WWW.PERSECUTION.ORG
AUGUST 2015
PERSECU ION
Mexico:
Persecution
Exposed
An ICC/CSW investigation reveals the shocking story of persecution in Mexico
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INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN
Table of Contents
In This Issue: FEATURE
12 | Hidden in Plain Sight
ICC’s president travels to Mexico to investigate the persecution of Christians. FEATURE
14 | Santa Muerte
A barbaric and oft satanic cult of “holy death” is gaining disturbing ground among the disenfranchised in Mexico. FEATURE
16 | The Smiles Remain
ICC’s president visits displaced families who have spent six years living in 12x12-foot rooms of a homeless shelter. INTERVIEW
18 | A Virtuous Life
An interview with a Christian who was forced to decide to renounce his faith or leave his land and home behind.
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FEATURE
20 | Not Destroyed
A new church building is burned to the ground by local villagers. ADVOCACY
22 | Turning on the Light
Shining a light on religious persecution in Mexico on Capitol Hill. ADVOCACY
24 | Sounding the Alarm
ICC activates a four-fold grassroots campaign for Mexico’s persecuted Christians. FEATURE
26 | In the Bull’s-eye
A hot spot for drug cartels in Mexico has seen more priests murdered than anywhere else in the country.
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Regular Features
3 Letter from the President A few words from ICC’s president. 4 World News A snapshot of the persecution that impacts our brothers and sisters daily, in every corner of the world. 8 Your Dollars at Work Learn how your gifts are spreading the Gospel and providing relief and vocational training to the persecuted. 2
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22 AUGUST 2015
President’s Letter
For the last 12 years, I’ve wanted ICC to be involved in fighting persecution in Mexico, but it has always been on the back burner as we dealt with the Middle East and other areas. But this year, Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) invited us to come along with them for a joint investigation (see page 12) into persecution in Mexico. Their manager for the area, Anna Lee Stengel, is an expert on the issue and wanted to increase the level of attention paid to this subject, so she invited us to the fight! Although I knew there was persecution, I was totally surprised by the scale, intensity and similarity to the persecution we deal with around the world. NonMuslim communities tend to persecute in very similar ways, and governments tend to react in very similar ways. The more things change …
Jeff King, President International Christian Concern
As I sat with one group of victims (see page 18) who had been living in a homeless shelter for six years since they lost their homes and farmlands, I was burdened to help them out of my own pocket. After our meeting, I had our driver take us to Costco (can you believe it), where I purchased 800 pounds of beans and rice — and some candy, of course — for the 11 families I had sat with. I returned with my gift, and it was like I met with a different group of people. This group has been talking to the government about their case for six years and had received only the run-around. They are justifiably jaded and cautious, and I sensed it when I first interviewed them. On my return, though, there was no mistaking their genuine gratitude. I knew they had been touched by the Lord. When a fellow Christian feels the pain of a persecution victim and then reaches out to touch them, it blows them away. This is one of the most rewarding things about my job. The ability to reach into people’s lives and be the hands and feet of Jesus in a small way. Jesus told us that it is better to give than to receive. If you’ve lived a few decades, you already know the truth of that statement. As the years go by, the toys of the world lose their shine and appeal. The promise of “things” is almost always illusory. The internal currency we receive from helping the deserving needy and oppressed is real money. My payment for my little act of generosity was the beaming faces of those who realized the Lord had not forgotten them. I was merely a courier of the Lord’s love, but I was paid handsomely. I invite you to be greedy for this wealth in your life whether it means helping the persecuted through ICC or touching others in your world. Be Blessed,
Jeff King President, International Christian Concern www.persecution.org
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News
Boko Haram Sending Captive Girls on Suicide Bombing Missions in Nigeria
1 | INDIA May 26 marked the first anniversary of Prime Minister Narendra Modi taking power in India. In 2014, the National Democratic Alliance, a political coalition led by the Hindu nationalist group Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), won the national election, placing Modi at the top of India’s government. Despite promises of religious tolerance, India’s religious minorities have seen a dramatic escalation in persecution since Modi took office. There have been numerous attacks specifically targeting Christians, many of which were led by extremist Hindu nationalist groups. Reports over the last year indicate more than 600 cases of religiously motivated violence, including nearly 200 directed at Christians. This increase in violence led the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom to designate India as a “Tier 2” violator of religious freedom in its latest annual report. Although Modi has spoken numerous times against religious persecution in India, a lack of government action has left religious minorities still calling for greater protection and security.
2 | NIGERIA As a part of their brutal attack tactics, the Nigeria-based extremist group Boko Haram has increasingly taken to forcing young girls into suicide bombing missions. According to the Washington Post, from the start of 2015 until the end of May, the United Nations recorded 27 attacks carried out by suicide bombers in northeastern Nigeria alone. Reports indicate at least 75 percent of these attacks were committed by women or young girls. Case after case demonstrate Boko Haram’s ability to brainwash their victims. By kidnapping young girls, rather than adults, the captors are able to more easily intimidate and often gain the loyalty of their young captives. According to reports from the Associated Press, military personnel have had to hold former captives of Boko Haram in custody out of fear they may still have sympathy for their captors. The conditions these girls face while in captivity are appalling. They are spiritually manipulated by being told that if they comply with their abductors and go through with the suicide missions, they will go to heaven. If they disobey, they are told they will simply be killed. Many are often forced to convert from Christianity to Islam and marry their captors. Others are sold into lives of sexual slavery.
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India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Modi Fails to Deliver on Promises of Tolerance to Religious Minorities
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Four Students Jailed to Calm Riots Incited by Video Mocking ISIS 3 | EGYPT After spending 62 days in a jail cell, the last of four students in Beni Mazar, Egypt, has been released on bail after facing charges of defaming Islam. When the four students filmed a video mocking the radical Islamist group ISIS, violent riots soon broke out in their village in response. The boys were taken to the police station by their parents in early April after receiving numerous death threats against the families, other local Christians and the students themselves. While the imprisonment of the students calmed some of the riots, numerous Christian homes were attacked even after the arrests were made. Although the students have been released from prison, the charges have yet to be dropped. Unfortunately, it appears the prosecution intends to persist until they are able to obtain a conviction. AUGUST 2015
Pastor Saeed
Abedini has been imprisoned in Iran for three years, suffering countless abuses for his faith in Christ.
Iranian Guards Turn Blind Eye as Prisoners Attack and Beat Imprisoned Pastor Saeed Abedini 4 | IRAN American pastor Saeed Abedini, who has been imprisoned for three years in Iran for his Christian faith, has faced yet another horrific beating. As he was leaving his jail cell, fellow inmates attacked him. Although the prison guards did not participate in this particular beating as they have in the past, they refused to intervene and come to his aid when he cried out for help.
