Egypt looks forward, one year after massacre (EnergyPublisher)
(EnergyPublisher) 03 January 2012 - One year has passed since the terrible massacre in the Church of the Two Saints, in Alexandria on New Year’s eve last year, which left more than twenty dead and a hundred wounded. One year later the facts regarding those responsible for committing this horrible crime are no clearer. There have been rumourswhich assert that it was the ministry of internal affairs who ordered the attack, but no investigation results have so far been published. Yesterday, the last Friday of the year, the protestant church called for a peaceful demonstration in Tahrir square to commemorate this anniversary, asking people to come with armed only with candles and no other religious symbol. A large demonstration led by Shaykh Mazhar Shaheen processed from Omar Makram mosque in Midan al Tahrir up to the Evangelical Church of Qasr al Doubara, one street behind Midan al Tahrir to celebrate the Chrismas and New Year’eve feasts.
Three weeks after last New Year’s eve attack the January 25 revolution exploded, and since then many difficult events have succeeded each other making it a hard time for the population, and mainly for Egyptian Christians. In fact, the Alexandria massacre took place less than a year after the violent attack at Nag Hammadi, in Upper Egypt on the eve of the Coptic Christmas celebrations, on the 7th of January 2010, which left seven dead and many wounded. And less than two months after clashes over a church construction in the suburb of Giza, next to Cairo, that left two dead and many wounded.
Early in March 2011, the Church of the Two Martyrs in Sol, next to Helwan, in the southern suburb of Cairo, was set on fire killing two people died. The motive for the arson attack was a forbidden love affaire between a Christian young man and a Muslim girl. The two fathers died in a quarrel, then the Muslim population burned the church. The Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF) decided to rebuild the church which was ready for Easter one month later.
During March the awful virginity test was imposed on young women arrested by the authorities.
On Saturday, March 7, two churches in Imbaba, in a western suburb of Cairo, were attacked by fundamentalist mobs, with the result of a dozen Christians killed and the burning of the two churches. This suburb had once been termed ‘the Islamic Republic of Imbaba’.
In June 2011 a long awaited draft bill on building permits for places of worship both for Islam and Christianity was brought before parliament. But still today, this law has not been implemented.
On June 29, a vast confrontation between demonstrators and police forces left more than one thousand wounded. Again, on July 23, another confrontation resulted in more than two hundred wounded.
On September 30th, a church in Marinab village, in Asswan governorate was raised by Muslim fundamentalists who had decided to eradicate the village church by first pretending it was a new construction, than demanding it remove its crosses and the domes and finally burning the church, and many households belonging to the Christian population, without any protection from the civil authorities, rather, on the contrary with the obvious blessing of Asswan governor.
On Sunday October 9, a Christian demonstration began in Cairo to demand equal rights for Christians and justice for the Marinab village church. Numerous Muslim demonstrators were joined their Christian compatriots. What took place was a veritable slaughter which has now become known as the ‘Maspero massacre’ : The army attacked demonstrators resulting in 25 people dead and 350 wounded, many of them crushed under the wheels of advancing armouredvehicles. The state television located on Maspero Avenue launched
an appeal that verged on a call to civil war appealing to the population to come and protect the armed forces ‘savagely attacked by Christian demonstrators’. Three soldiers were reported dead, but in the end revealed to be only lightly wounded.
On October 10, the culprit of Nag Hamadi attack of January 7, 2010, who had been sentenced to death, was executed.
Then came the protests of Mohammad Mahmoud Street on November 19 (see 21/11/2011Egypt, toll rises from Tahrir Square clashes: 30 dead and thousands injured), and later in mid December, the demonstrations and sit-in around the Parliament and the Ministers Council buildings (see 17/12/2011 Egypt: clashes between the army and demonstrators continue in front of the Houses of Parliament), with a heavey toll of dead and wounded.
In just one year, more than one thousand people have died, thousands of more wounded, an estimated one thousand two hundred people lost one or both eyes, and probably twelve thousand demonstrators were arrested and judged by military courts. Many politicalpersonnalities and well-known journalists have also been summoned and mistreated.
It is reported that since last March, one hundred thousand Christian Egyptians have left the country emigrating to different destinations. Many people among the Christian community, and among the poorest of them, would now like to apply for religious asylum in countries like the USA, Canada, or Australia.
Recently many bishops reported to have received threatening letters to prevent them from celebrating the New Year and Christmas. Pope Shenouda III, head of the Coptic Orthodox Church replied two days ago that ‘we do not fear any threats and we shall celebrate the feasts’, though everybody knows that the celebrations will be restricted inside churches and earlier than the usual midnight masses. The Catholic Church, which celebrates Christmas in Cairo, Alexandria and Lower Egypt on the December 25, had all the masses between 7 and 9p.m. All the churches were surrounded by police forces, which will be the same for the Orthodox Christmas on the eve of January 7.
‘Christmas is celebrated this year in Egypt in a state of ‘sad joy’ because of the general situation: sadness, because the year that passed has been a severe one not only for Christians but also for Muslims. From the massacre of the Two Saints’ church in Alexandria last year to the battle at the Ministers Council, through the Maspero massacre and the hard economic situation, all of this has left a wounded and suffering Egyptian society as Fr Rafic Greiche, official spokesman of the Catholic Church in Egypt, stated yesterday.
‘On the other hand, added Fr Greiche, we must preserve some joy, because every Egyptian is still full of hope that the difficulties and obstacles will be resolved little by little in building a new democratic state in this land that once sheltered Jesus and the Holy Family, where dignity, justice and equality should prevail for everyone’.
On this point, many political experts consider that the parliamentary elections have really attracted the majority of the population who felt for the first time they were really participating in their political duty and right. But many of them are still critical feeling that it was more a religious election than a democratic one, since no-one stopped the parties from using religious slogans when it was strictly forbidden.
An anecdotal gag was bandied about during the election campaign which went: ‘Women electors and men electors, whatever your religion, please vote for the salafist islamic party al-Noor. If you are Muslim, you shall go to Paradise. If you are Christian, you shall go [flee] to Canada!’
But there were also many positive reactions, mainly from the well known slogan of the 1919 revolution of the famous leader Saad Zaghloul, founder of the Wafd party that says ‘Religion is for God, and Homeland is for all’. The design of the Cross and the Crescent intertwined is more and more obviously brandished. Let us recall that in mid October the SCAF adopted a draft law incriminating discrimination and violence, which is usually aimed at Christians and women. But still, we have to see if this law is really being implemented in the daily life. On the other hand many people are reacting to Muslim preachers on Fridays correcting what they feel is an open attack against Christians, among whom, mainly Nawwara Negm, daughter of the famous anarchist poet Ahmad Fouad Negm, and strong activist since the beginning of the January revolution.
A young Christian student in the end of primary course, Myriam Armanios (11-12 years old) wrote two days ago on Facebook : ‘Like you, I have the right to celebrate my feasts’. More than 3 thousand pupils sustained her as well as the Maspero Youth Federation. A demonstration was organized in front of the ministry of education to protest against the fixed dates for midyear exams on the 1st and the 8th of January [the Coptic Christmas period]. The minister of education decided immediately to postpone the examinations for a couple of days later.
After the Lotus or Jasmin or Spring revolution, many promises were made by the government but none were achieved : like putting the minimum salary up to 750 Egyptian Pounds (a little less than 100 euros per month); offering a pension to the ‘martyrs’ of the revolution and the ‘martyrs’ of Maspero massacre; offering free medical care and treatment for all the wounded of the revolution and of Maspero massacre; an end to bringing civilians before military courts; adjusting the price of petrol to the standard prices in Spain, Turkey, Israel and Jordan; organizing impartial investigations into the Maspero, Mohammad Mahmoud street and Council of Minister massacres, as well as many other economic promises: until now none of these have been kept, provoking a general state of disillusionment.
Another point is the looming anniversary of the January 25th revolution: is the SCAF ready to let demonstrators gather? is the official press and media, as well as the interim government ready to stop accusing demonstrators of being agents and agitators manipulated by foreign powers? These last two days about twenty NGOs involved in human rights were raided, their computers seized and they were accused of being illegally financed by abroad.
Faced with this old approach to this important juncture, many observers express that the old regime is still active. As expressed by Pr Ezzeddine Shukry, professor of political science: ‘A regime that is not yet over, in front of a revolution that is not yet broken’.
We have to point out finally that the blogger Alaa Abd al Fattah, arrested in November and accused of criminal acts during Maspero massacre, has finally been released on probation in his flat, until a further judgement. Another positive act was the administrative court that stopped the virginity test imposed on young women arrested by the armed forces.
Pr Shukry perfecttly expresses the feeling among the general population when he says, ‘the situation is confused for the moment, but we must keep hope for the future, because the revolution movement has not been overcome, it is still active and will never be defeated’. He considers the many martyrs as a source of positive inspiration for the movement, and he brings as a symbol of hope of the dentist Ahmad Sharara, who lost one eye on the 28th of January and the second eye on 19th of November and who states : ‘Better to live blind with honour and dignity than to live with my sight despondent and blinkered’.
Demonstrators in Tahrir square yesterday refused to join an anti-protest march led by the army and the officials, thus refusing to join hands with the people hailing the expelled former president Mubarak. And still leaders of the political and youth movements have called for a huge gathering on this New Year's eve in Tahrir square from 8p.m. until 2 a.m. to respond to the appeal first launched by the woman journalist Gamila Ismaïl to celebrate the Christian New Year by candle light with Coptic Hymns and Muslim Soufi prayers animated by famous singers like male singer Ali al Haggar and the beautiful Azza Balbaa.
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(EnergyPublisher) Egypt: Islam: One year after the massacre of Christians in Alexandria, Egypt seeks a way forward
http://www.energypublisher.com/a/WFMCQAXHRY40/66127-Egypt--Islam---One-year-after-the-massacre-of-Christians-in-Alexandria-Egypt-seeks-a-way-forward
30 Christian Shops Burnt in Nigeria After Deadly Attacks; More Violence Feared
28 December 2011 - By Luiza Oleszczuk | Christian Post Reporter - Christian Post
More violence is expected in Nigeria, where an Islamist terror group killed 39 on Christmas Day, pushing many citizens to flee the targeted cities Monday, reports say.
After the deadly attacks on churches in five cities across the country Sunday (another church was reportedly bombed in the northeast on Christmas Eve, but no one was reported killed), Nigerians are gripped by fear. Thirty-nine people died in the sieges (40, according to some reports), including 35 in Madalla, a town near the capital, Abuja. In another bombing in a church in Jos, one other person has also reportedly been killed. Bombs also targeted churches in the cities of Kano, Damaturu and Gadaka.
Hundreds of residents sought to flee the violence-torn city of Damaturu on Monday fearing further attacks and clashes between Islamists and police, according to AFP.
The coordinated attacks on churches were reportedly conducted by a radical Islamic terror group, Boko Haram. Nigeria has seen many attacks claimed by this group, but some analysts said the bombings marked a dangerous escalation in a country.
The attacks were condemned by church and secular leaders across the globe.
Syria's Muslim Brotherhood claimed responsibility on Saturday for suicide bombings
26 December 2011 - Iafrica News
Syria's Muslim Brotherhood claimed responsibility on Saturday for suicide bombings in Damascus that killed 44 people, saying they were the first step in liberating the capital and that more attacks were to come.
The claim contradicted assertions by the regime of President Bashar al-Assad that the blasts, which also wounded 166 people, were the work of Al-Qaeda and of the opposition Syrian National Council that the regime carried them out.
"One of our victorious Sunni brigades was able to target the state security building in Kfar Suseh in the heart of the... capital Damascus in a successful operation carried out by four of our kamikazes drawn from the best of our glorious men, leaving many dead and wounded from the ranks of the Assad gangs," it said on its official website.
"We as defenders of the Syrian people and the sanctity of this nation send a message to Assad's gangs: This is the beginning of the liberation of Damascus and the tip of the iceberg," the statement added.
"Hence we warn our fellow citizens and advise them not to approach government centres or security branches... because our martyrdom brigades are in a state of maximum readiness to carry out quality operations in Aleppo, Damascus, and the blessed land of Syria in the next 10 days."
The statement was signed by the "Muslim Brotherhood's media committee inside Syria."
The bombings, the first against the powerful security services in central Damascus since an uprising against Assad began in March, came a day after the arrival of an advance group of Arab League monitors who are to oversee a deal to end the bloodshed.
After the attacks, Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Meqdad said "this is the gift we get from the terrorists and Al-Qaeda, but we are going to do all we can to facilitate the Arab League mission".
The delegates were to hold talks with Foreign Minister Walid Muallem on Saturday.
Muallem has said he expects the observers to vindicate his government's contention that the unrest is the work of "armed terrorists," not overwhelmingly peaceful protesters as maintained by the West and human rights watchdogs.
For its part, the Syrian National Council said "the Syrian regime, alone, bears all the direct responsibility for the two terrorist explosions".
The regime wanted to create the impression "that it faces danger coming from abroad and not a popular revolution demanding freedom and dignity," it added.
The UN Security Council condemned the attacks but remained deadlocked on a full resolution on the crisis with the Russian and US ambassadors trading personal barbs.
While not rejecting Syria's account of the events, France accused the regime of trying "to mask the reality of the repression, notably by transferring political prisoners to secret jails".
Ban Ki-moon's spokesman said the UN leader was "gravely concerned" about the escalation and urged the government to "fully and speedily" implement the Arab League plan.
Arab League Assistant Secretary General Samir Seif al-Yazal, head of the advance team, said after the bombings that "what has happened is regrettable but the important thing is that everyone stay calm.
"We are going to press on with our work. We have started today, and tomorrow (Saturday) we will meet Walid Muallem."
Yazal's nine-member team is making logistical arrangements for the arrival of the first observers, who will eventually number between 150 and 200.
In Cairo, the Arab League's Ahmed Ben Helli said the mission will head to Syria on Monday, grouping more than 50 experts in politics, human rights, military issues and crisis management, the official MENA news agency reported.
The mission is part of an Arab plan endorsed by Syria on November 2 that also calls for the withdrawal of the military from towns and residential districts, a halt to violence against civilians and the release of detainees.
Syria says more than 2,000 security force personnel have been killed in attacks by armed rebels since March.
But opposition leaders have charged that Syria's agreement to the mission after weeks of prevarication was a mere "ploy" to head off a threat by the Arab League to go to the UN Security Council over the nine-month crackdown which the world body says has killed more than 5,000 people.
There was no let-up in the bloodshed on Friday with human rights activists reporting at least 21 civilians killed across the country, the majority of them by security force fire.
The bodies of four civilians who had been arrested were found Saturday with signs of torture in restive Homs province, activists said, urging the visiting Arab League team to document the cases.
"The corpses of four citizens were found this morning in the streets of the town of Hula and a fifth citizen was found in a critical condition," the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said in a statement received in Nicosia.
"Security forces and 'Shabiha' (pro-regime militia) groups had arrested them after midnight on Friday-Saturday in the Al-Bustan neighbourhood... There were signs of torture on the bodies of the martyrs," the Observatory said.
The watchdog demanded that the Arab League "immediately head to the town of Hula to document this flagrant violation of human rights which is just the tip of the iceberg of what is going on in Syria."
Egyptian women hit street over violence (AP)
21 December 2011 - (AP) Egypt, Cairo - AROUND 10,000 women have marched through central Cairo demanding Egypt's ruling military step down in an unprecedented show of outrage over soldiers who dragged women by the hair and stomped on them, and stripped one half-naked in the street during a fierce crackdown on activists the past week.
The dramatic protest, which grew as the women marched from Tahrir Square through downtown, was fueled by the widely circulated images of abuses of women.
Many of the marchers touted the photo of the young woman whose clothes were partially pulled off by troops, baring her down to her blue bra, as she struggled on the ground.
"Tantawi stripped your women naked, come join us," the crowd chanted to passers-by, referring to Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, the head of the military council that has ruled Egypt since the February 11 fall of Hosni Mubarak.
"The daughters of Egypt are a red line," they chanted.
Even before the protest was over, the military council issued an unusually strong statement of regret for what it called "violations" against women - a quick turnaround after days of dismissing the significance of the abuse.
The council expressed "deep regret to the great women of Egypt" and affirmed "its respect and total appreciation" for women and their right to protest and take part in political life. It promised it was taking measures to punish those responsible for violations.
The statement suggested the military's fear that attacks on women could wreck its prestige at home and abroad, which has already been heavily eroded by its fierce, five-day-old crackdown on pro-democracy protesters demanding it surrender power.
The ruling generals have campaigned to keep the public on its side in the confrontation, depicting the activists as hooligans and themselves as the honorable protectors of the nation, above reproach.
In unusually harsh words, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Monday accused the Egyptian security forces and extremists of specifically targeting women.
"This systematic degradation of Egyptian women dishonors the revolution, disgraces the state and its uniform, and is not worthy of a great people," she said.
In a possibly significant hint of new flexibility, the council also said in its statement that it was prepared to discuss any initiatives to help the security of the country. In recent days, a number of political factions have pressed the military to hand over power by February, rather than June, when it promised to hold presidential elections.
In the past, police in Mubarak's regime were accused of intentionally humiliating women in protest crackdowns. But images of women being abused by soldiers were particularly shocking in a society that is deeply conservative and generally reveres the military.
The independent press has splashed its front pages with pictures of soldiers chasing women protesters, including ones in conservative headscarves and full face-veils, beating them with sticks and clubs and dragging them by their hair. The crackdown has left 14 people dead - all but one by gunshots - and hundreds wounded.
The images of the half-stripped protester, whose identity is not known, clearly had a powerful resonance. A banner showing a photo of her on the asphalt - one soldier yanking up her black robes and shirt, another poised to stomp on her chest - was put up in Tahrir Square for passing drivers to see.
"The girl dragged around is just like my daughter," said Um Hossam, a 54-year old woman in traditional black dress and a headscarf at the march. "I am a free woman, and attacking this woman or killing protesters is just like going after one of my own children."
Ringed by a protective chain of men, the women marched from Tahrir to the Journalists' Syndicate, several blocks away, chanting slogans demanding the military council step down.
Many accused the military of intentionally targeting women to scare them and their male relatives from joining protests against the generals. Previously, the military has implied women who joined protests were of loose morals. In March, soldiers subjected detained female protesters to humiliating tests to determine if they were virgins.
"They are trying to break women's spirits, starting with the virginity tests. They want to break their dignity so that they don't go out and protest," Maha Abdel-Nasser, an engineer who joined the march, said.
Two sisters, Yomna and Tasneem Shams, said they never took part in previous protests because their parents wouldn't allow them. But they happened to be downtown and spontaneously joined the women's march.
"No one should ever be beaten for expressing their opinion," Yomna, 19, said. "I am proud I took part in today's protest. I feel I can tell my kids I have done something for them in the future."
Some also criticized Islamic parties, which stayed out of the antimilitary protests and did not participate in the march - even though religious conservatives often tout their defense of "women's honor." Pro-democracy activists accused them of being worried about anything that might derail ongoing, multistage parliamentary elections, which the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood and the more conservative Al-Nour Party have dominated so far.
"This is a case of honor. But they clearly don't care for honor or religion. They now care only about their political interests," said Mohammed Fawaz, one of the men in the protective chain around the marching women.
The protest also is likely to deepen the predicament of the military as critics began to talk openly about putting them on trial for abuses, and politicians are floating ideas for their exit, perhaps in return for immunity.
Emad Gad, a newly elected lawmaker, said that without guarantees they would not be prosecuted, the generals won't hand over power by the end of June as promised. Foremost on their minds, he said, was the fate of Mubarak, who ended in court facing charges that carry the death penalty after ruling Egypt for nearly 30 years.
"They didn't get clear assurances and that is why they try diabolical tactics to make sure they get these guarantees," he said, citing the military's attempt to enshrine in the next constitution language that would shield it from civilian scrutiny.
"We have to address their fears, their interests and future role," he said.
The public and many activists welcomed the military when it took power from Mubarak in February. But relations have deteriorated sharply since as the democracy activists accused the generals of hijacking their uprising, obstructing reforms, human rights abuses and failing to revive the ailing economy or restore security.
The most recent protests - and an earlier round of protests that saw a deadly crackdown last month - have seen unprecedentedly bold ridiculing of the military, which for decades was considered a revered institution above criticism. Young protesters have heaped profanities into their antimilitary slogans, demanded the execution of Tantawi and taunted soldiers in Tahrir.
On Monday, a member of the military council, Maj. Gen. Adel Emara, took a hard-line in a press conference, denouncing the protests as a conspiracy to "topple the state" and accusing the media of fomenting sedition.
He defended the use of force by troops, saying they had a duty to defend the state's institutions and declined to offer an apology for brutality toward female protesters. He did not dispute the authenticity of the image of the woman being dragged half naked by soldiers, but said Egyptians should not see it without considering the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The apparent change in attitude with the statement of regret left some women unimpressed.
Sahar Abdel-Mohsen, a 31-year old activist, doubted the promise to punish those responsible and said the statement was in response to the US criticism. "This is an apology to one woman, Hillary Clinton."
"This is like someone raping a girl, and then going to the police station to marry her (to avoid prosecution) and then divorce her as soon as he leaves," she said.
"It is an attempt to exonerate themselves after the deed is done, but with little accountability."
The Australian News
Statement on the Death of Kim Jong-il by Dan Wooding
19 December 2011 - For Immediate Release
Contact: Dan Wooding: assistnews@aol.com
Millions of North Koreans had been “engulfed in indescribable sadness”, the KCNA news agency said. People were seen weeping in the capital Pyongyang.
His son Kim Jong-un was described by KCNA as the “great successor” who North Koreans should unite behind.
Wooding, 71, also founder of the ASSIST News Service (www.assistnews.net) said, “The death of Kim Jong-il is a cataclysmic event in the history of North Korea and could finally herald the beginning of freedom for the people of this secretive country.
"His death could also now mean that the North Korean tyrannical regime which I believe is in its death throes, could finally come crashing down.
"North Korea has, for many years now, held the dubious title of the world’s worst persecutor of Christians. Maybe now this could change.
“I believe that there is now a serious possibility that the passing of Kim Jong-il will eventually see the collapse of the country and its opening up, especially to the South Korea people.
“Earlier this year, on my last trip to South Korea, I discovered many North Korean escapees there who have since become Christians are willing to go back into the country with the Gospel and are also willing to lay down their lives if the door suddenly snaps shut after a short time."
Wooding added, “North Korea will never be the same following the deaths of Kim il-Sung and now Kim Jong-il, a father and son team of despots who ruled North Korea with iron fists and held their people back to the point of starvation and did all they could to wipe out the underground church there.
“May the sweet winds of freedom now sweep into this land that has seen so much bloodshed and hate over the past many years. Let us pray that this occurs.”
North Korea's 'Dear Leader' Kim Jong-Il dies of heart attack (mg)
(mg) 19 December 2011 - North Korean Kim Jong-Il has died aged 69 of a heart attack, state media announced on Monday, plunging the impoverished but nuclear-armed nation into uncertainty amid a second dynastic succession.
The official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said the leader "passed away from a great mental and physical strain" at 8.30am on Saturday while on a train for one of his "field guidance" tours.
It urged people to follow his youngest son and heir apparent Kim Jong-Un, who is aged in his late 20s and until last year had no public profile.
"All party members, military men and the public should faithfully follow the leadership of comrade Kim Jong-Un and protect and further strengthen the unified front of the party, military and the public," said the news agency and a weeping black-clad TV announcer.
KCNA said Kim died of a "severe myocardial infarction along with a heart attack". It said an autopsy was performed on Sunday.
The leader suffered a stroke in August 2008 which left him with impaired movement in his left arm and leg.
His funeral will be held on December 28 in Pyongyang but no foreign delegations will be invited, KCNA said. A period of national mourning was declared from December 17 to 29.
Emergency alert
South Korea placed all troops on emergency alert after the shock news, the South's Yonhap news agency reported. It summoned a meeting of the National Security Council and President Lee Myung-Bak cancelled all his schedules.The Joint Chiefs of Staff said it had increased monitoring along the border along with US forces in the country but no unusual activity had been observed.
North and South Korea have remained technically at war since their three-year Korean conflict ended only in an armistice in 1953.
KCNA, quoting a statement from the national funeral committee headed by Jong-Un, said Kim Jong-Il's body would lie in state in Kumsusan palace where his father's embalmed body is on display.
It said mourners would be allowed to visit the body from December 20 to 27.
Following the funeral, another event to mourn the leader would be held on December 29. Mourning shots would be fired and three minutes of silence would be observed. All trains and ships would sound their horns.
Song remains the same
Kim took over after his father and founding president Kim Il-Sung died in 1994.
In the mid- to late-1990s he presided over a famine which killed hundreds of thousands of his people. Severe food shortages continue and the UN children's fund estimates one-third of children are stunted by malnutrition.
But Kim still found resources to continue a nuclear weapons programme which culminated in tests in October 2006 and May 2009.
For several months there have been diplomatic efforts to restart six-nation nuclear disarmament talks which the North abandoned in April 2009.US envoy Robert King held talks in Beijing last week about the possible resumption of US food aid. There had been speculation the two sides would meet in Beijing this week for separate talks about reviving the six-party process. -- AFP
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Mail & Guardian Online http://mg.co.za/article/2011-12-19-n-koreas-dear-leader-kim-jongil-dies-of-heart-attack
article by JUNG HA-WON SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
Christian Areas of Jos, Nigeria Bombed, Killing One
JOS, Nigeria, December 15 (Compass Direct News) – Joshua Dabo, like other young Christians in this city in central Nigeria, had dreams for his life. He had graduated from a Christian high school, Mt. Olives Secondary School, and at 31 was finally looking forward to attending university.
He was among the 120 people from the Christian community on Bauchi Ring Road who paid to watch a classic soccer rivalry, Barcelona FC v. Real Madrid, on TV at an outdoor bar (called a “viewing center” in Nigeria) on Saturday night (Dec. 10).
A few minutes into the match, televised in the hall of corrugated sheet metal at Yangwava Television Viewing Center at Ukadum village, a bomb went off. Dabo was decapitated. He was the lone fatality in three bomb blasts targeting viewing centers in predominantly Christian areas of Jos during the Spanish soccer match; at least 10 others were injured in the blasts, leaving four in critical condition, including two in a coma.
At Tina Junction along the Bauchi Ring Road in Jos, where the first bomb exploded, Hiroshima Ishaku Nyam, a member of the Jos Jarawa Church of Christ in Nigeria congregation, told Compass that his house was damaged by the bomb at the TV viewing center opposite his house. Danladi Dabo, brother of the slain Joshua Dabo, said he was at home when he first heard an explosion at the Tina Junction venue. “Knowing that my brother is a soccer fan, I raced to the viewing center near our house to alert them, but just about 100 meters to the place, my fears were confirmed as a bomb exploded,” Dabo said. “I was dazed by the explosion, but I kept running there, knowing that my brother was in there. On getting there I found my brother’s body but with no head. I was shocked.” Family members buried Joshua Dabo on Sunday (Dec. 11).
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Article and photot from Compass Direct
Armenian Christians face extermination (AINA)
(AINA) 12 December 2011 - Generally speaking, emigration has already started: after the fall of
Mubarak regime tens of thousands of Copts left Egypt. Sadly enough, a similar fate awaits also the three-thousand Armenian community, who suffered the first wave of emigration at the time of Gamal Abdel Nasser. In the 50s of the past century there were about 60 thousand Armenians living in Egypt. All of them migrated to the USA, Canada, and other countries. Now the Copts are doing the same. The "trouble" of Salafis lies in their desire to return Egypt to the VII century lifestyle, which supposes concentration on the life and faith of the early Muslim community and on their righteous ancestors, condemning all kinds of innovations brought into the Muslim world through contacts with the West. In this respect they are no different from Iranian Islamists. Political wing of the movement "Muslim brotherhood" (banned by Mubarak) holds the first place; secular liberals are in the third position. Thus, Egypt may add to the list of countries, where Islamists came to power after the "Arab Spring".
All this cannot but worry the Armenians, who rightly fear for their lives. No Islamic state shall ever ensure the security of "infidels". Reverting to Iran, we shall note that in the issue of Armenians it is an exception country, but still there's no guarantee that this situation will last forever. No matter how neutrally Armenia behaves in case of military attack on Iran, it is clear that most of the Iranian Armenians will be forced to seek shelter at home. One may say that one outcome of the "Arab Spring" was the threat of total destruction of the Armenian communities in the Middle East, and now the only hope is Bashar al-Assad, under whose rule the Armenian community of Syria is united and respecting state power, which, in its turn, respects and values them. All of this will be gone and forgotten in an Islamic state. And if there is no Armenian community in Tunisia and Libya, it is much more abundant in Syria than in Egypt or Iraq, let alone Lebanon. What Christians should expect in countries of Islamic victory is not difficult to guess; let us not forget the case with the girl in Pakistan, who was executed for converting to Christianity. And these are only the facts reported in media. In fact, such cases are not a single instance, but a worked-out practice.
Meanwhile, the Egyptian army, in the face of the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, is seriously troubled about Egypt turning into an Islamic state. "Islamization of Egypt could cause conflict in regards to the new constitution and the preservation of Egypt as secular state. The attempt to create an Islamic state here is seen as a red line beyond which you cannot go," said sources close to the military leadership of the country in an interview with "Al-Hayat". According to them, the army is deeply concerned about the current developments, and fears that the upcoming rounds of elections, the latter of which is to be held in January, may bring the Islamists an even more convincing victory. The Supreme Military Council is interested in making decisions that meet the interests of Egypt. "The council will insist on two red lines. It will demand that the military's status remain unchanged and also that the secular nature of Egypt and the human rights of the Egyptian people be protected," the sources said.
It should be emphasized that the main ideologists of Islamic fundamentalism and terrorism came from Egypt -- Ideologist of "Muslim brotherhood" and jihad Sayyid Qutb and the second person in "Al Qaeda" under Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri. Qutb was executed in 1966, Zawahiri is sentenced to death in absentia. Presently a new generation, preaching jihad, has grown in Egypt, and if the army does not take control over the country, it will indicate the final collapse of Egypt. This year alone, the Egyptian treasury came $10 million short, due to the lack of tourism. The Salafi candidate of Alexandria clearly stated that in case of his victory he will order all the pre-Islamic monuments, including the pyramids and sphinxes, to be closed from the eyes of the inhabitants, because they are "symbols of a corrupt culture". What else can the Muslims do, except for the destruction of monuments that do not fit into their view of the world?
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(AINA) Armenian Middle East communities are on the verge of extermination
http://www.aina.org/news/20111208111442.htm
Article by Karine Ter-Sahakyan
Election results in Egypt favours the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafists
On 28 and 29 November, Egyptians completed voting in nine governorates, including Cairo and Alexandria. The vote is part of the first of three stages of elections for the People’s Assembly, the parliament’s lower house. Each stage involves polling in nine governorates (out of total 27 governorates). According to Egypt’s elections law, two-thirds of the parliamentary seats will be allocated through party list races, while one-third of the seats are allocated through concurrent single-winner races.
After each initial vote, run-off elections are held a week later between front-runners in single-winner races where none of the candidates got 50%+ of the total vote. Run-offs for the first stage are scheduled for December 5-6.
While earlier updates contained unofficial vote counts and results reported by various media outlets, below are the official results released by the Higher Elections Commission. It should be noted, however, that some election results face pending legal challenges. In response to a court order, the Higher Elections Commission announced on 5 December that election results for "Al-Sahel" district in Cairo (district #1) were annulled. A re-vote will be convened for that district on 10-11 January with runoff races scheduled for 17-18 January.
Seat Breakdown as of Sunday 4 December*
* The Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) is the political party of the Muslim Brotherhood,
Inside Syria (ChristianNewsWire)
(ChristianNewsWire) 08 December 2011 - While much of the world's attention is focused on the Egyptian elections and American troops withdrawing from Iraq, the situation inside Syria is getting worse, especially for Christians.
There is unrest and chaos in Syria for various reasons. Some of those opposing the government want more freedom from a mistrusted and oppressive regime, while some religious opposition groups want freedom to rule and spread their Muslim faith by force and violence.
Christians, in general, are afraid of what might happen to them in the future, especially if fanatic Muslims take over or obtain more freedom and seek revenge against believers. Some Christians have already reported violent acts against them as a sign of more threats and violence to come.
"Christians inside Syria are caught in the crossfire as they are in many other Middle Eastern countries," says Open Doors President/CEO Dr. Carl Moeller. "Until the protests started against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, the Christian community enjoyed some protection. Now they are afraid of the future. Will they have to flee their country like Iraqi Christians have done over the last several years? Please lift them up in your prayers."
Because of months of protests and violence against the government of al-Assad, Syria is on the brink of civil war. Thousands of protesters have been killed. Because of the continued crackdown on the protests, there is an international boycott in place. Inside Syria the central government is losing its grip on the situation.
"Criminals, but also radical Muslims, are taking advantage of that lawlessness," says a field worker for Open Doors. "In the city of Homs, for example, the Sunni Muslims gained power on the streets when the government pulled out its troops for a few days. Some of the radical elements in this group have raided several churches. They robbed the churches of their most valuable things."
More threatening is that several fundamentalist Muslim taxi drivers have made a vow that they will harm all women taking their taxis who are unveiled.
"These women, mostly less orthodox Muslims and Christians, are being kidnapped, raped or even killed," says the field worker. "Some months ago two Christian women were kidnapped. One managed to jump out of the driving car, but the other was taken. That woman remains missing. This didn't happen in a remote area of the country but in the capital of Damascus. For women the situation is unsafe now. People still go on with their daily routine, but with more caution."
According to the worker, throughout Syria people can see the consequences of the boycott of the country:
"Petrol is running out, or being preserved or thrown out by opposing groups to create more of an issue within the country. You also see in the supermarkets that products are missing. Prices are rising because of the shortages. People stand in lines for hours just to get a tank of gasoline for heat; sometimes they go away empty. With electricity getting cut for few hours a day, no gasoline and no petrol are available as before."
Some Christians are planning to escape Syria in case things get worse as they see the quality of life for them decrease and their rights decline. Syria has more than 20 million inhabitants. About 1.5 million Syrians are Christians. The 100,000 Iraqi Christians that fled to Syria because of the situation in their own country can be added to 1.5 million figure.
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(ChristianNewsWire) Inside embattled Syria: More hostility towards Christians
http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/4597918415.html
Article by Jerry Dykstra
Salafis say best is yet to come (Reuters)
(Reuters) 08 December 2011 - The Salafi movement wants to model Egypt's future on Islam's past. If the first results of the country's parliamentary elections are anything to go by, many Egyptians agree with them.
Ultra-conservative Islamists may have won 20 to 30 percent of the vote in the first leg of Egypt's three-stage parliamentary vote, an outcome that has surprised and alarmed many Egyptians. They are worried about what this might mean for freedoms and tolerance in the Arab world's most populous nation.Salafis look certain to emerge as a vocal bloc in the first legislature since Hosni Mubarak was deposed, confirming the historic changes under way since the removal from power of a man who dealt with Islamists mostly as enemies of the state.
Their influence over officialdom could reach further still, depending on cooperation with other Islamists also doing well in the election, namely the long-established Muslim Brotherhood which looks set to win more seats than any other group.Their role will also hinge on the system of government that emerges from a transitional period steered by the army generals who took over from Mubarak. The military has been silent on the election result, urging Egyptians to vote but not taking sides.Though official results give little to go on -- the final picture will not be totally clear until January -- both the Salafis and others following the count say they are doing well.The indications so far are heartening for Hazem Salah Abu Ismail, a Salafi planning to run for the presidency in a June election. He sees the results as "a map" of how young Egyptians going to the polls for the first time had voted.
"There's no doubt this is pleasing," said the softly-spoken lawyer-and-politician with a long, grey beard, wearing a suit and tie in an interview on Egyptian television on Thursday.Voters had realized the Islamists' discourse was "logical and reasonable," he said, at the same time outlining a conservative view typical of the Salafis.He said men and women should be segregated at work and displays of public affection must stop. There must also be a halt of the sale and production of alcohol.As in Saudi Arabia, Salafis would want to bar women and Christians from executive posts. They might also ban "un-Islamic" art and literature, as well as mixed beach bathing.If implemented, such curbs would wreck Egypt's vital tourism industry, which employs about one in eight of the workforce.In a frontpage editorial, the independent Al Masry Al Youm newspaper said Egypt must not become Afghanistan, a reference to fears of Taliban-style hardline rule. "We are confident that the voice of moderation will prevail in the parliament," it said.
EGYPT'S PIOUS
Tapping support among Egypt's pious population, the Salafis who call for a stricter application of Islamic law believe they can do better in the coming two rounds.
Al-Nour Party, whose followers wear the long beards typical of Salafis, looks set to secure a fifth of the seats contested in the first round, perhaps even more.Figures displayed on a Brotherhood web site on Friday showed them with 30 percent of the seats assigned to party lists, not far off their own 43 percent. How that translates into seats won't be clear until January, when the results are declared."I believe they can bring change," said Mohammed Hussein, 30, who works in commerce, explaining why he voted for the Nour Party in the city of Alexandria, where Salafi banners urge women to wear the Islamic veil. "It is a party that loves religion."
Hussein's enthusiasm for the group is the result of years of listening to Salafi clerics in the mosque. Across the Middle East, the mosque has provided Islamists with a platform for politics denied to secular parties now trying to regroup.As the remaining two voting stages move into the provinces, the Nour Party could do better still. "Rural areas tend to lean more towards religion than the cities," Hussein said.The Nour Party says it is learning from its mistakes in the first round. "We are assessing our performance in the first stage. We had some negative points that we are studying how to avoid," Youssry Hamad, spokesman for the party, said.The leader of the Nour Party, which hopes to siphon votes from the Brotherhood, said earlier this week that organizational failings meant his party had under-performed."We were not dispersed across constituencies, nor were we as close as needed to the voter. Other parties with more experience rallied supporters more effectively," Emad Abdel Ghafour said in Alexandria, seen as a Salafi stronghold.
The party emerged from Daawa al-Salafiya (Salafi Call), a movement that has previously only backed preaching, not politics, to spread its purist interpretation of Islam.Analysts believe the movement has a devoted following of 3 million people and may control 4,000 mosques nationwide. Egypt has around 108,000 mosques and smaller places of worship.Salafis follow a puritan school of Islam that was revived in Egypt in the 1970s by university students inspired by the 19th century Wahhabi teaching in Saudi Arabia.The emergence of ambitious Salafi parties is one of the starkest measures of change in post-Mubarak Egypt.
MILITANT SALAFIS SHOT SADAT
Mubarak was thrust into office in 1981 when President Anwar Sadat was assassinated by militant adherents of the Salafi school. President of a country which also produced Ayman al-Zawahri, now leader of al Qaeda, Mubarak was a close ally of Western governments in their battle with militant Islamists.During his 30 years in charge, Mubarak survived assassination attempts himself and fought an insurrection in the 1990s by al-Gama'a al-Islamiya, one of the groups involved in Sadat's killing, but which is now running for parliament.
The Gama'a name evokes memories of a bloody chapter in Egypt's recent past. Though its leaders disavowed violence in 1997, a splinter group broke ranks that year to massacre 62 people, mostly tourists, at a pharaonic temple in Luxor.The Gama'a, strongly opposed to violence these days, is now seeking a say in Egypt's future through parliament.But it isn't doing as well as the Nour Party. Gama'a candidates will proceed to run-offs for five seats next week, said Sheikh Assem Abdel-Maged, a Gama'a leader, in his 50s, who spent half his life in prison for a role in the Sadat killing.As expected, the most successful of all the Islamist groups is the Muslim Brotherhood, founded in 1928 and seen as the Muslim world's first contemporary Islamist group.
Though its own ideology is rooted in the Salafi school, Brotherhood leaders have signaled that any kind of alliance with Salafi parties is unlikely, though analysts do not rule out the possibility which would give the bloc a commanding majority.Some analysts expect the Brotherhood to seek a coalition with secular parties to ease concerns at home and abroad about its vision for Egypt, home to eight million Coptic Christians."They do not want to scare the Copts, women, liberals and the West," said Abdel-Rahim Ali, an expert on Islamist groups based in Cairo.But the Brotherhood will also have to reckon with the appetite of its conservative supporters for greater implementation of Islamic law.Egyptians opposed to the Islamists are deeply worried about the influence they could now wield.
Some voice concerns that zealots may see the Salafis' strong showing in parliament as a license to press their agenda in the streets by harassing women who are not veiled, for example.Abu Ismail, the Salafi presidential hopeful, batted away the concerns of anxious viewers who called in with questions during his television appearance on Thursday.He also said freedoms were holy to Islam, stressing that its laws guarantee Christian rights under Muslim rule.And he showed a flash of pragmatism perhaps intended to reassure viewers that radical change may not come immediately."They imagine that when I give an opinion now, that means it will be implemented right now," he said.
"There is a difference between what I see as right and wrong, and the fact that some of these matters will not be implemented within 10 years or even 20 years."
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(Reuters) Analysis: Salafis sense best is yet to come in Egypt vote http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/05/us-egypt-salafis-idUSTRE7B41QB20111205
Article by Tom Perry
Christian Solidarity issues genocide warning (AINA)
(AINA) 05 December 2011 - While the World Council of Churches and mainline Protestant churches in the U.S. remain relatively silent about the ongoing violence against Christians in the Middle East, Christian Solidarity International (CSI) rings the bell loudly by issuing a genocide warning.
The Christian Post reports:
Dr. John Eibner, CEO of Christian Solidarity International, said: "Conditions for genocide against non-Muslim communities exist in varying degrees throughout the region stretching from Pakistan to Morocco. The crisis of survival for non-Muslim communities is especially acute in Iraq, Syria, Egypt,Sudan, the Palestinian territories, Iran and Pakistan."In an interview with The Christian Post, Dr. Eibner said the Arab Spring has "unleashed radical Islamist forces - forces that regard Christians and other non-Muslim minorities as 'kufar' (infidels). When we look objectively at the situation in the region…the outbreak of war in the region could result in the very quick eradication of non-Muslim communities." (Links in original not included in quote.)
In a letter to President Barack Obama, Eibner issued a ringing declaration that stands in stark contrast to the silence of the church establishment in the U.S. which for the most part, has said very little about the ongoing attacks against Christians in the Middle East. Eibner wrote in part:
Most acts of Islamic supremacist violence against non-Muslim minorities receive little media attention in the United States. Take, for example, just a few of the cases that have come to the notice of CSI since the beginning of the so-called "Arab Spring":- Egyptian Christian teenager, Ayman Nabil Labib - murdered by schoolmates after refusing to remove a cross necklace.
- Iranian Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani - sentenced to death for having allegedly converted from Islam to Christianity.
- Catholic priest, Fr. Mark Rybinski - murdered in Tunisia.
- 27-year-old Pakistani Christian nurse Shaista Samuel-- raped by Muslims and subjected to pressure to convert to Islam.
- Libyan Jew, David Gerbi - prevented from reopening the synagogue in Tripoli by Islamist mobs declaring: "There is no place for Jews in Libya!
- CBS Reporter Lara Logan - sexually assaulted in Tahrir Square in Cairo by a mob of Muslim men chanting "Jew! Jew!"
- Iraqi Christians Hanna Polos Emmanuel and Bassn Isho - kidnapped and shot dead near Kirkuk.
These and most other acts of violence against non-Muslims in the Islamic world are not, for the most part, committed by members of Al Qaida or related terrorist networks. Instead they are perpetrated by both state and non-state actors, many of whom are military allies of the United States. They are all inspired by a deep seated culture of Islamic supremacism - kindred in spirit to white supremacism and anti-Semitism.
Virulent, Sharia-based Islamic supremacism led in the 20th century to the eradication of once thriving Christian communities - Armenian, Greek and Syriac -- in Turkey and to the demise of the ancient Jewish communities of the Arab world. The same genocidal dynamic is at work in the 21st century. It must be stopped now.
CSI has also posted a list of "Universal Conditions for Genocide" on its website, which Snapshots reproduces below. Even a cursory reading of this list indicates that many of these conditions are present in a number of countries in the Middle East.
Universal Conditions for Genocide.1. Public display of ethnic and religious differences through physical features, language and communal symbols.
2. Absence in multi-religious and/or multi-ethnic societies of strong integrating institutions.
3. Absence of the rule of law and presence of authoritarian traditions of governance.
4. Deep-seated insecurity on the part of ruling elites.
5. Widespread perception of vulnerable religious and ethnic groups as potential agents of politically subversive powers.
6. Prevalence of a racially or religiously discriminatory ideology or worldview that upholds a utopian vision of a homogenous society as the foundation of political unity.
7. Institutionalization of racial or religious discrimination in statute law or social custom.
8. Widespread communication by state and/or non-state actors of hateful propaganda that portrays members of religious or ethnic communities as subject peoples, aliens within society, or as subhuman creatures.
9. Outbreaks of organized violence by mobs or individuals against members of vulnerable religious or ethnic communities.
10. Habitual denial of discrimination by state and non-state actors that engage in oppressive practices, including violence, against vulnerable groups in society.
11. Widespread militarization of society and/or widespread influence of non-state terrorist groups or militias.
CSI has put its marker down, and has warned the American people about a possible catastrophe in the Middle East.
We have been warned.
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(AINA) Christian Solidarity International issues genocide warning
http://www.aina.org/news/20111202235702.htm
Iran Supreme Leader calls for Islamic Power Bloc (BarnabasFund)
(BarnabasFund) 05 December 2011 - Country: IRAN, MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA
Iran’s supreme leader has called on the world’s Muslim-majority nations to form an “international Islamic power-bloc”, laying down an ominous challenge to Western powers.
In a message to more than 2.5 million Hajj pilgrims inSaudi Arabia on 5 November, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said that Islamic countries should “make the most of [the] opportunity” created by the Arab Spring, as well as the anti-capitalist movement across the world.
He said that Islam has become the guiding principle of the Arab uprisings despite the efforts of secular rulers to curtail the influence of religion in their countries. And pointing to the victory of the Islamist Ennahda Party in Tunisia's recent elections, he predicted similar outcomes elsewhere: "Without doubt, free elections in any Islamic country will hardly result in anything except what happened in Tunisia."
Heralding a global power shift and issuing an ominous challenge to Western powers, theAyatollah said that “the West, the United States and Zionism are weaker than ever before", adding:
During the last decades, arrogant powers, led by the United States, had reduced regional states to a state of subjugation through their political and security ploys… But now, they are the primary target of disgust and hatred of the region's nations.
He urged the entire umma (Islamic nation) and especially the revolutionary nations to "continuity of their stance and avoidance of slackness in their resolve" and "vigilance against the plots of arrogant international powers".
The Ayatollah’s comments will raise alarm among Christians in the Middle East and North Africa, who are often associated with the West and are already feeling vulnerable and insecure as a result of the Arab Spring, which has seen Islamist groups growing in power and influence. There has, for example, been an increase in anti-Christian attacks in Egypt since the revolution, and at least 100,000 Christians have emigrated from the country as a result of the aggressive tactics of hard-line Muslims.
The Ayatollah did advise the revolutionary nations to maintain "national unity and official recognition of sectarian, tribal and ethnic differences" as "a precondition for future success", but his own country, Iran, is hardly a model of this. Christians there face regular and severe harassment from the authorities, who are trying to clamp down on the growing house church movement of converts from Islam, as well as the traditional churches.
If the Arab Spring movement were to develop into an “Islamic power-bloc”, Christians would surely be in increasing danger across the region.
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(BarnabasFund) Call for Islamic Power Bloc by Iran's Supreme Leader
05 Dec Update- Egypt Elections 2011
(AINA) 05 December 2011 - Islamist parties made dramatic advances in Egypt's parliamentary elections during the first round of voting for lawmakers this week, a result reflecting a growing embrace of religious-oriented sentiment across turbulent North Africa.
"We accept the results of the elections in any case because it's the will of the people, and our rivals should embrace it too because this is the true democracy we fought for and we wish our liberal brothers better results in the next two rounds," Mahmoud Ghozlan, spokesman of the relatively moderate Muslim Brotherhood, whose Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) won 40% of the vote.
Al Noor Salafi Movement, a hard-line Muslim group, had the second-highest total, 20%, in the first round of voting for the lower house of parliament, according to Yousri Abdel Kareem, head of the executive office of the Higher Judicial Election Council.
In the first election after the toppling of President Hosni Mubarak, the tallies reflected similar results in Morocco and Tunisia. Moderate Islamists in those North African nations prevailed in recent elections amid the wave of political discontent across the Arabic-speaking world this year.Secularists weren't surprised at the result but they were stunned that some longtime secular groups performed poorly.
"The strong showing of the Islamists should serve to mobilize more support for secular candidate," said Mohamed Ghoneim, speaking for the liberal Egyptian Bloc that garnered 15% of the vote. "We need to build on that and we are going for it."Ghoneim said voters were turned off by some secular candidates because they come from Mubarak's old National Democratic Party.
The Muslim Brotherhood is entrenched in mainstream Egyptian politics. Most are highly educated -- doctors, lawyers, engineers, professors and businessmen -- and come from solidly middle-class backgrounds.Al Noor Salafi is the first Salafist group to register as a political party in Egypt. Salafis are conservative, religious purists and have been accused of stoking sectarian strife against Egypt's Christian minority and of plotting to undermine the country's fledgling democracy.
This week's voting in Egypt marked the initial part of a complex, multi-step process that will first pick members of the lower house of parliament.
Voters had to cast three votes, two for independent candidates and one for a party or coalition. Four independent candidates won but runoff elections for those who didn't win clear majorities will be held Monday and Tuesday. One of the four is Amr Hamzawy, once a research director at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and a spokesman of the "Board of Wise Men," which worked to foster negotiations between the government and protesters.
Presidential elections will be held by June, according to the military, which has rulied the country since Mubarak's fall."The success of Islamist parties will make it much more difficult, if not impossible, for the Egyptian military to prolong its political control and to recreate a political system along the lines of Hosni Mubarak, as it appeared intent on doing." Marina Ottaway, a senior associate of Carnegie's Middle East program, said in an analysis on Friday.
Voter turnout was initially reported by the country's election board at 62%, but the board said it would recalculate the figure after reporters raised questions about the number of registered voters used in the calculation, suggesting the true figure was lower.Abdel Moez Ibrahim, head of the judicial election committee said problems arose during the polling that will be addressed in the next round of voting. They include campaigning on the days of the elections, long lines and the late arrival of a limited number of ballots. Ibrahim said sending vehicles to pick up judges and handing out paper ballots the night before elections are among solutions to problems.
Ibrahim said the process has been triumphant for Egyptian democracy."The winner of these elections is the Egyptian people," he said.
As for the future, the Carnegie analysis says "the response of the military and secular parties, and the political acumen of the FJP" will determine whether the future government will be "dominated by Islamists, including hard-line Salafis, or a less threatening alliance of the FJP and secular parties," Ottaway said.
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(AINA) Islamists fare well in first round of Egypt's elections
http://www.aina.org/news/2011120316918.htm
Article by By Mohamed Fahmy Fadel / CNN's Joe Sterling contributed to this report.
Update - Egypt Elections 2011
(AlJazeera) 28 November 2011 - The fight for equal rights and political legitimacy has been a long one for Egypt's Coptic Christians. Their plight has become all the more complicated with recent developments in the country, and parliamentary elections scheduled for Monday might not be the solution they had in mind.
The status of the Copts' status in Egyptian society is tricky. Making up roughly 10 per cent of the country's 80 million citizens, they are the largest Christian community in the Middle East.
For many years, the Copts received public support from Hosni Mubarak, the former president who was driven from power in February. In late January, when the streets were filled with protesters calling for Mubarak to step down, Coptic Orthodox church leader Pope Shenouda III expressed support for the leader who had ontrolled Egypt for 30 years.
Even so, many Copts supported the revolution and were present in anti-Mubarak demonstrations. In one incident, they formed a human chain around a group of Muslim Egyptians so they could pray amid the chaos. The event became one of the most iconic images from January's protests at Tahrir Square.
Still, the Egyptian Federation of Human Rights has reported that approximately 93,000 Copts have left Egypt since March. The NGO has estimated that number could reach 250,000 by 2012, with the departures linked to fears that a hardline, Islamist government might make life harder for Copts in Egypt.
Uncertain future
Mourad Shenouda, a consultant at a Cairo-based engineering firm, said that two years ago Egypt was a "steady state" with little hope for change for the country's Coptic Christians.
"We had our problem as Copts. We had our problems as liberals. However, after the revolution, there is a chance for change. And this change it may be in favour of liberals, it may be in favour of Copts, it may be in favour of Islamists; but where this change will lead, I doubt anyone will predict," Shenouda said.
