Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin | RLPB 021 | Wed 09 Sep 2009
SUDAN: CHRISTIANS' FUTURE BLEAK AS WAR LOOMS
By Elizabeth Kendal
In July 2002, with a very powerful and angry post-9/11 USA breathing down its neck, Sudan's ruling National Islamic Front (NIF) somewhat reluctantly signed the historic Machakos Protocol, putting Sudan on the path towards a Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). The regime's Islamic backers were strongly opposed to peace on anyone's terms other than their own -- and they were demanding the full Islamisation of all of Sudan. The 31 Dec 2004 signing of the CPA was extremely important because Khartoum had been investing its new found oil wealth on logistical development. Elevated dual-purpose roads together with sophisticated weaponry and security -- mostly Chinese -- were means for a military victory. The CPA provided hope for the predominantly Christian African Southerners who had spent decades fighting Arabisation and Islamisation.
The CPA gives the Southerners a 2011 referendum on secession, which was essential to bring them to the negotiation table. However, it was always known that the North would never just let the South secede as most of Sudan's oil reserves are in the south. This was one reason why Southern leader Dr John Garang advocated a united, equitable, secular and democratic 'New Sudan' -- something to benefit all Sudanese. Garang planned to unite the opposition and win the CPA-mandated national elections in mid-2009. Then (theoretically), Sudan's new, more representative government could work at making unity more attractive than secession, averting war.
But the elections, now postponed until April 2010, have been irretrievably compromised. The most important element of the process is the national census, as the census results will determine the proportional representation in the national assembly. But the census was shamelessly rigged and its results have been clearly revealed as fraudulent. The regime's aim is to secure (albeit fraudulently) an absolute majority in the new assembly so they can re-write
the terms of the CPA and scuttle the Southern Self-Determination Referendum (SSDR). With the elections ruined and the SSDR under threat, Southern leader Pagan Amum has warned that the South might be forced to declare independence unilaterally, something the Islamist-regime in Khartoum has described as a 'red-line'. There is much concern that Sudan is heading towards a war that would lead to disintegration, chaos and a humanitarian catastrophe of unprecedented scale.
Meanwhile, Khartoum is believed to be behind the massive escalation of violence in the south. Some 2000 people have died and over 250,000 displaced across southern Sudan since January -- more than in Darfur! Moreover, the belligerents are using sophisticated, high-powered weapons and are targeting women and children, developments that are unprecedented in inter-tribal violence. Notoriously, the Arab-Islamist regime in Khartoum is earning massive funds exporting agricultural produce to Arab states while most non-Arab Sudanese are starving and dependent on foreign aid.
Our Christian brethren whom we prayed for through years of Islamic jihad and a tortured peace process are facing a seriously bleak future as war looms. Last week, Christians in Western Equatoria, South Sudan, held three days of prayer and fasting for an end to LRA terror (see RPLB 019). Hundreds of believers took part in a 20km walk for peace led by Bishop Edward Hiiboro Kussula of the Catholic diocese of Tombura-Yambio and Bishop Peter Munde of the Episcopal Church of Sudan.
PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY THAT GOD WILL:
* intervene to bring an end to LRA leader Joseph Kony and the Khartoum-sponsored LRA terror he commands.
* frustrate all Khartoum's efforts to destabilise the South with LRA and inter-tribal conflict; may supply lines be severed and communications confused.
* awaken Southern tribesmen to Khartoum's divide-and-conquer strategy and to
resist manipulation and exploitation, with hearts inclined toward peace.
* provide the churches of Southern Sudan with everything they need to care for
their communities, both physically and spiritually.
* expose Khartoum's duplicity and wickedness in their starving of African Sudan, in arming belligerents and rigging the census.
Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up your hand; forget not the afflicted. . . . Strengthen their hearts and do justice, . . . so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more. (Psalm 10:12,17,18 excerpts ESV)
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CHRISTIANS' FUTURE BLEAK AS WAR LOOMS IN SUDAN
National elections hopefully would have provided Sudan with representative government, making unity attractive and averting war. But the Arab Islamist regime in Khartoum has rigged the national census, irretrievably compromising the elections scheduled for April 2010. The regime aims to secure -- fraudulently -- the majority in the national assembly so they can re-write the 2004 Comprehensive Peace Agreement with the mostly Christian African South and scuttle the Southern Self-Determination Referendum (SSDR). With the elections ruined and the SSDR jeopardised, the South has threatened to declare independence unilaterally. Meanwhile, Khartoum is believed to be behind the massive escalation of violence in the south, where more have died this year than in Darfur! Moreover Khartoum is exporting food to Arab states while letting its own non-Arab citizens starve. Please pray for God's intervention in Sudan.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
020. Uzbekistan: imprisonment after church service raided
Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin | RLPB 020 | Tue 01 Sep 2009
UZBEKISTAN: IMPRISONMENT AFTER CHURCH SERVICE RAIDED
(By Anneta Vyssotskaia)
As Uzbekistan authorities are preparing for the celebration of Independence Day and the 220th anniversary of the capital city Tashkent on 1 September, they want to ensure everything is 'in proper order'. The city is checked for homeless people, street kids and people without local registration, who are temporarily removed from the city. Hundreds of policemen are mopping up in search of 'unwanted elements' as part of a preventative anti-terror operation 'Tozalash-Antiterror'. The families of political prisoners and religious groups are under special surveillance. Although this control never stops, it increases significantly before various important events.