Pastors Face Possible Death Sentences 5 | SUDAN Two Christian pastors from South Sudan are being detained in a jail in Khartoum, Sudan, facing possible death penalties. Pastors Yat Michael and David Yein are facing charges of spying, inciting organized groups and offending Islamic beliefs. According to the two men, they were simply preaching the Gospel and living out their callings as pastors. The two men have reportedly been held in separate jail cells in order to increase the psychological effects of their lengthy imprisonment, which has gained the attention of media outlets throughout the world. Michael has stated that he has been unable to contact his family for months as he awaits his punishment.
Pastor David Yein is awaiting a possible death sentence in a Sudanese prison for preaching the Gospel.
Church Forced to Make Hard Decision 6 | PAKISTAN A Christian congregation in Karachi, Pakistan, has been forced to decide between abandoning their church building or facing false blasphemy accusations. A group of Muslim criminals seeking the church’s land has threatened to accuse the congregation of blasphemy unless they abandon the property. Blasphemy accusations can carry serious implications in Pakistan. They can lead to violent riots, life in prison and even death sentences.
Riots Force Five Families from Homes 7 | EGYPT In late May, five Coptic Christian families were forcibly expelled from their homes in Beni Suef, Egypt, due to violence and numerous threats. They were forced to abandon the familiarity of their homes when a group of young, local Muslims became angry about remarks allegedly posted on Facebook by a family member of the Coptic Christians, who was living in Jordan. Although the family has denied the accusation, the group of extremists proceeded to torch 10 homes and destroy other property during the attacks. After the situation drew national outcry, the families were able to return to their homes the week following the attacks.
Muslims torched 10 Egyptian homes in riots incited over Facebook posts allegedly made by Christians.
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News
Muslim Mob Attacks Mentally Disabled Christian for Alleged Blasphemy 1 | PAKISTAN On June 4, International Christian Concern learned that a mentally disabled man from Pakistan was physically attacked and accused of blasphemy. The incident came about when the 22-year-old Christian man, Yaqoob Bashir, was accused of burning pages of a booklet containing verses from the Quran throughout it. According to Bashir’s mother, however, her son was smoking nearby, and the ashes from his cigarette accidentally caused the booklet to catch on fire. Prior to this accusation, Bashir was declared mentally disabled and reportedly received mental health treatment from a facility in Hyderabad. When news began to spread about the incident, Muslim extremists broke into Bashir’s home, attacked him and then headed toward the streets in protest. When police arrived at the scene, they arrested Bashir and took him to the police station, where the accusation was officially registered on testimony from a local Muslim cleric. According to Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, insulting Islam, which includes desecrating the Quran, can lead to extreme punishments, including life imprisonment and death sentences. Since this incident, nearly 30 Christian families have fled their homes as a result of threats that the mob would attack and burn the homes of Christians in the area. Bashir’s case is just one of many instances of the misuse of blasphemy laws against Christians in Pakistan.
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Iranian Pastor Sentenced to Additional Year in Prison and 74 Lashes 2 | IRAN An Iranian pastor, Farshid Fathi, has been refused his appeal against an extra year in prison and 74 lashes. Fathi has already spent six years in prison under charges of action against the regime and religious propaganda. He was sentenced to the extra year in prison and lashes when guards allegedly found alcohol in his prison ward. During the raid, prison officials beat Fathi — a brutal assault that left him with a fractured toe and foot. Although Fathi has strongly denied that the alcohol belonged to him, the Revolutionary Court that received his case denied his appeal against the lengthened imprisonment sentence.
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Islamists Kidnap 100 Eritrean Christians from Libya and Sudan 3 | ERITREA In the first week of June, radical Islamist groups were responsible for the abduction of 100 Eritrean Christians. The kidnappings took place in two separate incidents occurring in both Libya and Sudan. In the first abduction, a group of militants from the Islamic State captured a large group of people traveling to Libya. The militants held the 86 Christians captive while letting the Muslims, who were with them, go free. In the second incident, a group of gunmen ambushed Eritrean refugees headed toward a Sudanese refugee camp, kidnapping 14 of them in the process. According to witnesses, it was obvious that the Christians were being singled out in the attacks. Christians in Eritrea must often make the heartwrenching decision of whether to stay in their home country or flee to nearby territories. Those who stay in Eritrea face the threat of arbitrary imprisonment and torture at the hands of their authoritarian government solely due to their Christian faith. Those who leave the country are often forced to journey through regions infested with terrorists, with only a distant hope that they will eventually reach safety.
AUGUST 2015
The remains of St. Mary’s Assyrian Church are a stark reminder of the terror inflicted on Syrian Christians by ISIS militants.
Syrian Christians Returning to Ravaged Lands
ISIS Trafficking Thousands of Girls as Sex Slaves
4 | SYRIA When the Islamic State gained control of Assyrian Christian villages throughout northeastern Syria, countless families were forced from their homes in search of safety. Although ISIS has since been driven out of the region, the damage left behind was extensive, as seen in what remains of St. Mary’s Assyrian Church. It is believed militants left behind mines in order to further the damage and claim more lives as Christian families begin returning home.
5 | MIDDLE EAST Since the beginning of the Islamic State’s introduction to the world stage slightly over a year ago, thousands of women and young girls have been kidnapped and trafficked across the Middle East. A large portion of them have been sold at low prices to militants as sex slaves and young wives, often forced to convert to Islam. The enslaved women are also used as a recruiting tactic for the terrorist organization in order to attract foreign militants.
U.S. Commission Denounces Religious Violence in India 6 | INDIA A U.S. congressional commission recently held a briefing to publicly denounce the increase in religiously motivated violence against minorities in India. Within the last year, incidents of violence and discrimination against Christians and other religious minorities have dramatically escalated. Many human rights observers have attributed this escalation to the BJP-led government’s rise to power. While some experts praised U.S. President Barack Obama, others encouraged the U.S. government to continue urging India to lift bans that discriminate against Christians. Multiple members of the panel claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a part in the escalation of violence, citing that incidents of violence against Christians rose 75 percent within his first year in office. The commission concluded by calling upon the United States to prioritize efforts aimed at religious freedom and stopping violence against minorities in upcoming talks between the two nations.
