Boko Haram issues yet another grim warning in Nigeria

File footage of June's attacks (Courtesy Compass Direct News)

Nigeria (MNN) ― Nigeria's Boko Haram has claimed responsibility for weekend attacks in Jos, Plateau state. It was the latest outbreak of anger in a violent cycle of aggression and reprisals.

In a press release by a Boko Haram leader, the sect said, "We thank God for our success in the attack on Christians at Barikin Ladi and Riyom, whereby security agents, Christians, and two state and national assembly members were killed."

This is what makes the recent attacks noteworthy. Todd Nettleton, Communications Manager for the Voice of the Martyrs USA, says the extremists are bent on removing Christian presence in the north. In this latest press release, Boko Haram also essentially told Christians that they must either convert to Islam or "they will not know peace again."

It is a jihad, a religious war against Christians for refusing to embrace Islam. Nettleton explains, "In other words, 'We're going to keep up these attacks; we're going to keep up this violence until every single Christian in northern Nigeria has either converted to Islam, left the area, or been killed.'"

Attacks occurred during  a Saturday mass funeral of 63 Birom church members. Birom reprisals raised the weekend death toll to 200. Word of talks between the government and the sect were not independently confirmed. Because the government has not had an effective security response, people in the north and central Nigeria are feeling vulnerable. 

    

There were reports that some churches were beginning to go empty on Sundays in Kaduna, Bauchi, and Kano States.

However, in Jos, Nettleton says, "I spoke with a Nigerian Christian recently who said the people were taking machetes with them when they went to church because they knew that in just the act of going to church, they could become a target. They wanted to some type of way of defending themselves if there was an attack while they were at church."

The face that believers have not been intimidated away from their churches in Plateau State is interesting. It's part of the "paradox of persecution," explains Nettleton. "It changes your entire mindset if going to church means 'I could be killed.' 

That really does raise the significant issue of how important is it to gather with other believers for worship, Bible study, and for other things when it literally means you could give your life."

The scale of persecution of Christians by Muslims has accelerated and is expected to continue. It has caused the death of thousands--including pastors, and the destruction of hundreds--even thousands, of churches. More than 2,000 people have been killed since the Boko Haram insurgency began in late 2009.

On the up side, says Nettleton, the threat does two things: "Nominal Christians become more serious about their faith and make it much more personal. The other thing: Gospel activity can produce fruit because in times of upheaval, people are thinking about eternity."

The ministry has an active presence in Nigeria. VOM Medical helps victims of persecution, and they partner with a school to help orphans whose parents were martyred for their faith. "The other thing that we're involved in is Bible distribution and providing Gospel material, children's Bibles, full Bibles, New Testaments, and other Gospel presentations for the churches there."

Pray for wisdom and guidance for Nigeria's Christian president, Goodluck Jonathan, and for all those who serve with him as leaders of this nation. Pray that Christians will not retaliate but will demonstrate Christ's love and peace.

The Voice of the Martyrs can always use help. Check our Featured Links Section for details.

Openness to the Gospel exploding in tense Egypt

Tahrir Square (Photo by Ramy Raoof)

Egypt (MNN) ― Egypt's president and military remain at odds after President Morsi defied a court ruling and convened Parliament. Tom Doyle with e3 Partners says the standoff could mean civil war as soon as next week.

Doyle just left Egypt a few days ago. In an e-mail, he reveals, "The mood in the country is extremely tense. Even though we were here in May...everything is different."

For the last year, the interim government of Egypt was run by the Egyptian military. Right around election time, the military dissolved the Muslim Brotherhood-dominated Parliament. Mohammad Morsi won the election, and this last Tuesday 0ordered parliament to reconvene. Doyle says that on Tuesday night Tahrir Square was jammed with thousands of protestors in favor of Morsi.

Doyle says since the military has threatened to remove Morsi from office if he does not dissolve parliament next week, civil war could erupt instead.

In the midst of disaster though, Doyle notes, "Egyptians have never been more open to Jesus."

Doyle says over 1 million Muslims have now become believers and have a deep love for Jesus. Recently an Egyptian official even went on television saying that 3 million Egyptian Muslims have left Islam and are now following Jesus.

These new believers are risking their lives to follow Christ. Doyle says 82% of Egyptians believe that if a person leaves Islam, they should be killed. Muslim converts to Christians are often killed, with no response from the government.

Yet believers are excited about their new-found faith, and record numbers seem to be meeting Christ in dreams and visions. As Egypt's political structure crumbles, its church presence is building brick by brick into a beautiful kingdom. 

The 10 national leaders that make up e3 Team Egypt have planted about 50 churches in the last six months, says Doyle, and eight of those are in villages which had no church until now.

The Spirit is moving in Egypt. Pray that in uncertain times more and more Egyptians would cling to the hope found in the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Church of Christ in Nigeria reeling from massacre

Members are ‘psychologically traumatized,’ leaders say

Jos, July 12 (CDN) — In the Plateau state of central Nigeria, tensions had run high all week between ethnic Fulani, who are mainly Muslim, and ethnic Birom, mainly Christian. It was only the latest outbreak of anger in a decade-long cycle of aggression and reprisals.

But this time, anxiety ran high enough that, by Saturday, July 7, about 50 members of the Church of Christ in Nigeria around the village of Maseh had fled their homes, taking refuge in the home their pastor.

The gunmen came Saturday, entering the home and opening fire. Then they burned the house.

“Fifty of our church members were killed in the church building where they had fled to take refuge. They were killed alongside the wife of the pastor and children,” said Rev. Dachollom Datiri, vice president of the Church of Christ in Nigeria, in a July 11 interview with Open Doors News at the church’s headquarters in Jos.

Church officials said that in all, about 100 Church of Christ members were killed in the weekend attacks in 12 villages: Maseh, Ninchah, Kakkuruk, Kuzen, Negon, Pwabiduk, Kai, Ngyo, Kura Falls, Dogo, Kufang, and Ruk.

“In these twelve villages, all the church buildings of our church were burnt by the Muslim attackers,” Datiri said.

