Religious Liberty Prayer List – No. 107 – Thu 08 Mar 2001

——————————————————– WORLD WATCH ON PERSECUTION HIGHLIGHTS PLIGHT OF ISOLATED ——————————————————–

In February, Open Doors released their World Watch List for the first half of 2001. The list rates persecution of Christians as ‘extreme’ in the worst ten countries. There, religious freedom is virtually non-existent and the church is under threat by governments that basically desire its extinction. In countries 11- 20, persecution is ‘intense’, and from 21-40, it is still ‘severe’.

The worst 20 persecuting countries listed in order are: Saudi Arabia, Laos, Afghanistan, China, North Korea, Vietnam, Turkmenistan, Iran, Egypt, Maldives, Yemen, Comoro Islands, Libya, Tunisia, Somalia, Colombia, Morocco, Pakistan, Southern Sudan and Bhutan. That’s four Communist nations, 14 Islamic nations, the Buddhist Kingdom of Bhutan, plus Colombia, where Christians are a prime target for kidnappers in this, the kidnap capital of the world. Of the nations listed from 21-40, 16 are Islamic, one Communist, one Hindu, plus Mexico and Burma.

In spite of the severity of persecution, countries like Iran, Maldives, Yemen, Comoro Islands, Libya, Tunisia, Somalia, Morocco and Bhutan rarely feature in these RLPs because news is restricted and we lack credible information. Many of these nations are infotech-poor and Christians (who are generally forced into poverty) have little communication with the outside world. However, we must determine to remember them too when we pray for our persecuted brethren.

Nations where Christians experienced some improvement in their situation include Northern Sudan, Brunei, Algeria, Cambodia and to a lesser extent in Morocco, Tunisia and Kuwait. In these places the church (though still oppressed) experienced more freedom and less government harassment than in the past.

Nations with a marked deterioration in the situation for Christians include Laos, now second on the list, where the Communist government is conducting a systematic campaign to eliminate Christianity. In China, North Korea and Vietnam, Communist governments are clamping down hard on the Church in order to maintain their suffocating dictatorial control while at the same time opening up to Western markets and technologies.

For the sake of economic expediency, USA granted China permanent Most Favoured Nation status in May 2000, effectively taking human rights off their agenda. Since then, there has been a sharp increase in destruction of churches, oppression and incarceration.

The situation also deteriorated markedly in Turkmenistan as the government pursued its threat to ‘strangle’ the Church through deportation, incarceration and a vicious campaign of torture and intimidation.

PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY FOR:

* Christians where suffering has increased, especially in Laos as well as other Communist nations (China, North Korea, Vietnam and Cuba) that are handling their ‘economic liberalisation’ with a corresponding strangling of liberties.

* Christians who are experiencing less government harassment and greater freedoms, that they will find confidence to witness and see church growth, using every opportunity while it is there, and giving thanks to God for every blessing.

* Christians in persecuting nations, who are isolated due to poverty and limited communications; may Christians in Iran, Maldives, Yemen, Comoro Islands, Libya, Tunisia, Somalia, Morocco and Bhutan know they are linked globally through our prayers on their behalf.

The Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him. – Isaiah 30:18

SUMMARY TO USE IN BULLETINS UNABLE TO RUN THE WHOLE ARTICLE: ——————————————————————- WORLD WATCH ON PERSECUTION HIGHLIGHTS PLIGHT OF ISOLATED

The worst 20 persecuting countries on the latest Open Doors World Watch List are Saudi Arabia, Laos, Afghanistan, China, North Korea, Vietnam, Turkmenistan, Iran, Egypt, Maldives*, Yemen*, Comoro Islands*, Libya*, Tunisia*, Somalia*, Colombia, Morocco*, Pakistan, Southern Sudan and Bhutan*. Persecution of Christians is severe in all these places: lives are at risk, religious freedom is virtually non-existent and discrimination on religious grounds is systematic. Christians in these countries have little contact with the outside world due to poverty and limited communications. As the body of Christ, we must keep praying for our suffering fellow believers, especially those who are isolated in nations (marked * above) that are rarely mentioned due to lack of news and credible information. Give thanks for places where conditions have improved, and pray on.

—————————————————- Please pass this along to others with attribution to World Evangelical Fellowship (WEF) Religious Liberty Prayer List <> —————————————————-

The WEF 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.

RL Prayer is moderated by Ron Clough, a commissioner of the WEF RLC and convenor of the Australian EA RLC. Elizabeth Kendal researched and compiled this message.

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