram town, Western Tamil Nadu, a church was vandalized by radicals in the early morning hours of Sept 26. The story said the front part of the church was destroyed.
In addition, a statue of the infant Jesus kept in the damaged area of the church sustained minor damages. A report was filed, but no arrests had been made at the time of writing.
The story also reported that a similar incident was reported from Kanniykumari District, where vandals damaged a statue of the Virgin Mary in St. Xavier's Church in Nagercoil
Also according to www.persecution.in, in Kerala State, a church was reportedly attacked and its windows broken near Alleppey on Sept 24.
By James Varghese
Special to ASSIST News Service
Sunday, September 28, 2008
World Vision Scales Up Relief Efforts in Haiti, Provides 10-day Food Ration to 450 Families
By Success Kanayo Uchime
Special to ASSIST News Service
LA GONÂVE, HAITI (ANS) -- World Vision, a Christian humanitarian organization in partnership with other humanitarian agencies, is scaling up its relief efforts in Haiti and has so far provided a 10-day ration to at least 450 families on the island of La Gonâve to cushion the hard effect of the recent Hurricane Ike.
They have also provided 1,100 hygiene kits to displaced people in the Central Plateau, and clothing and shelter materials to 300 families in Jean Denis, which became cut off from the capital overnight when rains from Hurricane Ike washed out the last remaining bridge into the area.
Speaking on the fourth storm that struck the island country in less than a month, World Vision's National Director in Haiti, Wesley Charles, said that the only good news in Haiti is that Hurricane Ike's path was far enough north that the country did not take another direct hit adding that the rains from Ike have made it even more difficult for aid workers to get into some of the worst flooded areas.
He stated: "Hurricanes Ike, Gustav, Hanna, and Fay, which all struck Haiti within a period of about three weeks, have wiped out bridges and roads, postponed school for at least a month, and perhaps worst of all, damaged the next mango harvest, Haiti's only viable export crop."
"Children played in the filthy water, women were washing clothes and dishes in overflowing streams. The farmland was absolutely drenched. Everything has become waterlogged, making it nearly impossible to cook, even for those who were able to salvage some of their rice," he further said.
According to reports, some 10,000 people were crammed into 115 shelters in the city of Gonâve following the passage of Ike, and only 10 of those shelters had food and also that in the region of Jean Denis, dirty floodwater worsened the situation for desperate families.
It would be recalled that even before the flooding, a stable food supply was out of reach to most Haitian families, as a result of the spiraling global food prices which was caused by a variety of factors, chief among them being the increase in fuel costs.
The prevailing crises therefore has caused devastation to this poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, where many live on less than $2 per day and World Vision staff members there have worked tirelessly to save children teetering on the brink of starvation.
In his own contribution, the World Vision's United States Director of Advocacy and Government Relations, Robert Zachritz, said that the on-going world food crises is a challenge that requires both short and long-term approaches to resolve. "In addition to providing food for urgent hunger needs, it is essential to invest in long-term agricultural development, improve access to credit and to markets for struggling farmers, and to enact fair trade policies."
He noted that World Vision's development programs in its sponsorship projects come alongside families and communities to establish stable food sources and that in communities throughout East Africa, for example, his organization has successfully implemented the long-term agricultural practices to help prevent hunger in this drought-prone region.
"In addition, our food aid programs in more than 30 countries prevent millions from going hungry and suffering the affects of malnutrition. This enables children and their families to continue to fight poverty and build long-term food security, defined by the World Bank as, access by all people at all times to sufficient food for an active and healthy life," Zachritz also said.
Special to ASSIST News Service
LA GONÂVE, HAITI (ANS) -- World Vision, a Christian humanitarian organization in partnership with other humanitarian agencies, is scaling up its relief efforts in Haiti and has so far provided a 10-day ration to at least 450 families on the island of La Gonâve to cushion the hard effect of the recent Hurricane Ike.
They have also provided 1,100 hygiene kits to displaced people in the Central Plateau, and clothing and shelter materials to 300 families in Jean Denis, which became cut off from the capital overnight when rains from Hurricane Ike washed out the last remaining bridge into the area.
Speaking on the fourth storm that struck the island country in less than a month, World Vision's National Director in Haiti, Wesley Charles, said that the only good news in Haiti is that Hurricane Ike's path was far enough north that the country did not take another direct hit adding that the rains from Ike have made it even more difficult for aid workers to get into some of the worst flooded areas.
He stated: "Hurricanes Ike, Gustav, Hanna, and Fay, which all struck Haiti within a period of about three weeks, have wiped out bridges and roads, postponed school for at least a month, and perhaps worst of all, damaged the next mango harvest, Haiti's only viable export crop."
"Children played in the filthy water, women were washing clothes and dishes in overflowing streams. The farmland was absolutely drenched. Everything has become waterlogged, making it nearly impossible to cook, even for those who were able to salvage some of their rice," he further said.
According to reports, some 10,000 people were crammed into 115 shelters in the city of Gonâve following the passage of Ike, and only 10 of those shelters had food and also that in the region of Jean Denis, dirty floodwater worsened the situation for desperate families.
It would be recalled that even before the flooding, a stable food supply was out of reach to most Haitian families, as a result of the spiraling global food prices which was caused by a variety of factors, chief among them being the increase in fuel costs.
The prevailing crises therefore has caused devastation to this poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, where many live on less than $2 per day and World Vision staff members there have worked tirelessly to save children teetering on the brink of starvation.
In his own contribution, the World Vision's United States Director of Advocacy and Government Relations, Robert Zachritz, said that the on-going world food crises is a challenge that requires both short and long-term approaches to resolve. "In addition to providing food for urgent hunger needs, it is essential to invest in long-term agricultural development, improve access to credit and to markets for struggling farmers, and to enact fair trade policies."
He noted that World Vision's development programs in its sponsorship projects come alongside families and communities to establish stable food sources and that in communities throughout East Africa, for example, his organization has successfully implemented the long-term agricultural practices to help prevent hunger in this drought-prone region.
"In addition, our food aid programs in more than 30 countries prevent millions from going hungry and suffering the affects of malnutrition. This enables children and their families to continue to fight poverty and build long-term food security, defined by the World Bank as, access by all people at all times to sufficient food for an active and healthy life," Zachritz also said.
The Homeless are All Around Us
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (ANS) -- He stands on the hot asphalt holding up a handwritten cardboard sign that reads, "Homeless vet; will work for food."
She wheels a rusty shopping cart filled with glass bottles and old newspapers down a crowded downtown street.
