CSW Response Newsletter and Prayer Diary Summer 2014

APRIL-JULY 2015

Response The newsletter of Christian Solidarity Worldwide

Fears of a crackdown?

How you’re helping us to stand against the rising pressure on Christians Across China, the increasing pressure on Christians continues. We’re hearing reports from towns and cities throughout the country of the government taking increased action against Christians – part of a broader recent crackdown on human rights in general.

The city of Wenzhou, in Zhejiang province, is known as ‘China’s Jerusalem’ because of its large and vibrant Christian population. In 2014 CSW collated more than 400 reports of churches in the province being demolished or threatened with demolition, or having their crosses torn down. But your support is helping us to raise this issue at the highest political levels internationally, so we can press for change!

A churchgoer rests at a Christian church in Fengyang county, Anhui Province August 11, 2012.

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Photo: REUTERS/Aly Song

See inside:

On the frontlines: Nigeria Page 2

www.csw.org.uk

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In depth: India

“I knew I had to do something to help...”

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www.facebook.com/cswuk

@csw_UK

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Country in focus

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CHINA

In 2014 we received information from China-based NGOs, human rights lawyers, academics, diplomats, missionaries and religious leaders which consistently showed that the atmosphere in China has changed since President Xi Jinping came to power in November 2012. While there are different theories about why this is happening, we’re hearing the same reports of a crackdown on human rights and civil society from a broad spectrum of people across Chinese society.

Fears of a crackdown The violence and church demolitions we saw in Zhejiang, which has such an established Christian population, were a huge shock to the province’s Christian

Photo: China Aid

Fears of a crackdown? CONT. In Taizhou, Zhejiang, authorities in Jiaojiang District arrived at the Jiachi Christian Church on Dec. 28, stating that the cross topping the church violated building codes. By the following morning, the cross had been r e moved.

community and to international observers too. What’s more, there are growing concerns among large urban churches which enjoy a good relationship with local officials, that the government’s oppression of civil society, and the hostility towards all forms of ‘dissident’ activity, may signal a change in approach to unregistered religious

activities. Leaders of unregistered churches fear that the Chinese Communist Party’s emphasis on ‘rule of law’ could also translate into a crackdown on ‘illegal’ religious organisations operating outside the state-approved framework.

CSW bringing truth to light We’ve collated the most complete information we can on the church demolitions and cross removals, and created a timeline which we’re using in meetings with politicians and decision-makers and the media. Using that information we’ll be able to provide them with an accurate picture of what’s been happening in Zhejiang province, and elsewhere in China, and recommend action they can take.

On the frontlines: Nigeria Our Africa Advocacy Officer Sarah Smith visited Nigeria last autumn, and we asked her to tell us about the people she met.

I met Abraham last October, and what he told me was heartbreaking. But it also brought home to me how vital your prayers are for Christians under attack in Nigeria.

Abraham is the respected head of a large village on the border of Kaduna and Plateau states. He showed us around and told us about the good relationship he’d had with local members of the Fulani tribe, even employing Fulani youth and protecting them. This is unusual because villages like Abraham’s have regularly been targets for armed Fulani militia, who over the last few years have attacked non-Muslim villages. Abraham, however, was making an effort to build peace – even organising a peace conference with Fulanis.

One day he was informed they did not intend to participate in the conference, and a few days later the youth he employed left the village.

The attack began at 9pm a week later. The Fulanis were armed with AK-47s and shot the villagers as they tried to escape. They burned the church, the storehouses and people’s homes. Every family lost at least one member.

Abraham was devastated when I met him, still in shock at the betrayal. The villagers are now scared to return to their farmlands, fearing further a ttack.

Nigeria has suffered waves of appalling religious and ethnic violence over the years. Abraham’s story is just one of hundreds.

please keep praying for Nigeria – your prayers are even more vital in this post-election period. Your prayers are powerful and effective!

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In March this year we went to Brazil to meet representatives of the Brazilian government.

They’ve used their international influence before to raise religious freedom issues, so we produced a special report on China to inform them of the latest developments.

We’ll be following up with them in the coming months on what they’re able to do to raise awareness of the religious freedom violations in China.

The inside track:

Public Affairs I hope you all enjoyed a blessed Easter with your loved ones. I’m so pleased to have this opportunity to introduce myself to you as CSW’s new Public Affairs Team Leader.

Join us to pray for China!

