British MP, David Simpson, says the UK has a duty to use "all of our influence" to help those who suffer injustice around the world.
As one of the great economies of the world we have a duty to use all of our influence to help those who suffer injustice around the world.
In parts of Africa Christians are facing very real and intense violent persecution. This can be seen write large in countries like Nigeria, Ethiopia and Somalia.
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Showing posts with label Asia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Asia. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Monday, December 27, 2010
They hate Christ, Christmas & Christians
Merry Christmas!!!
Christmas celebrations have been overshadowed by deadly violence against Christians in Africa and Asia, while several church services in the Middle East were canceled due to concerns over terror attacks.
A series of Christmas Eve attacks and explosions on churches and other sites left as many as 38 people dead in two Nigerian cities. In Nigeria's northern city of Maiduguri six people died in two separate attacks on churches, including a Baptist pastor, authorities and church officials said.
Police chief Mohammed Abubakar blamed Boko Haram, a radical Muslim sect, for the attacks on Victory Baptist Church and Church of Christ in Nigeria, which included throwing petrol bombs. In the central Nigerian city of Jos over 30 people died in several bombings, but there was no immediate claim of responsibility.
Christians in northern and central Nigeria were mourning victims Sunday, December 26, after multiple attacks on churches and other sites on Christmas Eve claimed at least 38 lives in Plateau State and Borno State.
Christians said attacks began in the city of Jos in Plateau State, where a series of bombings killed over 30 people. The areas targeted included predominantly Christian areas.
Two of the bombs went off near a large market where people were doing last-minute Christmas shopping. A third hit a mainly Christian neighborhood of Jos, while the fourth was near a road that leads to the city's main mosque, officials said.
Around 28 seriously injured people were admitted to the ECWA Evangel Hospital, while others were taken to Jos University Teaching Hospital, Christians said. Many victims reportedly lost limbs, while others had shrapnel removed from their bodies, according to rights investigators.
CHURCHES ATTACKED
Christmas eve 320 miles (520 kilometers) away in Maiduguri, in Borno State, was marred when 30 men armed with knives and guns attacked the Victory Baptist Church dragging the pastor out of his home and shooting him to death, witnesses said.
Two young men from the choir who were rehearsing for a late-night carol service also were slain. The assailants also killed two people who were passing by the church, Christians said. The assailants reportedly only left after setting the church and pastor's house ablaze.
Danjuma Akawu, the church's secretary, told reporters that he managed to escape after he and others climbed over the church's fence. "I cannot understand these attacks..."Why Christians? Why Christians? The police have failed to protect us," he said in a statement.
Elsewhere in the city, Reverend Haskanda Jessu with the Church of Christ in Nigeria said that three men attacked his church an hour later, killing a 60-year-old security guard. Police blamed Islamic militants, including of the Boko Haram Islamist sect, for the attacks.
In published remarks, Anglican Archbishop of Jos, Benjamin Kwashi, urged Christians not to give up hope. "We must celebrate the birth of our redeemer. It is no small sacrifice that Jesus paid with his becoming flesh, dying on the cross [and resurrecting from death] just to redeem me and all the world."
'FOLLOW CHRIST'
He said, Christians "are called by Christ to follow him; this is in spite of what is happening in the world, including Jos. We will celebrate Jesus; it's a choice we have made and to do otherwise is to submit to a defeated foe - Satan. Good will always win over evil."
Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), an advocacy group closely monitoring the situation, said the the bombings in Jos constitute "a significant escalation" in the violence in Plateau State, while the attacks in Maiduguri appear to herald "an unwelcome new dimension" to the violence perpetrated by "extremist" groups.
Elsewhere, in the Philippines, at least six people were injured when a bomb rocked an early morning Christmas mass in a church at a military base in Jolo on the Muslim-dominated southern Sulu island, the military said.
Spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Randolf Cabangbang said the Catholic priest celebrating mass was among those wounded. Parts of the roof and ceiling were destroyed, causing the injuries, Cabangbang added. No group claimed responsibility for the attack, but the separatist Abu Sayyaf movement has been blamed for several bombings on the Roman Catholic cathedral in Jolo since the early 2000s and for kidnapping priests and nuns.
Christmas celebrations have been overshadowed by deadly violence against Christians in Africa and Asia, while several church services in the Middle East were canceled due to concerns over terror attacks.