They carry a beat-up suitcase, a bedroll, and an infant, and survey the grassy areas of the city park before they spread their blanket under a large maple tree for the night.
As CEO of Joy Junction, a family homeless shelter in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Dr. Jeremy Reynalds has assisted many who have nowhere else to go.
In "We All Need a Little Help," author Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. shares the journeys of some who have traveled, with the help of the Lord and Joy Junction, from destitution and hopelessness to recovery and faith. You'll read about people such as . . .
Jenny, severely abused as a child, who is on the path toward healing
Joe, who was once homeless himself but is now an advocate for the homeless
Scott and Diana, who conquered addiction and found happiness together as a couple
"We All Need a Little Help" puts a face to the homeless struggle. Read the adventures and "divine encounters"-surprising stops along the way that offer lessons on life, love, and God. Your desire to help will be kindled as you learn more about how you can lend a hand.
Dan Wooding, journalist, founder of ASSIST Ministries and ASSIST News Service said reading the stories in "We All Need a Little Help" gives us "a glimpse into the pain-wracked world of the homeless and the reasons why you need to respond with love to them."
Ann Edenfield Sweet, founder/executive director, Wings Ministry said, "These stories put a face on the homeless."
Chaplain Johnny Probst, co-author of the Strangers and Pilgrims book series said, "This book will touch and impact your heart, changing your view of the homeless."
Jeremy Reynalds earned a doctorate in intercultural education from Biola University. He founded, and has directed Joy Junction, the largest homeless shelter in New Mexico, for more than twenty years. He has authored numerous articles and books on the plight of the homeless. Reynalds lives in Albuquerque.
For more information go to www.joyjunction.org
She wheels a rusty shopping cart filled with glass bottles and old newspapers down a crowded downtown street.
They carry a beat-up suitcase, a bedroll, and an infant, and survey the grassy areas of the city park before they spread their blanket under a large maple tree for the night.
As CEO of Joy Junction, a family homeless shelter in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Dr. Jeremy Reynalds has assisted many who have nowhere else to go.
In "We All Need a Little Help," author Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. shares the journeys of some who have traveled, with the help of the Lord and Joy Junction, from destitution and hopelessness to recovery and faith. You'll read about people such as . . .
Jenny, severely abused as a child, who is on the path toward healing
Joe, who was once homeless himself but is now an advocate for the homeless
Scott and Diana, who conquered addiction and found happiness together as a couple
"We All Need a Little Help" puts a face to the homeless struggle. Read the adventures and "divine encounters"-surprising stops along the way that offer lessons on life, love, and God. Your desire to help will be kindled as you learn more about how you can lend a hand.
Dan Wooding, journalist, founder of ASSIST Ministries and ASSIST News Service said reading the stories in "We All Need a Little Help" gives us "a glimpse into the pain-wracked world of the homeless and the reasons why you need to respond with love to them."
Ann Edenfield Sweet, founder/executive director, Wings Ministry said, "These stories put a face on the homeless."
Chaplain Johnny Probst, co-author of the Strangers and Pilgrims book series said, "This book will touch and impact your heart, changing your view of the homeless."
Jeremy Reynalds earned a doctorate in intercultural education from Biola University. He founded, and has directed Joy Junction, the largest homeless shelter in New Mexico, for more than twenty years. He has authored numerous articles and books on the plight of the homeless. Reynalds lives in Albuquerque.
For more information go to www.joyjunction.org
Friday, September 26, 2008
Christian Music Festival Banned in Belarus
BELARUS (ANS) -- An Belarusian ideology official in Borisov (Minsk Region) halted a Christian music festival minutes before it was about to begin.
According to a story by Geraldine Fagan writing for the Forum 18 News Service, overtly Christian bands such as Salvation - which was due to headline the Sept. 16 first evening of the Borisov event - have not previously been targeted by the authorities. Some are even among Belarus' most popular performers.
Belarus is located in Eastern Europe, east of Poland
The six-day free festival - a local Catholic initiative in conjunction with Orthodox and Protestants - "was to be our joint witness to Borisov, to show we're not just on our own, but believe in one God," Father Zbigniew Grygorcewicz, one of the organizers, told Forum 18.
More than 30 Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant bands from across Belarus whose music mainly deals with Christian themes had agreed to play for free at the festival, Grygorcewicz told Forum 18. Three concerts a day were planned for children, adults and young people, 20,000 invitations had been sent out and 5,000 balloons ordered for the children, he said.
The organizers obtained written state permission for the festival - in accordance with the 2003 Demonstrations Law - a week beforehand, Grygorcewicz emphasized to Forum 18. According to Article 6 of that Law, the authorities must notify the organizers in writing no later than five days in advance should they not permit an event, giving reasons for their decision.
Grygorcewicz told Forum 18 that about ten minutes before the first concert was to begin, however, the head of Borisov Municipal Executive Committee's Ideology Department, Lyudmila Gornak, arrived at the marquee venue, announced the event was banned and then left.
Forum 18 said that according to the Catholic priest, following prayer by church leaders, Psalmyary (Psalmists), the band scheduled to open the festival - played one song called "There is a God in Belarus." The organizers then distributed copies of John's Gospel to the approximately 500 people in the audience before closing up the event.
Grygorcewicz told Forum 18 that subsequently, state representatives claimed the original permission was no longer valid, that they had made a mistake in granting it, and that not everything was in order with the event's preparations, but did not elaborate further.
"When you organize something like this you also need approval from the police, fire service, health and safety officers," the priest explained to Forum 18. He added, "But we had all of that."
The Christian festival was not banned but put on hold, Lyudmila Gornak, the local ideology official, emphasized to Forum 18. She said this was because the organizers' application for permission to hold the event did not correspond with legal requirements.
Asked by Forum 18 to explain, Gornak said the application contained "mistakes." when asked for examples, she claimed she had told the organizers what they were, that they had agreed with her and did not have any further complaint.
The Christian festival was to be the first event of its kind in Borisov, and the churches will try to hold it again, Forum 18 reported Grygorcewicz said. The organizers are currently considering filing suit for compensation.
Forum 18 said Grygorcewicz replaced Father Robert Krzywicki, another Polish priest, after he was expelled from Belarus without explanation at the end of 2005.
Krzywicki had headed Borisov's Descent of the Holy Spirit Roman Catholic parish for more than a decade. Shortly after leaving, he Robert told Forum 18 that he attributed his expulsion to his work with young people in the town - both Catholics and non-Catholics - and his involvement with other Christian Churches in ecumenical and humanitarian events.
