March 2007 Issue 125

PRAYER FOCUS UPDATE is a monthly information bulletin with up-to-date news on the persecuted Church to help Christians pray for their suffering brothers and sisters. You can use this for prayer groups, your own information and for inclusion in church magazines.

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a.. PAKISTAN – CHURCH ALLOWED IN UNIVERSITY

b.. INDONESIA – QUR’AN TESTS

c.. CHINA – PRAYER MEETING RAIDED

d.. PAKISTAN – BLASPHEMY LAW

e.. UZBEKISTAN – CHRISTIAN WORKER ARRESTED

f.. CAMPAIGN UPDATE – THE RIGHT TO JUSTICE PAKISTAN – CHURCH ALLOWED IN UNIVERSITY

Pakistani Christians are rejoicing because permission has been given for the reconstruction of a church building in the campus of the University of Peshawar. The church had been attacked and ransacked in the mid 1980s, by Islamic extremists. After building work began in December 2006 two Muslim agriculture students filed a petition against the church. They stated that minority religious groups could not be allowed to build places of worship within institutions which were Muslim majority, and that to allow the church would give rise to an “unending series of demands” by other minorities, which they contended could be a trigger for sectarianism among the students.

Chief Justice Tariq Pervez Khan gave the decision of the Peshawar High Court on 23rd January that the construction of the church should not be stopped. In his comments Khan said that there were no legal obstacles to building places of worship. He also pointed out that Pakistan’s constitution protects religious minorities, and noted that Muslims can build mosques and spread their faith without obstruction in non-Muslim countries.

“It has been a miracle indeed,” commented the Bishop of Peshawar. There are 38 mosques on the University campus; the church, once rebuilt, will be the only church, serving 1,500 families.

* Give thanks for the High Court’s decision, and especially the Chief Justice’s comments, which uphold the constitutional provision for the protection of religious minorities. Pray that this ruling will mark the start of more religious tolerance within Pakistan.

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INDONESIA – QUR’AN TESTS

West Sumatra, Indonesia, has adopted an ordinance which requires all students from elementary age through to secondary education to pass both written and oral exams on the Qur’an. In addition, couples who wish to get married must also pass exams on the Qur’an. The ordinance, which will take effect from 2008, applies to all students and engaged couples, irrespective of their faith. Plans are to make changes to the school curricula so that the bylaw will apply to every city and regency within West Sumatra within two years. Already seven cities and regencies of West Sumatra have put similar regulations in place. In some areas students are also required to perform Islamic prayers in school.

A local politician, Guspardi Gaus, who chaired the special provincial commission that developed the ordinance, was unconcerned about potential problems for non-Muslims being forced to take the exams. He said that the Qur’anic education was aimed at giving young people “good morals, so they won’t be lured by drugs and other negative activities”. He felt that followers of other religions would equally benefit from this approach. The only provision made for non-Muslims has been the exclusion of the Metawai Islands from the ordinance, as the population there is majority non-Muslim.

* Pray that politicians in West Sumatra will take seriously the consideration that this ordinance will be discriminatory against non-Muslims. Pray especially for Christian couples wishing to get married who may find they are unable to do so unless they study the Qur’an. Pray that our Heavenly Father will overrule in the situation so that the regulations are rejected before they can be put in place.

CHINA – PRAYER MEETING RAIDED

On the morning of February 7th police raided a Christian house in Shanghuang Town, Jiangsu Province. The Christian couple who live there, Tan Jianwei and his wife Qin Qing, were holding a prayer meeting with about twenty Christians. The police, who were accompanied by officials from the Suyang Religious Bureau and the National Security Protection Squad, entered the house without showing any ID. They proceeded to take photographs of each of the Christians present and asked them to each write down their names. Those who refused to comply were beaten. The police then searched through Tan Jianwei’s house, without a search warrant, and confiscated his Christian books, without leaving a record of what had been taken.

Tan Jianwei, his wife, and another lady called Yin Yanling were then taken to the police station where they were interrogated. They were forced to give a written promise that they would not hold further religious meetings in their home, on threat of criminal detention and severe beatings.

* Pray for these Christians who long to meet together to pray and worship the Lord without fear of violence or interference from the police. Pray for Tan Jianwei and Qin Qing that they will have wisdom and courage for how to proceed following this incident. Pray for courage for all the Christians who have met in their home to pray, and especially for healing for those who received physical injuries from the police attack.

