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PERSECUTION WATCH ~ For Prayer Concern
Weekly update 07 Mar. 2010
By Charles M. Joshi
Issue – 09 / Mar. 2010 (For Private Circulation Only)
Let brotherly love continue…. Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. Heb. 13: 1&3
Are we about to enter into the end time Daniel’s 70thweek? Current events say so.
They shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. Mathew 24.9
If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me, before it hated you. John 15.18
In This Edition: IRAQ: Iraq's Fearful Christian Candidates ++2,000 Christians Killed, 600,000 Have Fled Nation Since 2003 ** VIETNAM: Vietnamese Police Abduct Another Degar Montagnard Christian feared dead as he “disappeared” like the religious prisoner “Puih Hbat” who was arrested in 2008 for conducting Christian prayer services ** IRAN: House church leader couple arrested on 28th Feb. in Iran ** INDIA: Police Inaction Over Attempted Murders in Recent Punjab Anti-Christian Violence ++ Court frees fifty two accused in Kandhamal Anti-Christian riots ++ Pastor and church attacked in Andhra ++ Pastor and believers arrested in Chattisgarh ++ Christian Believers Viciously Attacked by Radicals in Karnataka ** CHINA: Chinese Land Official Says "Golden Lampstand Church will be destroyed" ++ County Church Banned in Sichuan Earthquake Disaster Zone ++ Police Kidnap Pastor Wang Dao of Liangren Church ** PAKISTAN: Christians and other minorities against Protection Tax ** MEXICO: Christians Under Continued Attacks in Chiapas ** TURKEY / USA: US House Panel Says Deaths of Armenians Were Genocide ++ Turkey says U.S. genocide vote endangers Caucasus peace ** EGYPT: Egyptian Court Acquits Muslim Who Beheaded a Christian ** UK: Carey has warned that Christianity is being marginalised in UK and called for Christians to speak out and M O R E
IRAQ: Iraq's Fearful Christian Candidates 03 March 2010 AINA A spike in violence against the Christian community in northern Iraq is leading many of their candidates to consider dropping plans to contest the March 7 general elections. "The only loser in all this violence is our minority which, although representing only 5 percent of the parliamentary seats, is being the first choice for extremists and militants in the northern region," Kammar Bashar, a Christian candidate, told IslamOnline.net. At least eight Christians have been killed in the last two weeks in the northern city of Mosul. Six were gunned down in the street, near their homes or at work places while the two others went missing before their bodies were founded later dumped in the street. A UN report said Sunday that 4,098 Christians fled Mosul between February 20 and 27 following the attacks. Some 1,000 Christians marched took to the streets of Hamdaniya, a town 40 kilometres east of Mosul, on Sunday to protest the killings and urge the government for protection. A spokesperson for the provincial governor of Mosul said they are closely monitoring the recent episodes and have already asked for security reinforcements in areas where the attacks happened. But Rita Abdel, a member of Christian community in Mosul and an aid worker for an organization helping displaced Christian families, is not satisfied. "Militants are killing Christians, dropping their bodies outside their homes in front of the remaining family members to scare the community and it is still being considered as a general problem of violence," she fumed. "The local government said they have asked for more protection in area but no one has reported a single extra officer than we had before." Christians Receive Threats Ahead of Elections 04 March 2010 Indcatholic news. A flyer was posted through the doors of Christian homes in Mosul yesterday, stating: "Do not go to vote and do not elect Christians or you will die." As Sunday's elections approach, the Christian community is becoming increasingly fearful. After a spate of killings, at least 870 Christian families have already left. A spokesman said: "others will flee in the days before the election, perhaps to return after the vote, when the situation has calmed down."
More Than 4300 Assyrians Fled Mosul in Past Month 05 March 2010 AINA The UN humanitarian arm reported today that 4,320 Iraqi Christians have been displaced following recent unrest in the northern city of Mosul. The latest figure, as of yesterday, represents an increase of about 200 people since Saturday, according to the Office of the Coordination f Humanitarian Affairs, which added that the influx of displaced Christian families from Mosul city to nearby districts in the Ninewa governorate has slowed down over the past few days. OCHA noted that there are protection concerns for the Christian families remaining in Mosul, including unconfirmed reports that they are confined to their homes out of fear for their safety. In addition, Christian university students are reportedly not attending classes and workers are not attending their places of work.