Forum 18 said that a little over half of Belarus' 381 Catholic priests are foreigners, most of whom are Polish. Under a Jan. 30 decree decree controlling foreign clergy, they may conduct religious activity only within houses of worship belonging to or premises continuously rented by their community.
The transfer of foreign religious personnel from one religious organization to another, such as between parishes, requires permission from the appropriate state official dealing with religious affairs, even for a single worship service.
Forum 18 said that during a recent official visit to Belarus, Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone gave Plenipotentiary for Religious and Ethnic Affairs Leonid Gulyako the thanks of Pope Benedict XVI "for the religious liberty that Belarus enjoys," according to the official website of the Catholic Church in Belarus.
Forum 18 said the cardinal also told a June 22 news conference that he believes the 2002 Religion Law to be "a good law reflecting the necessary protection and respect for the rights of the five main confessions traditional to Belarus."
Forum 18 said in what they believe to be "the largest non-political civil campaign in Belarusian history," Catholics, Orthodox and Protestants collected a 50,000 signature petition against the 2002 Law in 2007-08. They affirmed that "we are defending the rights of all Christians (Orthodox, Catholics, Protestants), all citizens of Belarus. The Law violates the rights of all people, even atheists."
Forum 18 said that taking note of Belarusian human rights defenders' concerns, a May 22 2008 European Parliament resolution "deeply regrets the 2002 Law on Freedom of Religion and Religious Organizations, which contravenes international principles of religious freedom and human rights, including those laid out in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)."
It recognizes that as a result of the Law, "the activities of many religious communities have been restricted and their leaders are being subjected to constant harassment, prosecution, fines, and imprisonment."
The Parliament's resolution also calls on the Belarusian government to revise the 2002 Law and "to restore procedures guaranteeing respect for freedom of religion." (END)
For more background information see Forum 18's Belarus religious freedom survey at www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=888.
Editor's note from Dan Wooding. By way of clarification, ANS has received written permission from Forum 18 New Service to re-work any of their stories so they may reach an even wider audience.
By Jeremy Reynalds
Correspondent for ASSIST News Service
According to a story by Geraldine Fagan writing for the Forum 18 News Service, overtly Christian bands such as Salvation - which was due to headline the Sept. 16 first evening of the Borisov event - have not previously been targeted by the authorities. Some are even among Belarus' most popular performers.
Belarus is located in Eastern Europe, east of Poland
The six-day free festival - a local Catholic initiative in conjunction with Orthodox and Protestants - "was to be our joint witness to Borisov, to show we're not just on our own, but believe in one God," Father Zbigniew Grygorcewicz, one of the organizers, told Forum 18.
More than 30 Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant bands from across Belarus whose music mainly deals with Christian themes had agreed to play for free at the festival, Grygorcewicz told Forum 18. Three concerts a day were planned for children, adults and young people, 20,000 invitations had been sent out and 5,000 balloons ordered for the children, he said.
The organizers obtained written state permission for the festival - in accordance with the 2003 Demonstrations Law - a week beforehand, Grygorcewicz emphasized to Forum 18. According to Article 6 of that Law, the authorities must notify the organizers in writing no later than five days in advance should they not permit an event, giving reasons for their decision.
Grygorcewicz told Forum 18 that about ten minutes before the first concert was to begin, however, the head of Borisov Municipal Executive Committee's Ideology Department, Lyudmila Gornak, arrived at the marquee venue, announced the event was banned and then left.
Forum 18 said that according to the Catholic priest, following prayer by church leaders, Psalmyary (Psalmists), the band scheduled to open the festival - played one song called "There is a God in Belarus." The organizers then distributed copies of John's Gospel to the approximately 500 people in the audience before closing up the event.
Grygorcewicz told Forum 18 that subsequently, state representatives claimed the original permission was no longer valid, that they had made a mistake in granting it, and that not everything was in order with the event's preparations, but did not elaborate further.
"When you organize something like this you also need approval from the police, fire service, health and safety officers," the priest explained to Forum 18. He added, "But we had all of that."
The Christian festival was not banned but put on hold, Lyudmila Gornak, the local ideology official, emphasized to Forum 18. She said this was because the organizers' application for permission to hold the event did not correspond with legal requirements.
Asked by Forum 18 to explain, Gornak said the application contained "mistakes." when asked for examples, she claimed she had told the organizers what they were, that they had agreed with her and did not have any further complaint.
The Christian festival was to be the first event of its kind in Borisov, and the churches will try to hold it again, Forum 18 reported Grygorcewicz said. The organizers are currently considering filing suit for compensation.
Forum 18 said Grygorcewicz replaced Father Robert Krzywicki, another Polish priest, after he was expelled from Belarus without explanation at the end of 2005.
Krzywicki had headed Borisov's Descent of the Holy Spirit Roman Catholic parish for more than a decade. Shortly after leaving, he Robert told Forum 18 that he attributed his expulsion to his work with young people in the town - both Catholics and non-Catholics - and his involvement with other Christian Churches in ecumenical and humanitarian events.
Forum 18 said that a little over half of Belarus' 381 Catholic priests are foreigners, most of whom are Polish. Under a Jan. 30 decree decree controlling foreign clergy, they may conduct religious activity only within houses of worship belonging to or premises continuously rented by their community.
The transfer of foreign religious personnel from one religious organization to another, such as between parishes, requires permission from the appropriate state official dealing with religious affairs, even for a single worship service.
Forum 18 said that during a recent official visit to Belarus, Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone gave Plenipotentiary for Religious and Ethnic Affairs Leonid Gulyako the thanks of Pope Benedict XVI "for the religious liberty that Belarus enjoys," according to the official website of the Catholic Church in Belarus.
Forum 18 said the cardinal also told a June 22 news conference that he believes the 2002 Religion Law to be "a good law reflecting the necessary protection and respect for the rights of the five main confessions traditional to Belarus."
Forum 18 said in what they believe to be "the largest non-political civil campaign in Belarusian history," Catholics, Orthodox and Protestants collected a 50,000 signature petition against the 2002 Law in 2007-08. They affirmed that "we are defending the rights of all Christians (Orthodox, Catholics, Protestants), all citizens of Belarus. The Law violates the rights of all people, even atheists."
Forum 18 said that taking note of Belarusian human rights defenders' concerns, a May 22 2008 European Parliament resolution "deeply regrets the 2002 Law on Freedom of Religion and Religious Organizations, which contravenes international principles of religious freedom and human rights, including those laid out in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)."
