Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin | RLPB 125 | Wed 14 Sep 2011
By Elizabeth Kendal
Christ has a Church (a people) in war-ravaged, famine-wracked Somalia.
This Church consists almost entirely of Somali converts from Islam. Al-
Shabaab — the Islamic fundamentalist al-Qaeda affiliate that controls
most of Somalia — is committed to extinguishing this Church. At least 25
Somali Christians have been martyred since September 2008, when Mansur
Mohamed (25), a Christian for three years, became the first to be executed
by al-Shabaab. Each of these believers could have saved their lives by
simply renouncing Christ and returning to Islam. Yet in each case these
believers chose Christ over life, submitting their bodies to the Islamic
sword in full assurance that their death would immediately be ‘swallowed
up in victory’ (1 Corinthians 15:50-59). [For more on Somalia’s martyrs,
see http://rlprayerbulletin.
On 2 September the body of Juma Nuradin Kamil was found decapitated and
dumped on the outskirts of Hudur City in south-western Somalia. A local
Christian told Compass Direct News, ‘It is usual for the al-Shabaab to
decapitate those they suspect to have embraced the Christian faith, or
sympathisers of Western ideals. Our brother accepted the Christian faith
three years ago and was determined in his faith in God. We greatly miss
him.’ Witnesses saw three militants whom they suspect were members of al-
Shabaab ambush and kidnap Kamil on 21 August. Local Christians say the
abduction was so efficient that al-Shabaab must have been closely
monitoring Kamil for some time.
Al-Shabaab includes large numbers of veterans of the Afghan jihad and is
affiliated with Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). Al-Shabaab wants
to turn Somalia into the next Afghanistan: a base and training centre for
international jihad. In December 2010 al-Shabaab merged with Hizbul Islam,
a nationalist-Salafist revolutionary group led by Sheik Hasan Dahir Aweys,
formerly of the Islamic Courts Union. By doing so, al-Shabaab appeased,
secured and strengthened its nationalist faction and broadened its local
appeal. Al-Shabaab is actively training local and international recruits
for local and international jihad, including militants from Boko Haram
(Nigeria) as well as diaspora Somalis travelling on Western and other
foreign passports.
International efforts to counter al-Shabaab have been insufficient. The
African Union forces that had been fighting for control of Mogadishu are
massively under-manned. Al-Shabaab’s main weakness lies in its
factionalism and tribalism. But even if al-Shabaab were to implode, the
alternative US- and UN- backed Transitional Federal Government (TFG) is
totally Islamist and committed to the implementation of Sharia Law,
including death to apostates. Most Somali Muslims still believe that Islam
is the solution to everything. Somalia needs a miracle.
PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY THAT GOD WILL —
* have pity on Somalia, breaking through the darkness of Islam (Isaiah
59:15b-19); may the Islamists be ensnared in their own intrigues
(Psalm 9:15,16).
* enlighten the eyes of the suffering masses (2 Corinthians 3:14-18).
‘And should not I [God] pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there
are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from
their left.’ (Jonah 4:11 ESV)
* shield and protect his besieged and imperilled believers; may they grow
in faith and grace and may God provide all their needs, preserving them
as living testaments to his power and love. ‘I will build my Church,
and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.’ (Matthew 16:18
ESV)
PLEASE CONTINUE IN PRAYER FOR NIGERIA and SUDAN [See RLPB 124]
* JOS, NIGERIA: that God will intervene to end the violence. On Friday 9
September in Vwang Fwil Village in Jos South Local Government Area (LGA)
all 14 members of the Christian Mallam Danboyi family were massacred in
their beds by a mob of Fulani Muslim herdsmen wearing military uniforms.
The dead ranged in age from 9mths to 70 years and included a pregnant
woman. Then 12 Christians were massacred in midnight attacks on several
villages in Barkin Ladi LGA. Around 100 Christians have been killed in
this manner in Jos in the past month. Emmanuel Logman, the Chairman of
Barkin Ladi Local Government Council, regards the persisting attacks as an
attempt at ‘ethnic cleansing’. According to police, Northern Muslim youths
are being mobilised by text message to come to Jos and support the Muslim
struggle. Please pray.
* SUDAN: that God will intervene in South Kordofan and Blue Nile (Sudan’s
‘new south’) where ethnic cleansing continues and mass starvation looms.
Please pray.
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SUMMARY TO USE IN BULLETINS UNABLE TO RUN THE WHOLE ARTICLE
——————————
TERROR AND MARTYRDOM IN SOMALIA
At least 25 Somali Christians have been martyred since September 2008,
when Mansur Mohamed (25), a Christian for three years, became the first to
be executed by al-Shabaab. On 2 September 2011 local Christians found the
decapitated body of Juma Nuradin Kamil dumped in Hudur City, south-western
Somalia. Kamil was abducted on 21 August, presumably by al-Shabaab
militants who had been monitoring him. A local Christian leader told
Compass Direct News, ‘Our brother accepted the Christian faith three years
ago and was determined in his faith in God. We greatly miss him.’ Al-
Shabaab, which controls most of southern Somalia, is determined to
extinguish Christianity and is actively training local and international
recruits for worldwide jihad. May God bring light. Please pray for
Somalia’s besieged, imperilled Church.
——————–
We suggest that churches and fellowships using the above Summary might
also provide a copy of the listed prayer points to be used in their
worship by people who are leading in prayer.
For more information, updates and helpful links see Elizabeth Kendal’s
blog ‘Religious Liberty Monitoring’ <http://elizabethkendal.
Previous RLPBs may be viewed at <http://rlprayerbulletin.
This RLPB was written for the Australian Evangelical Alliance Religious
Liberty Commission (AEA RLC) by Elizabeth Kendal, an international
religious liberty analyst and advocate, and a member of the AEA RLC team.
If this bulletin was forwarded to you, you may receive future weekly
issues direct by sending a blank email to <[email protected]>.
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