Possibly as part of this pre-festive clean-up, some 20 anti-terror police raided the registered Donam Protestant church in Tashkent on 23 August during the regular Sunday service, claiming it was an 'unauthorised' religious meeting. Threatened by the police officers the church members, including pregnant women, children, elderly and sick people were not allowed to leave the church grounds for several hours. They were forced to give their names and addresses, which created confusion and panic. A few hours later, the church pastor, Vladimir Tyo, and several other church members were arrested and Christian literature and videos were confiscated. Although the church leaders presented all the necessary documents proving the church's registered status this fact was ignored by the police. The next day the court sentenced the pastor and three other church workers to 15 days' imprisonment as well as destruction of the confiscated materials. Although police raids on churches are common in Uzbekistan, this was the first case of a raid on a registered church during worship and the arrest of its leaders -- an unprecedented violation of human rights. Twenty-eight church members signed a letter of protest about the unlawful actions of the authorities to Uzbekistan's Interior Minister, the Tashkent Justice Department and President Islam Karimov.
Uzbekistan is tenth on the Open Doors World Watch List of countries that are the worst persecutors of Christians. Earlier this year a deacon of a registered Baptist church in Tashkent, Pavel Nenno, was sentenced to 15 days' imprisonment for his ministry to street kids -- he gave food and taught Bible to them. Pentecostal pastor Dmitry Shestakov is serving his third year of a four-year imprisonment sentence for illegal religious activities. The authorities give amnesty twice a year when hundreds of criminals are released from prison: before Independence Day and Constitution Day. Shestakov's friends asked for amnesty for him in 2007 but their request was refused. Numerous Christians in Uzbekistan are sentenced to pay huge fines for being God's witnesses, worshipping God together or having Christian literature. Christians in Uzbekistan live under constant threat of persecution.
As fire melts pieces of gold together so persecution brings churches to greater unity. Living under persecution, the Christians in Uzbekistan receive many important lessons from the Lord and are growing in faith and God's discipline. The church leaders regularly come together for prayer and fasting. The churches are also learning about their rights and how to stand up for them together, which results in the growth of unity.
Read more about the raid on the Donam church on http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=1341 .
PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY:
* that God will change the attitude of the Uzbekistan Government to Protestant churches so it will stop seeing Christians as enemies and persecuting them.
* for all the Christians in Uzbekistan to be bold and courageous despite persecution and to continue being faithful witnesses of Christ to the community.
* for those who are in prison, especially for Pastor Dmitry Shestakov and believers from the Donam church, along with their families and churches.
* that God will turn the situation in the Donam church for his glory and the church members will not be fearful of this situation but feel blessed to be persecuted for Christ.
'Many are those who are my vigorous enemies; those who hate me without reason are numerous. Those who repay my good with evil slander me when I pursue what is good. O Lord, do not forsake me; be not far from me, O my God. Come quickly to help me, O Lord my Saviour. (Psalm 38:19-22, NIV)
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IMPRISONMENT AFTER CHURCH SERVICE RAIDED IN UZBEKISTAN
On 23 August some 20 anti-terror police officers raided the registered Donam Protestant church in Tashkent during their regular Sunday service, claiming it was 'unauthorised'. The church members were threatened and not allowed to leave for several hours and forced to give their names and addresses. The pastor and three church workers were sentenced to 15 days' imprisonment and confiscated Christian literature was destroyed. The church members wrote a letter of protest to Uzbekistan's Interior Minister, the Tashkent Justice Department and President Islam Karimov. The pastor of another church, Dmitry Shestakov, is serving the third year of a four-year imprisonment for illegal religious activities. Please pray for Christians in Uzbekistan who live under constant threat of persecution. Persecution results in more unity amongst Christian churches as they learn to stand together in fellowship.
