Press Releases

Led by Brother Andrew, founder of Open Doors and author of the UNITE declaration, they will be pledging their unity with the Persecuted Church for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Four agencies representing the Persecuted Church – Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), Jubilee Campaign, Release International and Open Doors UK & Ireland – have joined together to launch a Living Book of Remembrance.

The book will bear the names of those who, by affirming their dedication, have indicated their intention to unite together and stand with God’s family across the world. The Living Book of Remembrance will be open for all to sign. As its pages grow it will be a dynamic representation of a spiritual truth: One God, One Family, One Church.

The pages of the Living Book of Remembrance will be opened to the leaders and members of the Persecuted Church to bring encouragement. Its pages will also be opened to political leaders here and around the world to remind them of the strength of the Church in the UK and Ireland and challenge them to end oppression and protect freedom.

Eddie Lyle, CEO Open Doors UK & Ireland, says: “Two hundred years ago Christians joined a battle for freedom, to end the transatlantic slave trade. We have the opportunity to do something similar in our generation. We cannot let it pass us by. Unity is not an abstract concept – it is a call to action. Members of our Christian family are facing immense pressures. We can – we must – unite with our brothers and sisters: in prayer, in encouragement, in support and in taking action.”

The UNITE declaration says:
We believe:
Every Christian has the right to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ, just as every person has the right to hear it
Every Christian who suffers for their faith should be remembered and supported by other Christians
Every Christian has a right to know how oppressed fellow Christians are being treated
Every Christian is a member of His body: if one part suffers, every part suffers with it.

The UNITE events on 29 September at the Bethel Convention Centre, West Midlands, will include a Day Forum on Persecuted Christians, featuring speakers such as Brother Andrew, author of God’s Smuggler and founder of Open Doors, and the Rt Rev’d Dr Michael Nazir-Ali, Bishop of Rochester, both speaking on Muslim–Christian relationships. The Day Forum will also feature worship, prayer, inspiring talks and interviews about Christians who have given their all for Christ and insightful lessons on how we can learn from their example and apply the lessons to our lives.

The evening youth event will issue a call to a generation to rise up and become radical, obedient cross-shaped disciples inspired by the message of the Persecuted Church. It will be a fast-moving introduction to the Persecuted Church with lively worship and prayer.

“May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me” –Jesus praying in John 17:23

To join in the UNITE events, book now at:
www.opendoorsuk.org/unite T: 08450 556622 E unite@opendoorsuk.org

End

Media Enquiries:
Nina Kelly 01993 885400 ninak@opendoorsuk.org www.opendoorsuk.org

Allen Moxham 01993 885422 allenm@opendoorsuk.org www.opendoorsuk.org

Notes to Editors
Forum on Persecuted Church at 10am
Prayer Celebration at 7pm
Bethel Convention Centre, West Bromwich, B70 7JW

Junction 1 off M5 - 5 minutes walk from Sandwell and Dudley train station
For more information visit www.opendoorsuk.org/unite or telephone 08450 556622

Partner organisations:
Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Jubilee Campaign, and Release International, Also: CityLinks, The Message Trust, Premier Radio, Saltmine, U.C.B., W.E.C., Youth for Christ, Urban Saints, WYnet

Open Doors is an international charity strengthening persecuted Christians in over 45 countries across the world. Starting in 1955 its work includes:

· Raising awareness of persecuted Christians and mobilising prayer and support for them
· Befriending and caring for persecuted Christians by visiting them, writing letters to them and praying for them
· Enabling believers at risk to earn a living by providing livelihood and literacy training and self-help opportunities
· Strengthening the faith of Christians behind closed borders through printing and delivering Bibles, Christian literature and teaching/training materials
· Equipping evangelists and pastors through theological and leadership training courses and seminars and supporting Bible colleges.

He will also be addressing delegates at the day and evening events, speaking on the Muslim challenge for Christians today.

Brother Andrew says, “We have created an enemy image of Muslims. We fear fundamentalists. We fear the consequences when a Muslim state acquires nuclear weapons. We worry about Muslims emigrating to the West, taking over our neighbourhoods, imposing Sharia Law. Isn't that why we fear them?

Or maybe the real reason we fear Muslims is that we won't tell them "God loves you." Do we see members of al-Qaeda or Hamas as potential temples of the Holy Spirit? They won't be if we don't pray for them and if someone in whom Christ dwells doesn't go to them.”

Secret Believers calls us to join a new "jihad" – one of forgiveness, radical love and unyielding prayer – and it proposes four challenges to help our persecuted brothers and sisters:
1. Rather than view Muslims as enemies, we must seek to win them to Christ
2. Rather than seek revenge when we’re attacked we must offer forgiveness
3. We must accept the challenge of Islam by striving as Christians to imitate Christ
4. We must commit to participate in the spiritual war, beginning on the battlefield of prayer.

Speaking about the reasons he wrote the book, Brother Andrew says, “I wanted to tell the stories of Christian communities in Pakistan such as Shantinagar, destroyed by Muslims and how we publicly said ‘We forgive you Muslims for what you’ve done to us’. The result: within a year we had a community centre, a literacy centre and a clinic there.

“Because the Christians were so open and learned to forgive it, was a new start for them too. It was a new start for Open Doors as well, because we were never in that town before and now we are. So we see in practice what forgiveness can do. Instead of a God of revenge, we have a God of forgiveness.”

In Secret Believers, co-authored with Al Janssen, Brother Andrew also tells the stories of Muslims who have come to faith in Christ and have faced serious, life-threatening persecution, including being disowned and even hunted by family and community, living under constant surveillance and with terrifying threats, being kidnapped and arrested, interrogated, tortured and even killed. Brother Andrew’s new book will enable you to enter their stories and experience life from their perspectives.

Brother Andrew founded Open Doors, which now serves persecuted Christians worldwide, more than 50 years ago. Now in his late 70s, he still travels extensively, telling Muslims and others about Jesus and encouraging members of the suffering Church. His messages to those in the West find an eager response from both young and old.

Mike Pilavachi, founder and leader of ‘Soul Survivor’, says “Brother Andrew has the most life-transforming message for Christians in Britain today.”

Also addressing the issue of Muslim-Christian relations at the UNITE day event on 29 September will be the Rt Revd Dr Michael Nazir-Ali, Bishop of Rochester, renowned speaker and author. In addition, overseas visitors will share their first-hand experiences of living and working in Islamic nations.

To find out more about the UNITE events, log on to: www.opendoorsuk.org/unite phone 08450 556622 or email unite@opendoorsuk.org

They had served two years of a three-year sentence handed out for running a ‘Sunday School’ for local Muslim children.

Dr Rebekka Zakaria, Ratna Bangun and Eti Pangesti were sentenced in 2005, after the court in Indramayu found them guilty to charges brought by the Indonesian Clerics Council of breaching the country’s 2002 Child Protection Law. They were freed on parole at 6am local time and went immediately to be reunited with their families.

Rebbeka told Open Doors, “These [prison] gates are a university of trust.” She continued, “This is nothing compared with the suffering and persecution faced by others. Compared with the Lord’s love and what He has given me, it is worth it.”

Eddie Lyle, CEO of Open Doors UK & Ireland, said “This is wonderful news. Rebekka, Ratna and Eti were an inspiration to me when I visited them; I was profoundly impressed by their courage and commitment.”

The women of the Christian Church of David's Camp set up a ‘Happy Sunday’ programme, with Christian songs, games and Bible studies for the children, under the direction of pastor Dr Rebekka, in Eti’s home. After 18 months, the programme was so popular, there were 40 children attending, but only 10 were from Christian homes. The Muslim children attending did so with the full consent of their parents.

However, opposition to the programme resulted in the forced closure of the church building in December 2004 but the three women continued to run the Happy Sunday programme from Eti’s home.

On 13 May 2005, the women were arrested and taken to the police station for questioning. They were accused of breaching the Child Protection Law, Chapter 86, No. 23/2002. Throughout the trial, Islamic extremists made murderous threats to the three mothers from both inside and outside the courtroom. Several bus loads of Islamic militants arrived each day, bringing with them a coffin to bury the ladies if they were found innocent.

Throughout their imprisonment, the ladies have remained powerful witnesses for their Christian faith. They transformed the prison by cleaning washrooms and toilets, scrubbing cells, working on the garden and even painting in bright yellow and blue the walls of the room they used for church meetings. Within the women’s section, quarrelling was reduced and because of Rebekka, Ratna and Eti’s calming influence the guards overruled prison protocol and allowed each woman to have her own knife and spoon in their cell.

The case of these ladies sparked international concern among the Christian community resulting in a global letter writing campaign and prayer vigils.

Eddie concluded, “Elsewhere in the world, in countries such as North Korea and Eritrea, thousands of Christians remain unjustly imprisoned for their faith. As with any family we experience rights and responsibilities, and our responsibility as the Christian brothers and sisters of those in prison, is to continue serving and encouraging them through our prayers and practical support.”

For high resolution jpg images of the three ladies please click here.

In a gruesome assault against Turkey's tiny Christian community, five Turkish Muslim extremists entered a Christian publishing office in the south-east province of Malatya and slit the throats of three Protestant Christians.

Two of the victims, Necati Aydin, aged 36, and Ugur Yuksel, 32, were Turkish converts from Islam. The third man, Tilmann Geske, 46, was a German citizen.

Eddie Lyle, CEO of Open Doors UK, said "This tragic incident is the latest example of a worsening trend of persecution against Christians in Turkey, that we cannot ignore any longer.

"Christians in Turkey are constantly under attack. They are crying out for help and they need our prayers to strengthen them. We can, and must, answer that call.

"We must ask ourselves the question, 'What is it that causes young men to act with such violence and hate towards innocent people, living simply and going about their daily work?'"

Eddie concluded, "It is vital that the circumstances which generated such heinous crimes, are not allowed to exist, so that Christians in all countries can freely witness to their faith and worship without the spectre of persecution hanging over them".

The Turkish press has reported that four of the five young men, all 19 to 20 years of age, admitted during initial interrogations that they were motivated by both "nationalist and religious feelings".

"We did this for our country", an identical note in the pockets of all five young men read. They [the Christians] are attacking our religion."

The three murdered Christians were found tied hand and foot to chairs at 1:30pm, in the liaison office of Zirve Publishing in Malatya's Niyazi Misr-i district. Their throats had been cut and their bodies marred by multiple stab wounds.

Turkish government leaders were quick to denounce the murders and promise a full investigation. The police, meanwhile, fielded conjecture that the suspects were linked to the Turkish Hizbollah, a Kurdish Islamist movement calling for a Muslim state in south-east Turkey.

According to Zirve Publishing's general manager, Hamza Ozant, the company's Malatya staff had received death threats in recent months.

All three of the men worked in the office and attended the local 30-member Kurtulus Protestant Church pastored by Aydin.

This week's attack was the first known martyrdom of Turkish converts from Islam since the founding of the Turkish Republic in 1923. But it was the third tragic incident targeting Christians in Turkey in the past 15 months to spark major international media coverage.

Last year an Italian Catholic priest was shot to death whilst kneeling in his church in the Black Sea port city of Trabzon. In January, a prominent Turkish journalist of Armenian Christian descent, Hrant Dink, was murdered in Istanbul. In 1997, an Islamist group bombed a Christian bookstand at a local fair, killing a small child and injuring many bystanders.

Over the past three years, top government officials have been accused of fanning growing hostility against non-Muslims by openly criticising Christian missionary activities. Local prosecutors and police authorities are often reluctant to pursue reported incidents of vandalism or threats against church buildings or personnel.

Media enquiries: Email Allen Moxham or ring 01993 885400.

Organised by Open Doors, an international charity which supports Christians facing persecution, the exhibition contains over 50 pieces of art by artists ranging from professionals, to complete amateurs and even children. The collection emanated from a challenge made by Open Doors for artists to explore “the cost of belief in Christ paid by many present day Christians, who share your faith but not your freedom.”

The exhibition including paintings, collages, sculptures, poetry and songs, is on display at St Aldates Church, in the centre of Oxford, between 28 February and 4 March (full details below). Selected pieces from the exhibition can also be viewed at www.theartofpersecution.com.

Art works will be available for the public to buy at an auction on Saturday 10 March. For more information please contact Open Doors on 01993 885407.

MEDIA ENQUIRIES
Alice J, 01993-885418 or alicej@opendoorsuk.org
Allen Moxham, 01993-885422 or allenm@opendoorsuk.org

Notes to Editor

St Aldates’ Exhibition details:

28 February - 7:30-9:30pm
1 March - 10am - 5pm
3 March - 10am - 4pm
4 March - Exhibition open before and after Sunday services.

On the morning of 29 October 2005 three Christian girls were beheaded by Islamists as they walked to school on Indonesia's Sulawesi island. A group of machete-wielding men ambushed Theresia Morangke, aged 15, Alfita Poliwo, 17, Yarni Sambue, 15 and Noviana Malewa, then 15, as they walked to their Christian school. The first three girls died instantly; Noviana received serious injuries to her face and neck but survived the attack.

The families of the three martyred schoolgirls shook hands with the suspects currently on trial in Poso – Hasanuddin, Lilik Purnomo and Irwanto Irano – as a sign of forgiveness. Many praised that move, but others disagreed with it. "I received text messages from some fellow believers in Poso criticising us, saying we should not have done that," Hernius Morangki, father of Theresia, said.

Human rights activists, such as the National Commission on Violence Against Women, feared the move could affect the ongoing trial in Jakarta. "If there was to be any reconciliation, it should have taken place after the trial was completed. We're really worried that the reconciliation will disturb the legal process to find justice for the families of the victims," the Jakarta Post reported Kamala Chandrakirana, head of the institution, as saying.

Hasanuddin told the Central Jakarta District Court he and two other men were 'involved' in the October 2005 attack on the girls. "I was indeed involved in the beheadings," Hasanuddin told the court. (Like many Indonesians he goes by only one name). "But we did it because the authorities did nothing about the massacres of Muslims."