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Your Dollar$ at Work Celebrating the Graduation of 30 Christian Women from Vocational Training
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Save Our Sisters
n Pakistan, Christian women are forced to face a form of double persecution. By many, they are considered extra vulnerable for two reasons. First, they are regarded as the weaker gender. Second, they are regarded as the wrong religion. Because of this, Christian women are targeted by Muslim men for abduction, rape and forced conversions to Islam that are often followed by forced marriages to their abductors. It has been estimated that 700 Christian women are forcefully converted and forcefully married every year in Pakistan. Christian women are most vulnerable to this growing issue while working as domestic workers in Muslim homes, as field workers on farms or as laborers at brick kilns. In response, ICC established several Save Our Sisters vocational training centers in Pakistan in 2012. These centers have helped Christian women learn a skilled profession that enables them to establish a small business of their own that they can run out of the safety of their own home. On June 19, 30 Christian women graduated from two of ICC’s Save Our Sisters vocational training centers. These women completed the 10-month training program learning how to become expert seamstresses and businesswomen. During the graduation, the women received both a certificate indicating they had successfully completed the training program and, more importantly, the items they will need to start their very own small business. Thank you to all those who donate to ICC’s Save Our Sisters fund. With your donations, we are truly helping change the lives of many Christian women in Pakistan by allowing them to become the masters of their own destiny.
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AUGUST 2015
Church Growth Food and Relief in Indonesia to Niger Pastors
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Through the Eye of a Needle
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Underground Pastors
CC supports five church planters in Indonesia who share the Gospel with Muslims among unreached people groups. In the past five years, hundreds of Muslims have come to faith in Christ. Church planter Nehemia thanked ICC for our support and told us the testimonies of new believers’ changed lives and healed marriages are throwing the doors of evangelism wide open in Indonesia!
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Community Rebuild
ore than six months after extremist Muslims rioted across Niger in response to the cartoon publication of the Muslim prophet Mohammed in the French satirical magazine, Charlie Hebdo, Christians are still suffering. ICC has stepped in to provide relief food packages to five pastors in desperate need and is replacing chairs at their churches lost in the blazes.
Underground Pastors
avid was from a wealthy family in Iran. At 30 years old, he was successful, but began to realize the problem of sin in his life. “I was looking to run away from it. I started saying prayers and going to the mosque, but still I thought there was no way of getting out,” Navid said. While he was in the midst of this struggle, a customer visited his store and started talking about God. This new friend told Navid how the power of sin could be broken. He shared with him the Scriptures that explain who God is and how to have a relationship with Him. The customer Navid met was one of the church leaders ICC supports through our Underground Pastors fund. In some of the world’s most challenging places, your gifts help us support those faithfully sharing Jesus. “Now I am reading the Scriptures. I believed in Jesus Christ and I understood that he died to forgive my sins,” Navid said.
Aiding Imprisoned Pastors’ Families
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Suffering Wives & Children
uring the night of July 21, 2014, Chinese government authorities physically attacked and injured more than 20 Christians while dismantling the cross of the Christian Gospel Church in Shuitou, China. In response to those events, Pastor Huang Yizi (above) encouraged his church members to inquire about the altercation with local authorities. Unfortunately, police interpreted Huang’s
actions as leading a disturbance, and he was officially arrested on August 28, 2014. On March 24, 2015, he was convicted and sentenced to one year in prison. Pastor Huang remains incarcerated but continues to share the Gospel, now with other prisoners. The assistance ICC provides to his family, as well as to nine other families of prisoners of conscience, reminds Christians in China that they have not been forgotten.
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Your Dollar$ at Work
Rebuilding Homes for Widows and Families in Aftermath of Muslim Attack Community Rebuild
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CC is rebuilding hope for a village in Kenya that was burned down by Muslim extremist terrorists al-Shabaab. Even before Garissa, the Somali group was persecuting Christians all along the Kenyan coast, including burning the village of Hindi and murdering all of the men on July 5, 2014. Edna’s husband, Joseph, was dragged out of the house that night and slaughtered before her eyes while their house burned. While it will never replace the husband she lost in the attack, Edna has a new home. ICC’s partners in Kenya built the wooden frame first and then slid a metal roof on top. Next, they tirelessly mixed dirt and water to craft mud bricks to insulate the house. Edna is one of four widows, and her family is just one of 15 families who ICC helped with new homes after the attack. Please continue to pray for this community as they work to rebuild their lives and remain steadfast in their faith.
Microbusiness Grants Helping Iraqis Rebuild Hand of Hope
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SIS has driven more than 3 million people from their homes. The heartland of Iraq’s Christian community has been completely devastated. More than 150,000 Christians are now living in unfinished buildings, makeshift temporary shelters, or crammed together with 15 or 20 people sharing a single apartment. Not only are the homes overcrowded, but entire cities are struggling to cope with the
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flood of new people. Jobs are scarce, education is almost nonexistent and basic supplies are nearly impossible to obtain. Desperate just to survive, countless families in Iraq’s Christian community are streaming out of the country. ICC is continuing to provide these families with basic needs like food, water and air coolers to survive the brutal heat, but more needs to be done. To stop the exodus and to give an opportunity for new life, ICC and its partners in Iraq are helping some of these families start over. A small grant to start a business was all the incentive and opportunity Sikot needed. She used the grant to purchase a sewing machine and the other tools needed to start a dressmaking shop. Together with her nieces, Sikot is producing multiple dresses a day and selling them throughout the city that has become their AUGUST 2015
Your Dollar$ at Work
Food Aid to Vulnerable Families
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Hand of Hope
n March 15, suicide bombers connected to the Pakistani Taliban attacked Christ Church and St. John’s Catholic Church in a predominantly Christian area of Lahore, Pakistan. As a result, 19 people were killed and another 86 were wounded. In an effort to bring relief to these perse-
new home. These women are not only creating dresses from scratch and a business from scratch, but they are starting new lives from scratch. We at ICC have been able to repeat the story with Abeer, whose corner shop is helping enable her to pay fees for her kids to attend school. For two teenage sisters, an oven and baking supplies have turned into a subscription bakery providing flat bread for many of their new neighbors. A grant to start earning an income and start building a business has provided purpose and opportunity to continue life in Iraq. They are all displaced from another part of Iraq because of war and violence. Like so many others, the life they lived before has been destroyed, but with your help they are able to build something new.
cuted Christians, ICC distributed food aid to 26 of the most vulnerable families in need. After the distribution, one beneficiary said, “I am now a widow and have eight children. I am really very grateful to ICC, who gave us this food aid. With this aid, I will be able to give food to my children. God bless ICC. I can now say that our Lord Jesus never leaves his believers in their sufferings.”