State policies that discriminated against the Copts have in large part defined the community. Among these policies were the requirement of a presidential permit to repair churches and a lack of representation in government.
The community is still reeling from the Maspero incident on October 9, in which security forces clashed with Copts who were protesting an attack on a church in Aswan. At least 26 Copts were killed in the violence and more than 300 were wounded.
"The Maspero massacre left Copts profoundly traumatised in a way that is quite unprecedented," said Paul Sedra, an expert in Egyptian history at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada.
Sedra continued: "This flew in the face of so much of the rhetoric of the current military rulers and former regimes; that national institutions like the military were dedicated to preserving national unity, of Copts and Muslims, in Egypt."
The ruling military party, the Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF), refused to take responsibility for the use of violence. The refusal brought protests from Coptic and Muslim Egyptian who called for a swift and fair investigation of the Maspero killings.
Election impact
Experts have said many members of Egypt's Coptic population are pessimistic that their lives will improve with the election of a new parliament.
"My sense is that there is a profound scepticism within most quarters of the Coptic community that parliamentary elections would enhance their situation at all," said Sedra.
"I suspect that the feeling is quite the opposite; that Islamist and Salafi forces, whose agendas are seen to be injurious to Copts, are bound to gain from the elections," he added.
Sedra said most Copts are "deeply sceptical" about what liberal and secular politicians will do for them.
"I think you can count on one hand the number of Copts who support the Muslim Brotherhood... I don't see them voting for the [Muslim] Brotherhood or the Salafis," said Timothy Kaldas, a 27-year-old photographer in Cairo, referring to Egypt's main Islamist parties.
'Civil state'
The dialogue surrounding Egypt's elections has for months centered on inclusion, fairness and the logistics of conducting the first poll in the post-Mubarak era. Such discussion has mostly been put on hold with the return of violence and mass protests in Tahrir Square, but some hope for the elections remains.
"I'm a Copt. I'm more a liberal than a Copt, so I'm looking for a civil state in Egypt, and this civil state will give rights to everyone; Copts, Muslim Brotherhood, Salafist or whatever," said Shenouda, 40.
Thrity-three protesters have been killed across Egypt since November 18 and many more people have been injured. In response, Copts and Muslims alike have intensified calls for the immediate end of military rule. Yet, there are some who fear what may happen if the SCAF were to immediately step down.
"Some people want [the SCAF] to stay just to maintain some stability. Because if they leave, and there is no proper handover to someone who is good enough or strong enough, I believe it will become mass chaos," said Shenouda.
Sedra said that after the Maspero killings, many Copts are apprehensive of what might come next.
"They wonder, now that 'Pandora's Box' has apparently opened, what more they can expect to befall the community. So there is certainly no rush to create a situation of still greater instability," Sedra said.
For some Copts, however, the fear of the unknown is not enough to stop the push for change in Egypt.
"I'm going to protest, because, even beyond the issue of nationalism, 85 million people right now are subject to the rule of a military junta that is leftover from an extremely repressive regime and they're fighting to remove that junta and to establish an actually free and democratic country," said Kaldas.
"No one is left to excuse what's going on. At this point, every group has reason to be extremely disappointed with the ruling military junta. There's no one left untouched."
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(AlJazeera) Egypt Copts view elections with concern
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2011/11/2011112274857809334.html
Uganda: more moves to quell LRA (ANS)
(Assist News) 24 Nov 2011 AUSTRALIA (ANS) -- The Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) is a blasphemous cult militia established in the late 1980s ostensibly to fight for the rights of the long-marginalised and abused Acholi people of Northern Uganda. The LRA quickly lost its political focus, becoming infamous for its unrivalled brutality, most of it directly targeted at Christian communities, churches and seminaries. Squeezed out of Uganda, the LRA moved to South Sudan and more recently to Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Central African Republic. The LRA has long been armed and funded by the Islamist regime in Khartoum, which has employed the LRA as a proxy force against the South Sudanese and their Christian allies. The LRA's founder and present commander, Joseph Kony, is a former Catholic altar boy turned occultist / spirit medium. Children who have escaped Kony's camps have told social workers that when Kony gets 'possessed' -- he claims by the Holy S pirit -- he will demand worship, crave human blood and prophesy things that come 'exactly true'. This goes some way to explaining why this band of rebels has eluded capture for more than 20 years.
In such an overtly spiritual battle, it should be unsurprising that prayer has proved to be the most powerful and effective weapon of all. In the opinion of this writer, the most effective local force against the LRA has been Northern Uganda's religious leaders and particularly the long-suffering and supremely courageous pastors and bishops of the Acholi Religious Leaders Peace Initiative (ARLPI).
With the stated aim of seeing the LRA removed from the battlefield, the US recently sent 100 combat-ready Special Forces troops to Uganda, tasked with providing 'technical assistance'. The LRA's evil and the local suffering may well be not the main reasons why the US has entered Uganda. Other possible motives include the discovery of oil in Uganda five years ago and China's quick investment in it. Also a quick moral victory in Africa would look good on President Obama's resume in the lead up to the 2012 US presidential elections. Importantly though, an 'oil war' is looming in Sudan, and the LRA -- long a proxy of the Republic of Sudan -- is presently lurking in the hills of South Sudan awaiting orders. Eliminating the LRA would greatly assist South Sudan. Furthermore, American Special Forces assistance in East Africa could be helpful in countering al Shabaab or at least in seeing that Kenya and Uganda are rewarded for their counter-terror efforts. All these possible reasons aside, removing the LRA from the battlefield would b e a very good outcome indeed.
However, as the ARLPI notes, military means have never worked against the LRA. In December 2008 US military advisors assisted Uganda, DRC and the South Sudan-based Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) as they joined forces in Operation Lightning Thunder to fight the LRA in the heavily-forested Garamba National Park region of north-eastern DRC. Mysteriously alerted to the allied advance, the LRA tactically retreated and dispersed. In early January 2009 the alliance boasted that the LRA had been routed but by late January the LRA was enacting reprisals and terrorising civilian populations across the region. By March the Ugandan army had pulled out. The military operation, which cost a huge 500 billion shillings, was an unmitigated disaster, subsequently blamed on 'leaky intelligence'. Today the region is relatively calm and though sporadic violence continues (see LRA Crisis Tracker), the ARLPI believes that gains are being made through dialogue which offers a more holistic outcome than military action ever could.
So the dilemma is this: whilst everyone wants to see the end of the LRA, most Acholi do not favour a military solution. One reason why the ARLPI is opposed to the military option is because the LRA never had popular appeal and it could only fill its ranks by kidnapping young children. Consequently, apart from its top leadership, the LRA comprises mostly abducted, traumatised, terrorised Acholi children, who, after being forced at gunpoint to murder their own parents, were then brainwashed to believe they have no other home nor life than the LRA. However, the churches of Northern Uganda have, in great generosity of spirit, worked very hard over many years to prove that this is not so. These children deserve the opportunity of rehabilitation and reconciliation.
For more background on the LRA see blogs --
Religious Liberty Monitoring label: Lord's Resistance Army (LRA).
Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin label: LRA.
PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY THAT --
- Yahweh Sabaoth -- the Lord of Hosts (literally the commander of heaven's forces) -- will open the door to victory on earth by delivering a victory in heavenly realms; may demonic spirits be bound, through'Jesus Christ who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him' (1 Peter 3:22 ESV).
- Joseph Kony and the other senior leaders of the LRA will be removed from the battlefield in accordance with the will and purpose of God.
- multitudes of abducted children will be spiritually and physically freed to leave the bush and surrender themselves to those who will in amazing grace -- and usually to the bewilderment of the children -- love t hem, rehabilitate them and facilitate reconciliation.
- Ugandan churches -- both northern and southern -- will unite across deep tribal divides to pray for the above outcomes and to work together as one people in Christ for peace, justice and equity across the nation.
Egypt burning again! (NEWS24)
(News24) 22 Nov 2011 - Cairo - Clashes between police and protesters in Cairo's Tahrir Square erupted for a third straight day on Monday after a night of deadly violence that left at least 13 people dead.
Police used tear gas sporadically through the night and into Monday morning against hundreds of protesters - scattered in groups in and around Tahrir - who responded with stones and rocks, according to live footage on state TV.On Sunday, police and military forces used batons, tear gas and bird shot to clear the central square of thousands of protesters demanding the ruling military cede power to a civilian authority.
Morgue officials said 13 people died on Sunday and two people on Saturday, sparking fears of disruptions to the November 28 legislative elections, the first since a popular uprising toppled Hosni Mubarak in February.Protesters fear the army is intent on maintaining some degree of power through a set of supra constitutional principles it plans to impose on the next parliament, who will be tasked with drafting the country's charter.
Protests in Tahrir Square have been ongoing since a massive anti-military rally on Friday, which called on the army to cede power to civilian rule and return to barracks.
Demonstrators have been particularly vocal against Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, Mubarak's long-time defense minister who now heads the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.
Can Pakistan ban "Jesus" in text messages? (Mashable)
(Mashable) 22 Nov 2011 - The Pakistan Telecommunications Authority told mobile carriers to begin blocking text messages Nov. 21 containing words from a list of more than 1,600 “obscene” terms.
Though companies were instructed to start enforcing the ban,Newsweek Pakistan reported Monday that mobile carriers had deferred it as they seek additional clarification from the government.A Nov. 14 letter outlining the new policies and listing the forbidden words was leaked to the Pakistani media last week. The new policy is in response to consumer complaints of receiving graphic text messages, a PTA spokesman told The Guardian.
The list met widespread Internet criticism, in part for including believed benign words such as “Jesus Christ,” “athlete’s foot,” “poop,” “fairy” and “harder.” An unconfirmed version of the list has been circulating online. Some 1,100 of the words are in English, while less than 600 are in Urdu, Pakistan’s national language.Many are discussing the ban on Twitter using the hashtag #PTABannedList. Some have suggested replacing banned words with their numbers on the circulating list.The ban may introduce some technical difficulties, a mobile carrier exec anonymously told the AFP.
“The filtering is not good for the system and may degrade the quality of network services — plus it would be a great inconvenience to our subscribers if their SMS was not delivered due to the wrong choice of words,” the rep said.
Pakistan is no stranger to digital bans from the government. In May 2010, the country blocked Facebook for two weeks after a competition to draw the Prophet Mohammed sparked controversy. YouTube was blockedtemporarily in 2008 following news that images from a competition to draw the Prophet Mohammed had leaked onto the site.
Middle East without Christians (PRWeb)
(PRWeb) 21 Nov 2011 - The real danger of having no Christian presence in the Middle East within the next 5 years will be one of the main topics at a up coming conference hosted by Dr. Rob Dalrymple Director of the Bible Accadamy at Cornerstone Fellowship.
Today, in the Middle East, there are about 30 million Christians and the majority of these Christians are suffering greatly. Over the last 10 years many have sought refuge in the US and various other countries to the point that the continued survival of the Church in the Middle East is being threatened.
According to Professor Habib C. Malik in his article The Future of Christians in the Middle East he discusses the decline of Christianity in the Middle East and how it has become a startling reality:
"The relic phenomenon is an alarming one and the numbers offer sobering evidence of its impending reality. In 1948 Jerusalem was about a fifth Christian; today, it is less than 2 percent. For centuries Christians used to constitute over 80 percent of Bethlehem’s population, but today they are barely a third and falling. In 1943, at the time of its independence, Lebanon was a majority-Christian country, but after thirty years of war and foreign occupation Lebanon’s Christians now make up around a third of the population and the trend is demographic contraction. It is estimated that about half of Iraq’s 1.4 million Christians have fled the country since the American invasion in 2003."
As the country of Iraq has stabilized in the past few years, the violence against the Church has continued. Even as the Shia-dominated Iraqi government has enhanced its control, it has done little to rein in the targeting of weak Christian, Mandean, and Yazidi communities.
The Jerusalem Post also goes on to report the same finding that Professor Habib C. Malik stated in his findings: “…at the time of Lebanese independence from France in 1946 the majority of Lebanese were Christians. Today less than 30% of Lebanese are Christians. In Turkey, the Christian population has dwindled from 2 million at the end of World War I to less than 100,000 today. In Syria, at the time of independence Christians made up nearly half of the population. Today 4% of Syrians are Christian. In Jordan half a century ago 18% of the population was Christian. Today 2% of Jordanians are Christian.”
Copts attacked after 40 days of mourning (WashingtonPost)
(WashingtonPost) 18 Nov 2011 - Attackers threw rocks and broken glass at a march by Coptic Christians in Cairo Thursday, injuring 10, in the latest outbreak of sectarian violence less than two weeks before the start of parliamentary elections.
About 400 Christians marched through the Cairo neighborhood of Shubra to mark the end of 40 days of mourning after sectarian clashes that killed 27 people, most of them Christians, witnesses said.
During the march, attackers threw stones, bricks and broken glass on the marchers from a six-floor apartment building, said marcher Hossam Victor. Clashes broke out and 10 people were injured, two of them seriously.
Victor and other marchers blamed supporters of Gamal Saber, an ultraconservative Islamist candidate in Egypt’s parliamentary elections, set to begin Nov. 28.
“They rained rocks and glass down on us from the building, and the police stood by and watched without doing anything,” Victor said.
One 25-year-old marcher, whose arm appeared to be broken, said police spotted a tattoo of a cross on his upper arm and shoved him toward the attackers, who beat him, injuring his arm. He declined to give his name, fearing retaliation.
Security forces later separated the sides. Saber, the parliamentary candidate, called the Christian marchers “stupid” and blamed them for starting the clashes as a way to harm his election campaign.
Sectarian tensions have been building up across Egypt since the 18-day uprising that ousted President Hosni Mubarak in February. Coptic Christians, who make up about 10 percent of Egypt’s population, have long complained of state discrimination. They feel under increasing threat since the uprising and worry that Islamist groups, competing openly in an election campaign for the first time, will impose restrictions on their community
.
Demands for religious organizations to be toughened in Russia (ANS)
(Christian Telegraph) 11Nov 2011 - KIEV, UKRAINE (ANS) -- The Department of Justice of the Russian Federation has drawn up and published a new federal legal amendment regarding religious organizations and freedom of conscience.
The Independent Newspaper (www.ng.ru) wrote that there were a lot of core introductions in this project, pointing out that the conception of religious groups is [to be] eliminated.
"The foundation of spiritual unions has been changed simultaneously with the list of reasons to deny the registration of such organizations," said the Independent Newspaper in its story.
According to www.gazeta.ru, citizens who decide to found a religious group must inform the Department of Justice in written form. Such a group will be registered if it has more than 10 members, its own charter and decision of the religious examination.
Lev Levinson, an expert from the Human Rights Institution, explained to www.gazeta.ru that new religious structures not affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church must be registered as municipal organizations.
"During their first 10 years of operation, they will not have the right to open educational institutions, Sunday schools, invite foreign citizens, hold religious ceremonies in hospitals, prisons, orphanages, publish and distribute religious literature or organize some media," said human rights advocate.
To do all these things, groups will be forced to merge into a centralized structure. Levinson noted that such merging will close the door on every alternative religious movement.
"Spiritual and religious development will be prohibited," underlined the expert.
Ramil Ahmetgaliev, a legal analyst with the Interregional Human Rights Association (AGORA), agreed with Lev Levinson. He didn't exclude the idea that this bill was "created with the help of some religious denominations that try to solve their problems in such ways."
Ahmetgaliev alleged that this legal formulation is advantageous for authorities. "It is more comfortable for them to communicate with religious groups through a centralized unit. This line of command has been transposed on religious organizations," opined the analyst.
Hardline Salafis on the rise in Egypt (Philly.com)
(Philly.com) 08 Nov 2011 - One of the most unsettling developments of Egypt’s Arab Spring has been the surge of activity by ultraconservative Salafist Muslims, who used to denounce conventional politics.
Salafism is a puritanical form of Sunni Islam that aims to emulate the faith as it was practiced during the Prophet Muhammad's time. Unlike the Muslim Brotherhood, which has long tried to engage in politics, when it was not being repressed by past Egyptian governments, the Salafis concentrated on preaching and social work. Some veered into violence.
But today – in the midst of Egypt’s open political season – Salafis have formed two political parties, and a Salafi, Hazem Saleh Abu Ismail, is running for president.
Salafis are a wild card in the elections, with some predicting they could win ten per cent of the votes. They don’t speak with one voice: Some preach hatred of Christians on well-funded satellite channels, some have attacked Christians and burned churches, while others denounce such actions. Although they deny it, Salafi groups are rumored to receive substantial funds from Saudi Arabia.
There is no question these fundamentalists want to push for an Islamic state and to change Egypt’s conservative but tolerant culture: Abu Ismail says if he were president all women would have to veil. Recently, at a Salafi rally in Alexandria, a statue of Zeus surrounded by mermaids was covered up because it was considered indecent.
Yet some Salafis insist they are misunderstood. I interviewed Mohammed Nour, the spokesman for the Nour (light) Party, who runs a multi-media production company that makes films and apps for I-phones. He wore a suit with a striped shirt, and his office sported orange couches with chrome armrests, and a office secretary with in a headscarf and long skirt but face uncovered. “The image in the media of salafis with long robes is not necessarily true,” he told me in an obvious charm offensive.
But when I asked why Salafis were entering politics, he responded, “We’re always going to believe the Islamic way of life is better than democracy. But all Egyptians believe change can happen through these elections, so we should all present ourselves.”
So it is an open question whether - as some Egyptians hope - Salafis will be tamed by participation in poltics, or whether they see democracy as a means towards an undemocratic end.
Salafi parties and groups originally allied with the Muslim Brotherhood, but – resentful of the Brotherhood’s superior organization – they later formed their own alliance of fundamentalist candidates. One big question in the upcoming elections is whether they will emerge from the election with a key bloc of seats that, if joined with the Brotherhood, would give Islamists a majority in parliament. That would give them latitude to press the more cautious Brotherhood to adopt more hardline views.
Egypt arrest of Christians continue (ANS)(AINA)
(AINA) 07 Nov 2011 - Egypt's Military Prosecutor decided on November 3 to continue the detention of 34 Coptic Christians for another 15 days, pending investigations on charges of inciting violence, carrying arms and insulting the armed forces during the October 9 Maspero Massacre, which claimed the lives of 27 Christians and injured 329. The court session was attended by more than twenty defense lawyers. The case was adjourned to November 18.
Egyptian journalist Mary Abdelmassih, writing for AINA -- the Assyrian International News Agency http://www.aina.org/ , says that according to defense lawyers, most of the detainees were arrested after October 9, and some were not even at the Maspero protest and were just collected from the streets for "being a Christian."
According to AINA, three of them were teens under 16 years old and another had an operation to extract a bullet from his jaw and was chained to his bed in hospital, said defense lawyer Ibrahim Edward. "After the operation he was sent straight to prison where he cannot eat without feeding tubes, so he lives on juices."
AINA says prominent activist Alaa Abdel-Fatah, who criticized the army for the Maspero Massacre, was arrested on October 30, charged with inciting violence, seizing military equipment, and vandalizing military property. He refused to answer questions from the military prosecutors "in a case where the military is accused of committing a massacre when their APCs ran over peaceful protesters in front of Maspero on Oct. 9," his lawyer Ahmed Seif Al-Islam, former director of the Hisham Mubarak Law Center, is quoted as saying.
AINA states that Abdel-Fatah also played a big role in convincing the families of the Maspero Coptic victims to agree to have the bodies of their relatives autopsied in order to have proof that the military caused their death.
AINA reports that two days ago, Mikhail Naguib, a Copt, was arrested at his home by the military and accused of stealing a machine gun and using it to kill Copts in Maspero on October 9.
According to the AINA report, the military prosecutors claimed that the gun, a type used by the army, was stolen from one of the APCs at Maspero. The army said that a taxi driver who brought Naguib on that night from Maspero to his home in the run-down area of Sharabia witnessed that he had a gun bundled in a plastic bag with him.
In an interview aired on the "The Way" Christian TV, Michael's father said the army and police found nothing at home, and that they beat his son and took him away in his underwear.
AINA reports that Dr. Naguib Gabriel, head of the Egyptian Union of Human Rights Organization, said that this latest arrest and these extremely serious accusations raises questions about the intentions of the army. He wondered about the evidence the military has regarding these charges, and whether with this arrest the real culprits will not be brought to justice.
Families of detainees appeared in an interview with Coptic Channel CTV and told how their sons and husbands were arrested, AINA said.
In its report, AINA says that Ms. Magda, mother of Mina Talaat, said that her son did not attend the Maspero protest but was arrested after the violence at 8:30 in one of the roads leading to Maspero. "Mina was stopped by a soldier, who called a group of 20 people to come quickly, as he had found a Christian. The group beat Mina with short leather batons until his jaw was broken and he had to hold it back with his hand. He also had wounds in the head requiring 12 stitches," she said
According to the AINA report, Mina told his mother on her first visit that he hid under an armored personnel carrier, but was dragged out and taken to a room on the third floor of the TV building, together with other Copts, and they were beaten until 8 AM. He was then taken to el-Kobah Military Hospital where he was chained to his bed. She said that Mina had a large tattoo of the Virgin Mary on his arm and "the soldier was so angry about that he wanted to shoot him."
Ms. Mariam, wife of Mr. Amin Mouneer Ayad, who was at work and was dropped off by his company's bus near Maspero after 11:00, said that a soldier asked her husband if he was a Christian and saw the tattooed cross on his wrist, then took him away to a room all covered in blood. After taking his money and cell phone, the soldiers beat him until he lost consciousness. "I did not recognize him at hospital," said his wife. "His eyes were so swollen that when he cried no tears were flowing."
The Al-Nadeem Center for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Torture said on its Facebook page that Mr. Amthal Mahmoud Abdel-Fattah, a Muslim arrested at Maspero by the military, was said by his mother to be mentally handicapped. Military prosecutors transferred him to Abbassiya mental hospital, which decided to keep him "until he comes back to his senses," as per the hospital report.
"To arrest the victims and not the assailants shows the extent of persecution and humiliation the Copts are experiencing," said Medhat Kelada, head of the Union of Coptic Organizations in Europe. "If there is any justice, the military prosecution should instead investigate the crimes committed by the military police."
AINA also reported that a list of suspects to be questioned by the military prosecutors with regards to the Maspero violence was published by the media, which included clergy, in addition to political movements like the Maspero Coptic Youth Union, Copts Without Borders and April 6. It also included the deceased Coptic protester Mina Danial, known from the January 25 Tahrir protests, who died in the Maspero Massacre from gun shots.
AINA further reported that Father Filopateer was interrogated by the prosecution on October 26 and he completely refused to cooperate with the military investigation because he is a civilian, and because it is biased and is part of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), with whom ".we are direct opponents in this case. I accused the SCAF, Field Marshal Tantawi and Brigadier Badeen, head of military police of being directly responsible for the Maspero Massacre." He said that the SCAF was fishing for incriminating evidence.
AINA also said Father Mattias Nasr went to the military prosecutor on October 20. He said that he did not expect to be accused, wondering how can a victim become a culprit? He described the investigations as a sort counterbalance to what was unveiled in the conference held on October 20 by the Maspero Coptic Youth Union. The conference accused the military of murdering the demonstrators through video footage and witnesses.
Human Rights groups have criticized the ongoing arrests, denounced military trials for civilians, and called for the transfer of the investigation of the case from military to civilian prosecutors.
Joe Stork, Deputy Middle East director of Human Rights Watch, said "The military cannot investigate itself with any credibility. This had been an essentially peaceful protest until the military used excessive force and military vehicles ran over protesters. The only hope for justice for the victims is an independent civilian-led investigation that the army fully cooperates with and cannot control and that leads to the prosecution of those responsible."
Activist Mark Ebeid, who attended the Maspero protest, said: "They are arresting Christians and levying accusation at them, most of which are really absurd, in an attempt to implicate them in the killings," adding: "The Junta is trying to justify the impossible, which is putting the blame on someone else. We all witnessed the killings with our own eyes on that bloody Sunday."
Extremists taking hold of Tunisia mosques (News24)
(News24) 03 Nov 2011 - Tunis - Radical Islamists have seized control of 150 to 200 mosques and prayer halls around Tunisia this year, a senior religious official said on Wednesday.
Official control over Tunisia's 5 000 mosques and small prayer halls has relaxed since the January revolution that toppled autocratic president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, allowing radicals to occupy some of them, Jamel Oueslati told Reuters.
There were also cases where imams and congregations thwarted takeover bids, said Oueslati, who is chief of staff to Religious Affairs Minister Aroussi Mizouri in the caretaker government. He had no figures for such cases.
"After January 14, some extremist tendencies invaded certain mosques," he said, referring to the day Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia. "The ministry has no power to pressure them. We have to wait until things calm down and we'll see what we can do.
"This is an exceptional situation. This tendency is a reaction to the years of oppression and lack of free expression. They now have the opportunity to express their views, often aggressively."
The moderate Islamist party Ennahda, which advocates democracy and pledges not to impose religious bans on the secularist minority here, won 40% of the vote in the October 23 election for a constituent assembly.
It is expected to form a coalition with two large secularist parties to run the country and write a new constitution.
No radical Islamist parties were allowed to contest the election, so the extent of their political support is not known. But few are seen on the streets in Tunis, where many women wear western clothes and do not veil their hair.
Radical Islamists, or salafists, have given Tunisia's secularist elites the jitters. Last month, they clashed with police in Tunis and protested against a film they said insulted Islam.
No problems
Oueslati said the ministry, which oversees the management of mosques and prayer halls and validates the qualifications of imams, had no problems with radicals under the old dictatorship.
Since the revolution did away with authoritarian methods, he said, it could not ask the police to eject the salafists.
"We're trying to discuss with them, but they won't agree to talk," he said. The ministry will be able to take legal measures only once the new government is formed and establishes its authority.
Oueslati said there was no indication the salafists were supported from abroad, but said Tunisia was concerned about satellite television broadcasts that propagated a stricter version of Islam than normally practised here.
The authorities were considering launching a Tunisian Islamic television channel, with question and answer sessions like those popular on foreign stations, he said.
"Most people want to ask questions about religion. When Tunisians don't find someone to ask, some go and watch these satellite channels and can get confused," he said.
If Tunisia creates its own religious channel, he said, "people could address our own experts with their questions instead of turning to the so-called 'sages' of the Gulf or elsewhere".
The state has taken over a religious radio station set up in Tunis several years ago by a relative of Ben Ali, he said.
Oueslati said the majority of Tunisians rejected religious radicalism. "We're moderates, we want to be open to the world," he said. "We're not fundamentalists, as some seem to think."
UK to cut aid towards countries that persecute Christian (ChristianPost)
(ChristianPost) 03 Nov 2011 - Christian leaders are applauding U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron’s pledge to stop sending aid to countries that persecute Christians and ban homosexuality. Cameron said the decision was a move to protect basic human rights worldwide.“When the UK is setting aid budgets and is in discussion with other governments, religious freedom – in particular the persecution of Christians – should always be highlighted and discussed,” said Neville Kyrke-Smith, director of Aid to the Church in Need's (ACN) U.K. office."Britain is one of the premier aid givers in the world,” Cameron said to the BBC. “We want to see countries that receive our aid adhering to proper human rights.”
Up to 75 percent of the religious persecution in the world is against Christians, according to a recent report. In addition, more than 40 members of the British Commonwealth have laws banning homosexuality.“ACN agrees that the persecution of homosexuals is totally unacceptable – as is the persecution of Christians and people of other faiths,” Kyrke-Smith said.Cameron’s remarks were meant to spark the beginning of change to these two issues, the Prime Minister said."This is an issue where we are pushing for movement, we are prepared to put some money behind what we believe. But I'm afraid that you can't expect countries to change overnight,” Cameron said to the BBC.
Christians have come under attack in China, Iran, Burma, Egypt, Pakistan and other countries around the world.It is unclear how the pledge will affect specific countries around the globe.British aid to Pakistan was expected to double this year to 350 million British pounds, according to reports. But the country is at the center of a controversy over its persecution of Christians under a loosely defined blasphemy law.
At least 35 Christians have been killed since 1986 under the country’s blasphemy laws, according to reports.It is unclear how much money the U.K. will withhold from Pakistan and other governments, since the issues are so widespread.The first countries affected by the change could be Malawi, Uganda, Nigeria and Ghana, according to reports.Christian leaders maintain that a good human rights’ record is imperative when choosing which countries to send aid to.
“If governments are responsible for persecution or are failing to take obvious steps to prevent it, their approach raises huge questions about whether they can be trusted to give help to the poorest and most needy in society,” Kyrke-Smith said.
New Middle East / Arab World as Christians flee the region (NewsMax)
(NewsMax.com) 31 Oct 2011 - Attacked by mobs and terrorists, repressed by the growing popularity of fundamentalist Islamic law and cut off from crucial business ties, Christians are fleeing the Middle East in an unprecedented exodus.
More than half of Iraqi Christians — an estimated 400,000 people — have left that country over the last decade as power has fallen in the hands of increasingly hostile Shi'a Islamic leaders.
In Egypt, home to at least 8 million Copt Christians — a number that exceeds the populations of Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, and Tunisia — at least 95,000 Christians have emigrated since March 2011. The number could reach 250,000 by the end of this year, reports the Egyptian Federation of Human Rights.
"At the present rate, the Middle East's 12 million Christians will likely drop to 6 million in the year 2020. With time, Christians will effectively disappear from the region as a cultural and political force," reports Daniel Pipes, a leading scholar of the Middle East.
The most popular destination for fleeing Christians was the United States, which took in an estimated 42,000 of the Egyptian Copts. Other destinations included Canada, Australia and western Europe.
The situation threatens to worsen as the Arab Spring removes dictators who, paradoxically, shielded Christian communities. The parties that are gaining power in Libya, Egypt, Tunisia, and other countries tend to be offshoots of the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood.
In Libya on Sunday, transitional government leader Mustafa Abdul-Jalil laid out a vision for the post-Gadhafi future with an Islamist tint, saying Islamic Sharia law would be the "basic source" of legislation and existing laws that contradict the teachings of Islam would be nullified.
In Egypt, where Christians make up about 10 percent of the population, Coptic Christians have been subjected to a series of attacks. On New Year’s Day, 21 Coptics were killed leaving Saints Church in Alexandria, and dozens more killed in clashes that followed, all leading up to the Oct. 9 demonstration killed at least 24 Christians, many run over by military vehicles, and injured hundreds more.
In an attack on a Baghdad’s Our Lady of Salvation church in October of 2010, 58 Syriac Catholic worshippers were killed and 78 wounded. The al-Qaida-linked Islamic State of Iraq claimed responsibility for the massacre.
On Sunday, in a speech that stirred fears among some Middle East observiers, Jalil called for all laws to conform to Islam. The myriad of practices that declaration covers is widespread and includes charging interest on loans, which Abdel Jalil promised will be abolished.
“We are an Islamic state,” he declared to a cheering crowd in Benghazi Sunday.
While Iraq was not part of the Arab Spring, the toppling of Saddam Husseim in 2003 by the U.S. military created its own vacuum and hundreds of thousands Christians have fled the country due to sectarian strife. In Syria, where Christians make up about 10 percent of the population, a similar fate is feared should President Bashar al-Assad be toppled.
“Virtually the entire region now experiencing the convulsion of the Arab Spring lived inside the very large tent of the Ottoman Empire until World War I,” James Traub wrote in Foreign Policy. “Ottoman rulers welcomed the Jews who fled the Inquisition. In great Ottoman capitals like Aleppo, in modern Syria, Jews, Christians, Kurds, and Sunni Muslims lived in the same neighborhoods.”
However, the fellow of the Center for International Cooperation and contributing writer for the New York Times Magazine noted that the pluralism once found in the region was destroyed by those stoking nationalism to consolidate power.
“Populist rulers can accommodate diversity, as they have largely done in today's Turkey, or they can unleash the forces of sectarianism, as they have in Iraq, where Shiites and Sunnis kill one another and both kill Christians. Older Iraqis will tell you that no one ever spoke of ‘Sunni’ and ‘Shiite’ when they were young; but whether in Bosnia or Iraq, sectarianism, once provoked, has a very long half-life. There is no more volatile substance in the modern nation-state.”
Christian Syrians have clung to the government of Assad, fearing what might follow should it fall, having seen what has happened in neighboring countries. Indeed many Christians who have fled sectarian strife in countries such as Iraq have ended up in Syria.
Traub wrote that while violence against Egyptian Copts does not approach what has occurred in Iraq, it has been growing in recent years.
“There's no wishing away the anti-Coptic attitudes, or prejudices, of ordinary Egyptians. But Copts have lived with that for a long time,” he wrote. “The big question is whether it will get worse — and how much worse. And that will be a matter of political choices and political leadership.”
Traub concluded that the situation could go either way.
“Egypt's new military rulers, like the military ruler they replaced, have proved all too willing to exploit street-level resentment. Power-sharing cannot wait until a new president is elected in mid-2013 or so. Egypt's democratic forces say that they are determined not to allow themselves to be divided against one another. Let's hope so. In Egypt, and all across the former Ottoman outposts of the southern Mediterranean — Tunisia, Libya, Syria — it is not just democracy but also pluralism that is at stake. It would be a terrible thing, and a deeply unnecessary one, if the rise of the former meant the end of the latter.”
Signs of greater freedom in Bhutan (MissionNetworkNews)
(MissionNetworkNews) 26 Oct 2011 - Over the last ten years, Southern Baptists in particular have been praying for the nation of Bhutan, which comes in at #14 on the Open Doors World Watch List for the nations with the worst persecution toward Christians.
Although the nation remains extremely oppressive compared to free nations,International Mission Boardreports that prayers over the last decade have clearly been answered.
In 2001, Baptists committed their National Day of Prayer and Fasting for the World and Evangelization to Bhutan, the only country recognized as a Tibetan Buddhist Kingdom. Ten years later, one Bhutanese pastor reports, "The prayers are working."
In the mid-1990s, Bhutan's government banned Christianity. They felt it could be a divisive religion if it grew too strong. It was against the law to "coerce anyone to believe differently."
The latter has not altogether changed. Christians are still not allowed to "proselytize" or partake in any festivity or holiday that is not Buddhist.
But headway has been made on the religious freedom horizon. "We are allowed to have faith in Jesus now," says the same pastor, who was exiled from Bhutan years ago for sharing Christ. The man still helps train others in Bhutan to plant churches, and the churches are growing.
Part of this growth is due to the introduction of New Testament translations in three more languages in the last ten years. "I'm fairly good at English. Yet, there is nothing like reading [the Scriptures] in your own language. Somehow, the Bible and what it's saying becomes more meaningful," says the pastor. "People tell me they understand it now because it's speaking to them."
The churches still face persecution. For some, every time they meet, the power and water supplies are cut off in the homes. When the village has light, the home hosting church has none. They still have to be very careful with whom they share the Truth.
The Lord is stirring hearts, though. Pray that the church in Bhutan would continue to be bold and to listen closely to the Holy Spirit. Pray for more hearts to turn to Christ.
North Sudan to write Islamic constitution (WorldNetDaily)
(WorldNetDaily) 25 Oct 2011 - Sudanese leader Omer Hassan Al-Bashir is moving forward with rewriting the country's constitution to implement Shariah law, according to reports from organizations with links inside the Muslim-dominated nation.
International Christian Concern'sNorth Africa specialist Jonathan Rachosays that a Shariah-compliant constitution will mean more suffering for Sudan's remaining Christians.
"This new law (Shariah compliant constitution) is going to affect a significant number of Christians who live in places like Khartoum (the capital city). There are still a significant number of Christians in Sudan," Racho said.
"If Al-Bashir introduces this Shariah law and if he's going to go ahead and adopt an entirely Islamic constitution, Christians and other non-Muslims who live in Sudan will be treated like second-class citizens," Racho said.
"They will be dhimmis and they will not have full rights in the freedom of religion," Racho said.
Racho emphasized the reality of non-Muslim life under Islamic law.
"Shariah law is incompatible with human rights and the human rights that are enshrined in many Western constitutions. So, we are really alarmed by the latest statements by the government of Sudan," Racho said.
Racho says Al-Bashir's move towards Shariah shows that the government of Sudan hasn't learned anything from its recent loss of the south.
"The government of Sudan should realize that the reason the south seceded and the war for secession was because of the Shariah law and now they're repeating the same mistake," Racho said.
Racho says its highly probable that Al-Bashir is moving forward because he believes most of the Christians have left the north.
"Al-Bashir said that 98 percent of the country is Muslim so the new constitution will reflect this reality," Racho said.
Global Response NetworkFounder and President Tom Zurowskisays that while he hasn't heard anything specific, the move fits al-Bashir's pattern.
"It would seem to fall in line with what he believes and how he treated people for years. In other words, it is and has been his 'nature' all along," Zurowski said.
"Bashir has always embraced Shariah as 'good government'. Shariah has been the very ethos of Bashir and the north for a long, long time. People on the ground in the south have known this right along," Zurowski said.
"The Islamization of Sudan (North and South and the rest of the African continent) has been the goal of Bashir's government for years," Zurowski said.
Zurowski adds his concern that the newly independent South Sudan will still have to deal with al-Bashir.
"I fear the south has not heard the last of him. As people leave the north and return to the south, the strength of Islam will only grow in Khartoum. This I guarantee," Zurowski said.
"They will have no restraint and will welcome radical elements of Islam with no fear of the international community," Zurowski said.
Zurowski adds that al-Bashir is now facing the realities of having a new southern neighbor and having to contend with the other North African Islamic countries.
"If Bashir wants the backing of neighboring Arab nations, he must fully embrace Shariah or be seen as a weak leader (or link) among other Arab countries. His ego and arrogance will not allow for that," Zurowski said.
"Though he may not like the south breaking from the north (over oil revenues and having to accept defeat), you can be sure that he enjoys the thought of ridding the north of any non-Muslim black Africans," Zurowski said.
WNDreported in Julyon the establishment of the newly independent South Sudan.
South Sudan's independence took a major portion of Sudan's oil revenues and Al-Bashir is facing a new economic climate as a result.
TheSudan Tribune reports that Al-Bashir is having to tell his government that spending reductions are a priority to relieve economic pressure.
"He also stressed that reducing government spending is needed along with seeking more revenue sources in order to adjust with the new economic reality," the Tribune report said.
"Sudan lost 75 percent of its oil reserves after the south became an independent state which fueled an unprecedented economic boom since the signing of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA)," the Sudan Tribune story also said.
"We want the international community to put pressure on Sudan. One of the important things about Sudan is its reliance on the international community," Racho said.Racho says that even with Al-Bashir's economic woes and aggressive anti-Christian rhetoric, the international community should still lean on Sudan to ensure safety for the country's Christians.
"We (ICC) also want the American Christian community to know that the secession of the South doesn't end the plight of Christians so they should continue to advocate on behalf of the Christians in Sudan," Racho said.
Gaddafi is dead -by Richard Baird
He was crushed for our iniquities - Isaiah 53:5
So, Gadaffi is dead. And unless he had some last minute 'thief-on-the-cross' conversion, we can only assume that he is not with the Lord, but away from Him in accordance with the decision he made.
This is a tragedy.
I wonder what our world would have been like with a Jesus-transformed Gadaffi? Gadaffi certainly experienced the truth of the words of Jesus when he rebuked a disciple for chopping off the servant's ear - that those who live by the sword die by the sword (see Matt 26:52). The death of Gadaffi reminds us that oppressive regimes do not live forever, and what will be truly important is how the church will respond to this - will it utilise a window of opportunity to help the hurting in Libya, or will a more extreme form of Islam come in and fill the gap despite the hopes of a democracy being put in place?
Seeing the images on the media of Gadaffi's death made me grateful that I am part of another kingdom - the kingdom of God. A kingdom made possible by a king who died an even more violent death with even more hate and forces of darkness leveled against Him. Except this king chose to die, because His death meant life for all who would receive it. After rebuking the disciple for cutting off the ear, Jesus said the following:
Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen this way? (Matt 26:53-54)
What an amazing king that would die out of love for His citizens!
May that spirit of love that motivated our King Jesus motivate each and every one of us to not rest until we have done all we can to promote God's kingdom and spread His love!
as the age old saying goes: “the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t know”. In the case of Libya it is a
matter of “the tyrant we knew could possible be better than the tyrant we do not know yet”. The fact of the matter is that
Libya has no history of democracy and therefore no platform to launch a new democracy. Under the rule of Col. Gadaffi
there were clear borders of his tyranny and even though there was no democracy, there was a sense of stability as
everybody “understood the rules”. Under a new rebel leadership the challenge will be not to fall into a destabilising and
chaotic tyranny of retaliation and reprisal. Islamic democracy differs vastly from a western understanding of democracy
and the future of Libya could turn out to be as fatal as that of Iraq and Afghanistan.
The second challenge is the economy. Expectations for economic reforms will be high and, if not met swiftly, could result in
more acts of violence. Libya needs economic reform as much as it needs political reform with an oil-wealth that created a
distorted society.
However, a key consideration is the future of the Church in Libya. Even though only 2.6% of the population of Libya is
Christian it is home to the second largest number of believers of the 8 nations in North Africa. Egypt has 10.3 million
Christians and Libya is second with 171,000 Christians. It might be small in number but it is still significant in presence.
Every Christian that flees the country during these troubled times means there is one witness less in North Africa. Of the
54 nations in Africa, Libya receives the 4th least number of missionaries with less than 18 missionaries for every 1 million
people. The already small candle of a Church under pressure is now facing the danger of being completely extinguished.
Christians, being the minority in these regions, will ultimately be caught in the cross-fire. What will their future be? As
Christians we need to keep a close eye on the revolution. We cannot afford to see the faithful brethren, who have been
“fighting” for ‘liberation’ while being persecuted for their faith, be forgotten? Today, the silent revolution continues as
Christians are suffering in prisons, murdered, raped and beaten for the sake of Christ. If one Arab generation could stand
up and change history forever, this generation of Christians can also stand up for the 200 million persecuted believers in
the world.
matter of “the tyrant we knew could possible be better than the tyrant we do not know yet”. The fact of the matter is that
Libya has no history of democracy and therefore no platform to launch a new democracy. Under the rule of Col. Gadaffi
there were clear borders of his tyranny and even though there was no democracy, there was a sense of stability as
everybody “understood the rules”. Under a new rebel leadership the challenge will be not to fall into a destabilising and
chaotic tyranny of retaliation and reprisal. Islamic democracy differs vastly from a western understanding of democracy
and the future of Libya could turn out to be as fatal as that of Iraq and Afghanistan.
The second challenge is the economy. Expectations for economic reforms will be high and, if not met swiftly, could result in
more acts of violence. Libya needs economic reform as much as it needs political reform with an oil-wealth that created a
distorted society.
However, a key consideration is the future of the Church in Libya. Even though only 2.6% of the population of Libya is
Christian it is home to the second largest number of believers of the 8 nations in North Africa. Egypt has 10.3 million
Christians and Libya is second with 171,000 Christians. It might be small in number but it is still significant in presence.
Every Christian that flees the country during these troubled times means there is one witness less in North Africa. Of the
54 nations in Africa, Libya receives the 4th least number of missionaries with less than 18 missionaries for every 1 million
people. The already small candle of a Church under pressure is now facing the danger of being completely extinguished.
Christians, being the minority in these regions, will ultimately be caught in the cross-fire. What will their future be? As
Christians we need to keep a close eye on the revolution. We cannot afford to see the faithful brethren, who have been
“fighting” for ‘liberation’ while being persecuted for their faith, be forgotten? Today, the silent revolution continues as
Christians are suffering in prisons, murdered, raped and beaten for the sake of Christ. If one Arab generation could stand
up and change history forever, this generation of Christians can also stand up for the 200 million persecuted believers in
the world.
15 October - The light of forgiveness
INcontext just received the following letter from one of the Coptic Bishops in Upper Egypt. Please read, contemplate and pray. The light of forgiveness is indeed shining in Egypt.
------------------------------
Dear Friends,
Thank you for sharing our difficult time.
We are passing through a dark tunnel of violence, feeling grieve of death and injustice. The light of forgiveness is shining with a painful love. Trying to bring forgiveness and justice together is a big struggle, but we are committed to the love that never fails.
We are hardly pressed on every side, yet not crushed. We are perplexed but not lost, persecuted but not forsaken, struck down but not destroyed. We do not lose heart and continue to work for justice to be fulfilled. We continue to love and declare forgiveness so the peace of God will overshadow all hearts. We continue to work on the healing and support of the innocent victims. And we continue to pray for the victims, for the offenders and for a better future.
Thank you all for your love, care, words and actions to bring justice and forgiveness together.
Bishop Thomas
More on the recent massacre of Copts in Cairo: by Mark Durie
13 October 2011: In his last blog post (see perspectives) Mark Durie emphasized the role of the Egyptian military in killing Copts last Sunday. However it seems that most of the killings may have been done by gangs of Muslim men who took to the streets. In his previous post he noted that one of the men's bodies in the morgue had had his throat cut, a mark of a religious ritual slaying which pointed to the activity of religious civilians rather than to soldiers. An important eyewitness account by Reva Bhalla throws light on what was happening:
A perfect example of a very shabby response to these events is the press release put out by the Whitehouse:
Not a single Church left in Afghanistan (CNSnews)
(CNSNews) 14 Oct 2011 - There is not a single, public Christian church left in Afghanistan, according to the U.S. State Department.
This reflects the state of religious freedom in that country ten years after the United States first invaded it and overthrew its Islamist Taliban regime.
In the intervening decade, U.S. taxpayers have spent $440 billion to support Afghanistan's new government and more than 1,700 U.S. military personnel have died serving in that country.
The last public Christian church in Afghanistan was razed in March 2010, according to the State Department's latest International Religious Freedom Report. The report, which was released last month and covers the period of July 1, 2010 through December 31, 2010, also states that “there were no Christian schools in the country.”
“There is no longer a public Christian church; the courts have not upheld the church's claim to its 99-year lease, and the landowner destroyed the building in March [2010],” reads the State Department report on religious freedom. “[Private] chapels and churches for the international community of various faiths are located on several military bases, PRTs [Provincial Reconstruction Teams], and at the Italian embassy. Some citizens who converted to Christianity as refugees have returned.”
In recent times, freedom of religion has declined in Afghanistan, according to the State Department.
“The government’s level of respect for religious freedom in law and in practice declined during the reporting period, particularly for Christian groups and individuals,” reads the State Department report.
“Negative societal opinions and suspicion of Christian activities led to targeting of Christian groups and individuals, including Muslim converts to Christianity," said the report. "The lack of government responsiveness and protection for these groups and individuals contributed to the deterioration of religious freedom.”
Most Christians in the country refuse to “state their beliefs or gather openly to worship,” said the State Department.
More than 1,700 U.S. military personnel have died serving in the decade-old Afghanistan war, according to CNSNews.com’s database of all U.S. casualties in Afghanistan. A September audit released jointly by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction and the State Department’s Office of Inspector General, found that the U.S. government will spend at least $1.7 billion to support the civilian effort from 2009-2011.
According to that report, the $1.7 billion excludes additional security costs, which the report says the State Department priced at about $491 million.
A March 2011 report by the Congressional Research Service showed that overall the United States has spent more than $440 billion in the Afghanistan war. Christian aid from the international community has also gone to aid the Afghan government.
Nevertheless, according to the State Department, the lack of non-Muslim religious centers in Afghanistan can be blamed in part on a “strapped government budget,” which is primarily fueled by the U.S. aid.
“There were no explicit restrictions for religious minority groups to establish places of worship and training of clergy to serve their communities,” says the report, “however, very few public places of worship exist for minorities due to a strapped government budget.”
The report acknowledged that Afghanistan’s post-Taliban constitution, which was ratified with the help of U.S. mediation in 2004, can be contradictory when it comes to the free exercise of religion.
While the new constitution states that Islam is the “religion of the state” and that “no law can be contrary to the beliefs and provisions of the sacred religion of Islam,” it also proclaims that “followers of other religions are free to exercise their faith and perform their religious rites within the limits of the provisions of the law.”
However, “the right to change one’s religion was not respected either in law or in practice,” according to the State Department.
“Muslims who converted away from Islam risked losing their marriages, rejection from their families and villages, and loss of jobs,” according to the report. “Legal aid for imprisoned converts away from Islam remains difficult due to the personal objection of Afghan lawyers to defend apostates.”
Also, in recent years, the death punishment for blasphemy “has not been carried out,” according to the State Department.
The report does note that “in recent years neither the national nor local authorities have imposed criminal penalties on coverts from Islam.” The report says that “conversion from Islam is considered apostasy and is punishable by death under some interpretations of Islamic rule in the country.”
According to the State Department report, the United States continues to promote religious freedom in Afghanistan--even though the country no longer has even one Christian church.
“The U.S. government regularly discusses religious freedom with government officials as part of its overall policy to promote human rights,” according to the report.
According to the State Department report, more than 99 percent of the population, estimated between 24 and 33 million people, is either Sunni (80 percent) or Shia (19 percent) Muslim. Non-Muslim religious groups, including the estimated 500 to 8,000 strong Christian community in the country, make up less than 1 percent of the population. Other non-Muslim groups in the country are Sikhs, Bahais, and Hindus.
What future for Christians in Egypt after brutal assault by security forces, Islamists and thugs?
Barnabas Fund : www.barnabasfund.org reports as follows:
Thousands of Christians protesting against the torching of a church and other injustices came under brutal attack by security forces, Islamists and violent thugs in Egypt on Sunday.
Video footage (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ps0cZESV-ec&feature=youtu.be) shows military vehicles charging at Christians who were protesting near the state TV building in Maspero Square, Cairo.
They were also shot at, beaten and dragged through the streets by soldiers, Muslim attackers and plain-clothed thugs in what has been described as the worst violence in Egypt since the fall of President Hosni Mubarak in February.
One of the rally organisers said:
The army and police were waiting for us about 200 metres away from the Maspero TV building. They started firing at us before two army armoured vehicles came at great speed and drove into the crowds, going backwards and forwards, mowing people under their wheels.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing an armoured vehicle crush 15 people.
The Christian hospital where many of the wounded were being treated came under sustained attack by a group of men chanting “Islamiya, Islamiya”, and Christian-owned businesses were targeted by thugs.
The Health Ministry has said that 25 people were killed and 329 wounded, though other Egyptian sources put the death toll higher.
Media manipulation
In a bid to control reporting of the incident, the military forcibly closed at least two independent media outlets, while state television broadcast anti-Christian statements. There were also calls for people to take to the streets to “protect” the army.
Although Muslims were among the aggressors, some were also reportedly present to defend the Christians from the security forces and to protest against the military’s continued hold on power. Calls were made for the resignation of the military council.
Christians flee violence
The protest was sparked by the destruction of St George’s Church in Aswan province on 30 September. This was the latest in a long line of violent attacks on Christians in Egypt, which have intensified since the fall of President Hosni Mubarak as hard-line Islamist groups, notably the Salafists, have grown in strength and influence. Christians feel that the military council is not doing enough to protect them and are too lenient on the perpetrators of anti-Christian attacks.
The violence is driving thousands of Christians out of the country. A report by the Egyptian Union of Human Rights Organisations (EUHRO) said that 100,000 Christians had emigrated from Egypt since March. Director Naguib Gabriel said that the Christians were not leaving voluntarily but were being forced out by the aggressive tactics of hard-line Salafist Muslims.
And as the country moves towards parliamentary elections at the end of November, it seems increasingly likely that Islamist groups will emerge triumphant, making the future for Christians in Egypt look ever more dangerous.
Dr Patrick Sookhdeo, International Director of Barnabas Fund, said:
Christians in Egypt have endured decades of discrimination and persecution, but the brutality unleashed against them on Sunday reveals new depths of hostility towards them. It is not surprising that those who can are now leaving the country, but what will happen to those who remain? Are they going to be forced out or subjected to even worse state-sponsored violence?
Please Pray
- For the restoration of peace between all sections of Egyptian society.
- For all those who have lost loved ones or been injured in the violence. Pray that the Lord will draw close to them and comfort them in their grief and pain.
- For the future of Christians in Egypt. Pray that their rights as citizens will be upheld and that they will be allowed to live peaceful lives in their homeland.
11 October 2011 - Egyptians Mourn Massacre of Coptic Christians
Orthodox leaders call for three days of fasting, prayer, mourning.
By Wayne King - Compass Direct
ISTANBUL, October 10 (Compass Direct News) – Funeral services were held today in Cairo for some of the victims of a military attack against a group of Christian protestors that left 26 dead and hundreds wounded.