We’re holding a special week of prayer for China during the week of 17 May. We’d love you to join us, maybe getting your church or small group involved, and see what miracles our awesome God will do when we lift China up in prayer!

During the China Week of Prayer we’ll send you a daily prayer update email, with links to free prayer resources and a video on our website.

>> sign up now at www.csw.org.uk/prayforchina >> Donate to fund our work in China and beyond at www.csw.org.uk/donate

I joined CSW in January from the Finnish League for Human Rights in Helsinki. I’ve followed CSW’s work since I first got to know the organisation in 2009 and now I am thrilled to be working with such a wonderful organisation.

I’ve had an exciting few months since I started, returning recently from the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. I was privileged to be able to meet representatives from many UN member countries and talk to them about our concerns and recommendations for tackling voices of religious hatred in many of the countries we work in. We’ve been working with the UN in Geneva for several years, and it was easy to start talking to different people, as many knew something about our work a lready.

I feel that we’re on the verge of God doing amazing and exciting things through and with CSW. I’m really looking forward to strengthening CSW’s public profile as an expert on freedom of religion or belief.

I believe in working in partnership with others and I’ve already had the chance to meet and speak with other human rights organisations. I can’t wait to get working with them to raise the religious freedom concerns across the world!

One of the things I already love about working for CSW is the fact that the staff meet together every morning to pray. Coming from a background working in secular organisations, it’s a breath of fresh air for me to be able to pray with and for my colleagues and our work.

I’d really appreciate your prayers for me and my team in the coming months!

Blessings, Sini Maria Public Affairs Team Leader

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Campaign

UPDATE

“Today, we buried our dead… or what remained of them…”

A I D N I : h t In dep e minister. im r p w e n a t o g go India Almost a year a Christians? n ia d In r o f t n a e .” But What has this m ngly in this regard ro st er inist to Prime M ok office as India’s s Narendra Modi to election promise , but despite his r fo n tio on 26 May 2014 ua , the sit hts of all religions rig e th t ec e sp m re ca to since he t worse and worse Christians has go h Asia Team ut ht up with our So to power. We caug w. t can be done no Leader, to ask wha

rst – how bad is First things fi r Christians? the situation fo

olence s been targeted vi ha e er Th g. in ry or It’s very w itutions. and Christian inst against Christians and forced ve been attacked ha s ol ho sc n tia Chris logy called e right-wing ideo m tre ex an to re to adhe s have been ns in rural village Hindutva, Christia urches have d to Hinduism, ch forcibly converte issionaries have or demolished, m ed is al nd va en be derly nun was beaten, and an el d an ed in ta de been inue to live in tians in India cont gang-raped. Chris Indian citizens. of their future as bleak uncertainty

rnment help?

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atiya Janata g party, the Bhar The current rulin ndutva. political arm of Hi Party (BJP) is the ry close e government’s ve th , ly te na rtu fo Un s a large nisation, which ha ga or is th to n tio affilia tionalist d heads other na an g in w llo fo y et civil soci the problem. der it, is part of organisations un their ideologies ns are spreading tio sa ni ga or e es Th movement suggest that the rts po Re a. di In er all ov and Muslims dia of Christians In e fre to ed w ther’ “has vo ristians as the ‘o Ch ds ar w to d tre by 2021”. Ha India today ch an extent that su to g in ad re sp is e it was m the secular stat is moving away fro res show d. was founde Figu it n he w be to intended India have ainst Christians in that incidents ag ment took e the new govern nc si % 55 d pe m ju page.)

(See map on next .* 14 20 ay M in office ous attacks ce despite numer After a long silen is year, Prime ally in February th on Christians, fin cept violence id, “We cannot ac sa i od M er ist in M strongly any pretext and I on n io lig re y an t agains ment will act olence. My govern condemn such vi

Those heartbreaking words were the start of a message from our partner, Michelle Chaudhry, just a few days after the bombing of two churches in Lahore, Pakistan, which left 19 dead and 70 injured. The devastating bombings, timed to coincide with Sunday services, rocked the entire Christian community and a tense two days of violent protests and clashes followed, which led to more deaths and injuries.

thas yet this commitment materialise.

d It doesn’t soun W CS is good. What ? doing about it

The violence didn’t just spring from nowhere.

