The Persecution & Prayer Alert (Special Edition) The Voice of the Martyrs, Canada http://www.persecution.net Saturday, April 19, 2003

Special edition Persecution and Prayer Alerts are sent out only when news breaks that cannot wait until our regular weekly publication. *********************************** Three Killed, Two Wounded in Good Friday Procession Attack (Colombia)

Like Christians all over the world yesterday, Catholics in the small Colombian town of Delores (125 miles south of Bogota) were marching through the town in a religious procession marking the Stations of the Cross. Without warning, approximately 15 suspected guerrillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) opened fire on the crowd. One soldier and two civilians, including a 14-year-old boy were killed. Two others, including another young child, were wounded in the attack.

Prior to Holy Week, the country’s armed forces had promised Colombians they would guarantee security during the Christian holiday. Armed convoys are escorting motorists along strategic highways. Apparently, the Marxist guerrilla organization saw the government assurances as a challenge and there is now fear of more rebel disruptions during the Easter festivities, as the guerrillas seek to undermine the authority of the police and government of President Alvaro Uribe. Uribe was elected on the basis that he promised to take a harder line with rebel groups in Colombia.

The Marxist FARC guerrillas are no friends of Christians of any denomination. According to government statistics, they have been responsible for the murders of almost 40 priests and pastors over the last four years. Glenn Penner, Communications Director for The Voice of the Martyrs, said concerning this most recent attack, “It is an unspeakable evil that, during a peaceful procession, armed thugs would deliberately seek to butcher those who had only come to remember the death of their Saviour. Now we must remember the slain and their families in our prayers. And we must double our efforts to win to Christ those who commit such atrocities. Jesus is a friend to terrorists, even if they reject Him. They are filled with hate. But Jesus loved them enough to die for them. This is what we commemorate during Easter and which we will seek to remind them of in the days to come.”

The Voice of the Martyrs recently reported in the feature article of the March edition of The Voice of the Martyrs Newsletter on the increasing persecution facing Christians in Colombia. To read this article online, go to http://www.persecution.net/nlarch.htm.

Please pray for the Christians of Colombia during this weekend. Pray that they would be protected from further attacks. Pray for the families of those who have lost loved ones in this attack. *********************************** 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.

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