Response Magazine - November 2014 - January 2015

NOVEMBER 2014 – JANUARY 2015

Response The newsletter of Christian Solidarity Worldwide

Our Latin America Advocacy Officer explains why CSW has started working on religious freedom in Mexico.

MEXICO: THE TIME TO ACT IS NOW See inside:

Vietnam uncovered Page 2

www.csw.org.uk

“The landlord turns off the electricity at night. I couldn’t see her until the morning.

And by then it was too late.”

Her voice shook as she started to weep quietly. The young mother was telling me about her 18-month-old daughter who died last year, suffocating in the overcrowded conditions the community is forced to live in. The rest of the community looked on, their feelings of helplessness reflected in their faces.

Continued on page

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In depth: CSW advocating to the US government

On the frontlines: Pakistan

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Page 6

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@csw_UK

Continued from page

THE EDITORIAL by mervyn thomas chief executive

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.”

1 John 5:14 I know the cover story is quite distressing; but I believe it is important to tell these stories. These people’s plight is so little known, and they badly need our prayers.

I’m excited about the Retune campaign (see p.5), which we launched this summer. Religious hatred is a very real and rapidly growing problem. We have an amazing opportunity to take action to combat voices of religious hatred, so do sign up to the campaign and get your church involved too!

Thank you so much for your continued support. I thank God daily for you.

Country in focus

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Mexico

Fear for those left behind These 40 people had to flee their homes in Yashtinín Village, southern Mexico, in 2012: forced out by local authorities who orchestrated mob violence against them, simply because they objected to the group’s Protestant Christianity. Catholics who tried to intervene on their behalf were also threatened with eviction. When the Protestants were finally expelled, the government housed them in a cramped shelter – where they’re still living today. They haven’t received any regular financial aid, and their water and electricity has been arbitrarily cut off.

The terrible conditions resulted in the tragic death of the toddler in 2013. And they’re worried about elderly members of their family who couldn’t leave the village, and are still being threatened.

Waiting years for justice This is far from an isolated incident – and that’s why we decided we had to expand our work into Mexico. All across the country, religious freedom violations are on the rise. Although it’s a secular state, in many parts of Mexico traditional law takes precedence in practice over the constitution. This happens especially where there are large indigenous populations, and Protestant Christians in particular are often targeted. Many victims have now waited years for justice, only to see their cases ignored or even archived by the officials who should be helping them.

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He’d been visiting Vietnam to find out the truth of the situation for religious communities there, but when he was told that witnesses he was scheduled to meet were being intimidated and harassed by the government to stop them meeting him, he cut short his visit abruptly.

The Special Rapporteur himself was monitored by security agents, and said that the privacy and confidentiality of some meetings could have been compromised.

And it s hows the lengths to which Vietnam will go to stop people speaking out about religious freedom violations. By intervening in this heavy handed way, the government has just drawn more attention to the violations against religious communities, including ethnic minority Christians.

Please pray Ask God to provide a safe place for the Yashtinín community to be relocated; sk God to change the hearts of local A leaders who try to impose one religion on their community and persecute those of other f aiths;

The only real support these communities have received has been from local churches and a local activist group, the COOC, which is extremely overstretched with the ever increasing number of cases.

ray that the government would act to P end the culture of impunity, and protect victims;

Help turn our vision into reality

T hank God for the work of organisations such as the COOC, and Impulso 18, our partners in Mexico;

I have a vision of a Mexico, and indeed a Latin America, where the rule of law is upheld, religious freedom is a reality, and the people I meet don’t face violence, detention, displacement or sexual attacks because of their religious beliefs. And to make that vision a reality in Mexico, I need your prayers. We serve a miracleworking, prayer-answering God! He’s turned around seemingly hopeless countries before and he can do it again for Mexico.

ray that I’d be able to raise greater P awareness in Mexico and the rest of the world regarding the religious freedom violations there, and that this awareness would result in decisive action.

ead my assignment report R at www.csw.org.uk/mexico

Vietnam uncovered In July 2014 the UN expert on religious freedom was forced to take an unprecedented step.

P.S. Please could you pray today for our work in Mexico?

Pray not only for the people and communities who are affected by violence and forced eviction, but also for our Latin America Advocacy Officer as she works on these issues.