Vocational Training in Egypt Helping Women Find Discipleship
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Save Our Sisters
gypt has gone through wave after wave of political turmoil over the past five years as Islamists like the Muslim Brotherhood have fought for control of the country. Behind the political battle, a spiritual battle is taking place as many Muslims are leaving Islam to put their faith in Jesus. Through ICC’s Save Our Sisters fund, dozens of Christian women from Muslim backgrounds received skills both spiritual
and physical for this new life. Many of these women are still living in homes with a husband or father who is a Muslim and would prevent them from spending time with Christians. Vocational courses in sewing, crochet, hairdressing and literacy provide the opportunity for discipleship to help them grow in their new faith. They also teach a new skill and give them an opportunity for a business to earn an income with their own two hands.
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HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT CHRISTIANS IN MEXICO SUFFER SHOCKING PERSECUTION IN SILENCE ICC’s president travels to Mexico to investigate the persecution of Christians
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By Jeff King, president of ICC
or 12 years I’ve wanted ICC to be involved in fighting persecution in Mexico. If you are like most people, you are probably wondering why we are using the words Mexico and persecution together in the same sentence! The shocking truth is that Mexico has a serious persecution problem. Many Christians suffer the same abuses, and the government reacts to persecution in the same way we see overseas.
On the Back Burner
Mexico has been on the back burner for ICC and other Christian human rights groups for some time because, although we knew there was persecution, we didn’t have solid on-the-ground contacts. Therefore, other more urgent areas took precedence. Enter Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW)! A wonderful UK-based Christian advocacy group, CSW has for the last few years been doing incredible work in Mexico and Latin America under the leadership of regional manager, Anna-Lee Stangel. Anna-Lee hosted me on a joint CSW/ ICC investigation into Chiapas, Mexico’s southernmost state and one of the key centers of persecution. What I saw stunned me. Persecution in Chiapas includes everything from beatings, to land/home seizures, to murder of Christians who will not abandon Christ. One fascinating spiritual insight in regard to the persecution is that it is correlated with the spread of a satanic movement that has swept Mexico called Santa Muerte, or Saint Death. Where Santa Muerte is strong, persecution is strong! See our story on page 14 for additional insight on this cult.
A Brief History
Persecution in different forms has been going on for over 100 years, but it has
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really picked up pace in the last 30 years with the growth of the evangelical churches. The most active states are Chiapas, Oaxaca and Hidalgo. In the 1800s, Mexico confiscated all the Catholic churches in the country after the priests aided a national uprising. To this day, the government refuses to give them back and says they never will. Catholic priests who stand up for justice are assassinated by the narcos (drug mafias). In fact, the Catholic church loses more priests to persecution by the narcos in Chiapas than anywhere else on earth (see page 26-27).
A Typical Case
Most of the cases we see today are strikingly similar. Not much has changed in 2,000 years; if you look at Acts 19:23-24, you will see the same broad pattern of persecution in Mexican cases. The victims tend to be indigenous Mexicans, as opposed to those of Spanish descent. They are poor, uneducated, ignorant of their rights and culturally marginalized — many don’t even speak Spanish! When indigenous Mexicans come to Christ, they come under heavy pressure from mayors and other village officials to continue to pay for village festivals that involve extremely heavy drinking, sexual immorality and sometimes even the satanic practices of the Santa Muerte movement. The Christians, who are looking to flee the world and its evil practices, can no longer participate in or support these activities. When they refuse to pay the thousands of dollars required of them as a group, then the real trouble starts. They are threatened and their utilities are turned off. If they don’t turn away from Jesus, they are expelled and lose their homes and lands. If they refuse to leave or try to return, they are beaten and tortured. Many have even been raped or murdered. See pages 18-19 for an in-depth look at one case.
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Government Solutions
You would think a country with the rule of law would ensure the victims in these cases were able to receive protection from the government. Unfortunately, the reality is that the best case scenario for these Christians is that the government ignores the victims. In the worst cases, the government will actually collude with and protect the perpetrators. The government “solution” for one group of Christians who were thrown off their lands and out of their homes was to allow them to come back if they agreed to not carry Bibles, assemble together, share the Gospel or have any visitors without the mayor’s approval (see pages 18-19). With friends like these … !
U.S. Advocacy Solutions
During my visit, I met with several government human rights commissions and told them that the international human rights organizations had previously given Mexico a pass, but that time was ending due to a long pattern of egregious offenses against Christian communities. As I write this, our advocacy team is in Washington, D.C. with two knowledgeable guests we flew in from Mexico for meetings with 20 senators and members of Congress on this issue. One influential member is considering a congressional hearing on this issue. See pages 22-23 for more on our advocacy work.
Answering the Call
In the meantime, we are aiding victims and we will speak out for those who cannot speak, for the rights of all the destitute. We will speak out and judge righteously to defend the rights of the poor and needy (Proverbs 31:8-9). We do this because we know that whatever we do for the least of these brothers and sisters of Mexico, we do for Jesus (Matthew 25:40)! See pages 24-25 for more information on how you can fight persecution in Mexico. AUGUST 2015
Photos Top Left Chiapas, the center of persecution
in Mexico, is a famous tourist destination.
Top Right Indigenous Mexicans are the typi-
cal victims of persecution in Mexico.
Middle Left Persecution usually starts when
villages attempt to force Christians to financially support thousands of dollars to buy alcohol for festivals that involve heavy drinking, sexual immorality and even satanic elements.
Middle Right ICC’s president meets with the Chiapas state human rights commission. Bottom These people are part of a group of
more than 30 individuals expelled from their village who lost their homes and land and have lived in a homeless shelter for six years. See page 16 for their story.
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Santa Muerte
A Satanic Cult Threatens to Supplant Catholic Worship
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By Rosalie Thompson
s darkness looms in Tepito, a community infamous for its criminal and violent activities is heard chanting “holiest of deaths” in the streets as a sea of followers serenade and carry gifts to a statute elaborately clothed in a white wedding dress with a veil covering its face. From a distance, the dressed figure can vaguely be seen as the flicker of lit candles marks the religious procession to her shrine decorated with crosses and dozens of other saint figures surrounding her elaborate altar. From afar, the image seems to be just another mere replica of the patron saint of Mexico, the Virgin of Guadalupe (the Virgin Mary), but as the neon lights and lit candles draw closer to her shrine, a skeleton dressed as a bride carrying a scythe is revealed for all to see. Every year on November 1, thousands of faithful worshippers gather in the streets of Tepito at the stroke of midnight to pay their respects and make their homage walk to a saint both feared and hated by the Catholic Church. These faithful worshippers, some having journeyed hundreds of miles, are about to offer their burnt sacrifices and gifts to Santa Muerte (Saint Death), a personification of death and the goddess of all that is evil. What’s more, her followers erect homemade altars and offer lit candles to her worship — many offering fruit, alcohol and flowers at her feet in the hope that she will grant their desires. However, her extreme devotion requires more than just plates of food and
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tequila. For many, the sacrifices and offerings require a blood price. With dark worship comes dark offerings, and this is evidently true with Santa Muerte. The sacrifices and offerings made at her feet have become barbaric and diabolic. In many instances, heads of victims have served as burnt sacrifices to Santa Muerte. In exchange for protection and victory, drug cartels and criminals will drag their victims to the feet of Santa Muerte and deliver their blood right before her shrine.
