| 465 DAILY MARTYRS |
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believers are being murdered daily for their faith. (JHD Calculation) |
INDIA UPDATE U.S RELEASES REPORT ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOM BELIEVERS BEING WATCHED IN THE MALDIVES LAOS CALLS CHURCHES A SECURITY THREAT CHRISTIAN RADIO STATION CLOSED IN GREECE POLICE CONFISCATE BIBLES IN SAUDI ARABIA
"Christian and Hindu tensions continue in India. The radical Bajrang Dal is defending a strategy of forced reconversions to Hinduism among tribal peoples. One tribal member told the Associated Press that Hindu radicals came to his village, pushed him into some water to be scrubbed clean of Christ, and forced him to worship a depiction of Hanuman, a monkey god of Hinduism. The Christians, one radical says, " 'want to kill Hinduism." But the Bajrang Dal will stamp out anyone who tries that.’" (World Pulse, February 4, 2000)
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"The U.S. State Department released its first report on religious freedom around the world. The 1,000-page report documents the status of religious rights in 194 countries. Iran, Afghanistan, China, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Sudan were singled out as nations that severely repress the religious freedoms of their citizens. (The Baptist Vision, February 2000)
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"A news report on the situation which began in June 1998 in the Maldives, a closed Islamic nation in the Indian Ocean, south of India, reveals how prayer, letters and vocal protest from Christians in many nations made a positive impact. Suspected Christians were expelled from the country or kept in prison, mistreated and tortured for up to five months. Because it became obvious that the world knew the truth of how Christians were being treated, the Moldavian government released the believers." (World Evangelical Defender, January 2000)
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"The South China Morning Post of Hong Kong, reports Thai-based monitors of the church in Laos say the government is determined to shut down churches because they view them as a threat to security. Six Laotians were arrested for their Christian activities on November 8 and 13. There are 46 Christians known to be in prison in Laos charged with 'believing in the Jesus religion' or 'religious belief.'" (World Evangelical Defender, January 2000)
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"The Greek Evangelical Alliance (a member of WEF) reports the forcible closure of a Christian radio station in Athens in December. The station has been in operation since 1988. An accusation that the station interferes with other frequencies is unsubstantiated." (World Evangelical Defender, January 2000)
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"Edward Romero, a Filipino Christian, remains in custody after being detained by police on December 1. Police searched his home and took his Bible and Christian leadership training materials. The police gave no reason for the arrest..."
(World Evangelical Defender, January 2000)
Back To Modern Martyrs Index 2
BRO. ANDREWS’ TOP-20 LIST--Mid-1999 -- The missions agency Open Doors has published its
World Watch List detailing countries in which Christians are persecuted. The worst nations,
in descending order of level of persecution, are: Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Sudan, China,
Yemen, Morocco, Iran, Libya, Tunisia, Egypt, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Chechnya, Pakistan, Laos,
Maldives, Qatar, Turkmenistan, North Korea, and Somalia. The World Watch is published four
times a year. (Religion Today, August 18, 1999)
"The Evangelical Fellowship of Sri Lanka, a member of WEF, reports that a church in the village of Makola off the coast of India, was attacked and destroyed by Buddhist extremists on January 15. The likely reason for this attack is the belief held by Buddhist extremists that Sri Lanka is a Sinhala Buddhist country and the Christian Protestant minority, which is only 0.92% of the population, should not be allowed to exist and convert Buddhists. The church stands on the pastor's own family land. The monk vowed he would never let a church exist in that area." (World Evangelical Defender, March 2000)
"The new release read 'The way is now clear for establishing the first Christian church in Qatar.' This is another sign of Qatar opening up to new vistas of freedom and religion reports the Gulf Times. The small oil producing peninsula jutting off the east coast of Saudi Arabia has prohibited the public practice of any religion except the strict Wahhabi interpretation of Islam. The decision is another democratic first for Qatar's young emir, Sheikh Hyamad bin Khalifa al-Thani." (World Evangelical Defender, March 2000)
"The militant Islamic government of northern Sudan bombed a hospital on March 7 for the second time in a week. No fatalities have been reported in the attack on the Samaritan's Purse hospital in the southern city of Lui, but a raid on March 1 killed two people and injured many others. The National Islamic Front (NIF) government bombers killed 13 children in February in a bombing raid that destroyed a school in the Nuba Mountain region. Large concentrations of Christians reside in the Nuba region. A British Broadcasting Company correspondent reports no military targets exist nearby. Nearly 2 million people have died since 1983 in the war against Christians and animists in the country's south." (World Evangelical Defender, March 2000)