On a recent visit to Mexico I met many people and communities who told me their upsetting stories. One group has been evicted from their village twice, and they’re currently living in a building on the grounds of a church. The first eviction happened in 2010 after a Catholic converted to Protestantism, but the Protestants went back when the village authorities guaranteed their religious freedom.

But after violence against them escalated again, including sexual attacks and arbitrary detention, they fled once more in 2012.

Heiner Bielefeldt, Special Rapporteur

Recent religious freedom violations in Vietnam

Places that the Special Rapporteur couldn’t visit Where: Long Quang Pagoda, Hue city When: January 2014 Who: Buddhists harassed to stop them partaking in religious celebrations

Where: My Yen parish, Nghi Phuong Commune, Nghi Loc District, Nghe An Province When: September 2013 Who: Catholics arrested after protesting the unjust imprisonment of others from their parish Kon Tum

Vietnam

Gia Lai Where: Binh Duong Province, near Ho Chi Minh City When: June 2014 Who: Christian students and teacher beaten and temporarily detained, church vandalised

An Giang

Where: Gia Nghia Town, Dak Nong, Central Highlands When: March 2013 Who: Christian dies in police custody after being severely beaten Where: Notre Dame Cathedral, Ho Chi Minh City When: July 2013 Who: Catholics praying outside cathedral dragged away and beaten by police

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Campaign

UPDATE

g n i t a c o v d a W S C : h t p e d In t n e m n r e v o to the US g

meeting So we’re there s. ub h er w po ions nt freedom violat most significa s ’s ou ld gi or li w re e of th is one of st and our evidence Washington, DC freedom to a ju rs, presenting s ke ou a gi -m li on re si of ci ring de ance its part in ensu politicians and ay the vital import pl g n in ca ot es om at pr , ld the United St around the wor explaining how d n e world. a y, et ci so ected around th sp re democratic is t gh ri n ks. tal huma y to the US wor ac oc this fundamen dv a r ou ple of how -hand Here’s an exam our reports of first gh.

d had enou ligious z decided she ha re Pé de testimonies of re Gu a ni in s ar ye six In 2012, Ke ns. This enced to freedom violatio ar had been sent Her husband Om ys the la t false charges. regular contac prison on various hen groundwork for w ent because of m rn ve go n ba Cu se by the ch isn’t we need to organi He was targeted urch network whi ch a in ne n eo io m sit so r po fo ered meetings his leadership gh the US had off ou th al d An e d. th ise like Kenia with officially recogn the persecution recognition of all in , um yl as ily m ily fa m people who really the fa to let the g sin fu re ill st as ba w have the power to they’d suffered, Cu . er th ge to try un help her. leave the co ng the Omar and Ke isi ra k or w of s ar nia , after ye 12 ar 20 r ye be is m th ve er ed No rli ng Ea So in t, CSW arra en m rn ve go US e th we gave evidence tempt to family’s case with n in a last-ditch at to ng hi as W sit vi before the US ew this for Kenia to the family. She kn r fo tatives at a om ed fre d House of Represen and her r get justice an he r fo of Christians as a ns sio us ‘The Persecution ous reperc d er le ng tit da en n g d ea in m de ar ci d he coul hted the closure t she de enon’. We highlig t back to Cuba, bu om en en w e Ph sh e n id w t he ld w ee Wor r to m family and violence e arranged for he sing harassment W ea k. cr ris in e d th an ke , es ta ch on hostility, in pers of chur she had to sia; the trends of ll them her story ne te do to In s in al ci ns offi tia t ris , against Ch US governmen or violence returned to Cuba rvene. Once she’d ession, restrictions te pr in re to t, en em m th s ss k al ra ci as ha and of their faith in rity offi tians on account d by Cuban secu ris te ac Ch nt by co ed as nc w d rie ily expe ar an exico and the fam s later Kenia, Om the situation in M d an a; ric Af n ra – and two month w ha indigenous ey’ve no sub-Sa ally left Cuba. Th l legal system for lle ra pa a re he w their children fin , llective States Colombia, life in the United e promotion of co w th r ne fo a g to in in w lo ed al , ttl se behind. communities has led to severe s of persecution individual rights, er ov s ht leaving their year rig l ra cultu ious freedom. r violations of relig la u g e r