e ground get tic partners on th While our fantas ort and other pplies, legal supp food, medical su affected by to people directly s m ite y ar ss ce ne king hard to dents, we’re wor these violent inci ange and tians to choose, ch advocate for Chris t fear. If freely and withou practise their faith mmitted to of India is truly co t en m rn ve go e th of religious ndamental rights upholding the fu ly investigate they must proper minorities, then violence, iously-motivated incidents of relig al with the rpetrators, and de pe e th e ut ec os pr that sow ist organisations m tre ex of es iti activ tians. Until ity towards Chris the seeds of enm edom that constitutional fre this happens, the in India is ligious minorities re r fo ed id ov pr is under t hreat. out protecting odi’s speeches ab Prime Minister M orities might not her religious min Christians and ot ality, but when ed in their daily re ct fle re en be ve ha like that we public promises es ak m t en m rn a gove uth Asia team countable. The So can hold them ac ar to meet key ashington this ye will be visiting W em to raise this e, to encourage th er th s er ak ym lic po icians, and meet Indian polit ey th r ve ne he w issue action. press them to take

g to help?

do anythin Can supporters

s for this need your prayer Yes! We urgently Prayer Diary se use p.6 of the ea Pl a. di In in n situatio r our work to ns in India and fo to pray for Christia for them. religious freedom al re t ou ab g in br ristians in cidents against Ch ‘In s, w Ne ar St ng *Morni res Show’, der Modi, EFI Figu Un t en rc Pe 55 p India Jum 24 March 2015

diary r e y a r p e h t f ing p. 6 o s u ia d in r o f y Pra

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Years of persistent preaching and teaching of hatred towards religious minorities by religious leaders, in schools and through the media has created a society filled with hatred towards religious minorities. That’s why we’ve launched our Retune campaign to challenge voices of religious hatred and help bring an end to this kind of violence.

How many more people need to die before something is done? photocopy the enclosed petition and circulate it Please join Please in your church, and add your names to our calls to the us today. Pakistani government to stop religious hatred in its tracks.

This is Ambreen and Obaid, married just a few years ago, with their two-year-old daughter. They were killed in the church bombings, and their daughter was found alone among the dead bodies, crying, lost and very confused.

India’s Christians: The last 6 months Delhi, Dec 2014-FeB 2015

Haryana, March 2015

Church under construction demolished

Uttar Pradesh, Jan 2015

Pastor and his wife brutally beaten in their home

Ranaghat, March 2015

Five Catholic churches attacked, vandalised and torched

72-year-old nun gang-raped

Madhya Pradesh, Dec 2014

10 Christians along with three children were arrested for insulting religious sentiments when they tried to celebrate Christmas with friends in another village

Near Mumbai, Feb 2015

Hindu extremists beat house church leader

Chhattisgarh, Nov 2014

Christians attacked during Sunday service

Odisha, Oct 2014

Christian beaten up and his home burnt down by Hindu e xtremists

Telengana, Jan 2015

Permission to hold Sunday worship service revoked

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Get

INVOLVED

“I knew I had to do something to help...”

Prayer underpins everything we do. For the whole CSW team and those whom we serve, prayer is what makes this work possible.

It’s prayer that sets people free from prison. It’s prayer that changes nations and it’s prayer that brings freedom.

That’s why we were so privileged recently to spend time chatting with Ros Dalton, one of CSW’s Ambassadors, who has run a prayer group for us for 18 years. Their faithful prayer has underpinned us and our work time and t ime a gain.

Here Ros shares her passion for prayer...

Can you tell us a little about what first prompted you to run a prayer group for the persecuted Church?

I was listening to Premier Radio, to a show called Voice for the Voiceless with Mervyn Thomas and Stuart Windsor, talking about persecuted Christians around the world.

Id idn’t know anything about it before this, but I thought I had to do something about it. I thought there must be other people feeling the same way as I did and if we could get together to pray, that would be something positive we could do.

Can you tell us about a time when you saw your prayers answered?

We were praying for Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani as part of CSW’s 24 hours of prayer for him on the day he was due to appear in court. I had just finished my half hour slot and as soon as I turned on my computer, I discovered that he had been released from prison. It was amazing, I was really excited!

Ros Dalton talks about setting up her prayer group

Join us.

Stand up.

Speak out.

It was even more exciting later on, when he came to speak at CSW’s conference. When he got up to speak, I had a clue that it was going to be him, but when I saw him I started crying. It was so wonderful to see him there in the flesh as we’d been praying for him individually and as a group for many months.

CSW Ambassadors are changing the world by leading those around them to respond to religious persecution in ways that count – to pray, give and campaign. Could you join the network and become an Ambassador?

