The Persecution & Prayer Alert The Voice of the Martyrs, Canada http://www.persecution.net Wednesday, February 12, 2003

A summary of news concerning the Persecuted Church and how you can respond.

*********************************** Contents: 1. Militant Hindu Group Cleared of Involvement in Missionary’s Death (India) 2. Pastor and Companion Assassinated (Colombia) 3. Trial of Pastor Begins (Indonesia) 4. Persecution Conference – March 8 (Canada) 5. Question of the Week

*********************************** 1. Militant Hindu Group Cleared of Involvement in Missionary’s Death (India)

Four years after the murder of Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two sons, the Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) has claimed that none of the suspects are members of the militant Hindu group, Bajrang Dal. Graham Staines and his two minor sons — Philip and Timothy — were burnt alive as they slept in a jeep at Manoharpur in Keonjhar district in Orissa on January 23, 1999. Eyewitnesses to the murder reported that those responsible were shouting, “Bajrang Dal Zindabad” (“Long live Bajrang Dal”). Several of those arrested for the murder were also reported to be members of the group that is actively opposing Christianity and Islam in India, including training volunteers to fight against them.

The website for Bajrang Dal (http://www.hinduunity.org) acknowledges that they are a militant organization, saying, “Hindus who love India and wish to protect Hinduism and are willing to die for it are behind this organization.” However, Bajrang Dal denies any responsibility for the attack on Staines. “We were framed,” said Subash Chouhan, the chief of the Bajrang Dal’s Orissa unit. “Now the truth has come to light.”

Christian spokesmen in India believe the group benefits from its close association with national leaders of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

Pray that the truth will be found as the trials and investigations continue. Pray that there will be complete freedom of religion throughout India; the freedom to believe, practice, and promote their faith. Pray for Christian workers facing continued opposition from individuals and groups such as Bajrang Dal.

*********************************** 2. Pastor and Companion Assassinated (Colombia)

Unidentified gunmen assassinated Rev. Jos © Juan Lozada Corteza, pastor of the Evangelical Christian Church of San Antonio, Colombia, on January 27. According to a report from Compass Direct, uniformed men stopped a transit bus, forced the pastor from the bus and shot him in the head. They also killed a member of his church traveling with him. Rebel forces fighting against the government are reportedly responsible for the attack. Since fighting began in 1985, at least 72 Protestant pastors and 33 Catholic priests have been killed.

In a similar incident in November, two men was ordered to kill Rev. Esnilder Pop ³, pastor of the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church in Santander, Cauca. However, one came to the pastor following the service and confessed the plan to him, saying, “I could not bring myself to do it.” Evangelical and human rights leaders have urged Rev. Pop ³ to leave the area for his safety.

Pray for safety for Christian leaders throughout Colombia who face threats on their lives as they work to share the Gospel and demonstrate the love of Christ to the people of Colombia.

The March edition of The Voice of the Martyrs newsletter will focus on the trials and testimonies of our brothers and sisters in Colombia. To subscribe to our free monthly newsletter, go to http://www.persecution.net/nlorder.htm.

*********************************** 3. Trial of Pastor Begins (Indonesia)

During this week’s trial of Rev. Rinaldi Damanik, General Secretary of the Synod of the Protestant Church of Central Sulawesi, he denied ever possessing a weapon, let alone the fourteen handmade guns and ammunition reportedly found in his vehicle. Rev. Damanik’s trial began on February 3 but was then postponed until February 10. He is accused of carrying weapons while traveling between Christian villages under attack in August 2002. He maintains that the police set him up when he was stopped.

Damanik was a leader in the peace negotiations to stop the violence in Central Sulawesi. While a leader of the militant Islamic Laskar Jihad has been released (see last week’s Persecution & Prayer Alert at http://www.persecution.net/pnparchive/arch3.htm), Damanik faces up to twenty years in prison if convicted. It is feared that Damanik will be a scapegoat to deflect attention from the continuing sympathy for militant Islam within the Indonesian government. According to Radio National from Australia, his lawyers allege that Damanik is a victim of political power plays by the elite and of State-sponsored terrorism. When asked what they thought of the legal system, Damanik’s legal team stated, “Of all the systems in Indonesia, the legal system is the most rotten.”

Pray that truth will reign and that there might be fairness in the trial. Pray that the peace begun in Indonesia will continue.

*********************************** 4. Persecution Conference – March 8 (Canada)

The Voice of the Martyrs and Open Doors with Brother Andrew invite you to a joint conference on the Persecuted Church on Saturday, March 8 at Northgate Baptist Church in Edmonton, Alberta. The theme of the conference is “Persecuted But Not Forsaken.” Speakers include Hector Tamez (Open Doors), Greg Musselman (The Voice of the Martyrs) and Magid El-Shafie, an Egyptian convert from Islam who had been arrested and sentenced to death for his faith. Pre-registration is required.

For more details and maps, see our website at http://www.persecution.net/conf1.htm. You will not want to miss this challenging conference!

*********************************** 5. Question of the Week

Christians often find themselves under laws that either restrict or forbid evangelistic efforts. Should Christians alter their methods or forthrightness in these circumstances? If so, how? If not, why not?

To participate in our poll and discussion, go to http://www.persecution.net and click on “Discussion Forum.” If you have not registered on our forum in the past, click on “Register” and select a username and password.

***********************************

The Persecution & Prayer Alert is a ministry of The Voice of the Martyrs, Canada. (Mailing address: P.O. Box 117, Port Credit, Mississauga, Ontario L5G 4L5) Tel. (905) 670.9721. Fax: (905) 670.7642 Website: http://www.persecution.net

*********************************** Contact Person: Glenn Penner, Communications Director.

Important Notice: The Persecution & Prayer Alert is an open email news service sent only to those who have specifically requested it from us. We do not send it unsolicited and ask that subscribers show the same discretion in forwarding it to others.

os.yahoo.com/rlgmediaau”>http://au.photos.yahoo.com/rlgmediaau http://community.webshots.com/user/ramon_williams ——————————————————————- Telling others, what others are doing for the Lord.

— Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).