Sulawesi island was the scene of unprovoked attacks on Christians by jihadis from 1998 to 2002 that left at least 1,000 people dead.

Just recently, the families of Theresia, Alfita and Yarni flew from Poso to Jakarta. They had to appear in court to testify against Hasanuddin and the other two defendants.

They came with another mission too – to be ambassadors of peace. "It was hard for all of us to grant Hasanuddin's request to meet with us. But as believers, we must forgive those who have persecuted us," said David Malewa, older brother of Noviana, representing the families. "By holding on to Jesus' teachings, we were able to forgive. We really hope this will mark the beginning of peace restoration in Poso," David added.

Warm fellowship
During the families' stay in Jakarta, Open Doors’ staff met them and shared fellowship with them. Theresia's father, Alfita's mother and sister, and Yarni's parents were present. Noviana Malewa also came with two school friends, Arce and Yeserian.

"Arce and Yeserian had actually walked with the group on that fateful day. But they stopped at a stall to buy some peanuts along the way," David revealed. Had they continued walking with their friends, they too might have been attacked.

Some of the families recounted memories of the day when they heard of their daughters' brutal deaths. Some cried as they shared personal testimonies. Even though it was a tearful meeting, the atmosphere was not gloomy. A spirit of hope filled the room. None have lost faith in God.

Alfita's mother, a frail elderly lady, shared, "I have forgiven whoever did this. I prayed that they would realise what they did. I also asked God to forgive them." Talking about God seemed to recharge her energy. She was deeply traumatised by the incident but had the courage to revisit the murder scene. She felt no bitterness towards God; "I don't have the courage to [be bitter against God]; He is sovereign over all lives," she said firmly.

Trial continues
On 27 November, several days after the meeting between the victims' families and Open Doors, the hearing of Hasanuddin took place again at the Local Court of Central Jakarta.

For the second time relatives testified as witnesses. Noviana’s answers to questions from the judges and prosecutors highlighted the terror of the assault.

"After almost a month in Poso Hospital, I moved to Tentena [a predominantly Christian area] and stayed with my brother. I have been afraid of going back to Poso ever since the assault," Noviana told the court.

The prosecutors presented evidence before the court: two machetes and the clothes and accessories worn by the girls on the day of the incident.

Noviana acknowledged the evidence, but refused to touch her friends' belongings, which brought back painful memories to her.

The pictures and reconstruction sketches of the beheading formed a document of over a thousand pages. Hasanuddin was charged under the terrorism law. If found guilty, he could face the death sentence. Two members of the Muslim Lawyers Team assisted him.

Do the victims' families long to see the trial of the perpetrators?
"Of course. I believe the law must be upheld. The absence of law in a country is no different from a train running without a rail; sooner or later, it would collapse," Hernius Morangki answered in a soft tone. "But the legal process is the state's part. Our part is to forgive."

Prayer points:
·For the families –that their response will become a model for both the Christian and Muslim communities in Poso. Continue to pray for God's comfort and strength as they recover from the grief over their daughters' death.
·For Noviana Malewa –for spiritual healing as she recovers from trauma caused by the assault. Pray for her brother David who takes care of her.
·For the trial –that the police, judges and prosecutors who are handling the case ensure that justice is done.

Ends. 916 words.

The building has been partially subsidised by Open Doors and will enable the Christian community to witness in that hostile environment. Christian, as well as non-Christian, books can be borrowed from the large collection on the first two floors of the building.

About 250 people attended the opening, including some 30 international guests involved with the Christian community in Gaza. Several international guests were kept waiting until the last moment to be granted permission to enter Gaza as their permits were only valid if officials considered it safe enough for them to cross the checkpoint.

Brother Andrew’s encouragement
For many years Open Doors’ founder, Brother Andrew, has been closely involved in the ministry of this small church, which is the only evangelical church in a population of 1.5 million Palestinians located in the Gaza Strip. During the opening, he encouraged and motivated the church. “It’s great to take care of the Body, great to take care of their minds by giving them good books, but it is even better to take care of their souls and spread the Gospel of Jesus…to show them Jesus.”

Gaza Baptist Church wants to share about the future hope there is in Christ. One of the reasons for the public library is that it provides an opportunity to prove the church’s involvement in the society and its openness towards others. The Baptist Church has existed in Gaza for over 50 years. An elder recalled the opening of the first library in 1968, starting with 200 books.

During the opening ceremony, several speakers pointed out that the church is in an awkward situation in Gaza, experiencing daily pressure and uncertainty. But with God’s grace, members of the congregation can find strength and hope to continue reaching out to their fellow Palestinians. Brother Andrew quoted Martin Luther King, saying, “If you do not deal with contemporary issues, you are not preaching the Gospel at all.”

In spite of the violent situation in Gaza, the church is focused on reaching out to fellow Palestinians. Last May when the building construction was still in process, the guard of the property was shot in crossfire. Almost every floor of the building was damaged by gunfire when warring Islamic parties entrenched themselves in and near to the building.

More than a library
The six-story building houses more than a library. The third floor will be a community health care facility for women and will contain a mammography machine to assist with breast cancer research. The machine is only the third of its kind available to the 1.5 million people in Gaza available for this kind of research.

The fourth floor will be used for outreach, and several activities are being developed by the Baptist ministry. The fifth floor is designed as a guesthouse, so that the Baptist Church can host workers from other cities or abroad. The sixth floor will be used as the church’s worship hall, until the opportunity comes to build a church building.

Open Doors hopes and prays that this new building may be a blessing for the Church in Gaza and through them, to the Palestinian community.

Ends. 546 words.

Photos available:
• two interior pictures of the library, showing children’s seating and book shelves
• bullet holes in an upper-storey window of the six-storey building.

Eight persecuted Church agencies are calling on believers worldwide to unite in spiritual battle for the 200 million Christians globally who suffer interrogation, arrest and even death for their faith in Christ.

This year the International Day of Prayer (‘IDOP’) will last a fortnight, giving you three Sunday opportunities to join this global prayer focus.

Labib Madanat is a Palestinian choosing to stand for Christ in Gaza. Rebekka Zakaria, Eti Pangesti and Ratna Bangun are three Indonesian women who have been imprisoned for teaching children about Jesus. They are four faithful Christians featured in Open Doors’ new DVD resource called ‘connect’* and IDOP provides a good opportunity to make use of connect to inform and inspire your prayers.

Eddie Lyle, CEO of Open Doors UK and Ireland, commented, “The UK Church has a wonderful opportunity this November, to unite with persecuted brothers and sisters like Rebekka, Eti and Ratna imprisoned and suffering for their faith around the world. As we pray and raise awareness in our Churches for them, we will be blessed in ways that will far outweigh anything we can give.

Rev Stephen J Gaukroger, Senior Pastor of Goldhill Baptist Church and Open Doors’ supporter says, “Persecution is the painful reality for many of our brothers and sisters – in Africa, Asia and Latin America – and it is vital that we support them through prayer. I would encourage you to join this global prayer initiative and pray for the Persecuted Church.”

The resources section on Open Doors’ website www.opendoorsuk.org contains information that will help focus your prayers, as does www.idop.org.

* The connect DVD learning resource is designed for use by small groups, but can also be used by individuals, families and churches. The five sessions will help you to grow stronger in faith, and you will be inspired by the insights you will gain from the Persecuted Church.

The connect DVD includes video clips of persecuted Christians telling their own stories, accompanied by written resources including icebreakers, Bible studies, prayer ideas, and five plans for small-group sessions.

Connect was distributed with the October edition of Frontline magazine. If you need a copy please call the Open Doors’ office on 01993 8858400.

Ends. 407 words.

Engage your artistic skills. Create something for this exhibition on the real issues of persecution. Paint it. Draw it. Sculpt it. Design it. Snap it. Write it. Record it. Enter it.

The Art of Persecution is a new art competition, open to all ages and run by Open Doors, exploring Christian responses to persecution, with £1000 prize money going to the winner. All kinds of artwork can be entered from paintings and sculptures to recorded music or dance. Selected artworks will then go on a touring exhibition around the United Kingdom.

Paul Hobbs, visual artist, is among the nine judges on the panel.

The Art of Persecution provides you with the opportunity to:
look at the cost of belief in Christ, paid by present-day Christians around the world
record your artistic responses to that persecution, and
connect with those who share your faith but not your freedom.

The bespoke website www.theartofpersecution.com contains resources for you to lead an art workshop and also entry forms, inspirational stories and pictures, judges’ biographies, entry terms, conditions and procedure.

Why enter?
Not only does the competition give Christians the opportunity to use their God-given gifts to express God’s pain and theirs at the persecution of our worldwide family, but it is a fantastic talking point and tool for evangelism.

The winner of the competition will be awarded £1,000 prize money – £500 for them to keep and £500 to give to an Open Doors’ project of their choice.

Should artists want to raise money for Open Doors, there is the opportunity to donate artwork which will be auctioned after the touring exhibition has finished, with proceeds going to support the valuable work of Open Doors.

Schedule
Launch date: Summer 2006
Closing date: 31 January 2007
Entrants short-listed by February 2007
Online Exhibition: February 2007
Exhibition dates: Feb-March 2007 (locations tbc)
Auction and prize-giving: March 2007

Across the nations a powerful force will be set loose. Youth throughout the nations will rise in prayer and join thousands across the globe, to pray for some of the 200 million Christians who suffer because of their faith. Thirty-five of the fifty toughest nations in the world for Christians to live in are Muslim dominated, hence this year’s focus.

This three-day youth prayer event is organised by Underground, the youth ministry of Open Doors, and will be the fifth annual SHOCKWAVE.

The beauty of SHOCKWAVE is that it can be done effectively on a small or large scale, by individuals as well as by groups, thanks to the SHOCKWAVE resources available on the new website at www.odshockwave.org. This site contains the ‘prayer wall’ message board and chat area that will go live just before the event commences.

SHOCKWAVE will start in New Zealand and sweep across the time zones and through manmade barriers and no-go zones, literally covering the world in prayer.

Prayer is desperately needed for countries such as North Korea, which remains at the top of Open Doors’ World Watch List for the forth year in row, indicating it is currently the worst country for Christian persecution. North Korea is followed by the Islamic Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in second place with Islamic Iran, Somalia and the Maldives listed close behind.

2006 aftershock
During 2006, young people from New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, South Africa, Switzerland, Italy, Norway, Cameroon, Romania, UK, Ireland, USA and Brazil were involved. In France, over 100 groups got involved, whilst in Namibia three schools combined to pray – with the result that 1,200 prayer warriors gathered, releasing the power of prayer to strengthen, protect and comfort Christians living in places where faith is very literally a matter of life and death.

Prayer tremors
Phil Togwell, UK Base Leader, 24-7 Prayer, recommends SHOCKWAVE 2007. He told us, “In my inbox there’s an email from one of my best friends. He lives with his wife and two children in a country where it is risky to admit that you are a Christian, and he’s asking me to pray. They’re trying to meet with other Christians, but people get put in prison for doing this. I find this hard to imagine, but it’s real, very real. Around the world, Christians are imprisoned and beaten and tortured, and even killed, simply because they love Jesus. SHOCKWAVE reminds us of our need to pray for the Persecuted Church, and equips us to do something too. I encourage you to get involved.”

David from Burkina Faso commented about SHOCKWAVE 2006, “Be assured of our constant prayer for the Persecuted Church. This is the third time we’ve participated in SHOCKWAVE. Every time, the prayer network grows.”

A young person from Cameroon said “It was our joy to participate in SHOCKWAVE 2006! We prayed with our friends with one meeting of four hours/day during three days. The group intend to continue prayer meetings for the Persecuted Church.”

Irina Ratushinskaya was a prisoner in a Soviet prison camp for seven years. She experienced first hand the power of prayer, and wrote, “Believe me, often it happened: in the isolation cell, during the winter evenings suddenly a feeling of joy and warmth - an unmistakable word of love. And whilst I could not sleep, sitting against an icy wall – someone remembered me and pleaded before my Lord.”

Brother Andrew, Founder of Open Doors, talks about the impact of prayer:
“Our brothers and sisters have told us what they need. First, and most important, they have begged us to pray! It’s been the same throughout my fifty-odd years of ministry; wherever I’ve gone to encourage my brothers and sisters, they have always requested prayer… But who knows what would have happened to the Church in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe if we had not gone and if we had not prayed. Because of our prayers and our actions, incredibly much did happen… Prayer is a critical part of the work of Open Doors… Prayer connects us with the body. It helps us identify with those who suffer and struggle as Christians in difficult situations. Prayer brings these problems to the one source that can really make a difference…”

Internet epicentre
The SHOCKWAVE website www.odshockwave.org includes the following useful resources:

· Prayer Wall
· Resource pack – full of prayer and creative ideas
· Bible study – discover the impact of prayer
· Muslim resources
· PowerPoint presentations / video clips – to promote SHOCKWAVE or to use during events
· Also: posters, images, inspiring quotes, press release

Alternatively, to receive a SHOCKWAVE 2007 resource pack, including how to run an event and video clips, e-mail underground@opendoorsuk.org, call 01993 885400, or go to the SHOCKWAVE website.

Jan Heijnen, Writer & Researcher in Open Doors’ Netherlands office, recently interviewed Johannes Pretorius, Open Doors’ Director of Africa Services, about southern Sudan and the Multi-Purpose Training Centre (MPTC). Johannes tells how the MPTC brings hope and help to southern Sudan.

Johannes Pretorius has a strong link with southern Sudan; at one time he was project manager of the eight-year-old Multi-Purpose Training Centre (MPTC), a collaborative project between Open Doors and local churches in southern Sudan. He has visited the area often and has seen the impact the MPTC has made on people’s lives.

Johannes commented, “Open Doors has invested in southern Sudan for over 11 years. The vision of Open Doors is to strengthen the Church – and the Sudanese Church desperately needs to be strengthened. We need to equip leaders who can educate others. There is no other Bible school or institution in southern Sudan which does that.”