A Cult of Death
In recent decades, veneration of Santa Muerte has become notorious for its association with the drug war in Mexico. Drug cartels venerate her and call upon her for protection. In many criminal circles, it is even
rumored that ritual murders have been made in her honor. Despite her grisly figure and her vengeful wrath to all who oppose her, thousands are flocking to worship at her feet. This new cult, the cult of death, is sparking a new battle for the soul of Mexico. For a country where the veneration of Catholic saints has always been popular and strong, the adoration of and devotion to the cult of “holy death” is increasing among the most marginalized members of its society. For many, Santa Muerte is a “compassionate and egalitarian” figure, a “saint” who is amoral and does not judge. She accepts all who prostrate at her feet and makes no preference for those who live an amoral or virtuous life. She reigns unrivaled within prison cells and among notorious criminals, drug cartels, homosexual and transgender individuals and
Santa Muerte,
adorned as the Catholic Virgin of Guadalupe, is the center of worship for a cult of “holy death” that is spiraling out of control in Mexico.
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all those considered downtrodden by society. Her devotion is unique and astonishing, and contrary to the veneration and devotion given to the Virgin Mary and the Catholic Church, Santa Muerte does not require her followers to forsake all others to remain faithful to her. Instead, she only asks for special offerings to be made to her. Surprisingly, many Catholics who prostrate themselves at Santa Muerte’s feet still count Catholicism as their primary religion. But here is where religion and superstition become one.
A Cult Becomes a Religion
Santa Muerte first began as an underground movement with deep roots in the Aztec goddess of the underworld. It incorporated the belief that this deathly folk saint could grant miracles in the same way that Catholic saints were believed to, but without passing judgment. Since her inception to the present day, her adoration has become more prominent. So prominent, in fact, that it began to take the place of the traditional Catholic Church and their saints. While Mexico battles to find the balance of security and transparency within its borders, many Mexicans are beginning to believe the traditional hierarchy of the Catholic Church cannot offer them solace from the corruption and bloodshed plaguing their country. Therefore, many have found this new cult a religious movement of salvation and liberation from injustice — injustice from government officials and even religious officials, who have marginalized its most vulnerable members of society. With an increasing number of Catholic churches throughout Mexico experiencing a dwindling in followers as their congregants depart to join this new cult, the growing flock of Santa Muerte has made some Catholic priests despise Santa Muerte as a satanic practice. In addition to the dwindling numbers in the Catholic churches, Christians in Mexico are also threatened by the rising popularity of this death cult as many are being forced to pay for festivals that increasingly involve many of its satanic rituals. Believers who refuse to have anything to do with such idolatry are often persecuted and expelled from their homes and villages. And so the battle for the soul of Mexico and its people has begun. Photos at Left The dark and often satanic worship of Santa Muerte (Saint Death) is increasing among the disenfranchised of Mexico’s population.
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THE SMILES REMAIN A Gift of Food Brings Joy to a Persecuted Community ICC’s president visits 11 Christian families who have spent six years living in a homeless shelter after being expelled from their homes.
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By Jeff King, president of ICC
eing in the field is what makes persecution real. We deal with persecution every day, but when you meet the victims face to face, you remember why you do this kind of work.
Eleven Families in Limbo
The pictures to the right are of a group of 11 Christian families I met on my trip to Chiapas, Mexico. They were expelled from their land and homes in Chiapas in 2009. The government’s solution to their plight, rather than demanding justice and arresting the perpetrators, was to put this group of farming families into a homeless shelter within a strange city, without jobs or skills. They have been in this situation for the last six years. I met with these families to understand their case and hear their story on my visit to Chiapas. Within the homeless shelter, each family lives in a room that is approximately 12x12 feet. Within that small space, a bathroom takes up a 4x9-foot section. Their kids are normal kids that run around and make noise, but the parents are terrified that neighbors will complain about the noise, and they will be thrown out on the streets. As
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a result, the parents try to keep them in their small rooms throughout the day. Most of the kids have been denied an education because the schools tell the parents that their kids are too far behind and will hurt the other kids. The few that do go to school fare little better. Teachers tell the parents that in order to receive their grades and advance to the next level, they have to pay the equivalent
In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ – ACTS 20:35 (ESV)
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of $50 (a sum way beyond their reach). As I sat with each family, hearing the details of their case, I was burdened by their plight. I thought of my own kids as I watched theirs run around in rags. After the meeting, I went to a store and purchased 800 pounds of beans and rice (see bottom picture) out of my own pocket. I don’t mention that I paid for the food personally lightly. I did it out of concern and to let you know that these believers that are being persecuted in Mexico are suffering greatly and truly in need. Jesus said it is more blessed to give than to receive. If you’ve lived a few years, you know the truth of that statement. No material thing or money given to you really touches your soul, but when you give, especially in relation to God’s prompting, and see others blessed, it is food for your soul and an investment in eternity. Take a look at the picture on the bottom right — the smiles of our brothers and sisters tell the story well. Their parting words to me through the interpreter were about how they felt frustration. Because of the language barrier, they couldn’t properly express to me personally how touched they were. The words expressed are already fading, but those smiles of blessing and gratitude will remain. AUGUST 2015
1 Forced from their homes in Chiapas, 11 families have spent the past six years living together in this homeless shelter 2 A victim and his children stand in their 12x12-foot home 3 Smiles of gratitude abound as food is delivered
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Interview
LIVING A VIRTUOUS LIFE
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he conflict had reached its climax and Casto Hernandez faced the ultimate conflict for a Christian. He could keep his home and land, but he would have to sign documents renouncing his faith. If he did not sign, he would be forced to flee, leaving almost everything behind.