Fulani spokesmen denied involvement. On Tuesday, the radical Islamic group Boko Haram said it was responsible for the attacks, and insisted all Christians abandon Christ and accept Islam or they “would never know peace again.”

The Church of Christ in Nigeria, more than a century old and claiming 3.5 million members in Nigeria and beyond, has suffered before. Some 40 church pastors have been killed in the past 10 years, Datiri said.

Even against such a violent backdrop, the killings on July 7 and 8 were especially traumatizing. The Nigerian government imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew on the region. Still, survivors of the violence are fleeing their villages in search of safe places to stay, said the Rev. Obed Dashan, general secretary of the Church of Christ in Nigeria.

“They are psychologically traumatized, and their productive economic activities are impeded,” Dashan told Open Doors News. “Most of them are peasant farmers and the attacks have not allowed them to go to their farms. Even those that have planted crops have had their crops destroyed by the Muslim attackers.”

The displaced farmers, Dashan said, “cannot go to their farms because they have to flee in order to save their lives. So, it is a war to starve Christians, and this is impacting on the church negatively as we have to feed or cater for our church members who are now displaced.”

As families have fled, they have taken their children with them. “Children cannot go to school as they have to flee, thereby creating a generation of illiterates,” Dashan said.

The history of conflict between Nigerian Christians and Muslims has roots in land disputes, political opportunism, quarrels over national power sharing, and other causes, but the Church of Christ leaders said the current situation is evidence of an institutionalized persecution of Christians.

“We’ve heard that the (Nigerian military) is here to provide protection to the weaker side in the conflict between Christians and Muslims,” Dashan said. “They have openly said they are here to protect Muslims. However, it is this same Muslims who are being protected that are attacking Christians and destroying our villages and church buildings. There is no single mosque that has been destroyed by Christians and we have never been on the offensive; so, why (are they) aiding Muslims to attack us?”

“It is outrageous,” Datiri said, “for the military to abandon peasant Christians who have no weapons to defend themselves and then claim that Muslims, who are the aggressors, are the weaker party and need to be protected.”

At the same time, Faluni representatives have told news agencies that Christians have attacked Muslim communities. Christian church leaders across Nigeria have urged believers to refrain from retaliation, though not all have paid heed.

“The whole thing is coming to a head,” Datiri said. “It’s been a long-term thing planned by the Boko Haram. This is a jihadist movement with the agenda to Islamize the country. It is a jihad, a religious war against Christians for refusing to embrace Islam. So, they are using terrorism as a weapon. That is the reason you see that the target of their attacks are Christians and our churches.”

END

Syria: Christians’ plight lost under mountain of propaganda

By Elizabeth Kendal
Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin (RLPB) 167
Special to ASSIST News Service

AUSTRALIA (ANS) -- Without a doubt, the greatest lie being told about the Syrian conflict is that it is being waged by President Assad against 'the Syrian people'. This is pure propaganda. In December 2011, just three months into the crisis, the Qatar Foundation conducted a major poll inside Syria to assess the level of support for Assad. (This was before al-Qaeda and other international Salafi jihadists started flooding in, making the crisis worse.) As an advocate of regime change in Syria, Qatar was embarrassed by the results and so buried them. When eventually leaked, the results revealed that 55 percent of Syrians supported President Assad and 68 percent of Syrians disapproved of Arab League sanctions. 

This makes perfect sense, considering that religious minorities make up 25 percent of Syria's population (Christians are 10 percent) and at least one-third of all Sunni Muslims would be nominal or secular urbanites who likewise do not want to live in an Islamic State. So the main division in Syria is not between Assad and the rest, but between Sunni fundamentalists (including foreign Salafi jihadists) and the rest, i.e. the majority of Syrians.

This is asymmetric warfare: a battle between two unequal forces. The jihadists who quickly hijacked the original protest movement are no match for the Syrian military. Consequently this battle would have been over long ago except that forces keen to counter the Iranian-Shi'ite ascendancy by means of regime change in Syria are arming, training and funding the jihadists.

These forces are the US - Saudi Arabia - Gulf Arab axis plus neo-Ottoman Turkey. As noted by Robert D Kaplan and Kamran Bokhari (Stratfor Intelligence), Assad's removal will doubtless hasten Syria's (and Lebanon's) slide into chaos, not slow it. Despite what the US - Saudi - Gulf Arab axis says, this is exactly what it intends with the aim of crippling or at least tying up Iran's allies -- the Syrian Army and Hezballah -- ahead of a military strike on Iran. The US seems to have no long-term perspective and nobody seems to care about the plight of millions of Middle Eastern Christians.

Propaganda is critical in asymmetric warfare. The weaker force (the jihadists) cannot win on their own and need to have a power stronger than the other side intervene on their behalf. To secure a 'humanitarian intervention', the weaker force will inflate and falsify civilian casualty figures, and even create civilian casualties through the use of human shields and 'false flag' operations. ['False flag' operations are those in which the terrorists are disguised as elements of the other side.] The Houla massacre has since been proved to be a 'false flag' operation, committed by Free Syrian Army forces claiming to be pro-government 'thugs'. The dead families were pro-government, mostly non-Sunni, civilians. US-NATO will not intervene militarily as they did when they bombed Belgrade in 1999 and Tripoli in 2011 -- two cities full of civilians -- unless they can make an intervention palatable to voters back home. Hence the US administration's peddling of jihadist propaganda! But the US must find another way to contain or engage Iran, for their present strategy necessitates the totally unacceptable sacrifice of millions of Middle Eastern Christians.

According to church sources inside Syria, Christians are increasingly being targeted and driven out of their homes and districts. Some 138,000 Christians have fled Homs, where Christians have been terrorised and churches have been looted and occupied by rebel forces. 

At least 9,000 Christians fled the neighbouring western city of Qusayr after the leaders of a rebel faction issued an ultimatum that was repeated from mosque minarets. In areas under rebel control, intolerant, hard-line Sunni fundamentalism is making Muslim-Christian coexistence impossible. For the jihadists, neutrality is not an option, and Christians (and Muslims) refusing to support the jihad are being tortured, expelled and murdered. In a fatwa, Sunni cleric Adnan Arour warned Syrian loyalists: 'We will chop you up and feed you to the dogs.'