Joy and happiness
Johannes said the words that describe the atmosphere of the training centre best are ‘joy and happiness’. He commented, “You see peace and hope as well; hope that the people of southern Sudan will have a better future and hope that the education of the students at the MPTC will make a lasting change in the lives of many people.”

Over the past 23 years, nearly two million civilians have died in southern Sudan's civil war, and over four million have been forced to flee their homes at one time or another. Always poorer than the north, the south lost much of its limited infrastructure and public services that existed before the peace agreement was signed on 9 January 2005. And many non-governmental organisations left southern Sudan during the civil war.

Open Doors stayed however and it has the same country coordinator, George, as it had 11 years ago. Johannes said, “In people like him you can see growth, the commitment, the calling. Despite all the problems and in spite of having had malaria at least 48 times, he never wanted to leave.

“At the MPTC, the students are building good relationships and trusting each other. You can’t take that for granted in southern Sudan. Now you see the fruit of commitment and sacrifice – in educated leaders who go back to their regions and make a difference in the lives of many people.”

Southern Sudan is made up of many tribal groups with long histories of mutual distrust. One thing that touches Johannes most at the centre is the transformation of students’ attitudes: “At first, people from different tribes don’t trust each other. After some time at the MPTC however, they experience each other as brothers and sisters. It is wonderful to be part of this process.”

Training opportunities
Johannes spoke about the future importance of the MPTC: “The Church in southern Sudan is very unstable, very weak. People never had the chance to study or to be trained. This is different now, thanks to our training centre. Now Christ becomes a reality in many lives.

“A few years ago, there were no church buildings or ministries. Now many churches are built and ministries have started up. We even see the evangelising of women and children. Our students demonstrate to people, especially young people, what commitment is.

“Most students have received a calling to lead a church, but they understand they need to be equipped. MPTC students are not educated when they come here, but they are very intelligent and eager to learn, hungry for the Word of God, hungry to learn more skills. They are all extremely poor. Open Doors finances their whole education. In future, we hope the Sudanese Church will play a bigger part in this.

Community collaboration
“One pastor was in training at our centre. Every six months he returned to his village. The villagers collected money for his training, and he also saved money, bought a grain mill and gave it to the village so they had an extra source of income. His example changed the community entirely. Now we see much more love and caring in that village.”

Johannes explained how Open Doors started working with Elias Taban, a Presbyterian bishop: “Elias met George, our country coordinator, in 1997. Elias started as a student, a young church leader. Today he is bishop of his denomination. He started Tent Makers International, a construction company which is now helping us to renovate the MPTC.

“He influenced many church leaders by showing them that being a pastor is about more than applying theology. He demonstrated that you could use your other skills to honour God as well, like he did with Tent Makers International.

“His church is now the umbrella for Open Doors’ work.”

Elias will be touring the UK in October with Open Doors. Details can be found at www.opendoorsuk.org in the ‘UK Events’ section.

Threats
“The unrest in Darfur does not have a direct impact on the training centre project,” Johannes said. “That doesn’t mean there’s no threat at all. If violence escalates further, it might destabilise the whole country again.”

The Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) – an extremely violent and occultic armed group – has more impact as Johannes explained. “Their presence disrupts people at the training centre. Many students have had traumatic experiences with them. The LRA presence frightens them, but LRA raiding forces in southern Sudan are very small.”

Needs
“The Sudanese Church needs extra support,” Johannes insisted. “Buildings are essential to improve the level of our education. The huts we use are dark and wet and there is no ventilation, which means you can’t study there during the wet season, and in southern Sudan, it rains for months. A library can’t be put in a hut; the books would get wet. Besides, a hut made of mud and grass lasts for only a few years, and the roof has to be replaced every year.”

Our responsibility
“I met with a Sudanese leader in Kenya who said, ‘The MPTC is the Harvard of Sudan.’ Renewing and expanding the training centre is only part of our responsibility. We cannot leave the Church now and say 'you are educated.' We need to train further. We don’t focus only on theology and producing pastors. We also provide teacher training and management training. A small detail, but very important: leaders need accreditation which shows they have studied for years and passed exams.

“We are pro-Christ, not anti-Islam. That is our vision and the way we work. A combination of things will counter Islam in the end, and God’s involvement and intervention is foremost. But part of our teaching is about Islam. We want to equip people so they understand Islam.

“In a later phase of the training centre, we also want to offer more skill training.

“The MPTC is the biggest thing that has happened in Sudan in the past years. Its work is essential.”

Open Doors UK & Ireland: phone 01993 885400, email info@opendoorsuk.org or visit www.opendoorsuk.org

Ends. 1145 words.

On 28 May 2006, Mrs. Baisi Pokharia and Mrs. Rekha Garsia were gang-raped in Nadia village, India, because their husbands are Christians and refused to deny Christ. The two women recollect the events surrounding their ‘nightmare’ (below).

On 31 May the women filed charges against the attackers, only to face the counter-charge of ‘forced conversion’. The counterclaim, also made against their husbands and one other, was supposedly lodged on 1 June, but Indira Iyengar, a member of the Madhya Pradesh Minorities Commission, said that she suspects it was actually lodged later but backdated. “The administration is taking advantage of the victims’ illiteracy,” she said.

Harcharan Singh Josh, a member of a National Commission for Minorities team reportedly said the administration had allowed the forced conversion charges in order to protect the rapists. To date, police have failed to arrest the alleged rapists, identified by name by the women and all from the same village.

Testimony of Mrs. Baisi Pokharia
“On 28 May, the leaders of the village came and took my husband Gokharya Barela. They beat him all the way to Sirvil village, about two kilometres from Nadia. The brought him before the Panchayat (village court) which had gathered. They beat him and told him to deny Jesus, but he would not. Someone said that these Christians don’t drink alcohol, “so if we make him drink liquor, he will become a non-Christian.” So they forced alcohol into his mouth. Then they asked him to give up Jesus or give up his land. He said, “I will leave anything but not Jesus.”

“The village head, Pandya Patel, said, “You people can do anything you want to their women. There will not be any police case. If there is any case, I will handle it.”

“So later that day some men came to our village. I saw from my house two men molesting my pregnant sister-in-law (my brother’s wife, Rekha Garsia.) My husband was not at home and I felt vulnerable. I ran and took shelter in the neighbouring house. It was around 10:00pm.

“They came and found me. They dragged me out and took me to the field. They undressed me and threw the clothes on the ground. They both repeatedly raped me. My husband and his friend were walking to our home from the friend’s village. They heard my cry and came to rescue me. But there were a few others standing as guards. They caught hold of my husband and his friend. They started to beat the friend more than my husband. My husband took me home but they were beating his friend, taking him to the village leader. There they bound him to a tree and reported to the village leader Nandya Ram Shing Patel. The leader later came and released him.

“The people who raped me told my husband and me that if we told this to anyone, they would kill us. As we were shocked and frightened, we did not do anything. When the next day came, we were warned that we should not leave the village and that we would be fools to report the incident because it would cost us our lives.

“But on the second night, we escaped to a neighbouring village and found shelter in a Christian neighbour’s house. (As the leader of the village had also threatened this Christian family, they decided to become Hindus).

“Because a petition made by various groups put pressure on the police, there was relief for us and we returned to the village. But I am afraid and frightened when I see those who beat my husband or raped me. I feel so ashamed.”

Testimony of Mrs. Rekha Garsia
“On 28 May, some men came to our home after a meeting with the leader of the Panchayat (village court). They caught hold of me and started to molest me. I escaped but as I am seven months pregnant, I could not run far. So I ran to my father-in-law’s house, which is 200 metres away. My father-in-law tried to save me. They started to beat my father-in-law with firewood and the poor man ran for his life. Three men came to my in-laws’ house and found me hiding. They dragged me out and threw me on the cot that was put outside the house for my father-in-law. (The cot was broken and the police have taken it away as evidence.) They undressed me. Three men raped me.

“When my mother-in-law started to shout out and try to save me, one man took a big piece of firewood and hit her on the back. Writhing with pain she sat there shouting at the men. (My in-laws are old and Hindu). As they were leaving, they warned us, “You tell this to anyone and try to make a complaint, and we will get rid of you forever.”

“My husband was in the next village. The next day when he came, the people who raped me came and warned me again, saying, “If you dare to report this to anyone or try to go out of the village, we will not let you live.”

“This was on Sunday night. On Tuesday night, we left the village without anyone seeing us. On Wednesday we went to the police station. The police inspector told me, “You are a prostitute and you are trying to blame these innocent people.” He continually verbally verbally abused us.

“They kept us in the station until evening. Somehow the news was reported in Delhi and also to the minority commission member of Madhya Predesh, Mrs. Iyengar. She called the commissioner and he called the police inspector and demanded to know why the case was not registered and why he kept us at the station without cause. Only then did they file the case. The police took the clothes as evidence of rape and said that they would send it to a lab’ for DNA testing. I don't think they will do justice with them. Will justice be done for us?

“One police officer came with us to the Khargon district government hospital. The doctor did a medical check-up. We were told that the report says that there was a rape but they did not show us the report or give a copy to us.”

Eddie Lyle, CEO of Open Doors UK and Ireland, commented, “Time and time again we hear from persecuted Christians that letters of encouragement are ‘like oxygen’ to them. What these sisters have experienced is beyond most of our worst nightmares. They need to experience the cleansing, healing reassurance of the love and respect of the family of God.”

Writing campaign
Open Doors has initiated a letter-writing campaign for Baisi Pokharia (34) and Rekha Garsia (22).

The two women are illiterate. Cards and letters will be translated and then read to them so that they can understand the messages of encouragement. A personal visit by an Open Doors’ representative is tentatively planned for October 2006 to meet the two women and get an update of their current situation. Another visit will be made after mid-February 2007 to deliver the cards of encouragement.

Because of the time needed to plan a trip to these women, we need to limit the length of this writing campaign. Open Doors UK and Ireland must have received all mail by 15 January 2007 if it is to ensure that the cards will reach the two women personally. If letters are received in time for the Open Doors visit in October, they will be delivered at that time.

Writing guidelines:
· Ensure all letters/cards reach Open Doors by 15 January 2007 at the latest
· Post to Open Doors UK, P O Box 6, Witney, Oxfordshire, OX29 6WG, United Kingdom and Open Doors will forward mail on
· Do not mention Open Doors in the letters
· Greeting cards, artwork by children and postcards are best (send postcards in an envelope, and do not write the Open Doors’ address on the postcard)
· Print clearly (only write in English)
· Be encouraging, keep the message brief, but include one to two Bible verses
· Do not say anything negative about Hindus or the government
· Provide your name & country, not your full address
· Don't send money with the letters.

In February, the Palestinian Bible Society in Gaza City received a terrorist threat: close and leave Gaza by the end of the month or be bombed. The Bible Society staff counted the cost, surrendered their lives to Christ and did not leave despite the real threat of death. Labib Madanat, a Jordanian Christian who is the director of the Palestinian Bible Society, explains that the Bible Society is called to serve the Palestinian people – including the Muslims. The Society's commitment to love and to serve their ‘beloved’ Muslims continues, uninterrupted.

Labib Madanat speaks to Open Doors
“I became a Christian during my years at university, whilst I was in Iraq. My decision became a life-transforming practice and choice.

“In 1994 I met Brother Andrew at the Bible College in Bethlehem when I was one year into my ministry there with the Palestinian Bible Society. We visited Gaza and met some leaders of Hamas, which had a huge impact on me. The Lord told me then, ‘I have no exclusion zones, not in people or in places – forget it, there are no exclusion zones, nothing is too difficult for me. No-one is too dirty for the blood of Jesus Christ’.

“I lived in Palestine and as I moved from my very nice Christian 'church club' into the challenges of the Muslim community, I found the courage to admit that I belong to the Muslim community. When I say this, I am not denying Christ – it’s just another way of understanding mission.

"When people ask me what the position is in Gaza, I reply saying ‘You are never afraid of those whom you love, even if they hate you. The good news however is that we are much more loved in Gaza than hated’.

"What is more powerful than anything else is when we take Jesus into the most needy situation and spread the Good News and become a blessing. Jesus said, ‘Those who are healthy do not need a doctor. It is those who are suffering and sick; they need the Healer’.

The Church
“Turning to the current, very pressing situation between Lebanon, Israel and Palestine, the Church could easily get caught up in the politics of what is happening. We need to engage with what is happening, understand and even open our lives and not be afraid to expose ourselves to the complexity of the world’s challenges. However painful, we should apply the life of Jesus and resolve it within our hearts and minds. I have seen how the Church, the agents of God’s grace, instead of projecting the life of Christ, gets infected by a country’s situation, because sin is infectious.

“It really hurts me when I see the Church become divided as a result of the tyranny of the present situation, rather than overcoming and living the life of Christ. Why does this happen? Maybe because there isn’t enough of Christ in the Church or in us. We need to keep replenishing this within ourselves, especially when we live in a war-torn area where there is lots of hatred, division, killing and justification for the violation of human rights.

Self-denial
“On the ground, the situation is grim. It is extremely dark. It is painful. People are scared. People are being killed, people are anxious and there is one happy guy in all this: the enemy of our soul. We don’t want to share in his happiness!

“It’s so easy to hate in Palestine – it doesn’t take much effort. It’s the norm. Pray for us as a church there, that we will rise above that. With the help of the Holy Spirit, Christians can deal with their feelings.

“When I heard about the kidnapping of the two Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah, I was tempted to gloat; to think that it ‘serves Israel right’ when they have killed so many Palestinians in Gaza. We Christian Arabs can easily think that, in the current situation, this is in some way ‘fair’. How ugly. How can ugliness and dirt suddenly take the title of ‘fair’? How much distortion has Satan brought into our minds, even as Christians?

"And then the Lord in His grace comes and gives me a slap on the face saying, ‘Wake up, repent. Go back to that first act of gloating and get it washed by the Blood’.