It recognizes that as a result of the Law, "the activities of many religious communities have been restricted and their leaders are being subjected to constant harassment, prosecution, fines, and imprisonment."
The Parliament's resolution also calls on the Belarusian government to revise the 2002 Law and "to restore procedures guaranteeing respect for freedom of religion." (END)
For more background information see Forum 18's Belarus religious freedom survey at www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=888.
Editor's note from Dan Wooding. By way of clarification, ANS has received written permission from Forum 18 New Service to re-work any of their stories so they may reach an even wider audience.
By Jeremy Reynalds
Correspondent for ASSIST News Service
Monday, September 22, 2008
Iran: Parliament passes apostasy death bill
AUSTRALIA (ANS) -- That apostasy (leaving Islam) is an enormously risky even deadly business in any Muslim country is not news to any apostate or to any serious religious liberty observer. That the United Nations High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR) does not always share this view however is news to many.
ISLAM RETURNS
Traditional Sharia Law mandates death for apostates based on the Hadith (saying of Muhammad) "Whoever changes his Islamic religion, kill him." (Sahih Al-Bukhari Vol. 9:57).
The decline of Islamic political power, particularly after World Wars 1 and 2, the subsequent rise of secular Arab nationalism, and leverage afforded to the USA due to its economic power led to this practice being largely abandoned at the state level. Whilst apostates were frequently murdered either out of religious hatred or for the sake of "honour", they were not executed by states that were under Western mandates, pursuing secularism and dependent on Western aid and trade.
But times have changed. An international revival of Sunni Wahhabism has been riding on the back of Saudi Arabian oil profits since the late 1970s. Furthermore, decades of brutal, repressive, corrupt dictatorships and declining living standards primed the Muslim masses for the "democracy" coming their way. Now, as soon as the opportunity presents, it appears that Muslims are ready to test the Muslim Brotherhood's assertion that "Islam is the solution".
Meanwhile, the Shi'ite revolutionaries of 1979, after being exhausted by the Iran-Iraq war and then constrained by a western bulwark (Saddam Hussein's Iraq), are now liberated, empowered, bursting with apocalyptic zeal and driven by the scent of Islamic leadership and ascendancy.
After centuries of decline and decades in the cupboard, Islam has returned!
Now Iran is in the process of legislating to make apostasy and promoting apostasy (including through the Internet) mandatory capital offences in the name of protecting the State's "mental security". This shows the degree to which the balance of power has shifted. Clearly the clerics in charge of the Iranian police state do not feel threatened by, nor do they care about, Western displeasure. In fact making the death sentence mandatory for apostasy and promoting apostasy is a very powerful way for ascendant Iran to make an offensiv e gesture to the USA, the rival power it is gradually replacing as hegemon in Iraq and the wider Middle East. It is a sign of supreme self-confidence.
Further to this, it is also a reactionary response to the reality that Iranian Muslims, fed up with and distressed by seemingly endless poverty and repression, are leaving Islam in increasing numbers. A recent sermon by an Iranian Shia Imam reveals how concerned the authorities are about the apostasy phenomenon and how determined they are to crush it. A Youtube clip shows a portion of a television broadcast of a sermon by an Iranian Shia mullah who is instructing the faithful not to worry about recruiting Sunnis, Christians and Zoroastrians into Shi'ism. For, he warns, he has travelled the country and the greatest danger is that of apostasy, especially young Iranian Shi'a youths converting to Zoroastrianism, the ancient religion of pre-Islamic Persia. "Don't let our Shi'a youth leave our faith", he thunders. (Link 1)
IRAN, APOSTASY AND THE UN HCR
Yet over recent years several Western countries have been returning Iranian Christian asylum seekers, including apostates, to Iran on the basis that the UNHCR claims they will not be persecuted.
UNHCR TAKE NOTE: As Christian Solidarity Worldwide reports, "The Iranian Parliament voted on Tuesday [9 Sep] in favour of a bill stipulating the death penalty for apostasy. The bill was approved by 196 votes for, seven against, and two abstentions.
"The progress of this bill through the Iranian Parliament is a cause of grave concern for increasing numbers of Iranians who have left Islam for another religion, and a significant backwards step for human rights in Iran. The draft bill will add a number of crimes to the list of those resulting in execution, among them; 'establishing weblogs and sites promoting corruption, prostitution and apostasy'." (Link 2)
The Khaleej Times (Dubai) in July reported the bill states that those convicted of these crimes "should be punished as 'mohareb' (enemy of God) and 'corrupt on the earth'". The bill also stipulates that the punishment handed out in these cases "cannot be commuted, suspended or changed". (Link 3)
As the Khaleek Times notes: "Internet is widely used in Iran despite restrictions on access and the blocking of thousands of websites with a sexual content or deemed as insulting religious sanctities and promoting political dissent. Blogging is also very popular among cyber-savvy young Iranians, some openly discussing their private lives or criticising the system."
The Defenders of Human Rights Centre, which is run by Iranian Nobel peace laureate Shirin Ebadi, warned in July: "If this bill is adopted, there will be further infringement of the freedom of expression, citizens' judicial security will be jeopardised and executions will increase." (Link 4)
IMMEDIATE IMPLICATIONS
. . . INSIDE IRAN
On 10 September Compass Direct (CD) reported that two Iranian Christians have now officially been charged with "apostasy".
Mahmood Matin Azad (52) and Arash Basirat (44) have been in prison since their arrest in Shiraz on 15 May "on suspicion of apostasy". The two men were later charged with "Propaganda Against the Islamic Republic of Iran".
CD reports: "When their lawyer went to authorities to inquire about the case in early August, he was informed that the two men had been formally charged with apostasy.
"Sources who spoke to the two Christians' defence lawyer explained that a written order of the formal charge of apostasy was unusual and an indication of the severity and complexity of the case.
"With the apostasy bill debated in Parliament, some Iranian Christians fear that authorities are seeking to make an example of the two prisoners or give the prospective law a 'test run'." (Link 5)
. . . AND OUTSIDE IRAN
The UNHCR and all Western governments must observe that this bill mandating death for apostasy and promoting apostasy passed easily through the Iranian parliament. The vote cle arly proves that Iranian authorities overwhelmingly believe that apostates and those who promote apostasy should die. Even if the Guardian Council does not pass the bill into law (for whatever reason) it may be assumed that those who take the implementation of Sharia law into their own hands will not be prosecuted by this regime. Apostates who have left Islam will have no security. This fact must be allowed to impact refugee claims.