Rise in Persecution
Persecution has exploded in Mexico over the past few decades with the growth of the evangelicals to the point that human rights activists question Mexicans’ right to freedom of religion established in article 24 of the Mexican Constitution. In Mexico, when a person finds Christ in a village, they will quickly face the wrath of mayors and politicians. The villages practice pagan rituals and celebrate different festivals that started as noble and good but devolved into falling-down-drunk village fests that often include sexual immorality and even satanic elements from the Santa Muerte death cult. These festivals have become part and parcel of village life, and all villagers are forced to financially support them or risk the wrath of officials. When village leaders persecute evangelicals for refusing to participate in the festivals, they are left defenseless as county, state and federal officials side with the local politicians or even collude with them to punish the new Christians.
Casto’s Story
Casto’s story is just one of the many that ICC and Christian Solidarity Worldwide have uncovered in Mexico that exposes the extensive and serious persecution of Christians and a culture of intolerance in Mexico. In 2012, two years after converting to Christianity, Casto Hernandez, 34, began preaching and leading a Bible study in his home in Hidalgo state. As his influence grew,
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Michoacan Top Smoke can be seen from afar as a
church in Mexico’s Michoacan state is burned to the ground by hostile villagers on May 10. The church’s destruction is just one example of the persecution evangelical Christians are facing in Mexico.
Bottom A young boy surveys the ruins of
an apostolic church in the village of Santa Fe de la Laguna. The villagers utilized a tractor and sledge hammers to completely demolish the walls and foundations.
more believers in the village began rejecting the pagan rituals performed by many around them. In April 2014, he was summoned by community leaders without explanation and then told he could not use his home for the gatherings.
Unconstitutional Government “Fixes” According to Casto, Emilio Hernandez, the delegate of the village at the time, pressured him to sign a document prohibiting him from practicing his faith. When he refused, the leaders signed his signature in his place, but Casto continued to practice his constitutional right over the next year. On March 12, 2015, a new community delegate, Jesus Dominguez Hernandez, summoned Casto to appear before the village council again. Casto’s cousin, Juan, 25, joined him. Casto was told that villagers had complained about him using his home to share his faith, and the village council presented him with a document similar to the one signed a year earlier. Feeling the full weight of the village and facing 50 ex-delegates, Casto prayed, took a deep breath, and refused to turn away from the Lord. The council demanded again that he sign the document that would take away his constitutional right to worship and practice his faith. Again, Casto stood firm, telling the village officials he could not “live an amoral life, but must live a virtuous life.”
Casto stood firm, telling the village officials he could not “live an amoral life, but must live a virtuous one.” PERSECU ION.org
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He steadied himself, believing God would give him the wisdom and strength for anything that followed. The delegate became very angry and reminded Casto he could cause him significant pain and the loss of all his possessions if he continued to defy him. “The devil offers me the world, but Christ offers me eternal life,” Casto Hernandez replied. “I’ve done nothing wrong. I have not hurt anyone or insulted anyone. I just want to live a godly life, the one that God asks of me.” Failing to comply, Casto and his cousin were imprisoned. For the next 30 hours, Casto was repeatedly pressured to sign the document so that he could be freed. Two days later, at 3 a.m., both men were released from prison. Casto reported that the delegates then threatened to burn the homes of the other evangelical members of the community, so he decided to leave his home and land. The delegates manufactured a document claiming he voluntarily left town. As a result, he has not been permitted to return.
‘The devil offers me the world, but Christ offers me eternal life. I’ve done nothing wrong. I have not hurt anyone or insulted anyone. I just want to live a godly life, the one that God asks of me.’
Moving Forward A Mexican human rights organization is representing his case before a state-level human rights commission, but Casto and Juan have been receiving death threats and continued pressure to withdraw the case or pursue an informal resolution — efforts which indicate the village leaders believe the cousins have a strong case. Other new Christians are dealing with the same issues. In another case, according to our sources, a group of Christian victims sought to meet with the same delegate, Jesus Dominguez Hernandez, on April 24 for further discussions on their case. Sources tell us that Hernandez became infuriated and threatened to kill them. What we have found is that, for many evangelical Christians in Mexico, persecution is a constant issue they have to live with. State and county officials either ignore their cases or collude with the village officials to persecute the Christians.
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STRUCK DOWN, BUT NOT DESTROYED
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n Sunday, May 10, a Sunday school teacher from the Apostolic Faith in Jesus Christ Church in Michoacán, Mexico, walked outside her church service to investigate a commotion she heard. Upon seeing the angry mob with a bulldozer that had clearly gathered to attack their church, she ran inside to warn the pastor and lay people of the unfolding attack. Pastor Angel Gutierrez was already aware that a disaster was about to befall them. Although Pastor Gutierrez had only a few minutes to prepare his congregation for the attack, he calmly instructed the people to stay seated and avoid a confrontation with the mob. However, as he was speaking to the congregation, his jaw dropped as he saw and heard the bulldozer and tractors the mob had brought. It was then that he realized they would destroy the freshly poured foundation of their new, large church building, for which they had saved their money for years. The roaring of tractors and bulldozers, as well as the sound of the breaking concrete, terrified the children, who began to cry en masse. The congregation emptied out of the church and begged the alleged leader of the mob, Felix Perez Gaspar, not to destroy their church home. Their appeals were met only with hatred as Gaspar reportedly threatened to crush them with the bulldozer. As the foundation was being demolished, another group sprayed gasoline on the simple structure they had used for years as their main sanctuary. In an effort to rescue valuables belonging to the church, some of the members of the congregation ran inside to collect the valuables, despite the fact that the mob had set fire to the building. In a matter of minutes, the hut that once served as their place of worship burst into flames and burned to the ground.
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Pastor Gutierrez refused to give in to anger during the crisis in spite of the verbal and physical abuse he suffered during the attack. He never once displayed anger or even frustration. These appalling events were all recorded on video: a visual record of the religious persecution affecting the rural areas of Mexico. Despite the concrete evidence of religious intolerance and persecution, community leaders are still denying that the Michoacán case was religiously motivated. Yet, in the 23-minute video obtained by ICC, which captures the destruction and burning of the church buildings, community officials of the San Juan district bluntly justify their actions on the basis that the community had reached an agreement to stop construction of the new Christian church due to the fact that the group was evangelical. For many members of this community, the actions which occurred on May 10 are deeply disturbing and painful. The parents of the children say it has deeply affected their kids, who are suffering from the psychological trauma they endured. Many parents report that their children are waking up at night and screaming, “They burn us!” Sadly, these Christians still do not understand why their community would be targeted. For several years, their presence has promoted family values and morality within the community, but for some village members of Santa Fe, local customs outweigh the Word of God.
Photos
Top A villager takes a sledge hammer to
the freshly poured foundation of a new evangelical church in Michoacán, Mexico.
