Religious Liberty Prayer List – No. 169 – Wed 22 May 2002

—————————————————————— TURKMENISTAN: PERSECUTION AND PRESIDENT NIYAZOV; plus the Burnhams ——————————————————————

Earlier this month, postal workers in the Turkmenistan village of Deinau (near Turkmenabad) opened a parcel from Kiev and found a Christian magazine. They reported this to the local police. The KNB (formerly KGB) then summoned all the eight or so Christians in the village and ordered them to renounce their faith publicly. Three believers – Murad, Jamilya and Nurmurad – refused. As punishment, they were expelled from Deinau.

However, when the local KNB reported this to their headquarters, the central KNB ordered the three defiant believers to be seized so that the authorities could ‘take measures’ against them. In recent years, KNB ‘measures’ against believers have included fines, detention, torture and long-term imprisonment. These three men are now in hiding. In early 2001, four ethnic Turkmen Christians went into hiding after being tortured for having Turkmen language Jesus videos. They eventually escaped and are now refugees in Europe.

The huge personality cult surrounding Turkmenistan’s President (former Communist Party chief) Saparmurat Niyazov is much like that of Kim Jong-Il and Kim Il-Sung in North Korea. Niyazov’s image is everywhere, in giant statues, posters, and even on the world’s largest 300 square metre hand-made carpet. Niyazov is the president- for-life head of state and of government, in total dictatorial control of the parliament and judiciary. Niyazov has vowed to ‘strangle’ the Church, even though he is the self-appointed head of Turkmenistan’s Human Rights Commission.

In March, Niyazov massively purged and reshuffled his cabinet and the National Security Committee (KNB). Analysts theorise that he is unsettled by some high profile, top level defections and is instilling into the KNB that he will not be undermined. Niyazov wants USA to extradite one such defector, former Foreign Minister Boris Shikhmuradov, who is now operating an opposition-in-exile. Shikhmuradov has been busy on the US lecture circuit, speaking out boldly against the religious oppression in Turkmenistan.

PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY FOR

* the tyrannical rule of President Niyazov to come to an end (Isaiah 40:23,24).

* religious freedom in Turkmenistan, so that believers will no longer suffer serious, violent persecution, and the lost can hear the gospel of salvation.

* God to sustain, bless and encourage Murad, Jamilya and Nurmurad, hiding for safety and even in fear for their lives.

* Christians in Turkmenistan to be assured of God’s presence and to be kept strong and faithful as they await his deliverance.

‘We also pray that you will be strengthened with his glorious power so that you will have all the patience and endurance you need.’ Colossians 1:11 (NLT)

SUMMARY TO USE IN BULLETINS UNABLE TO RUN THE WHOLE ARTICLE: ——————————————————————- PRESIDENT NIYAZOV AND PERSECUTION IN TURKMENISTAN

President Niyazov of Turkmenistan is a tyrant orchestrating a campaign he says is to ‘strangle’ the Church. Whilst one defecting diplomat recently said that Niyazov had ‘crushed the Church’, there is a small but growing Church in Turkmenistan, though it is suffering severely. Three Christians are currently in hiding, wanted by the KNB (formerly KGB) for refusing to renounce their faith, which was exposed when postal workers intercepted a Christian magazine. In January 2001 the KNB tortured four believers for possessing Jesus videos. Several high level diplomats have defected recently. One is speaking out boldly on the US lecture circuit about the religious repression in Turkmenistan. Pray for Niyazov’s dictatorship to come to an end soon, for the sake of the Church as well as the lost who need to hear the gospel.

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CALL TO PRAYER FOR THE BURNHAMS on SUNDAY 26 MAY

Martin and Gracia Burnham, serving through New Tribes Mission (NTM)

since 1985, were kidnapped by the militant Islamic group, Abu Sayyaf, in Southern Philippines a year ago, on 27 May 2001. NTM, with friends and family of the Burnhams, have issued a special call to prayer next Sunday and Monday, asking that you please pray for their release, soon and safe, along with their fellow hostage, Deborah Yap.

While praying for the Burnhams, please ask God to uphold all Christians who are held hostage by criminals or terrorists, or are captive to cult-militias or slave owners.

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