“FOCUS ON RELIGIOUS LIBERTY” URGED FOR VIETNAMESE LEADER’S U.S. TRIP

TWO BROTHERS ON 1,200 KM PEACE MARCH FOR ERITREA

CHRISTIANS IN INDIA ACCUSE VILLAGERS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT

USA RADIO STATION COLLECTS BIBLES FOR DISTRIBUTION

DAY OF PRAYER FOR ZIMBABWE

Today’s Top Stories:

“FOCUS ON RELIGIOUS LIBERTY” URGED FOR VIETNAMESE LEADER’S U.S. TRIP A ministry that supports persecuted Christians is urging President Bush to make religious freedom the focus of a meeting this week with the leader of Vietnam. Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai is scheduled to make an historic seven-day visit to the United States, ending this Saturday. The trip would make him the first Vietnamese leader to travel to America since the Vietnam War ended in 1975. Open Doors USA President Carl Moeller believes religious liberty in Vietnam should be the focus of the meeting. “Although the United States and Vietnam have made giant leaps in trade and economic issues over the years, religious freedom — including persecution of Christians — remains a key issue,” Moeller wrote to supporters recently via e-mail. “Vietnam has made promises this year to give religious liberty to all groups — including Christians — and allow freedom to worship,” he added. “However, the reality is that Christians are still being arrested and harassed, especially the minority Montagnard Christians in the Central Highlands.” Moeller noted that Mennonite pastors Nguyen Hong Quang and Pham Ngoc Thach remain in prison. Vietnam is ranked third on Open Doors’ 2005 World Watch List of 50 countries where Christians suffer most for their faith. Meanwhile, Jubilee Campaign, another organization that spotlights persecuted Christians, spearheaded a rally near the White House yesterday to protest the persecution of religious minorities in Vietnam. Last month, the U.S. State Department said it would not impose sanctions on Vietnam for repressing religion after Hanoi freed some religious prisoners, reopened churches and banned forced renunciations of faith. (Charisma Now)

TWO BROTHERS ON 1,200 KM PEACE MARCH FOR ERITREA Two Eritrean brothers, both Orthodox Christians, are walking from Geneva to Vatican City to highlight the human rights situation in their country. Tekle and Samuel Gebregiorgis began their journey from the United Nations Headquarters in Geneva at 7.30 p.m. on June 15. They hope to reach the offices of Pope Benedict XVI within the next 20 days. This is the second long march for peace that these brothers have undertaken. In an interview with Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), Tekle Gebregiorgis lamented, “It is sad that after 30 years of war and 12 years of peace the situation in Eritrea is worse than ever before. …There are more than 40,000 prisoners of conscience detained without trial and without access to their families. In some cases we don’t know if they are alive or dead.” During their march the Gebregiorgis brothers are collecting signatures for a petition requesting that Pope Benedict XVI uses his good offices to secure the “release of illegally detained Eritreans.” The petition also calls on the Pope to urge key members and bodies of the international community “to set up an independent commission to inspect the conditions in all the official and unofficial detention centers in the country.” (Christian Solidarity Worldwide)

CHRISTIANS IN INDIA ACCUSE VILLAGERS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT Eleven Christian families in Maharashtra state, India, have lodged an official complaint of sexual assault carried out by Hindu villagers. On May 15, the families were summoned to a community court and asked to give up their faith. When they refused, the men were severely beaten and the women were sexually assaulted. When the Christians lodged an official complaint on May 18, Hindu villagers lodged a counter complaint, accusing them of desecrating Hindu idols. Seven Hindu and 13 Christian villagers were arrested and later released on bail; both groups are now seeking legal advice. Meanwhile, Hindu villagers reportedly met on June 12 with nine neighboring villages and asked them to socially ostracize the Christian families. The families have been banned from using public wells and shopping at local food stores. (Compass)

USA RADIO STATION COLLECTS BIBLES FOR DISTRIBUTION Christian radio stations around the United States are having an impact on missions around the world. WIHS 104.9 FM out of Middletown, Connecticut is one such station. Between now and July 1, WIHS is encouraging its listeners to donate their unused Bibles. They’re partnering with the Bible League to meet the great need for used Bibles throughout the English-speaking world. Bible League officials say there are thousands of English speaking Christians in our world who have never had a Bible. How can they grow in their faith and eventually share the Gospel if they don’t have the Gospel to share with someone? After they collect the Bibles, WIHS will then box them up and ship them to the Bible League for their distribution program. They’re asking listeners to contribute $1 for each Bible to help with shipping costs. According to the Bible League’s Philippines office, an average of 200 people per day come to get used Bibles. Many are so eager to know more, they sign up for Bible study courses. The news that Bibles are available travels fast. (Mission Network News)

DAY OF PRAYER FOR ZIMBABWE Up to 1.5 million Zimbabwean urban poor are sleeping in open air in winter – having lost their homes to bulldozers as a result of President Mugabe’s “Operation Restore Order” initiative. Clinics and aid centers of Christian ministries working amongst the poor have likewise been destroyed. President Mugabe has now ordered Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to stop assisting the poor, homeless, sick or starving. According to the Zimbabwe Independent, NGOs have insisted that they cannot ignore a humanitarian crisis. “We are sitting in limbo,” said a Roman Catholic priest whose parish has been providing services to displaced people. “We cannot ignore the poor when they come to us for assistance.” Following an ecumenical meeting in Harare on June 16, Sunday, June 26, was declared to be a day of prayer for Zimbabwe. (Assist/Religious Liberty Prayer)

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