How our d Kenia to meetings helpe freedom

w e Kenia’s show ho Success stories lik te ca r us to advo important it is fo nia and Omar in for people like Ke t We regularly mee Washington, DC. y ress and other ke members of Cong discussions t he ayers, feeding into to pl ce n om around the evide entat ives on religious freed ing them with pres world, and provid

g G ivin Re e of Hous

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us freedom a Keeping religio ction year le priority in an e

up our religious nt for us to keep rta po im ly al ci pe It’s es US elections ashington as the W in cy ca vo ad s are being freedom political prioritie d an r, be m ve No in take place in e member of staff have one full tim ly on e W as . s ed er ay ap sh in your pr ease do keep her Washington, so pl nt work. rta is incredibly impo she carries out th

to mark in November, d n a tl o Sc d n ur free London a urch. Book yo Ch g at events in d in k te a e cu sp se e r e b P l for the Kenia wil Day of Prayer the International p sw.org.uk/ido place at www.c

ally on Attacks in Indonesia, especi Muslims, ia Sh d Christians, Ahmadis an n lead to show how hate speech ca . Here’s violence and destruction it. t ou what you can do ab ple, with stones, “There were more than 200 peo ils, anything samurai swords, Molotov cockta . They burned that could be used as a weapon mission house, the the mosque, the school and burned down, and two houses were completely ned. Half the while two others were partly bur down, and mosque was completely burned on fire and set e wer two motorcycles and a car ses were hou in destroyed. Windows and roofs wing. Altogether broken as a result of stone-thro the shop 35 houses were damaged, and was l ooted. relations with “Before this attack, in general, e good: we neighbouring communities wer ation, few nic mu com had no incidents, good started using had s problems. However, the parent munity, com yah hate speech about the Ahmadi and affected and this must have influenced their c hildren.” slim community A leader of the Ahmadiyah Mu ed how a group of in Cisalada, Indonesia, explain d his community children and adults had attacke iod of increasing on 1 October 2010, after a per Ahmadi Muslims hate speech and harassment. secution all experience harassment and per onesian Ahmadis over the world. Since 2005 Ind campaign have experienced an increasing luding the inc of discrimination and violence, and practice, banning of Ahmadiyah teaching and t he closure of mosques. ups of religious This is what can happen to gro ans, when we minorities, very often Christi voices that don’t challenge hate speech: e against people preach, teach and promote hat It happens all of different religious beliefs. religions, over the world, to people of all s; and it endangering the lives of million has t o s top.

Ahmadi home damaged in Cisalada attack

The Retune campa ign is challenging voices of religious hatred, to break th is brutal cycle for good. Here’s how can help… you

Go to www.csw .org.uk/operat ion18 to add your na me to the Retu ne campaign

We believe that th e Church can, and must, play a lead in tackling the iss role ue of hate speech – by challenging an retuning the voic d es of hate, by reac hing out in love ac communities, and ross by encouraging m ore open and po dialogue. We are sitive grateful that Arch bi shop Welby and Francis have alre Pope ady spoken out ab out the issue, but need them to keep we doing so on beha lf of the worldwid Church, especially e when they meet with other church political leaders. and This will add weigh t to the advocacy work we will be do the individual co ing at untry level. We’ll te ll you more abou the campaign goes t th at as on. Meanwhile, pl ease join forces w to stop things like ith us the Cisalada attack happening a g ain!

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Get

Making an impact that lasts beyond your lifetime Meriam Ibrahim made international headlines in summer 2014.

Her astonishing story shows the lengths to which governments will go to deny someone their religious freedom – and the power of prayer and advocacy to fight injustice.

The Sudanese Christian was sentenced to flogging and death for alleged adultery and apostasy, and endured a horrendous ordeal including giving birth in chains in prison. But after 60,000 people joined our campaign for her release, and after we worked to secure support for her case from governments worldwide, the EU and the UN – she was finally freed. On 24 July 2014, Meriam, her husband and their children arrived in the US to start a new life in freedom.