"We must keep on renewing our minds, offering ourselves and our emotions as living sacrifices (Romans 12). God has made my life glorious, victorious, lovely and clean. This kind of thinking would take me hostage if I did not take it to the foot of the cross.

“The first thing to do is: think like a Jew, not an Arab. What a difficult lesson for me! Why? Because I want to feel Lebanese, I want to feel Arab, I want to feel Gazan, I want to feel their pain. Yet I deny my right to feel the pain of my people and take on the pain of those who the world defines as my 'enemy', who is as loved by God as I and my nation are.

The cross of self-denial means putting on the altar anything that might stand in the way of making Christ seen. Are we willing to identify with our oppressors and carry them before the Lord for healing and salvation?

"I can take it to an even greater extreme and ask, will you be willing to take on the identity of your persecutor and cry before God or go back to the Church and say ‘Don’t give up on our enemies?

Eddie Lyle, CEO of Open Doors UK and Ireland, commented “In marked contrast to the darkness that is consuming the Middle East, here is a radical alternative shown by followers of Jesus Christ.

“The only answer to all the questions being asked about what the future holds, lies in lives surrendered to Christ, of which Labib and many others, are inspiring examples.”

Prayers
Labib asks Christians in the West to pray that:
· the Church in the Middle East will be clean and stand for righteousness, justice, peace and reconciliation and that all members of the Body of Christ will really surrender their lives and confess their fears and hate to Christ
· the Church in Lebanon will seize the opportunity to show the love of Christ; to take the towel of Jesus and wash the feet of the tired, persecuted and bewildered refugees running away from the fighting in Lebanon
· the Church in Palestine and the Messianic Jews in Israel will be given the grace and power to rise up to what Christ wants them to be
· the voice of the Gospel is heard and Christians have the boldness to speak to the Muslim Arabs, to their friends
· that Arab Christians will have real love for the Jewish people beyond all politics
· Labib and other Palestinian Christians will become more engaged with the Muslim communities in the disputed territories, and for the Lord to create opportunities for Muslims to taste and see how good He is.

END 1192 words.

Pastor and former national president of the Church of God in Cuba, Rev Carlos Lamelas, was unexpectedly freed without formal charge on Monday 26 June, after 126 days in prison. Carlos was active in the growing house-church movement, and his case sparked speculation about the motives of the regime of Fidel Castro in its dealings with the evangelical community in Cuba.

The following account is a translation of Carlos’ report on his time in jail.

“The most condensed account of the traumatic experience that my wife Uramis, daughters Estefania and Daniela and I had to undergo can be found in Psalm 119:65–72. Like the psalmist, Carlos identifies with a closer love of God and His word as a result of the tribulations and false accusations he has endured.

Arrest
“In the early hours of the morning of 20 February, about a dozen officers from G-2 (Department of State Security) appeared at our residence, presenting an order for my arrest for the ‘illegal trafficking of persons’. They searched my home and office, examined my computer and other work equipment (all personal property and legally acquired) as well as my personal documents.

“I was taken to the Centre of Investigation of Crimes against the Security of the State, better known as ‘Villa Maristas’, where I was detained for more than four months.

"I was interrogated only five times during the first month of incarceration. The rest of the time I was totally ignored, perhaps so I could have time to ‘have faith and read the Bible’ as a first lieutenant suggested without knowing the progress of the investigative process.

Prison conditions
“The cells we occupied were 2x3 metres and contained up to four people. Within this same area were two, two-storey bunk beds, a latrine and a Turkish bath. The bath had water supply for a maximum of only 20 minutes a day.

The beds were metal sheets so, we put down foam rubber mattress pads. They had to be taken up again at 6:00am and we were not permitted to use them again until 10:00pm, so inmates had to sit or stand for long periods.

“The temperature in the cell frequently rose above 40ºC (104ºF).The ventilation was poor with only two windows that did not permit viewing to the outside.

Treatment
“Although the officers who dealt with me were hostile in the beginning, they later became respectful and very considerate. Every day I proclaimed the favour of God over myself and the rest of the detainees.

Health
“My health was affected by the traumatic experience. My blood pressure dropped and I suffered from arthritis, lower lumbar pain, neck cramps, chronic gastritis and weight loss (not directly related to the diet, but to my emotional state). I also received mediocre medical attention, and my wife was permitted to bring me cola drinks to increase my blood pressure with caffeine, and also cold milk to soothe the gastritis.

Visits
“Visits were limited to 20 minutes, once a week. Only three adult, direct family members were admitted while the number of children was unlimited.

“Nevertheless, the visits were of great comfort. My wife was strong as a valiant warrior and encouraged me before I had to face the assault of another week. Her words, were inspiring as were the hundreds of letters and postcards that arrived from many countries like a shower of blessing in a time of drought.

Activities accomplished
“From the beginning, I had the conviction that this traumatic incident had a purpose in God’s plan, and that I needed to be alert to what He wanted to reveal to me. Thanks to unlimited access to my Bibles (I ended up having three of them) and other evangelical literature, not only was my thirst for the Word satiated but I also shared with, and discipled, my cellmates.

Freedom
“Even though my release was much desired and daily solicited in prayer, the news surprised me.

“My family and I will be eternally grateful and indebted to the people of God from every continent who sent us letters and postcards expressing support and solidarity with us in our ordeal. To date we’ve received more than 260 letters, and many of them arrived at the Detention Centre.

People's prayers went up continually to the throne of grace, like sweet-smelling incense. I am convinced that in those moments when I most needed strength, it was those hundreds of prayers that reached my cell.

“Thank you too to those brothers who supported my family financially. I know our beloved Lord will compensate them with His riches in glory.

“Together with all the brothers and sisters who daily petitioned our Lord for my freedom and for comfort and strength for my family during this tribulation, we can shout with a voice of jubilation, ‘Ebenezer! God has helped us right now!’”

Eddie Lyle, CEO of Open Doors UK and Ireland, commented, “We rejoice that Pastor Carlos discovered such comfort through reading his Bible and from the letters of support he received from Christians around the world. We urge the Christian world to continue to write and support the thousands of other Christians who still desperately need such encouragement and support.”

END 792 words.

Summary
Daniel* describes his daring and desperate escape from prison, for which his family have paid the consequences while Weini*, shocked by her husband’s appearance when she visited him in an Eritrean prison, passes on his brave and faith-filled prayer request.

Christians in the UK and Ireland continue to show overwhelming support for Eritrean Christians, evidenced by nearly 110,000 signatures on an inter-agency petition calling on the Eritrean government to free religious prisoners. Open Doors collected 73,218 of those signatures which were delivered to Eritrea’s ambassador to the UK, Negasse Sengal, on 18 July 2006.

The following stories demonstrate the appalling and heart-rending conditions endured by Eritrean Christian prisoners.

Escape from prison
Daniel* was proud to serve his country and willingly joined his allotted army regiment when he received his conscription papers. However, he quickly learned that wearing a smart uniform could never compensate for the loss of his freedom as a Christian.

Firstly, he was commanded to hand over his precious Bible to the army authorities. Next came a demand for his Christian books, tapes and CDs. Praying with other army personnel was also strictly forbidden, and eventually Daniel found he had to make a choice – either forget his relationship with Jesus or face a harsh jail sentence.

Giving up his faith had never been an option, and now Daniel viewed the world through the bars of a military jail. Discipline was draconian and life became extremely difficult. His cell was small and he shared it with many other Christians. Eritrean authorities consider confining up to 20 believers in a cell the size of an average British bathroom totally acceptable.

Prison food was scarce – and dreadful. One small meal at lunchtime had to suffice, even though Daniel and his cellmates were forced to toil at heavy manual labour. Even worse, water rations were restricted to just one cup each day In temperatures that could soar to 40ºC, leaving the men parched in the hot sun – and all through the long night.

Even sleeping at the end of a tiring day’s labour was never easy. Cellmates took turns lying down in the small space. Most just fell asleep where they squatted, as they slumped from exhaustion.

Despite their harsh restrictions, Daniel and his friends took comfort in praying together. Although this was strictly forbidden by the prison authorities, they discreetly encouraged each other as they prayed in small groups.

Daniel was forced to endure frequent beatings, usually three or four each week. Sometimes prison staff savagely used their fists, attempting to break his spirit. On other occasions, large batons replaced fists, cutting deep into his flesh.

Finally, unable to bear any more mental and physical abuse, Daniel planned his escape. One day, he seized his opportunity – taking his chances when the guards were distracted, Daniel slipped away from his work party and ran for his life. The next four days were perhaps the hardest yet – a relentless trek through wild, unyielding bush. Fighting hunger, thirst and the hot sun, a border crossing into Sudan ended Daniel’s trek and brought him freedom.

But freedom came at a high price as, following his escape, Daniel’s family received the unwelcome attention of the Eritrean authorities. Parents, siblings and other family members were rounded up and imprisoned. Daniel has no idea where they are – or even if they are still alive. But he will never give up hope!

“Pray that I will not deny Jesus”
Those are the courageous words of Samuel*, a young believer currently detained in one of Eritrea’s infamous metal shipping containers.

His fiancée, Weini*, shared her grief with visiting Open Doors co-workers. Stepping forward for prayer, she told how Samuel had been arrested and imprisoned several months before. Now detained in the Eritrean government’s most brutal form of incarceration, he is confined in a tiny underground cell and lives in perpetual darkness. Sunlight never penetrates his lonely isolation although during the day, the heat is unbearable – sometimes reaching over 40ºC. He is allowed out to relieve himself for just ten minutes each day.

After waiting several months to obtain visiting rights to see Samuel, Weini shared how devastating it was when she finally saw him. Still horrified by memories of the prison, Weini described how Samuel’s skin had become transparent because of the lack of light. His dark, curly hair had turned a shade of orange, and most of his teeth had fallen out due to a lack of proper food and vitamins.

Even in the midst of his terrible circumstances Samuel’s only prayer request to Weini was, “Please don’t pray that I’ll be released: pray that I will not deny Jesus.”

Weini continues to grieve for her fiancé.

Persecution in Eritrea
A decree was issued in May 2002 outlawing all Christian activity that does not take place in Orthodox, Evangelical Lutheran or Catholic churches. This led to a series of arrests, and it is currently estimated that some 1,800 Eritrean Christians are in prison for their faith.

Even the officially authorised churches are not immune from persecution: three Orthodox priests – Dr Futsum Gebrenegus, Dr Tekeleab and Rev Gebremebhin – are still in prison after being arrested in November 2004; and in January this year, Orthodox Patriarch Abune Antonios was forced out of office and placed under house arrest, apparently in retaliation for his outspoken criticism of the Eritrean government’s interference in church matters.

Although, access to Christians in Eritrea is virtually impossible, D K Schmit*, an Open Doors co-worker, explains that according to reports from Christians who have travelled out of the country, that Eritrean Christians are encouraged to discover through the internet that people all over the world know about them and are praying for them.

They have also requested tens of thousands of Bibles.

Schmit also reports that Christians in Eritrea are strong: “We think about 60% of imprisoned Christians are incarcerated in shipping containers, each containing 13–20 people. They continuously try to force prisoners to renounce their faith, saying things like ‘Listen, do you know that your wife or mother or father is desperately ill? Why not just sign the form and you can go and care for them.’ A very few, perhaps 1%, sign the renunciation papers; but the vast majority don’t.”

Eddie Lyle, Chief Executive Officer for Open Doors UK & Ireland said: ““Please pray that the petition handed to the Eritrean Ambassador to the UK will make the Eritrean authorities realise they cannot brush their current human rights abuses under the carpet, and that now is the time to make changes for the better.”

“The fact that the Eritrean government denies the existence of religious persecution in their country is one of the main reasons for the petition. We want the Eritrean authorities to know that Christians in the UK are standing alongside their imprisoned brothers and sisters in Eritrea.

* pseudonym

Please pray
For the release of imprisoned Eritrean Christians and for the government to reverse their current policy of persecution
That the Lord will strengthen Eritrean Christians to forgive and love their enemies
That believers held in metal containers will be given strength to maintain their faith
That the Lord will grant Open Doors co-workers access to believers, to let them know they are not alone.

Open Doors UK & Ireland, Tel 01993 885400, www.opendoorsuk.org e-mail info@opendoorsuk.org

Available pictures:
• An Open Doors co-worker comforting Weini.
• Eritrean believers in prayer


END 1366 words.

Alice Yuan, married to renowned Chinese House Church Leader Allen Yuan, for 67 years, single-handedly brought up their six children, as Allen endured years of imprisonment, hardship, and opposition to become one of the leaders of a movement yielding fruit beyond counting.

Allen Yuan, started his first church in Beijing in 1946 and has since become known as the founder of house churches in China and ‘a towering figure in China’s house-church movement’. He passed away in Beijing at the age of 92, on 16 August 2005. His wife, Alice, said 2,500 people were present at his funeral.

An Open Doors worker met with Alice on 22 May 2006. Alice commented, “When Allen went to prison, in 1958, I was left to care for our family of eight: my mother-in-law and six children. At that time, I earned 24 yuan a month (£1.65). I tithed three yuan, so I had 21 Yuan a month left to live on. How could we survive on that?

"I prayed, ‘My Lord God, I will not complain against your will, but please supply for us, so your name is not disgraced. My six children have not complained.’

Released from jail“I still remember he came out of prison in a black, cotton-padded jacket and trousers, wearing a fur hat and shoes. I went to the Beijing train station to meet him, but I couldn’t recognise him. His prison experience of cold weather, poor food and nine hour days of hard work had taken its toll.

"He tried to find our old home by himself, but couldn’t. When they eventually met up, Alice says that she only recognised him by his eyes.

“I was influenced by Allen because he remained loyal to God to the end of his life. He didn’t care about anything in the house; he just read the Bible, prayed and preached.

Left behind
“When he died, I was very sad to be left behind by my companion. But when I knelt down to pray and thought of the fact that we will meet again in heaven, my heart was steadied.

