WWW.PERSECUTION.ORG
MARCH 2016
PERSECU ION
India Infiltrated ICC Explores India’s Bastar District where Christianity is Banned
PERSECU ION.org
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN
President’s Letter
“I will never leave Jesus, no matter what. Even if I have to die for it, I will never go back.” A persecuted Christian (pg 12) “We will follow Jesus, even if we die.” Rosa & Saanvi (pg 22) “Last time we survived; next time they may kill us (but the church is actually growing in the area). Many people witnessed the attack and how we responded. They came to talk to us afterward, and we shared the Gospel with them. Now they are coming to our church!” A persecuted Christian (pg 23)
Jeff King, President International Christian Concern
On that day, a great persecution arose against the church and they were all scattered. Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison. Those who were scattered went about preaching the word. Philip went down to a city of Samaria, and proclaimed to them the Christ. And the multitudes with one accord gave heed to what was said by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs which he did. So there was much joy in that city. Acts 8:1-8
Do you see it? The book of Acts is not some tale of antiquity but the living pattern of Christiantiy’s spread as it invades the kingdom of Hell even today. Whatever you do as you read through the following account of our journey into India’s most persecuted district, don’t feel sorry for these believers. Instead, marvel at them, admire them, and like me, ask God for some portion of their heart. For these precious ones have counted their homes, jobs, kids, and 401(k)s all loss for the joy of holding onto Christ and bringing others to life in His name. They have real devotion and are steadfast when facing the prospect of losing it all. If you are like me, you need them! For they show us the way home from our lost and apathetic place in the land of (relative) ease and riches. Please join with me as we serve these who may be last in line on this earth but will lead the way in heaven. As always, your donations will be used efficiently, effectively, and ethically. I promise! Jeff King President International Christian Concern www.persecution.org
PERSECU ION.org
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN
2
News 6
4
5 3
1
7 2
Human Rights Lawyer Arrested
1 | NIGERIA In April 2014, Boko Haram kidnapped nearly 300 schoolgirls, most of whom were Christians, from Chibok State Secondary School. Since the abduction, the majority of these young girls are still unaccounted for. In addition to the unimaginable trauma these girls have been through, this attack has also caused great harm to their families and community. According to reports, 18 of the Chibok parents have died since their daughters’ abductions. Many of their deaths have been the result of stress-related conditions such as ulcers and heart attacks. Although most of these families are still hoping for the safe return of their daughters, they are growing disappointed with the slow response and empty promises of Nigerian officials. Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari claimed on December 24, 2015, that Boko Haram has “technically” been defeated, despite the fact that he had stated earlier in the year that Nigeria could not claim a victory over Boko Haram “without rescuing the Chibok girls and all other innocent persons held hostage by insurgents.”
2 | VIETNAM According to Christian Solidarity Worldwide, human rights lawyer Nguyen Van Dai was detained by Vietnamese police and charged with “spreading propaganda.” His accusations fall under Article 88 of the penal code and can lead to a lengthy prison sentence. Dai was also found guilty of the same charge in 2007, for which he was sentenced to a four-year jail term. Dai was detained in December 2015 while he was preparing to speak with the EU delegation which arrived in Vietnam for EU-Vietnam human rights talks in the capital city of Hanoi. In addition to advocating for religious freedom, Dai has been a major advocate for greater education on people’s rights under Vietnam’s legal system. Although Vietnam has recently made improvements to their economy and has slightly eased social restrictions, the ruling Communist party maintains strict control through censorship in order to quiet their critics. Prior to his detention, reports indicate that Dai and three of his colleagues were assaulted earlier in December by a group of approximately 20 people after attending a conference on human rights. The assault serves as yet another example of the harsh crackdown on those who are willing to speak out against government-led injustice in Vietnam. According to Human Rights Watch, Vietnam has detained at least 130 political prisoners.
3
PERSECU ION.org
Most Chibok Girls Remain Unaccounted for Two Years Later
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN
Young Christian Mother Loses Unborn Child in Assault by Hindu Radicals 3 | INDIA In October 2015, a prayer meeting of approximately 40 Christians was ambushed by Hindu radicals in India’s Telangana state. The Christians were meeting in a private home when the radicals stormed in, shouting antiChristian slogans and beating the Christians. Swapna, a 25-yearold Christian, who was four months pregnant at the time, begged the attackers to spare her because of her pregnancy. Unfortunately, they beat her just as severely as the others. Shortly after the attack, Swapna experienced bleeding and was rushed to the local hospital where she was told she had lost her child. The Christians filed a First Information Report in response to the attack at the local police station. Although seven people were arrested in connection to the attack, all of those who were taken into custody were released later that same day.