Bottom Community leaders admitted on
video obtained by ICC that the villagers agreed to halt the construction of a new church in the village because its members were evangelical. PERSECU ION.org
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Photos - Top and Bottom
A fledgling church burns after local villagers conspired together to halt its construction. A video obtained by ICC shows the villagers dousing the church in kerosene and setting it on fire after tearing down its walls and foundation with bulldozers.
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Advocacy
TURNING ON THE LIGHT
Telling the Untold Story of Mexico’s Christians in the Halls of Power
“We’ve never heard of this before.” “I can’t believe this is happening.” “We’ve worked on issues in Mexico for years, and this is the first time anyone has brought this up.”
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or nearly three straight days, these were the responses we heard in meeting after meeting as ICC began to tell the story of persecution in Mexico on Capitol Hill. In the third week of June, 2015, ICC launched a targeted effort to make key members of Congress aware of a story that only a few had ever heard before. Over the course of 19 back-to-back meetings, ICC, CSW-UK and a special guest from Mexico toured the Capitol, holding briefings with offices in the House, Senate, the State Department and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). What we discovered was that from brandnew staff members to seasoned experts, the story of the persecuted church in Mexico has, for the most part, been left untold in the halls of our nation’s capital.
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Conservatively, ICC estimates there are at least 70 current cases of religious persecution, each involving between 20 to 100 individuals, in just the five states of Chiapas, Hidalgo, Oaxaca, Puebla and Guerrero. These figures only represent cases that state governments are willing to admit exist. The actual number is likely far higher. These cases exist in remote, rural areas among marginalized indigenous communities.
Too Many Christians
When we communicated these statistics to congressional offices, we pointed out that in nearly every example, persecution began when local leaders decided that too many members of the village had become Christian and they would have to either re-convert or begin contributing financially to religious festivals. When members of the minority refuse, a series of persecutions begins that can last for weeks, months or even years. First, water and
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Conservatively, ICC estimates there are at least 70 current cases of religious persecution, each involving between 20 to 100 individuals, in just the five states of Chiapas, Hidalgo, Oaxaca, Puebla and Guerrero.
AUGUST 2015
ICC’s Isaac Six, CSW’s Anna-Lee Stengel and a Mexican human rights expert present first-hand accounts of persecution in Mexico. electricity are cut off, then children in the Christian community are barred from attending school and families are blocked from public cemeteries, leaving them nowhere to bury their loved ones. Eventually, if the Christian community doesn’t succumb to the pressure and the government doesn’t intervene — which, in the vast majority of cases, it does not — death threats and physical attacks begin. The end result is forced displacement. The Christian community flees, often taking only what they can carry with them, while their land is seized and their homes are taken over or destroyed. We made sure to point out that religious persecution is now considered by some groups to be one of the major factors behind displacement in Mexico.
The Hard Facts
We prepared as much evidence as possible before our meetings began, knowing ahead of time that it would be an uphill battle to
demonstrate just how severe and widespread is the persecution taking place in our own backyard. From photos of jailed believers, to testimony from persecuted families, to copies of agreements actually signed by state and local government leaders forcing Christians to pay fines and hide their faith in their homes, we made sure there was little room left for disputing the facts. We also brought in Jorge Lee, the director of Impulso 18, a Mexican human rights organization that for the first time is providing a legal defense for victims of religious persecution. His first-hand account of the jailing of two Christians who refused to abandon their faith under heavy pressure from a local mayor provided the final layer of evidence we needed to make a compelling argument. As each meeting went on, many of the reactions turned from surprise to a determination that something had to be done to address this issue. While much of the specifics we prepared cannot be shared publicly, multiple
offices said they would look into the evidence we presented and consider how best to engage the Mexican government. One very prominent Senate office was appalled and suggested they would approach the Mexican government directly to demand answers for why so much persecution was being ignored and even condoned. In some ways, the work of telling the untold story of Mexico’s persecuted church in the halls of power has just begun. Hours of following up with each office, providing evidence and information and slowly but surely encouraging our nation’s leaders to make time for the persecuted among their busy schedules is no small task. Yet time and again we’ve seen God use the untold story of His church to impact the hearts of those in authority. In turn, we’ve seen prison doors opened, captives released and a lamp lit on the path of those who would otherwise face persecution in darkness.
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Advocacy
SOUNDING THE ALARM
ICC TAKES MEXICO ADVOCACY CAMPAIGN TO THE GRASSROOTS
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he first thing you learn when you start to talk about Christians facing persecution in Mexico is that almost no one, especially outside of Mexico, knows it’s happening. Despite the fact that hundreds, and perhaps even thousands, of Christians each year face their utilities being cut off, their lands seized, physical and sexual assault, and eventually forced displacement from their homes because of their faith, it’s an issue that only a relative handful of people know about. Persecution often happens in such remote areas, and the international media is so disinterested in reporting on this issue, that only once every few years does a single story manage to slip into the world’s wider consciousness. That’s why on June 1, ICC launched an all-out grassroots advocacy campaign to make the world aware of just how much persecution is happening in certain areas of Mexico. In addition to dedicating our August magazine almost entirely to interviews of victims in Mexico and coverage of this issue, we started a dedicated Facebook
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page with regular updates from persecuted communities in both Spanish and English. We started a petition drive, calling on the government of Mexico to immediately step in and protect threatened Christian communities (at time of writing the petition had collected nearly 2,500 signatures from concerned individuals in more than a dozen countries). We initiated a call campaign directly to the Mexican embassy in Washington, asking supporters around the country to put in a phone call and let the Mexican ambassador know that Christians and others across the United States were becoming aware of what was taking place. Perhaps just as importantly, ICC for the first time published a list of state and municipal officials in Mexico that have either completely ignored threats and attacks on Christian communities under their supervision or directly participated in these attacks. Mayor Pedro Cruz Gonzalez of the San Juan Ozolotepec municipality headlines the list of violators after forcibly barring some Christians from their church building and later ordering the church to be bulldozed. A
year later, Mayor Gonzalez stripped 50 Christian families of the right to vote. Despite publication of these incidents in some national media sources, Gonzalez remains in his role as mayor. ICC’s campaign calls out Gonzalez and others for their brazen willingness to use their authority to persecute Christians, despite protections for religious freedom guaranteed in Mexico’s Constitution. Finally, ICC put together a social media campaign and video centered around our trip to Chiapas (one of the worst hit states for persecution in Mexico) to give followers a vivid glimpse into the suffering so many are facing because of their faith in a country right across the border. When we began, few, if any, understood what was taking place. Today, through Facebook, Twitter and persecution.org, tens of thousands are hearing the untold story of their brothers and sisters in Christ and taking action on their behalf. Most important of all, we ask that you, too, take a moment now and pray for the persecuted Church in Mexico and lift your voice to speak out for your brothers and sisters. It truly can make all the difference.