In the wake of what could be the worst act of violence against Egyptian Christians in modern history, leaders of the Coptic Orthodox Church have called for three days of fasting and prayer for divine intervention, along with three days of mourning.
Leaders from other faith traditions among Egyptian Christians reported similar efforts among their congregations.
Samia Sidhom, managing editor for the Coptic weekly Al Watani, said Copts across Egypt are distraught about the attack and the future for Christians across the country.
“At this point you can’t even imagine what the future will be like,” she said. Speaking specifically about the call for fasting, she added, “At this point, either God does something or you get nothing at all.”
The attack started late Sunday afternoon (Oct. 9) when Christian protestors marching through Cairo began getting pelted with rocks and other projectiles near an overpass that cuts through downtown Cairo. By the time the protestors were able to make it to a television and radio broadcasting building commonly known as the Maspero Building, the army began shooting into the crowd and ramming riot-control vehicles into the protestors.
Witnesses at the scene reportedly said attacks left body parts scattered at the scene. Amateur video at the scene shows two riot-control vehicles plowing into the crowd of protestors.
The protest came in response to a Sept. 30 attack in Upper Egypt, where the Mar Gerges Church building was burned down along with several Christian-owned homes and businesses in Elmarenab village in Aswan.
The church building, which was being renovated, was attacked by local Muslims who claimed the congregation had no right to build it, despite legal documents parish priests put forth to the contrary. The local Muslims claimed the structure was a hospitality house.
Before the attack, parishioners of the church took down crosses outside the building. When it was being destroyed, contractors where removing domes that local Muslims held to be offensive.
The Mar Gerges burning was the third church in Egypt in seven months to be burned down by a mob.
Sidhom said Christian protestors were particularly upset about the church attack because the government blamed them for it, claiming the building was a hospitality house with illegal construction taking place.
Coptic Christians, once a majority in Egypt, now make up 7 to 10 percent of the country’s 80 million people.
www.compassdirect.org
Urgent call to prayer from Egypt (see articles below for more information on events - updated on 11 October 2011)
INcontext received the following urgent email from Cairo, Egypt (Picture from Bloomberg News)
Dearest friends,
Due to the very tragic events which happened last night sunday 9th of octoberin Cairo (24 christians have been killed and over 200 people injured during demonstrations which started peacefully), the pope Shenouda made a call of prayer to all coptic christians around the world starting from tomorrow morning tuesdaythe 11th of october. His call is to encourage anyone to pray and fast during 3 days for our country.
With this message we would like to kindly ask you to join us, according to your possibilities and capacities, during the 3 days of fasting and prayers for our land which needs so much your intercession. Let's stand with our brothers and sisters who are passing by a terrible tragedy, sorrow, fear and incredible challenges we have not seen or heard of since the revolution.
Together, let's cry to our heavenly Father so that the situation in our area may change and that the leadership may recognize the existence of the christians and the rights of 15 millions of christians in Egypt. In the media, in the social aspect, there is a total ignorance of the christians and their rights.
This afternoon, thousands of people were at the funerals which took place in the large cathedral in El Embassyia, Cairo. A great sadness and sorrow was on the entire assistance.
As we are writing, the army is threatening the christians who are demonstrating down town. Hundreds are already in prison.
Thank you for your precious intercession and receive our sincere blessings.
Joshua
Cairo Riots Leave at Least 24 Dead as Copts Clash With Security Forces
From Bloomberg News: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-10-09/cairo-riots-leave-more-than-20-dead-as-copts-clash-with-security-forces.html. By Zaid Sabah and Sara Forden - Oct 10, 2011
Coptic Christian protesters clashed with security forces in Cairo yesterday, killing at least 24 people and injuring more than 200 as shooting broke out and cars were set on fire, according to news reports.
The death toll from the violence was at least 24, the AP reported, citing a health ministry official. Egypt’s military deployed more than 1,000 security forces and armored vehicles along the Nile where clashes began, AP said. Protests continued late into the night with the military imposing a curfew until 7 a.m. local time in central Cairo, Agence France-Presse reported.
Prime Minister Essam Sharaf said in a televised speech that the clashes were “unjustified violence” that “raised fear and concerns about the future of this homeland” and the country’s transition to democracy.
Governor’s Removal
Protesters were demanding that the governor of Aswan be removed and the church rebuilt, according to Al Jazeera. Egyptian security forces arrested dozens of protesters near the state television building, according to state-run Middle East News Agency.
The demonstrations had started peacefully with a march and a sit down at the state television building in the center of the capital but degenerated when protesters came under attack by men in plainclothes who pelted them with stones, according to demonstrators cited by AP.
Security forces used tear gas to disperse the protesters, Al Jazeera said. Protests also broke out in four other provinces in Egypt, according to Al Arabiya television.
Coptic Christians are the largest religious minority in the Middle East and account for about 9 percent of Egypt’s population of more than 80 million people, according to The World Factbook of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency.
Discrimination
Religious discrimination had been encouraged in Egypt by the government of former president Hosni Mubarak, who was toppled in a popular revolt earlier this year, according to a U.S. State Department reporton religious freedom published last year.
Mubarak’s regime had failed to prosecute perpetrators of violence against Coptic Christians in a number of cases and failed to redress laws, particularly with respect to church construction and renovation, which discriminate against Christians, according to the State Department report.
"What is happening now is not clashes between Muslims and Christians but attempts to spark chaos and strife among the homeland sons," Prime Minister Sharaf wrote on his Facebook page. "I call upon Egyptians to not respond to the calls for strife."
Sharaf was in contact with military leaders and church officials, attempting to contain the crisis, MENA said.
Gunshots rang out at the scene outside the state television building, where lines of riot police with shields tried to hold back hundreds of Christian protesters chanting “This is our country,” as smoke filled the air from the burning vehicles, according to an AP report. Protesters also gathered in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, according to Al Arabiya.
Persecution of Christians in the Arab World (The Inquirer)
(TheInquirer) 05 Oct 2011 - IF THE "Arab Spring" bathed the Middle East in some much-needed sunlight, there's at least one group that sees ominous clouds on the not-so-distant horizon. That would be the region's embattled and apprehensive Christians, who've lived a kind of double life for many decades.
While nominally citizens of the countries they inhabit, most non-Muslims, the majority of whom are Christian, are treated as second-class members of society because so many governments in that part of the world adhere to sharia, and anyone familiar with the Islamic legal system knows that it codifies discrimination.
For example, while Christians are free (and in some cases pressured) to convert to Islam, Muslims are barred from converting to Christianity. In a notorious case now in the headlines, Yusuf Naderkhani, a Christian pastor, has been sentenced to death in Iran for refusing to renounce his faith, to which he'd converted as a teen.
And Gabriel Said Reynolds recently wrote in Commonweal that an Egyptian Christian who petitioned the government to allow his daughters to receive a Christian education was forced into hiding after receiving death threats when his request was made public.
So Christians in the Middle East can be forgiven if they don't embrace the Arab Spring with as much fervor as their Muslim brothers and sisters because - to put it bluntly - the devil they know is at least more predictable than the devil they don't - which is, without a doubt, Islamic fundamentalism.
And in many parts of the Middle East, that's the only form of Islam there is, despite what you hear from organizations such as the Council on American Islamic Relations.
While Christians were as oppressed as the next citizen in countries when secular tyrants like Hosni Mubarak, Moammar Gadhafi and Saddam Hussein ruled the roost, at least they weren't prey to the sectarian hostility rampant in other places such as Iran and Afghanistan, hotbeds of jihadism.
It's true that Egyptian Christians were always treated poorly by the government, but so was the Islamic Brotherhood, which was crushed into submission by the iron will of Mubarak and his military junta. Christians were merely as persecuted - or as tolerated - as any other group that the government didn't like.
But now, as the tyrants topple like dominoes, Christians have good reason to worry that they will be unique and tragic victims of this Arab awakening.
Christians fear Muslim protest in Pakistan (SperoNews)
(SperoNews) 05 Oct 2011 - Malik Mumtaz Hussain Qadri, the self-confessed assassin of the former Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer, has been sentenced to death twice by the ATC (Anti Terrorism Court) on October 1 at the Adyala jail, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. It was on January 4 that Qadri, one of Taseer’s elite body guards, shot and killed the governor for his views on Pakistan’s Islamic blasphemy law outside a restaurant in KohsarMarket, Islamabad. ATC Justice Syed Pervez Ali Shah, said "slaying the late governor was a heinous crime and there is no justification for it."
Qadri had admitted before the judge that no one had compelled him to murder the former governor. A former constable in the Punjab Police and a member of the Elite Force, Qadri tried to justify his act of assassination by stating that he killed Salman Taseer for supporting Asia Bibi, a Christian woman who was sentenced to death for supposed blasphemy. Taseer believed that Bibi had been wrongly convicted of committing blasphemy. After what Qadri claims was a brief verbal altercation, during which Taseer refused to back down from his stance, Qadri claims that he lost his temper and shot the governor in anger.
According to Qadri’s statement, he had approached the late governor on January 4 and tried to talk to him about his public support for Asia Bibi and his advocacy for the abolition of the blasphemy laws. Qadri’s defense attorneys adopted a simple strategy to save the self-confessed killer: Taseer’sstatements were “unbecoming of a Muslim” and thereforeQadri, a devout Muslim, could not control his emotions and resorted to an instantaneous act. As a precautionary measure, the court hearing the case was also told that Taseer’sstatements could have inflamed the passions of any Muslim which means that even if Qadri had not committed this heroic act, someone else would have.
Qadri`s lawyer, Raja Shujahur Rehman, told the media outside Adyala Jail that "my client had also submitted a written statement of 40 pages, referring to 11 Quranic verses, 28 quotes from Sunnah and several other eminent Muslim jurists with reference to Islamic jurisprudence. The prosecution raised no objection over the Qadri`s statement, therefore the court validly admitted this statement and made it a part of the court record."
Qadri’s lawyer defended Qadri’s actions as having come as a result of a sudden provocation, ‘automatism’ in legal terms, which as a defense means negating the existence of actus reus , the actual act of committing a crime. This is supplemented by referring to religion, religious teachings and the sanctity of the Prophet Muhammad, not just to ground the automatism plea but to appeal to the court’s own conscience and piety. Implied in this is also a veiled threat that some issues stand above and beyond the law and institutional hierarchy and must be treated by a touchstone other than that which placed Taseer in a position of authority.
Ironically, this effect is to be achieved by referring to Taseer’s alleged conduct as having violating the blasphemy law and the inability or unwillingness of the state to proceed against him which, in this case, forced Qadri to act on his own. The inevitability ofTaseer’s murder is argued by the defense was therefore, “if Qadri had not killed him, someone else would have.”
Far from showing any remorse, Qadri got launched into a sermon-like diatribe against Governor Taseer, attempting to justify his actions by quoting passages from the Quran, the sayings of Muhammad, as well as precedents in Islamic law.
Shujaur Rahman, one of Qadri’s lawyers, meanwhile, tried to smear the late governor’s personal character in a manner that was so disturbing as to prompt the judge and the prosecution lawyers to ask how such ad hominem attacks on the governor’s private life were relevant to the case. “He was a governor, a public office holder. He should not have acted like that and expressed views against the public sentiment,” said Rahman, apparently feeling he had adequately justified his actions.
It should be clear that Qadri’s lawyers were cleverly relying on areas of law even as their underlying argument is grounded in the justification of the act as being religious and supra-legal and therefore not to be judged on the basis of legalities.
The problem with this defence is not just its logical inconsistency but also the fact thatQadri’s act, from what we know, does not fall under the automatism plea. He murderedTaseer in cold blood and with meticulous planning. He was waiting for an opportunity and when he found it, he unleashed his firearm on a defenseless, unsuspecting man.
Justice Syed Pervez Ali Shah after completing arguments, sentenced Mumtaz Qadri to death twice under 302 PPC (Pakistan Penal Code) and 7,8 ATA ( Anti Terrorism Act). According to legal experts, Qadri has the right to appeal the verdict within seven days.Qadri`s lawyer Rehman said “We will appeal against the verdict at the High Court.”Mumtaz Qadri has been shifted to death row in the Adyala Jail, Rawalpindi.
Crowds gathered outside the jail to support Mumtaz Qadri and protested against the decision. They chanted slogans in support of Qadri and called him a hero. The decision has sparked protests by the religious parties on the Murree road in Rawalpindi. The religious parties have announced that they will launch country wide protests against thedeicison and in support of Qadri.
Catholic Bishop Rufin Anthony of Rawalpindi/Islamabad said, “ Despite the pressure from the religious groups this is a very brave decision by the ATC. For the first time in Pakistan a person involved in the high profile assassination has been sentenced. SalmanTaseer, an advocate of the reforms in the Blasphemy law, was silenced for his views: he took a stand for what he believed was right. Taseer didn’t offend anybody and nor did he use offensive words; he just asked for repealing a law that was put in place by a dictator and has caused a suffocating environment not just for non-Muslims but Muslims of this country, equally. We should uproot the cause too which instigated this man to take this heinous action. Qadri was celebrated as a hero. This insensitive and extremist ideology should be discouraged. Respecting people`s faith and emotions is a human quality, everyone has the right to follow his / her faith. It is not necessary for a person to agree with other people`s beliefs. We all need to work together towards a tolerant society."
Rodrick Samson is Spero correspondent in Pakistan.
Egypt looks forward, one year after massacre (EnergyPublisher)
(EnergyPublisher) 03 January 2012 - One year has passed since the terrible massacre in the Church of the Two Saints, in Alexandria on New Year’s eve last year, which left more than twenty dead and a hundred wounded. One year later the facts regarding those responsible for committing this horrible crime are no clearer. There have been rumourswhich assert that it was the ministry of internal affairs who ordered the attack, but no investigation results have so far been published. Yesterday, the last Friday of the year, the protestant church called for a peaceful demonstration in Tahrir square to commemorate this anniversary, asking people to come with armed only with candles and no other religious symbol. A large demonstration led by Shaykh Mazhar Shaheen processed from Omar Makram mosque in Midan al Tahrir up to the Evangelical Church of Qasr al Doubara, one street behind Midan al Tahrir to celebrate the Chrismas and New Year’eve feasts.
Three weeks after last New Year’s eve attack the January 25 revolution exploded, and since then many difficult events have succeeded each other making it a hard time for the population, and mainly for Egyptian Christians. In fact, the Alexandria massacre took place less than a year after the violent attack at Nag Hammadi, in Upper Egypt on the eve of the Coptic Christmas celebrations, on the 7th of January 2010, which left seven dead and many wounded. And less than two months after clashes over a church construction in the suburb of Giza, next to Cairo, that left two dead and many wounded.
Early in March 2011, the Church of the Two Martyrs in Sol, next to Helwan, in the southern suburb of Cairo, was set on fire killing two people died. The motive for the arson attack was a forbidden love affaire between a Christian young man and a Muslim girl. The two fathers died in a quarrel, then the Muslim population burned the church. The Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF) decided to rebuild the church which was ready for Easter one month later.
During March the awful virginity test was imposed on young women arrested by the authorities.
On Saturday, March 7, two churches in Imbaba, in a western suburb of Cairo, were attacked by fundamentalist mobs, with the result of a dozen Christians killed and the burning of the two churches. This suburb had once been termed ‘the Islamic Republic of Imbaba’.
In June 2011 a long awaited draft bill on building permits for places of worship both for Islam and Christianity was brought before parliament. But still today, this law has not been implemented.
On June 29, a vast confrontation between demonstrators and police forces left more than one thousand wounded. Again, on July 23, another confrontation resulted in more than two hundred wounded.
On September 30th, a church in Marinab village, in Asswan governorate was raised by Muslim fundamentalists who had decided to eradicate the village church by first pretending it was a new construction, than demanding it remove its crosses and the domes and finally burning the church, and many households belonging to the Christian population, without any protection from the civil authorities, rather, on the contrary with the obvious blessing of Asswan governor.
On Sunday October 9, a Christian demonstration began in Cairo to demand equal rights for Christians and justice for the Marinab village church. Numerous Muslim demonstrators were joined their Christian compatriots. What took place was a veritable slaughter which has now become known as the ‘Maspero massacre’ : The army attacked demonstrators resulting in 25 people dead and 350 wounded, many of them crushed under the wheels of advancing armouredvehicles. The state television located on Maspero Avenue launched
an appeal that verged on a call to civil war appealing to the population to come and protect the armed forces ‘savagely attacked by Christian demonstrators’. Three soldiers were reported dead, but in the end revealed to be only lightly wounded.
On October 10, the culprit of Nag Hamadi attack of January 7, 2010, who had been sentenced to death, was executed.
Then came the protests of Mohammad Mahmoud Street on November 19 (see 21/11/2011Egypt, toll rises from Tahrir Square clashes: 30 dead and thousands injured), and later in mid December, the demonstrations and sit-in around the Parliament and the Ministers Council buildings (see 17/12/2011 Egypt: clashes between the army and demonstrators continue in front of the Houses of Parliament), with a heavey toll of dead and wounded.
In just one year, more than one thousand people have died, thousands of more wounded, an estimated one thousand two hundred people lost one or both eyes, and probably twelve thousand demonstrators were arrested and judged by military courts. Many politicalpersonnalities and well-known journalists have also been summoned and mistreated.
It is reported that since last March, one hundred thousand Christian Egyptians have left the country emigrating to different destinations. Many people among the Christian community, and among the poorest of them, would now like to apply for religious asylum in countries like the USA, Canada, or Australia.
Recently many bishops reported to have received threatening letters to prevent them from celebrating the New Year and Christmas. Pope Shenouda III, head of the Coptic Orthodox Church replied two days ago that ‘we do not fear any threats and we shall celebrate the feasts’, though everybody knows that the celebrations will be restricted inside churches and earlier than the usual midnight masses. The Catholic Church, which celebrates Christmas in Cairo, Alexandria and Lower Egypt on the December 25, had all the masses between 7 and 9p.m. All the churches were surrounded by police forces, which will be the same for the Orthodox Christmas on the eve of January 7.
‘Christmas is celebrated this year in Egypt in a state of ‘sad joy’ because of the general situation: sadness, because the year that passed has been a severe one not only for Christians but also for Muslims. From the massacre of the Two Saints’ church in Alexandria last year to the battle at the Ministers Council, through the Maspero massacre and the hard economic situation, all of this has left a wounded and suffering Egyptian society as Fr Rafic Greiche, official spokesman of the Catholic Church in Egypt, stated yesterday.
‘On the other hand, added Fr Greiche, we must preserve some joy, because every Egyptian is still full of hope that the difficulties and obstacles will be resolved little by little in building a new democratic state in this land that once sheltered Jesus and the Holy Family, where dignity, justice and equality should prevail for everyone’.
On this point, many political experts consider that the parliamentary elections have really attracted the majority of the population who felt for the first time they were really participating in their political duty and right. But many of them are still critical feeling that it was more a religious election than a democratic one, since no-one stopped the parties from using religious slogans when it was strictly forbidden.
An anecdotal gag was bandied about during the election campaign which went: ‘Women electors and men electors, whatever your religion, please vote for the salafist islamic party al-Noor. If you are Muslim, you shall go to Paradise. If you are Christian, you shall go [flee] to Canada!’
But there were also many positive reactions, mainly from the well known slogan of the 1919 revolution of the famous leader Saad Zaghloul, founder of the Wafd party that says ‘Religion is for God, and Homeland is for all’. The design of the Cross and the Crescent intertwined is more and more obviously brandished. Let us recall that in mid October the SCAF adopted a draft law incriminating discrimination and violence, which is usually aimed at Christians and women. But still, we have to see if this law is really being implemented in the daily life. On the other hand many people are reacting to Muslim preachers on Fridays correcting what they feel is an open attack against Christians, among whom, mainly Nawwara Negm, daughter of the famous anarchist poet Ahmad Fouad Negm, and strong activist since the beginning of the January revolution.
A young Christian student in the end of primary course, Myriam Armanios (11-12 years old) wrote two days ago on Facebook : ‘Like you, I have the right to celebrate my feasts’. More than 3 thousand pupils sustained her as well as the Maspero Youth Federation. A demonstration was organized in front of the ministry of education to protest against the fixed dates for midyear exams on the 1st and the 8th of January [the Coptic Christmas period]. The minister of education decided immediately to postpone the examinations for a couple of days later.
After the Lotus or Jasmin or Spring revolution, many promises were made by the government but none were achieved : like putting the minimum salary up to 750 Egyptian Pounds (a little less than 100 euros per month); offering a pension to the ‘martyrs’ of the revolution and the ‘martyrs’ of Maspero massacre; offering free medical care and treatment for all the wounded of the revolution and of Maspero massacre; an end to bringing civilians before military courts; adjusting the price of petrol to the standard prices in Spain, Turkey, Israel and Jordan; organizing impartial investigations into the Maspero, Mohammad Mahmoud street and Council of Minister massacres, as well as many other economic promises: until now none of these have been kept, provoking a general state of disillusionment.
Another point is the looming anniversary of the January 25th revolution: is the SCAF ready to let demonstrators gather? is the official press and media, as well as the interim government ready to stop accusing demonstrators of being agents and agitators manipulated by foreign powers? These last two days about twenty NGOs involved in human rights were raided, their computers seized and they were accused of being illegally financed by abroad.
Faced with this old approach to this important juncture, many observers express that the old regime is still active. As expressed by Pr Ezzeddine Shukry, professor of political science: ‘A regime that is not yet over, in front of a revolution that is not yet broken’.
We have to point out finally that the blogger Alaa Abd al Fattah, arrested in November and accused of criminal acts during Maspero massacre, has finally been released on probation in his flat, until a further judgement. Another positive act was the administrative court that stopped the virginity test imposed on young women arrested by the armed forces.
Pr Shukry perfecttly expresses the feeling among the general population when he says, ‘the situation is confused for the moment, but we must keep hope for the future, because the revolution movement has not been overcome, it is still active and will never be defeated’. He considers the many martyrs as a source of positive inspiration for the movement, and he brings as a symbol of hope of the dentist Ahmad Sharara, who lost one eye on the 28th of January and the second eye on 19th of November and who states : ‘Better to live blind with honour and dignity than to live with my sight despondent and blinkered’.
Demonstrators in Tahrir square yesterday refused to join an anti-protest march led by the army and the officials, thus refusing to join hands with the people hailing the expelled former president Mubarak. And still leaders of the political and youth movements have called for a huge gathering on this New Year's eve in Tahrir square from 8p.m. until 2 a.m. to respond to the appeal first launched by the woman journalist Gamila Ismaïl to celebrate the Christian New Year by candle light with Coptic Hymns and Muslim Soufi prayers animated by famous singers like male singer Ali al Haggar and the beautiful Azza Balbaa.
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(EnergyPublisher) Egypt: Islam: One year after the massacre of Christians in Alexandria, Egypt seeks a way forward
http://www.energypublisher.com/a/WFMCQAXHRY40/66127-Egypt--Islam---One-year-after-the-massacre-of-Christians-in-Alexandria-Egypt-seeks-a-way-forward
30 Christian Shops Burnt in Nigeria After Deadly Attacks; More Violence Feared
28 December 2011 - By Luiza Oleszczuk | Christian Post Reporter - Christian Post
More violence is expected in Nigeria, where an Islamist terror group killed 39 on Christmas Day, pushing many citizens to flee the targeted cities Monday, reports say.
After the deadly attacks on churches in five cities across the country Sunday (another church was reportedly bombed in the northeast on Christmas Eve, but no one was reported killed), Nigerians are gripped by fear. Thirty-nine people died in the sieges (40, according to some reports), including 35 in Madalla, a town near the capital, Abuja. In another bombing in a church in Jos, one other person has also reportedly been killed. Bombs also targeted churches in the cities of Kano, Damaturu and Gadaka.
Hundreds of residents sought to flee the violence-torn city of Damaturu on Monday fearing further attacks and clashes between Islamists and police, according to AFP.
The coordinated attacks on churches were reportedly conducted by a radical Islamic terror group, Boko Haram. Nigeria has seen many attacks claimed by this group, but some analysts said the bombings marked a dangerous escalation in a country.
The attacks were condemned by church and secular leaders across the globe.
Syria's Muslim Brotherhood claimed responsibility on Saturday for suicide bombings
26 December 2011 - Iafrica News
Syria's Muslim Brotherhood claimed responsibility on Saturday for suicide bombings in Damascus that killed 44 people, saying they were the first step in liberating the capital and that more attacks were to come.
The claim contradicted assertions by the regime of President Bashar al-Assad that the blasts, which also wounded 166 people, were the work of Al-Qaeda and of the opposition Syrian National Council that the regime carried them out.
"One of our victorious Sunni brigades was able to target the state security building in Kfar Suseh in the heart of the... capital Damascus in a successful operation carried out by four of our kamikazes drawn from the best of our glorious men, leaving many dead and wounded from the ranks of the Assad gangs," it said on its official website.
"We as defenders of the Syrian people and the sanctity of this nation send a message to Assad's gangs: This is the beginning of the liberation of Damascus and the tip of the iceberg," the statement added.
"Hence we warn our fellow citizens and advise them not to approach government centres or security branches... because our martyrdom brigades are in a state of maximum readiness to carry out quality operations in Aleppo, Damascus, and the blessed land of Syria in the next 10 days."
The statement was signed by the "Muslim Brotherhood's media committee inside Syria."
The bombings, the first against the powerful security services in central Damascus since an uprising against Assad began in March, came a day after the arrival of an advance group of Arab League monitors who are to oversee a deal to end the bloodshed.
After the attacks, Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Meqdad said "this is the gift we get from the terrorists and Al-Qaeda, but we are going to do all we can to facilitate the Arab League mission".
The delegates were to hold talks with Foreign Minister Walid Muallem on Saturday.
Muallem has said he expects the observers to vindicate his government's contention that the unrest is the work of "armed terrorists," not overwhelmingly peaceful protesters as maintained by the West and human rights watchdogs.
For its part, the Syrian National Council said "the Syrian regime, alone, bears all the direct responsibility for the two terrorist explosions".
The regime wanted to create the impression "that it faces danger coming from abroad and not a popular revolution demanding freedom and dignity," it added.
The UN Security Council condemned the attacks but remained deadlocked on a full resolution on the crisis with the Russian and US ambassadors trading personal barbs.
While not rejecting Syria's account of the events, France accused the regime of trying "to mask the reality of the repression, notably by transferring political prisoners to secret jails".
Ban Ki-moon's spokesman said the UN leader was "gravely concerned" about the escalation and urged the government to "fully and speedily" implement the Arab League plan.
Arab League Assistant Secretary General Samir Seif al-Yazal, head of the advance team, said after the bombings that "what has happened is regrettable but the important thing is that everyone stay calm.
"We are going to press on with our work. We have started today, and tomorrow (Saturday) we will meet Walid Muallem."
Yazal's nine-member team is making logistical arrangements for the arrival of the first observers, who will eventually number between 150 and 200.
In Cairo, the Arab League's Ahmed Ben Helli said the mission will head to Syria on Monday, grouping more than 50 experts in politics, human rights, military issues and crisis management, the official MENA news agency reported.
The mission is part of an Arab plan endorsed by Syria on November 2 that also calls for the withdrawal of the military from towns and residential districts, a halt to violence against civilians and the release of detainees.
Syria says more than 2,000 security force personnel have been killed in attacks by armed rebels since March.
But opposition leaders have charged that Syria's agreement to the mission after weeks of prevarication was a mere "ploy" to head off a threat by the Arab League to go to the UN Security Council over the nine-month crackdown which the world body says has killed more than 5,000 people.
There was no let-up in the bloodshed on Friday with human rights activists reporting at least 21 civilians killed across the country, the majority of them by security force fire.
The bodies of four civilians who had been arrested were found Saturday with signs of torture in restive Homs province, activists said, urging the visiting Arab League team to document the cases.
"The corpses of four citizens were found this morning in the streets of the town of Hula and a fifth citizen was found in a critical condition," the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said in a statement received in Nicosia.
"Security forces and 'Shabiha' (pro-regime militia) groups had arrested them after midnight on Friday-Saturday in the Al-Bustan neighbourhood... There were signs of torture on the bodies of the martyrs," the Observatory said.
The watchdog demanded that the Arab League "immediately head to the town of Hula to document this flagrant violation of human rights which is just the tip of the iceberg of what is going on in Syria."
Egyptian women hit street over violence (AP)
21 December 2011 - (AP) Egypt, Cairo - AROUND 10,000 women have marched through central Cairo demanding Egypt's ruling military step down in an unprecedented show of outrage over soldiers who dragged women by the hair and stomped on them, and stripped one half-naked in the street during a fierce crackdown on activists the past week.
The dramatic protest, which grew as the women marched from Tahrir Square through downtown, was fueled by the widely circulated images of abuses of women.
Many of the marchers touted the photo of the young woman whose clothes were partially pulled off by troops, baring her down to her blue bra, as she struggled on the ground.
"Tantawi stripped your women naked, come join us," the crowd chanted to passers-by, referring to Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, the head of the military council that has ruled Egypt since the February 11 fall of Hosni Mubarak.
"The daughters of Egypt are a red line," they chanted.
Even before the protest was over, the military council issued an unusually strong statement of regret for what it called "violations" against women - a quick turnaround after days of dismissing the significance of the abuse.
The council expressed "deep regret to the great women of Egypt" and affirmed "its respect and total appreciation" for women and their right to protest and take part in political life. It promised it was taking measures to punish those responsible for violations.
The statement suggested the military's fear that attacks on women could wreck its prestige at home and abroad, which has already been heavily eroded by its fierce, five-day-old crackdown on pro-democracy protesters demanding it surrender power.
The ruling generals have campaigned to keep the public on its side in the confrontation, depicting the activists as hooligans and themselves as the honorable protectors of the nation, above reproach.
In unusually harsh words, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Monday accused the Egyptian security forces and extremists of specifically targeting women.
"This systematic degradation of Egyptian women dishonors the revolution, disgraces the state and its uniform, and is not worthy of a great people," she said.
In a possibly significant hint of new flexibility, the council also said in its statement that it was prepared to discuss any initiatives to help the security of the country. In recent days, a number of political factions have pressed the military to hand over power by February, rather than June, when it promised to hold presidential elections.
In the past, police in Mubarak's regime were accused of intentionally humiliating women in protest crackdowns. But images of women being abused by soldiers were particularly shocking in a society that is deeply conservative and generally reveres the military.
The independent press has splashed its front pages with pictures of soldiers chasing women protesters, including ones in conservative headscarves and full face-veils, beating them with sticks and clubs and dragging them by their hair. The crackdown has left 14 people dead - all but one by gunshots - and hundreds wounded.
The images of the half-stripped protester, whose identity is not known, clearly had a powerful resonance. A banner showing a photo of her on the asphalt - one soldier yanking up her black robes and shirt, another poised to stomp on her chest - was put up in Tahrir Square for passing drivers to see.
"The girl dragged around is just like my daughter," said Um Hossam, a 54-year old woman in traditional black dress and a headscarf at the march. "I am a free woman, and attacking this woman or killing protesters is just like going after one of my own children."
Ringed by a protective chain of men, the women marched from Tahrir to the Journalists' Syndicate, several blocks away, chanting slogans demanding the military council step down.
Many accused the military of intentionally targeting women to scare them and their male relatives from joining protests against the generals. Previously, the military has implied women who joined protests were of loose morals. In March, soldiers subjected detained female protesters to humiliating tests to determine if they were virgins.
"They are trying to break women's spirits, starting with the virginity tests. They want to break their dignity so that they don't go out and protest," Maha Abdel-Nasser, an engineer who joined the march, said.
Two sisters, Yomna and Tasneem Shams, said they never took part in previous protests because their parents wouldn't allow them. But they happened to be downtown and spontaneously joined the women's march.
"No one should ever be beaten for expressing their opinion," Yomna, 19, said. "I am proud I took part in today's protest. I feel I can tell my kids I have done something for them in the future."
Some also criticized Islamic parties, which stayed out of the antimilitary protests and did not participate in the march - even though religious conservatives often tout their defense of "women's honor." Pro-democracy activists accused them of being worried about anything that might derail ongoing, multistage parliamentary elections, which the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood and the more conservative Al-Nour Party have dominated so far.
"This is a case of honor. But they clearly don't care for honor or religion. They now care only about their political interests," said Mohammed Fawaz, one of the men in the protective chain around the marching women.
The protest also is likely to deepen the predicament of the military as critics began to talk openly about putting them on trial for abuses, and politicians are floating ideas for their exit, perhaps in return for immunity.
Emad Gad, a newly elected lawmaker, said that without guarantees they would not be prosecuted, the generals won't hand over power by the end of June as promised. Foremost on their minds, he said, was the fate of Mubarak, who ended in court facing charges that carry the death penalty after ruling Egypt for nearly 30 years.
"They didn't get clear assurances and that is why they try diabolical tactics to make sure they get these guarantees," he said, citing the military's attempt to enshrine in the next constitution language that would shield it from civilian scrutiny.
"We have to address their fears, their interests and future role," he said.
The public and many activists welcomed the military when it took power from Mubarak in February. But relations have deteriorated sharply since as the democracy activists accused the generals of hijacking their uprising, obstructing reforms, human rights abuses and failing to revive the ailing economy or restore security.
The most recent protests - and an earlier round of protests that saw a deadly crackdown last month - have seen unprecedentedly bold ridiculing of the military, which for decades was considered a revered institution above criticism. Young protesters have heaped profanities into their antimilitary slogans, demanded the execution of Tantawi and taunted soldiers in Tahrir.
On Monday, a member of the military council, Maj. Gen. Adel Emara, took a hard-line in a press conference, denouncing the protests as a conspiracy to "topple the state" and accusing the media of fomenting sedition.
He defended the use of force by troops, saying they had a duty to defend the state's institutions and declined to offer an apology for brutality toward female protesters. He did not dispute the authenticity of the image of the woman being dragged half naked by soldiers, but said Egyptians should not see it without considering the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The apparent change in attitude with the statement of regret left some women unimpressed.
Sahar Abdel-Mohsen, a 31-year old activist, doubted the promise to punish those responsible and said the statement was in response to the US criticism. "This is an apology to one woman, Hillary Clinton."
"This is like someone raping a girl, and then going to the police station to marry her (to avoid prosecution) and then divorce her as soon as he leaves," she said.
"It is an attempt to exonerate themselves after the deed is done, but with little accountability."
The Australian News
Statement on the Death of Kim Jong-il by Dan Wooding
19 December 2011 - For Immediate Release
Contact: Dan Wooding: assistnews@aol.com
Millions of North Koreans had been “engulfed in indescribable sadness”, the KCNA news agency said. People were seen weeping in the capital Pyongyang.
His son Kim Jong-un was described by KCNA as the “great successor” who North Koreans should unite behind.
Wooding, 71, also founder of the ASSIST News Service (www.assistnews.net) said, “The death of Kim Jong-il is a cataclysmic event in the history of North Korea and could finally herald the beginning of freedom for the people of this secretive country.
"His death could also now mean that the North Korean tyrannical regime which I believe is in its death throes, could finally come crashing down.
"North Korea has, for many years now, held the dubious title of the world’s worst persecutor of Christians. Maybe now this could change.
“I believe that there is now a serious possibility that the passing of Kim Jong-il will eventually see the collapse of the country and its opening up, especially to the South Korea people.
“Earlier this year, on my last trip to South Korea, I discovered many North Korean escapees there who have since become Christians are willing to go back into the country with the Gospel and are also willing to lay down their lives if the door suddenly snaps shut after a short time."
Wooding added, “North Korea will never be the same following the deaths of Kim il-Sung and now Kim Jong-il, a father and son team of despots who ruled North Korea with iron fists and held their people back to the point of starvation and did all they could to wipe out the underground church there.
“May the sweet winds of freedom now sweep into this land that has seen so much bloodshed and hate over the past many years. Let us pray that this occurs.”
North Korea's 'Dear Leader' Kim Jong-Il dies of heart attack (mg)
(mg) 19 December 2011 - North Korean Kim Jong-Il has died aged 69 of a heart attack, state media announced on Monday, plunging the impoverished but nuclear-armed nation into uncertainty amid a second dynastic succession.
The official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said the leader "passed away from a great mental and physical strain" at 8.30am on Saturday while on a train for one of his "field guidance" tours.
It urged people to follow his youngest son and heir apparent Kim Jong-Un, who is aged in his late 20s and until last year had no public profile.
"All party members, military men and the public should faithfully follow the leadership of comrade Kim Jong-Un and protect and further strengthen the unified front of the party, military and the public," said the news agency and a weeping black-clad TV announcer.
KCNA said Kim died of a "severe myocardial infarction along with a heart attack". It said an autopsy was performed on Sunday.
The leader suffered a stroke in August 2008 which left him with impaired movement in his left arm and leg.
His funeral will be held on December 28 in Pyongyang but no foreign delegations will be invited, KCNA said. A period of national mourning was declared from December 17 to 29.
Emergency alert
South Korea placed all troops on emergency alert after the shock news, the South's Yonhap news agency reported. It summoned a meeting of the National Security Council and President Lee Myung-Bak cancelled all his schedules.The Joint Chiefs of Staff said it had increased monitoring along the border along with US forces in the country but no unusual activity had been observed.
North and South Korea have remained technically at war since their three-year Korean conflict ended only in an armistice in 1953.
KCNA, quoting a statement from the national funeral committee headed by Jong-Un, said Kim Jong-Il's body would lie in state in Kumsusan palace where his father's embalmed body is on display.
It said mourners would be allowed to visit the body from December 20 to 27.
Following the funeral, another event to mourn the leader would be held on December 29. Mourning shots would be fired and three minutes of silence would be observed. All trains and ships would sound their horns.
Song remains the same
Kim took over after his father and founding president Kim Il-Sung died in 1994.
In the mid- to late-1990s he presided over a famine which killed hundreds of thousands of his people. Severe food shortages continue and the UN children's fund estimates one-third of children are stunted by malnutrition.
But Kim still found resources to continue a nuclear weapons programme which culminated in tests in October 2006 and May 2009.
For several months there have been diplomatic efforts to restart six-nation nuclear disarmament talks which the North abandoned in April 2009.US envoy Robert King held talks in Beijing last week about the possible resumption of US food aid. There had been speculation the two sides would meet in Beijing this week for separate talks about reviving the six-party process. -- AFP
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Mail & Guardian Online http://mg.co.za/article/2011-12-19-n-koreas-dear-leader-kim-jongil-dies-of-heart-attack
article by JUNG HA-WON SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
Christian Areas of Jos, Nigeria Bombed, Killing One
JOS, Nigeria, December 15 (Compass Direct News) – Joshua Dabo, like other young Christians in this city in central Nigeria, had dreams for his life. He had graduated from a Christian high school, Mt. Olives Secondary School, and at 31 was finally looking forward to attending university.
He was among the 120 people from the Christian community on Bauchi Ring Road who paid to watch a classic soccer rivalry, Barcelona FC v. Real Madrid, on TV at an outdoor bar (called a “viewing center” in Nigeria) on Saturday night (Dec. 10).
A few minutes into the match, televised in the hall of corrugated sheet metal at Yangwava Television Viewing Center at Ukadum village, a bomb went off. Dabo was decapitated. He was the lone fatality in three bomb blasts targeting viewing centers in predominantly Christian areas of Jos during the Spanish soccer match; at least 10 others were injured in the blasts, leaving four in critical condition, including two in a coma.
At Tina Junction along the Bauchi Ring Road in Jos, where the first bomb exploded, Hiroshima Ishaku Nyam, a member of the Jos Jarawa Church of Christ in Nigeria congregation, told Compass that his house was damaged by the bomb at the TV viewing center opposite his house. Danladi Dabo, brother of the slain Joshua Dabo, said he was at home when he first heard an explosion at the Tina Junction venue. “Knowing that my brother is a soccer fan, I raced to the viewing center near our house to alert them, but just about 100 meters to the place, my fears were confirmed as a bomb exploded,” Dabo said. “I was dazed by the explosion, but I kept running there, knowing that my brother was in there. On getting there I found my brother’s body but with no head. I was shocked.” Family members buried Joshua Dabo on Sunday (Dec. 11).
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Article and photot from Compass Direct
Armenian Christians face extermination (AINA)
(AINA) 12 December 2011 - Generally speaking, emigration has already started: after the fall of
Mubarak regime tens of thousands of Copts left Egypt. Sadly enough, a similar fate awaits also the three-thousand Armenian community, who suffered the first wave of emigration at the time of Gamal Abdel Nasser. In the 50s of the past century there were about 60 thousand Armenians living in Egypt. All of them migrated to the USA, Canada, and other countries. Now the Copts are doing the same. The "trouble" of Salafis lies in their desire to return Egypt to the VII century lifestyle, which supposes concentration on the life and faith of the early Muslim community and on their righteous ancestors, condemning all kinds of innovations brought into the Muslim world through contacts with the West. In this respect they are no different from Iranian Islamists. Political wing of the movement "Muslim brotherhood" (banned by Mubarak) holds the first place; secular liberals are in the third position. Thus, Egypt may add to the list of countries, where Islamists came to power after the "Arab Spring".
All this cannot but worry the Armenians, who rightly fear for their lives. No Islamic state shall ever ensure the security of "infidels". Reverting to Iran, we shall note that in the issue of Armenians it is an exception country, but still there's no guarantee that this situation will last forever. No matter how neutrally Armenia behaves in case of military attack on Iran, it is clear that most of the Iranian Armenians will be forced to seek shelter at home. One may say that one outcome of the "Arab Spring" was the threat of total destruction of the Armenian communities in the Middle East, and now the only hope is Bashar al-Assad, under whose rule the Armenian community of Syria is united and respecting state power, which, in its turn, respects and values them. All of this will be gone and forgotten in an Islamic state. And if there is no Armenian community in Tunisia and Libya, it is much more abundant in Syria than in Egypt or Iraq, let alone Lebanon. What Christians should expect in countries of Islamic victory is not difficult to guess; let us not forget the case with the girl in Pakistan, who was executed for converting to Christianity. And these are only the facts reported in media. In fact, such cases are not a single instance, but a worked-out practice.
Meanwhile, the Egyptian army, in the face of the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, is seriously troubled about Egypt turning into an Islamic state. "Islamization of Egypt could cause conflict in regards to the new constitution and the preservation of Egypt as secular state. The attempt to create an Islamic state here is seen as a red line beyond which you cannot go," said sources close to the military leadership of the country in an interview with "Al-Hayat". According to them, the army is deeply concerned about the current developments, and fears that the upcoming rounds of elections, the latter of which is to be held in January, may bring the Islamists an even more convincing victory. The Supreme Military Council is interested in making decisions that meet the interests of Egypt. "The council will insist on two red lines. It will demand that the military's status remain unchanged and also that the secular nature of Egypt and the human rights of the Egyptian people be protected," the sources said.
It should be emphasized that the main ideologists of Islamic fundamentalism and terrorism came from Egypt -- Ideologist of "Muslim brotherhood" and jihad Sayyid Qutb and the second person in "Al Qaeda" under Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri. Qutb was executed in 1966, Zawahiri is sentenced to death in absentia. Presently a new generation, preaching jihad, has grown in Egypt, and if the army does not take control over the country, it will indicate the final collapse of Egypt. This year alone, the Egyptian treasury came $10 million short, due to the lack of tourism. The Salafi candidate of Alexandria clearly stated that in case of his victory he will order all the pre-Islamic monuments, including the pyramids and sphinxes, to be closed from the eyes of the inhabitants, because they are "symbols of a corrupt culture". What else can the Muslims do, except for the destruction of monuments that do not fit into their view of the world?
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(AINA) Armenian Middle East communities are on the verge of extermination
http://www.aina.org/news/20111208111442.htm
Article by Karine Ter-Sahakyan
Election results in Egypt favours the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafists
On 28 and 29 November, Egyptians completed voting in nine governorates, including Cairo and Alexandria. The vote is part of the first of three stages of elections for the People’s Assembly, the parliament’s lower house. Each stage involves polling in nine governorates (out of total 27 governorates). According to Egypt’s elections law, two-thirds of the parliamentary seats will be allocated through party list races, while one-third of the seats are allocated through concurrent single-winner races.
After each initial vote, run-off elections are held a week later between front-runners in single-winner races where none of the candidates got 50%+ of the total vote. Run-offs for the first stage are scheduled for December 5-6.
While earlier updates contained unofficial vote counts and results reported by various media outlets, below are the official results released by the Higher Elections Commission. It should be noted, however, that some election results face pending legal challenges. In response to a court order, the Higher Elections Commission announced on 5 December that election results for "Al-Sahel" district in Cairo (district #1) were annulled. A re-vote will be convened for that district on 10-11 January with runoff races scheduled for 17-18 January.
Seat Breakdown as of Sunday 4 December*
* The Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) is the political party of the Muslim Brotherhood,
Inside Syria (ChristianNewsWire)
(ChristianNewsWire) 08 December 2011 - While much of the world's attention is focused on the Egyptian elections and American troops withdrawing from Iraq, the situation inside Syria is getting worse, especially for Christians.
There is unrest and chaos in Syria for various reasons. Some of those opposing the government want more freedom from a mistrusted and oppressive regime, while some religious opposition groups want freedom to rule and spread their Muslim faith by force and violence.
Christians, in general, are afraid of what might happen to them in the future, especially if fanatic Muslims take over or obtain more freedom and seek revenge against believers. Some Christians have already reported violent acts against them as a sign of more threats and violence to come.
"Christians inside Syria are caught in the crossfire as they are in many other Middle Eastern countries," says Open Doors President/CEO Dr. Carl Moeller. "Until the protests started against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, the Christian community enjoyed some protection. Now they are afraid of the future. Will they have to flee their country like Iraqi Christians have done over the last several years? Please lift them up in your prayers."
Because of months of protests and violence against the government of al-Assad, Syria is on the brink of civil war. Thousands of protesters have been killed. Because of the continued crackdown on the protests, there is an international boycott in place. Inside Syria the central government is losing its grip on the situation.
"Criminals, but also radical Muslims, are taking advantage of that lawlessness," says a field worker for Open Doors. "In the city of Homs, for example, the Sunni Muslims gained power on the streets when the government pulled out its troops for a few days. Some of the radical elements in this group have raided several churches. They robbed the churches of their most valuable things."
More threatening is that several fundamentalist Muslim taxi drivers have made a vow that they will harm all women taking their taxis who are unveiled.
"These women, mostly less orthodox Muslims and Christians, are being kidnapped, raped or even killed," says the field worker. "Some months ago two Christian women were kidnapped. One managed to jump out of the driving car, but the other was taken. That woman remains missing. This didn't happen in a remote area of the country but in the capital of Damascus. For women the situation is unsafe now. People still go on with their daily routine, but with more caution."
According to the worker, throughout Syria people can see the consequences of the boycott of the country:
"Petrol is running out, or being preserved or thrown out by opposing groups to create more of an issue within the country. You also see in the supermarkets that products are missing. Prices are rising because of the shortages. People stand in lines for hours just to get a tank of gasoline for heat; sometimes they go away empty. With electricity getting cut for few hours a day, no gasoline and no petrol are available as before."
Some Christians are planning to escape Syria in case things get worse as they see the quality of life for them decrease and their rights decline. Syria has more than 20 million inhabitants. About 1.5 million Syrians are Christians. The 100,000 Iraqi Christians that fled to Syria because of the situation in their own country can be added to 1.5 million figure.
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(ChristianNewsWire) Inside embattled Syria: More hostility towards Christians
http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/4597918415.html
Article by Jerry Dykstra
Salafis say best is yet to come (Reuters)
(Reuters) 08 December 2011 - The Salafi movement wants to model Egypt's future on Islam's past. If the first results of the country's parliamentary elections are anything to go by, many Egyptians agree with them.
Ultra-conservative Islamists may have won 20 to 30 percent of the vote in the first leg of Egypt's three-stage parliamentary vote, an outcome that has surprised and alarmed many Egyptians. They are worried about what this might mean for freedoms and tolerance in the Arab world's most populous nation.Salafis look certain to emerge as a vocal bloc in the first legislature since Hosni Mubarak was deposed, confirming the historic changes under way since the removal from power of a man who dealt with Islamists mostly as enemies of the state.
Their influence over officialdom could reach further still, depending on cooperation with other Islamists also doing well in the election, namely the long-established Muslim Brotherhood which looks set to win more seats than any other group.Their role will also hinge on the system of government that emerges from a transitional period steered by the army generals who took over from Mubarak. The military has been silent on the election result, urging Egyptians to vote but not taking sides.Though official results give little to go on -- the final picture will not be totally clear until January -- both the Salafis and others following the count say they are doing well.The indications so far are heartening for Hazem Salah Abu Ismail, a Salafi planning to run for the presidency in a June election. He sees the results as "a map" of how young Egyptians going to the polls for the first time had voted.
"There's no doubt this is pleasing," said the softly-spoken lawyer-and-politician with a long, grey beard, wearing a suit and tie in an interview on Egyptian television on Thursday.Voters had realized the Islamists' discourse was "logical and reasonable," he said, at the same time outlining a conservative view typical of the Salafis.He said men and women should be segregated at work and displays of public affection must stop. There must also be a halt of the sale and production of alcohol.As in Saudi Arabia, Salafis would want to bar women and Christians from executive posts. They might also ban "un-Islamic" art and literature, as well as mixed beach bathing.If implemented, such curbs would wreck Egypt's vital tourism industry, which employs about one in eight of the workforce.In a frontpage editorial, the independent Al Masry Al Youm newspaper said Egypt must not become Afghanistan, a reference to fears of Taliban-style hardline rule. "We are confident that the voice of moderation will prevail in the parliament," it said.
EGYPT'S PIOUS
Tapping support among Egypt's pious population, the Salafis who call for a stricter application of Islamic law believe they can do better in the coming two rounds.
Al-Nour Party, whose followers wear the long beards typical of Salafis, looks set to secure a fifth of the seats contested in the first round, perhaps even more.Figures displayed on a Brotherhood web site on Friday showed them with 30 percent of the seats assigned to party lists, not far off their own 43 percent. How that translates into seats won't be clear until January, when the results are declared."I believe they can bring change," said Mohammed Hussein, 30, who works in commerce, explaining why he voted for the Nour Party in the city of Alexandria, where Salafi banners urge women to wear the Islamic veil. "It is a party that loves religion."
Hussein's enthusiasm for the group is the result of years of listening to Salafi clerics in the mosque. Across the Middle East, the mosque has provided Islamists with a platform for politics denied to secular parties now trying to regroup.As the remaining two voting stages move into the provinces, the Nour Party could do better still. "Rural areas tend to lean more towards religion than the cities," Hussein said.The Nour Party says it is learning from its mistakes in the first round. "We are assessing our performance in the first stage. We had some negative points that we are studying how to avoid," Youssry Hamad, spokesman for the party, said.The leader of the Nour Party, which hopes to siphon votes from the Brotherhood, said earlier this week that organizational failings meant his party had under-performed."We were not dispersed across constituencies, nor were we as close as needed to the voter. Other parties with more experience rallied supporters more effectively," Emad Abdel Ghafour said in Alexandria, seen as a Salafi stronghold.
The party emerged from Daawa al-Salafiya (Salafi Call), a movement that has previously only backed preaching, not politics, to spread its purist interpretation of Islam.Analysts believe the movement has a devoted following of 3 million people and may control 4,000 mosques nationwide. Egypt has around 108,000 mosques and smaller places of worship.Salafis follow a puritan school of Islam that was revived in Egypt in the 1970s by university students inspired by the 19th century Wahhabi teaching in Saudi Arabia.The emergence of ambitious Salafi parties is one of the starkest measures of change in post-Mubarak Egypt.
MILITANT SALAFIS SHOT SADAT
Mubarak was thrust into office in 1981 when President Anwar Sadat was assassinated by militant adherents of the Salafi school. President of a country which also produced Ayman al-Zawahri, now leader of al Qaeda, Mubarak was a close ally of Western governments in their battle with militant Islamists.During his 30 years in charge, Mubarak survived assassination attempts himself and fought an insurrection in the 1990s by al-Gama'a al-Islamiya, one of the groups involved in Sadat's killing, but which is now running for parliament.
The Gama'a name evokes memories of a bloody chapter in Egypt's recent past. Though its leaders disavowed violence in 1997, a splinter group broke ranks that year to massacre 62 people, mostly tourists, at a pharaonic temple in Luxor.The Gama'a, strongly opposed to violence these days, is now seeking a say in Egypt's future through parliament.But it isn't doing as well as the Nour Party. Gama'a candidates will proceed to run-offs for five seats next week, said Sheikh Assem Abdel-Maged, a Gama'a leader, in his 50s, who spent half his life in prison for a role in the Sadat killing.As expected, the most successful of all the Islamist groups is the Muslim Brotherhood, founded in 1928 and seen as the Muslim world's first contemporary Islamist group.