2,000 Christians Killed, 600,000 Have Fled Nation Since 2003 06 March 2010 Catholicculture
In the seven years since the Iraq War was launched, 2,000 Christians have been murdered and 600,000 have fled Iraq, according to Fides, the news agency of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. 44% of Iraqi
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refugees are Christians, and many of the 600,000 Christians who remain are internally displaced persons who have had to flee their homes. "The life of Christians in this nation does not appear to be among the priorities," said Chaldean Catholic Auxiliary Bishop Shlemon Warduni on the eve of the March 7 parliamentary elections. "We are victims of fanaticism and general instability, which leaves a free hand to those who want to use violence to intimidate. The causes are many and varied, but the end seems clear: continually reduce the Christian presence in Iraq, marginalize it, and deprive it of any rights."
VIETNAM: Vietnamese Police Abduct Another Degar Montagnard Christian feared dead as he “disappeared” like the religious prisoner “Puih Hbat” who was arrested in 2008 for conducting illegal Christian prayer services 16 Feb. 2010 In January 2010 Ksor Ju (age 37) was ordered to report to the police station in Song Hinh District, Phu Yen province for questioning. On 26 January 2010 at approximately 8 am our Christian Brother Ksor Ju with his 17 years old daughter, Nai H’Yam starting walking to the police station. Ksor Ju is from the village named Buon Sung, at commune Ea Bia, Song Hinh district, Phu Yen province, Vietnam. Half way there two Vietnamese security police riding on a motorcycle stopped and arrested Ksor Ju and handcuffed him. The police also tied him to their motorcycle with a rope and dragged him to the police station while his seventeen year old daughter watched in horror. His daughter cried and ran back to the village and told her mother. On this same day approximately 30 police men from Phu Yen province combined with police from Song Hinh district also ransacked Ksor Ju’s house. The police however, found nothing in his house and threatened his family. It is feared Ksor Ju will be tortured, falsely accused or even killed. To this date his family have no idea where he is or any details of his wellbeing and like the case of Puih H’Bat below the worst is feared.
The Disappearance of “Puih H’Bat” confirmed by the European Parliament
We also refer to the case of “Puih H’bat” a 44 year old Christian Degar Montagnard woman who was arrested and imprisoned in Vietnam in April 2008 for having Christian prayer services in her home. She has not been heard of since her arrest and it is feared that Vietnamese authorities murdered her. Details of her case are described below as quoted from a European Commission Parliamentary question.
E-6313/08EN Answer given by Mrs Ferrero-Waldner on behalf of the European Commission (20.01.2009): The information provided by the Honourable Member concurs with that collected by the commission. Indeed, according to reports by the Montagnard Foundation, Puih H´Bat was arrested on 11 April 2008 in her home a few days after she had been leading prayer services for Christians in her house in Ploi Bang village, Ia Chia commune, Ia Grai district, Gia Lai province. She has been detained since her arrest. She had refused to join the government-sanctioned Evangelical Church of Vietnam. According to other reliable sources contacted by the EU missions in Hanoi, Puih H´Bat was convicted of violating the law by “destruction of the unity of the people’s solidarity”. The accusation seems to refer to Article 87 of the Penal Code (in Chapter XI on “Crimes of infringing upon national security”) on “Undermining national unity policy”. According to these sources, Puih H´Bat has been sentenced to five years imprisonment in her home province. Representatives from the United States Embassy visited Puih H’Bat’s home commune on 15 October 2008. Following their visit, they wrote to the Chairman of the People’s Committee of Ia Grai district to enquire about the whereabouts of Puih H´Bat. They are still waiting for a reply. Puih Hbat is pictured left and to this date her family has not heard from her. It is feared she has been murdered in custody by Vietnamese authorities. Her father served with the US Army during the Vietnam War.
IRAN: House church leader couple arrested on 28th February in Iran 03 March, 2010 Mideast Concern Iranian Christians have requested our prayers for a couple, both believers from a Muslim background, arrested on 28th February and for their two teenage sons. Approximately 20 police offices went to the home of Hamid and Reyhaneh in Isfahan. Reyhaneh was arrested immediately. Hamid was arrested when he returned home one hour later. Reyhaneh was physically assaulted when she resisted arrest. Other believers present at the time were threatened but not detained, though one was also assaulted when he protested. The police officers confiscated computers, telephones and literature, including many Bibles. On 1st March family members contacted the authorities and were told that their case will be referred to the Revolutionary Court once charges are finalised. They were told to make no further enquiries. Hamid and Reyhaneh’s current whereabouts are unknown. Their two teenaged sons are being cared for by Reyhaneh's sister. Hamid has regularly been summoned and questioned by the Information Ministry in recent years. The couple lead a house fellowship
INDIA: Police Inaction Over Attempted Murders in Recent Punjab Anti-Christian Violence 02 March, 2010 AICC Photo - Young man injured in anti-Christian attacks in Punjab state, India on Feb. 20.