MARCH 2016
Saeed Abedini, Held In Prison In Iran for Three Years, Released! 4 | IRAN On January 16, Pastor Saeed Abedini, along with three other imprisoned Americans, was released following more than three years of imprisonment. The release occurred the same day as expected sanctions relief from the US according to 2015’s nuclear agreement with Iran. Abedini was initially detained in July 2012 for his faith and was sentenced to an eight-year prison term. During his imprisonment, Abedini faced severe abuse at the hands of Iranian officials which led to his hospitalization in 2014.
Pastor Imprisoned In Iran Released 5 | IRAN After being arrested nearly five years prior, Pastor Farshid Fatih was released from an Iranian prison on December 21, 2015. His early release was a surprise because it came just months after judges added an additional year to his sentence, which would have extended the pastor’s release date to December 2017. Farshid was arrested on December 26, 2010, along with nearly 60 others in a raid led by Iranian security officials on a group of Christians gathering together. Iran continues to crack down on non-Shiite Muslim communities, especially targeting those who are Christian converts from Islam or Baha’i. According to various advocacy groups, it is estimated that approximately 90 Christians remain imprisoned in Iran.
Pastor Farshid Fatih released from prison in Iran.
PERSECU ION.org
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN
Mob of 400 Church Condemns China’s Injustice Muslim Youth 7 | CHINA Zhang Tan, along with other members of Destroy Church the Huoshi Church of Guiyang in China’s Guizhou 6 | EGYPT On December 10, 2015, a church that was under construction in central Egypt was attacked by a mob of over 400 Muslim youth. Although the church obtained the necessary construction permits in April, conservative Muslims in the village prevented them from openly building. In December, as the finishing touches were being made to the church, the attackers stormed the building, destroying the structure and its contents, and injured multiple workers.
province, recently wrote a letter condemning the actions of the Chinese government regarding religious freedom restrictions. Huoshi Church has faced various incidents of persecution, including fines, the banning of gatherings and the detention of their church leaders. In addition to the numerous societal benefits of this church, one of the most encouraging takeaways is the undeniable lack of fear the church shows toward the Communist Party. Despite the fact that any of them could face torture or detention for speaking out, these believers have refused to remain silent in the midst of injustice.
Huoshi Church stands against injustice.
4
News 6
5
3 4
2
1 BJP Leader Subramanian Swamy
Al-Shabaab continues to persecute Christians along the Kenyan-Somali border.
Muslim Bus Passengers Avert Disaster in Show of Solidarity with Christians 1 | KENYA In December 2015, a group of radical Islamic gunmen attacked a bus traveling from the capital city of Nairobi to Mandera, Kenya. The militants ordered the Muslim bus passengers to separate from the Christian passengers. However, the Muslim passengers refused to separate from the Christians and told their attackers to either kill them all together or leave them alone. After this display of courage, the attackers decided to leave the scene. The Somalia-based radical group alShabaab has since claimed responsibility for the attack. In 2014, a bus was similarly attacked by al-Shabaab members near Mandera. That attack led to the deaths of 28 non-Muslims who were on their way to Nairobi. The actions of those who stood up for the Christians on this bus in this most recent attack have been commended around the world. Although two were killed in the attack, the actions of a few brave individuals saved the lives of many.
5
Al-Shabaab has been responsible for numerous attacks on Christians in the region along the KenyanSomali border. Most notably, in April 2015, militants from the terrorist group carried out a large-scale attack on Garissa University College. In a similar fashion to the recent bus attack, college students were separated from one another depending on their faith. During this attack, 148 people were killed, the majority of whom were Christians. Al-Shabaab also garnered media attention in 2013 in Kenya when they launched an attack on Nairobi’s Westgate shopping mall, killing 67 people. Since December’s thwarted bus attack by al-Shabaab, Uhuru Kenyatta, the president of Kenya, has honored the Muslims who protected these Christians and called for unity among Muslims and Christians in Kenya.