For more, see Religious Liberty Monitoring blog
The Syria Crisis: cutting through the propaganda (11 July 2012)

PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY THAT GOD WILL --

• redeem this crisis to build up the Church both in numbers -- as people come to faith -- and in faithfulness -- as believers learn to look to and trust the LORD of hosts.
  'In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.' (from Isaiah 30:15 ESV)
  
• stretch out his arm to guide Christians fleeing jihad and terror, leading them where to go, shielding them under his hand, providing all their needs and fending off those who would harm them.
  
• turn the hearts of US-NATO leaders who are supporting the jihadists; may they turn from this strategy -- give up on it, find another way -- and put human life before economic and geo-strategic gain; may they become a force for peace, not death.
  'The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will.' (Proverbs 21:1 ESV)

SUMMARY FOR BULLETINS UNABLE TO RUN THE WHOLE ARTICLE
----------------------------------------------------------------------
CHRISTIANS' PLIGHT IN SYRIA LOST UNDER MOUNTAIN OF PROPAGANDA

Syria's Christians are being targeted and forced from their homes. Terror has driven some 138,000 Christians out of Homs and at least 9,000 Christians out of the neighbouring western city of Qusayr where an ultimatum was announced from mosque minarets. For the jihadists, neutrality is not an option: Christians (and Muslims) refusing to support the jihad are being tortured, expelled and murdered. In a fatwa, Sunni cleric Adnan Arour warned Syrian loyalists: 'We will chop you up and feed you to the dogs.' The plight of Christians is being buried under a mountain of propaganda from the jihadists and the US - Saudi - Gulf Arab axis, which is seeking to hurt Iran through regime change in Syria. Please pray for Christians in Syria, including thousands of Assyrian-Chaldean refugees from Iraq.

To view this RLPB with hyperlinks, visit the Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin blog.

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Elizabeth Kendal is an international religious liberty analyst and advocate. This prayer bulletin was initially written for the Australian Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty Commission (AEA RLC). Elizabeth Kendal's blogs: Religious Liberty Monitoring and Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin

70 Children Rounded up, Seven Women Teachers Detained in Chinese Police Raid on House Church Sunday School in Xinjiang

By Michael Ireland
Senior International Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

URUMQI, XINJIANG, CHINA (ANS) -- Police in China’s far western region of Xinjiang raided a house church Sunday school, rounded up 70 children and their teachers for questioning, and locked up seven women teachers in a local detention center.

According to ChinaAid (www.ChinaAid.org)  ,the children were attending special summer classes arranged by the house church in the regional capital city of Urumqi when the police action occurred on the morning of July 2.

In a media update, ChinaAid said police from the Qiangfanggou police station and agents from the Sha district Domestic Security Protection Department rounded up all the children and Sunday School teachers and took them to a school where they were questioned.

Some of the children’s parents and school principals and teachers were also summoned and questioned, ChinaAid said.

The ministry said seven women Sunday School teachers, including Bao Ling, Wang Xingxing, Luo Qinqin, and Lu Xia, are still being held in the Xishan detention center.

"To prevent children from having access to religious education in the faith of their parents is a direct contravention of the U. N. Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief (1981) and U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) which was adopted by China in 1992,” said ChinaAid’s founder and president, Dr. Bob Fu.

Fu added: “Arbitrarily detaining peaceful Sunday school teachers is a violation of their citizens’ right to basic religious freedom,” he added. “We urge the Xinjiang authorities to immediately release them and to halt their continuously intensifying persecution of religious believers, including those the Uyghur minority group who peacefully engage in their religious practices .”

ChinaAid is calling on the government of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region to protect the right to religious freedom of its Han Chinese citizens. 

ChinaAid said it will pay close attention to the developments in this case and urges brothers and sisters everywhere to pray.
________________________________________________________________________________________

ChinaAid Contacts
Bob Fu, President | Mark Shan, News Analyst
Tel: 1+ (888) 889-7757 | Cell: (267) 205-5210
Email: Bob@ChinaAid.org  | Mark@ChinaAid.org
LA Office: Eddie Romero | Tel: (323) 521-6777 | Email: ChinaAid.LA@gmail.com
Website: www.ChinaAid.org   | www.MonitorChina.org

---

** Michael Ireland is the Senior International Correspondent for ANS. He is an international British freelance journalist who was formerly a reporter with a London (United Kingdom) newspaper and has been a frequent contributor to UCB UK, a British Christian radio station. While in the UK, Michael traveled to Canada and the United States, Albania,Yugoslavia, Holland, Germany,and Czechoslovakia. He has reported for ANS from Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Israel, Jordan, China,and Russia. Michael's volunteer involvement with ASSIST News Service is a sponsored ministry department -- 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' (MIMM) -- of A.C.T. International of P.O.Box 1649, Brentwood, TN 37024-1649, at: Artists in Christian Testimony (A.C.T.) Internationalwhere you can make a donation online under 'Donate' tab, then look for 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' under 'Donation Category' to support his stated mission of 'Truth Through Christian Journalism.' Michael is a member in good standing of the National Writers Union, Society of Professional Journalists, Religion Newswriters Association, Evangelical Press Association and International Press Association. If you have a news or feature story idea for Michael, please contact him at: ANS Senior International Reporter

Kurdistan blasphemy law considered

Kuridstan Parliament ,Church in Kurdistan. (Photos by SL James)

Iraq (MNN) ― It appears that a segment of Iraq is considering a blasphemy law.

At one time, the region of Northwestern Iraq was a haven for Christians in the troubled Middle East. Reports two years ago showed that as Christians fled Baghdad, they sometimes headed for Kurdistan.

Today, that could be changing. It seems that as the exodus continued out of Iraq, conditions have also steadily deteriorated in Kurdistan due to Islamic extremism.

Kurdistan is autonomous in Iraq and has its own regional government. Parliamentarians in Iraq's Kurdish region hope to end religious violence by banning insults to what "all religions" have in common.

