Religious Liberty Prayer List – No. 162 – Thu 04 Apr 2002

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The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 ushered in a time of great religious openness and activity in the former Soviet Central Asian State of Kazakhstan. According to Operation World (21st Century Edition), growth has been exciting, from no ethnic Kazakh believers in 1990 to around 6,000 today. Backed by oil money, Islam also has flourished, with Qur’ans and mosques flooding Central Asia. The 60 mosques in Kazakhstan in 1991 rose to 5,000 in the year 2000.

Like most former Soviet states, Kazakhstan sought to control the perceived threat of the rapidly growing churches. In October 2000 the government proposed a religion law that seriously attacked religious liberty (RLP 109). In March 2001, the Turkic-Arabic Centre in Kazakhstan held a Protestant Evangelical Forum so that believers could explain the Christian faith to national and regional leaders and intellectuals (RLP 112). This was a God- glorifying event and on 3 April 2001, the government of Kazakhstan replaced the proposed religion law with a version that was no longer a major threat to freedom of religion.

However, earlier freedom is eroding and in January 2002, the parliament passed a new restrictive law on religion, despite objections from human rights and religious liberty groups. Kazakh officials are citing state security since 11 September as the reason for the law, but analysts say the way it restricts religious bodies is unjustified. If enacted in its present form, the law will permit any unregistered religious group to be banned and registration will be more difficult. The number required to form a religious association would rise from 10 to 50 and meetings will be restricted. Those unregistered will be banned from all missionary activity and it will be easier for the state to eliminate religious groups they merely regard as undesirable. Clearly the aim is to tighten control of all non-traditional religious movements.

Adding to its stated sensitivity about security issues, the Kazakhstan government is presently in political turmoil. President Nazarbayev’s re-election in 1999 was criticised by international monitors and the US Embassy now detects ‘an effort to intimidate political opposition leaders and the independent media’. One Opposition MP has been arrested and another has sought refuge in the French Embassy. The Opposition has accused the Government of unleashing ‘a massive attack on freedom of speech, independent media and democratic parties’, noting that at least four independent newspapers and several regional TV companies have been shut down recently. The climate is one of repression under a constitution that grants the President over-all ultimate power.

Kazakhstan’s Constitutional Council is now reviewing the new religion law before it goes to the President for his signature, some time early this month. President Nazarbayev (who was the Communist Party leader during the Soviet era) has declared the law ‘urgent’. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom says that the new law would move Kazakhstan away from democracy and reform and would violate freedom of religion.

PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY FOR:

* the Kazakhstan Constitutional Council and the President to accept advocacy that the law as proposed is an unacceptable violation of religious freedom. ‘Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you.’ Psalm 143:7

* great wisdom for all Christian leaders in Kazakhstan, for strength, for guidance through the Spirit, for eyes focused on Jesus and for courage and leadership in this time of increasing government control and repression. ‘Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.’ v8

* Christians in other former Soviet states also, where early freedoms have already given way to oppression, especially in Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. ‘Rescue me from my enemies, O Lord, for I hide myself in you.’ v9

SUMMARY TO USE IN BULLETINS UNABLE TO RUN THE WHOLE ARTICLE: ——————————————————————- KAZAKHSTAN THREATENED WITH NEW RELIGION LAW

The Government of Kazakhstan has been tightening its control. The re-election of President Nazarbayev in 1999 was criticised by international monitors and he has recently shut down four independent newspapers and several regional TV companies. Added to this is a stated desire to increase security since 11 September. Citing that, a proposed new religion law has been passed by the parliament and is now being reviewed by the Constitutional Council before it goes to the President for signature, some time early this month. According to several human rights and religious liberty groups, it is a violation of religious freedom. If enacted, it will permit any unregistered religious body to be banned whilst making registration much more difficult. Clearly the aim is to tighten control of all non-traditional religious movements. Ps 143:7-9

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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.

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