A fact finding team led by the All India Christian Council (AICC) released its report today and documented police bias, attempted murders not reported by the press, and widespread discrimination against Punjab’s Christian minority. The Delhi-based team visited Punjab from February 22-25 to interview victims of anti-Christian violence as well as government officials about incidents including the arson of two churches in Batala, Punjab on February 20, 2010. Dr. John Dayal, aicc Secretary General, and member, National Integration Council, Government of India, said, “In October 2008, I had personally briefed Chief Minister Sardar Prakash Singh Badal on the tension brewing in the rural districts of western Punjab, where as many as 300,000 Christians, most of them of Dalit origin, live and are suffering from caste oppression and attacks on their freedom of faith. The anti-Christian violence in Punjab in mid-February and the attempted murder of five Christians in Batala are not being handled properly by authorities.” Sangh Parivar-led attackers in Batala, Punjab tried to burn five Christians alive on 20 February 2010.
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The Christians were from two families who live in the Church of North India’s historic Church of the Epiphany compound. The church was heavily damaged by arson. Attempts were made to destroy a nearby Salvation Army church where the pastor was seriously injured. Witnesses told the fact finding team that police were spectators during the attacks. “We pleaded with the police to help, but they did not,” said the Pastor, Maj. Gurnam Singh. No police report has been filed for the attempted murders even as the top police and administrative officers enforced a one sided “peace accord” on the local Christian leadership. Christians were instructed not to press for charges immediately so that a number of Christian youth who were arrested – together with a few Hindu men – could be released. Also, before an inquiry could be conducted, police forcibly cleaned up the Church of the Epiphany. They removed burnt furniture and made the presbyter whitewash the walls to remove traces of fuel oil used in the blaze. Despite intelligence about rising tensions over an image of Jesus Christ drinking alcohol and smoking on banners for an upcoming Hindu festival, police hesitated to enforce a curfew. They did arrest the printers of the offensive material. When Christians protested by trying to enforce a closure of businesses in Batala, Punjab, violent extremist Hindutva activists mobilised shopkeepers and youth in attacks that left many injured, two churches damaged, and clergy traumatised. A police curfew was enforced late on 20 February 2010 after the attacks took place and lasted until 22 February 2010.
INDIA: Court frees fifty two accused in Kandhamal Anti-Christian riots 02 March, 2010 CP Just like the case of BJP legislator Manoj Pradhan, many more accused in the Kandhamal riot cases are acquitted for lack of evidence. According to an official from the riot-hit district, 52 people were Saturday freed after charges against them could not be proved. The acquittal was confirmed to media by public prosecutor PK Patra. The accused were freed in eight cases - one of arson and other for torching a police outpost in Baladapada on August 26, 2008. Of the two fast track courts, Fast Track Court-I acquitted 17 persons and Fast Track Court-II acquitted the rest 35. The fifty accused were arrested in the aftermath of VHP leader Laxmananda's murder on August 23, 2008. The riots that followed the killing displaced thousands of Christians in the district. The failure of justice in the trial cases came to spotlight last year with the repeated acquittals of BJP legislator Manoj Pradhan. Pradhan was freed in five of the total fourteen cases, including charges of murder against him. In all the cases, Pradhan was acquitted for lack of evidence. Recently, Archbishop of Orissa Raphael Cheenath had decried the failure of “law and justice" in such cases. "Witnesses are being coerced, threatened, cajoled and sought to be bribed by murderers and arsonists facing trial," he said. "We are deeply concerned the high rate of acquittals in the fast track courts. The victims filed 3,232 Complaints in the police stations of Kandhamal. Of these, the police registered cases in only 832 instances." Cheenath pointed "only 89 persons have been convicted so far while as many as 251 have been acquitted and set free for want to witnesses against them." The Archbishop strongly demanded transferring cases of politically powerful persons such as Manoj Pradhan, to outside Kandhamal, preferably Cuttack or Bhubaneswar.