“We married in 1938. In 1941, he went with an American pastor to Hubei to preach the Gospel. Every day he preached the Gospel while I stayed at home raising our 2-year old son.

"We didn’t have enough to eat, but I knew that following the Lord requires great sacrifice, and it is sweet in the end.

"My oldest son is now 67.

“During World War II, the American pastor left China. People asked why we didn’t leave, as well. My response was: he is a foreigner, so he has to leave; we are Chinese, so we must stay.

“The death of Allen hasn’t affected the church too much, since they were prepared in advance for it.

October 2006 marks the sixth anniversary of moving from our old house to our new house. Since this move, we’ve split into eight independent house churches, with each house church having 20–70 believers.

Police activity
“In the last four months, as I stayed at the hospital before Allen’s death, the police came to say ‘Allen Yuan was a troublemaker and his baptismal service the first week in August disturbed the public order.’

"We baptised 728 people in 2004, and police used to video the services. They also recorded many registration plates and used the registration numbers to find the participants.

“Allen wasn’t able to be at the August 2005 baptism as he was in hospital. Police surrounded the river, so not many people could get by. Only 100 people were baptised last year.

"We will hold our baptismal service again this year during the first week of August, but it is uncertain who will come after Allen’s death.

“Pastor Allen’s last baptism took place when he was 88, and he went into the river himself to baptise 300 believers.

“The last message Allen preached was on a single tree turning into a forest, which he delivered on the Sunday before he went into hospital.

"Allen was a single child, but he lived to see four generations (35 people) under one roof."

Please pray
“When you pray for me, please ask the Lord to help our house churches stay strong and that they will not join the Three-Self Patriotic Movement which combines church and state together. Allen was an example, encouraging other churches not to join.”

Beginning in 1986, Open Doors partnered with Allen Yuan to provide Bibles and training material

Note: Part of Alice's story may be found in the Great Bible Women of China booklet by Paul Estabrooks, as well as in A Living Sacrifice, Allen's autobiography written by Lydia Lee, copyright 2001 by ODI, published by Sovereign World Ltd.

Available photos:
· Open Doors’ worker meeting with Alice, wife of Rev. Allen Yuan on 22 May 2006
· Alice and her family of seven dependents whom she cared for while Allen was in prison
· Wong Ming Tao baptised Allen Yuan in 1938. First left Allen, second left Wong
· Allen and Alice Yuan together

Open Doors UK & Ireland, Tel 01993 885400, www.opendoorsuk.org e-mail info@opendoorsuk.org

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In a breakthrough in Acteal case 223, attorneys meeting with the inter-institutional commission formed in Mexico City two weeks ago received approval for early release on parole of nine or ten of the 19 men wrongly convicted of the murder of 45 people in Chiapas, Mexico, in 1997. In addition, the rest of the men in the group will receive reductions in their 25-year sentences.

All 19 men will be transferred from the Amate prison in Cintalapa, at least five hours' drive from their homes, to a lower-security prison in San Cristobal where they can be closer to their families.

Eddie Lyle, CEO of Open Doors UK and Ireland, commented, “We are delighted that justice is finally being given to these 19 men separated from their families for nearly nine years now.

"However, we trust that right decisions will continue to prevail for the group of 39 evangelical prisoners, whose appeal is being decided on within the next month.

"Let us also remember the 23 prisoners whose appeal was denied last November and let's continue to pray for and write to them and their families.”

The paroles and sentence reductions, based on good behaviour, are actually the result of efforts by the commission which worked to come up with a political solution to the wrongful convictions of the men. The commission includes representatives of the National Committee of Human Rights of Mexico and Federal Public Security. It met with attorneys and several Christian leaders on 28 June in San Cristobal to begin selecting the nine or ten men to be released within the next three to six months.

A judge will decide the reduction in the 25-year sentence of the remaining nine or ten men.

The convicted men are part of a total of 76 prisoners currently imprisoned for allegedly participating in the murder of 45 Tzotzil Indians, including 37 women and children, and injuring 17 others, in an armed confrontation on 22 December 1997, in the Acteal area of the municipality of Chenalho, Chiapas.

Months of festering ideological and political differences culminated in the confrontation and the subsequent manhunt, which led to the imprisonment of 90 people, of which 83 were unjustly arrested and imprisoned. Six were acquitted and one died, bringing the current total of men who are detained without valid reason down to 76. Over half of these men are evangelical believers from the Chenalho community.

Open Doors has been providing transportation, supplies and medical care and visits for the believer’s families, legal representation and regular visits for the prisoners and mobilising worldwide prayer on their behalf.

The men imprisoned for the 1997 murders were tried in three groups (cases). One group (case 224) had their appeal denied on 30 November 2005. A reliable source privately acknowledged there was clear evidence of the innocence of 10 prisoners in this group of 23 prisoners, but the judge ruled against them anyway for unknown reasons.

A ruling on the appeal of the third group of 39 Christian prisoners (case 46) is expected later this month.

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Available photos:

Prisoners praying
Prisoners sit on the ground watched by chief guard
Prisoners sing in worship
Prisoners are visited by Open Doors teams
Ladies receive food from Open Doors
Young girls will be middle-aged before they see their fathers X3
Young boys are growing up without any male role models
Wives struggle to keep and bring up families since all the men in their village were imprisoned.

After helping victims of last autumn’s earthquake survive the harsh winter, Open Doors, through local partner organizations, is pursuing long-term projects to assist recovery in the Pakistani-controlled administrative sub-region known as Azad Kashmir.

Collaborating with local Muslims, Christian non-governmental organizations (NGOs) plan to open a hospital and schools in Azad Kashmir. The NGOs anticipate that in the process of rebuilding the community, they will breakdown commonly-held stereotypes that cast Christians in a negative light.

Azad Kashmir is run by Muslim extremists and has traditionally been closed to Christians. Christian missionaries were kicked out in the 1970s, and in recent years several local believers were martyred. Unable to buy property or build churches, the Christian community in the area has been forced to keep a low profile.

Opened doors
Last year’s earthquake provided Pakistani Christians with the opportunity to enter the region and help the victims rebuild their lives. One local Christian NGO leader shared how his organization made its long-term aims transparent to both the government and local communities from the outset of their work.

“Right in the beginning, we went to the top government officials, to share with them that the reason that we are going to Kashmir is because this is a national tragedy,” the NGO leader said. “We told them, ‘It doesn’t matter that there is no visible, strong church in Kashmir. Our brothers who are Muslims have been affected by this terrible tragedy and we are standing with you in this hour.’

“We went to the community leaders in Kashmir and shared with them that we want to come with a long-term plan to help rebuild the lives of the people,” the Christian leader continued. “They very openly welcomed that plan and gave us freedom for the first time to go freely into Kashmir.”

Providing emergency aid
In the wake of the earthquake of 8 October 2005 that left 88,000 dead and over 100,000 injured, it was feared that last year’s mountain winter would bring a new wave of deaths to those without adequate shelter. Through its South Asia Christian partners, Open Doors provided:
• 26 truck-loads of food and supplies
• hundreds of tents as well as corrugated steel sheets used by approximately 100 families to build new homes
• a make-shift tent hospital that initially treated 100 patients each day and serves at least 80,000 people in the area
• durable hospital buildings and facilities to comprise a new operation theatre, dispensary and outpatient treatment centre.

Providing long-term recovery
Open Doors’ partners are now focusing efforts on building four schools in the earthquake-affected areas as more than 65 percent of government run schools in Azad Kashmir were destroyed in the 7.6-magnitude earthquake.

“The biggest need now facing our community is education,” one Muslim teacher from the community commented. “But we need more than just new schools: we also need a better quality of education.”

As Christian volunteers distributed backpacks and school supplies, young children were quiet and subdued with cavernous eyes. Only the occasional smile escaped their lips.

“Almost all of them lost someone from their immediate family,” one local teacher explained. But a volunteer who had visited the same school last autumn said that the students were in much better spirits now compared to have they had been after the earthquake.

New schools will initially meet the area’s demand for education while also providing children with security and support to work through the trauma of the earthquake.

Interfaith relations improve
In the long run, the Christian NGOs believe that the schools will help breed tolerance between religions.

“The schools will bring interfaith harmony and remove the suspicion and doubt that usually is spread through extremism,” one Christian commented. “We hope that when [Muslims] start living side by side they will understand who Christians are. And the Christians by the same token will be able to share the love and compassion of Christ by their presence in that area.”

Interfaith efforts are particularly important as outlawed terrorist organizations participating in the earthquake relief effort have spoken out against non-Muslim NGO’s starting schools in the area.

Local Muslims, however, believe that Christian relief workers have been successful in breaking down negative stereotypes between religions. Sharing a meal with volunteer staff at the new hospital facility, one Muslim teacher expressed the change that has taken place in his community.

“This is the first time that we have ever had Christians in this part of Kashmir,” the teacher commented. “It’s wonderful to see that they are not so different from us. Whether you’re a Christian or a Muslim, you are still human.

“The important thing about being a human being is having a heart for other humans; hurting for others when they hurt,” the teacher added, quoting loosely from Pakistani poet and philosopher Allam Mohammed Iqbal. “They [Christians] have come here and hurt for us. If, heaven-forbid, anything would ever happen to them, we would reach out and help them in return.”

Eddie Lyle, CEO, Open Doors UK & Ireland, said, “We praise God that He has provided so clearly for the practical needs of the people of Azad Kashmir. Continued prayer is still needed for the communities affected by the earthquake- that God would continue to break down stereotypes and that the light of Jesus would shine through the interfaith relationships being formed.”

Open Doors UK & Ireland, Tel 01993 885400, www.opendoorsuk.org e-mail info@opendoorsuk.org

END 900 words.

Captions for available photos:
• Students with teachers awaiting packages
• Woman at new hospital
• Students with new school gear

For pictures also click on http://www.opendoorsuk.org/media_photos/muslim_world/html/index.htm

Two Christian foreign students from sub-Saharan Africa have been expelled from Algeria and 12 others have been commanded to leave by 27 June 2006. Authorities have taken the identity cards and residency permits from several of the students, leaving them without any proof of identity.

Authorities have not specified the reason for the expulsion. The students did, however, attend a seminar put on by a well-known Christian organisation in March 2006 in the northern city of Tizi-Ouzou. The meeting took place openly, and police asked for the names and addresses of participants.

A new law restricting non-Muslim worship was passed in March 2006, but its provisions should not have affected those attending the seminar as it does not come into effect until September.

The law was passed by presidential order which means that it is not open to debate. The law prohibits any action that ‘incites, constrains or utilizes means of seduction tending to convert a Muslim to another religion, or by using to this end establishments for teaching, for education, for health, of a social or cultural nature, or training institutions, or any other establishment, or any financial means.’ If found guilty, the defendant will face two to five years in prison and a fine of up to approximately £7,700. The law will also prohibit Christian activity anywhere outside a state-recognized church building.

Christians concerned for the future
The deportation of Christian foreigners is a cause for deep concern amongst Algerian Christians, of whom there are an estimated 40,000 believers (including expatriates). As one stated, “[Algeria is] the very same country that has been famous for its hospitality towards foreigners without distinction of race and religion! If these foreign students receive such treatment, whose faith is known by all and who have embraced the Christian faith for generations, what will it be like from September onwards for our own students and for our churches? What will it be like for those of use who are Christians from Muslim backgrounds? Only the Lord Himself knows what the future will bring!”

Eddie Lyle, CEO, Open Doors UK & Ireland, said, “We are monitoring this situation carefully in the run-up to the change in legislation, in the prayerful hope that Algeria is not taking a retrogressive step towards the further restriction of religious liberties over and above its current position."

Pray
The following points are given by Open Doors as suggestions for prayer focus:

Please pray that God touches the Algerian authorities to make wise decisions and to realize how many lives and careers will be destroyed by their decisions.

Pray for the Church in Algeria, that they would stand firm and grow through persecution, and that they would have wisdom as they respond to the legislation.

Pray for these students affected by this new government policy and who are now completely helpless. Your prayers will be a great help.

Open Doors' Project Pearl – the clandestine delivery of one million Chinese Bibles – celebrates its 25th anniversary on 18 June. Project Pearl was described by Time magazine's Beijing bureau chief as one of the most unusual and successful smuggling operations of the 20th century. Time called it “the largest operation of its kind in the history of China” in their 19 October 1981 article, 'Risky Rendezvous in Swatow'.

That evening in 1981, a 97-foot tugboat named Michael lumbered along at the sleepy speed of three knots an hour, towing the semi-submersible, 137-foot barge, Gabriella, loaded with 232 waterproof, poly-wrapped, one-ton packages containing a million Chinese Bibles.

The 20 crew members on board Michael were from Australia, Canada, Holland, New Zealand, the Philippines, the UK and the US.

By nine o’clock on that historic night, Michael approached the beach near Swatow, China (now called Shantou), weaving through a maze of anchored, Chinese navy ships in the darkness near the port city as thousands of local Christians waited patiently on the shore.

The off-loaded, floating Bible packages were towed to the beach by three small, rubber boats. The Chinese believers waded out into the water – some up to their necks – and pulled the packaged blocks up onto the beach, cut them open with shears, and handed the 45-pound cardboard boxes of Bibles to one another up across the sand and into the tree-line of the cove.

Two hours later, Michael and Gabriella and their crews left, with the one million Bibles in the care of Chinese believers who promised to circulate them across the entire country. In some cases, that process took five years, and a number of believers paid dearly for it. For them, each Bible was indeed a 'pearl of great price' referring to Matthew 13:44, from which the project was named.

Much controversy and disinformation immediately followed the delivery. Some ministries – eg China’s official Protestant Three-self Patriotic Movement (TSPM) – still claim the Bibles were thrown overboard in bags by the crew, who were forced by authorities to leave the scene.

Interestingly, there are stories of “wet” Bibles and “perfumed” Bibles from Project Pearl that continue to be shared to this day.