Though its own ideology is rooted in the Salafi school, Brotherhood leaders have signaled that any kind of alliance with Salafi parties is unlikely, though analysts do not rule out the possibility which would give the bloc a commanding majority.Some analysts expect the Brotherhood to seek a coalition with secular parties to ease concerns at home and abroad about its vision for Egypt, home to eight million Coptic Christians."They do not want to scare the Copts, women, liberals and the West," said Abdel-Rahim Ali, an expert on Islamist groups based in Cairo.But the Brotherhood will also have to reckon with the appetite of its conservative supporters for greater implementation of Islamic law.Egyptians opposed to the Islamists are deeply worried about the influence they could now wield.
Some voice concerns that zealots may see the Salafis' strong showing in parliament as a license to press their agenda in the streets by harassing women who are not veiled, for example.Abu Ismail, the Salafi presidential hopeful, batted away the concerns of anxious viewers who called in with questions during his television appearance on Thursday.He also said freedoms were holy to Islam, stressing that its laws guarantee Christian rights under Muslim rule.And he showed a flash of pragmatism perhaps intended to reassure viewers that radical change may not come immediately."They imagine that when I give an opinion now, that means it will be implemented right now," he said.
"There is a difference between what I see as right and wrong, and the fact that some of these matters will not be implemented within 10 years or even 20 years."
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(Reuters) Analysis: Salafis sense best is yet to come in Egypt vote http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/05/us-egypt-salafis-idUSTRE7B41QB20111205
Article by Tom Perry
Christian Solidarity issues genocide warning (AINA)
(AINA) 05 December 2011 - While the World Council of Churches and mainline Protestant churches in the U.S. remain relatively silent about the ongoing violence against Christians in the Middle East, Christian Solidarity International (CSI) rings the bell loudly by issuing a genocide warning.
The Christian Post reports:
Dr. John Eibner, CEO of Christian Solidarity International, said: "Conditions for genocide against non-Muslim communities exist in varying degrees throughout the region stretching from Pakistan to Morocco. The crisis of survival for non-Muslim communities is especially acute in Iraq, Syria, Egypt,Sudan, the Palestinian territories, Iran and Pakistan."In an interview with The Christian Post, Dr. Eibner said the Arab Spring has "unleashed radical Islamist forces - forces that regard Christians and other non-Muslim minorities as 'kufar' (infidels). When we look objectively at the situation in the region…the outbreak of war in the region could result in the very quick eradication of non-Muslim communities." (Links in original not included in quote.)
In a letter to President Barack Obama, Eibner issued a ringing declaration that stands in stark contrast to the silence of the church establishment in the U.S. which for the most part, has said very little about the ongoing attacks against Christians in the Middle East. Eibner wrote in part:
Most acts of Islamic supremacist violence against non-Muslim minorities receive little media attention in the United States. Take, for example, just a few of the cases that have come to the notice of CSI since the beginning of the so-called "Arab Spring":- Egyptian Christian teenager, Ayman Nabil Labib - murdered by schoolmates after refusing to remove a cross necklace.
- Iranian Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani - sentenced to death for having allegedly converted from Islam to Christianity.
- Catholic priest, Fr. Mark Rybinski - murdered in Tunisia.
- 27-year-old Pakistani Christian nurse Shaista Samuel-- raped by Muslims and subjected to pressure to convert to Islam.
- Libyan Jew, David Gerbi - prevented from reopening the synagogue in Tripoli by Islamist mobs declaring: "There is no place for Jews in Libya!
- CBS Reporter Lara Logan - sexually assaulted in Tahrir Square in Cairo by a mob of Muslim men chanting "Jew! Jew!"
- Iraqi Christians Hanna Polos Emmanuel and Bassn Isho - kidnapped and shot dead near Kirkuk.
These and most other acts of violence against non-Muslims in the Islamic world are not, for the most part, committed by members of Al Qaida or related terrorist networks. Instead they are perpetrated by both state and non-state actors, many of whom are military allies of the United States. They are all inspired by a deep seated culture of Islamic supremacism - kindred in spirit to white supremacism and anti-Semitism.
Virulent, Sharia-based Islamic supremacism led in the 20th century to the eradication of once thriving Christian communities - Armenian, Greek and Syriac -- in Turkey and to the demise of the ancient Jewish communities of the Arab world. The same genocidal dynamic is at work in the 21st century. It must be stopped now.
CSI has also posted a list of "Universal Conditions for Genocide" on its website, which Snapshots reproduces below. Even a cursory reading of this list indicates that many of these conditions are present in a number of countries in the Middle East.
Universal Conditions for Genocide.1. Public display of ethnic and religious differences through physical features, language and communal symbols.
2. Absence in multi-religious and/or multi-ethnic societies of strong integrating institutions.
3. Absence of the rule of law and presence of authoritarian traditions of governance.
4. Deep-seated insecurity on the part of ruling elites.
5. Widespread perception of vulnerable religious and ethnic groups as potential agents of politically subversive powers.
6. Prevalence of a racially or religiously discriminatory ideology or worldview that upholds a utopian vision of a homogenous society as the foundation of political unity.
7. Institutionalization of racial or religious discrimination in statute law or social custom.
8. Widespread communication by state and/or non-state actors of hateful propaganda that portrays members of religious or ethnic communities as subject peoples, aliens within society, or as subhuman creatures.
9. Outbreaks of organized violence by mobs or individuals against members of vulnerable religious or ethnic communities.
10. Habitual denial of discrimination by state and non-state actors that engage in oppressive practices, including violence, against vulnerable groups in society.
11. Widespread militarization of society and/or widespread influence of non-state terrorist groups or militias.
CSI has put its marker down, and has warned the American people about a possible catastrophe in the Middle East.
We have been warned.
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(AINA) Christian Solidarity International issues genocide warning
http://www.aina.org/news/20111202235702.htm
Iran Supreme Leader calls for Islamic Power Bloc (BarnabasFund)
(BarnabasFund) 05 December 2011 - Country: IRAN, MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA
Iran’s supreme leader has called on the world’s Muslim-majority nations to form an “international Islamic power-bloc”, laying down an ominous challenge to Western powers.
In a message to more than 2.5 million Hajj pilgrims inSaudi Arabia on 5 November, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said that Islamic countries should “make the most of [the] opportunity” created by the Arab Spring, as well as the anti-capitalist movement across the world.
He said that Islam has become the guiding principle of the Arab uprisings despite the efforts of secular rulers to curtail the influence of religion in their countries. And pointing to the victory of the Islamist Ennahda Party in Tunisia's recent elections, he predicted similar outcomes elsewhere: "Without doubt, free elections in any Islamic country will hardly result in anything except what happened in Tunisia."
Heralding a global power shift and issuing an ominous challenge to Western powers, theAyatollah said that “the West, the United States and Zionism are weaker than ever before", adding:
During the last decades, arrogant powers, led by the United States, had reduced regional states to a state of subjugation through their political and security ploys… But now, they are the primary target of disgust and hatred of the region's nations.
He urged the entire umma (Islamic nation) and especially the revolutionary nations to "continuity of their stance and avoidance of slackness in their resolve" and "vigilance against the plots of arrogant international powers".
The Ayatollah’s comments will raise alarm among Christians in the Middle East and North Africa, who are often associated with the West and are already feeling vulnerable and insecure as a result of the Arab Spring, which has seen Islamist groups growing in power and influence. There has, for example, been an increase in anti-Christian attacks in Egypt since the revolution, and at least 100,000 Christians have emigrated from the country as a result of the aggressive tactics of hard-line Muslims.
The Ayatollah did advise the revolutionary nations to maintain "national unity and official recognition of sectarian, tribal and ethnic differences" as "a precondition for future success", but his own country, Iran, is hardly a model of this. Christians there face regular and severe harassment from the authorities, who are trying to clamp down on the growing house church movement of converts from Islam, as well as the traditional churches.
If the Arab Spring movement were to develop into an “Islamic power-bloc”, Christians would surely be in increasing danger across the region.
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(BarnabasFund) Call for Islamic Power Bloc by Iran's Supreme Leader
05 Dec Update- Egypt Elections 2011
(AINA) 05 December 2011 - Islamist parties made dramatic advances in Egypt's parliamentary elections during the first round of voting for lawmakers this week, a result reflecting a growing embrace of religious-oriented sentiment across turbulent North Africa.
"We accept the results of the elections in any case because it's the will of the people, and our rivals should embrace it too because this is the true democracy we fought for and we wish our liberal brothers better results in the next two rounds," Mahmoud Ghozlan, spokesman of the relatively moderate Muslim Brotherhood, whose Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) won 40% of the vote.
Al Noor Salafi Movement, a hard-line Muslim group, had the second-highest total, 20%, in the first round of voting for the lower house of parliament, according to Yousri Abdel Kareem, head of the executive office of the Higher Judicial Election Council.
In the first election after the toppling of President Hosni Mubarak, the tallies reflected similar results in Morocco and Tunisia. Moderate Islamists in those North African nations prevailed in recent elections amid the wave of political discontent across the Arabic-speaking world this year.Secularists weren't surprised at the result but they were stunned that some longtime secular groups performed poorly.
"The strong showing of the Islamists should serve to mobilize more support for secular candidate," said Mohamed Ghoneim, speaking for the liberal Egyptian Bloc that garnered 15% of the vote. "We need to build on that and we are going for it."Ghoneim said voters were turned off by some secular candidates because they come from Mubarak's old National Democratic Party.
The Muslim Brotherhood is entrenched in mainstream Egyptian politics. Most are highly educated -- doctors, lawyers, engineers, professors and businessmen -- and come from solidly middle-class backgrounds.Al Noor Salafi is the first Salafist group to register as a political party in Egypt. Salafis are conservative, religious purists and have been accused of stoking sectarian strife against Egypt's Christian minority and of plotting to undermine the country's fledgling democracy.
This week's voting in Egypt marked the initial part of a complex, multi-step process that will first pick members of the lower house of parliament.
Voters had to cast three votes, two for independent candidates and one for a party or coalition. Four independent candidates won but runoff elections for those who didn't win clear majorities will be held Monday and Tuesday. One of the four is Amr Hamzawy, once a research director at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and a spokesman of the "Board of Wise Men," which worked to foster negotiations between the government and protesters.
Presidential elections will be held by June, according to the military, which has rulied the country since Mubarak's fall."The success of Islamist parties will make it much more difficult, if not impossible, for the Egyptian military to prolong its political control and to recreate a political system along the lines of Hosni Mubarak, as it appeared intent on doing." Marina Ottaway, a senior associate of Carnegie's Middle East program, said in an analysis on Friday.
Voter turnout was initially reported by the country's election board at 62%, but the board said it would recalculate the figure after reporters raised questions about the number of registered voters used in the calculation, suggesting the true figure was lower.Abdel Moez Ibrahim, head of the judicial election committee said problems arose during the polling that will be addressed in the next round of voting. They include campaigning on the days of the elections, long lines and the late arrival of a limited number of ballots. Ibrahim said sending vehicles to pick up judges and handing out paper ballots the night before elections are among solutions to problems.
Ibrahim said the process has been triumphant for Egyptian democracy."The winner of these elections is the Egyptian people," he said.
As for the future, the Carnegie analysis says "the response of the military and secular parties, and the political acumen of the FJP" will determine whether the future government will be "dominated by Islamists, including hard-line Salafis, or a less threatening alliance of the FJP and secular parties," Ottaway said.
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(AINA) Islamists fare well in first round of Egypt's elections
http://www.aina.org/news/2011120316918.htm
Article by By Mohamed Fahmy Fadel / CNN's Joe Sterling contributed to this report.
Update - Egypt Elections 2011
(AlJazeera) 28 November 2011 - The fight for equal rights and political legitimacy has been a long one for Egypt's Coptic Christians. Their plight has become all the more complicated with recent developments in the country, and parliamentary elections scheduled for Monday might not be the solution they had in mind.
The status of the Copts' status in Egyptian society is tricky. Making up roughly 10 per cent of the country's 80 million citizens, they are the largest Christian community in the Middle East.
For many years, the Copts received public support from Hosni Mubarak, the former president who was driven from power in February. In late January, when the streets were filled with protesters calling for Mubarak to step down, Coptic Orthodox church leader Pope Shenouda III expressed support for the leader who had ontrolled Egypt for 30 years.
Even so, many Copts supported the revolution and were present in anti-Mubarak demonstrations. In one incident, they formed a human chain around a group of Muslim Egyptians so they could pray amid the chaos. The event became one of the most iconic images from January's protests at Tahrir Square.
Still, the Egyptian Federation of Human Rights has reported that approximately 93,000 Copts have left Egypt since March. The NGO has estimated that number could reach 250,000 by 2012, with the departures linked to fears that a hardline, Islamist government might make life harder for Copts in Egypt.
Uncertain future
Mourad Shenouda, a consultant at a Cairo-based engineering firm, said that two years ago Egypt was a "steady state" with little hope for change for the country's Coptic Christians.
"We had our problem as Copts. We had our problems as liberals. However, after the revolution, there is a chance for change. And this change it may be in favour of liberals, it may be in favour of Copts, it may be in favour of Islamists; but where this change will lead, I doubt anyone will predict," Shenouda said.
State policies that discriminated against the Copts have in large part defined the community. Among these policies were the requirement of a presidential permit to repair churches and a lack of representation in government.
The community is still reeling from the Maspero incident on October 9, in which security forces clashed with Copts who were protesting an attack on a church in Aswan. At least 26 Copts were killed in the violence and more than 300 were wounded.
"The Maspero massacre left Copts profoundly traumatised in a way that is quite unprecedented," said Paul Sedra, an expert in Egyptian history at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada.
Sedra continued: "This flew in the face of so much of the rhetoric of the current military rulers and former regimes; that national institutions like the military were dedicated to preserving national unity, of Copts and Muslims, in Egypt."
The ruling military party, the Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF), refused to take responsibility for the use of violence. The refusal brought protests from Coptic and Muslim Egyptian who called for a swift and fair investigation of the Maspero killings.
Election impact
Experts have said many members of Egypt's Coptic population are pessimistic that their lives will improve with the election of a new parliament.
"My sense is that there is a profound scepticism within most quarters of the Coptic community that parliamentary elections would enhance their situation at all," said Sedra.
"I suspect that the feeling is quite the opposite; that Islamist and Salafi forces, whose agendas are seen to be injurious to Copts, are bound to gain from the elections," he added.
Sedra said most Copts are "deeply sceptical" about what liberal and secular politicians will do for them.
"I think you can count on one hand the number of Copts who support the Muslim Brotherhood... I don't see them voting for the [Muslim] Brotherhood or the Salafis," said Timothy Kaldas, a 27-year-old photographer in Cairo, referring to Egypt's main Islamist parties.
'Civil state'
The dialogue surrounding Egypt's elections has for months centered on inclusion, fairness and the logistics of conducting the first poll in the post-Mubarak era. Such discussion has mostly been put on hold with the return of violence and mass protests in Tahrir Square, but some hope for the elections remains.
"I'm a Copt. I'm more a liberal than a Copt, so I'm looking for a civil state in Egypt, and this civil state will give rights to everyone; Copts, Muslim Brotherhood, Salafist or whatever," said Shenouda, 40.
Thrity-three protesters have been killed across Egypt since November 18 and many more people have been injured. In response, Copts and Muslims alike have intensified calls for the immediate end of military rule. Yet, there are some who fear what may happen if the SCAF were to immediately step down.
"Some people want [the SCAF] to stay just to maintain some stability. Because if they leave, and there is no proper handover to someone who is good enough or strong enough, I believe it will become mass chaos," said Shenouda.
Sedra said that after the Maspero killings, many Copts are apprehensive of what might come next.
"They wonder, now that 'Pandora's Box' has apparently opened, what more they can expect to befall the community. So there is certainly no rush to create a situation of still greater instability," Sedra said.
For some Copts, however, the fear of the unknown is not enough to stop the push for change in Egypt.
"I'm going to protest, because, even beyond the issue of nationalism, 85 million people right now are subject to the rule of a military junta that is leftover from an extremely repressive regime and they're fighting to remove that junta and to establish an actually free and democratic country," said Kaldas.
"No one is left to excuse what's going on. At this point, every group has reason to be extremely disappointed with the ruling military junta. There's no one left untouched."
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(AlJazeera) Egypt Copts view elections with concern
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2011/11/2011112274857809334.html
Uganda: more moves to quell LRA (ANS)
(Assist News) 24 Nov 2011 AUSTRALIA (ANS) -- The Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) is a blasphemous cult militia established in the late 1980s ostensibly to fight for the rights of the long-marginalised and abused Acholi people of Northern Uganda. The LRA quickly lost its political focus, becoming infamous for its unrivalled brutality, most of it directly targeted at Christian communities, churches and seminaries. Squeezed out of Uganda, the LRA moved to South Sudan and more recently to Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Central African Republic. The LRA has long been armed and funded by the Islamist regime in Khartoum, which has employed the LRA as a proxy force against the South Sudanese and their Christian allies. The LRA's founder and present commander, Joseph Kony, is a former Catholic altar boy turned occultist / spirit medium. Children who have escaped Kony's camps have told social workers that when Kony gets 'possessed' -- he claims by the Holy S pirit -- he will demand worship, crave human blood and prophesy things that come 'exactly true'. This goes some way to explaining why this band of rebels has eluded capture for more than 20 years.
In such an overtly spiritual battle, it should be unsurprising that prayer has proved to be the most powerful and effective weapon of all. In the opinion of this writer, the most effective local force against the LRA has been Northern Uganda's religious leaders and particularly the long-suffering and supremely courageous pastors and bishops of the Acholi Religious Leaders Peace Initiative (ARLPI).
With the stated aim of seeing the LRA removed from the battlefield, the US recently sent 100 combat-ready Special Forces troops to Uganda, tasked with providing 'technical assistance'. The LRA's evil and the local suffering may well be not the main reasons why the US has entered Uganda. Other possible motives include the discovery of oil in Uganda five years ago and China's quick investment in it. Also a quick moral victory in Africa would look good on President Obama's resume in the lead up to the 2012 US presidential elections. Importantly though, an 'oil war' is looming in Sudan, and the LRA -- long a proxy of the Republic of Sudan -- is presently lurking in the hills of South Sudan awaiting orders. Eliminating the LRA would greatly assist South Sudan. Furthermore, American Special Forces assistance in East Africa could be helpful in countering al Shabaab or at least in seeing that Kenya and Uganda are rewarded for their counter-terror efforts. All these possible reasons aside, removing the LRA from the battlefield would b e a very good outcome indeed.
However, as the ARLPI notes, military means have never worked against the LRA. In December 2008 US military advisors assisted Uganda, DRC and the South Sudan-based Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) as they joined forces in Operation Lightning Thunder to fight the LRA in the heavily-forested Garamba National Park region of north-eastern DRC. Mysteriously alerted to the allied advance, the LRA tactically retreated and dispersed. In early January 2009 the alliance boasted that the LRA had been routed but by late January the LRA was enacting reprisals and terrorising civilian populations across the region. By March the Ugandan army had pulled out. The military operation, which cost a huge 500 billion shillings, was an unmitigated disaster, subsequently blamed on 'leaky intelligence'. Today the region is relatively calm and though sporadic violence continues (see LRA Crisis Tracker), the ARLPI believes that gains are being made through dialogue which offers a more holistic outcome than military action ever could.
So the dilemma is this: whilst everyone wants to see the end of the LRA, most Acholi do not favour a military solution. One reason why the ARLPI is opposed to the military option is because the LRA never had popular appeal and it could only fill its ranks by kidnapping young children. Consequently, apart from its top leadership, the LRA comprises mostly abducted, traumatised, terrorised Acholi children, who, after being forced at gunpoint to murder their own parents, were then brainwashed to believe they have no other home nor life than the LRA. However, the churches of Northern Uganda have, in great generosity of spirit, worked very hard over many years to prove that this is not so. These children deserve the opportunity of rehabilitation and reconciliation.
For more background on the LRA see blogs --
Religious Liberty Monitoring label: Lord's Resistance Army (LRA).
Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin label: LRA.
PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY THAT --
- Yahweh Sabaoth -- the Lord of Hosts (literally the commander of heaven's forces) -- will open the door to victory on earth by delivering a victory in heavenly realms; may demonic spirits be bound, through'Jesus Christ who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him' (1 Peter 3:22 ESV).
- Joseph Kony and the other senior leaders of the LRA will be removed from the battlefield in accordance with the will and purpose of God.
- multitudes of abducted children will be spiritually and physically freed to leave the bush and surrender themselves to those who will in amazing grace -- and usually to the bewilderment of the children -- love t hem, rehabilitate them and facilitate reconciliation.
- Ugandan churches -- both northern and southern -- will unite across deep tribal divides to pray for the above outcomes and to work together as one people in Christ for peace, justice and equity across the nation.
Egypt burning again! (NEWS24)
(News24) 22 Nov 2011 - Cairo - Clashes between police and protesters in Cairo's Tahrir Square erupted for a third straight day on Monday after a night of deadly violence that left at least 13 people dead.
Police used tear gas sporadically through the night and into Monday morning against hundreds of protesters - scattered in groups in and around Tahrir - who responded with stones and rocks, according to live footage on state TV.On Sunday, police and military forces used batons, tear gas and bird shot to clear the central square of thousands of protesters demanding the ruling military cede power to a civilian authority.
Morgue officials said 13 people died on Sunday and two people on Saturday, sparking fears of disruptions to the November 28 legislative elections, the first since a popular uprising toppled Hosni Mubarak in February.Protesters fear the army is intent on maintaining some degree of power through a set of supra constitutional principles it plans to impose on the next parliament, who will be tasked with drafting the country's charter.
Protests in Tahrir Square have been ongoing since a massive anti-military rally on Friday, which called on the army to cede power to civilian rule and return to barracks.
Demonstrators have been particularly vocal against Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, Mubarak's long-time defense minister who now heads the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.
Can Pakistan ban "Jesus" in text messages? (Mashable)
(Mashable) 22 Nov 2011 - The Pakistan Telecommunications Authority told mobile carriers to begin blocking text messages Nov. 21 containing words from a list of more than 1,600 “obscene” terms.
Though companies were instructed to start enforcing the ban,Newsweek Pakistan reported Monday that mobile carriers had deferred it as they seek additional clarification from the government.A Nov. 14 letter outlining the new policies and listing the forbidden words was leaked to the Pakistani media last week. The new policy is in response to consumer complaints of receiving graphic text messages, a PTA spokesman told The Guardian.
The list met widespread Internet criticism, in part for including believed benign words such as “Jesus Christ,” “athlete’s foot,” “poop,” “fairy” and “harder.” An unconfirmed version of the list has been circulating online. Some 1,100 of the words are in English, while less than 600 are in Urdu, Pakistan’s national language.Many are discussing the ban on Twitter using the hashtag #PTABannedList. Some have suggested replacing banned words with their numbers on the circulating list.The ban may introduce some technical difficulties, a mobile carrier exec anonymously told the AFP.
“The filtering is not good for the system and may degrade the quality of network services — plus it would be a great inconvenience to our subscribers if their SMS was not delivered due to the wrong choice of words,” the rep said.
Pakistan is no stranger to digital bans from the government. In May 2010, the country blocked Facebook for two weeks after a competition to draw the Prophet Mohammed sparked controversy. YouTube was blockedtemporarily in 2008 following news that images from a competition to draw the Prophet Mohammed had leaked onto the site.
Middle East without Christians (PRWeb)
(PRWeb) 21 Nov 2011 - The real danger of having no Christian presence in the Middle East within the next 5 years will be one of the main topics at a up coming conference hosted by Dr. Rob Dalrymple Director of the Bible Accadamy at Cornerstone Fellowship.
Today, in the Middle East, there are about 30 million Christians and the majority of these Christians are suffering greatly. Over the last 10 years many have sought refuge in the US and various other countries to the point that the continued survival of the Church in the Middle East is being threatened.
According to Professor Habib C. Malik in his article The Future of Christians in the Middle East he discusses the decline of Christianity in the Middle East and how it has become a startling reality:
"The relic phenomenon is an alarming one and the numbers offer sobering evidence of its impending reality. In 1948 Jerusalem was about a fifth Christian; today, it is less than 2 percent. For centuries Christians used to constitute over 80 percent of Bethlehem’s population, but today they are barely a third and falling. In 1943, at the time of its independence, Lebanon was a majority-Christian country, but after thirty years of war and foreign occupation Lebanon’s Christians now make up around a third of the population and the trend is demographic contraction. It is estimated that about half of Iraq’s 1.4 million Christians have fled the country since the American invasion in 2003."
As the country of Iraq has stabilized in the past few years, the violence against the Church has continued. Even as the Shia-dominated Iraqi government has enhanced its control, it has done little to rein in the targeting of weak Christian, Mandean, and Yazidi communities.
The Jerusalem Post also goes on to report the same finding that Professor Habib C. Malik stated in his findings: “…at the time of Lebanese independence from France in 1946 the majority of Lebanese were Christians. Today less than 30% of Lebanese are Christians. In Turkey, the Christian population has dwindled from 2 million at the end of World War I to less than 100,000 today. In Syria, at the time of independence Christians made up nearly half of the population. Today 4% of Syrians are Christian. In Jordan half a century ago 18% of the population was Christian. Today 2% of Jordanians are Christian.”
Copts attacked after 40 days of mourning (WashingtonPost)
(WashingtonPost) 18 Nov 2011 - Attackers threw rocks and broken glass at a march by Coptic Christians in Cairo Thursday, injuring 10, in the latest outbreak of sectarian violence less than two weeks before the start of parliamentary elections.
About 400 Christians marched through the Cairo neighborhood of Shubra to mark the end of 40 days of mourning after sectarian clashes that killed 27 people, most of them Christians, witnesses said.
During the march, attackers threw stones, bricks and broken glass on the marchers from a six-floor apartment building, said marcher Hossam Victor. Clashes broke out and 10 people were injured, two of them seriously.
Victor and other marchers blamed supporters of Gamal Saber, an ultraconservative Islamist candidate in Egypt’s parliamentary elections, set to begin Nov. 28.
“They rained rocks and glass down on us from the building, and the police stood by and watched without doing anything,” Victor said.
One 25-year-old marcher, whose arm appeared to be broken, said police spotted a tattoo of a cross on his upper arm and shoved him toward the attackers, who beat him, injuring his arm. He declined to give his name, fearing retaliation.
Security forces later separated the sides. Saber, the parliamentary candidate, called the Christian marchers “stupid” and blamed them for starting the clashes as a way to harm his election campaign.
Sectarian tensions have been building up across Egypt since the 18-day uprising that ousted President Hosni Mubarak in February. Coptic Christians, who make up about 10 percent of Egypt’s population, have long complained of state discrimination. They feel under increasing threat since the uprising and worry that Islamist groups, competing openly in an election campaign for the first time, will impose restrictions on their community
.
Demands for religious organizations to be toughened in Russia (ANS)
(Christian Telegraph) 11Nov 2011 - KIEV, UKRAINE (ANS) -- The Department of Justice of the Russian Federation has drawn up and published a new federal legal amendment regarding religious organizations and freedom of conscience.
The Independent Newspaper (www.ng.ru) wrote that there were a lot of core introductions in this project, pointing out that the conception of religious groups is [to be] eliminated.
"The foundation of spiritual unions has been changed simultaneously with the list of reasons to deny the registration of such organizations," said the Independent Newspaper in its story.
According to www.gazeta.ru, citizens who decide to found a religious group must inform the Department of Justice in written form. Such a group will be registered if it has more than 10 members, its own charter and decision of the religious examination.
Lev Levinson, an expert from the Human Rights Institution, explained to www.gazeta.ru that new religious structures not affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church must be registered as municipal organizations.
"During their first 10 years of operation, they will not have the right to open educational institutions, Sunday schools, invite foreign citizens, hold religious ceremonies in hospitals, prisons, orphanages, publish and distribute religious literature or organize some media," said human rights advocate.
To do all these things, groups will be forced to merge into a centralized structure. Levinson noted that such merging will close the door on every alternative religious movement.
"Spiritual and religious development will be prohibited," underlined the expert.
Ramil Ahmetgaliev, a legal analyst with the Interregional Human Rights Association (AGORA), agreed with Lev Levinson. He didn't exclude the idea that this bill was "created with the help of some religious denominations that try to solve their problems in such ways."
Ahmetgaliev alleged that this legal formulation is advantageous for authorities. "It is more comfortable for them to communicate with religious groups through a centralized unit. This line of command has been transposed on religious organizations," opined the analyst.
Hardline Salafis on the rise in Egypt (Philly.com)
(Philly.com) 08 Nov 2011 - One of the most unsettling developments of Egypt’s Arab Spring has been the surge of activity by ultraconservative Salafist Muslims, who used to denounce conventional politics.
Salafism is a puritanical form of Sunni Islam that aims to emulate the faith as it was practiced during the Prophet Muhammad's time. Unlike the Muslim Brotherhood, which has long tried to engage in politics, when it was not being repressed by past Egyptian governments, the Salafis concentrated on preaching and social work. Some veered into violence.
But today – in the midst of Egypt’s open political season – Salafis have formed two political parties, and a Salafi, Hazem Saleh Abu Ismail, is running for president.
Salafis are a wild card in the elections, with some predicting they could win ten per cent of the votes. They don’t speak with one voice: Some preach hatred of Christians on well-funded satellite channels, some have attacked Christians and burned churches, while others denounce such actions. Although they deny it, Salafi groups are rumored to receive substantial funds from Saudi Arabia.
There is no question these fundamentalists want to push for an Islamic state and to change Egypt’s conservative but tolerant culture: Abu Ismail says if he were president all women would have to veil. Recently, at a Salafi rally in Alexandria, a statue of Zeus surrounded by mermaids was covered up because it was considered indecent.
Yet some Salafis insist they are misunderstood. I interviewed Mohammed Nour, the spokesman for the Nour (light) Party, who runs a multi-media production company that makes films and apps for I-phones. He wore a suit with a striped shirt, and his office sported orange couches with chrome armrests, and a office secretary with in a headscarf and long skirt but face uncovered. “The image in the media of salafis with long robes is not necessarily true,” he told me in an obvious charm offensive.
But when I asked why Salafis were entering politics, he responded, “We’re always going to believe the Islamic way of life is better than democracy. But all Egyptians believe change can happen through these elections, so we should all present ourselves.”
So it is an open question whether - as some Egyptians hope - Salafis will be tamed by participation in poltics, or whether they see democracy as a means towards an undemocratic end.
Salafi parties and groups originally allied with the Muslim Brotherhood, but – resentful of the Brotherhood’s superior organization – they later formed their own alliance of fundamentalist candidates. One big question in the upcoming elections is whether they will emerge from the election with a key bloc of seats that, if joined with the Brotherhood, would give Islamists a majority in parliament. That would give them latitude to press the more cautious Brotherhood to adopt more hardline views.
Egypt arrest of Christians continue (ANS)(AINA)
(AINA) 07 Nov 2011 - Egypt's Military Prosecutor decided on November 3 to continue the detention of 34 Coptic Christians for another 15 days, pending investigations on charges of inciting violence, carrying arms and insulting the armed forces during the October 9 Maspero Massacre, which claimed the lives of 27 Christians and injured 329. The court session was attended by more than twenty defense lawyers. The case was adjourned to November 18.
Egyptian journalist Mary Abdelmassih, writing for AINA -- the Assyrian International News Agency http://www.aina.org/ , says that according to defense lawyers, most of the detainees were arrested after October 9, and some were not even at the Maspero protest and were just collected from the streets for "being a Christian."
According to AINA, three of them were teens under 16 years old and another had an operation to extract a bullet from his jaw and was chained to his bed in hospital, said defense lawyer Ibrahim Edward. "After the operation he was sent straight to prison where he cannot eat without feeding tubes, so he lives on juices."
AINA says prominent activist Alaa Abdel-Fatah, who criticized the army for the Maspero Massacre, was arrested on October 30, charged with inciting violence, seizing military equipment, and vandalizing military property. He refused to answer questions from the military prosecutors "in a case where the military is accused of committing a massacre when their APCs ran over peaceful protesters in front of Maspero on Oct. 9," his lawyer Ahmed Seif Al-Islam, former director of the Hisham Mubarak Law Center, is quoted as saying.
AINA states that Abdel-Fatah also played a big role in convincing the families of the Maspero Coptic victims to agree to have the bodies of their relatives autopsied in order to have proof that the military caused their death.
AINA reports that two days ago, Mikhail Naguib, a Copt, was arrested at his home by the military and accused of stealing a machine gun and using it to kill Copts in Maspero on October 9.
According to the AINA report, the military prosecutors claimed that the gun, a type used by the army, was stolen from one of the APCs at Maspero. The army said that a taxi driver who brought Naguib on that night from Maspero to his home in the run-down area of Sharabia witnessed that he had a gun bundled in a plastic bag with him.
In an interview aired on the "The Way" Christian TV, Michael's father said the army and police found nothing at home, and that they beat his son and took him away in his underwear.
AINA reports that Dr. Naguib Gabriel, head of the Egyptian Union of Human Rights Organization, said that this latest arrest and these extremely serious accusations raises questions about the intentions of the army. He wondered about the evidence the military has regarding these charges, and whether with this arrest the real culprits will not be brought to justice.
Families of detainees appeared in an interview with Coptic Channel CTV and told how their sons and husbands were arrested, AINA said.
In its report, AINA says that Ms. Magda, mother of Mina Talaat, said that her son did not attend the Maspero protest but was arrested after the violence at 8:30 in one of the roads leading to Maspero. "Mina was stopped by a soldier, who called a group of 20 people to come quickly, as he had found a Christian. The group beat Mina with short leather batons until his jaw was broken and he had to hold it back with his hand. He also had wounds in the head requiring 12 stitches," she said
According to the AINA report, Mina told his mother on her first visit that he hid under an armored personnel carrier, but was dragged out and taken to a room on the third floor of the TV building, together with other Copts, and they were beaten until 8 AM. He was then taken to el-Kobah Military Hospital where he was chained to his bed. She said that Mina had a large tattoo of the Virgin Mary on his arm and "the soldier was so angry about that he wanted to shoot him."
Ms. Mariam, wife of Mr. Amin Mouneer Ayad, who was at work and was dropped off by his company's bus near Maspero after 11:00, said that a soldier asked her husband if he was a Christian and saw the tattooed cross on his wrist, then took him away to a room all covered in blood. After taking his money and cell phone, the soldiers beat him until he lost consciousness. "I did not recognize him at hospital," said his wife. "His eyes were so swollen that when he cried no tears were flowing."
The Al-Nadeem Center for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Torture said on its Facebook page that Mr. Amthal Mahmoud Abdel-Fattah, a Muslim arrested at Maspero by the military, was said by his mother to be mentally handicapped. Military prosecutors transferred him to Abbassiya mental hospital, which decided to keep him "until he comes back to his senses," as per the hospital report.
"To arrest the victims and not the assailants shows the extent of persecution and humiliation the Copts are experiencing," said Medhat Kelada, head of the Union of Coptic Organizations in Europe. "If there is any justice, the military prosecution should instead investigate the crimes committed by the military police."
AINA also reported that a list of suspects to be questioned by the military prosecutors with regards to the Maspero violence was published by the media, which included clergy, in addition to political movements like the Maspero Coptic Youth Union, Copts Without Borders and April 6. It also included the deceased Coptic protester Mina Danial, known from the January 25 Tahrir protests, who died in the Maspero Massacre from gun shots.
AINA further reported that Father Filopateer was interrogated by the prosecution on October 26 and he completely refused to cooperate with the military investigation because he is a civilian, and because it is biased and is part of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), with whom ".we are direct opponents in this case. I accused the SCAF, Field Marshal Tantawi and Brigadier Badeen, head of military police of being directly responsible for the Maspero Massacre." He said that the SCAF was fishing for incriminating evidence.
AINA also said Father Mattias Nasr went to the military prosecutor on October 20. He said that he did not expect to be accused, wondering how can a victim become a culprit? He described the investigations as a sort counterbalance to what was unveiled in the conference held on October 20 by the Maspero Coptic Youth Union. The conference accused the military of murdering the demonstrators through video footage and witnesses.
Human Rights groups have criticized the ongoing arrests, denounced military trials for civilians, and called for the transfer of the investigation of the case from military to civilian prosecutors.
Joe Stork, Deputy Middle East director of Human Rights Watch, said "The military cannot investigate itself with any credibility. This had been an essentially peaceful protest until the military used excessive force and military vehicles ran over protesters. The only hope for justice for the victims is an independent civilian-led investigation that the army fully cooperates with and cannot control and that leads to the prosecution of those responsible."
Activist Mark Ebeid, who attended the Maspero protest, said: "They are arresting Christians and levying accusation at them, most of which are really absurd, in an attempt to implicate them in the killings," adding: "The Junta is trying to justify the impossible, which is putting the blame on someone else. We all witnessed the killings with our own eyes on that bloody Sunday."
Extremists taking hold of Tunisia mosques (News24)
(News24) 03 Nov 2011 - Tunis - Radical Islamists have seized control of 150 to 200 mosques and prayer halls around Tunisia this year, a senior religious official said on Wednesday.
Official control over Tunisia's 5 000 mosques and small prayer halls has relaxed since the January revolution that toppled autocratic president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, allowing radicals to occupy some of them, Jamel Oueslati told Reuters.
There were also cases where imams and congregations thwarted takeover bids, said Oueslati, who is chief of staff to Religious Affairs Minister Aroussi Mizouri in the caretaker government. He had no figures for such cases.
"After January 14, some extremist tendencies invaded certain mosques," he said, referring to the day Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia. "The ministry has no power to pressure them. We have to wait until things calm down and we'll see what we can do.
"This is an exceptional situation. This tendency is a reaction to the years of oppression and lack of free expression. They now have the opportunity to express their views, often aggressively."
The moderate Islamist party Ennahda, which advocates democracy and pledges not to impose religious bans on the secularist minority here, won 40% of the vote in the October 23 election for a constituent assembly.
It is expected to form a coalition with two large secularist parties to run the country and write a new constitution.
No radical Islamist parties were allowed to contest the election, so the extent of their political support is not known. But few are seen on the streets in Tunis, where many women wear western clothes and do not veil their hair.
Radical Islamists, or salafists, have given Tunisia's secularist elites the jitters. Last month, they clashed with police in Tunis and protested against a film they said insulted Islam.
No problems
Oueslati said the ministry, which oversees the management of mosques and prayer halls and validates the qualifications of imams, had no problems with radicals under the old dictatorship.
Since the revolution did away with authoritarian methods, he said, it could not ask the police to eject the salafists.
"We're trying to discuss with them, but they won't agree to talk," he said. The ministry will be able to take legal measures only once the new government is formed and establishes its authority.
Oueslati said there was no indication the salafists were supported from abroad, but said Tunisia was concerned about satellite television broadcasts that propagated a stricter version of Islam than normally practised here.
The authorities were considering launching a Tunisian Islamic television channel, with question and answer sessions like those popular on foreign stations, he said.
"Most people want to ask questions about religion. When Tunisians don't find someone to ask, some go and watch these satellite channels and can get confused," he said.
If Tunisia creates its own religious channel, he said, "people could address our own experts with their questions instead of turning to the so-called 'sages' of the Gulf or elsewhere".
The state has taken over a religious radio station set up in Tunis several years ago by a relative of Ben Ali, he said.
Oueslati said the majority of Tunisians rejected religious radicalism. "We're moderates, we want to be open to the world," he said. "We're not fundamentalists, as some seem to think."
UK to cut aid towards countries that persecute Christian (ChristianPost)
(ChristianPost) 03 Nov 2011 - Christian leaders are applauding U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron’s pledge to stop sending aid to countries that persecute Christians and ban homosexuality. Cameron said the decision was a move to protect basic human rights worldwide.“When the UK is setting aid budgets and is in discussion with other governments, religious freedom – in particular the persecution of Christians – should always be highlighted and discussed,” said Neville Kyrke-Smith, director of Aid to the Church in Need's (ACN) U.K. office."Britain is one of the premier aid givers in the world,” Cameron said to the BBC. “We want to see countries that receive our aid adhering to proper human rights.”
Up to 75 percent of the religious persecution in the world is against Christians, according to a recent report. In addition, more than 40 members of the British Commonwealth have laws banning homosexuality.“ACN agrees that the persecution of homosexuals is totally unacceptable – as is the persecution of Christians and people of other faiths,” Kyrke-Smith said.Cameron’s remarks were meant to spark the beginning of change to these two issues, the Prime Minister said."This is an issue where we are pushing for movement, we are prepared to put some money behind what we believe. But I'm afraid that you can't expect countries to change overnight,” Cameron said to the BBC.
Christians have come under attack in China, Iran, Burma, Egypt, Pakistan and other countries around the world.It is unclear how the pledge will affect specific countries around the globe.British aid to Pakistan was expected to double this year to 350 million British pounds, according to reports. But the country is at the center of a controversy over its persecution of Christians under a loosely defined blasphemy law.
At least 35 Christians have been killed since 1986 under the country’s blasphemy laws, according to reports.It is unclear how much money the U.K. will withhold from Pakistan and other governments, since the issues are so widespread.The first countries affected by the change could be Malawi, Uganda, Nigeria and Ghana, according to reports.Christian leaders maintain that a good human rights’ record is imperative when choosing which countries to send aid to.
“If governments are responsible for persecution or are failing to take obvious steps to prevent it, their approach raises huge questions about whether they can be trusted to give help to the poorest and most needy in society,” Kyrke-Smith said.
New Middle East / Arab World as Christians flee the region (NewsMax)
(NewsMax.com) 31 Oct 2011 - Attacked by mobs and terrorists, repressed by the growing popularity of fundamentalist Islamic law and cut off from crucial business ties, Christians are fleeing the Middle East in an unprecedented exodus.
More than half of Iraqi Christians — an estimated 400,000 people — have left that country over the last decade as power has fallen in the hands of increasingly hostile Shi'a Islamic leaders.
In Egypt, home to at least 8 million Copt Christians — a number that exceeds the populations of Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, and Tunisia — at least 95,000 Christians have emigrated since March 2011. The number could reach 250,000 by the end of this year, reports the Egyptian Federation of Human Rights.
"At the present rate, the Middle East's 12 million Christians will likely drop to 6 million in the year 2020. With time, Christians will effectively disappear from the region as a cultural and political force," reports Daniel Pipes, a leading scholar of the Middle East.
The most popular destination for fleeing Christians was the United States, which took in an estimated 42,000 of the Egyptian Copts. Other destinations included Canada, Australia and western Europe.
The situation threatens to worsen as the Arab Spring removes dictators who, paradoxically, shielded Christian communities. The parties that are gaining power in Libya, Egypt, Tunisia, and other countries tend to be offshoots of the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood.
In Libya on Sunday, transitional government leader Mustafa Abdul-Jalil laid out a vision for the post-Gadhafi future with an Islamist tint, saying Islamic Sharia law would be the "basic source" of legislation and existing laws that contradict the teachings of Islam would be nullified.
In Egypt, where Christians make up about 10 percent of the population, Coptic Christians have been subjected to a series of attacks. On New Year’s Day, 21 Coptics were killed leaving Saints Church in Alexandria, and dozens more killed in clashes that followed, all leading up to the Oct. 9 demonstration killed at least 24 Christians, many run over by military vehicles, and injured hundreds more.
In an attack on a Baghdad’s Our Lady of Salvation church in October of 2010, 58 Syriac Catholic worshippers were killed and 78 wounded. The al-Qaida-linked Islamic State of Iraq claimed responsibility for the massacre.
On Sunday, in a speech that stirred fears among some Middle East observiers, Jalil called for all laws to conform to Islam. The myriad of practices that declaration covers is widespread and includes charging interest on loans, which Abdel Jalil promised will be abolished.
“We are an Islamic state,” he declared to a cheering crowd in Benghazi Sunday.
While Iraq was not part of the Arab Spring, the toppling of Saddam Husseim in 2003 by the U.S. military created its own vacuum and hundreds of thousands Christians have fled the country due to sectarian strife. In Syria, where Christians make up about 10 percent of the population, a similar fate is feared should President Bashar al-Assad be toppled.
“Virtually the entire region now experiencing the convulsion of the Arab Spring lived inside the very large tent of the Ottoman Empire until World War I,” James Traub wrote in Foreign Policy. “Ottoman rulers welcomed the Jews who fled the Inquisition. In great Ottoman capitals like Aleppo, in modern Syria, Jews, Christians, Kurds, and Sunni Muslims lived in the same neighborhoods.”
However, the fellow of the Center for International Cooperation and contributing writer for the New York Times Magazine noted that the pluralism once found in the region was destroyed by those stoking nationalism to consolidate power.
“Populist rulers can accommodate diversity, as they have largely done in today's Turkey, or they can unleash the forces of sectarianism, as they have in Iraq, where Shiites and Sunnis kill one another and both kill Christians. Older Iraqis will tell you that no one ever spoke of ‘Sunni’ and ‘Shiite’ when they were young; but whether in Bosnia or Iraq, sectarianism, once provoked, has a very long half-life. There is no more volatile substance in the modern nation-state.”
Christian Syrians have clung to the government of Assad, fearing what might follow should it fall, having seen what has happened in neighboring countries. Indeed many Christians who have fled sectarian strife in countries such as Iraq have ended up in Syria.
Traub wrote that while violence against Egyptian Copts does not approach what has occurred in Iraq, it has been growing in recent years.
“There's no wishing away the anti-Coptic attitudes, or prejudices, of ordinary Egyptians. But Copts have lived with that for a long time,” he wrote. “The big question is whether it will get worse — and how much worse. And that will be a matter of political choices and political leadership.”
Traub concluded that the situation could go either way.
“Egypt's new military rulers, like the military ruler they replaced, have proved all too willing to exploit street-level resentment. Power-sharing cannot wait until a new president is elected in mid-2013 or so. Egypt's democratic forces say that they are determined not to allow themselves to be divided against one another. Let's hope so. In Egypt, and all across the former Ottoman outposts of the southern Mediterranean — Tunisia, Libya, Syria — it is not just democracy but also pluralism that is at stake. It would be a terrible thing, and a deeply unnecessary one, if the rise of the former meant the end of the latter.”
Signs of greater freedom in Bhutan (MissionNetworkNews)
(MissionNetworkNews) 26 Oct 2011 - Over the last ten years, Southern Baptists in particular have been praying for the nation of Bhutan, which comes in at #14 on the Open Doors World Watch List for the nations with the worst persecution toward Christians.
Although the nation remains extremely oppressive compared to free nations,International Mission Boardreports that prayers over the last decade have clearly been answered.
In 2001, Baptists committed their National Day of Prayer and Fasting for the World and Evangelization to Bhutan, the only country recognized as a Tibetan Buddhist Kingdom. Ten years later, one Bhutanese pastor reports, "The prayers are working."
In the mid-1990s, Bhutan's government banned Christianity. They felt it could be a divisive religion if it grew too strong. It was against the law to "coerce anyone to believe differently."
The latter has not altogether changed. Christians are still not allowed to "proselytize" or partake in any festivity or holiday that is not Buddhist.
But headway has been made on the religious freedom horizon. "We are allowed to have faith in Jesus now," says the same pastor, who was exiled from Bhutan years ago for sharing Christ. The man still helps train others in Bhutan to plant churches, and the churches are growing.
Part of this growth is due to the introduction of New Testament translations in three more languages in the last ten years. "I'm fairly good at English. Yet, there is nothing like reading [the Scriptures] in your own language. Somehow, the Bible and what it's saying becomes more meaningful," says the pastor. "People tell me they understand it now because it's speaking to them."
The churches still face persecution. For some, every time they meet, the power and water supplies are cut off in the homes. When the village has light, the home hosting church has none. They still have to be very careful with whom they share the Truth.
The Lord is stirring hearts, though. Pray that the church in Bhutan would continue to be bold and to listen closely to the Holy Spirit. Pray for more hearts to turn to Christ.
Egypt looks forward, one year after massacre (EnergyPublisher)
(EnergyPublisher) 03 January 2012 - One year has passed since the terrible massacre in the Church of the Two Saints, in Alexandria on New Year’s eve last year, which left more than twenty dead and a hundred wounded. One year later the facts regarding those responsible for committing this horrible crime are no clearer. There have been rumourswhich assert that it was the ministry of internal affairs who ordered the attack, but no investigation results have so far been published. Yesterday, the last Friday of the year, the protestant church called for a peaceful demonstration in Tahrir square to commemorate this anniversary, asking people to come with armed only with candles and no other religious symbol. A large demonstration led by Shaykh Mazhar Shaheen processed from Omar Makram mosque in Midan al Tahrir up to the Evangelical Church of Qasr al Doubara, one street behind Midan al Tahrir to celebrate the Chrismas and New Year’eve feasts.
Three weeks after last New Year’s eve attack the January 25 revolution exploded, and since then many difficult events have succeeded each other making it a hard time for the population, and mainly for Egyptian Christians. In fact, the Alexandria massacre took place less than a year after the violent attack at Nag Hammadi, in Upper Egypt on the eve of the Coptic Christmas celebrations, on the 7th of January 2010, which left seven dead and many wounded. And less than two months after clashes over a church construction in the suburb of Giza, next to Cairo, that left two dead and many wounded.
Early in March 2011, the Church of the Two Martyrs in Sol, next to Helwan, in the southern suburb of Cairo, was set on fire killing two people died. The motive for the arson attack was a forbidden love affaire between a Christian young man and a Muslim girl. The two fathers died in a quarrel, then the Muslim population burned the church. The Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF) decided to rebuild the church which was ready for Easter one month later.
During March the awful virginity test was imposed on young women arrested by the authorities.
On Saturday, March 7, two churches in Imbaba, in a western suburb of Cairo, were attacked by fundamentalist mobs, with the result of a dozen Christians killed and the burning of the two churches. This suburb had once been termed ‘the Islamic Republic of Imbaba’.
In June 2011 a long awaited draft bill on building permits for places of worship both for Islam and Christianity was brought before parliament. But still today, this law has not been implemented.
On June 29, a vast confrontation between demonstrators and police forces left more than one thousand wounded. Again, on July 23, another confrontation resulted in more than two hundred wounded.
On September 30th, a church in Marinab village, in Asswan governorate was raised by Muslim fundamentalists who had decided to eradicate the village church by first pretending it was a new construction, than demanding it remove its crosses and the domes and finally burning the church, and many households belonging to the Christian population, without any protection from the civil authorities, rather, on the contrary with the obvious blessing of Asswan governor.
On Sunday October 9, a Christian demonstration began in Cairo to demand equal rights for Christians and justice for the Marinab village church. Numerous Muslim demonstrators were joined their Christian compatriots. What took place was a veritable slaughter which has now become known as the ‘Maspero massacre’ : The army attacked demonstrators resulting in 25 people dead and 350 wounded, many of them crushed under the wheels of advancing armouredvehicles. The state television located on Maspero Avenue launched
an appeal that verged on a call to civil war appealing to the population to come and protect the armed forces ‘savagely attacked by Christian demonstrators’. Three soldiers were reported dead, but in the end revealed to be only lightly wounded.
On October 10, the culprit of Nag Hamadi attack of January 7, 2010, who had been sentenced to death, was executed.
Then came the protests of Mohammad Mahmoud Street on November 19 (see 21/11/2011Egypt, toll rises from Tahrir Square clashes: 30 dead and thousands injured), and later in mid December, the demonstrations and sit-in around the Parliament and the Ministers Council buildings (see 17/12/2011 Egypt: clashes between the army and demonstrators continue in front of the Houses of Parliament), with a heavey toll of dead and wounded.
In just one year, more than one thousand people have died, thousands of more wounded, an estimated one thousand two hundred people lost one or both eyes, and probably twelve thousand demonstrators were arrested and judged by military courts. Many politicalpersonnalities and well-known journalists have also been summoned and mistreated.
It is reported that since last March, one hundred thousand Christian Egyptians have left the country emigrating to different destinations. Many people among the Christian community, and among the poorest of them, would now like to apply for religious asylum in countries like the USA, Canada, or Australia.
Recently many bishops reported to have received threatening letters to prevent them from celebrating the New Year and Christmas. Pope Shenouda III, head of the Coptic Orthodox Church replied two days ago that ‘we do not fear any threats and we shall celebrate the feasts’, though everybody knows that the celebrations will be restricted inside churches and earlier than the usual midnight masses. The Catholic Church, which celebrates Christmas in Cairo, Alexandria and Lower Egypt on the December 25, had all the masses between 7 and 9p.m. All the churches were surrounded by police forces, which will be the same for the Orthodox Christmas on the eve of January 7.