Two cases presently before the courts in New Zealand perfectly demonstrate the problem faced by numerous Iranian Christian asylum seekers.
Thomas Yadegary is an Iranian convert to Christianity. He arrived in New Zealand in 1993 and had been working for years as a chef when in November 2004, after his final appeal for refugee status was declined, Yadegary was issued with a deportation order. Yadegary was then arrested after he refused to sign an application for an Iranian passport. In early April 2007, after 29 months behind bars, Yadegary was released on bail after a court hearing, the det ails of which were suppressed pending a government appeal. (Link 6)
Miss Bahareh Moradi, another Iranian convert to Christianity, is also fighting deportation. Her pastor, Rev. Rinny Westra of St Aidan's Presbyterian Church, says he has seen Immigration New Zealand targeting Iranian converts for harsh treatment.
Scoop Independent news reports: "Mr Westra says Miss Moradi's case is one of a series where Iranian Christians have been unreasonably rejected by Immigration.
"He points to Christian convert Ali Pannah, who went on a hunger strike in prison to avoid deportation, and Majid Mohebbi, who he says was whipped after being deported.
"'In mid-April an Iranian man who claims to be a Christian was deported after visiting Miss Moradi's brother Hamid,' says Mr Westra. "In all their cases their pastors vouched for the truth of their conversions." (Link 7)
UNHCR
According to the article "Pastor speaks against immigration 'persecution'" (at link 6), the Labour Department, whic h oversees Immigration NZ, rejects the claims that Iranian Muslims who convert to Christianity face persecution in Iran. In its statement the Labour Department asserts: "Neither the United Nations High Commission for Refugees nor the government's own sources support the contention that all Christians face danger, on the basis of religion, if they are returned to Iran."
When the New Zealand Parliament sat in April, the Minister for Immigration, the Hon. Clayton Cosgrove, was asked to comment on the government's recent decision to order the deportation of Miss Bahareh Moradi.
Now the Refugee Status Appeals Authority had expressed doubts about the genuineness of various conversions despite detailed evidence to the contrary from clergy and pastoral workers from the Catholic, Anglican, Presbyterian and Pentecostal Churches. However Mr Cosgrove said the genuineness of a conversion was irrelevant, because the issue is whether the fear of persecution is well founded and, he reports, according to the UNHCR it is not.
"We are reliant on the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for advice," said Cosgrove. "We are reliant on the members of the Refugee Status Appeals Authority as independent individuals to make those judgments. They assess all the facts. They receive representations from qualified and unqualified stakeholders, and they make decisions in an independent way.
"We are governed by the advice of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, not vested interest groups, and not representations from others, though they are taken into account. To date, despite what the member says, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees does not support the contention that Christians face these dangers if returned to Iran. However, if it was to be the case that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees changed its view . . . then of course New Zealand, being governed by its international obligations, would indeed consider that change. I note, though, that the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Australia, and other countries ha ve faced similar issues of repatriating Iranians who have hindered their departure. These countries have found that Iranians who are returned to Iran are unlikely, despite their alleged conversion to Christianity, or other claims, to be subjected to persecution." (Link 8, Hansard; for the full transcript of the debate in the NZ parliament: "Refugee Status Appeals Authority-Conversion to Christianity".) The New Zealand parliament next sits on Tuesday 23 September 2008.
The opinion of the UNHCR carries considerable weight in Refugee Review Tribunals. Therefore the UNHCR should cast off all political correctness and instead catch up with and embrace the challenge of reality: that due to the violent, repressive, rights-abusing nature of Sharia Law, non-Muslims -- in particularly apostates, who are in effect "religious-dissidents" -- seeking refugee status on religious grounds should never be forced to return to Islamic states. Their fear of persecution is very well founded indeed.
By Elizabeth Kendal
World Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty Commission (WEA RLC)
Special to ASSIST News Service
ISLAM RETURNS
Traditional Sharia Law mandates death for apostates based on the Hadith (saying of Muhammad) "Whoever changes his Islamic religion, kill him." (Sahih Al-Bukhari Vol. 9:57).
The decline of Islamic political power, particularly after World Wars 1 and 2, the subsequent rise of secular Arab nationalism, and leverage afforded to the USA due to its economic power led to this practice being largely abandoned at the state level. Whilst apostates were frequently murdered either out of religious hatred or for the sake of "honour", they were not executed by states that were under Western mandates, pursuing secularism and dependent on Western aid and trade.
But times have changed. An international revival of Sunni Wahhabism has been riding on the back of Saudi Arabian oil profits since the late 1970s. Furthermore, decades of brutal, repressive, corrupt dictatorships and declining living standards primed the Muslim masses for the "democracy" coming their way. Now, as soon as the opportunity presents, it appears that Muslims are ready to test the Muslim Brotherhood's assertion that "Islam is the solution".
Meanwhile, the Shi'ite revolutionaries of 1979, after being exhausted by the Iran-Iraq war and then constrained by a western bulwark (Saddam Hussein's Iraq), are now liberated, empowered, bursting with apocalyptic zeal and driven by the scent of Islamic leadership and ascendancy.
After centuries of decline and decades in the cupboard, Islam has returned!
Now Iran is in the process of legislating to make apostasy and promoting apostasy (including through the Internet) mandatory capital offences in the name of protecting the State's "mental security". This shows the degree to which the balance of power has shifted. Clearly the clerics in charge of the Iranian police state do not feel threatened by, nor do they care about, Western displeasure. In fact making the death sentence mandatory for apostasy and promoting apostasy is a very powerful way for ascendant Iran to make an offensiv e gesture to the USA, the rival power it is gradually replacing as hegemon in Iraq and the wider Middle East. It is a sign of supreme self-confidence.
Further to this, it is also a reactionary response to the reality that Iranian Muslims, fed up with and distressed by seemingly endless poverty and repression, are leaving Islam in increasing numbers. A recent sermon by an Iranian Shia Imam reveals how concerned the authorities are about the apostasy phenomenon and how determined they are to crush it. A Youtube clip shows a portion of a television broadcast of a sermon by an Iranian Shia mullah who is instructing the faithful not to worry about recruiting Sunnis, Christians and Zoroastrians into Shi'ism. For, he warns, he has travelled the country and the greatest danger is that of apostasy, especially young Iranian Shi'a youths converting to Zoroastrianism, the ancient religion of pre-Islamic Persia. "Don't let our Shi'a youth leave our faith", he thunders. (Link 1)
IRAN, APOSTASY AND THE UN HCR
Yet over recent years several Western countries have been returning Iranian Christian asylum seekers, including apostates, to Iran on the basis that the UNHCR claims they will not be persecuted.