"The US State Department plans to introduce a resolution condemning Chins for its human rights record at the United Nations Human Rights Commission meeting in Geneva in March. Spokesman James Rubin said 'Over the past year, the government of China intensified its crackdown on political dissent, initiated a campaign to suppress the Falun Gong, and intensified controls on unregistered churches and on the political and religious expression of ethnic minority groups, especially Tibetans." (World Evangelical Defender, March 2000)
"The Bulgarian parliament is debating proposed restrictive legislation similar to that passed in Macedonia and Romania. The Bulgarian National Assembly approved a first reading of the bill in early March, to create a two-tiered system giving only the Orthodox Church full religious freedom." (World Evangelical Defender, March 2000)
"In a deliberate loosening of religious freedom restrictions, the government of Azerbaijan (located east of Turkey) approved two Protestant churchs' long-standing applications for registration - the Cathedral of Praise and the Nehemiah Church." (World Evangelical Defender, March 2000)
"According to a new Center for Religious Freedom study release on February 3 and other reports by the Cardinal Kung Foundation, it is now evident that Chinese authorities have arrested and detained at least five Roman Catholic bishops during the latter half of 1999. The government appears to intend that two of those imprisoned would be replaced by government-ordained bishops in a January 6 ceremony that drew sharp criticism from the Vatican." (The First Freedom, January/February 2000)
"The Center has been closely monitoring and protesting the recent massacres in Al Kosheh, Egypt. In December, a disagreement between a Christian shop owner and a Muslim street vendor escalated into sectarian violence in the town, where in 1998 over 1,200 Christians were arrested, tortured, and abused by local police. On January 2, 21 Christians were killed and 50 Christian homes and shops and a church were burned by a rampaging mob of 3,000 Muslims. One Muslim was also killed." (The First Freedom, January/February 2000)
"Two Turkish Christians ... were arrested March 1 while selling and distributing Christian literature outside of the city of Izmir. Both men are employees of an official book distribution company, registered in Turkey since January, 1996. Both [have] changed their religious identity from Muslim to Christian on their permanent identity papers." (World Evangelical Defender, March 2000)
"An Oregon church is forbidden to hold weddings or funerals. The Portland City Council granted a Presbyterian congregation a permit to build a church and school on a 10-acre site, but said that in order to keep traffic down it could not hold weddings or funerals, The Associated Press said. The congregation meets in a building that holds 125 people but needs a 400-seat facility to handle its growing congregation, pastor Larry Jung said. 'We're definitely not in the Bible Belt,' Jung said, noting that Oregon is one of the least-churched states. He will appeal the decision to the state's Land Use Board of Appeals. It also will hear the appeal of a Methodist church that was ordered this month to limit the size of its services and cut back on programs to feed the hungry because of purported traffic concerns." (Religion Today, February 22, 2000)
"A ministry is facing discrimination in Tampa, Fla. Sponsors of the Love Won Out conference, which protects young people from homosexuality, say media in the city are censoring their ads, Associated Baptist Press said. Radio stations have pulled advertisements promoting the conference and other media have refused to run the ads, John Paulk of Focus on the Family said. 'What we're experiencing is pure censorship,' Paulk said. Focus plans to hold the conference Feb. 26 at Bell Shoals Baptist Church in Brandon. The ministry, which teaches public school administrators, teachers, and parents how to protect children from what it calls 'the homosexual agenda,' has held conferences in Ohio, Tennessee, Illinois, and California. A Tampa Baptist church was vandalized because of the conference, news reports said. Someone wrote the message 'Tired of being Baptist?' in pink spray paint on Seminole Heights Baptist Church Feb. 13. The message is a takeoff on an ad for the conference that appeared in the Tampa Tribune that reads, 'Tired of Being Gay?'" (Religion Today, February 22, 2000)
"Minority religious communities in central Russia could be outlawed. Authorities in Voronezh are appealing to the courts to outlaw 13 groups, including Baptist, Pentecostal, and Lutheran churches, and Jewish groups, Keston News Service said. They are relying on a restrictive religion law passed in 1997 that requires most religious minorities to reregister with the government Thousands of groups have failed to register because of bureaucratic holdups, and the Russian Duma has voted to extend the deadline, but Voronezh officials have not rescinded their lawsuit. No Russian Orthodox groups have been sued, and officials would not reveal how many Orthodox groups, if any, have failed to register, Keston said." (Religion Today, February 24, 2000)
"Bob Torricelli wants Congress to criticize Bob Jones University. The Democratic senator from New Jersey made a proposal that would condemn discriminatory practices and attitudes he says are prevalent at the. . . school in Greenville, S.C., The Associated Press said. The school forbids interracial dating and officials have made anti-Catholic comments in the past, news reports say. . . Sen. John Ashcroft (R-Mo.) has been criticized by Democrat colleagues for recently accepting an honorary degree from the school." (Religion Today, February 25, 2000) Editor's Note [DeVries]: We have said for years that Bob Jones is NOT the "fundamental" school that it claims to be. Now we read that they have just given an honorary doctorate to an ordained CHARISMATIC minister. So much for the university's FALSE claim that they practice "separation" from such groups.