‘Christmas is celebrated this year in Egypt in a state of ‘sad joy’ because of the general situation: sadness, because the year that passed has been a severe one not only for Christians but also for Muslims. From the massacre of the Two Saints’ church in Alexandria last year to the battle at the Ministers Council, through the Maspero massacre and the hard economic situation, all of this has left a wounded and suffering Egyptian society as Fr Rafic Greiche, official spokesman of the Catholic Church in Egypt, stated yesterday.
‘On the other hand, added Fr Greiche, we must preserve some joy, because every Egyptian is still full of hope that the difficulties and obstacles will be resolved little by little in building a new democratic state in this land that once sheltered Jesus and the Holy Family, where dignity, justice and equality should prevail for everyone’.
On this point, many political experts consider that the parliamentary elections have really attracted the majority of the population who felt for the first time they were really participating in their political duty and right. But many of them are still critical feeling that it was more a religious election than a democratic one, since no-one stopped the parties from using religious slogans when it was strictly forbidden.
An anecdotal gag was bandied about during the election campaign which went: ‘Women electors and men electors, whatever your religion, please vote for the salafist islamic party al-Noor. If you are Muslim, you shall go to Paradise. If you are Christian, you shall go [flee] to Canada!’
But there were also many positive reactions, mainly from the well known slogan of the 1919 revolution of the famous leader Saad Zaghloul, founder of the Wafd party that says ‘Religion is for God, and Homeland is for all’. The design of the Cross and the Crescent intertwined is more and more obviously brandished. Let us recall that in mid October the SCAF adopted a draft law incriminating discrimination and violence, which is usually aimed at Christians and women. But still, we have to see if this law is really being implemented in the daily life. On the other hand many people are reacting to Muslim preachers on Fridays correcting what they feel is an open attack against Christians, among whom, mainly Nawwara Negm, daughter of the famous anarchist poet Ahmad Fouad Negm, and strong activist since the beginning of the January revolution.
A young Christian student in the end of primary course, Myriam Armanios (11-12 years old) wrote two days ago on Facebook : ‘Like you, I have the right to celebrate my feasts’. More than 3 thousand pupils sustained her as well as the Maspero Youth Federation. A demonstration was organized in front of the ministry of education to protest against the fixed dates for midyear exams on the 1st and the 8th of January [the Coptic Christmas period]. The minister of education decided immediately to postpone the examinations for a couple of days later.
After the Lotus or Jasmin or Spring revolution, many promises were made by the government but none were achieved : like putting the minimum salary up to 750 Egyptian Pounds (a little less than 100 euros per month); offering a pension to the ‘martyrs’ of the revolution and the ‘martyrs’ of Maspero massacre; offering free medical care and treatment for all the wounded of the revolution and of Maspero massacre; an end to bringing civilians before military courts; adjusting the price of petrol to the standard prices in Spain, Turkey, Israel and Jordan; organizing impartial investigations into the Maspero, Mohammad Mahmoud street and Council of Minister massacres, as well as many other economic promises: until now none of these have been kept, provoking a general state of disillusionment.
Another point is the looming anniversary of the January 25th revolution: is the SCAF ready to let demonstrators gather? is the official press and media, as well as the interim government ready to stop accusing demonstrators of being agents and agitators manipulated by foreign powers? These last two days about twenty NGOs involved in human rights were raided, their computers seized and they were accused of being illegally financed by abroad.
Faced with this old approach to this important juncture, many observers express that the old regime is still active. As expressed by Pr Ezzeddine Shukry, professor of political science: ‘A regime that is not yet over, in front of a revolution that is not yet broken’.
We have to point out finally that the blogger Alaa Abd al Fattah, arrested in November and accused of criminal acts during Maspero massacre, has finally been released on probation in his flat, until a further judgement. Another positive act was the administrative court that stopped the virginity test imposed on young women arrested by the armed forces.
Pr Shukry perfecttly expresses the feeling among the general population when he says, ‘the situation is confused for the moment, but we must keep hope for the future, because the revolution movement has not been overcome, it is still active and will never be defeated’. He considers the many martyrs as a source of positive inspiration for the movement, and he brings as a symbol of hope of the dentist Ahmad Sharara, who lost one eye on the 28th of January and the second eye on 19th of November and who states : ‘Better to live blind with honour and dignity than to live with my sight despondent and blinkered’.
Demonstrators in Tahrir square yesterday refused to join an anti-protest march led by the army and the officials, thus refusing to join hands with the people hailing the expelled former president Mubarak. And still leaders of the political and youth movements have called for a huge gathering on this New Year's eve in Tahrir square from 8p.m. until 2 a.m. to respond to the appeal first launched by the woman journalist Gamila Ismaïl to celebrate the Christian New Year by candle light with Coptic Hymns and Muslim Soufi prayers animated by famous singers like male singer Ali al Haggar and the beautiful Azza Balbaa.
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(EnergyPublisher) Egypt: Islam: One year after the massacre of Christians in Alexandria, Egypt seeks a way forward
http://www.energypublisher.com/a/WFMCQAXHRY40/66127-Egypt--Islam---One-year-after-the-massacre-of-Christians-in-Alexandria-Egypt-seeks-a-way-forward
30 Christian Shops Burnt in Nigeria After Deadly Attacks; More Violence Feared
28 December 2011 - By Luiza Oleszczuk | Christian Post Reporter - Christian Post
More violence is expected in Nigeria, where an Islamist terror group killed 39 on Christmas Day, pushing many citizens to flee the targeted cities Monday, reports say.
After the deadly attacks on churches in five cities across the country Sunday (another church was reportedly bombed in the northeast on Christmas Eve, but no one was reported killed), Nigerians are gripped by fear. Thirty-nine people died in the sieges (40, according to some reports), including 35 in Madalla, a town near the capital, Abuja. In another bombing in a church in Jos, one other person has also reportedly been killed. Bombs also targeted churches in the cities of Kano, Damaturu and Gadaka.
Hundreds of residents sought to flee the violence-torn city of Damaturu on Monday fearing further attacks and clashes between Islamists and police, according to AFP.
The coordinated attacks on churches were reportedly conducted by a radical Islamic terror group, Boko Haram. Nigeria has seen many attacks claimed by this group, but some analysts said the bombings marked a dangerous escalation in a country.
The attacks were condemned by church and secular leaders across the globe.
Syria's Muslim Brotherhood claimed responsibility on Saturday for suicide bombings
26 December 2011 - Iafrica News
Syria's Muslim Brotherhood claimed responsibility on Saturday for suicide bombings in Damascus that killed 44 people, saying they were the first step in liberating the capital and that more attacks were to come.
The claim contradicted assertions by the regime of President Bashar al-Assad that the blasts, which also wounded 166 people, were the work of Al-Qaeda and of the opposition Syrian National Council that the regime carried them out.
"One of our victorious Sunni brigades was able to target the state security building in Kfar Suseh in the heart of the... capital Damascus in a successful operation carried out by four of our kamikazes drawn from the best of our glorious men, leaving many dead and wounded from the ranks of the Assad gangs," it said on its official website.
"We as defenders of the Syrian people and the sanctity of this nation send a message to Assad's gangs: This is the beginning of the liberation of Damascus and the tip of the iceberg," the statement added.
"Hence we warn our fellow citizens and advise them not to approach government centres or security branches... because our martyrdom brigades are in a state of maximum readiness to carry out quality operations in Aleppo, Damascus, and the blessed land of Syria in the next 10 days."
The statement was signed by the "Muslim Brotherhood's media committee inside Syria."
The bombings, the first against the powerful security services in central Damascus since an uprising against Assad began in March, came a day after the arrival of an advance group of Arab League monitors who are to oversee a deal to end the bloodshed.
After the attacks, Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Meqdad said "this is the gift we get from the terrorists and Al-Qaeda, but we are going to do all we can to facilitate the Arab League mission".
The delegates were to hold talks with Foreign Minister Walid Muallem on Saturday.
Muallem has said he expects the observers to vindicate his government's contention that the unrest is the work of "armed terrorists," not overwhelmingly peaceful protesters as maintained by the West and human rights watchdogs.
For its part, the Syrian National Council said "the Syrian regime, alone, bears all the direct responsibility for the two terrorist explosions".
The regime wanted to create the impression "that it faces danger coming from abroad and not a popular revolution demanding freedom and dignity," it added.
The UN Security Council condemned the attacks but remained deadlocked on a full resolution on the crisis with the Russian and US ambassadors trading personal barbs.
While not rejecting Syria's account of the events, France accused the regime of trying "to mask the reality of the repression, notably by transferring political prisoners to secret jails".
Ban Ki-moon's spokesman said the UN leader was "gravely concerned" about the escalation and urged the government to "fully and speedily" implement the Arab League plan.
Arab League Assistant Secretary General Samir Seif al-Yazal, head of the advance team, said after the bombings that "what has happened is regrettable but the important thing is that everyone stay calm.
"We are going to press on with our work. We have started today, and tomorrow (Saturday) we will meet Walid Muallem."
Yazal's nine-member team is making logistical arrangements for the arrival of the first observers, who will eventually number between 150 and 200.
In Cairo, the Arab League's Ahmed Ben Helli said the mission will head to Syria on Monday, grouping more than 50 experts in politics, human rights, military issues and crisis management, the official MENA news agency reported.
The mission is part of an Arab plan endorsed by Syria on November 2 that also calls for the withdrawal of the military from towns and residential districts, a halt to violence against civilians and the release of detainees.
Syria says more than 2,000 security force personnel have been killed in attacks by armed rebels since March.
But opposition leaders have charged that Syria's agreement to the mission after weeks of prevarication was a mere "ploy" to head off a threat by the Arab League to go to the UN Security Council over the nine-month crackdown which the world body says has killed more than 5,000 people.
There was no let-up in the bloodshed on Friday with human rights activists reporting at least 21 civilians killed across the country, the majority of them by security force fire.
The bodies of four civilians who had been arrested were found Saturday with signs of torture in restive Homs province, activists said, urging the visiting Arab League team to document the cases.
"The corpses of four citizens were found this morning in the streets of the town of Hula and a fifth citizen was found in a critical condition," the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said in a statement received in Nicosia.
"Security forces and 'Shabiha' (pro-regime militia) groups had arrested them after midnight on Friday-Saturday in the Al-Bustan neighbourhood... There were signs of torture on the bodies of the martyrs," the Observatory said.
The watchdog demanded that the Arab League "immediately head to the town of Hula to document this flagrant violation of human rights which is just the tip of the iceberg of what is going on in Syria."
Egyptian women hit street over violence (AP)
21 December 2011 - (AP) Egypt, Cairo - AROUND 10,000 women have marched through central Cairo demanding Egypt's ruling military step down in an unprecedented show of outrage over soldiers who dragged women by the hair and stomped on them, and stripped one half-naked in the street during a fierce crackdown on activists the past week.
The dramatic protest, which grew as the women marched from Tahrir Square through downtown, was fueled by the widely circulated images of abuses of women.
Many of the marchers touted the photo of the young woman whose clothes were partially pulled off by troops, baring her down to her blue bra, as she struggled on the ground.
"Tantawi stripped your women naked, come join us," the crowd chanted to passers-by, referring to Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, the head of the military council that has ruled Egypt since the February 11 fall of Hosni Mubarak.
"The daughters of Egypt are a red line," they chanted.
Even before the protest was over, the military council issued an unusually strong statement of regret for what it called "violations" against women - a quick turnaround after days of dismissing the significance of the abuse.
The council expressed "deep regret to the great women of Egypt" and affirmed "its respect and total appreciation" for women and their right to protest and take part in political life. It promised it was taking measures to punish those responsible for violations.
The statement suggested the military's fear that attacks on women could wreck its prestige at home and abroad, which has already been heavily eroded by its fierce, five-day-old crackdown on pro-democracy protesters demanding it surrender power.
The ruling generals have campaigned to keep the public on its side in the confrontation, depicting the activists as hooligans and themselves as the honorable protectors of the nation, above reproach.
In unusually harsh words, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Monday accused the Egyptian security forces and extremists of specifically targeting women.
"This systematic degradation of Egyptian women dishonors the revolution, disgraces the state and its uniform, and is not worthy of a great people," she said.
In a possibly significant hint of new flexibility, the council also said in its statement that it was prepared to discuss any initiatives to help the security of the country. In recent days, a number of political factions have pressed the military to hand over power by February, rather than June, when it promised to hold presidential elections.
In the past, police in Mubarak's regime were accused of intentionally humiliating women in protest crackdowns. But images of women being abused by soldiers were particularly shocking in a society that is deeply conservative and generally reveres the military.
The independent press has splashed its front pages with pictures of soldiers chasing women protesters, including ones in conservative headscarves and full face-veils, beating them with sticks and clubs and dragging them by their hair. The crackdown has left 14 people dead - all but one by gunshots - and hundreds wounded.
The images of the half-stripped protester, whose identity is not known, clearly had a powerful resonance. A banner showing a photo of her on the asphalt - one soldier yanking up her black robes and shirt, another poised to stomp on her chest - was put up in Tahrir Square for passing drivers to see.
"The girl dragged around is just like my daughter," said Um Hossam, a 54-year old woman in traditional black dress and a headscarf at the march. "I am a free woman, and attacking this woman or killing protesters is just like going after one of my own children."
Ringed by a protective chain of men, the women marched from Tahrir to the Journalists' Syndicate, several blocks away, chanting slogans demanding the military council step down.
Many accused the military of intentionally targeting women to scare them and their male relatives from joining protests against the generals. Previously, the military has implied women who joined protests were of loose morals. In March, soldiers subjected detained female protesters to humiliating tests to determine if they were virgins.
"They are trying to break women's spirits, starting with the virginity tests. They want to break their dignity so that they don't go out and protest," Maha Abdel-Nasser, an engineer who joined the march, said.
Two sisters, Yomna and Tasneem Shams, said they never took part in previous protests because their parents wouldn't allow them. But they happened to be downtown and spontaneously joined the women's march.
"No one should ever be beaten for expressing their opinion," Yomna, 19, said. "I am proud I took part in today's protest. I feel I can tell my kids I have done something for them in the future."
Some also criticized Islamic parties, which stayed out of the antimilitary protests and did not participate in the march - even though religious conservatives often tout their defense of "women's honor." Pro-democracy activists accused them of being worried about anything that might derail ongoing, multistage parliamentary elections, which the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood and the more conservative Al-Nour Party have dominated so far.
"This is a case of honor. But they clearly don't care for honor or religion. They now care only about their political interests," said Mohammed Fawaz, one of the men in the protective chain around the marching women.
The protest also is likely to deepen the predicament of the military as critics began to talk openly about putting them on trial for abuses, and politicians are floating ideas for their exit, perhaps in return for immunity.
Emad Gad, a newly elected lawmaker, said that without guarantees they would not be prosecuted, the generals won't hand over power by the end of June as promised. Foremost on their minds, he said, was the fate of Mubarak, who ended in court facing charges that carry the death penalty after ruling Egypt for nearly 30 years.
"They didn't get clear assurances and that is why they try diabolical tactics to make sure they get these guarantees," he said, citing the military's attempt to enshrine in the next constitution language that would shield it from civilian scrutiny.
"We have to address their fears, their interests and future role," he said.
The public and many activists welcomed the military when it took power from Mubarak in February. But relations have deteriorated sharply since as the democracy activists accused the generals of hijacking their uprising, obstructing reforms, human rights abuses and failing to revive the ailing economy or restore security.
The most recent protests - and an earlier round of protests that saw a deadly crackdown last month - have seen unprecedentedly bold ridiculing of the military, which for decades was considered a revered institution above criticism. Young protesters have heaped profanities into their antimilitary slogans, demanded the execution of Tantawi and taunted soldiers in Tahrir.
On Monday, a member of the military council, Maj. Gen. Adel Emara, took a hard-line in a press conference, denouncing the protests as a conspiracy to "topple the state" and accusing the media of fomenting sedition.
He defended the use of force by troops, saying they had a duty to defend the state's institutions and declined to offer an apology for brutality toward female protesters. He did not dispute the authenticity of the image of the woman being dragged half naked by soldiers, but said Egyptians should not see it without considering the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The apparent change in attitude with the statement of regret left some women unimpressed.
Sahar Abdel-Mohsen, a 31-year old activist, doubted the promise to punish those responsible and said the statement was in response to the US criticism. "This is an apology to one woman, Hillary Clinton."
"This is like someone raping a girl, and then going to the police station to marry her (to avoid prosecution) and then divorce her as soon as he leaves," she said.
"It is an attempt to exonerate themselves after the deed is done, but with little accountability."
The Australian News
Statement on the Death of Kim Jong-il by Dan Wooding
19 December 2011 - For Immediate Release
Contact: Dan Wooding: assistnews@aol.com
Millions of North Koreans had been “engulfed in indescribable sadness”, the KCNA news agency said. People were seen weeping in the capital Pyongyang.
His son Kim Jong-un was described by KCNA as the “great successor” who North Koreans should unite behind.
Wooding, 71, also founder of the ASSIST News Service (www.assistnews.net) said, “The death of Kim Jong-il is a cataclysmic event in the history of North Korea and could finally herald the beginning of freedom for the people of this secretive country.
"His death could also now mean that the North Korean tyrannical regime which I believe is in its death throes, could finally come crashing down.
"North Korea has, for many years now, held the dubious title of the world’s worst persecutor of Christians. Maybe now this could change.
“I believe that there is now a serious possibility that the passing of Kim Jong-il will eventually see the collapse of the country and its opening up, especially to the South Korea people.
“Earlier this year, on my last trip to South Korea, I discovered many North Korean escapees there who have since become Christians are willing to go back into the country with the Gospel and are also willing to lay down their lives if the door suddenly snaps shut after a short time."
Wooding added, “North Korea will never be the same following the deaths of Kim il-Sung and now Kim Jong-il, a father and son team of despots who ruled North Korea with iron fists and held their people back to the point of starvation and did all they could to wipe out the underground church there.
“May the sweet winds of freedom now sweep into this land that has seen so much bloodshed and hate over the past many years. Let us pray that this occurs.”
North Korea's 'Dear Leader' Kim Jong-Il dies of heart attack (mg)
(mg) 19 December 2011 - North Korean Kim Jong-Il has died aged 69 of a heart attack, state media announced on Monday, plunging the impoverished but nuclear-armed nation into uncertainty amid a second dynastic succession.
The official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said the leader "passed away from a great mental and physical strain" at 8.30am on Saturday while on a train for one of his "field guidance" tours.
It urged people to follow his youngest son and heir apparent Kim Jong-Un, who is aged in his late 20s and until last year had no public profile.
"All party members, military men and the public should faithfully follow the leadership of comrade Kim Jong-Un and protect and further strengthen the unified front of the party, military and the public," said the news agency and a weeping black-clad TV announcer.
KCNA said Kim died of a "severe myocardial infarction along with a heart attack". It said an autopsy was performed on Sunday.
The leader suffered a stroke in August 2008 which left him with impaired movement in his left arm and leg.
His funeral will be held on December 28 in Pyongyang but no foreign delegations will be invited, KCNA said. A period of national mourning was declared from December 17 to 29.
Emergency alert
South Korea placed all troops on emergency alert after the shock news, the South's Yonhap news agency reported. It summoned a meeting of the National Security Council and President Lee Myung-Bak cancelled all his schedules.The Joint Chiefs of Staff said it had increased monitoring along the border along with US forces in the country but no unusual activity had been observed.
North and South Korea have remained technically at war since their three-year Korean conflict ended only in an armistice in 1953.
KCNA, quoting a statement from the national funeral committee headed by Jong-Un, said Kim Jong-Il's body would lie in state in Kumsusan palace where his father's embalmed body is on display.
It said mourners would be allowed to visit the body from December 20 to 27.
Following the funeral, another event to mourn the leader would be held on December 29. Mourning shots would be fired and three minutes of silence would be observed. All trains and ships would sound their horns.
Song remains the same
Kim took over after his father and founding president Kim Il-Sung died in 1994.
In the mid- to late-1990s he presided over a famine which killed hundreds of thousands of his people. Severe food shortages continue and the UN children's fund estimates one-third of children are stunted by malnutrition.
But Kim still found resources to continue a nuclear weapons programme which culminated in tests in October 2006 and May 2009.
For several months there have been diplomatic efforts to restart six-nation nuclear disarmament talks which the North abandoned in April 2009.US envoy Robert King held talks in Beijing last week about the possible resumption of US food aid. There had been speculation the two sides would meet in Beijing this week for separate talks about reviving the six-party process. -- AFP
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Mail & Guardian Online http://mg.co.za/article/2011-12-19-n-koreas-dear-leader-kim-jongil-dies-of-heart-attack
article by JUNG HA-WON SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
Christian Areas of Jos, Nigeria Bombed, Killing One
JOS, Nigeria, December 15 (Compass Direct News) – Joshua Dabo, like other young Christians in this city in central Nigeria, had dreams for his life. He had graduated from a Christian high school, Mt. Olives Secondary School, and at 31 was finally looking forward to attending university.
He was among the 120 people from the Christian community on Bauchi Ring Road who paid to watch a classic soccer rivalry, Barcelona FC v. Real Madrid, on TV at an outdoor bar (called a “viewing center” in Nigeria) on Saturday night (Dec. 10).
A few minutes into the match, televised in the hall of corrugated sheet metal at Yangwava Television Viewing Center at Ukadum village, a bomb went off. Dabo was decapitated. He was the lone fatality in three bomb blasts targeting viewing centers in predominantly Christian areas of Jos during the Spanish soccer match; at least 10 others were injured in the blasts, leaving four in critical condition, including two in a coma.
At Tina Junction along the Bauchi Ring Road in Jos, where the first bomb exploded, Hiroshima Ishaku Nyam, a member of the Jos Jarawa Church of Christ in Nigeria congregation, told Compass that his house was damaged by the bomb at the TV viewing center opposite his house. Danladi Dabo, brother of the slain Joshua Dabo, said he was at home when he first heard an explosion at the Tina Junction venue. “Knowing that my brother is a soccer fan, I raced to the viewing center near our house to alert them, but just about 100 meters to the place, my fears were confirmed as a bomb exploded,” Dabo said. “I was dazed by the explosion, but I kept running there, knowing that my brother was in there. On getting there I found my brother’s body but with no head. I was shocked.” Family members buried Joshua Dabo on Sunday (Dec. 11).
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Article and photot from Compass Direct
Armenian Christians face extermination (AINA)
(AINA) 12 December 2011 - Generally speaking, emigration has already started: after the fall of
Mubarak regime tens of thousands of Copts left Egypt. Sadly enough, a similar fate awaits also the three-thousand Armenian community, who suffered the first wave of emigration at the time of Gamal Abdel Nasser. In the 50s of the past century there were about 60 thousand Armenians living in Egypt. All of them migrated to the USA, Canada, and other countries. Now the Copts are doing the same. The "trouble" of Salafis lies in their desire to return Egypt to the VII century lifestyle, which supposes concentration on the life and faith of the early Muslim community and on their righteous ancestors, condemning all kinds of innovations brought into the Muslim world through contacts with the West. In this respect they are no different from Iranian Islamists. Political wing of the movement "Muslim brotherhood" (banned by Mubarak) holds the first place; secular liberals are in the third position. Thus, Egypt may add to the list of countries, where Islamists came to power after the "Arab Spring".
All this cannot but worry the Armenians, who rightly fear for their lives. No Islamic state shall ever ensure the security of "infidels". Reverting to Iran, we shall note that in the issue of Armenians it is an exception country, but still there's no guarantee that this situation will last forever. No matter how neutrally Armenia behaves in case of military attack on Iran, it is clear that most of the Iranian Armenians will be forced to seek shelter at home. One may say that one outcome of the "Arab Spring" was the threat of total destruction of the Armenian communities in the Middle East, and now the only hope is Bashar al-Assad, under whose rule the Armenian community of Syria is united and respecting state power, which, in its turn, respects and values them. All of this will be gone and forgotten in an Islamic state. And if there is no Armenian community in Tunisia and Libya, it is much more abundant in Syria than in Egypt or Iraq, let alone Lebanon. What Christians should expect in countries of Islamic victory is not difficult to guess; let us not forget the case with the girl in Pakistan, who was executed for converting to Christianity. And these are only the facts reported in media. In fact, such cases are not a single instance, but a worked-out practice.
Meanwhile, the Egyptian army, in the face of the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, is seriously troubled about Egypt turning into an Islamic state. "Islamization of Egypt could cause conflict in regards to the new constitution and the preservation of Egypt as secular state. The attempt to create an Islamic state here is seen as a red line beyond which you cannot go," said sources close to the military leadership of the country in an interview with "Al-Hayat". According to them, the army is deeply concerned about the current developments, and fears that the upcoming rounds of elections, the latter of which is to be held in January, may bring the Islamists an even more convincing victory. The Supreme Military Council is interested in making decisions that meet the interests of Egypt. "The council will insist on two red lines. It will demand that the military's status remain unchanged and also that the secular nature of Egypt and the human rights of the Egyptian people be protected," the sources said.
It should be emphasized that the main ideologists of Islamic fundamentalism and terrorism came from Egypt -- Ideologist of "Muslim brotherhood" and jihad Sayyid Qutb and the second person in "Al Qaeda" under Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri. Qutb was executed in 1966, Zawahiri is sentenced to death in absentia. Presently a new generation, preaching jihad, has grown in Egypt, and if the army does not take control over the country, it will indicate the final collapse of Egypt. This year alone, the Egyptian treasury came $10 million short, due to the lack of tourism. The Salafi candidate of Alexandria clearly stated that in case of his victory he will order all the pre-Islamic monuments, including the pyramids and sphinxes, to be closed from the eyes of the inhabitants, because they are "symbols of a corrupt culture". What else can the Muslims do, except for the destruction of monuments that do not fit into their view of the world?
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(AINA) Armenian Middle East communities are on the verge of extermination
http://www.aina.org/news/20111208111442.htm
Article by Karine Ter-Sahakyan
Election results in Egypt favours the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafists
On 28 and 29 November, Egyptians completed voting in nine governorates, including Cairo and Alexandria. The vote is part of the first of three stages of elections for the People’s Assembly, the parliament’s lower house. Each stage involves polling in nine governorates (out of total 27 governorates). According to Egypt’s elections law, two-thirds of the parliamentary seats will be allocated through party list races, while one-third of the seats are allocated through concurrent single-winner races.
After each initial vote, run-off elections are held a week later between front-runners in single-winner races where none of the candidates got 50%+ of the total vote. Run-offs for the first stage are scheduled for December 5-6.
While earlier updates contained unofficial vote counts and results reported by various media outlets, below are the official results released by the Higher Elections Commission. It should be noted, however, that some election results face pending legal challenges. In response to a court order, the Higher Elections Commission announced on 5 December that election results for "Al-Sahel" district in Cairo (district #1) were annulled. A re-vote will be convened for that district on 10-11 January with runoff races scheduled for 17-18 January.
Seat Breakdown as of Sunday 4 December*
* The Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) is the political party of the Muslim Brotherhood,
Inside Syria (ChristianNewsWire)
(ChristianNewsWire) 08 December 2011 - While much of the world's attention is focused on the Egyptian elections and American troops withdrawing from Iraq, the situation inside Syria is getting worse, especially for Christians.
There is unrest and chaos in Syria for various reasons. Some of those opposing the government want more freedom from a mistrusted and oppressive regime, while some religious opposition groups want freedom to rule and spread their Muslim faith by force and violence.
Christians, in general, are afraid of what might happen to them in the future, especially if fanatic Muslims take over or obtain more freedom and seek revenge against believers. Some Christians have already reported violent acts against them as a sign of more threats and violence to come.
"Christians inside Syria are caught in the crossfire as they are in many other Middle Eastern countries," says Open Doors President/CEO Dr. Carl Moeller. "Until the protests started against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, the Christian community enjoyed some protection. Now they are afraid of the future. Will they have to flee their country like Iraqi Christians have done over the last several years? Please lift them up in your prayers."
Because of months of protests and violence against the government of al-Assad, Syria is on the brink of civil war. Thousands of protesters have been killed. Because of the continued crackdown on the protests, there is an international boycott in place. Inside Syria the central government is losing its grip on the situation.
"Criminals, but also radical Muslims, are taking advantage of that lawlessness," says a field worker for Open Doors. "In the city of Homs, for example, the Sunni Muslims gained power on the streets when the government pulled out its troops for a few days. Some of the radical elements in this group have raided several churches. They robbed the churches of their most valuable things."
More threatening is that several fundamentalist Muslim taxi drivers have made a vow that they will harm all women taking their taxis who are unveiled.
"These women, mostly less orthodox Muslims and Christians, are being kidnapped, raped or even killed," says the field worker. "Some months ago two Christian women were kidnapped. One managed to jump out of the driving car, but the other was taken. That woman remains missing. This didn't happen in a remote area of the country but in the capital of Damascus. For women the situation is unsafe now. People still go on with their daily routine, but with more caution."
According to the worker, throughout Syria people can see the consequences of the boycott of the country:
"Petrol is running out, or being preserved or thrown out by opposing groups to create more of an issue within the country. You also see in the supermarkets that products are missing. Prices are rising because of the shortages. People stand in lines for hours just to get a tank of gasoline for heat; sometimes they go away empty. With electricity getting cut for few hours a day, no gasoline and no petrol are available as before."
Some Christians are planning to escape Syria in case things get worse as they see the quality of life for them decrease and their rights decline. Syria has more than 20 million inhabitants. About 1.5 million Syrians are Christians. The 100,000 Iraqi Christians that fled to Syria because of the situation in their own country can be added to 1.5 million figure.
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(ChristianNewsWire) Inside embattled Syria: More hostility towards Christians
http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/4597918415.html
Article by Jerry Dykstra
Salafis say best is yet to come (Reuters)
(Reuters) 08 December 2011 - The Salafi movement wants to model Egypt's future on Islam's past. If the first results of the country's parliamentary elections are anything to go by, many Egyptians agree with them.
Ultra-conservative Islamists may have won 20 to 30 percent of the vote in the first leg of Egypt's three-stage parliamentary vote, an outcome that has surprised and alarmed many Egyptians. They are worried about what this might mean for freedoms and tolerance in the Arab world's most populous nation.Salafis look certain to emerge as a vocal bloc in the first legislature since Hosni Mubarak was deposed, confirming the historic changes under way since the removal from power of a man who dealt with Islamists mostly as enemies of the state.
Their influence over officialdom could reach further still, depending on cooperation with other Islamists also doing well in the election, namely the long-established Muslim Brotherhood which looks set to win more seats than any other group.Their role will also hinge on the system of government that emerges from a transitional period steered by the army generals who took over from Mubarak. The military has been silent on the election result, urging Egyptians to vote but not taking sides.Though official results give little to go on -- the final picture will not be totally clear until January -- both the Salafis and others following the count say they are doing well.The indications so far are heartening for Hazem Salah Abu Ismail, a Salafi planning to run for the presidency in a June election. He sees the results as "a map" of how young Egyptians going to the polls for the first time had voted.
"There's no doubt this is pleasing," said the softly-spoken lawyer-and-politician with a long, grey beard, wearing a suit and tie in an interview on Egyptian television on Thursday.Voters had realized the Islamists' discourse was "logical and reasonable," he said, at the same time outlining a conservative view typical of the Salafis.He said men and women should be segregated at work and displays of public affection must stop. There must also be a halt of the sale and production of alcohol.As in Saudi Arabia, Salafis would want to bar women and Christians from executive posts. They might also ban "un-Islamic" art and literature, as well as mixed beach bathing.If implemented, such curbs would wreck Egypt's vital tourism industry, which employs about one in eight of the workforce.In a frontpage editorial, the independent Al Masry Al Youm newspaper said Egypt must not become Afghanistan, a reference to fears of Taliban-style hardline rule. "We are confident that the voice of moderation will prevail in the parliament," it said.
EGYPT'S PIOUS
Tapping support among Egypt's pious population, the Salafis who call for a stricter application of Islamic law believe they can do better in the coming two rounds.
Al-Nour Party, whose followers wear the long beards typical of Salafis, looks set to secure a fifth of the seats contested in the first round, perhaps even more.Figures displayed on a Brotherhood web site on Friday showed them with 30 percent of the seats assigned to party lists, not far off their own 43 percent. How that translates into seats won't be clear until January, when the results are declared."I believe they can bring change," said Mohammed Hussein, 30, who works in commerce, explaining why he voted for the Nour Party in the city of Alexandria, where Salafi banners urge women to wear the Islamic veil. "It is a party that loves religion."
Hussein's enthusiasm for the group is the result of years of listening to Salafi clerics in the mosque. Across the Middle East, the mosque has provided Islamists with a platform for politics denied to secular parties now trying to regroup.As the remaining two voting stages move into the provinces, the Nour Party could do better still. "Rural areas tend to lean more towards religion than the cities," Hussein said.The Nour Party says it is learning from its mistakes in the first round. "We are assessing our performance in the first stage. We had some negative points that we are studying how to avoid," Youssry Hamad, spokesman for the party, said.The leader of the Nour Party, which hopes to siphon votes from the Brotherhood, said earlier this week that organizational failings meant his party had under-performed."We were not dispersed across constituencies, nor were we as close as needed to the voter. Other parties with more experience rallied supporters more effectively," Emad Abdel Ghafour said in Alexandria, seen as a Salafi stronghold.
The party emerged from Daawa al-Salafiya (Salafi Call), a movement that has previously only backed preaching, not politics, to spread its purist interpretation of Islam.Analysts believe the movement has a devoted following of 3 million people and may control 4,000 mosques nationwide. Egypt has around 108,000 mosques and smaller places of worship.Salafis follow a puritan school of Islam that was revived in Egypt in the 1970s by university students inspired by the 19th century Wahhabi teaching in Saudi Arabia.The emergence of ambitious Salafi parties is one of the starkest measures of change in post-Mubarak Egypt.
MILITANT SALAFIS SHOT SADAT
Mubarak was thrust into office in 1981 when President Anwar Sadat was assassinated by militant adherents of the Salafi school. President of a country which also produced Ayman al-Zawahri, now leader of al Qaeda, Mubarak was a close ally of Western governments in their battle with militant Islamists.During his 30 years in charge, Mubarak survived assassination attempts himself and fought an insurrection in the 1990s by al-Gama'a al-Islamiya, one of the groups involved in Sadat's killing, but which is now running for parliament.
The Gama'a name evokes memories of a bloody chapter in Egypt's recent past. Though its leaders disavowed violence in 1997, a splinter group broke ranks that year to massacre 62 people, mostly tourists, at a pharaonic temple in Luxor.The Gama'a, strongly opposed to violence these days, is now seeking a say in Egypt's future through parliament.But it isn't doing as well as the Nour Party. Gama'a candidates will proceed to run-offs for five seats next week, said Sheikh Assem Abdel-Maged, a Gama'a leader, in his 50s, who spent half his life in prison for a role in the Sadat killing.As expected, the most successful of all the Islamist groups is the Muslim Brotherhood, founded in 1928 and seen as the Muslim world's first contemporary Islamist group.
Though its own ideology is rooted in the Salafi school, Brotherhood leaders have signaled that any kind of alliance with Salafi parties is unlikely, though analysts do not rule out the possibility which would give the bloc a commanding majority.Some analysts expect the Brotherhood to seek a coalition with secular parties to ease concerns at home and abroad about its vision for Egypt, home to eight million Coptic Christians."They do not want to scare the Copts, women, liberals and the West," said Abdel-Rahim Ali, an expert on Islamist groups based in Cairo.But the Brotherhood will also have to reckon with the appetite of its conservative supporters for greater implementation of Islamic law.Egyptians opposed to the Islamists are deeply worried about the influence they could now wield.
Some voice concerns that zealots may see the Salafis' strong showing in parliament as a license to press their agenda in the streets by harassing women who are not veiled, for example.Abu Ismail, the Salafi presidential hopeful, batted away the concerns of anxious viewers who called in with questions during his television appearance on Thursday.He also said freedoms were holy to Islam, stressing that its laws guarantee Christian rights under Muslim rule.And he showed a flash of pragmatism perhaps intended to reassure viewers that radical change may not come immediately."They imagine that when I give an opinion now, that means it will be implemented right now," he said.
"There is a difference between what I see as right and wrong, and the fact that some of these matters will not be implemented within 10 years or even 20 years."
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(Reuters) Analysis: Salafis sense best is yet to come in Egypt vote http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/05/us-egypt-salafis-idUSTRE7B41QB20111205
Article by Tom Perry
Christian Solidarity issues genocide warning (AINA)
(AINA) 05 December 2011 - While the World Council of Churches and mainline Protestant churches in the U.S. remain relatively silent about the ongoing violence against Christians in the Middle East, Christian Solidarity International (CSI) rings the bell loudly by issuing a genocide warning.
The Christian Post reports:
Dr. John Eibner, CEO of Christian Solidarity International, said: "Conditions for genocide against non-Muslim communities exist in varying degrees throughout the region stretching from Pakistan to Morocco. The crisis of survival for non-Muslim communities is especially acute in Iraq, Syria, Egypt,Sudan, the Palestinian territories, Iran and Pakistan."In an interview with The Christian Post, Dr. Eibner said the Arab Spring has "unleashed radical Islamist forces - forces that regard Christians and other non-Muslim minorities as 'kufar' (infidels). When we look objectively at the situation in the region…the outbreak of war in the region could result in the very quick eradication of non-Muslim communities." (Links in original not included in quote.)
In a letter to President Barack Obama, Eibner issued a ringing declaration that stands in stark contrast to the silence of the church establishment in the U.S. which for the most part, has said very little about the ongoing attacks against Christians in the Middle East. Eibner wrote in part:
Most acts of Islamic supremacist violence against non-Muslim minorities receive little media attention in the United States. Take, for example, just a few of the cases that have come to the notice of CSI since the beginning of the so-called "Arab Spring":- Egyptian Christian teenager, Ayman Nabil Labib - murdered by schoolmates after refusing to remove a cross necklace.
- Iranian Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani - sentenced to death for having allegedly converted from Islam to Christianity.
- Catholic priest, Fr. Mark Rybinski - murdered in Tunisia.
- 27-year-old Pakistani Christian nurse Shaista Samuel-- raped by Muslims and subjected to pressure to convert to Islam.
- Libyan Jew, David Gerbi - prevented from reopening the synagogue in Tripoli by Islamist mobs declaring: "There is no place for Jews in Libya!
- CBS Reporter Lara Logan - sexually assaulted in Tahrir Square in Cairo by a mob of Muslim men chanting "Jew! Jew!"
- Iraqi Christians Hanna Polos Emmanuel and Bassn Isho - kidnapped and shot dead near Kirkuk.
These and most other acts of violence against non-Muslims in the Islamic world are not, for the most part, committed by members of Al Qaida or related terrorist networks. Instead they are perpetrated by both state and non-state actors, many of whom are military allies of the United States. They are all inspired by a deep seated culture of Islamic supremacism - kindred in spirit to white supremacism and anti-Semitism.
Virulent, Sharia-based Islamic supremacism led in the 20th century to the eradication of once thriving Christian communities - Armenian, Greek and Syriac -- in Turkey and to the demise of the ancient Jewish communities of the Arab world. The same genocidal dynamic is at work in the 21st century. It must be stopped now.
CSI has also posted a list of "Universal Conditions for Genocide" on its website, which Snapshots reproduces below. Even a cursory reading of this list indicates that many of these conditions are present in a number of countries in the Middle East.
Universal Conditions for Genocide.1. Public display of ethnic and religious differences through physical features, language and communal symbols.
2. Absence in multi-religious and/or multi-ethnic societies of strong integrating institutions.
3. Absence of the rule of law and presence of authoritarian traditions of governance.
4. Deep-seated insecurity on the part of ruling elites.
5. Widespread perception of vulnerable religious and ethnic groups as potential agents of politically subversive powers.
6. Prevalence of a racially or religiously discriminatory ideology or worldview that upholds a utopian vision of a homogenous society as the foundation of political unity.
7. Institutionalization of racial or religious discrimination in statute law or social custom.
8. Widespread communication by state and/or non-state actors of hateful propaganda that portrays members of religious or ethnic communities as subject peoples, aliens within society, or as subhuman creatures.
9. Outbreaks of organized violence by mobs or individuals against members of vulnerable religious or ethnic communities.
10. Habitual denial of discrimination by state and non-state actors that engage in oppressive practices, including violence, against vulnerable groups in society.
11. Widespread militarization of society and/or widespread influence of non-state terrorist groups or militias.
CSI has put its marker down, and has warned the American people about a possible catastrophe in the Middle East.
We have been warned.
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(AINA) Christian Solidarity International issues genocide warning
http://www.aina.org/news/20111202235702.htm
Iran Supreme Leader calls for Islamic Power Bloc (BarnabasFund)
(BarnabasFund) 05 December 2011 - Country: IRAN, MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA
Iran’s supreme leader has called on the world’s Muslim-majority nations to form an “international Islamic power-bloc”, laying down an ominous challenge to Western powers.
In a message to more than 2.5 million Hajj pilgrims inSaudi Arabia on 5 November, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said that Islamic countries should “make the most of [the] opportunity” created by the Arab Spring, as well as the anti-capitalist movement across the world.
He said that Islam has become the guiding principle of the Arab uprisings despite the efforts of secular rulers to curtail the influence of religion in their countries. And pointing to the victory of the Islamist Ennahda Party in Tunisia's recent elections, he predicted similar outcomes elsewhere: "Without doubt, free elections in any Islamic country will hardly result in anything except what happened in Tunisia."
Heralding a global power shift and issuing an ominous challenge to Western powers, theAyatollah said that “the West, the United States and Zionism are weaker than ever before", adding:
During the last decades, arrogant powers, led by the United States, had reduced regional states to a state of subjugation through their political and security ploys… But now, they are the primary target of disgust and hatred of the region's nations.
He urged the entire umma (Islamic nation) and especially the revolutionary nations to "continuity of their stance and avoidance of slackness in their resolve" and "vigilance against the plots of arrogant international powers".
The Ayatollah’s comments will raise alarm among Christians in the Middle East and North Africa, who are often associated with the West and are already feeling vulnerable and insecure as a result of the Arab Spring, which has seen Islamist groups growing in power and influence. There has, for example, been an increase in anti-Christian attacks in Egypt since the revolution, and at least 100,000 Christians have emigrated from the country as a result of the aggressive tactics of hard-line Muslims.
The Ayatollah did advise the revolutionary nations to maintain "national unity and official recognition of sectarian, tribal and ethnic differences" as "a precondition for future success", but his own country, Iran, is hardly a model of this. Christians there face regular and severe harassment from the authorities, who are trying to clamp down on the growing house church movement of converts from Islam, as well as the traditional churches.
If the Arab Spring movement were to develop into an “Islamic power-bloc”, Christians would surely be in increasing danger across the region.
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(BarnabasFund) Call for Islamic Power Bloc by Iran's Supreme Leader
05 Dec Update- Egypt Elections 2011
(AINA) 05 December 2011 - Islamist parties made dramatic advances in Egypt's parliamentary elections during the first round of voting for lawmakers this week, a result reflecting a growing embrace of religious-oriented sentiment across turbulent North Africa.
"We accept the results of the elections in any case because it's the will of the people, and our rivals should embrace it too because this is the true democracy we fought for and we wish our liberal brothers better results in the next two rounds," Mahmoud Ghozlan, spokesman of the relatively moderate Muslim Brotherhood, whose Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) won 40% of the vote.
Al Noor Salafi Movement, a hard-line Muslim group, had the second-highest total, 20%, in the first round of voting for the lower house of parliament, according to Yousri Abdel Kareem, head of the executive office of the Higher Judicial Election Council.
In the first election after the toppling of President Hosni Mubarak, the tallies reflected similar results in Morocco and Tunisia. Moderate Islamists in those North African nations prevailed in recent elections amid the wave of political discontent across the Arabic-speaking world this year.Secularists weren't surprised at the result but they were stunned that some longtime secular groups performed poorly.
"The strong showing of the Islamists should serve to mobilize more support for secular candidate," said Mohamed Ghoneim, speaking for the liberal Egyptian Bloc that garnered 15% of the vote. "We need to build on that and we are going for it."Ghoneim said voters were turned off by some secular candidates because they come from Mubarak's old National Democratic Party.
The Muslim Brotherhood is entrenched in mainstream Egyptian politics. Most are highly educated -- doctors, lawyers, engineers, professors and businessmen -- and come from solidly middle-class backgrounds.Al Noor Salafi is the first Salafist group to register as a political party in Egypt. Salafis are conservative, religious purists and have been accused of stoking sectarian strife against Egypt's Christian minority and of plotting to undermine the country's fledgling democracy.
This week's voting in Egypt marked the initial part of a complex, multi-step process that will first pick members of the lower house of parliament.
Voters had to cast three votes, two for independent candidates and one for a party or coalition. Four independent candidates won but runoff elections for those who didn't win clear majorities will be held Monday and Tuesday. One of the four is Amr Hamzawy, once a research director at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and a spokesman of the "Board of Wise Men," which worked to foster negotiations between the government and protesters.
Presidential elections will be held by June, according to the military, which has rulied the country since Mubarak's fall."The success of Islamist parties will make it much more difficult, if not impossible, for the Egyptian military to prolong its political control and to recreate a political system along the lines of Hosni Mubarak, as it appeared intent on doing." Marina Ottaway, a senior associate of Carnegie's Middle East program, said in an analysis on Friday.
Voter turnout was initially reported by the country's election board at 62%, but the board said it would recalculate the figure after reporters raised questions about the number of registered voters used in the calculation, suggesting the true figure was lower.Abdel Moez Ibrahim, head of the judicial election committee said problems arose during the polling that will be addressed in the next round of voting. They include campaigning on the days of the elections, long lines and the late arrival of a limited number of ballots. Ibrahim said sending vehicles to pick up judges and handing out paper ballots the night before elections are among solutions to problems.
Ibrahim said the process has been triumphant for Egyptian democracy."The winner of these elections is the Egyptian people," he said.
As for the future, the Carnegie analysis says "the response of the military and secular parties, and the political acumen of the FJP" will determine whether the future government will be "dominated by Islamists, including hard-line Salafis, or a less threatening alliance of the FJP and secular parties," Ottaway said.
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(AINA) Islamists fare well in first round of Egypt's elections
http://www.aina.org/news/2011120316918.htm
Article by By Mohamed Fahmy Fadel / CNN's Joe Sterling contributed to this report.
Egypt looks forward, one year after massacre (EnergyPublisher)
(EnergyPublisher) 03 January 2012 - One year has passed since the terrible massacre in the Church of the Two Saints, in Alexandria on New Year’s eve last year, which left more than twenty dead and a hundred wounded. One year later the facts regarding those responsible for committing this horrible crime are no clearer. There have been rumourswhich assert that it was the ministry of internal affairs who ordered the attack, but no investigation results have so far been published. Yesterday, the last Friday of the year, the protestant church called for a peaceful demonstration in Tahrir square to commemorate this anniversary, asking people to come with armed only with candles and no other religious symbol. A large demonstration led by Shaykh Mazhar Shaheen processed from Omar Makram mosque in Midan al Tahrir up to the Evangelical Church of Qasr al Doubara, one street behind Midan al Tahrir to celebrate the Chrismas and New Year’eve feasts.Three weeks after last New Year’s eve attack the January 25 revolution exploded, and since then many difficult events have succeeded each other making it a hard time for the population, and mainly for Egyptian Christians. In fact, the Alexandria massacre took place less than a year after the violent attack at Nag Hammadi, in Upper Egypt on the eve of the Coptic Christmas celebrations, on the 7th of January 2010, which left seven dead and many wounded. And less than two months after clashes over a church construction in the suburb of Giza, next to Cairo, that left two dead and many wounded.
Early in March 2011, the Church of the Two Martyrs in Sol, next to Helwan, in the southern suburb of Cairo, was set on fire killing two people died. The motive for the arson attack was a forbidden love affaire between a Christian young man and a Muslim girl. The two fathers died in a quarrel, then the Muslim population burned the church. The Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF) decided to rebuild the church which was ready for Easter one month later.
During March the awful virginity test was imposed on young women arrested by the authorities.
On Saturday, March 7, two churches in Imbaba, in a western suburb of Cairo, were attacked by fundamentalist mobs, with the result of a dozen Christians killed and the burning of the two churches. This suburb had once been termed ‘the Islamic Republic of Imbaba’.
In June 2011 a long awaited draft bill on building permits for places of worship both for Islam and Christianity was brought before parliament. But still today, this law has not been implemented.
On June 29, a vast confrontation between demonstrators and police forces left more than one thousand wounded. Again, on July 23, another confrontation resulted in more than two hundred wounded.
On September 30th, a church in Marinab village, in Asswan governorate was raised by Muslim fundamentalists who had decided to eradicate the village church by first pretending it was a new construction, than demanding it remove its crosses and the domes and finally burning the church, and many households belonging to the Christian population, without any protection from the civil authorities, rather, on the contrary with the obvious blessing of Asswan governor.
On Sunday October 9, a Christian demonstration began in Cairo to demand equal rights for Christians and justice for the Marinab village church. Numerous Muslim demonstrators were joined their Christian compatriots. What took place was a veritable slaughter which has now become known as the ‘Maspero massacre’ : The army attacked demonstrators resulting in 25 people dead and 350 wounded, many of them crushed under the wheels of advancing armouredvehicles. The state television located on Maspero Avenue launched
an appeal that verged on a call to civil war appealing to the population to come and protect the armed forces ‘savagely attacked by Christian demonstrators’. Three soldiers were reported dead, but in the end revealed to be only lightly wounded.
On October 10, the culprit of Nag Hamadi attack of January 7, 2010, who had been sentenced to death, was executed.
Then came the protests of Mohammad Mahmoud Street on November 19 (see 21/11/2011Egypt, toll rises from Tahrir Square clashes: 30 dead and thousands injured), and later in mid December, the demonstrations and sit-in around the Parliament and the Ministers Council buildings (see 17/12/2011 Egypt: clashes between the army and demonstrators continue in front of the Houses of Parliament), with a heavey toll of dead and wounded.
In just one year, more than one thousand people have died, thousands of more wounded, an estimated one thousand two hundred people lost one or both eyes, and probably twelve thousand demonstrators were arrested and judged by military courts. Many politicalpersonnalities and well-known journalists have also been summoned and mistreated.
It is reported that since last March, one hundred thousand Christian Egyptians have left the country emigrating to different destinations. Many people among the Christian community, and among the poorest of them, would now like to apply for religious asylum in countries like the USA, Canada, or Australia.
Recently many bishops reported to have received threatening letters to prevent them from celebrating the New Year and Christmas. Pope Shenouda III, head of the Coptic Orthodox Church replied two days ago that ‘we do not fear any threats and we shall celebrate the feasts’, though everybody knows that the celebrations will be restricted inside churches and earlier than the usual midnight masses. The Catholic Church, which celebrates Christmas in Cairo, Alexandria and Lower Egypt on the December 25, had all the masses between 7 and 9p.m. All the churches were surrounded by police forces, which will be the same for the Orthodox Christmas on the eve of January 7.
‘Christmas is celebrated this year in Egypt in a state of ‘sad joy’ because of the general situation: sadness, because the year that passed has been a severe one not only for Christians but also for Muslims. From the massacre of the Two Saints’ church in Alexandria last year to the battle at the Ministers Council, through the Maspero massacre and the hard economic situation, all of this has left a wounded and suffering Egyptian society as Fr Rafic Greiche, official spokesman of the Catholic Church in Egypt, stated yesterday.
‘On the other hand, added Fr Greiche, we must preserve some joy, because every Egyptian is still full of hope that the difficulties and obstacles will be resolved little by little in building a new democratic state in this land that once sheltered Jesus and the Holy Family, where dignity, justice and equality should prevail for everyone’.
On this point, many political experts consider that the parliamentary elections have really attracted the majority of the population who felt for the first time they were really participating in their political duty and right. But many of them are still critical feeling that it was more a religious election than a democratic one, since no-one stopped the parties from using religious slogans when it was strictly forbidden.
An anecdotal gag was bandied about during the election campaign which went: ‘Women electors and men electors, whatever your religion, please vote for the salafist islamic party al-Noor. If you are Muslim, you shall go to Paradise. If you are Christian, you shall go [flee] to Canada!’
