Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin – No. 234 – Wed 27 Aug 2003

WELCOME to the 32 intercessors who have joined the list this month.

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DURING AUGUST WE HAVE PRAYED ABOUT –

SERBIA: where a mentality of insecurity and bitterness is the driving force behind an aggressive Serbian nationalism that is bringing harassment and increasing levels of persecution against evangelicals.

NIGERIA: where mission, particularly to the Muslim north, is a dangerous yet essential endeavour. Pray especially for God to meet the needs of the Nigerian Evangelical Mission Association (NEMA).

SRI LANKA: where militant Buddhist monks are behind a campaign to increase Buddhist nationalism and bring in an anti-conversion law.

ruled that although the Constitution permits a person to manifest, observe and practise one’s religion, that does NOT guarantee a fundamental right to propagate religion. This ruling, based on the premise that Sri Lanka is a Buddhist state, affects the right of witnessing Christian organisations to be incorporated and to hold property, which is now deemed unconstitutional. On top of this, the anti-conversion legislation is gaining momentum through the support of influential MPs. This is a serious and rapidly deteriorating situation.

MORE ISSUES DURING AUGUST ————————-

** URGENT** – Recommended for use as a Bulletin Item

ERITREA: TEENAGE CHRISTIANS ARRESTED AND TORTURED

Sixty-two teenage Eritrean Christians, all year 11 students and 29 of them female, were arrested on 19-20 August at a compulsory military training camp, when an inspection revealed they had Bibles. They have been tortured and are imprisoned in metal shipping containers without adequate ventilation, sanitation, medical attention, food or water. There are presently 213 Eritrean Christians imprisoned and being ‘punished’ for their faith. In 2001 the government detained its critics and closed down all independent media. Information from Eritrea is leaked at great personal risk by Eritrean Christians who believe that the price of silence will be greater than the cost of speaking out. Urgent prayer is requested.

UGANDA: VIGILANT PRAYER REQUIRED AGAINST THE LRA

God is answering our prayers about the blasphemous, terrorist cult- militia, the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). They have not been able to carry out their threat to ‘kill all clergy’, an order given on 14 June 2003. LRA soldiers are defecting – 106 in July – or are dying in battle with the Ugandan army, including commanders and a senior witchdoctor. Large numbers of kidnapped children are being rescued – 640 in July. However, children are still dying and being kidnapped, the LRA still wreaks havoc and creates terror, and Joseph Kony (a greatly feared spirit-medium) still controls them.

In mid July, when the LRA forced abducted 9 to 15-y-o child soldiers into a river to test its depth, 45 of them drowned. An LRA massacre in Soroti district recently claimed some 60 lives. On 17 August, LRA soldiers slashed to death 13 former abducted child soldiers who had been rescued and were living freely in Lira district. Though the army arrived and prevented further deaths, some 40 children were abducted. President Museveni responded by challenging the LRA to come for him instead of the children. On 24- 25 August, the LRA attacked Teso region, slaughtering 50 people in Akeriau village alone. In late July, an army raid found a map marked with most of the Catholic locations in the Katakwi district marked on it, indicating that Kony still intends to target the church. Kony is presently setting up more bases in Southern Sudan.

God said to the people of Jerusalem in Isaiah 22:11 (NLT), ‘All your feverish plans are to no avail because you never ask God for help.’ Pray for the Ugandan government, particularly President Museveni, to publicly turn to God for help.

LAOS: IMPRISONED FOR REFUSING TO DENY FAITH

Christian Solidarity Worldwide reports that a group of 21 Christians of the Bru minority from Muang Nong in the south of Laos were imprisoned in May 2003 for refusing to renounce their faith. Twelve of them are still in prison. They are being told they will be released if they sign affidavits that they will no longer follow Christ or worship him. They refuse and hence remain in prison. Pray for justice, and their physical endurance in what would be appalling conditions. Pray also for grace, courage and comfort from the Holy Spirit, and that their witness will be fruitful.

IVORY COAST: ‘PEACE’ ON A KNIFE EDGE.

Praise God for answering our prayers in holding back a full-scale advance by rebel forces that appeared imminent and unstoppable earlier this year. However, the nation remains divided between the rebel-held Muslim north and the predominantly Christian loyalist south. The government has rejected the January 2003 French-UN peace proposal to fill the interior and defence portfolios with rebel representatives, as this would require the loyalist military to submit to the control of the Muslim insurgents. In this, the government has the support of all opposition parties except the RDR, which supports the rebels. The rebels refuse to re-negotiate.

Both sides are reported to be re-arming, with many rebels keen to resume fighting. Ten people returning to Ivory Coast were arrested at a French airport on 23 August and charged with plotting to destabilise Ivory Coast (IC). They included Ibrahim Coulibaly, an alleged mastermind of the September 2002 coup attempt. There have been rumours of ‘an imminent attack on the city of Abidjan’ – security is tight and the situation is tense. On 25 August, two French soldiers were shot and killed in IC by drunken New Forces (formerly MPCI) rebels. The future of IC hangs in the balance. Please be vigilant in your prayers for a breakthrough for peace in this strategic West African nation.

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The WEA Religious Liberty Commission sponsors this RL Prayer List to help individuals and groups pray specifically and regularly for religious liberty issues, and in particular to uphold the Church where it is suffering persecution.

RL Prayer is moderated by Ron Clough, a commissioner of the WEA RLC and convenor of the Australian EA RLC.

Elizabeth Kendal researched and authored this message.

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