What advice would you give to someone who might want to set up a prayer group?

Before you rush to say, “I couldn’t possibly”, “That sounds too hard” or “I haven’t got time”, here’s five reasons why this is something anyone can do!

I’d just say, go for it! You can do as little or as much as you like, but it’s better to do something than nothing.

Even if there’s only two or three of you praying together regularly, it’s still so powerful.

Want to follow Ros’ example? Here’s how: • SIGN UP to receive our weekly prayer emails at www.csw.org.uk/prayer • CALL OR EMAIL Geni Johnson so she can give you some ideas of how to get started. See next page for her contact details.

• ASK AROUND at your church or among your friends to find one or two people to join you.

• ASK GOD to bring more people to your group and show you who to pray for.

To watch our full interview with Ros, visit www.csw.org.uk/prayer

1. I t doesn’t take a lot of time – as much or as little as you have to give.

2. Y ou’ll get dedicated support from Geni, our Ambassadors Coordinator.

3. Y ou’ll be joining a community of Ambassadors around the UK who share ideas, have a dedicated Facebook group and monthly emails with tips and s uggestions!

4. Y ou don’t need to be an expert on religious freedom – we’ll give you all the information you need.

5. We believe that God works through every one of our Ambassadors enabling them to reach more people and have greater influence than they thought possible!

So, why should you become an Ambassador?

I’m Ruth and am based in Edinburgh as part of a new CSW regional hub.

Ten years ago, I had a vision of serving the persecuted Church, and am thrilled to have recently joined CSW as a result. I am incredibly passionate about advocating for people who suffer for their faith as they inspired me to take my faith seriously, especially as I have a freedom to do

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so when many in the world don’t.

My role is to share this message and engage the Church in Scotland.

If you’re in Scotland, and would like me to come to your church, please email me: ruthdonaldson@csw.org.uk

• We need you! We’re seeing a level of religious freedom violations that we’ve never seen before – we need to pray, speak out and take action now more than ever before.

• We’re passionate about the Church standing up and speaking out for those facing persecution – we want to see every Christian pursuing justice.

• With your help, CSW can reach so many more churches and Christian Unions – we need you to help us do this!

MBASSADOR

Join us. Stand up. Speak out.

Here’s some examples from our amazing Ambassadors around the country to inspire you...

Spotlight on...Speakers “ I love speaking on behalf of the persecuted Church for CSW as it’s my passion to raise awareness of the plight of our brothers and sisters around the world, to the churches in Wales. God has called me to be ‘a voice for the voiceless’ and has laid on my heart a passion to see the persecuted Church higher up the UK Church’s agenda, speaking out, praying, providing and petitioning on behalf of those who cannot speak for themselves.” Paul, Cardiff

Spotlight on...fundraising “Our event was blessed with 70 attendees, a brilliant organisation team, and over 20 chefs who cooked up a storm with dishes from every country in the delicious CSW recipe book! We raised £335 and were thrilled to see people there who wouldn’t usually come to a church.”

Claire, Hampshire

Spotlight on...students “ I enjoyed putting together an event for such a great cause and the organisation itself was not difficult. The best thing to do when reaching out to fellow students to join you in helping carry out the work of CSW is to tell as many people as you can, as frequently as you can!”

Afua, Cardiff

Spotlight on...prayer “When I heard about the persecution of Christians, I thought there must be other people feeling the same way as I did and if we could get together to pray, that would be something positive we could do. We were praying for Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani as part of CSW’s 24 hours of prayer for him on the day he was due to appear in court. I had just finished my half hour slot and as soon as I turned on my computer, I discovered that he had been released from prison. It was amazing, I was really excited!”

Ros, Blackheath

Could you join the network of CSW Ambassadors and encourage others to stand up and speak out for those who face persecution because of their faith?

If so, give Geni Johnson a call on 07948 185629 or email genijohnson@csw.org.uk to chat through how you can get started.

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take your stand against religious hatred in Pakistan. Sign the petition enclosed www.csw.org.uk/retune

People from the Christian community attend a protest to condemn suicide bombings which took place outside two churches in Lahore, March 16, 2015. Suicide bombings outside two churches in Lahore killed 14 people and wounded nearly 80 others during services on Sunday in attacks claimed by a faction of the Pakistani Taliban.

Photo: REUTERS/Mohsin Raza

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 www.facebook.com/cswuk @csw_uk Registered Charity No. 281836