"The last Assemblies of God church building in Vietnam has been demolished. The building, in the coastal city of Vung Tau, was destroyed and members of the government-sanctioned Tinh Lanh Church have taken possession of the property, Voice of the Martyrs said. Church members have gone underground. The Tinh Lanh congregation owns property next to the Assemblies of God church and took control because it wanted to expand, VOM's Todd Nettleton told Religion Today. Since Tin Lanh is the state-sanctioned church, 'no one really batted an eye over it,' he said. The Assemblies of God had 10 buildings before 1975, but nine were destroyed or confiscated by the government. Vietnam does not allow denominations, and most Christians meet in unofficial house churches. Samuel Lam, Assemblies of God resident in Ho Chi Minh City, has asked U.S. churches to pray for Christians in Vietnam, and especially for members of the recently destroyed church." (Religion Today, February 25, 2000)
"A Confrontation is shaping up in Indianapolis as Temple Baptist Church of Indianapolis prepares to defy a court order to vacate. The 7th Circuit Court has order the church to vacate and allow the government to confiscate the church on April 10, as a result of failure to pay/withhold taxes. The church is not a 501c3 and has not registered as a church or school, but has continued to operate as a free and independent church and school. Upon receiving the court order, the Indiana militia began to look into the matter. Last night, it was announced that the Kentucky and Ohio militia will join with Indiana to defend the church. Today there were suggestions that the Tennessee and Michigan militias would also join the effort. The Baptist Temple Church, 19 Judicial District 2711 SE, Indianapolis, has a Sunday attendance of about 1000. The former pastor of 50 years, Pastor Greg Dixon, was on the radio show today to discuss the matter. His son is currently the pastor of the church. Pastor Dixon said that this is a free country, with free speech and freedom of religion. He said the people of the congregation do not plan to leave their church. He also said that Janet Reno is actually Johnny Reno, that anyone can see that she is a man. Most likely, it's such remarks that have failed to endear the Pastor to the feds who have obviously targeted this church for an April, 2000 confrontation - yes, it's April once again." (Alex Jones Radio Show)
According to late reports (mid-December, 1999) two more pastors are in jail in
Turkmenistan. Baptist pastors Vladimir Chernov and Anatoly Belyayev have reportedly
been arrested and are being held in an undisclosed location. . .
Authorities conducted raids on Baptist churches in four Turkmenistan
cities Dec. 16-17. (adapted from Religion Today, December 30, 1999)
"Scores of Chinese school children were punished for attending a Sunday School class. About
100 children in Li Xi village attended a class run by a house church. . . . . Authorities
decided to discourage the practice by punishing the children through their local school.
Authorities told the principal to come to the Sunday service with them. They stopped the
class and told the principal to look at every face very closely. The next week the children
who had been in the Sunday school class received corporal punishment, had their grades
reduced, and were told not to return to the Sunday school class. Attendance has dropped
to about 20 students." Religion Today, September 20, 1999)
"A church is being rebuilt at the former Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas. Talk show
host Alex Jones of Austin is building the church as a memorial to those killed in the compound,
which was destroyed in a government raid and fire in 1993 that resulted in the deaths of leader
David Koresh and about 80 followers.