But there were also many positive reactions, mainly from the well known slogan of the 1919 revolution of the famous leader Saad Zaghloul, founder of the Wafd party that says ‘Religion is for God, and Homeland is for all’. The design of the Cross and the Crescent intertwined is more and more obviously brandished. Let us recall that in mid October the SCAF adopted a draft law incriminating discrimination and violence, which is usually aimed at Christians and women. But still, we have to see if this law is really being implemented in the daily life. On the other hand many people are reacting to Muslim preachers on Fridays correcting what they feel is an open attack against Christians, among whom, mainly Nawwara Negm, daughter of the famous anarchist poet Ahmad Fouad Negm, and strong activist since the beginning of the January revolution.
A young Christian student in the end of primary course, Myriam Armanios (11-12 years old) wrote two days ago on Facebook : ‘Like you, I have the right to celebrate my feasts’. More than 3 thousand pupils sustained her as well as the Maspero Youth Federation. A demonstration was organized in front of the ministry of education to protest against the fixed dates for midyear exams on the 1st and the 8th of January [the Coptic Christmas period]. The minister of education decided immediately to postpone the examinations for a couple of days later.
After the Lotus or Jasmin or Spring revolution, many promises were made by the government but none were achieved : like putting the minimum salary up to 750 Egyptian Pounds (a little less than 100 euros per month); offering a pension to the ‘martyrs’ of the revolution and the ‘martyrs’ of Maspero massacre; offering free medical care and treatment for all the wounded of the revolution and of Maspero massacre; an end to bringing civilians before military courts; adjusting the price of petrol to the standard prices in Spain, Turkey, Israel and Jordan; organizing impartial investigations into the Maspero, Mohammad Mahmoud street and Council of Minister massacres, as well as many other economic promises: until now none of these have been kept, provoking a general state of disillusionment.
Another point is the looming anniversary of the January 25th revolution: is the SCAF ready to let demonstrators gather? is the official press and media, as well as the interim government ready to stop accusing demonstrators of being agents and agitators manipulated by foreign powers? These last two days about twenty NGOs involved in human rights were raided, their computers seized and they were accused of being illegally financed by abroad.
Faced with this old approach to this important juncture, many observers express that the old regime is still active. As expressed by Pr Ezzeddine Shukry, professor of political science: ‘A regime that is not yet over, in front of a revolution that is not yet broken’.
We have to point out finally that the blogger Alaa Abd al Fattah, arrested in November and accused of criminal acts during Maspero massacre, has finally been released on probation in his flat, until a further judgement. Another positive act was the administrative court that stopped the virginity test imposed on young women arrested by the armed forces.
Pr Shukry perfecttly expresses the feeling among the general population when he says, ‘the situation is confused for the moment, but we must keep hope for the future, because the revolution movement has not been overcome, it is still active and will never be defeated’. He considers the many martyrs as a source of positive inspiration for the movement, and he brings as a symbol of hope of the dentist Ahmad Sharara, who lost one eye on the 28th of January and the second eye on 19th of November and who states : ‘Better to live blind with honour and dignity than to live with my sight despondent and blinkered’.
Demonstrators in Tahrir square yesterday refused to join an anti-protest march led by the army and the officials, thus refusing to join hands with the people hailing the expelled former president Mubarak. And still leaders of the political and youth movements have called for a huge gathering on this New Year's eve in Tahrir square from 8p.m. until 2 a.m. to respond to the appeal first launched by the woman journalist Gamila Ismaïl to celebrate the Christian New Year by candle light with Coptic Hymns and Muslim Soufi prayers animated by famous singers like male singer Ali al Haggar and the beautiful Azza Balbaa.
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(EnergyPublisher) Egypt: Islam: One year after the massacre of Christians in Alexandria, Egypt seeks a way forward
http://www.energypublisher.com/a/WFMCQAXHRY40/66127-Egypt--Islam---One-year-after-the-massacre-of-Christians-in-Alexandria-Egypt-seeks-a-way-forward
30 Christian Shops Burnt in Nigeria After Deadly Attacks; More Violence Feared
28 December 2011 - By Luiza Oleszczuk | Christian Post Reporter - Christian Post
More violence is expected in Nigeria, where an Islamist terror group killed 39 on Christmas Day, pushing many citizens to flee the targeted cities Monday, reports say.
After the deadly attacks on churches in five cities across the country Sunday (another church was reportedly bombed in the northeast on Christmas Eve, but no one was reported killed), Nigerians are gripped by fear. Thirty-nine people died in the sieges (40, according to some reports), including 35 in Madalla, a town near the capital, Abuja. In another bombing in a church in Jos, one other person has also reportedly been killed. Bombs also targeted churches in the cities of Kano, Damaturu and Gadaka.
Reports project a high likelihood of renewed attacks, especially after 30 Christian shops were burned down later the same day of the church bombings in the northeastern city of Potiskum, Agence France Presse reported.
Hundreds of residents sought to flee the violence-torn city of Damaturu on Monday fearing further attacks and clashes between Islamists and police, according to AFP.
The coordinated attacks on churches were reportedly conducted by a radical Islamic terror group, Boko Haram. Nigeria has seen many attacks claimed by this group, but some analysts said the bombings marked a dangerous escalation in a country.
The attacks were condemned by church and secular leaders across the globe.
Syria's Muslim Brotherhood claimed responsibility on Saturday for suicide bombings
26 December 2011 - Iafrica News
Syria's Muslim Brotherhood claimed responsibility on Saturday for suicide bombings in Damascus that killed 44 people, saying they were the first step in liberating the capital and that more attacks were to come.
The claim contradicted assertions by the regime of President Bashar al-Assad that the blasts, which also wounded 166 people, were the work of Al-Qaeda and of the opposition Syrian National Council that the regime carried them out.
"One of our victorious Sunni brigades was able to target the state security building in Kfar Suseh in the heart of the... capital Damascus in a successful operation carried out by four of our kamikazes drawn from the best of our glorious men, leaving many dead and wounded from the ranks of the Assad gangs," it said on its official website.
"We as defenders of the Syrian people and the sanctity of this nation send a message to Assad's gangs: This is the beginning of the liberation of Damascus and the tip of the iceberg," the statement added.
"Hence we warn our fellow citizens and advise them not to approach government centres or security branches... because our martyrdom brigades are in a state of maximum readiness to carry out quality operations in Aleppo, Damascus, and the blessed land of Syria in the next 10 days."
The statement was signed by the "Muslim Brotherhood's media committee inside Syria."
The bombings, the first against the powerful security services in central Damascus since an uprising against Assad began in March, came a day after the arrival of an advance group of Arab League monitors who are to oversee a deal to end the bloodshed.
After the attacks, Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Meqdad said "this is the gift we get from the terrorists and Al-Qaeda, but we are going to do all we can to facilitate the Arab League mission".
The delegates were to hold talks with Foreign Minister Walid Muallem on Saturday.
Muallem has said he expects the observers to vindicate his government's contention that the unrest is the work of "armed terrorists," not overwhelmingly peaceful protesters as maintained by the West and human rights watchdogs.
For its part, the Syrian National Council said "the Syrian regime, alone, bears all the direct responsibility for the two terrorist explosions".
The regime wanted to create the impression "that it faces danger coming from abroad and not a popular revolution demanding freedom and dignity," it added.
The UN Security Council condemned the attacks but remained deadlocked on a full resolution on the crisis with the Russian and US ambassadors trading personal barbs.
While not rejecting Syria's account of the events, France accused the regime of trying "to mask the reality of the repression, notably by transferring political prisoners to secret jails".
Ban Ki-moon's spokesman said the UN leader was "gravely concerned" about the escalation and urged the government to "fully and speedily" implement the Arab League plan.
Arab League Assistant Secretary General Samir Seif al-Yazal, head of the advance team, said after the bombings that "what has happened is regrettable but the important thing is that everyone stay calm.
"We are going to press on with our work. We have started today, and tomorrow (Saturday) we will meet Walid Muallem."
Yazal's nine-member team is making logistical arrangements for the arrival of the first observers, who will eventually number between 150 and 200.
In Cairo, the Arab League's Ahmed Ben Helli said the mission will head to Syria on Monday, grouping more than 50 experts in politics, human rights, military issues and crisis management, the official MENA news agency reported.
The mission is part of an Arab plan endorsed by Syria on November 2 that also calls for the withdrawal of the military from towns and residential districts, a halt to violence against civilians and the release of detainees.
Syria says more than 2,000 security force personnel have been killed in attacks by armed rebels since March.
But opposition leaders have charged that Syria's agreement to the mission after weeks of prevarication was a mere "ploy" to head off a threat by the Arab League to go to the UN Security Council over the nine-month crackdown which the world body says has killed more than 5,000 people.
There was no let-up in the bloodshed on Friday with human rights activists reporting at least 21 civilians killed across the country, the majority of them by security force fire.
The bodies of four civilians who had been arrested were found Saturday with signs of torture in restive Homs province, activists said, urging the visiting Arab League team to document the cases.
"The corpses of four citizens were found this morning in the streets of the town of Hula and a fifth citizen was found in a critical condition," the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said in a statement received in Nicosia.
"Security forces and 'Shabiha' (pro-regime militia) groups had arrested them after midnight on Friday-Saturday in the Al-Bustan neighbourhood... There were signs of torture on the bodies of the martyrs," the Observatory said.
The watchdog demanded that the Arab League "immediately head to the town of Hula to document this flagrant violation of human rights which is just the tip of the iceberg of what is going on in Syria."
The claim contradicted assertions by the regime of President Bashar al-Assad that the blasts, which also wounded 166 people, were the work of Al-Qaeda and of the opposition Syrian National Council that the regime carried them out.
"One of our victorious Sunni brigades was able to target the state security building in Kfar Suseh in the heart of the... capital Damascus in a successful operation carried out by four of our kamikazes drawn from the best of our glorious men, leaving many dead and wounded from the ranks of the Assad gangs," it said on its official website.
"We as defenders of the Syrian people and the sanctity of this nation send a message to Assad's gangs: This is the beginning of the liberation of Damascus and the tip of the iceberg," the statement added.
"Hence we warn our fellow citizens and advise them not to approach government centres or security branches... because our martyrdom brigades are in a state of maximum readiness to carry out quality operations in Aleppo, Damascus, and the blessed land of Syria in the next 10 days."
The statement was signed by the "Muslim Brotherhood's media committee inside Syria."
The bombings, the first against the powerful security services in central Damascus since an uprising against Assad began in March, came a day after the arrival of an advance group of Arab League monitors who are to oversee a deal to end the bloodshed.
After the attacks, Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Meqdad said "this is the gift we get from the terrorists and Al-Qaeda, but we are going to do all we can to facilitate the Arab League mission".
The delegates were to hold talks with Foreign Minister Walid Muallem on Saturday.
Muallem has said he expects the observers to vindicate his government's contention that the unrest is the work of "armed terrorists," not overwhelmingly peaceful protesters as maintained by the West and human rights watchdogs.
For its part, the Syrian National Council said "the Syrian regime, alone, bears all the direct responsibility for the two terrorist explosions".
The regime wanted to create the impression "that it faces danger coming from abroad and not a popular revolution demanding freedom and dignity," it added.
The UN Security Council condemned the attacks but remained deadlocked on a full resolution on the crisis with the Russian and US ambassadors trading personal barbs.
While not rejecting Syria's account of the events, France accused the regime of trying "to mask the reality of the repression, notably by transferring political prisoners to secret jails".
Ban Ki-moon's spokesman said the UN leader was "gravely concerned" about the escalation and urged the government to "fully and speedily" implement the Arab League plan.
Arab League Assistant Secretary General Samir Seif al-Yazal, head of the advance team, said after the bombings that "what has happened is regrettable but the important thing is that everyone stay calm.
"We are going to press on with our work. We have started today, and tomorrow (Saturday) we will meet Walid Muallem."
Yazal's nine-member team is making logistical arrangements for the arrival of the first observers, who will eventually number between 150 and 200.
In Cairo, the Arab League's Ahmed Ben Helli said the mission will head to Syria on Monday, grouping more than 50 experts in politics, human rights, military issues and crisis management, the official MENA news agency reported.
The mission is part of an Arab plan endorsed by Syria on November 2 that also calls for the withdrawal of the military from towns and residential districts, a halt to violence against civilians and the release of detainees.
Syria says more than 2,000 security force personnel have been killed in attacks by armed rebels since March.
But opposition leaders have charged that Syria's agreement to the mission after weeks of prevarication was a mere "ploy" to head off a threat by the Arab League to go to the UN Security Council over the nine-month crackdown which the world body says has killed more than 5,000 people.
There was no let-up in the bloodshed on Friday with human rights activists reporting at least 21 civilians killed across the country, the majority of them by security force fire.
The bodies of four civilians who had been arrested were found Saturday with signs of torture in restive Homs province, activists said, urging the visiting Arab League team to document the cases.
"The corpses of four citizens were found this morning in the streets of the town of Hula and a fifth citizen was found in a critical condition," the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said in a statement received in Nicosia.
"Security forces and 'Shabiha' (pro-regime militia) groups had arrested them after midnight on Friday-Saturday in the Al-Bustan neighbourhood... There were signs of torture on the bodies of the martyrs," the Observatory said.
The watchdog demanded that the Arab League "immediately head to the town of Hula to document this flagrant violation of human rights which is just the tip of the iceberg of what is going on in Syria."
Egyptian women hit street over violence (AP)
21 December 2011 - (AP) Egypt, Cairo - AROUND 10,000 women have marched through central Cairo demanding Egypt's ruling military step down in an unprecedented show of outrage over soldiers who dragged women by the hair and stomped on them, and stripped one half-naked in the street during a fierce crackdown on activists the past week.The dramatic protest, which grew as the women marched from Tahrir Square through downtown, was fueled by the widely circulated images of abuses of women.
Many of the marchers touted the photo of the young woman whose clothes were partially pulled off by troops, baring her down to her blue bra, as she struggled on the ground.
"Tantawi stripped your women naked, come join us," the crowd chanted to passers-by, referring to Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, the head of the military council that has ruled Egypt since the February 11 fall of Hosni Mubarak.
"The daughters of Egypt are a red line," they chanted.
Even before the protest was over, the military council issued an unusually strong statement of regret for what it called "violations" against women - a quick turnaround after days of dismissing the significance of the abuse.
The council expressed "deep regret to the great women of Egypt" and affirmed "its respect and total appreciation" for women and their right to protest and take part in political life. It promised it was taking measures to punish those responsible for violations.
The statement suggested the military's fear that attacks on women could wreck its prestige at home and abroad, which has already been heavily eroded by its fierce, five-day-old crackdown on pro-democracy protesters demanding it surrender power.
The ruling generals have campaigned to keep the public on its side in the confrontation, depicting the activists as hooligans and themselves as the honorable protectors of the nation, above reproach.
In unusually harsh words, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Monday accused the Egyptian security forces and extremists of specifically targeting women.
"This systematic degradation of Egyptian women dishonors the revolution, disgraces the state and its uniform, and is not worthy of a great people," she said.
In a possibly significant hint of new flexibility, the council also said in its statement that it was prepared to discuss any initiatives to help the security of the country. In recent days, a number of political factions have pressed the military to hand over power by February, rather than June, when it promised to hold presidential elections.
In the past, police in Mubarak's regime were accused of intentionally humiliating women in protest crackdowns. But images of women being abused by soldiers were particularly shocking in a society that is deeply conservative and generally reveres the military.
The independent press has splashed its front pages with pictures of soldiers chasing women protesters, including ones in conservative headscarves and full face-veils, beating them with sticks and clubs and dragging them by their hair. The crackdown has left 14 people dead - all but one by gunshots - and hundreds wounded.
The images of the half-stripped protester, whose identity is not known, clearly had a powerful resonance. A banner showing a photo of her on the asphalt - one soldier yanking up her black robes and shirt, another poised to stomp on her chest - was put up in Tahrir Square for passing drivers to see.
"The girl dragged around is just like my daughter," said Um Hossam, a 54-year old woman in traditional black dress and a headscarf at the march. "I am a free woman, and attacking this woman or killing protesters is just like going after one of my own children."
Ringed by a protective chain of men, the women marched from Tahrir to the Journalists' Syndicate, several blocks away, chanting slogans demanding the military council step down.
Many accused the military of intentionally targeting women to scare them and their male relatives from joining protests against the generals. Previously, the military has implied women who joined protests were of loose morals. In March, soldiers subjected detained female protesters to humiliating tests to determine if they were virgins.
"They are trying to break women's spirits, starting with the virginity tests. They want to break their dignity so that they don't go out and protest," Maha Abdel-Nasser, an engineer who joined the march, said.
Two sisters, Yomna and Tasneem Shams, said they never took part in previous protests because their parents wouldn't allow them. But they happened to be downtown and spontaneously joined the women's march.
"No one should ever be beaten for expressing their opinion," Yomna, 19, said. "I am proud I took part in today's protest. I feel I can tell my kids I have done something for them in the future."
Some also criticized Islamic parties, which stayed out of the antimilitary protests and did not participate in the march - even though religious conservatives often tout their defense of "women's honor." Pro-democracy activists accused them of being worried about anything that might derail ongoing, multistage parliamentary elections, which the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood and the more conservative Al-Nour Party have dominated so far.
"This is a case of honor. But they clearly don't care for honor or religion. They now care only about their political interests," said Mohammed Fawaz, one of the men in the protective chain around the marching women.
The protest also is likely to deepen the predicament of the military as critics began to talk openly about putting them on trial for abuses, and politicians are floating ideas for their exit, perhaps in return for immunity.
Emad Gad, a newly elected lawmaker, said that without guarantees they would not be prosecuted, the generals won't hand over power by the end of June as promised. Foremost on their minds, he said, was the fate of Mubarak, who ended in court facing charges that carry the death penalty after ruling Egypt for nearly 30 years.
"They didn't get clear assurances and that is why they try diabolical tactics to make sure they get these guarantees," he said, citing the military's attempt to enshrine in the next constitution language that would shield it from civilian scrutiny.
"We have to address their fears, their interests and future role," he said.
The public and many activists welcomed the military when it took power from Mubarak in February. But relations have deteriorated sharply since as the democracy activists accused the generals of hijacking their uprising, obstructing reforms, human rights abuses and failing to revive the ailing economy or restore security.
The most recent protests - and an earlier round of protests that saw a deadly crackdown last month - have seen unprecedentedly bold ridiculing of the military, which for decades was considered a revered institution above criticism. Young protesters have heaped profanities into their antimilitary slogans, demanded the execution of Tantawi and taunted soldiers in Tahrir.
On Monday, a member of the military council, Maj. Gen. Adel Emara, took a hard-line in a press conference, denouncing the protests as a conspiracy to "topple the state" and accusing the media of fomenting sedition.
He defended the use of force by troops, saying they had a duty to defend the state's institutions and declined to offer an apology for brutality toward female protesters. He did not dispute the authenticity of the image of the woman being dragged half naked by soldiers, but said Egyptians should not see it without considering the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The apparent change in attitude with the statement of regret left some women unimpressed.
Sahar Abdel-Mohsen, a 31-year old activist, doubted the promise to punish those responsible and said the statement was in response to the US criticism. "This is an apology to one woman, Hillary Clinton."
"This is like someone raping a girl, and then going to the police station to marry her (to avoid prosecution) and then divorce her as soon as he leaves," she said.
"It is an attempt to exonerate themselves after the deed is done, but with little accountability."
The Australian News
Statement on the Death of Kim Jong-il by Dan Wooding
19 December 2011 - For Immediate Release
Contact: Dan Wooding: assistnews@aol.com
PYONGYANG, NORTH KOREA (ANS) -- The BBC has announced that North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has died of a heart attack at the age of 69, state media has announced.
Millions of North Koreans had been “engulfed in indescribable sadness”, the KCNA news agency said. People were seen weeping in the capital Pyongyang.
His son Kim Jong-un was described by KCNA as the “great successor” who North Koreans should unite behind.
Pyongyang's neighbors are on alert amid fears of instability in the poor and isolated nuclear-armed nation.
International journalist Dan Wooding, one of the only Christian journalists to ever report from inside North Korea, has issued a statement today from the UK where he is visiting.
Wooding, 71, also founder of the ASSIST News Service (www.assistnews.net) said, “The death of Kim Jong-il is a cataclysmic event in the history of North Korea and could finally herald the beginning of freedom for the people of this secretive country.
"His death could also now mean that the North Korean tyrannical regime which I believe is in its death throes, could finally come crashing down.
"North Korea has, for many years now, held the dubious title of the world’s worst persecutor of Christians. Maybe now this could change.
“I believe that there is now a serious possibility that the passing of Kim Jong-il will eventually see the collapse of the country and its opening up, especially to the South Korea people.
“Earlier this year, on my last trip to South Korea, I discovered many North Korean escapees there who have since become Christians are willing to go back into the country with the Gospel and are also willing to lay down their lives if the door suddenly snaps shut after a short time."
Wooding added, “North Korea will never be the same following the deaths of Kim il-Sung and now Kim Jong-il, a father and son team of despots who ruled North Korea with iron fists and held their people back to the point of starvation and did all they could to wipe out the underground church there.
“May the sweet winds of freedom now sweep into this land that has seen so much bloodshed and hate over the past many years. Let us pray that this occurs.”
North Korea's 'Dear Leader' Kim Jong-Il dies of heart attack (mg)
(mg) 19 December 2011 - North Korean Kim Jong-Il has died aged 69 of a heart attack, state media announced on Monday, plunging the impoverished but nuclear-armed nation into uncertainty amid a second dynastic succession.
The official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said the leader "passed away from a great mental and physical strain" at 8.30am on Saturday while on a train for one of his "field guidance" tours.
It urged people to follow his youngest son and heir apparent Kim Jong-Un, who is aged in his late 20s and until last year had no public profile.
"All party members, military men and the public should faithfully follow the leadership of comrade Kim Jong-Un and protect and further strengthen the unified front of the party, military and the public," said the news agency and a weeping black-clad TV announcer.
KCNA said Kim died of a "severe myocardial infarction along with a heart attack". It said an autopsy was performed on Sunday.
The leader suffered a stroke in August 2008 which left him with impaired movement in his left arm and leg.
His funeral will be held on December 28 in Pyongyang but no foreign delegations will be invited, KCNA said. A period of national mourning was declared from December 17 to 29.
Emergency alert
South Korea placed all troops on emergency alert after the shock news, the South's Yonhap news agency reported. It summoned a meeting of the National Security Council and President Lee Myung-Bak cancelled all his schedules.The Joint Chiefs of Staff said it had increased monitoring along the border along with US forces in the country but no unusual activity had been observed.
North and South Korea have remained technically at war since their three-year Korean conflict ended only in an armistice in 1953.
KCNA, quoting a statement from the national funeral committee headed by Jong-Un, said Kim Jong-Il's body would lie in state in Kumsusan palace where his father's embalmed body is on display.
It said mourners would be allowed to visit the body from December 20 to 27.
Following the funeral, another event to mourn the leader would be held on December 29. Mourning shots would be fired and three minutes of silence would be observed. All trains and ships would sound their horns.
Song remains the same
Kim took over after his father and founding president Kim Il-Sung died in 1994.
In the mid- to late-1990s he presided over a famine which killed hundreds of thousands of his people. Severe food shortages continue and the UN children's fund estimates one-third of children are stunted by malnutrition.
But Kim still found resources to continue a nuclear weapons programme which culminated in tests in October 2006 and May 2009.
For several months there have been diplomatic efforts to restart six-nation nuclear disarmament talks which the North abandoned in April 2009.US envoy Robert King held talks in Beijing last week about the possible resumption of US food aid. There had been speculation the two sides would meet in Beijing this week for separate talks about reviving the six-party process. -- AFP
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Mail & Guardian Online http://mg.co.za/article/2011-12-19-n-koreas-dear-leader-kim-jongil-dies-of-heart-attack
article by JUNG HA-WON SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
Christian Areas of Jos, Nigeria Bombed, Killing One
JOS, Nigeria, December 15 (Compass Direct News) – Joshua Dabo, like other young Christians in this city in central Nigeria, had dreams for his life. He had graduated from a Christian high school, Mt. Olives Secondary School, and at 31 was finally looking forward to attending university.
He was among the 120 people from the Christian community on Bauchi Ring Road who paid to watch a classic soccer rivalry, Barcelona FC v. Real Madrid, on TV at an outdoor bar (called a “viewing center” in Nigeria) on Saturday night (Dec. 10).
A few minutes into the match, televised in the hall of corrugated sheet metal at Yangwava Television Viewing Center at Ukadum village, a bomb went off. Dabo was decapitated. He was the lone fatality in three bomb blasts targeting viewing centers in predominantly Christian areas of Jos during the Spanish soccer match; at least 10 others were injured in the blasts, leaving four in critical condition, including two in a coma.
At Tina Junction along the Bauchi Ring Road in Jos, where the first bomb exploded, Hiroshima Ishaku Nyam, a member of the Jos Jarawa Church of Christ in Nigeria congregation, told Compass that his house was damaged by the bomb at the TV viewing center opposite his house. Danladi Dabo, brother of the slain Joshua Dabo, said he was at home when he first heard an explosion at the Tina Junction venue. “Knowing that my brother is a soccer fan, I raced to the viewing center near our house to alert them, but just about 100 meters to the place, my fears were confirmed as a bomb exploded,” Dabo said. “I was dazed by the explosion, but I kept running there, knowing that my brother was in there. On getting there I found my brother’s body but with no head. I was shocked.” Family members buried Joshua Dabo on Sunday (Dec. 11).
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Article and photot from Compass Direct
Armenian Christians face extermination (AINA)
(AINA) 12 December 2011 - Generally speaking, emigration has already started: after the fall of
Mubarak regime tens of thousands of Copts left Egypt. Sadly enough, a similar fate awaits also the three-thousand Armenian community, who suffered the first wave of emigration at the time of Gamal Abdel Nasser. In the 50s of the past century there were about 60 thousand Armenians living in Egypt. All of them migrated to the USA, Canada, and other countries. Now the Copts are doing the same. The "trouble" of Salafis lies in their desire to return Egypt to the VII century lifestyle, which supposes concentration on the life and faith of the early Muslim community and on their righteous ancestors, condemning all kinds of innovations brought into the Muslim world through contacts with the West. In this respect they are no different from Iranian Islamists. Political wing of the movement "Muslim brotherhood" (banned by Mubarak) holds the first place; secular liberals are in the third position. Thus, Egypt may add to the list of countries, where Islamists came to power after the "Arab Spring".
All this cannot but worry the Armenians, who rightly fear for their lives. No Islamic state shall ever ensure the security of "infidels". Reverting to Iran, we shall note that in the issue of Armenians it is an exception country, but still there's no guarantee that this situation will last forever. No matter how neutrally Armenia behaves in case of military attack on Iran, it is clear that most of the Iranian Armenians will be forced to seek shelter at home. One may say that one outcome of the "Arab Spring" was the threat of total destruction of the Armenian communities in the Middle East, and now the only hope is Bashar al-Assad, under whose rule the Armenian community of Syria is united and respecting state power, which, in its turn, respects and values them. All of this will be gone and forgotten in an Islamic state. And if there is no Armenian community in Tunisia and Libya, it is much more abundant in Syria than in Egypt or Iraq, let alone Lebanon. What Christians should expect in countries of Islamic victory is not difficult to guess; let us not forget the case with the girl in Pakistan, who was executed for converting to Christianity. And these are only the facts reported in media. In fact, such cases are not a single instance, but a worked-out practice.
Meanwhile, the Egyptian army, in the face of the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, is seriously troubled about Egypt turning into an Islamic state. "Islamization of Egypt could cause conflict in regards to the new constitution and the preservation of Egypt as secular state. The attempt to create an Islamic state here is seen as a red line beyond which you cannot go," said sources close to the military leadership of the country in an interview with "Al-Hayat". According to them, the army is deeply concerned about the current developments, and fears that the upcoming rounds of elections, the latter of which is to be held in January, may bring the Islamists an even more convincing victory. The Supreme Military Council is interested in making decisions that meet the interests of Egypt. "The council will insist on two red lines. It will demand that the military's status remain unchanged and also that the secular nature of Egypt and the human rights of the Egyptian people be protected," the sources said.
It should be emphasized that the main ideologists of Islamic fundamentalism and terrorism came from Egypt -- Ideologist of "Muslim brotherhood" and jihad Sayyid Qutb and the second person in "Al Qaeda" under Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri. Qutb was executed in 1966, Zawahiri is sentenced to death in absentia. Presently a new generation, preaching jihad, has grown in Egypt, and if the army does not take control over the country, it will indicate the final collapse of Egypt. This year alone, the Egyptian treasury came $10 million short, due to the lack of tourism. The Salafi candidate of Alexandria clearly stated that in case of his victory he will order all the pre-Islamic monuments, including the pyramids and sphinxes, to be closed from the eyes of the inhabitants, because they are "symbols of a corrupt culture". What else can the Muslims do, except for the destruction of monuments that do not fit into their view of the world?
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(AINA) Armenian Middle East communities are on the verge of extermination
http://www.aina.org/news/20111208111442.htm
Article by Karine Ter-Sahakyan
Mubarak regime tens of thousands of Copts left Egypt. Sadly enough, a similar fate awaits also the three-thousand Armenian community, who suffered the first wave of emigration at the time of Gamal Abdel Nasser. In the 50s of the past century there were about 60 thousand Armenians living in Egypt. All of them migrated to the USA, Canada, and other countries. Now the Copts are doing the same. The "trouble" of Salafis lies in their desire to return Egypt to the VII century lifestyle, which supposes concentration on the life and faith of the early Muslim community and on their righteous ancestors, condemning all kinds of innovations brought into the Muslim world through contacts with the West. In this respect they are no different from Iranian Islamists. Political wing of the movement "Muslim brotherhood" (banned by Mubarak) holds the first place; secular liberals are in the third position. Thus, Egypt may add to the list of countries, where Islamists came to power after the "Arab Spring".All this cannot but worry the Armenians, who rightly fear for their lives. No Islamic state shall ever ensure the security of "infidels". Reverting to Iran, we shall note that in the issue of Armenians it is an exception country, but still there's no guarantee that this situation will last forever. No matter how neutrally Armenia behaves in case of military attack on Iran, it is clear that most of the Iranian Armenians will be forced to seek shelter at home. One may say that one outcome of the "Arab Spring" was the threat of total destruction of the Armenian communities in the Middle East, and now the only hope is Bashar al-Assad, under whose rule the Armenian community of Syria is united and respecting state power, which, in its turn, respects and values them. All of this will be gone and forgotten in an Islamic state. And if there is no Armenian community in Tunisia and Libya, it is much more abundant in Syria than in Egypt or Iraq, let alone Lebanon. What Christians should expect in countries of Islamic victory is not difficult to guess; let us not forget the case with the girl in Pakistan, who was executed for converting to Christianity. And these are only the facts reported in media. In fact, such cases are not a single instance, but a worked-out practice.
Meanwhile, the Egyptian army, in the face of the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, is seriously troubled about Egypt turning into an Islamic state. "Islamization of Egypt could cause conflict in regards to the new constitution and the preservation of Egypt as secular state. The attempt to create an Islamic state here is seen as a red line beyond which you cannot go," said sources close to the military leadership of the country in an interview with "Al-Hayat". According to them, the army is deeply concerned about the current developments, and fears that the upcoming rounds of elections, the latter of which is to be held in January, may bring the Islamists an even more convincing victory. The Supreme Military Council is interested in making decisions that meet the interests of Egypt. "The council will insist on two red lines. It will demand that the military's status remain unchanged and also that the secular nature of Egypt and the human rights of the Egyptian people be protected," the sources said.
It should be emphasized that the main ideologists of Islamic fundamentalism and terrorism came from Egypt -- Ideologist of "Muslim brotherhood" and jihad Sayyid Qutb and the second person in "Al Qaeda" under Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri. Qutb was executed in 1966, Zawahiri is sentenced to death in absentia. Presently a new generation, preaching jihad, has grown in Egypt, and if the army does not take control over the country, it will indicate the final collapse of Egypt. This year alone, the Egyptian treasury came $10 million short, due to the lack of tourism. The Salafi candidate of Alexandria clearly stated that in case of his victory he will order all the pre-Islamic monuments, including the pyramids and sphinxes, to be closed from the eyes of the inhabitants, because they are "symbols of a corrupt culture". What else can the Muslims do, except for the destruction of monuments that do not fit into their view of the world?
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(AINA) Armenian Middle East communities are on the verge of extermination
http://www.aina.org/news/20111208111442.htm
Article by Karine Ter-Sahakyan
Election results in Egypt favours the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafists
On 28 and 29 November, Egyptians completed voting in nine governorates, including Cairo and Alexandria. The vote is part of the first of three stages of elections for the People’s Assembly, the parliament’s lower house. Each stage involves polling in nine governorates (out of total 27 governorates). According to Egypt’s elections law, two-thirds of the parliamentary seats will be allocated through party list races, while one-third of the seats are allocated through concurrent single-winner races.
After each initial vote, run-off elections are held a week later between front-runners in single-winner races where none of the candidates got 50%+ of the total vote. Run-offs for the first stage are scheduled for December 5-6.
While earlier updates contained unofficial vote counts and results reported by various media outlets, below are the official results released by the Higher Elections Commission. It should be noted, however, that some election results face pending legal challenges. In response to a court order, the Higher Elections Commission announced on 5 December that election results for "Al-Sahel" district in Cairo (district #1) were annulled. A re-vote will be convened for that district on 10-11 January with runoff races scheduled for 17-18 January.
Seat Breakdown as of Sunday 4 December*
Party/Coalition Total
Freedom and Justice* 40%
Al-Nour** 25%
Egyptian Bloc 12%
Al-Wafd 9%
Revolution Continues 4%
Other 10%
* The Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) is the political party of the Muslim Brotherhood,
** The Al-Nour Party was established in the wake of the 25 January uprising and is the largest of Egypt’s three licensed Salafist parties
Inside Syria (ChristianNewsWire)
(ChristianNewsWire) 08 December 2011 - While much of the world's attention is focused on the Egyptian elections and American troops withdrawing from Iraq, the situation inside Syria is getting worse, especially for Christians.There is unrest and chaos in Syria for various reasons. Some of those opposing the government want more freedom from a mistrusted and oppressive regime, while some religious opposition groups want freedom to rule and spread their Muslim faith by force and violence.
Christians, in general, are afraid of what might happen to them in the future, especially if fanatic Muslims take over or obtain more freedom and seek revenge against believers. Some Christians have already reported violent acts against them as a sign of more threats and violence to come.
"Christians inside Syria are caught in the crossfire as they are in many other Middle Eastern countries," says Open Doors President/CEO Dr. Carl Moeller. "Until the protests started against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, the Christian community enjoyed some protection. Now they are afraid of the future. Will they have to flee their country like Iraqi Christians have done over the last several years? Please lift them up in your prayers."
Because of months of protests and violence against the government of al-Assad, Syria is on the brink of civil war. Thousands of protesters have been killed. Because of the continued crackdown on the protests, there is an international boycott in place. Inside Syria the central government is losing its grip on the situation.
"Criminals, but also radical Muslims, are taking advantage of that lawlessness," says a field worker for Open Doors. "In the city of Homs, for example, the Sunni Muslims gained power on the streets when the government pulled out its troops for a few days. Some of the radical elements in this group have raided several churches. They robbed the churches of their most valuable things."
More threatening is that several fundamentalist Muslim taxi drivers have made a vow that they will harm all women taking their taxis who are unveiled.
"These women, mostly less orthodox Muslims and Christians, are being kidnapped, raped or even killed," says the field worker. "Some months ago two Christian women were kidnapped. One managed to jump out of the driving car, but the other was taken. That woman remains missing. This didn't happen in a remote area of the country but in the capital of Damascus. For women the situation is unsafe now. People still go on with their daily routine, but with more caution."
According to the worker, throughout Syria people can see the consequences of the boycott of the country:
"Petrol is running out, or being preserved or thrown out by opposing groups to create more of an issue within the country. You also see in the supermarkets that products are missing. Prices are rising because of the shortages. People stand in lines for hours just to get a tank of gasoline for heat; sometimes they go away empty. With electricity getting cut for few hours a day, no gasoline and no petrol are available as before."
Some Christians are planning to escape Syria in case things get worse as they see the quality of life for them decrease and their rights decline. Syria has more than 20 million inhabitants. About 1.5 million Syrians are Christians. The 100,000 Iraqi Christians that fled to Syria because of the situation in their own country can be added to 1.5 million figure.
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(ChristianNewsWire) Inside embattled Syria: More hostility towards Christians
http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/4597918415.html
Article by Jerry Dykstra
Salafis say best is yet to come (Reuters)
(Reuters) 08 December 2011 - The Salafi movement wants to model Egypt's future on Islam's past. If the first results of the country's parliamentary elections are anything to go by, many Egyptians agree with them.
Ultra-conservative Islamists may have won 20 to 30 percent of the vote in the first leg of Egypt's three-stage parliamentary vote, an outcome that has surprised and alarmed many Egyptians. They are worried about what this might mean for freedoms and tolerance in the Arab world's most populous nation.Salafis look certain to emerge as a vocal bloc in the first legislature since Hosni Mubarak was deposed, confirming the historic changes under way since the removal from power of a man who dealt with Islamists mostly as enemies of the state.
Their influence over officialdom could reach further still, depending on cooperation with other Islamists also doing well in the election, namely the long-established Muslim Brotherhood which looks set to win more seats than any other group.Their role will also hinge on the system of government that emerges from a transitional period steered by the army generals who took over from Mubarak. The military has been silent on the election result, urging Egyptians to vote but not taking sides.Though official results give little to go on -- the final picture will not be totally clear until January -- both the Salafis and others following the count say they are doing well.The indications so far are heartening for Hazem Salah Abu Ismail, a Salafi planning to run for the presidency in a June election. He sees the results as "a map" of how young Egyptians going to the polls for the first time had voted.
"There's no doubt this is pleasing," said the softly-spoken lawyer-and-politician with a long, grey beard, wearing a suit and tie in an interview on Egyptian television on Thursday.Voters had realized the Islamists' discourse was "logical and reasonable," he said, at the same time outlining a conservative view typical of the Salafis.He said men and women should be segregated at work and displays of public affection must stop. There must also be a halt of the sale and production of alcohol.As in Saudi Arabia, Salafis would want to bar women and Christians from executive posts. They might also ban "un-Islamic" art and literature, as well as mixed beach bathing.If implemented, such curbs would wreck Egypt's vital tourism industry, which employs about one in eight of the workforce.In a frontpage editorial, the independent Al Masry Al Youm newspaper said Egypt must not become Afghanistan, a reference to fears of Taliban-style hardline rule. "We are confident that the voice of moderation will prevail in the parliament," it said.
EGYPT'S PIOUS
Tapping support among Egypt's pious population, the Salafis who call for a stricter application of Islamic law believe they can do better in the coming two rounds.
Al-Nour Party, whose followers wear the long beards typical of Salafis, looks set to secure a fifth of the seats contested in the first round, perhaps even more.Figures displayed on a Brotherhood web site on Friday showed them with 30 percent of the seats assigned to party lists, not far off their own 43 percent. How that translates into seats won't be clear until January, when the results are declared."I believe they can bring change," said Mohammed Hussein, 30, who works in commerce, explaining why he voted for the Nour Party in the city of Alexandria, where Salafi banners urge women to wear the Islamic veil. "It is a party that loves religion."
Hussein's enthusiasm for the group is the result of years of listening to Salafi clerics in the mosque. Across the Middle East, the mosque has provided Islamists with a platform for politics denied to secular parties now trying to regroup.As the remaining two voting stages move into the provinces, the Nour Party could do better still. "Rural areas tend to lean more towards religion than the cities," Hussein said.The Nour Party says it is learning from its mistakes in the first round. "We are assessing our performance in the first stage. We had some negative points that we are studying how to avoid," Youssry Hamad, spokesman for the party, said.The leader of the Nour Party, which hopes to siphon votes from the Brotherhood, said earlier this week that organizational failings meant his party had under-performed."We were not dispersed across constituencies, nor were we as close as needed to the voter. Other parties with more experience rallied supporters more effectively," Emad Abdel Ghafour said in Alexandria, seen as a Salafi stronghold.
The party emerged from Daawa al-Salafiya (Salafi Call), a movement that has previously only backed preaching, not politics, to spread its purist interpretation of Islam.Analysts believe the movement has a devoted following of 3 million people and may control 4,000 mosques nationwide. Egypt has around 108,000 mosques and smaller places of worship.Salafis follow a puritan school of Islam that was revived in Egypt in the 1970s by university students inspired by the 19th century Wahhabi teaching in Saudi Arabia.The emergence of ambitious Salafi parties is one of the starkest measures of change in post-Mubarak Egypt.
MILITANT SALAFIS SHOT SADAT
Mubarak was thrust into office in 1981 when President Anwar Sadat was assassinated by militant adherents of the Salafi school. President of a country which also produced Ayman al-Zawahri, now leader of al Qaeda, Mubarak was a close ally of Western governments in their battle with militant Islamists.During his 30 years in charge, Mubarak survived assassination attempts himself and fought an insurrection in the 1990s by al-Gama'a al-Islamiya, one of the groups involved in Sadat's killing, but which is now running for parliament.
The Gama'a name evokes memories of a bloody chapter in Egypt's recent past. Though its leaders disavowed violence in 1997, a splinter group broke ranks that year to massacre 62 people, mostly tourists, at a pharaonic temple in Luxor.The Gama'a, strongly opposed to violence these days, is now seeking a say in Egypt's future through parliament.But it isn't doing as well as the Nour Party. Gama'a candidates will proceed to run-offs for five seats next week, said Sheikh Assem Abdel-Maged, a Gama'a leader, in his 50s, who spent half his life in prison for a role in the Sadat killing.As expected, the most successful of all the Islamist groups is the Muslim Brotherhood, founded in 1928 and seen as the Muslim world's first contemporary Islamist group.
Though its own ideology is rooted in the Salafi school, Brotherhood leaders have signaled that any kind of alliance with Salafi parties is unlikely, though analysts do not rule out the possibility which would give the bloc a commanding majority.Some analysts expect the Brotherhood to seek a coalition with secular parties to ease concerns at home and abroad about its vision for Egypt, home to eight million Coptic Christians."They do not want to scare the Copts, women, liberals and the West," said Abdel-Rahim Ali, an expert on Islamist groups based in Cairo.But the Brotherhood will also have to reckon with the appetite of its conservative supporters for greater implementation of Islamic law.Egyptians opposed to the Islamists are deeply worried about the influence they could now wield.
Some voice concerns that zealots may see the Salafis' strong showing in parliament as a license to press their agenda in the streets by harassing women who are not veiled, for example.Abu Ismail, the Salafi presidential hopeful, batted away the concerns of anxious viewers who called in with questions during his television appearance on Thursday.He also said freedoms were holy to Islam, stressing that its laws guarantee Christian rights under Muslim rule.And he showed a flash of pragmatism perhaps intended to reassure viewers that radical change may not come immediately."They imagine that when I give an opinion now, that means it will be implemented right now," he said.
"There is a difference between what I see as right and wrong, and the fact that some of these matters will not be implemented within 10 years or even 20 years."
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(Reuters) Analysis: Salafis sense best is yet to come in Egypt vote http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/05/us-egypt-salafis-idUSTRE7B41QB20111205
Article by Tom Perry
Christian Solidarity issues genocide warning (AINA)
(AINA) 05 December 2011 - While the World Council of Churches and mainline Protestant churches in the U.S. remain relatively silent about the ongoing violence against Christians in the Middle East, Christian Solidarity International (CSI) rings the bell loudly by issuing a genocide warning.The Christian Post reports:
Dr. John Eibner, CEO of Christian Solidarity International, said: "Conditions for genocide against non-Muslim communities exist in varying degrees throughout the region stretching from Pakistan to Morocco. The crisis of survival for non-Muslim communities is especially acute in Iraq, Syria, Egypt,Sudan, the Palestinian territories, Iran and Pakistan."In an interview with The Christian Post, Dr. Eibner said the Arab Spring has "unleashed radical Islamist forces - forces that regard Christians and other non-Muslim minorities as 'kufar' (infidels). When we look objectively at the situation in the region…the outbreak of war in the region could result in the very quick eradication of non-Muslim communities." (Links in original not included in quote.)
Most acts of Islamic supremacist violence against non-Muslim minorities receive little media attention in the United States. Take, for example, just a few of the cases that have come to the notice of CSI since the beginning of the so-called "Arab Spring":- Egyptian Christian teenager, Ayman Nabil Labib - murdered by schoolmates after refusing to remove a cross necklace.
- Iranian Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani - sentenced to death for having allegedly converted from Islam to Christianity.
- Catholic priest, Fr. Mark Rybinski - murdered in Tunisia.
- 27-year-old Pakistani Christian nurse Shaista Samuel-- raped by Muslims and subjected to pressure to convert to Islam.
- Libyan Jew, David Gerbi - prevented from reopening the synagogue in Tripoli by Islamist mobs declaring: "There is no place for Jews in Libya!
- CBS Reporter Lara Logan - sexually assaulted in Tahrir Square in Cairo by a mob of Muslim men chanting "Jew! Jew!"
- Iraqi Christians Hanna Polos Emmanuel and Bassn Isho - kidnapped and shot dead near Kirkuk.
These and most other acts of violence against non-Muslims in the Islamic world are not, for the most part, committed by members of Al Qaida or related terrorist networks. Instead they are perpetrated by both state and non-state actors, many of whom are military allies of the United States. They are all inspired by a deep seated culture of Islamic supremacism - kindred in spirit to white supremacism and anti-Semitism.
Virulent, Sharia-based Islamic supremacism led in the 20th century to the eradication of once thriving Christian communities - Armenian, Greek and Syriac -- in Turkey and to the demise of the ancient Jewish communities of the Arab world. The same genocidal dynamic is at work in the 21st century. It must be stopped now.
Universal Conditions for Genocide.1. Public display of ethnic and religious differences through physical features, language and communal symbols.
2. Absence in multi-religious and/or multi-ethnic societies of strong integrating institutions.
3. Absence of the rule of law and presence of authoritarian traditions of governance.
4. Deep-seated insecurity on the part of ruling elites.
5. Widespread perception of vulnerable religious and ethnic groups as potential agents of politically subversive powers.
6. Prevalence of a racially or religiously discriminatory ideology or worldview that upholds a utopian vision of a homogenous society as the foundation of political unity.
7. Institutionalization of racial or religious discrimination in statute law or social custom.
8. Widespread communication by state and/or non-state actors of hateful propaganda that portrays members of religious or ethnic communities as subject peoples, aliens within society, or as subhuman creatures.
9. Outbreaks of organized violence by mobs or individuals against members of vulnerable religious or ethnic communities.
10. Habitual denial of discrimination by state and non-state actors that engage in oppressive practices, including violence, against vulnerable groups in society.
11. Widespread militarization of society and/or widespread influence of non-state terrorist groups or militias.
We have been warned.
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(AINA) Christian Solidarity International issues genocide warning
http://www.aina.org/news/20111202235702.htm
Iran Supreme Leader calls for Islamic Power Bloc (BarnabasFund)
(BarnabasFund) 05 December 2011 - Country: IRAN, MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA
 |
Iran’s supreme leader has called on the world’s Muslim-majority nations to form an “international Islamic power-bloc”, laying down an ominous challenge to Western powers.
In a message to more than 2.5 million Hajj pilgrims inSaudi Arabia on 5 November, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said that Islamic countries should “make the most of [the] opportunity” created by the Arab Spring, as well as the anti-capitalist movement across the world.
He said that Islam has become the guiding principle of the Arab uprisings despite the efforts of secular rulers to curtail the influence of religion in their countries. And pointing to the victory of the Islamist Ennahda Party in Tunisia's recent elections, he predicted similar outcomes elsewhere: "Without doubt, free elections in any Islamic country will hardly result in anything except what happened in Tunisia."
Heralding a global power shift and issuing an ominous challenge to Western powers, theAyatollah said that “the West, the United States and Zionism are weaker than ever before", adding:
During the last decades, arrogant powers, led by the United States, had reduced regional states to a state of subjugation through their political and security ploys… But now, they are the primary target of disgust and hatred of the region's nations.
He urged the entire umma (Islamic nation) and especially the revolutionary nations to "continuity of their stance and avoidance of slackness in their resolve" and "vigilance against the plots of arrogant international powers".
The Ayatollah’s comments will raise alarm among Christians in the Middle East and North Africa, who are often associated with the West and are already feeling vulnerable and insecure as a result of the Arab Spring, which has seen Islamist groups growing in power and influence. There has, for example, been an increase in anti-Christian attacks in Egypt since the revolution, and at least 100,000 Christians have emigrated from the country as a result of the aggressive tactics of hard-line Muslims.
The Ayatollah did advise the revolutionary nations to maintain "national unity and official recognition of sectarian, tribal and ethnic differences" as "a precondition for future success", but his own country, Iran, is hardly a model of this. Christians there face regular and severe harassment from the authorities, who are trying to clamp down on the growing house church movement of converts from Islam, as well as the traditional churches.
If the Arab Spring movement were to develop into an “Islamic power-bloc”, Christians would surely be in increasing danger across the region.
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(BarnabasFund) Call for Islamic Power Bloc by Iran's Supreme Leader
05 Dec Update- Egypt Elections 2011
(AINA) 05 December 2011 - Islamist parties made dramatic advances in Egypt's parliamentary elections during the first round of voting for lawmakers this week, a result reflecting a growing embrace of religious-oriented sentiment across turbulent North Africa.
"We accept the results of the elections in any case because it's the will of the people, and our rivals should embrace it too because this is the true democracy we fought for and we wish our liberal brothers better results in the next two rounds," Mahmoud Ghozlan, spokesman of the relatively moderate Muslim Brotherhood, whose Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) won 40% of the vote.
Al Noor Salafi Movement, a hard-line Muslim group, had the second-highest total, 20%, in the first round of voting for the lower house of parliament, according to Yousri Abdel Kareem, head of the executive office of the Higher Judicial Election Council.
In the first election after the toppling of President Hosni Mubarak, the tallies reflected similar results in Morocco and Tunisia. Moderate Islamists in those North African nations prevailed in recent elections amid the wave of political discontent across the Arabic-speaking world this year.Secularists weren't surprised at the result but they were stunned that some longtime secular groups performed poorly.
"The strong showing of the Islamists should serve to mobilize more support for secular candidate," said Mohamed Ghoneim, speaking for the liberal Egyptian Bloc that garnered 15% of the vote. "We need to build on that and we are going for it."Ghoneim said voters were turned off by some secular candidates because they come from Mubarak's old National Democratic Party.
The Muslim Brotherhood is entrenched in mainstream Egyptian politics. Most are highly educated -- doctors, lawyers, engineers, professors and businessmen -- and come from solidly middle-class backgrounds.Al Noor Salafi is the first Salafist group to register as a political party in Egypt. Salafis are conservative, religious purists and have been accused of stoking sectarian strife against Egypt's Christian minority and of plotting to undermine the country's fledgling democracy.
This week's voting in Egypt marked the initial part of a complex, multi-step process that will first pick members of the lower house of parliament.
Voters had to cast three votes, two for independent candidates and one for a party or coalition. Four independent candidates won but runoff elections for those who didn't win clear majorities will be held Monday and Tuesday. One of the four is Amr Hamzawy, once a research director at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and a spokesman of the "Board of Wise Men," which worked to foster negotiations between the government and protesters.
Presidential elections will be held by June, according to the military, which has rulied the country since Mubarak's fall."The success of Islamist parties will make it much more difficult, if not impossible, for the Egyptian military to prolong its political control and to recreate a political system along the lines of Hosni Mubarak, as it appeared intent on doing." Marina Ottaway, a senior associate of Carnegie's Middle East program, said in an analysis on Friday.
Voter turnout was initially reported by the country's election board at 62%, but the board said it would recalculate the figure after reporters raised questions about the number of registered voters used in the calculation, suggesting the true figure was lower.Abdel Moez Ibrahim, head of the judicial election committee said problems arose during the polling that will be addressed in the next round of voting. They include campaigning on the days of the elections, long lines and the late arrival of a limited number of ballots. Ibrahim said sending vehicles to pick up judges and handing out paper ballots the night before elections are among solutions to problems.
Ibrahim said the process has been triumphant for Egyptian democracy."The winner of these elections is the Egyptian people," he said.
As for the future, the Carnegie analysis says "the response of the military and secular parties, and the political acumen of the FJP" will determine whether the future government will be "dominated by Islamists, including hard-line Salafis, or a less threatening alliance of the FJP and secular parties," Ottaway said.