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A Four-Fold Grassroots Campaign Petition At the time of writing, nearly 2,500 signatures have been collected on a petition (see right) calling on the government of Mexico to protect its threatened Christian communities from persecution. To sign the petition, visit: http://info.persecution.org/ fightformexicospersecutedchristians
Calling Campaign ICC launched a calling campaign in June, asking you and all of our supporters to call the Mexican embassy in Washington, D.C. and let them know that Christians and others across the United States were aware of the religious persecution taking place in their country. Social Media In addition to launching two Facebook pages, in Spanish and English, dedicated to exposing news of persecution in Mexico, ICC has begun a social media blitz to raise the awareness of this largely unknown issue far and wide. A video centered around our trip to Chiapas is being shared globally on Facebook, Twitter and persecution.org. List of Offenders In what we believe
to be the first effort of its kind, ICC has published a list of state and municipal officials in Mexico who are either ignoring or actively participating in the persecution of Christian minorities in Mexico.
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Advocacy
TAKE ACTION
Would you join us in fighting for Mexico’s persecuted Christians? Their plight is hidden from the world and your action is the key to their religious freedom. Your voice will make a difference. Here are ways you can help: GET INFORMED Visit our Mexico page to understand the issue, watch the video we put together on persecution in Mexico and get fresh updates. Just visit our landing page below: http://info.persecution.org/ FightforMexicosPersecutedChristians SIGN THE PETITION Add your name to the petition calling on the Mexican government to stop persecution of Christians: http://info.persecution.org/MexicoPetition CALL THE EMBASSY Call the Mexican embassy in Washington, D.C. at 202-728-1640 and tell them you are concerned about the persecution of Christians in Chiapas, Mexico, and want them to protect Christians and prosecute those who persecute them. SHARE Almost no one is aware of what is happening to Christians in Mexico. Please use your social media platforms to tell the world what is happening. On social media, use hashtag #LibertyInMexico when discussing the issue. Visit our Facebook page for continual updates: facebook.com/FightForChristiansinMexico
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Feature Article
In the Bull’s-eye
Father John Ssenyondo,
a Ugandan priest who had been ministering in a small parish in Mexico, was found among 13 others in a mass grave. He is one of nine priests known to have been murdered in the area in the past two years alone.
Mexico:
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The World’s Most Dangerous Place to be a Priest ust before midnight on December 21, 2014, four armed men broke into a Catholic seminary. The priest, a native of the area who was born just 80 miles to the north, was taken captive. Four days later, on Christmas Day, his body was found. He had been executed; his body was left on the side of the highway, leading out of town. Where did this brutal murder take place? Syria, perhaps? Was he killed at the hands
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of brutal Islamic jihadists? Maybe northern Nigeria — another victim of a Boko Haram seeking to drive Christians out of the region? No, this execution was in Altamirano, Mexico. Father Gregorio Lopez Gorostieta was the third priest killed in this part of southern Mexico in just the last four months of 2014.
For the Love of Christ The killing of Father Gregorio was yet another reminder of the incredible dangers
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that priests face in parts of Mexico. “This is another priest added to those who have died for their love of Christ,” Bishop Maximino Martinez lamented. In September, the Reverend Ascension Acuna Osorio was killed, and his body was discovered in the river near his parish. In November, Father John Ssenyondo’s body was identified as one of 13 found in a mass grave in a nearby town. Father John was a Ugandan priest who had been working in a small parish since 2010. He was kidnapped in April, and his whereabouts were unknown for six months. AUGUST 2015
Father Gregorio Lopez Gorostieta
was the third priest murdered in a four-month span in an area of Mexico known to be one of the most hostile and dangerous to priests. Kidnapped from a Catholic seminary by armed men, his body was found four days later on the side of the road. The murder of Father Gregorio was a reminder of the ineffective campaign as it came just a month after the Special Security Operation was initiated. “We are afraid and we wonder to ourselves who will be next,” said Father Fidencio, still grieving the death of his former student. “There is a heavy security presence, but nothing has changed,” said Father Javier. “Kidnappings, abductions, charging protection money from the business owners — and all this while there is a lot of security. The people don’t have enough confidence to report a crime to the authorities.” Local officials and law enforcement agencies are rife with such corruption that it makes any real security nearly impossible and leaves everyone, especially priests, worried who the next target will be.
Strife and Confiscation
In total, nine priests are known to have been killed in the past two years, according to the Catholic Multimedia Center, and another two are still missing. Thirty-one priests have been killed in the past decade, according to the Mexican Catholic Bishop’s Conference. The exact motive behind the killings is not always known. What is known is that drug cartels control the area, and anyone who could challenge their authority is viewed as a potential target. Father Javier, vicar of judicial affairs for the Altamirano diocese and a classmate of Father Gregorio, explained the danger priests face in identifying with their people. “The priests in this region have been calling for peace and justice for the people of this region. Because there is violence, there are kidnappings, there are extortions all the
time, there are murders — entire families have disappeared, entire towns in the sierra have disappeared,” Father Javier said. “So we do demand justice and we do speak up and make demands. But what more can we do if the government can’t keep us safe?” The area where much of the violence takes place is known as Tierra Caliente (Hot Lands). It has been the site not only of other murders, but of carjackings, abductions and drive-by shootings. It is the same area where 43 student protestors were allegedly arrested by local officials and then turned over to a cartel where they were executed and burned alive. In response, the federal government declared a Special Security Operation for Tierra Caliente. The security forces were intended to put a stop to this kind of violence, but little has changed.
The role of the priest and the Catholic Church has been a contentious part of life since the earliest days of Mexican independence. The church has held a strong influence over not only the spiritual life of the people, but also the cultural and political life, as well. As early as the constitution of 1857, the Mexican government has been battling to maintain the separation of church and state, with a particular emphasis on limiting the role of the priests. By 1917, all church properties were nationalized, many churches and monasteries were closed and the clergy was severely restricted. In some cases, like the Cristero War of the 1920s, the opposition to these strict laws turned violent, and clashes erupted between the supporters of the church and the state. For 70 years, until 1992, no church was officially recognized by the state, limiting many of the rights of the church to own property or carry out other core functions. The 1992 constitutional reforms granted many religious freedoms, removing most anticlerical laws and giving religious organizations the right to own property. The government, however, has not returned the properties that were previously confiscated. Mexico continues to navigate a difficult path of religious freedoms. For those who dare to speak out for justice, the costs can often be deadly.
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