UNHCR TAKE NOTE: As Christian Solidarity Worldwide reports, "The Iranian Parliament voted on Tuesday [9 Sep] in favour of a bill stipulating the death penalty for apostasy. The bill was approved by 196 votes for, seven against, and two abstentions.
"The progress of this bill through the Iranian Parliament is a cause of grave concern for increasing numbers of Iranians who have left Islam for another religion, and a significant backwards step for human rights in Iran. The draft bill will add a number of crimes to the list of those resulting in execution, among them; 'establishing weblogs and sites promoting corruption, prostitution and apostasy'." (Link 2)
The Khaleej Times (Dubai) in July reported the bill states that those convicted of these crimes "should be punished as 'mohareb' (enemy of God) and 'corrupt on the earth'". The bill also stipulates that the punishment handed out in these cases "cannot be commuted, suspended or changed". (Link 3)
As the Khaleek Times notes: "Internet is widely used in Iran despite restrictions on access and the blocking of thousands of websites with a sexual content or deemed as insulting religious sanctities and promoting political dissent. Blogging is also very popular among cyber-savvy young Iranians, some openly discussing their private lives or criticising the system."
The Defenders of Human Rights Centre, which is run by Iranian Nobel peace laureate Shirin Ebadi, warned in July: "If this bill is adopted, there will be further infringement of the freedom of expression, citizens' judicial security will be jeopardised and executions will increase." (Link 4)
IMMEDIATE IMPLICATIONS
. . . INSIDE IRAN
On 10 September Compass Direct (CD) reported that two Iranian Christians have now officially been charged with "apostasy".
Mahmood Matin Azad (52) and Arash Basirat (44) have been in prison since their arrest in Shiraz on 15 May "on suspicion of apostasy". The two men were later charged with "Propaganda Against the Islamic Republic of Iran".
CD reports: "When their lawyer went to authorities to inquire about the case in early August, he was informed that the two men had been formally charged with apostasy.
"Sources who spoke to the two Christians' defence lawyer explained that a written order of the formal charge of apostasy was unusual and an indication of the severity and complexity of the case.
"With the apostasy bill debated in Parliament, some Iranian Christians fear that authorities are seeking to make an example of the two prisoners or give the prospective law a 'test run'." (Link 5)
. . . AND OUTSIDE IRAN
The UNHCR and all Western governments must observe that this bill mandating death for apostasy and promoting apostasy passed easily through the Iranian parliament. The vote cle arly proves that Iranian authorities overwhelmingly believe that apostates and those who promote apostasy should die. Even if the Guardian Council does not pass the bill into law (for whatever reason) it may be assumed that those who take the implementation of Sharia law into their own hands will not be prosecuted by this regime. Apostates who have left Islam will have no security. This fact must be allowed to impact refugee claims.
Two cases presently before the courts in New Zealand perfectly demonstrate the problem faced by numerous Iranian Christian asylum seekers.
Thomas Yadegary is an Iranian convert to Christianity. He arrived in New Zealand in 1993 and had been working for years as a chef when in November 2004, after his final appeal for refugee status was declined, Yadegary was issued with a deportation order. Yadegary was then arrested after he refused to sign an application for an Iranian passport. In early April 2007, after 29 months behind bars, Yadegary was released on bail after a court hearing, the det ails of which were suppressed pending a government appeal. (Link 6)
Miss Bahareh Moradi, another Iranian convert to Christianity, is also fighting deportation. Her pastor, Rev. Rinny Westra of St Aidan's Presbyterian Church, says he has seen Immigration New Zealand targeting Iranian converts for harsh treatment.
Scoop Independent news reports: "Mr Westra says Miss Moradi's case is one of a series where Iranian Christians have been unreasonably rejected by Immigration.
"He points to Christian convert Ali Pannah, who went on a hunger strike in prison to avoid deportation, and Majid Mohebbi, who he says was whipped after being deported.
"'In mid-April an Iranian man who claims to be a Christian was deported after visiting Miss Moradi's brother Hamid,' says Mr Westra. "In all their cases their pastors vouched for the truth of their conversions." (Link 7)
UNHCR
According to the article "Pastor speaks against immigration 'persecution'" (at link 6), the Labour Department, whic h oversees Immigration NZ, rejects the claims that Iranian Muslims who convert to Christianity face persecution in Iran. In its statement the Labour Department asserts: "Neither the United Nations High Commission for Refugees nor the government's own sources support the contention that all Christians face danger, on the basis of religion, if they are returned to Iran."
When the New Zealand Parliament sat in April, the Minister for Immigration, the Hon. Clayton Cosgrove, was asked to comment on the government's recent decision to order the deportation of Miss Bahareh Moradi.
Now the Refugee Status Appeals Authority had expressed doubts about the genuineness of various conversions despite detailed evidence to the contrary from clergy and pastoral workers from the Catholic, Anglican, Presbyterian and Pentecostal Churches. However Mr Cosgrove said the genuineness of a conversion was irrelevant, because the issue is whether the fear of persecution is well founded and, he reports, according to the UNHCR it is not.
"We are reliant on the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for advice," said Cosgrove. "We are reliant on the members of the Refugee Status Appeals Authority as independent individuals to make those judgments. They assess all the facts. They receive representations from qualified and unqualified stakeholders, and they make decisions in an independent way.
"We are governed by the advice of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, not vested interest groups, and not representations from others, though they are taken into account. To date, despite what the member says, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees does not support the contention that Christians face these dangers if returned to Iran. However, if it was to be the case that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees changed its view . . . then of course New Zealand, being governed by its international obligations, would indeed consider that change. I note, though, that the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Australia, and other countries ha ve faced similar issues of repatriating Iranians who have hindered their departure. These countries have found that Iranians who are returned to Iran are unlikely, despite their alleged conversion to Christianity, or other claims, to be subjected to persecution." (Link 8, Hansard; for the full transcript of the debate in the NZ parliament: "Refugee Status Appeals Authority-Conversion to Christianity".) The New Zealand parliament next sits on Tuesday 23 September 2008.
The opinion of the UNHCR carries considerable weight in Refugee Review Tribunals. Therefore the UNHCR should cast off all political correctness and instead catch up with and embrace the challenge of reality: that due to the violent, repressive, rights-abusing nature of Sharia Law, non-Muslims -- in particularly apostates, who are in effect "religious-dissidents" -- seeking refugee status on religious grounds should never be forced to return to Islamic states. Their fear of persecution is very well founded indeed.