Construction is expected to take about three months, Jones said. Koresh follower Clive Doyle,
who survived the fire, said he has been leading about 20 people in Bible studies near Waco
and will lead services at the new church." (Religion Today, September 21, 1999)
"Sudan is using chemical weapons against Christians in the south. . . Several children have died and scores of people are ill from chemical attacks by the Islamic Khartoum regime...Three bombing raids against two southern towns . . . dropped bombs that create smoke and turn drinking water to black and then red. . . the attacks are part of a campaign of genocide. . . the Khartoum government. . . has systematically employed genocidal activities aimed at wiping out the people of southern Sudan. The government targets Christian Churches and schools for destruction." (Religion Today, September 22, 1999)
"Christians in Myanmar have been forced at gunpoint to recant their faith. Zhahu Tarhuja of the Nagaland Baptist Church . . . said the military has interrupted church services, destroyed Churches, and taken over others for its own use, Compass Direct News said. More than 1,000 Naga Christian tribespeople have fled the region into neighboring India, he said." (Religion Today, September 24, 1999)
"Christian and Hindu tensions continue in India. The radical Bajrang Dal is defending a strategy of forced reconversions to Hinduism among tribal peoples. One tribal member told the Associated Press that Hindu radicals came to his village, pushed him into some water to be scrubbed clean of Christ, and forced him to worship a depiction of Hanuman, a monkey god of Hinduism. The Christians, one radical says, 'want to kill Hinduism. But the Bajrang Dal will stamp out anyone who tries that.' " (from World Pulse, February 4, 2000)
"A Turkmen pastor goes on trial Nov. 11 for violating the country's criminal code. Rahim
Tashov has been harassed for his work with his Baptist congregation in the eastern town of
Turkmenabad, Compass Direct News said. It is believed he will be prosecuted for his religious
work with children, a source told Compass.
Workers with the National Security Committee have pressured parents to accuse Tashov of
teaching their children religion without their consent, and several have been coerced into
signing statements, Compass said. Security officers entered Tashov's church Oct. 24 and took
him to prison, where he was beaten and threatened with lengthy imprisonment before being
released the next day. Several attorneys refused to take his case. . . Authorities in Turkmenistan
delayed the trial of an imprisoned pastor whose family has not seen him for weeks. Rahim
Tashov has been in prison since Oct. 31, but his family has been denied visits, Compass
Direct News said. The postponement of his Nov. 11 trial has them concerned, Compass said.
'We want to know where he is -- even to know if he is still alive,' a source said.
Tashov's wife, Narjemal, has been turned away from the prison and has been denied information
about his whereabouts or condition, Compass said. The couple has a 3-year-old son and is
expecting another child in six months. Police arrested Tashov Oct. 24, but released him a
day later with a warning to curtail his religious activities. They arrested him again a week
later." (Religion Today, November 11 and 12, 1999)
Turkmenistan Pastor Rahim Tashov is home with his wife and child after being released from
prison Nov. 12. Tashov, a Baptist, spent 12 days in a Turkmenabad prison before being fined
and freed by the regional governor's office. . . Authorities cautioned that he would face
criminal charges under a law governing unregistered congregations if he continues to hold
services at his church. Tashov argues that the country's constitution guarantees freedom of
conscience and religion.
Police have not returned a computer and Christian literature confiscated when they raided
Tashov's home Oct. 31, He has said he might bring a legal action against the law enforcement
agencies over the fine and confiscation of the items. (Religion
Today, November 17, 1999)
A sixth-grader has been punished for refusing to curse in class. Hanna Darnell, 12, was
reading a portion of a book out loud in front of her classmates recently when she came to
the word 'damn.' When Darnell skipped over the word and 'respectfully explained that she did
so because of her Christian beliefs,' she was sent to the principal, who ordered her to say
the word or be suspended for the rest of the day, a spokesman for the Rutherford Institute
said. The Virginia-based rights group is representing Darnell, who attends C. B. Eller
Elementary School in Elkin, N.C.
A week after the reading incident, Darnell's teacher ordered her to remove the letters WWJD
(What Would Jesus Do) and several crosses she had drawn on the blackboard as part of a
'feature one child' class-participation program in which students express themselves.
The Rutherford Institute says the teacher's actions violated the girl's right to free speech
and forced her to go against her religious beliefs. It has asked that the school apologize
in writing and that the apology be sent to other schools in the district to preclude other
incidents. (Religion Today, November 30, 1999)
Muslim youth gangs destroyed 14 Christian Churches in Nigeria. Hundreds of rioters attacked churches in Ilorin in the central part of the country Dec.18-19, Reuters said. The region lies between the mainly Muslim north and the Christian and animist south. The country's 108 million people are evenly divided between Muslims and Christians. (Religion Today, December 21, 1999)