Wet Bibles
Some of the boxes of Bibles did get wet during the off-loading procedure. Additionally, a night patrol of Chinese police discovered some of the boxes of Bibles stashed under the trees, still awaiting transfer to a safe storage facility. The police tried unsuccessfully to burn the Bibles and then, in frustration, threw them into the water.

The next morning, fishermen plucked the floating volumes out of the sea and put them onto the roofs of their homes to dry. Later, they sold them to Christians in the area.

One well-known Chinese Christian leader acknowledged receiving “wet” Bibles from Project Pearl: in his book The Heavenly Man, Brother Yun sent a personal message via a friend that stated, “A big ‘thank you’ to Brother David and team who risked their lives for Project Pearl. And thank you so much for your great concern and love for the house church in China.”

Perfumed Bibles
Peter Xu, the leader of the Born-again Movement – one of the largest house-church networks in China – visited the American office of Open Doors three years ago. When he saw a Project Pearl Bible on a shelf there, he animatedly shared his Project Pearl experience.

After the delivery, Bibles were stored in depositories in southern China, Peter Xu sent three men every month to the depository contacts to bring back a thousand Bibles per trip for his growing house-church movement. One month, the three men were discovered with their Bible-load by the local police. The police threw the thousand Project Pearl Bibles into the cesspool of the public latrine and jailed the three men for the weekend.

On Monday, they were released and commanded to go straight home and never return. But instead, they waited inside the latrine until dark, then climbed down into the filthy cesspool of human waste and carefully retrieved each of the foul-smelling books. They rinsed them off under the local tap and carried them home. There, they dried them out, sprayed them with perfume and circulated them throughout the network. Such was the hunger for every copy of God’s Word.

The 20 crew-members of Project Pearl have been in touch with each other as the anniversary approaches. Ten are still involved in their own significant, full-time ministry in the Middle East, Europe and Asia.

Over the past 25 years, Open Doors has received many documented stories – often from unusual places and situations – of the impact of Project Pearl Bibles on the fast-growing church in China. They have been in use in virtually every province of the PRC.

Project Pearl also had an impact on the printing of Bibles inside China, which continues today. Shortly after the project was completed, China’s Three Self Patriotic Movement announced the first official printing of Bibles inside the country. In his book, Jesus in Beijing, noted author and China watcher David Aikman wrote, “[Project] Pearl had a major, long-term impact on the overall availability of Bibles in China.”

But far more important are the personal evaluations from Chinese believers: “These gifts were more precious than gold!”

Open Doors UK & Ireland – Phone: 01993 885400, email info@opendoorsuk.org or visit www.opendoorsuk.org.uk

Country's new president said to be a 'closet Islamist'
On Tuesday, 30 May, in the Comoros, off southeast Africa, four men were sentenced to three months in prison for being involved with Christianity. During the trial, Muslim fundamentalists allegedly demanded that the accused be killed for the 'terrible crime' of being involved with Christianity.

The sentence coincides with the election of a new president, Ahmed Abdallah Mohamed Sambi, who according to Open Doors sources has stated, that shari’a law needs to be practised in the Comoros Islands if the people want to see change, instead of the relaxed form of Islam prevalent in recent years. President Sambi is convinced that one day the Western world will fly the Islamic flag. According to him, Christians are unhappy because their religion is actually incomplete.
Three of the imprisoned men were arrested on Saturday afternoon, 20 May, when the police barged into a Christian meeting place that a young Christian convert from Islam had been forced to show them.
The fourth, who had attended Bible studies, but is not a professing Christian, was arrested shortly afterwards.

Timothy [all names changed for security], a 15-year old Christian convert from Islam, was reported to the police by his older brother, who was angered at Timothy's faith.
When the police questioned Timothy about his Bible study attendance, he looked at them boldly and replied, "I am a follower of Jesus Christ and I study the Bible."
Police then forced him to reveal the Bible study's meeting place.

Around 2:00pm on 20 May, police entered the meeting facility and found a Bible study leader, Peter, and the keeper, a Muslim, who opened and closed the place for the Christians.
They were both arrested, along with Timothy.

The police searched the premises and found a list of all the local believers and Muslims who have shown interest in Christianity. They confiscated several Bibles and other Christian materials.

The local TV station was on the scene to make sure news of the arrested 'infidels' reached the Muslim community.
An eyewitness reported that the media crew was hostile and shouted angry accusations at the Christians.

Detained
At the police station, Peter was allowed to phone his wife. She immediately rushed to see her husband.
When the authorities heard that she is also a believer, they locked her inside the bathroom at the police station.

Police officers interrogated Peter and Timothy before throwing them into a dark cistern at the police station. They left them there for two evenings, stripped to their underwear.
The Muslim keeper willingly shared whatever information he had about the Bible study gatherings.

Peter's wife was allowed to go home to attend to her three young children for the first two evenings of her arrest but had to return to the police station in the mornings.
She reportedly left her children with relatives during the day.
When she returned to the police station on the third day, the police changed their plans and threw her into a women's prison cell.

On the third day of their arrest, Peter and Timothy were moved to a prison cell with the Muslim keeper.
They also shared the cell with another man, Abdul, whose name was on the list that police found at the meeting place. He was arrested shortly after Timothy and Peter.
He had attended the Bible study group and showed an interest in Christianity but has not yet committed his life to Christ.

Peter and Timothy have reportedly endured physical and verbal abuse. The police beat them, shouted at them and have tried to get them to denounce their faith in Christ.
The police told them that if they renounced Jesus, they would be set free. They mockingly told them to call on their god to save them.

Police are reportedly looking for two more people whose names are on the list, but these men are currently in hiding.
In the meantime, other local believers found a lawyer to defend the four prisoners in court.
The lawyer is connected with the French embassy and defended the case on Tuesday 30 May.

Sentenced
During the trial, Muslim fundamentalists allegedly demanded that the accused be killed for the 'terrible crime' of being involved with Christianity.
At the hearing, all four men were sentenced to three months' imprisonment. They were also given a fine of £700, but the lawyer reasoned with the judge and had the fine acquitted.

Peter's wife was released after the trial. While in prison, she was reportedly harassed by guards and other inmates.
Shortly after her release, she shared with an acquaintance of Open Doors that the prison was a dark and evil place. She added that she had a dream during the past week in which God told her that trouble lay ahead and that she should prepare herself for it.
Her three children are overjoyed to have her back home, but she is constantly aware of the resistance in her village and lives in constant fear.

In spite of his sentence, the Muslim keeper reportedly continues to cooperate with the authorities, providing them with information.
Peter and Timothy are reportedly standing strong and boldly confessing their faith, which is provoking the police to greater anger.

Islamic revolution
On 30 May, the newly elected president, Ahmed Abdallah Mohamed Sambi, announced his government and pledged, "I have unleashed a green revolution," referring to the colour of the Islamic banners.

Sambi said the Comoro Islands currently practise a relaxed form of Islam and if people really want to see change, shari'a (Islamic law) should be applied.
He is convinced there will come a day when the Western world will fly the Islamic flag.
According to him, Christians are unhappy because their religion is actually incomplete.

On 30 May, Reuters reported that critics accuse Sambi of being a closet Islamic extremist who will introduce shari'a law and forge links with governments antagonistic to Westerners.
He has repeatedly denied the charge, pledging not to touch the Islamic republic's largely secular constitution and saying he will focus instead on rebuilding the economy.

Earlier, on 16 May, Reuters reported that Sambi is the son of a theologian from a large local mosque and has lived abroad extensively. He studied Arabic in Saudi Arabia for three years, theology in Sudan for one year, and Islamic political theory in Iran for four years.
Back home in Anjouan, he has set up schools for Quranic study.
He is also a businessman with interests ranging from a TV station to a perfume factory using locally grown ylang ylang spices.

According to the constitution of the Comoros, locals are supposed to have freedom of religion. The constitution states: "Equality is the right of everyone and must not have distinction based on gender, origin, race, religion, or beliefs."
Open Doors UK & Ireland – Phone: 01993 885400, email info@opendoorsuk.org or visit www.opendoorsuk.org

Ends. 1010 words.
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Police in Indonesia announced last week that suspected Islamic terrorists have confessed to beheading three Indonesian schoolgirls in Poso, on the island of Sulawesi, in October 2005, according to Compass Direct.

Five of the suspected terrorists were arrested on 5 May in Tolitoli regency, Central Sulawesi. The Jakarta Post identified them as Apriyantono, alias Irwan; Arman, alias Haris; Asrudin, Nano and Abdul Muis (some Indonesians use only a single name).

“Two of the arrested men were involved in the murders,” national police spokesman Brigadier General Anton Bachrul Alam told reporters. “Another was detained for carrying ammunition, while the other two were arrested as accessories to the crimes.”

Two additional suspects have not yet been publicly identified, reported Compass.

An Associated Press (AP) report initially said two of the seven suspects were associates of Noordin Top, a key leader of the home-grown terrorist group, Jemaah Islamiyah (JI). Alam, however, has since insisted that, “it’s certain they weren’t involved with Noordin.”

AP reported that all seven men had confessed to playing a role in the beheadings of the three Christian teenagers on 29 October 2005.

The men attacked four girls – Theresia Morangke, aged 15; Alfita Poliwo, 17; Yarni Sambue, 15; and Noviana Malewa, 15 – early in the morning as they walked to a Christian school in Poso district. The first three girls were beheaded; Noviana Malewa received serious injuries to her face and neck but survived the attack.

Noviana later described the attackers as six men wearing black shirts and masks, and said one of the men carried a two-way radio, according to Compass.

The men are also suspects in other violent attacks on Christians, including the murder of the Rev Susianty Tinulele, aged 26, who was shot at the Effatah Church in Palu, Central Sulawesi, on 18 July 2004 by a gunman who entered the church wearing a mask.

Four teenagers sitting outside the church were also injured in the attack, according to Compass.

The attacks are just the tip of the iceberg of escalation in persecution across Indonesia, which has the world’s largest Muslim population (172 million compared to 34 million Christians). Indonesian media has reported that over 150 churches have been destroyed or closed down in Jakarta and throughout the island of Java in recent years.

The increase in terrorism, intimidation and persecution of Christians is part of the Islamists' goal to implement Shariah Law – Quran-based Islamic jurisprudence – throughout Indonesia.

In fact, AP reported a bill proposed by lawmakers on the tsunami-ravaged Indonesian province of Aceh would impose Shariah on all non-Muslims, the military and police, a local law enforcement official said.

Shariah took effect last year in Aceh, a predominantly Muslim region on the northernmost tip of Sumatra island. It banned drinking, gambling, adultery and other behaviour deemed immoral under Islam. But it had only applied to Muslims.

The latest bill, submitted to the national parliament for debate, is expected to be adopted by the 550-seat house by the summer after facing initial resistance.

Some Christians in Indonesia claim the Church is growing rapidly and is actually 23 per cent of the population and not the reported 12 per cent. However, that 23 per cent has been used by Muslim extremists to claim that Christianity is growing too fast and must be resisted with force.

“Indonesia is far from an island paradise as far as the Christians community is concerned. Freedom of worship should be one of the basic human rights in any democratic nation. What possible threat could peace loving Christians pose, in terms of meeting quietly in their homes to study the Bible, and worship their God?

"We call on the Indonesian government to allow Christians to worship freely, free from intimidation or fear of death. They must not allow this latest bill to go through.

"And we call upon Christians here in the UK & Ireland to fervently pray and to exercise their democratic right to write immediately to their MP, and to see this draconian legislation stopped in its tracks.” said Eddie Lyle, CEO, Open Doors UK & Ireland.
Indonesia has a democratic government that officially allows Christians to practise their faith in many areas; however, Christians face serious opposition from rising Muslim fanaticism in the country. In recent months over 25 churches were closed down on the island of Java and Christians have great difficulty getting permits for new church buildings.
The events of the tsunami have enabled Open Doors to build relationships with Indonesian churches in Muslim-controlled areas in order to help them to stand strong in their faith and reach out in love and forgiveness to their neighbours.
Open Doors UK & Ireland – Phone 01993 885400, email info@opendoorsuk.org or visit www.opendoorsuk.org

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Brother Andrew, founder of Open Doors UK & Ireland will be speaking at venues throughout Wales and England from 20–22 May. The tour will comprise an all-day Saturday event in Llandrindod Wells, a Sunday morning meeting in Liverpool, a Sunday evening meeting in Manchester and an all-day conference for leaders on Monday.
Further details are available from the UK and Ireland office on 01993-885400 or at www.opendoorsuk.org
Lifetime of achievement
In 1994, Brother Andrew was knighted by Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands.
In 1997, he was the recipient of the World Evangelical Fellowship's Religious Liberty Award, recognising his lifetime of service to the Persecuted Church and passion for spreading the gospel.
In America, on 22 February 2003 he received the Heritage of Faithfulness Award from the Christian Association of Senior Adults.
One more honour of which Brother Andrew is particularly proud is that, after the fall of the Iron Curtain, he obtained copies of KGB reports numbering more than 150 pages about his work in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. He was surprised they knew so much about him yet were not able to stop his work!
The story of Brother Andrew's ministry in the Middle East is told in his latest book, Light Force, co-authored with Al Janssen.
He has written nine other books, including The Calling, which reveals his secrets for ministry, illustrated by his experiences over 30-plus years in countries like China, Sudan and Cuba.
Brother Andrew and his wife, Corrie, live in Holland and have five children and eight grandchildren.
The challenge of Islam
Brother Andrew feels passionately that the rapid spread of Islam could be, by far, the greatest challenge the Christian Church worldwide has faced to date. His friendships and the love of God have taken Brother Andrew into private meetings with leaders of Islamist organisations including Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah. He is among the few Western leaders to regularly travel to the Middle East as an ambassador for Christ to these groups.
He has also broken Christian religious barriers by preaching in Catholic and Coptic Orthodox churches.
He has often said, "Our mission is called 'Open Doors' because we believe any door is open, anytime and anywhere. I literally believe that.
"Every door is open to go in and proclaim Christ, as long as you are willing to go and are not worried about coming back."
Brother Andrew's work through Open Doors has led the organisation into places where most Christians are unwilling to go. His underground network of indigenous Christians has aided in the secret distribution of millions of Bibles each year.
Open Doors trains thousands of Christian pastors and lay leaders through seminaries and persecution seminars, and assists in economic relief, literacy training and vocational training in the most dangerous countries in the world.
The beginnings of ministry
In 1955, this young Dutch missionary went on a group tour to Poland, at that time a part of the Soviet bloc. There he discovered a remnant of the Body of Christ desperately in need of Bibles, support and prayer. Brother Andrew (as he would later be known around the world) distributed a suitcase full of Christian literature – marking the humble beginnings of Open Doors with Brother Andrew.
God's Smuggler, Brother Andrew's autobiography chronicling those early years, details dangerous border crossings, KGB pursuits, and his courageous journey towards living radically for Jesus Christ. The international bestseller has made a tremendous impact on Christians in the West.
Through the book and the work of the Holy Spirit, Brother Andrew's small Dutch mission became an international ministry with offices in 27 countries, working in more than 60 countries to strengthen the Persecuted Church.
It is estimated Brother Andrew has visited 125 countries in his travels to preach and befriend those in need. During his trips, he said he never had a Bible confiscated and was arrested only three times.
He often quotes Revelation 3.2 as the text for his messages delivered around the globe: "Wake Up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die."
Open Doors UK & Ireland, Tel 01993 885400, www.opendoorsuk.org e-mail info@opendoorsuk.org
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Covers of Brother Andrew’s books, God’s Smuggler and Lightforce are shown below.

