Please pray for Christians in Uzbekistan – World Watch List #16

Persecuted Church: UZBEKISTAN – #16 on World Watch List (Open Doors UK)

Uzbekistan Political Map of Central Asia — Uzbekistan
Political Map of Central Asia

UZBEKISTAN (Wikipedia)
Population: 28 million (208,500 Christians)
Main Religion: Islam
Government: Authoritarian (republic)
Source of Persecution: Dictatorial paranoia/Organised corruption

The regime will do anything to stay in power, so no religious activities outside state-controlled institutions are allowed.

The Russian Orthodox Church has more freedoms, but evangelical Christianity is seen as a destabilising element that needs to be eradicated. Churches live in fear of raids, termination of services, confiscation of literature, and the imposition of heavy fines, which are frequent and increasing. Church members face harassment, detention and arrest for holding private prayer meetings or possessing illegal literature.

PLEASE PRAY:

That God will strengthen and encourage Christians under pressure on many fronts
That larger Christian groups will find ways to gather for worship or training
For Tohar Haydarov, imprisoned in 2010 for ten years, on trumped-up charges.

PERSECUTION DYNAMICS:

Systemic corruption is rife in Uzbekistan and anyone opposing this, as Christians do, comes under pressure. Muslim-background believers face pressure from family, friends and community and are perceived as bringing shame to the community. The importation of Scripture is hindered, churches require compulsory registration and there are again frequent and increasingly heavy fines for conducting services or possessing material.

The future is unlikely to see improvement for believers, with an expected transition in leadership in coming years and the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan in 2014, which could lead to an influx of Islamic extremists. Uzbekistan also has the highest number of political prisoners among all former Soviet Union states (estimated between 5,000 to 10,000). If those prisoners – frequently imprisoned on true or alleged terrorist charges – are released, this could further fuel sentiment against the Christian minority.

ANECDOTAL REPORT:

Lena, Ayoub and Latife faced intense persecution when the police had found Christian materials in Ayoub’s father’s house. Police arrested him and Ayoub’s brother, and then took Lena to the police station, where they were all questioned. They were also looking for Ayoub to arrest him as well. Continue reading “Please pray for Christians in Uzbekistan – World Watch List #16” →

Please pray for Ethiopian Christians – World Watch List #15

Peanut Gallery: Ethiopia has considered itself a Christian country since the fourth century, and its Christian roots are sometimes traced back to the Ethiopian eunuch who met Philip on the road while reading the book of Isaiah (Acts 8:26-40). Today it is the only Christian-majority country in the Horn of Africa, surrounded by a “sea” of Islam. (Barnabas Fund)

The source of persecution is twofold: the Ethiopian Orthodox Church (hostility towards the growing Protestant Christian minority) and Islamic extremistism (hostility towards all Christians).
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ETHIOPIA (Wikipedia)

Population: 86.5 million (57 million Christians)
Main Religion: Christianity (Orthodox) – see Christianity in Ethiopia (Wikipedia)
Source of Persecution: Ecclesiastical arrogance (or Denominational elitism) and Islamic extremism
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For years, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church has persecuted believers who have left their ranks or joined renewal movements. But Islamic extremism has now become the dominant source of persecution. Converts and ‘underground believers’ have to be very cautious to avoid being traced. Muslim fanatic group, Kewarjah, is repeatedly blamed for attacks against Christians in the south-west. A new law banning all religious messages and talks from public spaces is expected to bring a wave of restrictions against Christians.

Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (Place of Jesus)

PLEASE PRAY:

For secret believers; there have been some violent attacks within families.
Violence against Christian women often goes unreported. Pray for protection for Christian women.
Thank God that Open Doors has been able to supply Bibles and training, as well as bicycles to pastors.

PERSECUTION DYNAMICS

Ethiopia rose sharply on the World Watch List in 2012. Protestant churches are the fastest growing movement in the country. “Underground movements” both in EOC and Muslim-majority areas have been reported as making incredible progress in their work, and EOC and Islamism will continue to see them as a threat. In the short term it is likely that persecution of Christians will increase sharply – all the more so because extremist Islam in Ethiopia is fuelled by external sources. The unresolved conflict in the east of the country is also attracting some extremist groups like al-Shaabab from neighbouring Somalia.

(A destroyed Protestant church in Asendabo, 300 km (200 miles) west of the capital Addis Ababa, March 16, 2011, after Muslim youths attacked Christians/Aaron Maasho )

Hostilities take different forms. There are the ‘normal’ hostilities represented by significant pressure in private and church life. Converts and almost all ‘underground believers’ have to take maximum care to avoid being traced. The level of violence is medium, although it is likely that several forms of physical violence are underreported, in particular, violence against Christian women. A church leader was stabbed to death by Muslims six hours’ walk from his home village in Western Ethiopia. Muslims singled out the leader because of his active role in evangelism and discipleship services in a newly started church.

Please pray for Christians in Pakistan – World Watch List #14

Peanut Gallery: Persecuted Church in Pakistan – World Watch List #14

Discrimination impacts all aspects of daily life. Opening a new church building is virtually impossible and emigration of Christians continues unabated. The Christian community is very vulnerable and sexual assaults on underage Christian girls by Muslim men continue to be reported.

PAKISTAN
Population: 180 million (5.3 million Christians)
Main Religion: Islam
Government: Islamic Republic
Source of Persecution: Islamic extremism/Dictatorial paranoia/Organised corruption

Christians are caught between Islamic militant organisations, an Islamising culture and a weak government with a military complicit in fuelling Islamic militants. The Rimsha Masih case prompted a debate on blasphemy laws, but others still face charges and extremist groups continue to incite hatred for Christians. Many Christians are uneducated manual workers who suffer unfair treatment from employers. Muslim men continue to sexually assault underage Christian girls. Opening a new church building is virtually impossible and emigration of Christians continues.