Paul Estabrooks, minister-at-large for Open Doors explains, "They have not mentioned any specific religion in the law, but the common aspects are 'God,' The Prophet, and 'Holy Book.' They're trying to develop something that will cut off these kinds of challenges that occur repeatedly."

The draft bill calls for up to 10 years in prison and closing a publication for vaguely worded offenses such as "portraying the prophets inappropriately." It is expected to be voted on in the near future.  

The legislation came about after the publication of an article in May 2010 that was an imaginary discussion with God that included profanity. Outrage over the article boiled into rioting that caused property damage and led to arrests and injuries.

Because it was an apparent response to a free speech issue, there were concerns that the bill would also limit free speech. Estabrooks says, "Basher Hadad, the head of the committee that's drafting this bill in Iraq, has told different news services that this is not going to be any kind of censorship," but he believes that's a total front.

By the vague nature of the bill's wording, it will do exactly that, even though people are assured that they will still be free to criticize mullahs, scholars, Islam, or the history of Islam. Estabrooks says, "The real issue, of course, is that fine line between 'criticism' and  'insult.' Any kind of criticism is also perceived as 'insult.'"  

Government officials say the law will protect Christians and Muslims. However, Estabrooks is doubtful. "There's no track record yet of any of these blasphemy laws benefiting Christians. Usually, it's just the opposite."

The atmosphere has decidedly cooled toward believers in the region. Right now, says Estabrooks, "Christians have had some opportunity to function as Christians without restrictions, at least from the government." Change is coming, he says. "Whether the government can protect them from what will become challenges of blasphemy remains to be seen."

Estabrooks thinks it won't be long before the impact on Gospel work will also be evident. "Christians are going to be a little more hesitant to be outspoken, or to be able to share anything because of the concern of it being interpreted as an insult and therefore, blasphemy."

It's not time to panic. You can pray that the bill would not pass. "Pray that God will enable the Christians to be the good citizens of this country and to be able maintain the freedom they have at this point to share the Gospel."

Christian legislator's post on the line

Pakistan (MNN) ― A Pakistan Christian legislator almost lost his political seat--but not because he’s a Christian.

According to Compass Direct News, Rana Asif Mahmood’s opponents said he wasn’t qualified for the minorities’ seat in the Punjab Provincial Assembly because his Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC) labels him as a Muslim. But Mahmood qualifies for the seat as a minority Christian.

Mahmood said that the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) made an error on his CNIC because his name sounds Muslim, but they refuse to fix the mistake.

Opponents seeking to disqualify Mahmood accepted his statement after he strongly declared on the floor that he was born as a Christian. He asked them not to create propaganda that would falsely lead Muslim extremists to believe he is trying to leave the Islamic faith and thus seek to kill him.

While his Muslim identity didn’t cost Mahmood the seat in the Punjab Provincial Assembly, he did lose a cabinet position and his part in the provincial budget proposal for 2012-2013.

Mahmood stated, “The situation was revealed to me when my son applied for a CNIC a few months ago. He was told that he could not put down Christianity as his religion because the records showed his father to be a Muslim.”

When he learned of the problem, Mahmood said, “[I] reported it to NADRA. After some days, I received my CNIC, and it did not mention religion, so I assumed that NADRA had changed its records.”

NADRA’s system doesn’t let Muslims change their identity in the religion column of their CNIC. However, non-Muslims can make changes to their religious affiliation. Converting to Islam is an especially welcomed change.

Mahmood’s passport identifies him as a Christian, and because NADRA mistakenly identified him as a Muslim, he’s also had to correct his passport twice.

An anonymous NADRA official who spoke with Compass Direct said those applying for a new CNIC are sent a form with their personal information where they are given the chance to identify any mistakes. If someone gave evidence of religious identity and proved the clerical error, the mistake would be fixed.

The official went on to say, “But a clerical error is highly unlikely. Data is cross-checked several times in cases of identity card entries.”

Apparently, Mahmood didn’t see improved results even after following those steps.

Please pray for Mahmood’s safety and perseverance, that he might be a light for Christ in Pakistan’s political arena.

Police Raid House Church Sunday School in Xinjiang, Round Up 70 Children, Detain Seven Women Teachers

URUMQI, Xinjiang, China, July 10, 2012 /Christian Newswire/ -- Police in China's far western region of Xinjiang raided a house church Sunday school, rounded up 70 children and their teachers for questioning, and locked up seven women teachers in a local detention center, ChinaAid has learned.

The children were attending special summer classes arranged by the house church in the regional capital city of Urumqi when the police action occurred on the morning of July 2.  Police from the Qiangfanggou police station and agents from the Sha district Domestic Security Protection Department rounded up all the children and Sunday School teachers and took them to a school where they were questioned. Some of the children's parents and school principals and teachers were also summoned and questioned.

Seven women Sunday School teachers, including Bao Ling, Wang Xingxing, Luo Qinqin, and Lu Xia, are still being held in the Xishan detention center.

"To prevent children from having access to religious education in the faith of their parents is a direct contravention of the U. N. Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief (1981) and U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) which was adopted by China in 1992," said ChinaAid's founder and president, Dr. Bob Fu.

"Arbitrarily detaining peaceful Sunday school teachers is a violation of their citizens' right to basic religious freedom," he added. "We urge the Xinjiang authorities to immediately release them and to halt their continuously intensifying persecution of religious believers, including those the Uyghur minority group who peacefully engage in their religious practices."

ChinaAid calls on the government of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region to protect the right to religious freedom of its Han Chinese citizens. ChinaAid will pay close attention to the developments in this case and urges brothers and sisters everywhere to pray.

Drunken Attack on Russian Protestant Pastor and His Assistant to Be ‘Examined In Detail’ By Interreligious Group

By Victoria Uzunova of the Christian Telegraph (www.christiantelegraph.com)  
Special to ASSIST News Service

ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA (ANS) -- A recent vicious attack on a Russian pastor and his assistant, is now to be investigated in detail by an interreligious group.

Illustration from www.invictory.org

Sergey Konstantinov, pastor of the Mission Good News affiliated church, and his assistant were attacked in the Leningrad Region in Russia on Saturday, June, 30, 2012, according to Dimitri Shatrov Jr., the church’s Senior Pastor.