A series of Christmas Eve attacks and explosions on churches and other sites left as many as 38 people dead in two Nigerian cities. In Nigeria's northern city of Maiduguri six people died in two separate attacks on churches, including a Baptist pastor, authorities and church officials said.
Police chief Mohammed Abubakar blamed Boko Haram, a radical Muslim sect, for the attacks on Victory Baptist Church and Church of Christ in Nigeria, which included throwing petrol bombs. In the central Nigerian city of Jos over 30 people died in several bombings, but there was no immediate claim of responsibility.
Christians in northern and central Nigeria were mourning victims Sunday, December 26, after multiple attacks on churches and other sites on Christmas Eve claimed at least 38 lives in Plateau State and Borno State.
Christians said attacks began in the city of Jos in Plateau State, where a series of bombings killed over 30 people. The areas targeted included predominantly Christian areas.
Two of the bombs went off near a large market where people were doing last-minute Christmas shopping. A third hit a mainly Christian neighborhood of Jos, while the fourth was near a road that leads to the city's main mosque, officials said.
Around 28 seriously injured people were admitted to the ECWA Evangel Hospital, while others were taken to Jos University Teaching Hospital, Christians said. Many victims reportedly lost limbs, while others had shrapnel removed from their bodies, according to rights investigators.
CHURCHES ATTACKED
Christmas eve 320 miles (520 kilometers) away in Maiduguri, in Borno State, was marred when 30 men armed with knives and guns attacked the Victory Baptist Church dragging the pastor out of his home and shooting him to death, witnesses said.
Two young men from the choir who were rehearsing for a late-night carol service also were slain. The assailants also killed two people who were passing by the church, Christians said. The assailants reportedly only left after setting the church and pastor's house ablaze.
Danjuma Akawu, the church's secretary, told reporters that he managed to escape after he and others climbed over the church's fence. "I cannot understand these attacks..."Why Christians? Why Christians? The police have failed to protect us," he said in a statement.
Elsewhere in the city, Reverend Haskanda Jessu with the Church of Christ in Nigeria said that three men attacked his church an hour later, killing a 60-year-old security guard. Police blamed Islamic militants, including of the Boko Haram Islamist sect, for the attacks.
In published remarks, Anglican Archbishop of Jos, Benjamin Kwashi, urged Christians not to give up hope. "We must celebrate the birth of our redeemer. It is no small sacrifice that Jesus paid with his becoming flesh, dying on the cross [and resurrecting from death] just to redeem me and all the world."
'FOLLOW CHRIST'
He said, Christians "are called by Christ to follow him; this is in spite of what is happening in the world, including Jos. We will celebrate Jesus; it's a choice we have made and to do otherwise is to submit to a defeated foe - Satan. Good will always win over evil."
Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), an advocacy group closely monitoring the situation, said the the bombings in Jos constitute "a significant escalation" in the violence in Plateau State, while the attacks in Maiduguri appear to herald "an unwelcome new dimension" to the violence perpetrated by "extremist" groups.
Elsewhere, in the Philippines, at least six people were injured when a bomb rocked an early morning Christmas mass in a church at a military base in Jolo on the Muslim-dominated southern Sulu island, the military said.
Spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Randolf Cabangbang said the Catholic priest celebrating mass was among those wounded. Parts of the roof and ceiling were destroyed, causing the injuries, Cabangbang added. No group claimed responsibility for the attack, but the separatist Abu Sayyaf movement has been blamed for several bombings on the Roman Catholic cathedral in Jolo since the early 2000s and for kidnapping priests and nuns.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
The 2010 report on religious freedom
ACN
The 2010 Report on Religious Freedom in the World by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) was released yesterday in Rome. It shows that the situation is serious in many parts of the world, particularly in Asia. In the Near East, Iraq represents an especially bad case where anti-Christian violence is taking on the form of systematic persecution, as the latest episodes indicate. In Egypt, despite the fact that it is a major tourist destination, there have been many acts of violence against the Christian minority in 2009-2010. Lebanon shows how difficult it is for foreign religious staff to enter the country. The situation of Christians in Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip is getting worse with episodes of explicit persecution.