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(AINA) Islamists fare well in first round of Egypt's elections
http://www.aina.org/news/2011120316918.htm
Article by By Mohamed Fahmy Fadel / CNN's Joe Sterling contributed to this report.
"We accept the results of the elections in any case because it's the will of the people, and our rivals should embrace it too because this is the true democracy we fought for and we wish our liberal brothers better results in the next two rounds," Mahmoud Ghozlan, spokesman of the relatively moderate Muslim Brotherhood, whose Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) won 40% of the vote.
Al Noor Salafi Movement, a hard-line Muslim group, had the second-highest total, 20%, in the first round of voting for the lower house of parliament, according to Yousri Abdel Kareem, head of the executive office of the Higher Judicial Election Council.
In the first election after the toppling of President Hosni Mubarak, the tallies reflected similar results in Morocco and Tunisia. Moderate Islamists in those North African nations prevailed in recent elections amid the wave of political discontent across the Arabic-speaking world this year.Secularists weren't surprised at the result but they were stunned that some longtime secular groups performed poorly.
"The strong showing of the Islamists should serve to mobilize more support for secular candidate," said Mohamed Ghoneim, speaking for the liberal Egyptian Bloc that garnered 15% of the vote. "We need to build on that and we are going for it."Ghoneim said voters were turned off by some secular candidates because they come from Mubarak's old National Democratic Party.
The Muslim Brotherhood is entrenched in mainstream Egyptian politics. Most are highly educated -- doctors, lawyers, engineers, professors and businessmen -- and come from solidly middle-class backgrounds.Al Noor Salafi is the first Salafist group to register as a political party in Egypt. Salafis are conservative, religious purists and have been accused of stoking sectarian strife against Egypt's Christian minority and of plotting to undermine the country's fledgling democracy.
This week's voting in Egypt marked the initial part of a complex, multi-step process that will first pick members of the lower house of parliament.
Voters had to cast three votes, two for independent candidates and one for a party or coalition. Four independent candidates won but runoff elections for those who didn't win clear majorities will be held Monday and Tuesday. One of the four is Amr Hamzawy, once a research director at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and a spokesman of the "Board of Wise Men," which worked to foster negotiations between the government and protesters.
Presidential elections will be held by June, according to the military, which has rulied the country since Mubarak's fall."The success of Islamist parties will make it much more difficult, if not impossible, for the Egyptian military to prolong its political control and to recreate a political system along the lines of Hosni Mubarak, as it appeared intent on doing." Marina Ottaway, a senior associate of Carnegie's Middle East program, said in an analysis on Friday.
Voter turnout was initially reported by the country's election board at 62%, but the board said it would recalculate the figure after reporters raised questions about the number of registered voters used in the calculation, suggesting the true figure was lower.Abdel Moez Ibrahim, head of the judicial election committee said problems arose during the polling that will be addressed in the next round of voting. They include campaigning on the days of the elections, long lines and the late arrival of a limited number of ballots. Ibrahim said sending vehicles to pick up judges and handing out paper ballots the night before elections are among solutions to problems.
Ibrahim said the process has been triumphant for Egyptian democracy."The winner of these elections is the Egyptian people," he said.
As for the future, the Carnegie analysis says "the response of the military and secular parties, and the political acumen of the FJP" will determine whether the future government will be "dominated by Islamists, including hard-line Salafis, or a less threatening alliance of the FJP and secular parties," Ottaway said.
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(AINA) Islamists fare well in first round of Egypt's elections
http://www.aina.org/news/2011120316918.htm
Article by By Mohamed Fahmy Fadel / CNN's Joe Sterling contributed to this report.
Update - Egypt Elections 2011
(AlJazeera) 28 November 2011 - The fight for equal rights and political legitimacy has been a long one for Egypt's Coptic Christians. Their plight has become all the more complicated with recent developments in the country, and parliamentary elections scheduled for Monday might not be the solution they had in mind.The status of the Copts' status in Egyptian society is tricky. Making up roughly 10 per cent of the country's 80 million citizens, they are the largest Christian community in the Middle East.
For many years, the Copts received public support from Hosni Mubarak, the former president who was driven from power in February. In late January, when the streets were filled with protesters calling for Mubarak to step down, Coptic Orthodox church leader Pope Shenouda III expressed support for the leader who had ontrolled Egypt for 30 years.
Even so, many Copts supported the revolution and were present in anti-Mubarak demonstrations. In one incident, they formed a human chain around a group of Muslim Egyptians so they could pray amid the chaos. The event became one of the most iconic images from January's protests at Tahrir Square.
Still, the Egyptian Federation of Human Rights has reported that approximately 93,000 Copts have left Egypt since March. The NGO has estimated that number could reach 250,000 by 2012, with the departures linked to fears that a hardline, Islamist government might make life harder for Copts in Egypt.
Uncertain future
Mourad Shenouda, a consultant at a Cairo-based engineering firm, said that two years ago Egypt was a "steady state" with little hope for change for the country's Coptic Christians.
"We had our problem as Copts. We had our problems as liberals. However, after the revolution, there is a chance for change. And this change it may be in favour of liberals, it may be in favour of Copts, it may be in favour of Islamists; but where this change will lead, I doubt anyone will predict," Shenouda said.
State policies that discriminated against the Copts have in large part defined the community. Among these policies were the requirement of a presidential permit to repair churches and a lack of representation in government.
The community is still reeling from the Maspero incident on October 9, in which security forces clashed with Copts who were protesting an attack on a church in Aswan. At least 26 Copts were killed in the violence and more than 300 were wounded.
"The Maspero massacre left Copts profoundly traumatised in a way that is quite unprecedented," said Paul Sedra, an expert in Egyptian history at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada.
Sedra continued: "This flew in the face of so much of the rhetoric of the current military rulers and former regimes; that national institutions like the military were dedicated to preserving national unity, of Copts and Muslims, in Egypt."
The ruling military party, the Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF), refused to take responsibility for the use of violence. The refusal brought protests from Coptic and Muslim Egyptian who called for a swift and fair investigation of the Maspero killings.
Election impact
Experts have said many members of Egypt's Coptic population are pessimistic that their lives will improve with the election of a new parliament.
"My sense is that there is a profound scepticism within most quarters of the Coptic community that parliamentary elections would enhance their situation at all," said Sedra.
"I suspect that the feeling is quite the opposite; that Islamist and Salafi forces, whose agendas are seen to be injurious to Copts, are bound to gain from the elections," he added.
Sedra said most Copts are "deeply sceptical" about what liberal and secular politicians will do for them.
"I think you can count on one hand the number of Copts who support the Muslim Brotherhood... I don't see them voting for the [Muslim] Brotherhood or the Salafis," said Timothy Kaldas, a 27-year-old photographer in Cairo, referring to Egypt's main Islamist parties.
'Civil state'
The dialogue surrounding Egypt's elections has for months centered on inclusion, fairness and the logistics of conducting the first poll in the post-Mubarak era. Such discussion has mostly been put on hold with the return of violence and mass protests in Tahrir Square, but some hope for the elections remains.
"I'm a Copt. I'm more a liberal than a Copt, so I'm looking for a civil state in Egypt, and this civil state will give rights to everyone; Copts, Muslim Brotherhood, Salafist or whatever," said Shenouda, 40.
Thrity-three protesters have been killed across Egypt since November 18 and many more people have been injured. In response, Copts and Muslims alike have intensified calls for the immediate end of military rule. Yet, there are some who fear what may happen if the SCAF were to immediately step down.
"Some people want [the SCAF] to stay just to maintain some stability. Because if they leave, and there is no proper handover to someone who is good enough or strong enough, I believe it will become mass chaos," said Shenouda.
Sedra said that after the Maspero killings, many Copts are apprehensive of what might come next."They wonder, now that 'Pandora's Box' has apparently opened, what more they can expect to befall the community. So there is certainly no rush to create a situation of still greater instability," Sedra said.
For some Copts, however, the fear of the unknown is not enough to stop the push for change in Egypt.
"I'm going to protest, because, even beyond the issue of nationalism, 85 million people right now are subject to the rule of a military junta that is leftover from an extremely repressive regime and they're fighting to remove that junta and to establish an actually free and democratic country," said Kaldas.
"No one is left to excuse what's going on. At this point, every group has reason to be extremely disappointed with the ruling military junta. There's no one left untouched."
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(AlJazeera) Egypt Copts view elections with concern
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2011/11/2011112274857809334.html
Uganda: more moves to quell LRA (ANS)
(Assist News) 24 Nov 2011 AUSTRALIA (ANS) -- The Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) is a blasphemous cult militia established in the late 1980s ostensibly to fight for the rights of the long-marginalised and abused Acholi people of Northern Uganda. The LRA quickly lost its political focus, becoming infamous for its unrivalled brutality, most of it directly targeted at Christian communities, churches and seminaries. Squeezed out of Uganda, the LRA moved to South Sudan and more recently to Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Central African Republic. The LRA has long been armed and funded by the Islamist regime in Khartoum, which has employed the LRA as a proxy force against the South Sudanese and their Christian allies. The LRA's founder and present commander, Joseph Kony, is a former Catholic altar boy turned occultist / spirit medium. Children who have escaped Kony's camps have told social workers that when Kony gets 'possessed' -- he claims by the Holy S pirit -- he will demand worship, crave human blood and prophesy things that come 'exactly true'. This goes some way to explaining why this band of rebels has eluded capture for more than 20 years.
In such an overtly spiritual battle, it should be unsurprising that prayer has proved to be the most powerful and effective weapon of all. In the opinion of this writer, the most effective local force against the LRA has been Northern Uganda's religious leaders and particularly the long-suffering and supremely courageous pastors and bishops of the Acholi Religious Leaders Peace Initiative (ARLPI).
With the stated aim of seeing the LRA removed from the battlefield, the US recently sent 100 combat-ready Special Forces troops to Uganda, tasked with providing 'technical assistance'. The LRA's evil and the local suffering may well be not the main reasons why the US has entered Uganda. Other possible motives include the discovery of oil in Uganda five years ago and China's quick investment in it. Also a quick moral victory in Africa would look good on President Obama's resume in the lead up to the 2012 US presidential elections. Importantly though, an 'oil war' is looming in Sudan, and the LRA -- long a proxy of the Republic of Sudan -- is presently lurking in the hills of South Sudan awaiting orders. Eliminating the LRA would greatly assist South Sudan. Furthermore, American Special Forces assistance in East Africa could be helpful in countering al Shabaab or at least in seeing that Kenya and Uganda are rewarded for their counter-terror efforts. All these possible reasons aside, removing the LRA from the battlefield would b e a very good outcome indeed.
However, as the ARLPI notes, military means have never worked against the LRA. In December 2008 US military advisors assisted Uganda, DRC and the South Sudan-based Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) as they joined forces in Operation Lightning Thunder to fight the LRA in the heavily-forested Garamba National Park region of north-eastern DRC. Mysteriously alerted to the allied advance, the LRA tactically retreated and dispersed. In early January 2009 the alliance boasted that the LRA had been routed but by late January the LRA was enacting reprisals and terrorising civilian populations across the region. By March the Ugandan army had pulled out. The military operation, which cost a huge 500 billion shillings, was an unmitigated disaster, subsequently blamed on 'leaky intelligence'. Today the region is relatively calm and though sporadic violence continues (see LRA Crisis Tracker), the ARLPI believes that gains are being made through dialogue which offers a more holistic outcome than military action ever could.
So the dilemma is this: whilst everyone wants to see the end of the LRA, most Acholi do not favour a military solution. One reason why the ARLPI is opposed to the military option is because the LRA never had popular appeal and it could only fill its ranks by kidnapping young children. Consequently, apart from its top leadership, the LRA comprises mostly abducted, traumatised, terrorised Acholi children, who, after being forced at gunpoint to murder their own parents, were then brainwashed to believe they have no other home nor life than the LRA. However, the churches of Northern Uganda have, in great generosity of spirit, worked very hard over many years to prove that this is not so. These children deserve the opportunity of rehabilitation and reconciliation.
For more background on the LRA see blogs --
Religious Liberty Monitoring label: Lord's Resistance Army (LRA).
Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin label: LRA.
PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY THAT --
In such an overtly spiritual battle, it should be unsurprising that prayer has proved to be the most powerful and effective weapon of all. In the opinion of this writer, the most effective local force against the LRA has been Northern Uganda's religious leaders and particularly the long-suffering and supremely courageous pastors and bishops of the Acholi Religious Leaders Peace Initiative (ARLPI).
With the stated aim of seeing the LRA removed from the battlefield, the US recently sent 100 combat-ready Special Forces troops to Uganda, tasked with providing 'technical assistance'. The LRA's evil and the local suffering may well be not the main reasons why the US has entered Uganda. Other possible motives include the discovery of oil in Uganda five years ago and China's quick investment in it. Also a quick moral victory in Africa would look good on President Obama's resume in the lead up to the 2012 US presidential elections. Importantly though, an 'oil war' is looming in Sudan, and the LRA -- long a proxy of the Republic of Sudan -- is presently lurking in the hills of South Sudan awaiting orders. Eliminating the LRA would greatly assist South Sudan. Furthermore, American Special Forces assistance in East Africa could be helpful in countering al Shabaab or at least in seeing that Kenya and Uganda are rewarded for their counter-terror efforts. All these possible reasons aside, removing the LRA from the battlefield would b e a very good outcome indeed.
However, as the ARLPI notes, military means have never worked against the LRA. In December 2008 US military advisors assisted Uganda, DRC and the South Sudan-based Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) as they joined forces in Operation Lightning Thunder to fight the LRA in the heavily-forested Garamba National Park region of north-eastern DRC. Mysteriously alerted to the allied advance, the LRA tactically retreated and dispersed. In early January 2009 the alliance boasted that the LRA had been routed but by late January the LRA was enacting reprisals and terrorising civilian populations across the region. By March the Ugandan army had pulled out. The military operation, which cost a huge 500 billion shillings, was an unmitigated disaster, subsequently blamed on 'leaky intelligence'. Today the region is relatively calm and though sporadic violence continues (see LRA Crisis Tracker), the ARLPI believes that gains are being made through dialogue which offers a more holistic outcome than military action ever could.
So the dilemma is this: whilst everyone wants to see the end of the LRA, most Acholi do not favour a military solution. One reason why the ARLPI is opposed to the military option is because the LRA never had popular appeal and it could only fill its ranks by kidnapping young children. Consequently, apart from its top leadership, the LRA comprises mostly abducted, traumatised, terrorised Acholi children, who, after being forced at gunpoint to murder their own parents, were then brainwashed to believe they have no other home nor life than the LRA. However, the churches of Northern Uganda have, in great generosity of spirit, worked very hard over many years to prove that this is not so. These children deserve the opportunity of rehabilitation and reconciliation.
For more background on the LRA see blogs --
Religious Liberty Monitoring label: Lord's Resistance Army (LRA).
Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin label: LRA.
PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY THAT --
- Yahweh Sabaoth -- the Lord of Hosts (literally the commander of heaven's forces) -- will open the door to victory on earth by delivering a victory in heavenly realms; may demonic spirits be bound, through'Jesus Christ who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him' (1 Peter 3:22 ESV).
- Joseph Kony and the other senior leaders of the LRA will be removed from the battlefield in accordance with the will and purpose of God.
- multitudes of abducted children will be spiritually and physically freed to leave the bush and surrender themselves to those who will in amazing grace -- and usually to the bewilderment of the children -- love t hem, rehabilitate them and facilitate reconciliation.
- Ugandan churches -- both northern and southern -- will unite across deep tribal divides to pray for the above outcomes and to work together as one people in Christ for peace, justice and equity across the nation.
Egypt burning again! (NEWS24)
(News24) 22 Nov 2011 - Cairo - Clashes between police and protesters in Cairo's Tahrir Square erupted for a third straight day on Monday after a night of deadly violence that left at least 13 people dead.Police used tear gas sporadically through the night and into Monday morning against hundreds of protesters - scattered in groups in and around Tahrir - who responded with stones and rocks, according to live footage on state TV.On Sunday, police and military forces used batons, tear gas and bird shot to clear the central square of thousands of protesters demanding the ruling military cede power to a civilian authority.
Morgue officials said 13 people died on Sunday and two people on Saturday, sparking fears of disruptions to the November 28 legislative elections, the first since a popular uprising toppled Hosni Mubarak in February.Protesters fear the army is intent on maintaining some degree of power through a set of supra constitutional principles it plans to impose on the next parliament, who will be tasked with drafting the country's charter.
Protests in Tahrir Square have been ongoing since a massive anti-military rally on Friday, which called on the army to cede power to civilian rule and return to barracks.
Demonstrators have been particularly vocal against Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, Mubarak's long-time defense minister who now heads the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.
Can Pakistan ban "Jesus" in text messages? (Mashable)
(Mashable) 22 Nov 2011 - The Pakistan Telecommunications Authority told mobile carriers to begin blocking text messages Nov. 21 containing words from a list of more than 1,600 “obscene” terms.
Though companies were instructed to start enforcing the ban,Newsweek Pakistan reported Monday that mobile carriers had deferred it as they seek additional clarification from the government.A Nov. 14 letter outlining the new policies and listing the forbidden words was leaked to the Pakistani media last week. The new policy is in response to consumer complaints of receiving graphic text messages, a PTA spokesman told The Guardian.
The list met widespread Internet criticism, in part for including believed benign words such as “Jesus Christ,” “athlete’s foot,” “poop,” “fairy” and “harder.” An unconfirmed version of the list has been circulating online. Some 1,100 of the words are in English, while less than 600 are in Urdu, Pakistan’s national language.Many are discussing the ban on Twitter using the hashtag #PTABannedList. Some have suggested replacing banned words with their numbers on the circulating list.The ban may introduce some technical difficulties, a mobile carrier exec anonymously told the AFP.
“The filtering is not good for the system and may degrade the quality of network services — plus it would be a great inconvenience to our subscribers if their SMS was not delivered due to the wrong choice of words,” the rep said.
Pakistan is no stranger to digital bans from the government. In May 2010, the country blocked Facebook for two weeks after a competition to draw the Prophet Mohammed sparked controversy. YouTube was blockedtemporarily in 2008 following news that images from a competition to draw the Prophet Mohammed had leaked onto the site.
Middle East without Christians (PRWeb)
(PRWeb) 21 Nov 2011 - The real danger of having no Christian presence in the Middle East within the next 5 years will be one of the main topics at a up coming conference hosted by Dr. Rob Dalrymple Director of the Bible Accadamy at Cornerstone Fellowship.
Today, in the Middle East, there are about 30 million Christians and the majority of these Christians are suffering greatly. Over the last 10 years many have sought refuge in the US and various other countries to the point that the continued survival of the Church in the Middle East is being threatened.
According to Professor Habib C. Malik in his article The Future of Christians in the Middle East he discusses the decline of Christianity in the Middle East and how it has become a startling reality:
"The relic phenomenon is an alarming one and the numbers offer sobering evidence of its impending reality. In 1948 Jerusalem was about a fifth Christian; today, it is less than 2 percent. For centuries Christians used to constitute over 80 percent of Bethlehem’s population, but today they are barely a third and falling. In 1943, at the time of its independence, Lebanon was a majority-Christian country, but after thirty years of war and foreign occupation Lebanon’s Christians now make up around a third of the population and the trend is demographic contraction. It is estimated that about half of Iraq’s 1.4 million Christians have fled the country since the American invasion in 2003."
As the country of Iraq has stabilized in the past few years, the violence against the Church has continued. Even as the Shia-dominated Iraqi government has enhanced its control, it has done little to rein in the targeting of weak Christian, Mandean, and Yazidi communities.
The Jerusalem Post also goes on to report the same finding that Professor Habib C. Malik stated in his findings: “…at the time of Lebanese independence from France in 1946 the majority of Lebanese were Christians. Today less than 30% of Lebanese are Christians. In Turkey, the Christian population has dwindled from 2 million at the end of World War I to less than 100,000 today. In Syria, at the time of independence Christians made up nearly half of the population. Today 4% of Syrians are Christian. In Jordan half a century ago 18% of the population was Christian. Today 2% of Jordanians are Christian.”
Copts attacked after 40 days of mourning (WashingtonPost)
(WashingtonPost) 18 Nov 2011 - Attackers threw rocks and broken glass at a march by Coptic Christians in Cairo Thursday, injuring 10, in the latest outbreak of sectarian violence less than two weeks before the start of parliamentary elections.
About 400 Christians marched through the Cairo neighborhood of Shubra to mark the end of 40 days of mourning after sectarian clashes that killed 27 people, most of them Christians, witnesses said.
During the march, attackers threw stones, bricks and broken glass on the marchers from a six-floor apartment building, said marcher Hossam Victor. Clashes broke out and 10 people were injured, two of them seriously.
Victor and other marchers blamed supporters of Gamal Saber, an ultraconservative Islamist candidate in Egypt’s parliamentary elections, set to begin Nov. 28.
“They rained rocks and glass down on us from the building, and the police stood by and watched without doing anything,” Victor said.
One 25-year-old marcher, whose arm appeared to be broken, said police spotted a tattoo of a cross on his upper arm and shoved him toward the attackers, who beat him, injuring his arm. He declined to give his name, fearing retaliation.
Security forces later separated the sides. Saber, the parliamentary candidate, called the Christian marchers “stupid” and blamed them for starting the clashes as a way to harm his election campaign.
Sectarian tensions have been building up across Egypt since the 18-day uprising that ousted President Hosni Mubarak in February. Coptic Christians, who make up about 10 percent of Egypt’s population, have long complained of state discrimination. They feel under increasing threat since the uprising and worry that Islamist groups, competing openly in an election campaign for the first time, will impose restrictions on their community
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Demands for religious organizations to be toughened in Russia (ANS)
(Christian Telegraph) 11Nov 2011 - KIEV, UKRAINE (ANS) -- The Department of Justice of the Russian Federation has drawn up and published a new federal legal amendment regarding religious organizations and freedom of conscience.
The Independent Newspaper (www.ng.ru) wrote that there were a lot of core introductions in this project, pointing out that the conception of religious groups is [to be] eliminated.
"The foundation of spiritual unions has been changed simultaneously with the list of reasons to deny the registration of such organizations," said the Independent Newspaper in its story.
According to www.gazeta.ru, citizens who decide to found a religious group must inform the Department of Justice in written form. Such a group will be registered if it has more than 10 members, its own charter and decision of the religious examination.
Lev Levinson, an expert from the Human Rights Institution, explained to www.gazeta.ru that new religious structures not affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church must be registered as municipal organizations.
"During their first 10 years of operation, they will not have the right to open educational institutions, Sunday schools, invite foreign citizens, hold religious ceremonies in hospitals, prisons, orphanages, publish and distribute religious literature or organize some media," said human rights advocate.
To do all these things, groups will be forced to merge into a centralized structure. Levinson noted that such merging will close the door on every alternative religious movement.
"Spiritual and religious development will be prohibited," underlined the expert.
Ramil Ahmetgaliev, a legal analyst with the Interregional Human Rights Association (AGORA), agreed with Lev Levinson. He didn't exclude the idea that this bill was "created with the help of some religious denominations that try to solve their problems in such ways."
Ahmetgaliev alleged that this legal formulation is advantageous for authorities. "It is more comfortable for them to communicate with religious groups through a centralized unit. This line of command has been transposed on religious organizations," opined the analyst.
The Independent Newspaper (www.ng.ru) wrote that there were a lot of core introductions in this project, pointing out that the conception of religious groups is [to be] eliminated.
"The foundation of spiritual unions has been changed simultaneously with the list of reasons to deny the registration of such organizations," said the Independent Newspaper in its story.
According to www.gazeta.ru, citizens who decide to found a religious group must inform the Department of Justice in written form. Such a group will be registered if it has more than 10 members, its own charter and decision of the religious examination.
Lev Levinson, an expert from the Human Rights Institution, explained to www.gazeta.ru that new religious structures not affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church must be registered as municipal organizations.
"During their first 10 years of operation, they will not have the right to open educational institutions, Sunday schools, invite foreign citizens, hold religious ceremonies in hospitals, prisons, orphanages, publish and distribute religious literature or organize some media," said human rights advocate.
To do all these things, groups will be forced to merge into a centralized structure. Levinson noted that such merging will close the door on every alternative religious movement.
"Spiritual and religious development will be prohibited," underlined the expert.
Ramil Ahmetgaliev, a legal analyst with the Interregional Human Rights Association (AGORA), agreed with Lev Levinson. He didn't exclude the idea that this bill was "created with the help of some religious denominations that try to solve their problems in such ways."
Ahmetgaliev alleged that this legal formulation is advantageous for authorities. "It is more comfortable for them to communicate with religious groups through a centralized unit. This line of command has been transposed on religious organizations," opined the analyst.
Hardline Salafis on the rise in Egypt (Philly.com)
(Philly.com) 08 Nov 2011 - One of the most unsettling developments of Egypt’s Arab Spring has been the surge of activity by ultraconservative Salafist Muslims, who used to denounce conventional politics.Salafism is a puritanical form of Sunni Islam that aims to emulate the faith as it was practiced during the Prophet Muhammad's time. Unlike the Muslim Brotherhood, which has long tried to engage in politics, when it was not being repressed by past Egyptian governments, the Salafis concentrated on preaching and social work. Some veered into violence.
But today – in the midst of Egypt’s open political season – Salafis have formed two political parties, and a Salafi, Hazem Saleh Abu Ismail, is running for president.
Salafis are a wild card in the elections, with some predicting they could win ten per cent of the votes. They don’t speak with one voice: Some preach hatred of Christians on well-funded satellite channels, some have attacked Christians and burned churches, while others denounce such actions. Although they deny it, Salafi groups are rumored to receive substantial funds from Saudi Arabia.
There is no question these fundamentalists want to push for an Islamic state and to change Egypt’s conservative but tolerant culture: Abu Ismail says if he were president all women would have to veil. Recently, at a Salafi rally in Alexandria, a statue of Zeus surrounded by mermaids was covered up because it was considered indecent.
Yet some Salafis insist they are misunderstood. I interviewed Mohammed Nour, the spokesman for the Nour (light) Party, who runs a multi-media production company that makes films and apps for I-phones. He wore a suit with a striped shirt, and his office sported orange couches with chrome armrests, and a office secretary with in a headscarf and long skirt but face uncovered. “The image in the media of salafis with long robes is not necessarily true,” he told me in an obvious charm offensive.
But when I asked why Salafis were entering politics, he responded, “We’re always going to believe the Islamic way of life is better than democracy. But all Egyptians believe change can happen through these elections, so we should all present ourselves.”
So it is an open question whether - as some Egyptians hope - Salafis will be tamed by participation in poltics, or whether they see democracy as a means towards an undemocratic end.
Salafi parties and groups originally allied with the Muslim Brotherhood, but – resentful of the Brotherhood’s superior organization – they later formed their own alliance of fundamentalist candidates. One big question in the upcoming elections is whether they will emerge from the election with a key bloc of seats that, if joined with the Brotherhood, would give Islamists a majority in parliament. That would give them latitude to press the more cautious Brotherhood to adopt more hardline views.
Egypt arrest of Christians continue (ANS)(AINA)
(AINA) 07 Nov 2011 - Egypt's Military Prosecutor decided on November 3 to continue the detention of 34 Coptic Christians for another 15 days, pending investigations on charges of inciting violence, carrying arms and insulting the armed forces during the October 9 Maspero Massacre, which claimed the lives of 27 Christians and injured 329. The court session was attended by more than twenty defense lawyers. The case was adjourned to November 18.Egyptian journalist Mary Abdelmassih, writing for AINA -- the Assyrian International News Agency http://www.aina.org/ , says that according to defense lawyers, most of the detainees were arrested after October 9, and some were not even at the Maspero protest and were just collected from the streets for "being a Christian."
According to AINA, three of them were teens under 16 years old and another had an operation to extract a bullet from his jaw and was chained to his bed in hospital, said defense lawyer Ibrahim Edward. "After the operation he was sent straight to prison where he cannot eat without feeding tubes, so he lives on juices."
AINA says prominent activist Alaa Abdel-Fatah, who criticized the army for the Maspero Massacre, was arrested on October 30, charged with inciting violence, seizing military equipment, and vandalizing military property. He refused to answer questions from the military prosecutors "in a case where the military is accused of committing a massacre when their APCs ran over peaceful protesters in front of Maspero on Oct. 9," his lawyer Ahmed Seif Al-Islam, former director of the Hisham Mubarak Law Center, is quoted as saying.
AINA states that Abdel-Fatah also played a big role in convincing the families of the Maspero Coptic victims to agree to have the bodies of their relatives autopsied in order to have proof that the military caused their death.
AINA reports that two days ago, Mikhail Naguib, a Copt, was arrested at his home by the military and accused of stealing a machine gun and using it to kill Copts in Maspero on October 9.
According to the AINA report, the military prosecutors claimed that the gun, a type used by the army, was stolen from one of the APCs at Maspero. The army said that a taxi driver who brought Naguib on that night from Maspero to his home in the run-down area of Sharabia witnessed that he had a gun bundled in a plastic bag with him.
In an interview aired on the "The Way" Christian TV, Michael's father said the army and police found nothing at home, and that they beat his son and took him away in his underwear.
AINA reports that Dr. Naguib Gabriel, head of the Egyptian Union of Human Rights Organization, said that this latest arrest and these extremely serious accusations raises questions about the intentions of the army. He wondered about the evidence the military has regarding these charges, and whether with this arrest the real culprits will not be brought to justice.
Families of detainees appeared in an interview with Coptic Channel CTV and told how their sons and husbands were arrested, AINA said.
In its report, AINA says that Ms. Magda, mother of Mina Talaat, said that her son did not attend the Maspero protest but was arrested after the violence at 8:30 in one of the roads leading to Maspero. "Mina was stopped by a soldier, who called a group of 20 people to come quickly, as he had found a Christian. The group beat Mina with short leather batons until his jaw was broken and he had to hold it back with his hand. He also had wounds in the head requiring 12 stitches," she said
According to the AINA report, Mina told his mother on her first visit that he hid under an armored personnel carrier, but was dragged out and taken to a room on the third floor of the TV building, together with other Copts, and they were beaten until 8 AM. He was then taken to el-Kobah Military Hospital where he was chained to his bed. She said that Mina had a large tattoo of the Virgin Mary on his arm and "the soldier was so angry about that he wanted to shoot him."
Ms. Mariam, wife of Mr. Amin Mouneer Ayad, who was at work and was dropped off by his company's bus near Maspero after 11:00, said that a soldier asked her husband if he was a Christian and saw the tattooed cross on his wrist, then took him away to a room all covered in blood. After taking his money and cell phone, the soldiers beat him until he lost consciousness. "I did not recognize him at hospital," said his wife. "His eyes were so swollen that when he cried no tears were flowing."
The Al-Nadeem Center for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Torture said on its Facebook page that Mr. Amthal Mahmoud Abdel-Fattah, a Muslim arrested at Maspero by the military, was said by his mother to be mentally handicapped. Military prosecutors transferred him to Abbassiya mental hospital, which decided to keep him "until he comes back to his senses," as per the hospital report.
"To arrest the victims and not the assailants shows the extent of persecution and humiliation the Copts are experiencing," said Medhat Kelada, head of the Union of Coptic Organizations in Europe. "If there is any justice, the military prosecution should instead investigate the crimes committed by the military police."
AINA also reported that a list of suspects to be questioned by the military prosecutors with regards to the Maspero violence was published by the media, which included clergy, in addition to political movements like the Maspero Coptic Youth Union, Copts Without Borders and April 6. It also included the deceased Coptic protester Mina Danial, known from the January 25 Tahrir protests, who died in the Maspero Massacre from gun shots.
AINA further reported that Father Filopateer was interrogated by the prosecution on October 26 and he completely refused to cooperate with the military investigation because he is a civilian, and because it is biased and is part of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), with whom ".we are direct opponents in this case. I accused the SCAF, Field Marshal Tantawi and Brigadier Badeen, head of military police of being directly responsible for the Maspero Massacre." He said that the SCAF was fishing for incriminating evidence.
AINA also said Father Mattias Nasr went to the military prosecutor on October 20. He said that he did not expect to be accused, wondering how can a victim become a culprit? He described the investigations as a sort counterbalance to what was unveiled in the conference held on October 20 by the Maspero Coptic Youth Union. The conference accused the military of murdering the demonstrators through video footage and witnesses.
Human Rights groups have criticized the ongoing arrests, denounced military trials for civilians, and called for the transfer of the investigation of the case from military to civilian prosecutors.
Joe Stork, Deputy Middle East director of Human Rights Watch, said "The military cannot investigate itself with any credibility. This had been an essentially peaceful protest until the military used excessive force and military vehicles ran over protesters. The only hope for justice for the victims is an independent civilian-led investigation that the army fully cooperates with and cannot control and that leads to the prosecution of those responsible."
Activist Mark Ebeid, who attended the Maspero protest, said: "They are arresting Christians and levying accusation at them, most of which are really absurd, in an attempt to implicate them in the killings," adding: "The Junta is trying to justify the impossible, which is putting the blame on someone else. We all witnessed the killings with our own eyes on that bloody Sunday."
Extremists taking hold of Tunisia mosques (News24)
(News24) 03 Nov 2011 - Tunis - Radical Islamists have seized control of 150 to 200 mosques and prayer halls around Tunisia this year, a senior religious official said on Wednesday.
Official control over Tunisia's 5 000 mosques and small prayer halls has relaxed since the January revolution that toppled autocratic president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, allowing radicals to occupy some of them, Jamel Oueslati told Reuters.
There were also cases where imams and congregations thwarted takeover bids, said Oueslati, who is chief of staff to Religious Affairs Minister Aroussi Mizouri in the caretaker government. He had no figures for such cases.
"After January 14, some extremist tendencies invaded certain mosques," he said, referring to the day Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia. "The ministry has no power to pressure them. We have to wait until things calm down and we'll see what we can do.
"This is an exceptional situation. This tendency is a reaction to the years of oppression and lack of free expression. They now have the opportunity to express their views, often aggressively."
The moderate Islamist party Ennahda, which advocates democracy and pledges not to impose religious bans on the secularist minority here, won 40% of the vote in the October 23 election for a constituent assembly.
It is expected to form a coalition with two large secularist parties to run the country and write a new constitution.
No radical Islamist parties were allowed to contest the election, so the extent of their political support is not known. But few are seen on the streets in Tunis, where many women wear western clothes and do not veil their hair.
Radical Islamists, or salafists, have given Tunisia's secularist elites the jitters. Last month, they clashed with police in Tunis and protested against a film they said insulted Islam.
No problems
Oueslati said the ministry, which oversees the management of mosques and prayer halls and validates the qualifications of imams, had no problems with radicals under the old dictatorship.
Since the revolution did away with authoritarian methods, he said, it could not ask the police to eject the salafists.
"We're trying to discuss with them, but they won't agree to talk," he said. The ministry will be able to take legal measures only once the new government is formed and establishes its authority.
Oueslati said there was no indication the salafists were supported from abroad, but said Tunisia was concerned about satellite television broadcasts that propagated a stricter version of Islam than normally practised here.
The authorities were considering launching a Tunisian Islamic television channel, with question and answer sessions like those popular on foreign stations, he said.
"Most people want to ask questions about religion. When Tunisians don't find someone to ask, some go and watch these satellite channels and can get confused," he said.
If Tunisia creates its own religious channel, he said, "people could address our own experts with their questions instead of turning to the so-called 'sages' of the Gulf or elsewhere".
The state has taken over a religious radio station set up in Tunis several years ago by a relative of Ben Ali, he said.
Oueslati said the majority of Tunisians rejected religious radicalism. "We're moderates, we want to be open to the world," he said. "We're not fundamentalists, as some seem to think."
UK to cut aid towards countries that persecute Christian (ChristianPost)
Up to 75 percent of the religious persecution in the world is against Christians, according to a recent report. In addition, more than 40 members of the British Commonwealth have laws banning homosexuality.“ACN agrees that the persecution of homosexuals is totally unacceptable – as is the persecution of Christians and people of other faiths,” Kyrke-Smith said.Cameron’s remarks were meant to spark the beginning of change to these two issues, the Prime Minister said."This is an issue where we are pushing for movement, we are prepared to put some money behind what we believe. But I'm afraid that you can't expect countries to change overnight,” Cameron said to the BBC.
Christians have come under attack in China, Iran, Burma, Egypt, Pakistan and other countries around the world.It is unclear how the pledge will affect specific countries around the globe.British aid to Pakistan was expected to double this year to 350 million British pounds, according to reports. But the country is at the center of a controversy over its persecution of Christians under a loosely defined blasphemy law.
At least 35 Christians have been killed since 1986 under the country’s blasphemy laws, according to reports.It is unclear how much money the U.K. will withhold from Pakistan and other governments, since the issues are so widespread.The first countries affected by the change could be Malawi, Uganda, Nigeria and Ghana, according to reports.Christian leaders maintain that a good human rights’ record is imperative when choosing which countries to send aid to.
“If governments are responsible for persecution or are failing to take obvious steps to prevent it, their approach raises huge questions about whether they can be trusted to give help to the poorest and most needy in society,” Kyrke-Smith said.
New Middle East / Arab World as Christians flee the region (NewsMax)
(NewsMax.com) 31 Oct 2011 - Attacked by mobs and terrorists, repressed by the growing popularity of fundamentalist Islamic law and cut off from crucial business ties, Christians are fleeing the Middle East in an unprecedented exodus.
More than half of Iraqi Christians — an estimated 400,000 people — have left that country over the last decade as power has fallen in the hands of increasingly hostile Shi'a Islamic leaders.
In Egypt, home to at least 8 million Copt Christians — a number that exceeds the populations of Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, and Tunisia — at least 95,000 Christians have emigrated since March 2011. The number could reach 250,000 by the end of this year, reports the Egyptian Federation of Human Rights.
"At the present rate, the Middle East's 12 million Christians will likely drop to 6 million in the year 2020. With time, Christians will effectively disappear from the region as a cultural and political force," reports Daniel Pipes, a leading scholar of the Middle East.
The most popular destination for fleeing Christians was the United States, which took in an estimated 42,000 of the Egyptian Copts. Other destinations included Canada, Australia and western Europe.
The situation threatens to worsen as the Arab Spring removes dictators who, paradoxically, shielded Christian communities. The parties that are gaining power in Libya, Egypt, Tunisia, and other countries tend to be offshoots of the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood.
In Libya on Sunday, transitional government leader Mustafa Abdul-Jalil laid out a vision for the post-Gadhafi future with an Islamist tint, saying Islamic Sharia law would be the "basic source" of legislation and existing laws that contradict the teachings of Islam would be nullified.
In Egypt, where Christians make up about 10 percent of the population, Coptic Christians have been subjected to a series of attacks. On New Year’s Day, 21 Coptics were killed leaving Saints Church in Alexandria, and dozens more killed in clashes that followed, all leading up to the Oct. 9 demonstration killed at least 24 Christians, many run over by military vehicles, and injured hundreds more.
In an attack on a Baghdad’s Our Lady of Salvation church in October of 2010, 58 Syriac Catholic worshippers were killed and 78 wounded. The al-Qaida-linked Islamic State of Iraq claimed responsibility for the massacre.
On Sunday, in a speech that stirred fears among some Middle East observiers, Jalil called for all laws to conform to Islam. The myriad of practices that declaration covers is widespread and includes charging interest on loans, which Abdel Jalil promised will be abolished.
“We are an Islamic state,” he declared to a cheering crowd in Benghazi Sunday.
While Iraq was not part of the Arab Spring, the toppling of Saddam Husseim in 2003 by the U.S. military created its own vacuum and hundreds of thousands Christians have fled the country due to sectarian strife. In Syria, where Christians make up about 10 percent of the population, a similar fate is feared should President Bashar al-Assad be toppled.
“Virtually the entire region now experiencing the convulsion of the Arab Spring lived inside the very large tent of the Ottoman Empire until World War I,” James Traub wrote in Foreign Policy. “Ottoman rulers welcomed the Jews who fled the Inquisition. In great Ottoman capitals like Aleppo, in modern Syria, Jews, Christians, Kurds, and Sunni Muslims lived in the same neighborhoods.”
However, the fellow of the Center for International Cooperation and contributing writer for the New York Times Magazine noted that the pluralism once found in the region was destroyed by those stoking nationalism to consolidate power.
“Populist rulers can accommodate diversity, as they have largely done in today's Turkey, or they can unleash the forces of sectarianism, as they have in Iraq, where Shiites and Sunnis kill one another and both kill Christians. Older Iraqis will tell you that no one ever spoke of ‘Sunni’ and ‘Shiite’ when they were young; but whether in Bosnia or Iraq, sectarianism, once provoked, has a very long half-life. There is no more volatile substance in the modern nation-state.”
Christian Syrians have clung to the government of Assad, fearing what might follow should it fall, having seen what has happened in neighboring countries. Indeed many Christians who have fled sectarian strife in countries such as Iraq have ended up in Syria.
Traub wrote that while violence against Egyptian Copts does not approach what has occurred in Iraq, it has been growing in recent years.
“There's no wishing away the anti-Coptic attitudes, or prejudices, of ordinary Egyptians. But Copts have lived with that for a long time,” he wrote. “The big question is whether it will get worse — and how much worse. And that will be a matter of political choices and political leadership.”
Traub concluded that the situation could go either way.
“Egypt's new military rulers, like the military ruler they replaced, have proved all too willing to exploit street-level resentment. Power-sharing cannot wait until a new president is elected in mid-2013 or so. Egypt's democratic forces say that they are determined not to allow themselves to be divided against one another. Let's hope so. In Egypt, and all across the former Ottoman outposts of the southern Mediterranean — Tunisia, Libya, Syria — it is not just democracy but also pluralism that is at stake. It would be a terrible thing, and a deeply unnecessary one, if the rise of the former meant the end of the latter.”
More than half of Iraqi Christians — an estimated 400,000 people — have left that country over the last decade as power has fallen in the hands of increasingly hostile Shi'a Islamic leaders.
In Egypt, home to at least 8 million Copt Christians — a number that exceeds the populations of Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, and Tunisia — at least 95,000 Christians have emigrated since March 2011. The number could reach 250,000 by the end of this year, reports the Egyptian Federation of Human Rights.
"At the present rate, the Middle East's 12 million Christians will likely drop to 6 million in the year 2020. With time, Christians will effectively disappear from the region as a cultural and political force," reports Daniel Pipes, a leading scholar of the Middle East.
The most popular destination for fleeing Christians was the United States, which took in an estimated 42,000 of the Egyptian Copts. Other destinations included Canada, Australia and western Europe.
The situation threatens to worsen as the Arab Spring removes dictators who, paradoxically, shielded Christian communities. The parties that are gaining power in Libya, Egypt, Tunisia, and other countries tend to be offshoots of the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood.
In Libya on Sunday, transitional government leader Mustafa Abdul-Jalil laid out a vision for the post-Gadhafi future with an Islamist tint, saying Islamic Sharia law would be the "basic source" of legislation and existing laws that contradict the teachings of Islam would be nullified.
In Egypt, where Christians make up about 10 percent of the population, Coptic Christians have been subjected to a series of attacks. On New Year’s Day, 21 Coptics were killed leaving Saints Church in Alexandria, and dozens more killed in clashes that followed, all leading up to the Oct. 9 demonstration killed at least 24 Christians, many run over by military vehicles, and injured hundreds more.
In an attack on a Baghdad’s Our Lady of Salvation church in October of 2010, 58 Syriac Catholic worshippers were killed and 78 wounded. The al-Qaida-linked Islamic State of Iraq claimed responsibility for the massacre.
On Sunday, in a speech that stirred fears among some Middle East observiers, Jalil called for all laws to conform to Islam. The myriad of practices that declaration covers is widespread and includes charging interest on loans, which Abdel Jalil promised will be abolished.
“We are an Islamic state,” he declared to a cheering crowd in Benghazi Sunday.
While Iraq was not part of the Arab Spring, the toppling of Saddam Husseim in 2003 by the U.S. military created its own vacuum and hundreds of thousands Christians have fled the country due to sectarian strife. In Syria, where Christians make up about 10 percent of the population, a similar fate is feared should President Bashar al-Assad be toppled.
“Virtually the entire region now experiencing the convulsion of the Arab Spring lived inside the very large tent of the Ottoman Empire until World War I,” James Traub wrote in Foreign Policy. “Ottoman rulers welcomed the Jews who fled the Inquisition. In great Ottoman capitals like Aleppo, in modern Syria, Jews, Christians, Kurds, and Sunni Muslims lived in the same neighborhoods.”
However, the fellow of the Center for International Cooperation and contributing writer for the New York Times Magazine noted that the pluralism once found in the region was destroyed by those stoking nationalism to consolidate power.
“Populist rulers can accommodate diversity, as they have largely done in today's Turkey, or they can unleash the forces of sectarianism, as they have in Iraq, where Shiites and Sunnis kill one another and both kill Christians. Older Iraqis will tell you that no one ever spoke of ‘Sunni’ and ‘Shiite’ when they were young; but whether in Bosnia or Iraq, sectarianism, once provoked, has a very long half-life. There is no more volatile substance in the modern nation-state.”
Christian Syrians have clung to the government of Assad, fearing what might follow should it fall, having seen what has happened in neighboring countries. Indeed many Christians who have fled sectarian strife in countries such as Iraq have ended up in Syria.
Traub wrote that while violence against Egyptian Copts does not approach what has occurred in Iraq, it has been growing in recent years.
“There's no wishing away the anti-Coptic attitudes, or prejudices, of ordinary Egyptians. But Copts have lived with that for a long time,” he wrote. “The big question is whether it will get worse — and how much worse. And that will be a matter of political choices and political leadership.”
Traub concluded that the situation could go either way.
“Egypt's new military rulers, like the military ruler they replaced, have proved all too willing to exploit street-level resentment. Power-sharing cannot wait until a new president is elected in mid-2013 or so. Egypt's democratic forces say that they are determined not to allow themselves to be divided against one another. Let's hope so. In Egypt, and all across the former Ottoman outposts of the southern Mediterranean — Tunisia, Libya, Syria — it is not just democracy but also pluralism that is at stake. It would be a terrible thing, and a deeply unnecessary one, if the rise of the former meant the end of the latter.”
Signs of greater freedom in Bhutan (MissionNetworkNews)
(MissionNetworkNews) 26 Oct 2011 - Over the last ten years, Southern Baptists in particular have been praying for the nation of Bhutan, which comes in at #14 on the Open Doors World Watch List for the nations with the worst persecution toward Christians.Although the nation remains extremely oppressive compared to free nations,International Mission Boardreports that prayers over the last decade have clearly been answered.
In 2001, Baptists committed their National Day of Prayer and Fasting for the World and Evangelization to Bhutan, the only country recognized as a Tibetan Buddhist Kingdom. Ten years later, one Bhutanese pastor reports, "The prayers are working."
In the mid-1990s, Bhutan's government banned Christianity. They felt it could be a divisive religion if it grew too strong. It was against the law to "coerce anyone to believe differently."
The latter has not altogether changed. Christians are still not allowed to "proselytize" or partake in any festivity or holiday that is not Buddhist.
But headway has been made on the religious freedom horizon. "We are allowed to have faith in Jesus now," says the same pastor, who was exiled from Bhutan years ago for sharing Christ. The man still helps train others in Bhutan to plant churches, and the churches are growing.
Part of this growth is due to the introduction of New Testament translations in three more languages in the last ten years. "I'm fairly good at English. Yet, there is nothing like reading [the Scriptures] in your own language. Somehow, the Bible and what it's saying becomes more meaningful," says the pastor. "People tell me they understand it now because it's speaking to them."
The churches still face persecution. For some, every time they meet, the power and water supplies are cut off in the homes. When the village has light, the home hosting church has none. They still have to be very careful with whom they share the Truth.
The Lord is stirring hearts, though. Pray that the church in Bhutan would continue to be bold and to listen closely to the Holy Spirit. Pray for more hearts to turn to Christ.
North Sudan to write Islamic constitution (WorldNetDaily)
(WorldNetDaily) 25 Oct 2011 - Sudanese leader Omer Hassan Al-Bashir is moving forward with rewriting the country's constitution to implement Shariah law, according to reports from organizations with links inside the Muslim-dominated nation.International Christian Concern'sNorth Africa specialist Jonathan Rachosays that a Shariah-compliant constitution will mean more suffering for Sudan's remaining Christians.
"This new law (Shariah compliant constitution) is going to affect a significant number of Christians who live in places like Khartoum (the capital city). There are still a significant number of Christians in Sudan," Racho said.
"If Al-Bashir introduces this Shariah law and if he's going to go ahead and adopt an entirely Islamic constitution, Christians and other non-Muslims who live in Sudan will be treated like second-class citizens," Racho said.
"They will be dhimmis and they will not have full rights in the freedom of religion," Racho said.
Racho emphasized the reality of non-Muslim life under Islamic law.
"Shariah law is incompatible with human rights and the human rights that are enshrined in many Western constitutions. So, we are really alarmed by the latest statements by the government of Sudan," Racho said.
Racho says Al-Bashir's move towards Shariah shows that the government of Sudan hasn't learned anything from its recent loss of the south.
"The government of Sudan should realize that the reason the south seceded and the war for secession was because of the Shariah law and now they're repeating the same mistake," Racho said.
Racho says its highly probable that Al-Bashir is moving forward because he believes most of the Christians have left the north.
"Al-Bashir said that 98 percent of the country is Muslim so the new constitution will reflect this reality," Racho said.
Global Response NetworkFounder and President Tom Zurowskisays that while he hasn't heard anything specific, the move fits al-Bashir's pattern.
"It would seem to fall in line with what he believes and how he treated people for years. In other words, it is and has been his 'nature' all along," Zurowski said.
"Bashir has always embraced Shariah as 'good government'. Shariah has been the very ethos of Bashir and the north for a long, long time. People on the ground in the south have known this right along," Zurowski said.
"The Islamization of Sudan (North and South and the rest of the African continent) has been the goal of Bashir's government for years," Zurowski said.
Zurowski adds his concern that the newly independent South Sudan will still have to deal with al-Bashir.
"I fear the south has not heard the last of him. As people leave the north and return to the south, the strength of Islam will only grow in Khartoum. This I guarantee," Zurowski said.
"They will have no restraint and will welcome radical elements of Islam with no fear of the international community," Zurowski said.
Zurowski adds that al-Bashir is now facing the realities of having a new southern neighbor and having to contend with the other North African Islamic countries.
"If Bashir wants the backing of neighboring Arab nations, he must fully embrace Shariah or be seen as a weak leader (or link) among other Arab countries. His ego and arrogance will not allow for that," Zurowski said.
"Though he may not like the south breaking from the north (over oil revenues and having to accept defeat), you can be sure that he enjoys the thought of ridding the north of any non-Muslim black Africans," Zurowski said.
WNDreported in Julyon the establishment of the newly independent South Sudan.
South Sudan's independence took a major portion of Sudan's oil revenues and Al-Bashir is facing a new economic climate as a result.
TheSudan Tribune reports that Al-Bashir is having to tell his government that spending reductions are a priority to relieve economic pressure.
"He also stressed that reducing government spending is needed along with seeking more revenue sources in order to adjust with the new economic reality," the Tribune report said.
"Sudan lost 75 percent of its oil reserves after the south became an independent state which fueled an unprecedented economic boom since the signing of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA)," the Sudan Tribune story also said.
"We want the international community to put pressure on Sudan. One of the important things about Sudan is its reliance on the international community," Racho said.Racho says that even with Al-Bashir's economic woes and aggressive anti-Christian rhetoric, the international community should still lean on Sudan to ensure safety for the country's Christians.
"We (ICC) also want the American Christian community to know that the secession of the South doesn't end the plight of Christians so they should continue to advocate on behalf of the Christians in Sudan," Racho said.
Gaddafi is dead -by Richard Baird
He was crushed for our iniquities - Isaiah 53:5
So, Gadaffi is dead. And unless he had some last minute 'thief-on-the-cross' conversion, we can only assume that he is not with the Lord, but away from Him in accordance with the decision he made.
This is a tragedy.
I wonder what our world would have been like with a Jesus-transformed Gadaffi? Gadaffi certainly experienced the truth of the words of Jesus when he rebuked a disciple for chopping off the servant's ear - that those who live by the sword die by the sword (see Matt 26:52). The death of Gadaffi reminds us that oppressive regimes do not live forever, and what will be truly important is how the church will respond to this - will it utilise a window of opportunity to help the hurting in Libya, or will a more extreme form of Islam come in and fill the gap despite the hopes of a democracy being put in place?