The incident occurred early in the morning when morning prayers were being said in the church, he says.

According to a report received by The Christian Telegraph (www.christiantelegraph.com), two cars drove up to the church building and “more than ten drunken young men tried to enter and were shouting outrages against its ministers and activities.”

The report went on to say, “They then began to beat the leaders of the congregation. After the pastor and his assistant had sheltered themselves in the church building and locked the doors, the hooligans began to smash windows and pastor’s car.”

According to Mr. Shatrov, the young hooligans demanded the cessation of church activities and he said that the out-of-control group, broke one of the pastor’s ribs and also a collarbone.

Dan Wooding speaking some years ago at Dimitri Shatrov's church in St. Petersburg

The Church of Evangelical Christians in the Spirit of the Apostles opened in 1914 in St. Petersburg. Because of repression, the church did not hold services from 1932 to 1953. In 1990 it was renamed as the Mission Good News Church.

Now I have learned that the attack will be discussed by the Presidential Council on the Interaction with Religious Associations’ Commission on Harmonization of Interethnic and Interreligious Relationships.

“We follow the state of interreligious relationships in the country, and this wild incident that happened will be examined in detail,” said Sergey Ryahovsky, the Supervisory Bishop of the Union. “Obviously the fomentation of religious discord took place but not in the form of simple hooliganism.”

Mr. Ryahovsky underlined that law system reacted efficiently: the claims were taken, the victims were removed, and several suspected were already questioned.

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Victoria Uzunova is a correspondent for the Christian Telegraph (www.christiantelegraph.com ), a unique Christian news service partnering with the largest Christian News Agency in Russian language InVictory News (www.invictory.org/news) which is one of few news gateways of what is happening in Christianity in such former USSR countries as Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, Georgia and others.

Bomb Threat ‘Disturbs’ Kiev Conference on Healing

However, the pastor leading the conference says that despite the incident, the ‘Holy Spirit touched all participants’

By Victoria Uzunova of the Christian Telegraph (www.christiantelegraph.com)  
Special to ASSIST News Service

KIEV, UKRAINE (ANS) -- A conference on healing and the “demolition of ancestral damnation” was disturbed recently after information about a bomb threat, had been received.

Scene inside the packed hall where the bomb threat was received

The conference, attended by 14,000 people and led by Pastor Vladimir Muntyan from the Revival Spiritual Center, was being held on Saturday, July 7, 2012, in the Palace of Sports, the largest hall in Ukraine, when eyewitnesses reported that shortly after the event had begun, the sound was cutting out in the hall.

Managers at The Palace of Sports then told the conference organizers that a phone call had been received about a bomb threat.

A spokesperson for gathering said, “In connection with [the threat], the sound systems were turned off and the service continued through the stage monitors. Then, after the monitors were also turned off, Vladimir Muntyan preached and prayed for people with the help of megaphone.

“At 7:30 pm the pastor then asked people to leave the hall. They also prayed for the person who informed them about the bomb threat,” noted the press center.”

After a search, the local police reported that they did not find any bombs in the hall.

Victor Matveev, a minister at the Revival Spiritual Center, underlined that he felt that this was a “planned action”.

Worshippers at The Revival Spiritual Center in Dnepropetrovsk

He added, “There are people who don’t like Pastor Muntyan and our church, and I believe they made an effort to disturb the conference.”

The minister also said that, in spite of the incident, “a lot of people received healing and some even rose from wheelchairs.”

“I am glad that the Ukrainian people have a huge spiritual thirst for God’s presence,” noted Vladimir Muntyan. “I saw how the hall was full of people an hour before the conference began. Despite someone’s plan to disturb the meeting, God revealed His glory.”

He went on to say, that “Holy Spirit touched all participants, and added, “The situation shows me the importance of the work that we are doing in Ukraine. Satan opposes us, but his end is predicted. After this incident, I want to do more crusades, more miracle services. God’s Name will be glorified in Ukraine!”

The Revival Spiritual Center was opened in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine, in 2002. There are many affiliated churches across all Ukraine. In 2012 they opened church in Kiev, the capital city.

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Victoria Uzunova is a correspondent for the Christian Telegraph (www.christiantelegraph.com ), a unique Christian news service partnering with the largest Christian News Agency in Russian language InVictory News (www.invictory.org/news) which is one of few news gateways of what is happening in Christianity in such former USSR countries as Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, Georgia and others.

Partial Curfew in Plateau State after Two Politicians Among Those Killed in Nigerian Weekend Violence

By Michael Ireland
Senior International Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

PLATEAU STATE, NIGERIA (ANS) -- The government of Plateau State placed four local government areas under curfew yesterday following a gun attack that left two prominent politicians dead in Nigeria.

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) www.csw.org.uk  reports Senator for Plateau State North Gyang Dalyop Datong and the Honourable Gyang James Fulani, Majority Leader in the Plateau State House of Assembly, died during an attack on the mass burial of victims of armed raids on a number of villages over the weekend by Fulani tribesmen.

In a media update, CSW said an estimated 12 villages in Riyom and Barkin Ladi, situated on the outskirts of the state capital Jos, were attacked simultaneously on Saturday, July 7 by hundreds of heavily armed gunmen wearing military camouflage and bullet proof vests, in raids reminiscent of the 2010 attacks on Dogo Nahauwa, Zot and Ratsat villages in Jos South, which claimed an estimated 400 lives.

According to CSW, early news reports suggest that at least 25 people are confirmed dead, five have been hospitalized and approximately 150 displaced people have sought refuge in churches. The majority of victims were women, children and the elderly. Reports also indicate that around 19 gunmen were later killed and one was taken alive during an exchange of fire with the Joint Task Force (JTF).

The CSW report stated that a mass burial was hastily organized the next day, and as mourners proceeded to the site they are reported to have discovered the burned remains of around 50 more victims who had fled from the villages to shelter in a Church of Christ in Nigeria (COCIN) church in Matse Village, Riyom Local Government Area (LGA).

Later, the mourners themselves were ambushed in the armed attack which claimed the lives of Senator Gyang Dalyop Datong, and Honourable Gyang James Fulani amongst others, and from which a member of the House of Representatives, Honourable Simon Madwakom, narrowly escaped.