In India, ethnic and religious violence is rising as well. The year 2009 clearly illustrated the problem. However, China is certainly among those nations where religious freedom is denied in all its facets. However, information about what happens in that nation remains limited and hard to obtain. The state is officially atheist and suppresses all form of religion through arrests and detention in concentration camps. The case of Mgr Julius Jia Zhiguo is one of the better known. The underground bishop of Zhengding (Hebei) was arrested by five police officers on 30 March 2009; he was eventually released 15 months later.
In Pakistan, the blasphemy law is used as weapon against religious minorities, especially Christians who are the victims of Muslim fundamentalism. In Afghanistan, the government is not able to ensure effective religious freedom. In Bangladesh, where Islam is also the state religion, several cases of discrimination and attacks against minorities have been recorded with security forces showing little interest in protecting them.
The 2010 Report on Religious Freedom in the World by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) was released yesterday in Rome. It shows that the situation is serious in many parts of the world, particularly in Asia. In the Near East, Iraq represents an especially bad case where anti-Christian violence is taking on the form of systematic persecution, as the latest episodes indicate. In Egypt, despite the fact that it is a major tourist destination, there have been many acts of violence against the Christian minority in 2009-2010. Lebanon shows how difficult it is for foreign religious staff to enter the country. The situation of Christians in Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip is getting worse with episodes of explicit persecution.
In India, ethnic and religious violence is rising as well. The year 2009 clearly illustrated the problem. However, China is certainly among those nations where religious freedom is denied in all its facets. However, information about what happens in that nation remains limited and hard to obtain. The state is officially atheist and suppresses all form of religion through arrests and detention in concentration camps. The case of Mgr Julius Jia Zhiguo is one of the better known. The underground bishop of Zhengding (Hebei) was arrested by five police officers on 30 March 2009; he was eventually released 15 months later.
In Pakistan, the blasphemy law is used as weapon against religious minorities, especially Christians who are the victims of Muslim fundamentalism. In Afghanistan, the government is not able to ensure effective religious freedom. In Bangladesh, where Islam is also the state religion, several cases of discrimination and attacks against minorities have been recorded with security forces showing little interest in protecting them.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Massive New Year and Christmas Attacks In Arab World, Africa, Asia
Investigators said Wednesday, January 13, there has been "a surge of attacks" against Christians since December, with deaths, detentions and destruction reported in the Arab world, Africa and Asia.
Religious tension was "particularly high this season" because the main Shia Muslim festival of Ashura, which moves with the Islamic calendar each year, "almost coincided with Christmas, falling around 27 December," BarnabasFund said in a report obtained by Worthy News and its partner agency BosNewsLife.
Barnabas Fund, which supports Christians in especially Muslim-majority nations, said the bloodiest attacksoccurred in Iraq, where several Christians were killed in church bombings since last month, and Egypt where seven Christians reportedly died in attacks since January 6.
Iraqi Christians are still coping with the aftermath or two car bombs that detonated near churches in the northern city of Mosul on December 16, "causing extensive damage, wounding nearby schoolchildren and killing at least three" Christians, Barnabas Fund reported. "Words cannot describe what has happened ... but we will pray in the streets, in homes, in shops. God is everywhere, not just in churches, Christians reportedly said.
Later on Christmas Day, December 25, armed Shabaks, a Kurdish minority group, allegedly attacked the Christian-majority town of Bartilla, near Mosul, taking over a check-point for more than five hours and tearing down Christmas decorations in shops. "They also tried to enter a church in the middle of the market to perform an Islamic self-flagellation ritual inside the building. The church was successfully defended by its security guards,but four Christians including a policeman received gunshot wounds," Barnabas Fund said.
EGYPT CHRISTIANS KILLED
Elsewhere in the Arab World, in Egypt, six Christian worshipers and a security guard were killed by three gunmenduring a Christmas Eve service in the town of Nag Hamadi on January 6. "This attack followed threats to the bishop who was leading the service, apparently because of his protests about the large-scale anti-Christian violence inthe neighboring town of Farshoot in November," Barnabas Fund recalled.
The violence was reportedly triggered by areport that a Christian man had sexually abused a Muslim girl. Further anti-Christian violence broke out in the town of Bahgoura, Friday, January 8, outside Nag Hamadi, where a Muslim mob "armed with swords and gas cylinders" looted and torched Christian-owned homes, shops and cars. One woman died after being overcome by fumes when her home was set alight, Barnabas Fund said.