PLEASE PRAY:

Praise God that the laws of Pakistan give Christians considerable freedom to run established churches
Give thanks that the Christian population is growing and a steady but significant trickle of Muslims are joining churches
For imprisoned Christian Asia Bibi, sentenced to death on blasphemy charges.

PERSECUTION DYNAMICS

Persecution has been in evidence in Pakistan for many years and the country is set to surpass Indonesia as the world’s largest Muslim population by 2030. Christians account for 2.5 per cent of the population.

In 2012 the case of Rimsha Masih, who was accused of having desecrated the Qu’ran, gained international attention. After three months in detention she was finally released in September and later exonerated of all charges. The case prompted a debate on how blasphemy laws are misused to target innocent people. Extremist groups continue to incite hatred for Christians: at the time Rimsha was released, other Christians were facing blasphemy charges.

Pakistani Christians search for salvageable belongings from the remains of their razed houses in Lahore on Monday (11 March 2013)

Discrimination impacts all aspects of daily life. Opening a new church building is virtually impossible and emigration of Christians continues unabated. The Christian community is very vulnerable and sexual assaults on underage Christian girls by Muslim men continue to be reported. Many Christians are uneducated manual workers who suffer unfair treatment from employers. There is, however, freedom to run established churches and the Christian population is slowly growing. Despite this, society neglects the Christian minority. Extremist views may well gain popularity in the coming elections, to the disadvantage of minorities.

Egypt update: Funeral Attacked at Egypt’s Biggest Church as Religious Violence Kills Six Copts (Christianity Today)

Peanut Gallery: Please click on the links scattered throughout this article. They will give you a quick overview of what’s taking place in Egypt today.
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Funeral Attacked at Egypt’s Biggest Church as Religious Violence Kills Six Copts

(UPDATED) President Morsi to Pope Tawadros: ‘I consider any aggression against the cathedral an aggression against me personally.’
Melissa Steffan

Update (April 8): CT’s Cairo correspondent offers a thorough roundup at Arab West Report.

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An injured man was helped outside the main Coptic Christian Cathedral in Cairo on Sunday. Coptic Christians make up about 10 percent of Egypt's population. — An injured man was helped outside the main Coptic Christian Cathedral in Cairo on Sunday. Coptic Christians make up about 10 percent of Egypt’s population.

A riot during a funeral for four Coptic Christians has ignited sectarian tensions in Cairo once again. A clash that killed four Christians in a northern suburb simmered over into the funeral at St. Mark’s Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in the capital city, killing two people and injuring at least 90.

The weekend, which left six people dead in three days, marks the worst violence against Christians, who make up about 10 percent of Egypt’s population, since the election of President Mohamed Morsi late last year.

The Associated Press reports that “the clashes at the St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Cathedral began just after hundreds of angry Christians left the complex to stage an anti-government march following the funeral for the four Christians killed in sectarian clashes Saturday.”

A Coptic Christian hurt in attack on mourners Sunday. (Morning Star News photo)

The scores of Muslim rioters who attacked funeral goers “[pelted] the mourners with stones … flash-bang grenades, tear gas, fire bombs, and other improvised weapons [and] set cars ablaze,” according to Morning Star News.

Following the fighting at St. Mark’s, Morsi condemned the attacks and ordered an investigation of the violence, promising protection for both Muslims and Christians.

CT previously has reported on Egypt and violence against Coptic Christians there, including a dispatch from Cairo on how Egyptian Christians were feeling on the first anniversary of their nation’s revolution. Egypt’s Copts are facing the future under an Islamist regime, including a hastily completed constitution that limits some previously guaranteed personal freedoms. Most recently, CT reported on the possible rise of Coptic evangelism in Libya and Sudan.

In addition, CT reported on the death of Pope Shenouda, the former leader of the Coptic Orthodox Church, and also on the election of Pope Tawadros last year.

posted by Melissa Steffan

Please pray for Nigerian Christians – World Watch List #13

Persecuted Church: Nigeria North – World Watch List #13 (Open Doors UK)

Population: 166.6 million (88 million Christians)
Main Religion: Islam
Source of Persecution: Islamic extremism

The Islamist agenda to bring Nigeria under the ‘House of Islam’ versus the election of a southern Christian as President has caused much unrest. The Islamist group, Boko Haram, has claimed the lives of at least 800 Christians. The decisions of local government, especially in the twelve northern Sharia states, mean that Christians experience restrictions in schooling, threats of abduction, forced marriage, as well as denial of employment, clean water and healthcare. It is dangerous to convert and for churches to integrate new converts.

Please Pray:

Give thanks that believers are responding to recent pressure with increased prayer, evangelism and care for Muslim Background Believers
That Christian youths will resist the temptation to respond with violence to Muslim attacks
For Open Doors workers providing emergency support and trauma counseling to victims of attacks.

Persecution dynamics

The pattern of persecution in Nigeria is complex, especially for the twelve northern Sharia states, where local government and social groups leave hardly any space for Christians to live their own lives.

Conversion is dangerous and Muslim-background believers and Christians in many northern states suffer restrictions in schooling, threats of abduction and forced marriage. They have also been denied employment and facilities such as clean water, clinics and roads. It is very difficult for churches to openly integrate new converts from Islam.

Persecution levels vary across the country and are underlined by terrorist action and an unpredictable environment, which leaves Christians living in fear. Continue reading “Please pray for Nigerian Christians – World Watch List #13” →

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