CSW explained there are conflicting reports indicating the two politicians either died of gunshot wounds or from shock. Following their deaths, angry youths took to the streets, mounting roadblocks in the area. Local people had allegedly reported the existence of a camp belonging to Fulani militants responsible for village raids, but say no action was taken by the security services.

In a comment to Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), the Anglican Archbishop of Jos, the Most Reverend Benjamin Kwashi condemned the “detestable” attack on funeral goers and expressed anxiety for the future if the targeting of villages continues unchecked.

Kwashi said: “This kind of unprovoked, deliberate attempt to overrun a population cannot succeed in the long run, whether or not the government takes action to stem it.

“Unfortunately, there is now an army of jobless young people aged 20 and under, who no longer attend church and for whom countering the violence is now a matter of survival. They do not listen to what you say, but watch what you do.”

He added: “They are seeing Boko Haram succeed using violent methods and if we are not careful, they themselves will soon be adopting Boko Haram’s methods. We urgently need to engage them and provide direction. The only legacy we should leave for them is the legacy of working for peace.”

CSW reported the latest estimates of the weekend’s death toll currently stand at 104, including the dead militants.

Speaking in a news release, CSW’s Advocacy Director Andrew Johnston said: “We extend our heartfelt condolences to the victims of these horrific attacks. The raids were systematic and organized, and eyewitnesses report that the gunmen were heavily armed and well equipped.

“We urge the federal government to investigate every avenue of inquiry to identify the perpetrators of this crime, their sponsors and training camps, and to end these appalling raids, which appear to have continued unabated since 2010.”

Johnston added: “A curfew is effective in the short term, but longer term security arrangements have to be undertaken to protect innocent civilians and to forestall the very real possibility of people taking the law into their own hands.”

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) is a Christian organization working for religious freedom through advocacy and human rights, in the pursuit of justice.

For further information or to arrange interviews please contact Kiri Kankhwende, Press Officer at Christian Solidarity Worldwide on +44 (0)20 8329 0045 / +44 (0) 78 2332 9663, emailkiri@csw.org.uk  or visit www.csw.org.uk  

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** Michael Ireland is the Senior International Correspondent for ANS. He is an international British freelance journalist who was formerly a reporter with a London (United Kingdom) newspaper and has been a frequent contributor to UCB UK, a British Christian radio station. While in the UK, Michael traveled to Canada and the United States, Albania,Yugoslavia, Holland, Germany,and Czechoslovakia. He has reported for ANS from Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Israel, Jordan, China,and Russia. Michael's volunteer involvement with ASSIST News Service is a sponsored ministry department -- 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' (MIMM) -- of A.C.T. International of P.O.Box 1649, Brentwood, TN 37024-1649, at: Artists in Christian Testimony (A.C.T.) International where you can make a donation online under 'Donate' tab, then look for 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' under 'Donation Category' to support his stated mission of 'Truth Through Christian Journalism.' Michael is a member in good standing of the National Writers Union, Society of Professional Journalists, Religion Newswriters Association, Evangelical Press Association and International Press Association. If you have a news or feature story idea for Michael, please contact him at: ANS Senior International Reporter

Police poised to arrest local church pastor on ‘false’ charges

Phone call saves local church pastor from landing in the lockup

By Shamim Masih
Special to ASSIST News Service

ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (ANS) -- It was late evening, when the editor of the “Minority Times” Islamabad called me and requested me to join him quickly at Fatima Church, sector F-8/4, Islamabad, Pakistan.

When I reached there and enquired of the issue, I was told that local church clergyman, Father Rehmat Hakim Michael was about to march to the nearest police station in protest because of what he considered to be false charged he had heard where about to be launched against him.

According to information I received, Fr. Michael had been informed by an official of the Margalla Police Station that police were going to register a First Information Report (FIR) against him on charges of “kidnapping Afghan refugees” and then “killing them on their refusal to convert to Christianity.”

He was given this news by a mysterious phone caller who avoided to disclose his name, although Fr. Michael suspected that he was an official person.

The call, I was told, sent shivers down the spine of the poor priest who could never have imagined of kidnapping people for the purpose of conversion, let alone killing them in a brutal manner.

The nervous priest made frantic calls to friends and community leaders to rescue him from landing in the lockup.

When he and some friends arrived at the police station, they were told that resident of sector I-9 had filed an application against him.

The man had claimed in his application his wife, an Afghan refugee, along with other members of her family, were kidnapped in 2001 by Fr. Rehmat Hakim Michael and his “gang” and, on refusal to become Christians, they were shifted to some unknown place and were most probably killed.

The applicant had sought police help to trace them and register an FIR against Fr. Michael and another person, and investigate them in this regard.

Ironically, the priest was transferred to Lady Fatima Church in 2007, while the kidnapping incident was reported in the application to have taken place during 2001, when he was serving in Gujarat.

Fr. Michael said that he had never met or seen or heard about the persons that were mentioned in the application.

However he said he was ready to face investigation by any agency in order to reach the truth. He said that he was being trapped for some ulterior motives of the distances between the Muslims and the Christians of the city.

“The applicant will never succeed in defaming the church and the Christian community,” he added.

The story behind this affair is that a strong Afghani family in sector G-8 has occupied two church properties since 1999 and, on the demand to vacate them by the church administration, they were propagating this patently untrue story

.

Father Rehmat has now requested to the Supreme Court and human right commission to interfere in the matter to solve the issue. He also has protested against what he described as “these fake applications” and demanded the authority to take quick action.

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Shamim Masih was born in village of Sheikhupora, Pakistan, and passed his Master’s Degree in Business Administration. He has worked in the banking sector for seven years and at the same time has been involved in freelance writing and working for the rights for Christians and other minorities in his country. He can be contacted by e-mail at: ptpislamabad@gmail.com

Eritrea finally slammed for human rights violations

Shipping containers to hold Christians in Eritrea.