PAKISTAN – BLASPHEMY LAW

A Christian woman was arrested in Kasur district, Pakistan on 22nd January, accused of insulting the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Just days later Pakistani Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed made a statement at a convention in Paris that his party planned to reform the “blasphemy law” at some point after the next general election.

Martha Bibi Masih runs a construction materials shop, and had rented bamboo to the mosque. When she approached the mosque’s leader to request the return of the bamboo, he refused and an argument ensued. The imam, Mohammad Ramzan, then began to make accusations that Martha had blasphemed Muhammad. By 10am he had gathered a large angry mob together, and led them to her home. Martha and her husband Butta took refuge at their neighbour’s house, so that when the mob arrived only Butta’s elderly parents were at home. The mob demanded that Martha be handed to them, threatening to destroy the family home. They entered and searched the house, but thankfully Butta’s parents were not harmed nor the house damaged.

The vigilante group stayed till midnight. After Martha returned home, a relative of their neighbour arrived to tell them that people wanted to burn Martha, and that he wanted to escort her to them to tell them she was innocent. But when he led her outside the police were waiting to arrest her. Early the following morning Butta went into hiding with their six children, fearing for their lives. Martha’s trial began on 17th February. If she is found guilty, she faces the death penalty.

ATTEMPTED REFORM

Christians like Martha (see above) are particularly vulnerable to malicious accusations of blasphemy, as many Muslim judges are more likely to believe the word of a Muslim over the testimony of a Christian. The Pakistan Penal Code states that convictions under section 295-C (known coloquially as the “blasphemy law”) “can be based on the solitary statement of a witness if the Court find his evidence to be trustworthy, inspiring confidence.” Because of this, Muslims have been able to use accusations of blasphemy to settle personal grievances against Christians.

While most cases are eventually rejected by the High Court, it can take an average of seven to nine years for a Christian accused under this law to clear their name; even after they are cleared officially, very few are able to return to their previous homes and lives. Just an accusation of blasphemy is enough to encourage some zealous Muslims to carry out Allah’s will. While there have been no official executions, according to some estimates at least 23 people who were accused of blasphemy have subsequently been murdered. Where Christians are accused, a whole Christian community might suffer because of an accusation of blasphemy against an individual.

The comments made by Senator Sayed that “Islamabad plans to reform its blasphemy law” have been welcomed. He stated that Christians and human rights groups have campaigned that the Muslim majority is able to use the law to oppress religious minorities. However, he did not give any idea of how the law would be changed, and only a vague idea of when. He said the issue would be looked at following the general election, which is due for later this year or early 2008, because they did not want to “hand another election issue to our friends”, referring to opposition Islamic parties. It was due to protests from these Islamic parties that then President Pervez Musharraf was forced to drop his plans for reforming the law in 2000, at which time he stated that “no-one can even think of changing it”.

* Pray that Martha, who is currently being held in Kasur’s district jail, will be cleared of the accusation of blasphemy and released from prison to return to her family. Pray for protection for the whole family from those who might wish to harm them. Pray also for the twelve Christian families who live in this Muslim-majority area, that they will not suffer reprisals because of this accusation.

* Pray that the intention to reform the “blasphemy law” will be put into action. Pray that Christians will no longer be vulnerable to false accusations which ruin the lives of whole families and sometimes whole Christian communities.

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UZBEKISTAN – CHRISTIAN WORKER ARRESTED

A young Christian worker in Andijan has been arrested, accused of “incitement of national, racial and religious enmity” under Article 156 of Uzbek criminal law. Dmitry Shestakov was first arrested and charged with treason under this law in June 2006. This kind of accusation is often levelled at Christians simply because of their Christian activities.

A conviction of treason would normally mean up to five years in prison. However, before Dmitri became a Christian he was twice convicted of other crimes. If he receives a third conviction he will be given a life sentence.

* Pray that the police will not be able to secure a guilty verdict against Dmitri.

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CAMPAIGN UPDATE – THE RIGHT TO JUSTICE

In order to allow the Campaign to finish as strongly as possible, the closing date for The Right to Justice petition has been extended to 30th April 2007. Currently over 98,000 have signalled their commitment to the cause of justice for Christian minorities.

* Pray that many people will take advantage of the extra time to gather more support for this vital campaign. Pray for the handing in of The Right to Justice petition to the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (date to be arranged), and in other countries as well.

* Pray also that the many UK and other politicians who have received letters about their constituents’ concerns for persecuted Christians will be spurred to action. Pray that Western governments will use their influence to promote true justice for all minorities, including Christians who are so often overlooked.

* Pray that the Campaign will result in real change for the better for persecuted Christian minorities.

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