By Elizabeth Kendal
World Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty Commission (WEA RLC)
Special to ASSIST News Service
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Over 15000 protest impunity for Hindutva extremists in Massive rally held in Andhra Pradesh
NEW DELHI, INDIA (ANS) -- All India Christian Council (aicc) has organized a Mega public meeting at Gymkhana Grounds at 10 am on Saturday, September 20, followed by a Massive Rally in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh.
This rally was held in protest to the atrocities and havoc created by the members of the Sangh Parivar organizations since August 23, 2008, in Orissa, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and other states. Over one hundred churches were burnt and over 60,000 thousand Christians displaced in this communal violence in six states across India.
Over 15,000 people attended this Mega Rally in large numbers representing all the 24 districts of Andhra Pradesh. Leaders of all major political parties participated in the rally. Also Sikhs, Buddhists, progressive Hindus, and Muslims participated and extended their solidarity and support for the Christians who were victimized across India.
Dr. Sam Paul, aicc National Secretary of Public Affairs, said, “The Central Government is not acting on the violence against Christians as it supposed to act. We demand that the government should impose a ban on Sangh sponsored groups like VHP, Bajrangdal, and RSS. Provocative statements by certain fundamentalist Hindutva leaders have saddened the vast majority of Hindus as well as minority communities. These extremist groups have committed unprovoked attacks against Christians and falsely accused them of “conversions”. Responsible leaders should unconditionally condemn the murder of any Indian citizen – including Christians.”
The aicc leaders remarked once again that the majority of attacks in Karnataka occurred on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2008, in coastal areas. In Orissa, the aicc estimates 50,000 Christians are displaced with 14,000 in government relief camps, 35 people killed including two pastors, and over 4,000 Christian homes destroyed by arson. The violence, which at one point spread across 12 of 30 districts in the state, now seems to be contained to Kandhamal District.
National Congress Party Mr. B. Manikya Varaprasad, Member of Legislative Assembly, said that the Central Government had taken the issue very seriously and had discussed it at length in the Congress Working Committee. Mrs. Shankuntala, Prajaraajyam Party representative, Mr. Jelli Wilson, M.L.C. of Communist Party of India, members of the Telugu Desam Party, and other political parties participated in the Mega Rally and condemned attacks against Christians.
All the political party leaders unanimously condemned the violence and declared that the state governments of Orissa and Karnataka are responsible for the recent attacks on Christians. They expressed that the central government should ban the Hindutva organisations like VHP, Bajrangdal, and RSS. And also they demanded that Presidential Rule be imposed on both Orissa and Karnataka states. The leaders, in the midst of differences, extended their full support to protect the democracy of India.
The All India Christian Council (www.aiccindia.org), birthed in 1998, exists to protect and serve the Christian community, minorities, and the oppressed castes. The aicc is a coalition of thousands of Indian denominations, organizations, and lay leaders.
ASSIST News Service (ANS) - PO Box 609, Lake Forest, CA 92609-0609 USA
This rally was held in protest to the atrocities and havoc created by the members of the Sangh Parivar organizations since August 23, 2008, in Orissa, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and other states. Over one hundred churches were burnt and over 60,000 thousand Christians displaced in this communal violence in six states across India.
Over 15,000 people attended this Mega Rally in large numbers representing all the 24 districts of Andhra Pradesh. Leaders of all major political parties participated in the rally. Also Sikhs, Buddhists, progressive Hindus, and Muslims participated and extended their solidarity and support for the Christians who were victimized across India.
Dr. Sam Paul, aicc National Secretary of Public Affairs, said, “The Central Government is not acting on the violence against Christians as it supposed to act. We demand that the government should impose a ban on Sangh sponsored groups like VHP, Bajrangdal, and RSS. Provocative statements by certain fundamentalist Hindutva leaders have saddened the vast majority of Hindus as well as minority communities. These extremist groups have committed unprovoked attacks against Christians and falsely accused them of “conversions”. Responsible leaders should unconditionally condemn the murder of any Indian citizen – including Christians.”
The aicc leaders remarked once again that the majority of attacks in Karnataka occurred on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2008, in coastal areas. In Orissa, the aicc estimates 50,000 Christians are displaced with 14,000 in government relief camps, 35 people killed including two pastors, and over 4,000 Christian homes destroyed by arson. The violence, which at one point spread across 12 of 30 districts in the state, now seems to be contained to Kandhamal District.
National Congress Party Mr. B. Manikya Varaprasad, Member of Legislative Assembly, said that the Central Government had taken the issue very seriously and had discussed it at length in the Congress Working Committee. Mrs. Shankuntala, Prajaraajyam Party representative, Mr. Jelli Wilson, M.L.C. of Communist Party of India, members of the Telugu Desam Party, and other political parties participated in the Mega Rally and condemned attacks against Christians.
All the political party leaders unanimously condemned the violence and declared that the state governments of Orissa and Karnataka are responsible for the recent attacks on Christians. They expressed that the central government should ban the Hindutva organisations like VHP, Bajrangdal, and RSS. And also they demanded that Presidential Rule be imposed on both Orissa and Karnataka states. The leaders, in the midst of differences, extended their full support to protect the democracy of India.
The All India Christian Council (www.aiccindia.org), birthed in 1998, exists to protect and serve the Christian community, minorities, and the oppressed castes. The aicc is a coalition of thousands of Indian denominations, organizations, and lay leaders.
ASSIST News Service (ANS) - PO Box 609, Lake Forest, CA 92609-0609 USA
Friday, September 19, 2008
INDIA (ANS) -- Rebel groups continue to burn and loot churches and attack Christians in Orissa and Karnataka, India, while new attacks are being reported in Uttar Pradesh and Kerala. While the attacks continue, the death toll among believers continues to rise as they struggle to survive in refugee camps where access to clean water and safe food is severely limited.
New Attacks in Uttar Pradesh
The latest report of violence came September 16 in Uttar Pradesh, a state in north central India, when four GFA missionaries were attacked while handing out tracts. Hindu extremists confronted the missionaries, grabbed their cell phones and used them to make threatening phone calls to the GFA state office. They vehemently told the men to "stop converting Hindus into Christianity" and mercilessly beat the missionaries.
A missionary school in Kerala was also attacked September 15, according to a report issued by the Evangelical Fellowship of India.