Eritrea (MNN) ― The conclusion of the 20th United Nations session on Friday meant a historic victory for human rights in Eritrea. The U.N. Human Rights Council officially adopted a resolution on Eritrea and approved a mandate for a Special Rapporteur to report on the rights situation, according to ASSIST News Service.

This is the first resolution the HRC has adopted on Eritrea despite a muddy past of religious and human rights violations. This resolution may finally be placing Eritrea on the international radar, says Todd Nettleton with Voice of the Martyrs.

"It is a small country. It is not an economic power-house by any stretch. So the world has essentially turned a blind eye and not paid attention to the human rights abuses that have gone on in Eritrea," says Nettleton.

VOM, on the other hand, has paid very close attention to the violations in Eritrea--and with good reason. In 2002, the Eritrean government called church leaders together to tell them their churches would no longer be permitted to meet. A few larger organizations such as the Catholic church, Orthodox Church, and Islamic mosques were still permitted to meet, but smaller groups of believers were forbidden to gather.

Since then, says Nettleton, "Thousands of Eritrean Christians have been arrested. They've been put into the jail system or the military prison system. Some of them have been held in shipping containers literally without running water, without a bathroom--just locked in a shipping container."

Christians are essentially arrested just for being Christ-followers.

"Not a single Christian has been formally charged with any crime," Nettleton explains. "Not a single Christian has been put on trial, has been allowed to have an attorney. None of that. They simply have disappeared into the prison system."

Some have been released months or years later. Others are never heard from again.

Such severe treatment has placed Eritrea at #11 on the Open Doors World Watch List for nations actively persecuting believers. Christian Solidarity Worldwide's Team Leader for Africa and the Middle East, Khataza Gondwe, calls Eritrea's human rights crimes "among the most severe and under-reported in the world."

This new HRC resolution, however, could help change Eritrea's oppressive tune. It has already drawn extra attention since this is the first time that African countries (Somalia, Nigeria and Djibouti) have submitted a resolution on anther African state.

During the last decade of extreme persecution, the Gospel has been moving forward in Eritrea. Believers have not stopped sharing the Good News. But Nettleton points out, "It is coming at a terrible price." Perhaps this resolution will lessen the cost.

Pray that this resolution would be successful and that it would help create instill a miraculous heart change in the hearts of Eritrean government officials. Continue to pray in the meantime for the thousands of believers who remain in chains for their faith.

You can encourage believers imprisoned in Eritrea with letters.Click here to write. 

Government shuts down theological training camp

China (MNN) ― One of Henry Ford’s most famous alleged sayings with the production of the Model T vehicle in 1908 was, “You can have any color as long as it’s black.”

This humorous quote may relate to the trite subject of car color. But is there a similar mindset in China’s treatment of a Christian’s freedom to worship?

The Communist government of China states in Article 36 of its constitution, “Citizens of the People's Republic of China enjoy freedom of religious belief.”

However, Greg Musselman through Voice of the Martyrs, Canada’ssource, ChinaAid, says, “Over the next ten years, [China’s government] has made a stated document…that actually shows a three-phase plan to eradicate house churches or unregistered churches and then gett them all together under the three-self patriotic church which then allows the government to control the church.”

Some wonder what the big deal is with registering a house church in China anyway. Musselman explains, “There may be some good things going on within the government-controlled churches [if they are] preaching a salvation message, but really that is frowned upon by the government. So many I have talked to over the years are saying that the control of the government is not really a true church [with] the freedom to preach the whole Bible.”

One recent example of governmental crackdown on unregistered church activity took place two weeks ago, June 26, when Chinese government officials forced a teacher theological training camp for pastors to shut down.

The Chinese Theological Society is registered in Hong Kong, but not with the Chinese government where they held the training in Southern China. “They were doing some training…and near the end of their training time, the religious police came in and shut them down. And again, it’s a part of the intimidation process that the Chinese government often uses to try to force the underground Christians or the house church Christians into registering.”

ChinaAid says that cases of Christian persecution like these in China have increased by 20%.

However, Musselman points out that they don’t always make the headlines, since many of the more serious cases of persecution don’t always happen in the big cities. “China is such a massive country and many places are very rural, and so we don’t often hear the stories until much later, if at all in some cases.”

Yet, Christianity is flourishing and growing, both in the registered and unregistered churches. “The interesting thing is that there are more Christians in China than anywhere in the world,” says Musselman. “Some of the sources we’ve heard say that there are over 100 million, maybe as high as 120 million, who identify themselves as Christians.”

Musselman asks for prayer "that the Lord will give the [church] leaders wisdom and strength not to compromise.”

Blasphemy Law Proposed in Iraqi Kurdistan after Muslim Protests

By Jeremy Reynalds
Senior Correspondent for ASSIST News Service

IRAQ (ANS) -- A “blasphemy law” has been drafted by MPs in the autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan following violent protests by Muslims against a magazine article deemed insulting to Islam.

According to a story by Barnabas Aid, the Draft Law to Protect Sanctities prescribes up to ten years in prison and fines of up to 50,000,000 dinars (US$43,029) for vaguely worded offences including “swearing at and mocking God” and “swearing at, mocking, insulting and portraying prophets inappropriately.”

Any media outlet that publishes or broadcasts material deemed blasphemous could be closed for up to a year and fined.

Barnabas Aid said the move follows the enraged Muslim reaction to a piece in an Erbil-based magazine, Chrpa (Whisper) May 2. It reprinted a 2010 Facebook post entitled “Me and God,” an imaginary dialogue condemned as blasphemous by some local imams and insulting to Islam by government officials.

Chrpa’s editor-in-chief was arrested on May 7 for “violating religious sensibilities,” but this move was not enough to placate local Muslims.

Barnabas Aid said incited by the mullahs, hundreds took to the streets of Erbil in protest the following day. They threw stones at police, and attacked a television station, cultural center, bars and a guardhouse outside the parliament. Dozens of people were injured.

Kurdistan Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani.  (Kurdistan Photo)

In the following days, Kurdistan Regional Government’s Prime Minister, Nechirvan Barzani, said the government “will confront all insults against the religion of Islam strongly,” and proposed the introduction of a blasphemy law.