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As Iraq enters the fourth year since the US-led invasion, bomb attacks and sectarian violence continue amid warnings of potential civil war. Former premier Iyad Allawi has said, "We are losing each day an average 50 to 60 people throughout the country, if not more."

At least 33,000 Iraqis have died in the violence since coalition forces starting bombing Baghdad on 20 March 2003, according to the internet site Iraq Body Count, which tracks Iraqi casualties.

The Open Doors team in Iraq, consisting only of local Iraqi Christians, is doing a remarkable job, given the turmoil. Almost every day, incidents take place that reflect the insecurity of the country. Friends and relatives of Open Doors team members have been kidnapped.

However, the increased danger in Iraq has brought increasing unity within the body of Christ. Mahmud, field coordinator for Open Doors in Iraq, says: “The leaders of various churches are still working on forming an evangelical alliance. Creating such a platform will help the Church to remain strong, forming one fist in this country.”

Open Doors remains committed to carrying out its ministry in that dangerous country and is still carrying out projects and helping local churches in Iraq.

“The problems increase. Some cities and regions have become scenes of violence, hate and oppression,” says Mahmud,.

“We are grateful for the prayers of Open Doors’ supporters and the funds made available by them for Iraq,” Mahmud emphasises.

“But life and work is not easy in Iraq.”

Open Doors biggest distributor of Christian books In Iraq

The field workers of Open Doors find creative ways to distribute Bibles, Christian books and materials like CDs and DVDs in Iraq despite the chaotic situation. Open Doors distributors have been busy transporting Bibles into different areas of the country. There is a high demand for children’s material. By the end of 2005, Open Doors had distributed 20,000 Arabic Children’s Bibles.

Open Doors’ two centres remain excellent places for distribution of materials to both students and Christian leaders: “Many Christian leaders have come to buy books. At the moment, we are the biggest distributor of Christian literature in the country,” says the country coordinator.

Libraries established

Open Doors workers in Iraq have been able to set up 12 libraries for adults and children in 12 different churches throughout the country. Open Doors has also sent many books and materials to stock these libraries, providing spiritual food to the body of Christ in Iraq.

Open Doors’ distribution coordinator explains: “Many Christian leaders like the fact that we are non-denominational, not related or linked to one church. That makes it easy for many to access and buy books from us”.

Focus cn children

It is especially important to help children and youth with Bibles and materials they can easily grasp. Open Doors recently translated and designed six small booklets in colour that illustrate six different biblical events for Iraqi children.

Open Doors also provides a special Christian music cassette for children. The goal is to bring hope to the Iraqi children.

“Wow! I consider this project one of the most wonderful projects in Iraq; oh no, in the world,” exclaimed Open Doors’ distribution and literature coordinator.

In addition, copies of the handbook Counselling Youth, a newly published daily devotional called “One Year through the Bible” as well as the Chronicles of Narnia will be distributed throughout the country in 2006.

Health literature

Proper preventive health care and basic education on hygiene are urgent needs in Iraq. Both Muslims and Christians agree on this. So in addition to Christian literature and book distribution, Open Doors will produce and print 40 brochures and leaflets in Iraq concerning medical issues. About 3 to 3.5 per cent of Iraq’s population is Christian; but the number of Christians working in hygiene and health care is approximately 10 to15 per cent. This is an area where Christians can build bridges to their Muslim neighbour.

“We are very grateful for the doors that remain open to us to minister inside Iraq,” says Eddie Lyle, CEO of Open Doors UK & Ireland.

“Iraq is a very dangerous place to minister, but our call has always been to support and strengthen suffering Christians who remain in the most difficult of situations. Please pray for the safety of our co-workers there and for increasing strength and unity amongst the churches.”

To receive more information on the Persecuted Church, call Open Doors UK & Ireland on 01993 885400, email info@opendoorsuk.org or visit www.opendoorsuk.org

END
513 words.

Open Doors strengthens persecuted Christians in over 45 countries across the world by

1. Training Church leaders and Christian workers
2. Supplying Bibles, hymnals, Sunday School materials and other Christian literature
3. Providing livelihood training and self-help opportunities
4. Visiting, comforting and encouraging those who are suffering
5. Raising awareness of the difficulties persecuted Christians face and mobilising prayer for them throughout the western world.
For other articles/press releases on the Persecuted Church, go to:
http://www.opendoorsuk.org.uk/press/articles/

http://www.opendoorsuk.org.uk/press/releases/

http://www.opendoorsuk.org/media_photos/world_watch_list_pics/html/index.htm
Check out our Recent Reports on persecution from around the world. They are updated several times a week, to keep you ‘in the know’: http://www.opendoorsuk.org.uk/news/news_recent.php

THE OPEN DOORS WORLD WATCH LIST, 2006

Explanation of the World Watch List

A specially-designed questionnaire is used to compile the World Watch List. The questionnaire contains 49 questions. A point value is assigned depending on how each question is answered. The total number of points per country determines its position on the WWL.

The questions cover various aspects of religious freedom, differentiating between the legal, official status of Christians (e.g. Does the constitution and/or national laws provide for freedom of religion?; Are individuals allowed to convert to Christianity by law?) and the actual situation of individual Christians (Are Christians being killed because of their faith?; Are Christians being sentenced to jail, labor camp or sent to a psychiatric hospital, because of their faith?). Attention is paid to the role of the church in society (Do Christians have the freedom to print and distribute Christian literature?; Are Christian publications censured/prohibited in this country?) and to factors that may obstruct the freedom of religion in a country (Are Christian meeting places and/or Christian homes attacked because of anti-Christian motives?).

The “variation” column gives an indication of how certain we are about the information obtained. Sometimes information is unconfirmed or incomplete. In that case, the “variation” will rise. Thus some countries may be ranked lower on the list because complete information is not available.

The WWL Ranking

The complete lack of religious freedom has brought North Korea again – for the fourth year in a row – to the first position on the World Watch List. The strict Islamic kingdom of Saudi Arabia continues to hold the second position. Iran is new on place three, followed by a new number four as well, Somalia. Both countries were in the top ten last year, but rose a few positions. Though the total of points for the Maldives remained the same, the changes and moves in the scores for other countries in the top ten made the archipelago rise one place. Bhutan moved from eight to six, mostly under the influence of other countries but to some extent also due to a slight rise in points. On eight we find a new country in the top ten: Yemen. We received new information on the country, especially on the situation of Christians from a Muslim background, which led to an increase in points. There were some improvements in the situation of Christians in Vietnam and Laos, which made both countries fall a few positions in the top ten: respectively from number three and four to number seven and nine. There was no major change in religious freedom for Christians in China and as such, the country continues to have the same total of points, though it fell one position from number 9 to 10 under influence of the situation in other countries. Due to less reported violence against Christians in Afghanistan in 2005 than in the previous year, the country moved from the top ten, to position number 11.

Islam is the religion of the majority in five of the top ten countries: Saudi Arabia, Iran, Somalia, Maldives and Yemen. Four countries have communist governments: North Korea, Vietnam, Laos and China. Bhutan is the only Buddhist country in the ten highest countries on the list.

Changes for the Worse
The status of religious freedom deteriorated in Iran, Uzbekistan, India and Bangladesh.

A new wave of persecution of Christians started in Iran after the election of hard-line conservative president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Since 2005´s election, many Christians – mainly those of Islamic background – have not only been rounded up for harassment, but many have been arrested and beaten. In Uzbekistan, government measures following the suppression of the popular uprising in Andijan led to restrictions in religious freedom for Christians. The level of monitoring of churches and Christians has increased considerably. Violence against Christians in India seems to be on the rise. Christians are coming under increased pressure (in the form of physical attacks, killings, depiction in the media, threats etc.) because of accusations of (alleged) outreach activities. Intolerance and atrocities against minorities are increasing in Bangladesh. A radicalisation is evident among Muslims in the country, where several Christians were murdered in connection with their faith in 2005.

Changes for the Better
The situation of Christians improved to different extents in Vietnam, Laos, Afghanistan, Sudan, Nigeria, Colombia and Mexico.

Church leaders in Vietnam and Laos indicated that the situation for Christians had improved to some extent in 2005. Christians were allowed to build and renovate church buildings and conduct training. In Laos, Christian leaders in the south were able to undertake many church activities with little or no government interference. What particularly has changed is the increasing ability of church leaders or individual Christians to bring cases of persecution and abuse by local government leaders to the respective national offices. However, the main group of Christians in the north continues to face difficulties and persecution.

In 2004, five Afghan Christian converts were killed in Afghanistan for abandoning Islam and spreading their new faith. We did not receive similar reports for 2005, which explains why Afghanistan has lost a few points. However, violence in general continues to occur frequently, as Muslim fundamentalist resistance is still active. Last year, we reported on the new hope Christians in Sudan cherished with the signing of the peace deal, which ended more than 20 years of civil war. Already in 2004 there were less incidents of violence against Christians compared to earlier years. In 2005 this trend seemed to continue, with no confirmed reports of Christians being killed for their faith and fewer other incidents reported, such as physical assaults and kidnappings. We continued to receive reports of religious violence in Nigeria in 2005. However, the violence led to fewer casualties among Christians than in 2004. Nigeria continues to be a country to observe closely, especially since plans of Muslim militants were uncovered to attack Christians in certain states and destabilize the states involved.

Whereas the status of religious freedom did not change significantly in the conflict areas of Colombia, the ranking dropped because fewer Christians were reportedly killed or arrested compared to the previous year. Nevertheless, believers in rebel-occupied areas continue to live under pressure and amidst violence, partly because of their faith, although this is not easy to discern. With regards to Christian persecution in Mexico, we received fewer reports of physical assaults, arrests, kidnappings and killings of Christians than in earlier years. Most incidents against Christians in 2005 concern exiles and threats.

World Watch List January 2006

Country Name January 2006 January 2005 Trend Variation

1. Korea, North 82,0 82,0 0 7,0
2. Saudi Arabia 68,0 68,5 0 0,0
3. Iran 67,5 63,5 - 0,0
4. Somalia 62,0 60,0 0 2,0
5. Maldives 60,5 60,5 0 9,5
6. Bhutan 59,0 57,5 0 0,0
7. Vietnam 58,0 65,0 + 0,0
8. Yemen 58,0 57,5 0 0,0
9. Laos 56,0 63,5 + 0,0
10. China 56,0 56,0 0 0,0
11. Afghanistan 53,0 57,0 + 5,5
12. Uzbekistan 52,5 49,0 - 0,0
13. Turkmenistan 52,0 54,5 0 2,0
14. Eritrea 50,5 48,5 0 3,0
15. Comoros 47,5 49,5 0 2,0
16. Pakistan 47,0 48,5 0 0,0
17. Egypt 46,0 44,5 0 0,0
18. Myanmar (Burma) 45,0 46,0 0 0,0
19. Azerbaijan 41,5 41,5 0 0,0
20. Morocco 41,5 41,5 0 1,5
21. Brunei 41,5 40,5 0 1,5
22. Libya 41,0 42,5 0 7,5
23. Iraq 39,5 42,0 0 0,0
24. Cuba 39,0 39,0 0 0,0
25. Djibouti 36,5 36,0 0 8,0
26. India 36,0 33,5 - 0,0
27. Sudan 35,0 43,5 + 0,0
28. Nigeria (North) 34,5 40,5 + 0,0
29. Tajikistan 34,0 36,5 0 0,0
30. Sri Lanka 33,5 36,0 0 0,0
31. Russia (Muslim Rep ) 33,0 35,5 0 3,0
32. Tunisia 32,5 34,5 0 5,0
33. Qatar 32,0 33,5 0 3,0
34. Nepal 31,0 31,5 0 0,0
35. Indonesia 31,0 31,0 0 3,5
36. Turkey 30,5 29,0 0 0,0
37. Algeria 30,0 30,5 0 4,5
38. Ethiopia 28,5 26,0 0 5,0
39. Bangladesh 28,5 24,0 - 0,0
40. Mauritania 27,5 28,5 0 12,5
41. Kuwait 27,5 27,0 0 2,0
42. United Arab 27,5 25,0 0 0,0
43. Belarus 26,5 26,0 0 1,5
44. Colombia (Conflict Areas) 25,5 30,0 + 0,0
45. Oman 25,5 25,0 0 0,0
46. Jordan 25,5 24,0 0 0,0
47. Syria 24,5 24,5 0 0,0
48. Mexico (South ) 22,5 29,5 + 3,5
49. Philippines (South ) 22,0 21,5 0 0,0
50. Kenya (North East) 21,5 23,5 0 0,0

Copyright © 2006 Open Doors International

Focus on the Top Ten

1. North Korea ►

Violations of human rights are the order of the day in the Stalinist country of North Korea, including many breaches of religious rights. North Korea has entered its fourth year as the worst violator of religious rights for Christians. Christianity is observed as a dangerous foreign influence which stimulated the collapse of communist regimes in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union and therefore poses one of the greatest threats to the regime’s power. As a result, the North Korean authorities are making harsh efforts to root out Christianity. It is believed that tens of thousands of Christians are currently suffering in North Korean prison camps, where they face cruel abuses. The hermit regime is suspected of detaining more political and religious prisoners than any other country in the world. Several North Koreans became Christians after crossing the border with China and entering into contact with local Christians. Many among these were exposed as believers when they returned to North Korea, and they were specially targeted for arrest. Many of them were tortured and killed. Though no exact figures can be given, our staff estimates that hundreds of Christians were killed by the regime in 2005. Amidst all of this, North Korea is trying to keep up a facade of religious freedom, trying to cover the complete lack of this inalienable human right, by -- among others -- organising government-sponsored religious services in show churches in the capital of Pyongyang, which foreigners are allowed to attend.