I know from speaking to CSW supporters that many of you really believe in our religious freedom work, and have faithfully supported us for a long time. Your generosity has already helped us to achieve amazing successes for people like Meriam. And by leaving us a gift in your will, you can ensure our work continues to have an impact that lasts beyond your lifetime.

INVOLVED

Connect, encourage, change a life With the digital age truly upon us, getting a card or letter through the post is even more special than it used to be. It shows someone cares. For those who are facing the daily threat of harassment, imprisonment, torture, or even death, because of their faith, a card from you can mean so much.

Here’s how it works…

Call 0845 456 5464, email admin@csw.org.uk or visit www.csw.org.uk/ connectandencourage for your Free copy of Connect & Encourage

that people around the world know about the prisoner

Your support

Connect & Encou rage Write to people being persecuted as a result of their beliefs

Filep Karma was mocked by a judge in court, who said “Where is your God? I don’t see your God here.”

www.csw.org.uk

The authorities see

The prisoner

may get better food and/or conditions

I made yet another visit to Pakistan in May this year, one of many over 21 years at CSW. There were tears of happiness at being in this wonderful country again, and at being back with very close friends like Michelle Chaudhry who are really now family members. There were also tears of sadness: no more will we see the smiling faces of Shahbaz Bhatti and Cecil Chaudhry, wonderful Christians who were the

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On this visit we met Asma Jahangir, former UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief and a great defender of minorities; and the

to someone in prison for their faith

@csw_UK

The prisoner is encouraged

by your message of support

The authorities release the prisoner

on time or even early

Your carD Arrives at the prison

LIVES CHANGED

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER FOR THE PERSECUTED CHURCH IDOP 2014: Harness the power of prayer for the nations

On the frontlines: Pakistan We’re also deeply saddened by the terrible plight of Pakistan’s religious minorities, especially Christians.

The level of persecution they are facing now is worse than it’s ever been, and the loss of Cecil and Shahbaz – both staunch defenders of minority rights – is a big blow.

You write a card

Get Involved

Bill Lowe Head of Fundraising

voice for the voiceless in Pakistan. Shahbaz was assassinated in 2011 and Cecil died in 2012.

www.facebook.com/cs wuk

You get a copy of connect & Encourage

See p13

Leaving a legacy will cost you nothing today, but will make a lasting impact for the future. To find out more, with no obligation, just get in touch. Call me on 020 8329 0020 or email me at billlowe@csw.org.uk

Stuart Windsor, CSW’s Special Ambassador, shares his mixed feelings on returning from a visit to Pakistan earlier this year.

Spring/ summer 2014

President of the Pakistan Human Rights Commission, whose nephew, a lawyer, had just been shot in his office for defending a client. They both told us, “We’ve almost given up h ope.”

As CSW continues to work with activists and governments to make religious freedom a reality in Pakistan, we must pray that God will raise up new men and women to stand as men of integrity and truth to defend the rights of Christians and other minorities.

Every year churches across the world join together for the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP). This year it’s on Sunday 16 November. Join us and be part of this worldwide movement to see God moving in power through our prayers!

“I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarrelling.” 1 Timothy 2:8 (ESV) We’d love to see you at one of our IDOP prayer events: on 12 November in London, 14 November in Perth and 15 November in Glasgow. Special guest Kenia from Cuba will explain the power of prayer in her life.

If you can’t make it, don’t worry! We’ve put together a resource pack to make it easy for you to hold your own event. There are adaptable ideas for creative prayer, Bible study material, and activities for youth and children. You can also order prayer postcards and posters for your church – simply email admin@csw.org.uk, call 08456 456 5464 or visit www.csw.org.uk/idop

Download your free pack, or register for an event at www.csw.org.uk/IDOP 7

“is given, For to us a

child is born, to us a son

will be on his shoulders.

AND THE GOVERNMENT

And he will

be called Wonderful

Counsellor,

Mighty God, Everlasting Father,

Prince of Peace Isaiah 9:6

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Christian Solidarity Worldwide is an organisation working for religious freedom through advocacy and human rights, in the pursuit of justice.

PO Box 99, New Malden, Surrey, KT3 3YF, United Kingdom T: +44 (0)845 456 5464 F: +44 (0)20 8942 8821 E: admin@csw.org.uk www.csw.org.uk Registered Charity No. 281836

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@csw_uk