"Residents from the village also report that water and electricity were disconnected during the fires, and when the fire brigade arrived, 90 minutes after being called, the vehicles that came had empty tanks."Christians are also under pressure in Iran where Christian leader Keyvan Rajabi was detained last week because he had led Christmas and New Year services at his church, following a crackdown on Christian converts last month, Barnabas Fund added. No more details surrounding the January 7 arrest were immediately available.
Earlier in Iran, security forces raided a meeting of 70 Christian converts from Islam who gathered to celebrate Christmas and New Year; two leaders were reportedly arrested in the December 17 raid, Christians said.
ASIA VIOLENCE
Fresh attacks have also been reported across Asia, including in Malaysia, where up to 10 Churches and Christian buildings were attacked by angry Muslims since Friday, January 8, following a court ruling allowing Christians to use the word 'Allah', in reference to God. No injuries were reported.
In Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim nation, a newly constructed church building in Bekasi Regency, near the capital Jakarta, which was scheduled to be ready by Christmas, was attacked by a mob of motorcyclists on December 18, Barnabas Fund and other groups said.
Elsewhere in Asia, in China, Barnabas Fund and other investigators said police detained several elderly Christians in Korla City, Xinjiang province, as they gathered to celebrate Christmas on December 25. "A 71-year-old woman was thrown roughly against a police car. In another incident, police raided the home of an ailing Christian woman who is confined to her bed," Barnabas Fund told Worthy News. "They seized Bibles and other Christian literature and publicly burned them in a bonfire outside her home."
Chinese officials did not react to the allegations, but Chinese authorities have said they will allow only authorized worship, banning "unauthorized" services at for instance home churches.
In Pakistan, "a massive government security operation protected Christians attending Christmas services",but in several areas Christmas celebrations were scaled down or canceled on police advice because of security concerns, Barnabas Fund and other reports said. Intimidating text messages had been circulating threatening Christians with "a special gift at Christmas," which reportedly led to the increased security precautions.
AFRICA ATTACKS
Additionally. Barnabas Fund reported more troubles in Africa where in Zimbabwe a cathedral in the capital Harare and three churches were reportedly raided by police. "Police burst into a communion service in the cathedral,beat up worshipers and forced them out of the building," on December 25, said Barnabas Fund which is involved in aid programs in that country.
In northern Algeria the Protestant Tafat church was looted and burned by Muslims over the weekend, church leaders said this week. It followed another attack against the 300-strong church in the city of Tizi-Ouzou last month, Worthy News and BosNewsLife established."Times of Christian celebration often bring intensified anti-Christian violence, and in the last few weeks we have seen a surge of attacks in a wide range of countries over the Christmas period, said Barnabas Fund International Director Patrick Sookhdeo.
Religious tension was "particularly high this season" because the main Shia Muslim festival of Ashura, which moves with the Islamic calendar each year, "almost coincided with Christmas, falling around 27 December," BarnabasFund said. "The Western New Year on 1 January is also a frequent focus of anti-Christian violence, as it is believed by many in other parts of the world to be a Christian festival."
He said his group had urged its supporters to pray for protection and "those who seek to bring terror and destruction to Christians at these special times will see the peaceful, loving and forgiving attitude of their victims and that their own hearts will be changed."
Religious tension was "particularly high this season" because the main Shia Muslim festival of Ashura, which moves with the Islamic calendar each year, "almost coincided with Christmas, falling around 27 December," BarnabasFund said in a report obtained by Worthy News and its partner agency BosNewsLife.
Barnabas Fund, which supports Christians in especially Muslim-majority nations, said the bloodiest attacksoccurred in Iraq, where several Christians were killed in church bombings since last month, and Egypt where seven Christians reportedly died in attacks since January 6.
Iraqi Christians are still coping with the aftermath or two car bombs that detonated near churches in the northern city of Mosul on December 16, "causing extensive damage, wounding nearby schoolchildren and killing at least three" Christians, Barnabas Fund reported. "Words cannot describe what has happened ... but we will pray in the streets, in homes, in shops. God is everywhere, not just in churches, Christians reportedly said.