2. Saudi Arabia ►

Also this year, Saudi Arabia remains high in the top ten of the World Watch List. Religious freedom does not exist in the Wahhabist kingdom where citizens are only allowed to adhere to one religion: Islam. No legal protection is provided for freedom of religion, neither does this protection exist in practice. The legal system is based on Islamic law (sharia). Apostasy -- conversion to another religion -- is punishable by death. Although the government recognizes the right of non-Muslims to worship in private, the public practice of non-Muslim worship is prohibited. However, more than 70 expatriate Christians were arrested in 2005 during worship in private homes in what has been called Saudi Arabia´s largest crackdown on Christians in a decade. Most of the arrested Christians were eventually released.

3. Iran ►

Islam is the official religion in Iran, and all laws and regulations must be consistent with the official interpretation of sharia law. Whereas the deterioration of religious freedom for Christians started with the victory of conservative parties at the beginning of 2004, a new wave of persecution of Christians followed the election of a hard-line conservative president in June 2005, bringing the country to position number 3 in the World Watch List. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad hailed his election triumph as a new Islamic revolution that could spread throughout the world and pledged to restore an ‘’Islamic government’’ in Iran, implying that the previous administrations were not sufficiently Islamic. Since 2005's election, many Christians have not only been rounded up for harassment, but many have been arrested and beaten. One house church pastor was killed in November. Ethnic Christians are still allowed to express their faith within their own church walls, but those who come from a Muslim background face tremendous risk because the government wants them to return to Islam. Allegedly, local authorities throughout the nation have been given the order to crack down on all Christian cell groups. Because the churches are forbidden to assist any Muslim background believers, many ethnic churches removed their support from their brothers and sisters of Muslim origin. The new policy threatens evangelism and discipleship efforts. Muslim background believer cell groups are now meeting in secret.

4. Somalia ►

In Somalia, there is no constitution or any legal provision for the protection of religious freedom. The federal government is very weak as the warlords still have some control in different parts of Somalia. Islam is the official religion and social pressure is strong to respect Islamic tradition, especially in certain rural parts of the country. Most regions make use of local forms of conflict resolution, either secular, traditional clan-based arbitration, or Islamic (sharia) law. Less than one percent of ethnic Somalis are Christian, practicing their faith in secret. In some parts of Somalia, underground believers from a Muslim background find themselves in a worse situation in 2005. Five of these believers were killed by fundamentalist Muslims. As a result, many others became afraid and fled to Kenya and other parts of the world.

5. Maldives ►

In the archipelago of the Maldives, Islam is the official state religion and all citizens must be Muslims. Sharia law is observed, which prohibits the conversion from Islam to another religion. A convert could lose citizenship as a result. It is prohibited to practice any other religion than Islam, which is considered to be an important tool in stimulating national unity and maintenance of the government’s power. Thus it is impossible to open any churches, though foreigners are allowed to practice their religion in private if they don’t encourage citizens to participate. The Bible and other Christian materials cannot be imported apart from a copy for personal use. In the country -- one of the least evangelized countries on earth -- there are only a handful indigenous believers, and they live their faith in complete secrecy. The lack of respect for religious freedom in the Maldives remained the same during 2005.

6. Bhutan ►

Mahayana Buddhism is the state religion in the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan. Officially, the Christian faith does not exist and Christians are not allowed to pray or celebrate in public. Also, the government forbids Christian house gatherings that involve several families. Priests are denied visas to enter the country. Christians are being deprived of their rights, such as children’s education, government jobs and setting up private businesses. The import of printed religious matter is restricted, and only Buddhist religious texts are allowed in the country. Society exerts strong pressure to comply with Buddhist norms. Christians are regularly arrested, as the local police often use arrests as a pressure tactic to make believers refrain from witnessing. Believers are not only experiencing pressure from the authorities but also from Buddhists clerics, sometimes experiencing physical assaults.

7. Vietnam ►

Vietnam is one of the last communist-ruled countries in the world. Although the constitution provides for religious freedom, the atheist regime tries to keep religion under strict control with a system of obligatory registrations. Many believers escape this by not registering. From time to time the Vietnamese government holds campaigns and closes churches, especially in the highlands. Vietnam drops a few places on the list, as Christians have expressed that their situation has improved in 2005, compared to previous years. In November 2004, a new ordinance was implemented in Vietnam to regulate religion. Though many feared this would lead to increasing oppression, it seems that the new ordinance has in fact resulted in slight improvements. The Evangelical Church of Vietnam was allowed to build and renovate church buildings and conduct trainings. For Roman Catholics, the situation improved dramatically: they were allowed to open a new diocese and ordain 57 new priests. Though arrests and beatings of Christians continued during 2005, they seem to take place to a lesser extent than in 2004, when more than 100 Christians were imprisoned and maltreated and an unknown number killed during Easter demonstrations against religious rights.

8. Yemen ►

The Yemeni constitution guarantees freedom of religion but it also declares that Islam is the state religion and that sharia is the source of all legislation. The Yemeni government allows expatriates some freedom to live out their faith, but Yemeni citizens are not allowed to convert. There are a handful of converts from Islamic background who face the death penalty if they are discovered. During the past year, several Christian converts were arrested and beaten for their faith. Nearly all those arrested were released after paying a fine/bribe.

9. Laos ►

Together with Cuba, North Korea, Vietnam and China, Laos is one of the remaining communist-ruled countries in the world. Laos’ constitution provides for religious freedom. However, the absence of rule of law and specific regulation on religious matters allows local officials to interpret and implement the constitutional provisions as they choose. The Laotian authorities allow limited presence of Christianity and put believers under strict surveillance. The regime limits the number of open churches and regularly closes churches, especially in the countryside. The biggest challenges to the church in Laos are societal pressure against converts who renounce evil spirit worship. But still there are many unregistered activities and the church seems to be growing despite persecution. Our staff in the region report that the situation for Christians has improved over 2005, particularly in the southern part of the country. The situation has especially improved at the grassroots level. Christian leaders in the south have expressed that they are able to undertake many church activities with no or little government interference, and training of leaders by major local leaders has increased. What particularly has changed in the last three years is the increasing ability of church leaders or individual Christians to bring cases of persecution and abuse by local government leaders to the respective national offices. When abuses were reported to the national government, local officials were reprimanded and removed from office or transferred to other locations. However, the main group of Christians in the north continues to face difficulties and persecution. Though to a lesser extent than in previous years, Christians continued to be arrested for their faith and put under pressure to renounce their faith in 2005. Bible imports were cancelled in August as the regime stepped up monitoring the provinces that were used to transport the materials.

10. China ►

In China, the constitution provides for freedom of religious belief and the freedom not to believe. New comprehensive regulations on religious affairs passed on March 1. The most significant change is that a church can register directly under the Religious Affairs department instead of under the Three Self Patriotic Movement (TSPM). There seems to be no real change compared to the old religion law though and it appears that the government is using the new regulations to pressure unregistered house churches to register and extend control over them. During 2005, a massive crackdown took place on house churches throughout China in which thousands of Christians were arrested. Most of them were released after a few days.

Countries Where the Situation Deteriorated ►

Along with Iran, the status of religious freedom deteriorated in Uzbekistan, India and Bangladesh.

In Uzbekistan, government measures following the suppression of the popular uprising of May in Andijan had its repercussions for the religious freedom of Christians. According to our local co-workers, a wave of persecution has flooded over the country since. Whereas most incidents of persecution used to be observed in the autonomous republic of Karakalpakstan, they now also occur increasingly in the remaining part of Uzbekistan. The level of monitoring churches has increased, with local authority and secret police officials visiting and inspecting churches. Several Protestant pastors have been placed under secret police surveillance and have been threatened with arrest if they do not shut down their unregistered churches. Several Christians were imprisoned during 2005, mostly because of “illegally practicing their faith’’ or “leading an unregistered religious community.’’ Several churches were closed down in towns near Tashkent. Though most of the persecution comes from the government, Christians from an Islamic background in remote parts of the country also encounter resistance from fundamentalist Muslims and are put under pressure to return to their former faith. They are publicly humiliated and hounded out of their homes and jobs for converting to Christianity.

Incidents against Christians seem to be on the rise in India. Violence against Christians and attacks on churches increased during 2005. The central government, dominated by the moderate Congress Party, has a neutral attitude towards the church. Many state governments, however, are dominated by the BJP and related Hindu fundamentalist groups, and the central government has little to say here. At the local level, therefore, Christians are coming under increasing pressure (in the form of physical attacks, depiction in the media, threats etc.) because of accusations of (alleged) outreach activities. Hindu fundamentalists have free reign at state and local levels, and that is why various states have introduced anti-conversion legislation. During the past year, we observed the following developments in India: a campaign to provide equal rights to Christian Dalits, anti-conversion legislation drives in various states, campaigns to re-convert Christian tribals to Hinduism, physical attacks against lay Christians and clergy, threats, and several Christians were murdered. Christians were arrested in Madhya Pradesh on forced conversion charges and in Uttar Pradesh on accusations of disturbance of public peace.

Bangladesh has a rather weak government, which is coming under increasing influence of Muslim fundamentalists. Intolerance and atrocities against minorities are on the rise. Also our co-workers observe an increase in radicalization among Muslims in the country. Christians are not safe in this country, especially Muslims who convert to Christianity. In 2005, several Christians were killed by Muslim extremists. In August a series of more than 100 bomb explosions sounded the wake-up call to the government and the Christians that radical Islam is gaining more and more ground in the country. There were even reports that radical Muslims had threatened to kill all non-Islamic spiritual leaders in Bangladesh.

Countries Where the Situation Improved ►

Besides Vietnam and Laos, the situation for Christians improved to different extents in Afghanistan, Sudan, Nigeria, Colombia and Mexico.

During 2005 there were fewer reports of violation against Christians in Afghanistan than in the previous year. In 2004, five Afghan Christian converts were killed for abandoning Islam and spreading their new faith. We did not receive similar reports for 2005, which explains the fact that Afghanistan has lost a few points.

However violence in general continues to occur frequently, as Muslim fundamentalist resistance is still active. There is still much anarchy in this Islamic republic and the central government does not control the entire country. In part, Afghanistan resembles Somalia, where clans dominate the scene. Islam pervades all aspects of society and sharia law is more or less in force. Christians need to be very careful. Foreigners caught in outreach are jailed and usually deported. Converts may be punished with death – though this has not happened recently.

Last year, we reported on the new hope Christians in Sudan cherished, with the signing of the peace deal by the government and the SPLA rebel leaders, to end more than 20 years of civil war. In 2004, there were less incidents of violence against Christians as far as we could verify, compared to earlier years. In 2005 this trend seemed to continue, with no confirmed reports of Christians being killed for their faith and fewer incidents reported, such as physical assaults and kidnappings.

We continued to receive reports of religious violence in Nigeria in 2005. However, the violence led to fewer casualties among Christians than in 2004, when more than 1,500 Christians were killed and more than 173 churches destroyed. Christian and Muslim leaders blame the violence on social tensions produced by the implementation of sharia law in 12 northern states in Nigeria at the beginning of the new century. In this respect, Nigeria continues to be a country to observe closely, especially since plans of Muslim militants were uncovered to attack Christians in certain states and destabilize the states involved. The plans discovered in Kano state stated the motive to force observance of Islamic law. Groups of militants in the state have been recruited and sent to Saudi Arabia to undergo training, according to Compass Direct.

Whereas the status of religious freedom did not change significantly in the conflict areas of Colombia, the ranking dropped because fewer Christians were reportedly killed or arrested compared to the previous year. Nevertheless, believers in rebel-occupied areas continue to live under pressure and amid violence, partly because of their faith, although this is not easy to discern. The national army and guerrilla factions accuse believers of being allied with the rival group, although the church holds strong to its conviction of non-violence. Guerrilla groups are also blaming the church for discouraging local youth from joining the insurgency. Pastors are kidnapped for money, and many live under threats of kidnapping. Evangelical families are among the thousands of persons displaced by fighting.

Regarding Christian persecution in Mexico, we received fewer reports of physical assaults, arrests, kidnappings and killings of Christians than in previous years. This does not necessarily mean the situation has improved for the local Christians. We noticed last year that whereas Christian persecution in Mexico used to take place mainly in the southern state of Chiapas, incidents were now reported in the east-central state of Hidalgo and Jalisco state in the west as well. Most incidents concern exiles and threats. In the state of Chiapas, town leaders have tried to ban evangelicals also. Apparently a fierce Mexican nationalism expressing itself in anti-Americanism and anti-Protestantism, and insisting on ´traditional´ cultural observance is behind the persecution of Protestants.