Barnabas Aid said a parliamentary committee then drafted the Law to Protect Sanctities and plans to present it for a vote shortly. It has been criticized by Human Rights Watch, who called for MPs to oppose the bill on the grounds that it “clearly restricts the right to free expression.”

According to Barnabas Aid, although the bill ostensibly applies to all religions, it has clearly been created with a view to appeasing Muslim sensibilities. It comes against a backdrop of growing Islamic fervency in Kurdistan.

Barnabas Aid reported that Sozan Sahab, an MP for the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) said, “After the Arab Spring comes the Islamic Spring. It’s in the region, in the atmosphere. The mullahs have changed.”

Barnabas Aid said this is a worrying development for Christians in Kurdistan, many of whom fled there to escape persecution in other parts of Iraq. They have generally enjoyed peace alongside other religious groups in Kurdistan, but this has recently come under threat. 

In Dec. 2011, shops and businesses owned by Christians and Yezidis, another minority group, were torched by Islamists in an outbreak of violent attacks.

In a separate incident that month, Barnabas Aid said, a 29-year-old Christian man was kidnaped for ransom, a common occurrence in other parts of Iraq but not in Kurdistan. This raised fears that the persecution Christians have fled is catching up with them.

Barnabas Aid said the introduction of a blasphemy law in Kurdistan would pose a further threat to Christians, who suffer greatly under such legislation in other countries. Since the Arab Spring, similar laws have been proposed and/or implemented in various countries in the region. They include Kuwait, Egypt and Tunisia. There have been a number of high-profile cases of people being imprisoned for actions or statements deemed insulting to Islam.

Barnabas Aid commented that while the Arab Spring seemed to promise increased freedom and rights for citizens in the region, the spreading anti-blasphemy movement indicates it is actually delivering the opposite.

Barnabas Aid provides hope and relief for the persecuted church. For more information go towww.barnabasfund.org/US/Home/

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Jeremy Reynalds is Senior Correspondent for the ASSIST News Service, a freelance writer and also the founder and CEO of Joy Junction, New Mexico's largest emergency homeless shelter, http://www.joyjunction.org He has a master's degree in communication from the University of New Mexico, and a Ph.D. in intercultural education from Biola University in Los Angeles. His newest book is "Homeless in the City." Additional details on "Homeless in the City" are available athttp://www.homelessinthecity.com. Reynalds lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico. For more information contact: Jeremy Reynalds at jeremyreynalds@comcast.net.

Christians repond to Muslim offer of protection in Garissa, Kenya

(Photos courtesy of Christian Aid Mission)

Kenya (MNN) ― Garissa has long had a perilous reputation in Kenya. A small outpost down near the Somalia border, the area has been filled with dangerous people for over a decade.

Africa Director for Christian Aid Mission Rae Burnett notes that was even before the Islamic terrorist group al-Shabaab came into prominence.

Al-Shabaab is the Somalia-based cell of al-Qaeda hunting down Christians in both Somalia and now, in Kenya. The group has been getting bolder and more organized. Burnett explains, "There's been a huge, huge influx of Somalis that have overrun the country, I mean even into Nairobi. They stick together, and they are told by their government that now that there's so many of them there, they really need to take over the country and establish Sharia."

It seems that the Kenyan town of Garissa, right on the border with Somalia, was getting less and less friendly to non-Muslims. "This is a town, that when I hear the name, I know there's danger there," says Burnett. She adds that in the 15 years she's been aware of the changing conditions there, Gospel inroads have been made. "Missionaries have been putting churches there, trying to bring people to Christ for years. They have now become a target of the Muslim extremists."

However, that didn't always sit well with the local population. "When doing any kind of evangelical work, the Muslims have sent their children to stone them." An indigenous ministry leader helped by Christian Aid told Burnett that the most recent attack was more evidence of the hostilities in the region toward Christians. "He said that plans to burn the churches were executed inside the mosque. Their thinking is that this is just totally for the outside world to hear."

Seventeen people were killed July 1 in Garissa as terrorists threw grenades into two churches and opened fire. It appears to be an effort to deepen rifts between Muslims and Christians in Kenya. These same people are also blamed for attacks on secular entertainment venues as well as the kidnapping and murder of aid workers.

Communication with indigenous ministries (supported by Christian Aid Mission) indicates increasing alarm among believers and disruption to Gospel work.

In the wake of the latest incident, one leader wrote:

This is big blow to our ministry vision, and our outreaches among the Muslims in the northern frontiers of Kenya. We are so much concerned at the trend of constant attacks on the churches in Kenya by al Shabaab terror group. I was planning another outreach in that area. So many of them have never been reached with the Gospel.

We are praying and planning to evacuate the wife and her children for some time till the situation improves. Please pray for our security. Any help extended to this family will be appreciated as we move in to assist.

Another sent this message:

Most of our churches in Northern Kenya have closed down due to attacks by the al Shabaab terrorists. The most affected areas are Wajir, Modogashe, Liboi, Garbatulla, Merti, Turbi, parts of Marsabit and some parts of Isiolo where you have spent so much time with the Samburu believers. Most Christians had to evacuate to safer areas. Missionaries and pastors who have been serving there had to relocate.

Now, there's word that Muslim leaders are offering to protect Christians following the attacks. But, says Burnett, Christians are incredulous. "Even if Muslims did offer something like that, no one would accept it because they would believe it to be a threat based on their experience with them in the past, particularly in an area like that where everyone (the Muslim community) is so close knit."

Burnett notes that Christian workers explained why they're so distrustful. "As these churches were being attacked, the Garissa women...(I'm reading directly here) 'after the attacks in Garissa, young men and women were celebrating in the streets.'"

Additionally, reprisal violence could be the spark that sets the tinder box aflame. "The nominal Christians are often the ones that cause so much of the problem. Those who really know the Lord, they understand the risk, and they're willing to bring people to Christ and to risk their lives for that."  

Gospel work continues, but believers are going to have to tread carefully. Burnett says prayer is the best defense. "Everyone, as a believer, needs wisdom and protection. We're always in such danger, whether we know it or not. These men and women and children who are on the forefront of this violence really need to know the Lord's will and that Christ will be seen."

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