PERSECU ION.org
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN
‘It is high time that an all-India law banning religious conversions was enacted, but with an exception...’ BJP Leader Calls for End to Religious Conversions Outside of Hinduism 2 | INDIA A senior leader from India’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) recently called for a nationwide ban on any religious conversions, with the exception of conversions to Hinduism. The mentality among Hindu nationalists, including BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, is that conversions to Hinduism are considered “reconversions” or “homecomings.” Swamy stated that action must be taken to ensure that India’s Hindu population does not slip below 80 percent of the total national population. He further stated that “induced religious conversions” to Christianity and Islam should be seen as threats to national integrity. Although it is illegal in India to coerce others into conversion through compulsion or bribery, Christians, who are already disproportionately represented among the lowest class, have been denied welfare benefits unless they convert to Hinduism. Hindu nationalists in India have long wanted to enact a nationwide anti-conversion law which would be used to marginalize religious minority populations, including Christians. In states where anti-conversion laws already exist, Christians face more discrimination and persecution than where the freedom of conversion exists. If such a law were to be passed, it is very likely that the persecution of Christians would increase throughout India. MARCH 2016
Korean-Canadian Pastor Sentenced to Life Imprisonment in North Korean Labor Camp 3 | NORTH KOREA On December 17, 2015, Lim Hyeon-Soo, a Korean-Canadian pastor from Light Korean Presbyterian Church in Toronto, Canada, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the North Korean Supreme Court. His 90-minute proceedings determined that he would serve out a life sentence at a North Korean labor camp. Lim initially went missing in January 2015 while participating in a humanitarian trip involving work in a nursery, orphanage and nursing home.
Pastor Lim Hyeon-Soo went missing last year while on a humanitarian trip. He has now been sentenced to life in a labor camp.
Christian Child Beaten-Left Naked in Street
Syrian Christians Suffer Under Islamic State
4 | PAKISTAN An eight-year-old Christian girl was recently abducted, beaten and left naked on the streets by a Muslim family who was seeking revenge against the girl’s uncle for dating one of their relatives. The girl’s family is seeking to press charges against her attackers. Christian women and girls are often targeted in attacks of this manner because of both their religion and gender.
5 | SYRIA In the northern Syrian village of Tal Hemes, reports are accumulating of Christians who have suffered at the hands of the Islamic State. The jihadist group has sought to forcibly impose their strict religious beliefs and erase all presence of non-Muslim religious practices within their regions of control. This has unfortunately led to the destruction of churches, numerous abductions, a tax increase on religious minorities and the deaths of many innocent Christians.
Coptic Christians Continue to Suffer Persecution 6 | EGYPT In February 2015, the world was shocked to witness the beheadings of 21 Christians on a beach in Libya. Most were Coptic Christians who came from small towns in Egypt. Although the execution-style murders gripped the media’s attention briefly, the world has since largely stopped listening to the cries of Coptic Christians who are still facing persecution. Unfortunately, despite the dangerous conditions, many Coptic Christians face the need to travel to Libya in search of better-paying jobs due to limited career opportunities in their hometowns. However, as Islamic extremists gain more control throughout Libya, this decision is growing increasingly risky. While the government of Egypt must work to create more job opportunities and less discrimination for this minority group, the world must also wake up to the reality of this group who continues to suffer for their faith.
PERSECU ION.org
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN
6
PERSECU ION.org
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN
SEND DONATIONS TO: ICC PO BOX 8056 SILVER SPRING, MD 20907 OR ONLINE AT WWW.PERSECUTION.ORG OR BY PHONE 800-ICC-5441
GIVING TO ICC VIA YOUR WILL Provide now for a future gift to ICC by including a bequest provision in your will or revocable trust. If you would like more information on giving to ICC in this way, please give us a call at 1-800-ICC-5441.
© Copyright 2016 ICC, Washington, D.C., USA. All rights reserved. Permission to reproduce all or part of this publication is granted provided attribution is given to ICC as the source.
International Christian Concern (ICC) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) (all donations tax-deductible). ICC makes every effort to honor donor wishes in regards to gifts. Occasionally, situations arise where a project is no longer viable. ICC will then redirect those donated funds to the fund most similar to the donor’s original wishes. ICC uses 7.5 percent of each restricted donation to carry out the mission of its segregated funds. facebook.com/persecuted
@persecutionnews