Religious Liberty Prayer List – No. 074 – Thu 27 Jul 2000

WELCOME to all those who have joined the list recently.

DURING JULY WE HAVE PRAYED FOR:

* God to intervene in Maluku as the situation for Christians has deteriorated dramatically since the arrival of the Laskar Jihad.

* the case in Yemen of Mohammed Omer Haji, a Muslim Somali refugee who converted to Christianity and was facing the death penalty for apostasy.

* wisdom in the French Senate as they contemplate the new anti-cult legislation making “mental manipulation” a criminal offence, the wording of the bill being so vague that it threatens to impact religious freedom for new Christian groups and evangelism.

intervention in Maluku, insisting that Indonesia can solve its own problems. Thousands of refugees remain in the jungle without food, medical aid, shelter or proper sanitation. The Laskar Jihad has publically threatened to rid Ambon of all Christians. Security forces say they are about to remove jihad fighters from Maluku, whose leaders say that, contrariwise, another 1300 are coming.

Aden’s Immigration Jail with a deportation order issued against him. Officials of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees are now directly involved on Haji’s behalf. However, in spite of positive signs, the situation remains unresolved and continued prayer is needed for safety of Mohammed, his wife Sarah and their young son.

OTHER PRAYER NEEDS THAT AROSE DURING JULY:

* PHILIPPINES: On 9 July 2000 the Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s (MILF’s) 10,000-hectare Camp Abubakar, on the southern Island of Mindanao, fell into government hands. MILF responded by declaring a jihad (Islamic holy war). The South China Morning Post reported that on 16 July, about 100 Islamic militants entered Somogot and forced 21 of the Christian villagers into the mosque. They then burned the victims’ houses before executing them. On the same Sunday, two died and many were seriously wounded when a bomb exploded in the market of the predominantly Christian town of Kabacan. On 22 July, Islamic militants ambushed a truck, killing 13 and wounding 14 others, nearly all Christians. The MILF jihad has been blamed for all this violence.

* PAKISTAN: The military leader of Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf, has again succumbed to pressure from hardline Muslim groups. General Musharraf introduced a Constitutional Amendment to Article 2 (‘Islam is the State religion’) which effectively makes Islam the supreme religion of the country, so that all other religions are subjugated to the laws of Islam according to the Koran. The constitution now also defines Muslims from non-Muslims, creating what has been described as “religious apartheid”. The constitutional amendments are designed to uphold all the Islamic injunctions previously not enforced.

* SUDAN: the Government of Sudan / National Islamic Front (GOS/NIF)

continues to wage jihad on the non-Arab, non-Muslim south of the country. During July, humanitarian aid centres of World Relief and the International Community of the Red Cross were heavily bombed several times. Some 4,000 civilians from Bahr-el-Ghazal and Upper Nile have been displaced in the latest outbreak of fighting. Civilian targets such as hospitals, feeding centres, and schools are increasingly being targeted for aerial bombing by GOS forces. The GOS is threatening to ban food relief flights by the UN Operation Lifeline – Sudan, accusing the OLS of carrying arms to the Southern Sudan forces. Closing down the OLS would escalate up to hundreds of thousands of deaths by starvation.

* INDIA: Twelve bombs exploded in churches and other religious places in various Indian states between 21 May and 9 July. In response to the increasing frequency of anti-Christian incidents, Christians throughout India participated in peaceful rallies on 8 July. The next day (Sunday) 100,000 Christians attended a rally in Hyderabad where they were asked to forgive those responsible.

Mr. M Cornelius, a missionary in Barharwa, Bihar, was reported missing on 14 July; his whereabouts is still unknown. Also in mid July, a missionary priest was shot and killed, as he rode his motorcycle. Hindu militants attacked and assaulted a nun as they raided a Christian warehouse where wheat was stored for delivery to drought affected areas of Gujarat. They stole the grain, they said, because the Christians were using it to lure Hindus to convert to Christianity.

IN ALL THESE SITUATIONS PLEASE PRAY FOR:

* the Christian community not to lose hope as they endure suffering that would challenge anyone’s faith, and that the witness of faithful Christians will be effective in bringing others to salvation through Jesus.

* wisdom and strength for Christian leaders as they encourage believers, comfort those grieving and continue to declare the love and grace of God.

* peace to come to these strife torn regions, guided by the hand of our all-powerful, sovereign God.

“Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.” Hebrews 13:3

SUMMARY TO USE IN BULLETINS UNABLE TO RUN THE WHOLE ARTICLE: ———————————————————— RELIGIOUS LIBERTY PRAYER UPDATE FOR JULY

Non-Christian religious fundamentalism is causing serious persecution of Christians in many Asian nations. Militant Hindu fundamentalism in India is taking the lives of Christian missionaries and evangelists, through murderous attacks and more recently, by bombing churches. In Indonesia, the Laskar Jihad is trying to rid Maluku of all Christians. In southern Philippines, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s recently declared jihad soon resulted in two massacres and a bombing, killing and wounding many Christians. Pakistan has been declared an Islamic State by General Musharraf, effectively creating what is being described as “religious apparthied”. In Africa, Christians in Southern Sudan facing the jihad of the Islamic Government of Sudan, are suffering a fresh onslaught of bombing of civilian targets. Pray for Christians suffering persecution for their faith. (Hebrews 13:3)

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