UZBEKISTAN: IMPRISONMENT AFTER CHURCH SERVICE RAIDED
(By Anneta Vyssotskaia)
As Uzbekistan authorities are preparing for the celebration of Independence Day and the 220th anniversary of the capital city Tashkent on 1 September, they want to ensure everything is 'in proper order'. The city is checked for homeless people, street kids and people without local registration, who are temporarily removed from the city. Hundreds of policemen are mopping up in search of 'unwanted elements' as part of a preventative anti-terror operation 'Tozalash-Antiterror'. The families of political prisoners and religious groups are under special surveillance. Although this control never stops, it increases significantly before various important events.
Possibly as part of this pre-festive clean-up, some 20 anti-terror police raided the registered Donam Protestant church in Tashkent on 23 August during the regular Sunday service, claiming it was an 'unauthorised' religious meeting. Threatened by the police officers the church members, including pregnant women, children, elderly and sick people were not allowed to leave the church grounds for several hours. They were forced to give their names and addresses, which created confusion and panic. A few hours later, the church pastor, Vladimir Tyo, and several other church members were arrested and Christian literature and videos were confiscated. Although the church leaders presented all the necessary documents proving the church's registered status this fact was ignored by the police. The next day the court sentenced the pastor and three other church workers to 15 days' imprisonment as well as destruction of the confiscated materials. Although police raids on churches are common in Uzbekistan, this was the first case of a raid on a registered church during worship and the arrest of its leaders -- an unprecedented violation of human rights. Twenty-eight church members signed a letter of protest about the unlawful actions of the authorities to Uzbekistan's Interior Minister, the Tashkent Justice Department and President Islam Karimov.
Uzbekistan is tenth on the Open Doors World Watch List of countries that are the worst persecutors of Christians. Earlier this year a deacon of a registered Baptist church in Tashkent, Pavel Nenno, was sentenced to 15 days' imprisonment for his ministry to street kids -- he gave food and taught Bible to them. Pentecostal pastor Dmitry Shestakov is serving his third year of a four-year imprisonment sentence for illegal religious activities. The authorities give amnesty twice a year when hundreds of criminals are released from prison: before Independence Day and Constitution Day. Shestakov's friends asked for amnesty for him in 2007 but their request was refused. Numerous Christians in Uzbekistan are sentenced to pay huge fines for being God's witnesses, worshipping God together or having Christian literature. Christians in Uzbekistan live under constant threat of persecution.
As fire melts pieces of gold together so persecution brings churches to greater unity. Living under persecution, the Christians in Uzbekistan receive many important lessons from the Lord and are growing in faith and God's discipline. The church leaders regularly come together for prayer and fasting. The churches are also learning about their rights and how to stand up for them together, which results in the growth of unity.
Read more about the raid on the Donam church on http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=1341 .
PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY:
* that God will change the attitude of the Uzbekistan Government to Protestant churches so it will stop seeing Christians as enemies and persecuting them.
* for all the Christians in Uzbekistan to be bold and courageous despite persecution and to continue being faithful witnesses of Christ to the community.
* for those who are in prison, especially for Pastor Dmitry Shestakov and believers from the Donam church, along with their families and churches.
* that God will turn the situation in the Donam church for his glory and the church members will not be fearful of this situation but feel blessed to be persecuted for Christ.
'Many are those who are my vigorous enemies; those who hate me without reason are numerous. Those who repay my good with evil slander me when I pursue what is good. O Lord, do not forsake me; be not far from me, O my God. Come quickly to help me, O Lord my Saviour. (Psalm 38:19-22, NIV)
~~~~
SUMMARY TO USE IN BULLETINS UNABLE TO RUN THE WHOLE ARTICLE
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IMPRISONMENT AFTER CHURCH SERVICE RAIDED IN UZBEKISTAN
On 23 August some 20 anti-terror police officers raided the registered Donam Protestant church in Tashkent during their regular Sunday service, claiming it was 'unauthorised'. The church members were threatened and not allowed to leave for several hours and forced to give their names and addresses. The pastor and three church workers were sentenced to 15 days' imprisonment and confiscated Christian literature was destroyed. The church members wrote a letter of protest to Uzbekistan's Interior Minister, the Tashkent Justice Department and President Islam Karimov. The pastor of another church, Dmitry Shestakov, is serving the third year of a four-year imprisonment for illegal religious activities. Please pray for Christians in Uzbekistan who live under constant threat of persecution. Persecution results in more unity amongst Christian churches as they learn to stand together in fellowship.
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