Later on Christmas Day, December 25, armed Shabaks, a Kurdish minority group, allegedly attacked the Christian-majority town of Bartilla, near Mosul, taking over a check-point for more than five hours and tearing down Christmas decorations in shops. "They also tried to enter a church in the middle of the market to perform an Islamic self-flagellation ritual inside the building. The church was successfully defended by its security guards,but four Christians including a policeman received gunshot wounds," Barnabas Fund said.
EGYPT CHRISTIANS KILLED
Elsewhere in the Arab World, in Egypt, six Christian worshipers and a security guard were killed by three gunmenduring a Christmas Eve service in the town of Nag Hamadi on January 6. "This attack followed threats to the bishop who was leading the service, apparently because of his protests about the large-scale anti-Christian violence inthe neighboring town of Farshoot in November," Barnabas Fund recalled.
The violence was reportedly triggered by areport that a Christian man had sexually abused a Muslim girl. Further anti-Christian violence broke out in the town of Bahgoura, Friday, January 8, outside Nag Hamadi, where a Muslim mob "armed with swords and gas cylinders" looted and torched Christian-owned homes, shops and cars. One woman died after being overcome by fumes when her home was set alight, Barnabas Fund said.
"Residents from the village also report that water and electricity were disconnected during the fires, and when the fire brigade arrived, 90 minutes after being called, the vehicles that came had empty tanks."Christians are also under pressure in Iran where Christian leader Keyvan Rajabi was detained last week because he had led Christmas and New Year services at his church, following a crackdown on Christian converts last month, Barnabas Fund added. No more details surrounding the January 7 arrest were immediately available.
Earlier in Iran, security forces raided a meeting of 70 Christian converts from Islam who gathered to celebrate Christmas and New Year; two leaders were reportedly arrested in the December 17 raid, Christians said.
ASIA VIOLENCE
Fresh attacks have also been reported across Asia, including in Malaysia, where up to 10 Churches and Christian buildings were attacked by angry Muslims since Friday, January 8, following a court ruling allowing Christians to use the word 'Allah', in reference to God. No injuries were reported.
In Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim nation, a newly constructed church building in Bekasi Regency, near the capital Jakarta, which was scheduled to be ready by Christmas, was attacked by a mob of motorcyclists on December 18, Barnabas Fund and other groups said.
Elsewhere in Asia, in China, Barnabas Fund and other investigators said police detained several elderly Christians in Korla City, Xinjiang province, as they gathered to celebrate Christmas on December 25. "A 71-year-old woman was thrown roughly against a police car. In another incident, police raided the home of an ailing Christian woman who is confined to her bed," Barnabas Fund told Worthy News. "They seized Bibles and other Christian literature and publicly burned them in a bonfire outside her home."
Chinese officials did not react to the allegations, but Chinese authorities have said they will allow only authorized worship, banning "unauthorized" services at for instance home churches.
In Pakistan, "a massive government security operation protected Christians attending Christmas services",but in several areas Christmas celebrations were scaled down or canceled on police advice because of security concerns, Barnabas Fund and other reports said. Intimidating text messages had been circulating threatening Christians with "a special gift at Christmas," which reportedly led to the increased security precautions.
AFRICA ATTACKS
Additionally. Barnabas Fund reported more troubles in Africa where in Zimbabwe a cathedral in the capital Harare and three churches were reportedly raided by police. "Police burst into a communion service in the cathedral,beat up worshipers and forced them out of the building," on December 25, said Barnabas Fund which is involved in aid programs in that country.
In northern Algeria the Protestant Tafat church was looted and burned by Muslims over the weekend, church leaders said this week. It followed another attack against the 300-strong church in the city of Tizi-Ouzou last month, Worthy News and BosNewsLife established."Times of Christian celebration often bring intensified anti-Christian violence, and in the last few weeks we have seen a surge of attacks in a wide range of countries over the Christmas period, said Barnabas Fund International Director Patrick Sookhdeo.
Religious tension was "particularly high this season" because the main Shia Muslim festival of Ashura, which moves with the Islamic calendar each year, "almost coincided with Christmas, falling around 27 December," BarnabasFund said. "The Western New Year on 1 January is also a frequent focus of anti-Christian violence, as it is believed by many in other parts of the world to be a Christian festival."
He said his group had urged its supporters to pray for protection and "those who seek to bring terror and destruction to Christians at these special times will see the peaceful, loving and forgiving attitude of their victims and that their own hearts will be changed."
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