Orissa in Crisis
The situation is even grimmer in Orissa, where Hindu radicals have been on a rampage since August 22. This week, a mob estimated to be 500 people attacked a police station, killing one officer and taking several others hostage. The BBC reports that the incident is thought to be in retaliation for police opening fire on a group of Hindu protestors over the weekend. Four people died, and many others were injured in the ensuing melee.
The protestors were reported to have been on a rampage burning down homes and prayer halls in the village of Kurtamgarh. When police tried to disperse the crowd, someone in the group fired a shot and injured an officer. Police say they were forced to open fire to control the situation.
Attacks against Christians in Orissa were commonplace, but they intensified into an organized ethnic cleansing in late August after a prominent, vocal anti-Christian Hindu leader was murdered. The Maoists have repeatedly claimed responsibility for his death, but a radical fringe of his followers blamed Christians as an excuse to incite a violent rampage of burning and looting churches and burning Christians.
It is estimated that more than half of the 100,000 Christians in the state's Kandhamal district are now homeless. At least 20 people have been killed in the violence. Several Gospel for Asia missionaries are missing.
Thousands of Christians are living in relief camps or hiding out in Orissa's dense jungles. Even if the violence stopped today, they would not be able to leave their temporary shelters. Their homes have been destroyed-burned to the ground in most cases-and they have been told by their fellow villagers that they are not welcome to return to the community.
The situation in the relief camps is horrifying, according to GFA leaders.
"People are dying in the relief camps because of contaminated food and water," one leader said. "The militants are trying to stop relief from getting to the Christians. They are even coming into the relief camps torturing the people and taking away the supplies."
A GFA missionary stands in front of the charred doors of his church. Hindu extremists tried to burn it down, but the fire was put out before it spread to the rest of the building.
The leader said there has been one positive ray of hope in the midst of the carnage.
"The churches are coming together in unity. And it is only when the Christians come together in unity and prayer that anything will change," he said. "Our real fight is not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual things that we cannot see. But we can only deal with it through prayer and waiting upon the Lord."
Karnataka Protests
The city of Mangalore, in Karnataka on India's west coast, remains on a near shutdown as people protest the recent attacks on Christians and their places of worship. The Hindu extremists have attacked congregations three Sundays in a row. A Gospel for Asia missionary serves as pastor of one of the churches that was attacked on Sunday, September 14. The church was ransacked and set on fire, but the fire was put out before any significant damage could be done.
The rebels have also made numerous terroristic threats against churches throughout the state.
More than 50 people have been arrested in relation to the attacks, but this has not stopped the violence. Churches in Karnataka are now meeting under serious threats.
GFA missionaries in these areas shared the following prayer request:
. Pray for continued unity among Christians.
. Ask the Lord to send provision to the people hiding in the jungles and living in relief camps.
. Pray for protection of the missionaries and their families who are being targeted by the extremists.
. Pray for wisdom and discernment for GFA's state and regional leaders as they respond to the crisis.
. Pray for the persecutors, that they would come to know Christ.
ASSIST News Service (ANS) - PO Box 609, Lake Forest, CA 92609-0609 USA
New Attacks in Uttar Pradesh
The latest report of violence came September 16 in Uttar Pradesh, a state in north central India, when four GFA missionaries were attacked while handing out tracts. Hindu extremists confronted the missionaries, grabbed their cell phones and used them to make threatening phone calls to the GFA state office. They vehemently told the men to "stop converting Hindus into Christianity" and mercilessly beat the missionaries.
A missionary school in Kerala was also attacked September 15, according to a report issued by the Evangelical Fellowship of India.
Orissa in Crisis
The situation is even grimmer in Orissa, where Hindu radicals have been on a rampage since August 22. This week, a mob estimated to be 500 people attacked a police station, killing one officer and taking several others hostage. The BBC reports that the incident is thought to be in retaliation for police opening fire on a group of Hindu protestors over the weekend. Four people died, and many others were injured in the ensuing melee.
The protestors were reported to have been on a rampage burning down homes and prayer halls in the village of Kurtamgarh. When police tried to disperse the crowd, someone in the group fired a shot and injured an officer. Police say they were forced to open fire to control the situation.
Attacks against Christians in Orissa were commonplace, but they intensified into an organized ethnic cleansing in late August after a prominent, vocal anti-Christian Hindu leader was murdered. The Maoists have repeatedly claimed responsibility for his death, but a radical fringe of his followers blamed Christians as an excuse to incite a violent rampage of burning and looting churches and burning Christians.
It is estimated that more than half of the 100,000 Christians in the state's Kandhamal district are now homeless. At least 20 people have been killed in the violence. Several Gospel for Asia missionaries are missing.
Thousands of Christians are living in relief camps or hiding out in Orissa's dense jungles. Even if the violence stopped today, they would not be able to leave their temporary shelters. Their homes have been destroyed-burned to the ground in most cases-and they have been told by their fellow villagers that they are not welcome to return to the community.
The situation in the relief camps is horrifying, according to GFA leaders.
"People are dying in the relief camps because of contaminated food and water," one leader said. "The militants are trying to stop relief from getting to the Christians. They are even coming into the relief camps torturing the people and taking away the supplies."
A GFA missionary stands in front of the charred doors of his church. Hindu extremists tried to burn it down, but the fire was put out before it spread to the rest of the building.
The leader said there has been one positive ray of hope in the midst of the carnage.
"The churches are coming together in unity. And it is only when the Christians come together in unity and prayer that anything will change," he said. "Our real fight is not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual things that we cannot see. But we can only deal with it through prayer and waiting upon the Lord."
Karnataka Protests
The city of Mangalore, in Karnataka on India's west coast, remains on a near shutdown as people protest the recent attacks on Christians and their places of worship. The Hindu extremists have attacked congregations three Sundays in a row. A Gospel for Asia missionary serves as pastor of one of the churches that was attacked on Sunday, September 14. The church was ransacked and set on fire, but the fire was put out before any significant damage could be done.
The rebels have also made numerous terroristic threats against churches throughout the state.
More than 50 people have been arrested in relation to the attacks, but this has not stopped the violence. Churches in Karnataka are now meeting under serious threats.
GFA missionaries in these areas shared the following prayer request:
. Pray for continued unity among Christians.
. Ask the Lord to send provision to the people hiding in the jungles and living in relief camps.
. Pray for protection of the missionaries and their families who are being targeted by the extremists.
. Pray for wisdom and discernment for GFA's state and regional leaders as they respond to the crisis.
. Pray for the persecutors, that they would come to know Christ.
ASSIST News Service (ANS) - PO Box 609, Lake Forest, CA 92609-0609 USA
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