Seeing the images on the media of Gadaffi's death made me grateful that I am part of another kingdom - the kingdom of God. A kingdom made possible by a king who died an even more violent death with even more hate and forces of darkness leveled against Him. Except this king chose to die, because His death meant life for all who would receive it. After rebuking the disciple for cutting off the ear, Jesus said the following:
Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen this way? (Matt 26:53-54)
What an amazing king that would die out of love for His citizens!
May that spirit of love that motivated our King Jesus motivate each and every one of us to not rest until we have done all we can to promote God's kingdom and spread His love!
as the age old saying goes: “the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t know”. In the case of Libya it is a
matter of “the tyrant we knew could possible be better than the tyrant we do not know yet”. The fact of the matter is that
Libya has no history of democracy and therefore no platform to launch a new democracy. Under the rule of Col. Gadaffi
there were clear borders of his tyranny and even though there was no democracy, there was a sense of stability as
everybody “understood the rules”. Under a new rebel leadership the challenge will be not to fall into a destabilising and
chaotic tyranny of retaliation and reprisal. Islamic democracy differs vastly from a western understanding of democracy
and the future of Libya could turn out to be as fatal as that of Iraq and Afghanistan.
The second challenge is the economy. Expectations for economic reforms will be high and, if not met swiftly, could result in
more acts of violence. Libya needs economic reform as much as it needs political reform with an oil-wealth that created a
distorted society.
However, a key consideration is the future of the Church in Libya. Even though only 2.6% of the population of Libya is
Christian it is home to the second largest number of believers of the 8 nations in North Africa. Egypt has 10.3 million
Christians and Libya is second with 171,000 Christians. It might be small in number but it is still significant in presence.
Every Christian that flees the country during these troubled times means there is one witness less in North Africa. Of the
54 nations in Africa, Libya receives the 4th least number of missionaries with less than 18 missionaries for every 1 million
people. The already small candle of a Church under pressure is now facing the danger of being completely extinguished.
Christians, being the minority in these regions, will ultimately be caught in the cross-fire. What will their future be? As
Christians we need to keep a close eye on the revolution. We cannot afford to see the faithful brethren, who have been
“fighting” for ‘liberation’ while being persecuted for their faith, be forgotten? Today, the silent revolution continues as
Christians are suffering in prisons, murdered, raped and beaten for the sake of Christ. If one Arab generation could stand
up and change history forever, this generation of Christians can also stand up for the 200 million persecuted believers in
the world.
matter of “the tyrant we knew could possible be better than the tyrant we do not know yet”. The fact of the matter is that
Libya has no history of democracy and therefore no platform to launch a new democracy. Under the rule of Col. Gadaffi
there were clear borders of his tyranny and even though there was no democracy, there was a sense of stability as
everybody “understood the rules”. Under a new rebel leadership the challenge will be not to fall into a destabilising and
chaotic tyranny of retaliation and reprisal. Islamic democracy differs vastly from a western understanding of democracy
and the future of Libya could turn out to be as fatal as that of Iraq and Afghanistan.
The second challenge is the economy. Expectations for economic reforms will be high and, if not met swiftly, could result in
more acts of violence. Libya needs economic reform as much as it needs political reform with an oil-wealth that created a
distorted society.
However, a key consideration is the future of the Church in Libya. Even though only 2.6% of the population of Libya is
Christian it is home to the second largest number of believers of the 8 nations in North Africa. Egypt has 10.3 million
Christians and Libya is second with 171,000 Christians. It might be small in number but it is still significant in presence.
Every Christian that flees the country during these troubled times means there is one witness less in North Africa. Of the
54 nations in Africa, Libya receives the 4th least number of missionaries with less than 18 missionaries for every 1 million
people. The already small candle of a Church under pressure is now facing the danger of being completely extinguished.
Christians, being the minority in these regions, will ultimately be caught in the cross-fire. What will their future be? As
Christians we need to keep a close eye on the revolution. We cannot afford to see the faithful brethren, who have been
“fighting” for ‘liberation’ while being persecuted for their faith, be forgotten? Today, the silent revolution continues as
Christians are suffering in prisons, murdered, raped and beaten for the sake of Christ. If one Arab generation could stand
up and change history forever, this generation of Christians can also stand up for the 200 million persecuted believers in
the world.
15 October - The light of forgiveness
INcontext just received the following letter from one of the Coptic Bishops in Upper Egypt. Please read, contemplate and pray. The light of forgiveness is indeed shining in Egypt.
------------------------------
Dear Friends,
Thank you for sharing our difficult time.
We are passing through a dark tunnel of violence, feeling grieve of death and injustice. The light of forgiveness is shining with a painful love. Trying to bring forgiveness and justice together is a big struggle, but we are committed to the love that never fails.
We are hardly pressed on every side, yet not crushed. We are perplexed but not lost, persecuted but not forsaken, struck down but not destroyed. We do not lose heart and continue to work for justice to be fulfilled. We continue to love and declare forgiveness so the peace of God will overshadow all hearts. We continue to work on the healing and support of the innocent victims. And we continue to pray for the victims, for the offenders and for a better future.
Thank you all for your love, care, words and actions to bring justice and forgiveness together.
Bishop Thomas
More on the recent massacre of Copts in Cairo: by Mark Durie
13 October 2011: In his last blog post (see perspectives) Mark Durie emphasized the role of the Egyptian military in killing Copts last Sunday. However it seems that most of the killings may have been done by gangs of Muslim men who took to the streets. In his previous post he noted that one of the men's bodies in the morgue had had his throat cut, a mark of a religious ritual slaying which pointed to the activity of religious civilians rather than to soldiers. An important eyewitness account by Reva Bhalla throws light on what was happening:
"As I neared the crowd, scores of mostly young Muslim men pushed their way past me carrying large wooden sticks and whatever rudimentary weapons they could fashion out of household kitchen items. Walking in groups of three or more with a confident swagger, they told everyone along the way that Copts were killing Muslims and soldiers and called on others to take revenge. The reality at this point did not matter; the mere perception that Copts were killing soldiers and Muslims was all that was needed for Muslim mobs to rally. While this was happening, state media was broadcasting messages portraying the Copts as the main perpetrators.
The crowd in Maspero was only about 1,500 people by my estimation, but a growing Muslim mob was pushing it deeper into downtown toward Tahrir Square. From where I and several other observers were standing, many of the Muslim rioters at first seemed able to pass through the military barricade to confront the Copts without much trouble. After some time had passed and the army reinforcements arrived, the military started playing a more active role in trying to contain the clashes, with some footage showing an armored vehicle plowing through the crowd. Some rioters claimed that Salafists from a nearby district had arrived and were chanting, “Islamiyyah, Islamiyyah,” while others parroted state media claims about “foreign elements” being mixed in with the demonstrators. As the night wore on, the scene of the riots split into roughly three sections: the Muslims on one side, the military in the middle and the Copts on the other.
This was not the best environment for a woman, especially one without an Egyptian ID card. A member of the security forces put a gun to the chest of a young, Egyptian-born female reporter, accusing her of being a foreign spy, before a group of young men came between her and her assailant, pulling her back and insisting she was Egyptian. The Muslim mob badly beat at least two young Coptic women in the crowd, after which throngs of young Coptic men gathered to take revenge.
A Copt alone on the wrong side of the army barricade became an immediate target, and I watched as scores of Muslim men carried one Coptic man after another into dark alleyways. These men likely contributed most to the final civilian death count. Cars with crosses hanging from their rearview mirrors were attacked with incendiary devices, their windows smashed."
In the light of this testimony, it is deeply shocking that Egyptian government officials and state media were so quick to stoke anti-Christian enmity (for example by putting out a subsequently discredited report that soldiers were being killed by Christians). This gives more than enough cause for Western governments to call upon Egypt's rulers to protect Egypt's Christians and not sacrifice them to the mob.
A perfect example of a very shabby response to these events is the press release put out by the Whitehouse:
A perfect example of a very shabby response to these events is the press release put out by the Whitehouse:
The President is deeply concerned about the violence in Egypt that has led to a tragic loss of life among demonstrators and security forces. The United States expresses our condolences to the families and loved ones of all who were killed or injured, and stands with the Egyptian people in this painful and difficult time. Now is a time for restraint on all sides so that Egyptians can move forward together to forge a strong and united Egypt. As the Egyptian people shape their future, the United States continues to believe that the rights of minorities – including Copts – must be respected, and that all people have the universal rights of peaceful protest and religious freedom. We also note Prime Minister Sharaf's call for an investigation and appeal to all parties to refrain from violence. These tragic events should not stand in the way of timely elections and a continued transition to democracy that is peaceful, just and inclusive.
For security forces were not killed - this was part of the misinformation put out by Egyptian authorities which incited the killings of Copts. Shockingly President Obama has given official credence to the very reports which have caused innocent people to have their throats cut in dark allies. Not a single Church left in Afghanistan (CNSnews)
(CNSNews) 14 Oct 2011 - There is not a single, public Christian church left in Afghanistan, according to the U.S. State Department.
This reflects the state of religious freedom in that country ten years after the United States first invaded it and overthrew its Islamist Taliban regime.
In the intervening decade, U.S. taxpayers have spent $440 billion to support Afghanistan's new government and more than 1,700 U.S. military personnel have died serving in that country.
The last public Christian church in Afghanistan was razed in March 2010, according to the State Department's latest International Religious Freedom Report. The report, which was released last month and covers the period of July 1, 2010 through December 31, 2010, also states that “there were no Christian schools in the country.”
“There is no longer a public Christian church; the courts have not upheld the church's claim to its 99-year lease, and the landowner destroyed the building in March [2010],” reads the State Department report on religious freedom. “[Private] chapels and churches for the international community of various faiths are located on several military bases, PRTs [Provincial Reconstruction Teams], and at the Italian embassy. Some citizens who converted to Christianity as refugees have returned.”
In recent times, freedom of religion has declined in Afghanistan, according to the State Department.
“The government’s level of respect for religious freedom in law and in practice declined during the reporting period, particularly for Christian groups and individuals,” reads the State Department report.
“Negative societal opinions and suspicion of Christian activities led to targeting of Christian groups and individuals, including Muslim converts to Christianity," said the report. "The lack of government responsiveness and protection for these groups and individuals contributed to the deterioration of religious freedom.”
Most Christians in the country refuse to “state their beliefs or gather openly to worship,” said the State Department.
More than 1,700 U.S. military personnel have died serving in the decade-old Afghanistan war, according to CNSNews.com’s database of all U.S. casualties in Afghanistan. A September audit released jointly by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction and the State Department’s Office of Inspector General, found that the U.S. government will spend at least $1.7 billion to support the civilian effort from 2009-2011.
According to that report, the $1.7 billion excludes additional security costs, which the report says the State Department priced at about $491 million.
A March 2011 report by the Congressional Research Service showed that overall the United States has spent more than $440 billion in the Afghanistan war. Christian aid from the international community has also gone to aid the Afghan government.
Nevertheless, according to the State Department, the lack of non-Muslim religious centers in Afghanistan can be blamed in part on a “strapped government budget,” which is primarily fueled by the U.S. aid.
“There were no explicit restrictions for religious minority groups to establish places of worship and training of clergy to serve their communities,” says the report, “however, very few public places of worship exist for minorities due to a strapped government budget.”
The report acknowledged that Afghanistan’s post-Taliban constitution, which was ratified with the help of U.S. mediation in 2004, can be contradictory when it comes to the free exercise of religion.
While the new constitution states that Islam is the “religion of the state” and that “no law can be contrary to the beliefs and provisions of the sacred religion of Islam,” it also proclaims that “followers of other religions are free to exercise their faith and perform their religious rites within the limits of the provisions of the law.”
However, “the right to change one’s religion was not respected either in law or in practice,” according to the State Department.
“Muslims who converted away from Islam risked losing their marriages, rejection from their families and villages, and loss of jobs,” according to the report. “Legal aid for imprisoned converts away from Islam remains difficult due to the personal objection of Afghan lawyers to defend apostates.”
Also, in recent years, the death punishment for blasphemy “has not been carried out,” according to the State Department.
The report does note that “in recent years neither the national nor local authorities have imposed criminal penalties on coverts from Islam.” The report says that “conversion from Islam is considered apostasy and is punishable by death under some interpretations of Islamic rule in the country.”
According to the State Department report, the United States continues to promote religious freedom in Afghanistan--even though the country no longer has even one Christian church.
“The U.S. government regularly discusses religious freedom with government officials as part of its overall policy to promote human rights,” according to the report.
According to the State Department report, more than 99 percent of the population, estimated between 24 and 33 million people, is either Sunni (80 percent) or Shia (19 percent) Muslim. Non-Muslim religious groups, including the estimated 500 to 8,000 strong Christian community in the country, make up less than 1 percent of the population. Other non-Muslim groups in the country are Sikhs, Bahais, and Hindus.
What future for Christians in Egypt after brutal assault by security forces, Islamists and thugs?
Barnabas Fund : www.barnabasfund.org reports as follows: Thousands of Christians protesting against the torching of a church and other injustices came under brutal attack by security forces, Islamists and violent thugs in Egypt on Sunday.
Video footage (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ps0cZESV-ec&feature=youtu.be) shows military vehicles charging at Christians who were protesting near the state TV building in Maspero Square, Cairo.
They were also shot at, beaten and dragged through the streets by soldiers, Muslim attackers and plain-clothed thugs in what has been described as the worst violence in Egypt since the fall of President Hosni Mubarak in February.
One of the rally organisers said:
The army and police were waiting for us about 200 metres away from the Maspero TV building. They started firing at us before two army armoured vehicles came at great speed and drove into the crowds, going backwards and forwards, mowing people under their wheels.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing an armoured vehicle crush 15 people.
The Christian hospital where many of the wounded were being treated came under sustained attack by a group of men chanting “Islamiya, Islamiya”, and Christian-owned businesses were targeted by thugs.
The Health Ministry has said that 25 people were killed and 329 wounded, though other Egyptian sources put the death toll higher.
Media manipulation
In a bid to control reporting of the incident, the military forcibly closed at least two independent media outlets, while state television broadcast anti-Christian statements. There were also calls for people to take to the streets to “protect” the army.
Although Muslims were among the aggressors, some were also reportedly present to defend the Christians from the security forces and to protest against the military’s continued hold on power. Calls were made for the resignation of the military council.
Christians flee violence
The protest was sparked by the destruction of St George’s Church in Aswan province on 30 September. This was the latest in a long line of violent attacks on Christians in Egypt, which have intensified since the fall of President Hosni Mubarak as hard-line Islamist groups, notably the Salafists, have grown in strength and influence. Christians feel that the military council is not doing enough to protect them and are too lenient on the perpetrators of anti-Christian attacks.
The violence is driving thousands of Christians out of the country. A report by the Egyptian Union of Human Rights Organisations (EUHRO) said that 100,000 Christians had emigrated from Egypt since March. Director Naguib Gabriel said that the Christians were not leaving voluntarily but were being forced out by the aggressive tactics of hard-line Salafist Muslims.
And as the country moves towards parliamentary elections at the end of November, it seems increasingly likely that Islamist groups will emerge triumphant, making the future for Christians in Egypt look ever more dangerous.
Dr Patrick Sookhdeo, International Director of Barnabas Fund, said:
Christians in Egypt have endured decades of discrimination and persecution, but the brutality unleashed against them on Sunday reveals new depths of hostility towards them. It is not surprising that those who can are now leaving the country, but what will happen to those who remain? Are they going to be forced out or subjected to even worse state-sponsored violence?
Please Pray
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11 October 2011 - Egyptians Mourn Massacre of Coptic Christians
Orthodox leaders call for three days of fasting, prayer, mourning.
By Wayne King - Compass Direct
ISTANBUL, October 10 (Compass Direct News) – Funeral services were held today in Cairo for some of the victims of a military attack against a group of Christian protestors that left 26 dead and hundreds wounded.
In the wake of what could be the worst act of violence against Egyptian Christians in modern history, leaders of the Coptic Orthodox Church have called for three days of fasting and prayer for divine intervention, along with three days of mourning.
Leaders from other faith traditions among Egyptian Christians reported similar efforts among their congregations.
Samia Sidhom, managing editor for the Coptic weekly Al Watani, said Copts across Egypt are distraught about the attack and the future for Christians across the country.
“At this point you can’t even imagine what the future will be like,” she said. Speaking specifically about the call for fasting, she added, “At this point, either God does something or you get nothing at all.”
The attack started late Sunday afternoon (Oct. 9) when Christian protestors marching through Cairo began getting pelted with rocks and other projectiles near an overpass that cuts through downtown Cairo. By the time the protestors were able to make it to a television and radio broadcasting building commonly known as the Maspero Building, the army began shooting into the crowd and ramming riot-control vehicles into the protestors.
Witnesses at the scene reportedly said attacks left body parts scattered at the scene. Amateur video at the scene shows two riot-control vehicles plowing into the crowd of protestors.
The protest came in response to a Sept. 30 attack in Upper Egypt, where the Mar Gerges Church building was burned down along with several Christian-owned homes and businesses in Elmarenab village in Aswan.
The church building, which was being renovated, was attacked by local Muslims who claimed the congregation had no right to build it, despite legal documents parish priests put forth to the contrary. The local Muslims claimed the structure was a hospitality house.
Before the attack, parishioners of the church took down crosses outside the building. When it was being destroyed, contractors where removing domes that local Muslims held to be offensive.
The Mar Gerges burning was the third church in Egypt in seven months to be burned down by a mob.
Sidhom said Christian protestors were particularly upset about the church attack because the government blamed them for it, claiming the building was a hospitality house with illegal construction taking place.
Coptic Christians, once a majority in Egypt, now make up 7 to 10 percent of the country’s 80 million people.
Urgent call to prayer from Egypt (see articles below for more information on events - updated on 11 October 2011)
INcontext received the following urgent email from Cairo, Egypt (Picture from Bloomberg News)Dearest friends,
Due to the very tragic events which happened last night sunday 9th of octoberin Cairo (24 christians have been killed and over 200 people injured during demonstrations which started peacefully), the pope Shenouda made a call of prayer to all coptic christians around the world starting from tomorrow morning tuesdaythe 11th of october. His call is to encourage anyone to pray and fast during 3 days for our country.
With this message we would like to kindly ask you to join us, according to your possibilities and capacities, during the 3 days of fasting and prayers for our land which needs so much your intercession. Let's stand with our brothers and sisters who are passing by a terrible tragedy, sorrow, fear and incredible challenges we have not seen or heard of since the revolution.
Together, let's cry to our heavenly Father so that the situation in our area may change and that the leadership may recognize the existence of the christians and the rights of 15 millions of christians in Egypt. In the media, in the social aspect, there is a total ignorance of the christians and their rights.
This afternoon, thousands of people were at the funerals which took place in the large cathedral in El Embassyia, Cairo. A great sadness and sorrow was on the entire assistance.
As we are writing, the army is threatening the christians who are demonstrating down town. Hundreds are already in prison.
Thank you for your precious intercession and receive our sincere blessings.
Joshua
Cairo Riots Leave at Least 24 Dead as Copts Clash With Security Forces
From Bloomberg News: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-10-09/cairo-riots-leave-more-than-20-dead-as-copts-clash-with-security-forces.html. By Zaid Sabah and Sara Forden - Oct 10, 2011
Coptic Christian protesters clashed with security forces in Cairo yesterday, killing at least 24 people and injuring more than 200 as shooting broke out and cars were set on fire, according to news reports.
Several hundred Egyptian Christians protesting a recent attack on a church came under assault by people in plain clothes who fired pellets at them and pelted them with stones, according to the Associated Press. Some protesters may have snatched weapons from soldiers and turned them on the military, in addition to throwing rocks and bottles, the AP reported.
The death toll from the violence was at least 24, the AP reported, citing a health ministry official. Egypt’s military deployed more than 1,000 security forces and armored vehicles along the Nile where clashes began, AP said. Protests continued late into the night with the military imposing a curfew until 7 a.m. local time in central Cairo, Agence France-Presse reported.
Prime Minister Essam Sharaf said in a televised speech that the clashes were “unjustified violence” that “raised fear and concerns about the future of this homeland” and the country’s transition to democracy.
Protesters set military vehicles on fire as soldiers fired into the air to disperse the Coptic Christians, who were protesting the demolition of a church in Aswan, Egypt, last week, Al Jazeera reported. The church in southern Egypt was demolished Oct. 1, according to Shorouk News, the website of the Egyptian newspaper El-Shorouk.
Governor’s Removal
Protesters were demanding that the governor of Aswan be removed and the church rebuilt, according to Al Jazeera. Egyptian security forces arrested dozens of protesters near the state television building, according to state-run Middle East News Agency.
The demonstrations had started peacefully with a march and a sit down at the state television building in the center of the capital but degenerated when protesters came under attack by men in plainclothes who pelted them with stones, according to demonstrators cited by AP.
Security forces used tear gas to disperse the protesters, Al Jazeera said. Protests also broke out in four other provinces in Egypt, according to Al Arabiya television.
Coptic Christians are the largest religious minority in the Middle East and account for about 9 percent of Egypt’s population of more than 80 million people, according to The World Factbook of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency.
Discrimination
Religious discrimination had been encouraged in Egypt by the government of former president Hosni Mubarak, who was toppled in a popular revolt earlier this year, according to a U.S. State Department reporton religious freedom published last year.
Mubarak’s regime had failed to prosecute perpetrators of violence against Coptic Christians in a number of cases and failed to redress laws, particularly with respect to church construction and renovation, which discriminate against Christians, according to the State Department report.
"What is happening now is not clashes between Muslims and Christians but attempts to spark chaos and strife among the homeland sons," Prime Minister Sharaf wrote on his Facebook page. "I call upon Egyptians to not respond to the calls for strife."
Sharaf was in contact with military leaders and church officials, attempting to contain the crisis, MENA said.
Gunshots rang out at the scene outside the state television building, where lines of riot police with shields tried to hold back hundreds of Christian protesters chanting “This is our country,” as smoke filled the air from the burning vehicles, according to an AP report. Protesters also gathered in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, according to Al Arabiya.
Persecution of Christians in the Arab World (The Inquirer)
(TheInquirer) 05 Oct 2011 - IF THE "Arab Spring" bathed the Middle East in some much-needed sunlight, there's at least one group that sees ominous clouds on the not-so-distant horizon. That would be the region's embattled and apprehensive Christians, who've lived a kind of double life for many decades.
While nominally citizens of the countries they inhabit, most non-Muslims, the majority of whom are Christian, are treated as second-class members of society because so many governments in that part of the world adhere to sharia, and anyone familiar with the Islamic legal system knows that it codifies discrimination.
For example, while Christians are free (and in some cases pressured) to convert to Islam, Muslims are barred from converting to Christianity. In a notorious case now in the headlines, Yusuf Naderkhani, a Christian pastor, has been sentenced to death in Iran for refusing to renounce his faith, to which he'd converted as a teen.
And Gabriel Said Reynolds recently wrote in Commonweal that an Egyptian Christian who petitioned the government to allow his daughters to receive a Christian education was forced into hiding after receiving death threats when his request was made public.
So Christians in the Middle East can be forgiven if they don't embrace the Arab Spring with as much fervor as their Muslim brothers and sisters because - to put it bluntly - the devil they know is at least more predictable than the devil they don't - which is, without a doubt, Islamic fundamentalism.
And in many parts of the Middle East, that's the only form of Islam there is, despite what you hear from organizations such as the Council on American Islamic Relations.
While Christians were as oppressed as the next citizen in countries when secular tyrants like Hosni Mubarak, Moammar Gadhafi and Saddam Hussein ruled the roost, at least they weren't prey to the sectarian hostility rampant in other places such as Iran and Afghanistan, hotbeds of jihadism.
It's true that Egyptian Christians were always treated poorly by the government, but so was the Islamic Brotherhood, which was crushed into submission by the iron will of Mubarak and his military junta. Christians were merely as persecuted - or as tolerated - as any other group that the government didn't like.
But now, as the tyrants topple like dominoes, Christians have good reason to worry that they will be unique and tragic victims of this Arab awakening.
Christians fear Muslim protest in Pakistan (SperoNews)
(SperoNews) 05 Oct 2011 - Malik Mumtaz Hussain Qadri, the self-confessed assassin of the former Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer, has been sentenced to death twice by the ATC (Anti Terrorism Court) on October 1 at the Adyala jail, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. It was on January 4 that Qadri, one of Taseer’s elite body guards, shot and killed the governor for his views on Pakistan’s Islamic blasphemy law outside a restaurant in KohsarMarket, Islamabad. ATC Justice Syed Pervez Ali Shah, said "slaying the late governor was a heinous crime and there is no justification for it."Qadri had admitted before the judge that no one had compelled him to murder the former governor. A former constable in the Punjab Police and a member of the Elite Force, Qadri tried to justify his act of assassination by stating that he killed Salman Taseer for supporting Asia Bibi, a Christian woman who was sentenced to death for supposed blasphemy. Taseer believed that Bibi had been wrongly convicted of committing blasphemy. After what Qadri claims was a brief verbal altercation, during which Taseer refused to back down from his stance, Qadri claims that he lost his temper and shot the governor in anger.
According to Qadri’s statement, he had approached the late governor on January 4 and tried to talk to him about his public support for Asia Bibi and his advocacy for the abolition of the blasphemy laws. Qadri’s defense attorneys adopted a simple strategy to save the self-confessed killer: Taseer’sstatements were “unbecoming of a Muslim” and thereforeQadri, a devout Muslim, could not control his emotions and resorted to an instantaneous act. As a precautionary measure, the court hearing the case was also told that Taseer’sstatements could have inflamed the passions of any Muslim which means that even if Qadri had not committed this heroic act, someone else would have.
Qadri`s lawyer, Raja Shujahur Rehman, told the media outside Adyala Jail that "my client had also submitted a written statement of 40 pages, referring to 11 Quranic verses, 28 quotes from Sunnah and several other eminent Muslim jurists with reference to Islamic jurisprudence. The prosecution raised no objection over the Qadri`s statement, therefore the court validly admitted this statement and made it a part of the court record."
Qadri’s lawyer defended Qadri’s actions as having come as a result of a sudden provocation, ‘automatism’ in legal terms, which as a defense means negating the existence of actus reus , the actual act of committing a crime. This is supplemented by referring to religion, religious teachings and the sanctity of the Prophet Muhammad, not just to ground the automatism plea but to appeal to the court’s own conscience and piety. Implied in this is also a veiled threat that some issues stand above and beyond the law and institutional hierarchy and must be treated by a touchstone other than that which placed Taseer in a position of authority.
Ironically, this effect is to be achieved by referring to Taseer’s alleged conduct as having violating the blasphemy law and the inability or unwillingness of the state to proceed against him which, in this case, forced Qadri to act on his own. The inevitability ofTaseer’s murder is argued by the defense was therefore, “if Qadri had not killed him, someone else would have.”
Far from showing any remorse, Qadri got launched into a sermon-like diatribe against Governor Taseer, attempting to justify his actions by quoting passages from the Quran, the sayings of Muhammad, as well as precedents in Islamic law.
Shujaur Rahman, one of Qadri’s lawyers, meanwhile, tried to smear the late governor’s personal character in a manner that was so disturbing as to prompt the judge and the prosecution lawyers to ask how such ad hominem attacks on the governor’s private life were relevant to the case. “He was a governor, a public office holder. He should not have acted like that and expressed views against the public sentiment,” said Rahman, apparently feeling he had adequately justified his actions.
It should be clear that Qadri’s lawyers were cleverly relying on areas of law even as their underlying argument is grounded in the justification of the act as being religious and supra-legal and therefore not to be judged on the basis of legalities.
The problem with this defence is not just its logical inconsistency but also the fact thatQadri’s act, from what we know, does not fall under the automatism plea. He murderedTaseer in cold blood and with meticulous planning. He was waiting for an opportunity and when he found it, he unleashed his firearm on a defenseless, unsuspecting man.
Justice Syed Pervez Ali Shah after completing arguments, sentenced Mumtaz Qadri to death twice under 302 PPC (Pakistan Penal Code) and 7,8 ATA ( Anti Terrorism Act). According to legal experts, Qadri has the right to appeal the verdict within seven days.Qadri`s lawyer Rehman said “We will appeal against the verdict at the High Court.”Mumtaz Qadri has been shifted to death row in the Adyala Jail, Rawalpindi.
Crowds gathered outside the jail to support Mumtaz Qadri and protested against the decision. They chanted slogans in support of Qadri and called him a hero. The decision has sparked protests by the religious parties on the Murree road in Rawalpindi. The religious parties have announced that they will launch country wide protests against thedeicison and in support of Qadri.
Catholic Bishop Rufin Anthony of Rawalpindi/Islamabad said, “ Despite the pressure from the religious groups this is a very brave decision by the ATC. For the first time in Pakistan a person involved in the high profile assassination has been sentenced. SalmanTaseer, an advocate of the reforms in the Blasphemy law, was silenced for his views: he took a stand for what he believed was right. Taseer didn’t offend anybody and nor did he use offensive words; he just asked for repealing a law that was put in place by a dictator and has caused a suffocating environment not just for non-Muslims but Muslims of this country, equally. We should uproot the cause too which instigated this man to take this heinous action. Qadri was celebrated as a hero. This insensitive and extremist ideology should be discouraged. Respecting people`s faith and emotions is a human quality, everyone has the right to follow his / her faith. It is not necessary for a person to agree with other people`s beliefs. We all need to work together towards a tolerant society."
Rodrick Samson is Spero correspondent in Pakistan.
Salafi leader threatens Christianity in Egypt (PakistanChristianPost)
(PakistanChristianPost) 26 Sept 2011 - Egyptian Islamic cleric and Salafi Leader Muhammad Mustafa, also known as "Abu Shadi", has used his position to incite vile hatred against the coptic community. He delivered a disgraceful speech, that contained direct threats aimed at the Coptic community.It is truly hoped SCAF and the interim Government will arrest this individual and bring his taunts and threats to an end, sending a clear message that all Egyptians are equal irrespective of faith as stated in the constitution.Incredibly the radical cleric commenced by alleging the Egyptian revolution was the direct result of the Salafi movement: He unambiguously stated:“Nobody denies that the Salafi current has the greatest share in initiating the revolution, as it exposed to the people the loyalty of the Arab regimes to the West, their squandering of the resources of the Umma [Islamic Nation], and their failing to preserve its holy sites." The leader of the Jihadi-Salafi movement continued by saying, "the Salafis never stayed away from politics, but rather applied it in accordance to their understanding of Sharia, and that they also played the role of "enlightening before revolutionizing," recognizing that popular revolts are the greatest means for change."
Abu Shadi then made some shocking statements, that can only be viewed as divisive and direct threats aimed at the Coptic Community and those striving for secularism.
1. He alleged he was one of Tahrir Square’s preachers during the revolution,
2. That Jihadi Salafism is present in Egypt, and in large numbers, in the millions, according to him.
3. In his view (Abu Shadi), the street [i.e., the average Muslim Egyptian] is in complete agreement with Salafism, and the attack on the Salafis comes from the "enemies of Islam,” or as he describes them, "the forces of infidels and crusaders.”
4. Moreover, he asserts with confidence, that the Egyptian Islamic movements have the "mechanism to deal with the infidels"
5. Abu Shadi sees that it was only fear, and perhaps error [of judgment], which led some Salafi preachers to call against going out [to protest] against Mubarak.
6. He pointed out that Mubarak fought Islamists, and harmed Islam, because he helped the crusaders occupy Iraq and Afghanistan,
7. Adding that "there is no obedience to whoever does not govern according to Sharia."
8. For him, the conditions to be a ruler of a Muslim state are "to be Muslim, masculine, and possess [religious] knowledge—even to the degree of being an exegete".
9. He called upon the Islamic movements to carefully distinguish between believers and infidels.
10. He then said: The Nassara [or “Nazarenes,” the Quranic appellation for Christians], - must either pay jizya [tribute, and assume inferior status], - or convert to Islam, - or war.
11. He adds: for the coming struggle is the clash of civilizations, and Islam will be victorious and rule the world with an "Islamic caliphate"...
12. Abu Shady belittles the symbols of secularism in the "lands of Muslims," describing them as few [in number], and points out that there is confusion among the people regarding "the fact that they are infidels.”
13. He threatened that a statement will be shortly published by the Salafis, revealing the truth about them [the secularists], which "will make the masses beat them with shoes, for we must fight them because they are in the trench of infidelity”.
The statements of the Salafi leader are of major concern to all Copts and civilised Muslims. There is a growing expectation the Government will quickly deal with individuals that make direct, indirect, or veiled threats that attack the heart of national unity and equality. Just as alarming is the fact the Brotherhood have made an alliance with the Salafi "El- Nour" (The Light) political party. It comes as no surprise the brotherhood does not condemn such divisive statements and tear up their alliance pact in protest.Radical Islamists put their narrow vision ahead of National Unity and patriotism.We ask all to pray for The Coptic community during this difficult period.As the November 21 election nears, may God instill decency, tolerance and unity in the hearts of all Egyptians?
93 000 Coptic Christians have left Egypt since March 2011 (allmasryalyoum)
(AllMAsryAlyoum) 26 Sept 2011 - Nearly 93,000 Coptic Christians have left Egypt since 19 March, a report by an Egypt-based Coptic NGO has said.
The number may increase to 250,000 by the end of 2011, according to Naguib Gabriel, the head of the Egyptian Federation of Human Rights, which released the report.The current trend of Coptic immigration endangers the structure of Egypt's population, Gabriel told Al-Masry Al-Youm on Sunday. He urged the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) and the Egyptian cabinet to work on curbing the phenomenon.Gabriel based the data stated in the report on information from Coptic churches and communities abroad.
"Nearly 16,000 migrated to California, while 10,000 moved to New Jersey, 8000 to New York, and 8000 to other American states," according to Gabriel. "Around 14,000 left to Australia, 17,000 to Canada, and 20,000 settled in the Netherlands, Italy, England, Austria, Germany and France."Gabriel attributed the Coptic emigration to hardline Salafi groups seeking to apply Islamic law, deny Copts senior government posts, and reduce incoming tourism. He also blamed attacks on Coptic churches and the government's failure to bring attackers to justice.Coptic author Kamal Zakher said the numbers in the report were exaggerated, but that concern over Coptic immigration is justifiable.
Migration procedures take up to a year to complete, so it is illogical to say the January revolution caused the Copts to leave the country, Zakher said.The head of the Evangelical denomination in Egypt, Safwat al-Bayadi, also voiced his anxiety about Coptic immigration, noting that the continuation of the trend depends on the political forces ruling the country in the future.Christians form nearly 10 percent of Egypt’s population. Following the ouster of former President Hosni Mubarak in February, concerns have been growing among Christians over the mounting political influence of Islamist groups, some of which view Copts as infidels and deny them the right to assume top government posts.
However, Egypt’s biggest Islamist group, the Muslim Brotherhood, had stressed Christians' right to the presidency and accepted them as members in its political arm, the Freedom and Justice Party.
Islamic extremists ready to send militia to Moluccas (Agenzia Fides)
(Agenzia Fides) 22 Sept 2011 -Jakarta (Agenzia Fides) - The radical Islamic group "Front Pembela Islam," FPI has announced that it "is ready to send militia to fight a holy war against Christians in the Moluccas" as refered by Fides sources in the Indonesian Christian community, an official statement of FPI urges Muslims in Ambon to "wake up" and promises all necessary support, such as "new soldiers for the jihad".
Ten days ago Ambon, capital of the Maluku islands (the Indonesian archipelago in the East) was rocked by clashes between Christians and Muslims, triggered by provocateurs after a car accident in which a Muslim man was the victim (see Fides 12 and 13/9/2011).
The inter-religious tension - explain sources of Fides - represents today an opportunity for those who want to fuel the conflict. The Secretary General of FPI, Muhammad Shabri Lubis, said: "We invited all FPI activists around the country, to get ready to go to Ambon to defend the Muslims and to defend their homeland". The Front also announced that soon it will "open up a command post in Ambon", and some "humanitarian shelters for refugees", ensuring full solidarity with the Muslims of the island. Hence the appeal to "support the financial, logistics and medical needs of the Muslims in Ambon" and to "pray for the oppressed brothers".
The appeal on behalf of FPI - which is fueling the extremist religious conflicts especially in Java, in the suburbs of the metropolis Jakarta - is worrying the Indonesian Christians in the Moluccas and in the capital. "The risk - a source of Fides explains - is that the religious war in the Moluccas is fueled by external forces, which have their own agenda, just as what happened in the conflict a decade ago". Currently the situation in Ambon is peaceful and relatively stable, but tension remains high. Fides sources report that the Christian church of Shiloh, on the border between the Christian and Muslim area, have started the liturgical celebrations again, although there remains a large deployment of police forces on the island, including the protection of places of worship. Religious leaders, Christians and Muslims, continue to work to maintain social and religious peace. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 21/09/2011)
Ten days ago Ambon, capital of the Maluku islands (the Indonesian archipelago in the East) was rocked by clashes between Christians and Muslims, triggered by provocateurs after a car accident in which a Muslim man was the victim (see Fides 12 and 13/9/2011).
The inter-religious tension - explain sources of Fides - represents today an opportunity for those who want to fuel the conflict. The Secretary General of FPI, Muhammad Shabri Lubis, said: "We invited all FPI activists around the country, to get ready to go to Ambon to defend the Muslims and to defend their homeland". The Front also announced that soon it will "open up a command post in Ambon", and some "humanitarian shelters for refugees", ensuring full solidarity with the Muslims of the island. Hence the appeal to "support the financial, logistics and medical needs of the Muslims in Ambon" and to "pray for the oppressed brothers".
The appeal on behalf of FPI - which is fueling the extremist religious conflicts especially in Java, in the suburbs of the metropolis Jakarta - is worrying the Indonesian Christians in the Moluccas and in the capital. "The risk - a source of Fides explains - is that the religious war in the Moluccas is fueled by external forces, which have their own agenda, just as what happened in the conflict a decade ago". Currently the situation in Ambon is peaceful and relatively stable, but tension remains high. Fides sources report that the Christian church of Shiloh, on the border between the Christian and Muslim area, have started the liturgical celebrations again, although there remains a large deployment of police forces on the island, including the protection of places of worship. Religious leaders, Christians and Muslims, continue to work to maintain social and religious peace. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 21/09/2011)
Islamic terrorists targeting Christians (AsiaNews)
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(AsiaNews.it) 21 Sept 2011 - Without a leader and desperately needing funds, Abu Sayyaf Islamic terrorists continue to terrorise Mindanao, the Philippines’ predominantly Muslim autonomous region. Sources told AsiaNews that the group was planning to abduct nuns and men religious to destabilise the region.In recent days, extremists placed three bombs near religious buildings in Cotabato, including the city’s cathedral, without causing casualties. However, fearing more attacks, the authorities have placed the Bishop’s Residence and the Churches of the Rosary and Queen of Peace under tight surveillance. Today, Filipino soldiers shot three militants during the rescue operation of Luisa Galvez, a businesswoman abducted on 4 September. The risk areas are Cotabato, General Santos, Sulu, Lanao and Maguindanao, where thousands of residents have been forced to flee their village as a result of fighting between militants and army troops.
Despite President Aquino’s promises, the decades-old war between Islamic extremists and the Filipino army is far from over. At the diplomatic level, talks between the government and the extremists of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) are deadlocked whilst rebels continued to refuse the president’s autonomy offer. However, the MILF’s ranks have shrunk and many of its former commanders are working with the army to release hostages in the hands of Abu Sayyaf, the most dangerous terrorist group in the region. In 2010, the group carried out 11 abductions earning US$ 5,000,000 in ransom money. It has close to 400 fighters, and remains without a central leader after several of its top commanders were killed or captured by troops in recent years. Its two biggest factions are based in Basilan and in nearby Sulu province.
The group still holds two Filipino-Americans, an Indian, a Malaysian and a Japanese. Some analysts believe that some army generals are working with the militants in order to keep tensions high and get a cut in the money generated by weapons sales, abductions and drug smuggling.
Somali Islamic extremists hunting down Christians (OneNewsNow)
(OneNewsNow) 19 Sept 2011 - Violent persecution against Christians continues in Somalia, and one Christian watchdog group thinks Islamic extremists are to blame.
The latest incident took place in Hudur City, where Jonathan Racho of International Christian Concern (ICC) reports that "Islamic radicals kidnapped a Christian brother and then beheaded him. His decapitated body was discovered."
Racho believes Islamic extremists from al-Shabaab, which has ties to al-Qaeda, are responsible for the murder. But this is not the first time the extremists have done something like this, he says.
"Members of the Islamic radical group al-Shabaab have made their intentions very clear that they want to get rid of Christians in Somalia," Racho notes. Juma Nuradin Kamil is the latest martyr for Christ in the country over which al-Shabaab holds much control.
"They have been hunting down Christians in the country," the ICC spokesman laments. "And wherever they find Christians, they martyr them. So, it's very, very difficult for Christians to freely worship the Lord in Somalia."
Racho believes Islamic extremists from al-Shabaab, which has ties to al-Qaeda, are responsible for the murder. But this is not the first time the extremists have done something like this, he says.
"Members of the Islamic radical group al-Shabaab have made their intentions very clear that they want to get rid of Christians in Somalia," Racho notes. Juma Nuradin Kamil is the latest martyr for Christ in the country over which al-Shabaab holds much control.
"They have been hunting down Christians in the country," the ICC spokesman laments. "And wherever they find Christians, they martyr them. So, it's very, very difficult for Christians to freely worship the Lord in Somalia."
Racho is calling for Christians throughout the world to pray that the Christians in Somalia will remain strong in their faith and emerge victoriously from this situation.
Muslim extremists in Sudan to target Christians (CDN)
(CDN) 15 Sept 2011 - Muslim extremists have sent text messages to at least 10 church leaders in Khartoum saying they are planning to target Christian leaders, buildings and institutions, Christian sources in Khartoum said.“We want this country to be purely an Islamic state, so we must kill the infidels and destroy their churches all over Sudan,” said one text message circulating in Khartoum last month. The text messages were sent in July and August.Church leaders here said they fear more persecution as they and their flocks become targets of local Islamists. In addition, Muslim extremists from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh arrive in Sudan every two weeks to undergo training in secret camps in Khartoum before they are sent to various parts of Sudan to preach Islam and demolish church buildings, according to a Christian source in Khartoum. On July 18 a group of Muslim extremists attacked the home of Anglican Church of Sudan Bishop Andudu Adam Elnail in an attempt to kill him and two other pastors, Luka Bulus and Thomas Youhana, who all happened to be out of the house at the time, sources said. No one was hurt, but the assailants left a threatening letter warning them of similar attacks.
Bulus is a supporter of the Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Movement, a southern Sudan militant group long locked in battle with northern government forces, further making him a target of Islamic extremists. Bishop Elnail, whose church building the Sudanese military burned in June in war-torn Kadugli of South Kordofan region, oversees Nuba Mountain Episcopal churches as head of the Kadugli Episcopal Diocese.Bulus confirmed the July 18 house attack, which took place in Omdurman, the twin city of Khartoum, at around 7 p.m., by telephone from his hiding place. Muslim extremists are still searching for him, the sources said.“We are aware of your anti-Islamic activities,” the letter left in Bishop Elnail’s home states. “We have been monitoring the evangelization that you carry out these days, and therefore we declare Jihad against you.” The letter left on the gate of the bishop’s house asserts that Sudan is an Islamic land, and that the authors secretly plan to carry out a series of attacks to destroy church buildings across “Sudan,” which denotes the north following the secession of South Sudan on July 9. “We declare Jihad against you in order to protect Muslims from your infidel influence, because you are the enemy of Islam,” it states.
Christian sources in Khartoum said they take the threats seriously.
“These people are not joking – they can kill any Christian,” said a church leader who requested anonymity for security reasons.
Elnail of the Kadugli Episcopal Diocese told a U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee on Africa on Aug. 4 that he was not sure he would be alive if he had not been called to Washington, D.C. to testify.“I am told that armed men went house to house, searching for me, calling my name,” Elnail reportedly told the congressional representatives. In an incident on June 28, Muslim extremists burned down a church building belonging to the Lutheran Evangelical Church of the Sudan at 7:38 p.m. in Omdurman. Christian sources said two people were seen running out of the church building as it went up in flames.
“The Muslims are targeting our church in fear that many Muslims will leave Islam for Christianity,” says a Lutheran Evangelical Church of the Sudan letter, written in Arabic, that was circulated to churches in Khartoum.
The destroyed Evangelical Lutheran Church building was opposite the Ansar Al Suna Mosque, where preachers publicly insult Christianity every Friday, a Christian source said.
Hostilities toward Christians by the Islamic government in Khartoum began to increase last year following a statement by President Omar al-Bashir, when he asserted that his second republic would be based on sharia (Islamic law) and Islamic culture, with Arabic as the official language. The Rev. Ramadan Chan Liol, general secretary of the Sudan Council of Churches, told Ecumenical News International last month that threats have caused Christians to stay away from some church services, and some government leaders have ordered pastors to close down churches without proper documentation.
Bhutan prime Minister to amend law (CDN)
CDN) 14 Sept 2011 - Christians in this Buddhist nation have been awaiting a decision on whether they will receive official recognition, but it appears they will first see a measure against fraudulent conversion that the prime minister acknowledges is essentially designed to deter evangelism.| Bhutan Prime Minister Jigmi Yoser Thinley |
Prime Minister Jigmi Yoser Thinley told Compass the proposed clause in the penal code was “essentially… to deter conversion,” saying there was no reason why Christians should seek to induce others to join their faith.“There are a few Christians and followers of other faiths as well [in Bhutan], and there is no difficulty with that,” Thinley said. “That is good… we promote diversity of cultures. But then, when there are those who try to convert others without understanding the values, the principles, and the essence of the other religion, we have here what constitutes the worst form of discrimination.”
In an exclusive interview in his office, Thinley said Christians seek to convert other Bhutanese citizens with the power of money and an attitude of spiritual superiority, accusations that Christian leaders in the country denied. Thinley said “inducing a poor person” by “manipulating the social and economic disadvantages and circumstances of that person, to accept your religion, on the ground that it is superior to mine,” divides society. “And I have seen families being divided in the country,” he said. “I have seen communities being divided.”The government of Bhutan commands an unusually high level of respect from its people. Christians, estimated to be between 6,000 and 15,000, equally admire the country’s leaders, who in recent months appeared willing to grant them legal recognition but remain indecisive.
Christian leaders said they were distressed with the government’s notion of Christians and Christianity, which they said was “far from true.” “No evidence of such allegations has come to our knowledge, but still we will never try to defend anyone who indulges in unethical conversions,” said a Christian leader from Thimphu on condition of anonymity. “There might be some who are doing this, and the authorities must deal with them strictly for breaking the law of the country.” Several other pastors and leaders sitting with him nodded in agreement.
The prime minister, who has headed Bhutan’s first fully democratic government since 2008, said Christianity can be beneficial to society.“Having read most of the books [of the Bible], having attended church in my young days every Sunday, and then again every weekday when I was in school except for Saturday, I know that it is a good moral and ethical framework for the functioning of a good society,” he said. “But just as I would not encourage and not think well of a Buddhist trying to convert a Christian, I think I feel the same way [about a Christian trying to convert a Buddhist].”Thinley stressed that religion was “all about ethics and morality,” but that when it is spread through immoral and unethical acts, “it’s a crime against humanity.”
“When a dying patient is being whispered into the ear, [to the effect that ] the only way to survive is to disown your religion and to accept this new faith, and when this whisper is being done by a doctor or by an attending nurse, I think it is the greatest sin one can commit,” he said. “When a poor parent is being told that, ‘Look, your child cannot go to school; you change your faith and we will provide you the possibility to ensure that your child can attend school,’ that is corruption. And when a poor family is being told that, ‘Why don’t you embrace our faith because then you don’t have to bear any cost for the burial of this person who is about to die in your family – it will be free,’ that’s corruption; that’s bribery.”
Some Buddhist sects in Bhutan expect their adherents to have elaborate, expensive funeral rituals.Christians said officials were wrong to view them negatively and called for dialogue with the government. Compass learned that there has been no formal interaction between the government and Christians leaders apart from some individual pastors occasionally meeting an official.
Several stories have appeared in Bhutan’s newspapers claiming that converts were being paid money by other Christians from Western countries. Compass met many journalists who sincerely believed that foreign Christian groups were offering money for converts.“Perhaps this is what has created such mistrust between us and our government,” said the Christian leader. “We hope the government would give us a chance to defend ourselves. We are more than willing to address the government’s concerns.”He added that journalists should speak to pastors and other church leaders to verify stories about inducements to convert.
“We will extend full cooperation, as we do not believe in using coercion or inducement to convert others – it is against our Christian tenets,” he said, adding, “We do not fear the penal code amendment.”Bhutan Minister for Home and Culture Minjur Dorji told Compass that the passing and implementation of the penal code amendment “may take some more time, due to procedures involved.” Asked if some could misuse the law to make false allegations and thereby create religious disharmony, as in Indian states with similar anti-conversion legislation, Dorji promised he would not allow that to happen.
Official RecognitionDorji said his department had yet to decide whether Christians could be recognized officially.“There is no legal provision for that,” he said. “It’s not in the constitution, and not in the Religious Organizations Act.”The Religious Organizations Act states that one of its main objectives is to “facilitate the establishment of ROs [Religious Organizations] in order to benefit the religious institutions and protect the spiritual heritage of Bhutan [which is Buddhism, according to the constitution].” Only Buddhist and Hindu organizations have been registered by the country’s authority regulating religious organizations, known as the Chhoedey Lhentshog.Roughly 75 percent of Bhutan’s population of 708,484 is Buddhist, and Hindus, mainly ethnic Nepalese, account for around 22 percent, according to Operation World.
The constitution of Bhutan allows religious freedom. Article 7(4) states, “A Bhutanese citizen shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion,” and Article 3(2) says, “The Druk Gyalpo [King of Bhutan] is the protector of all religions in Bhutan.” Christians say they are thankful to their political leaders and the country’s highly revered king, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, for granting religious freedom to all communities. But no church or Christian organization is a legal entity yet.“The church in Bhutan is not underground any longer; we meet regularly on Sundays without any interference by the authorities,” said the Christian source. “But we are not allowed to function as an organization with a legally recognized status.”
Until Christian groups are legally recognized, their rights will remain ambiguous, he added.“Legal status is also imperative for us to be able to actively engage in nation-building,” said another Christian leader. “We love our country as much as other Bhutanese do. And we are equally proud of our nation’s distinct culture.”One of the world’s most isolated countries until recent years, Bhutan began to open up to the outside world in the 1970s. Former King Jigme Singye Wangchuck envisioned democracy in the country in 2006, after the rule of an absolute monarchy for over a century.
Positive perspective on Egypt (Reporter)
(Reporter) 12 Sept 2011 - For Christians, the situation produced by the revolution seems to offer a bit of breathing room. Finally, it’s possible to repair a church, or a school belonging to a religious congregation, without having to present an official request addressed to the Presidency of the Republic (which did everything in its power to impede the realization of any project, small or large, which came from a Christian environment.) Spaces have been reclaimed to create projects benefitting people with handicaps, or projects for workers with the aim of forming young people in the occupations demanded by the local market.
It’s important to take advantage of these margins of liberty created by the thawra (“revolution”), because with the upcoming elections this freedom of action could be tossed away.
Projects have also been created designed to invite Muslims to get to know their Christian fellow citizens, with the aim of curing the wound from which Egypt presently suffers: Religious segregation, rooted in a mentality absorbed from infancy, which sees the other only in terms of conversion or exclusion.
In this atmosphere, Christians and Muslims generally avoid one another and don’t trust one another. Christians are afraid above all of being absorbed by a conquering Islam, which reduces them to being second-class citizens. Often the religious authorities deny that Christians are persecuted, but if that’s true, how does one explain the presence of armed guards in front of the churches?
From when the revolution began, Christians have lived in constant fear due to numerous aggressions directed at them in the streets and the abuse of women. One has to admit that this fear is justified, but the collapse of Christians onto themselves is nonetheless dangerous.
Among the numerous challenges facing Egypt, Christians are called to become a community committed to a political project that favors the exercise of citizenship and that contributes to the transformation of the country. It’s a tough challenge, because from the beginning of modern Egypt, from Nasser to Mubarak, citizens have been accustomed to passivity and indifference with regard to a political system entirely controlled by those in power.
Today the thawra finally offers every citizen the possibility to get involved in political activity. Although Christians represent a minority which doesn’t quite reach ten percent of the total population of 80 million inhabitants, they need to show responsibility and imagination facing the threat of fundamentalist Muslim groups. These groups are attempting, with every possible kind of provocation, to confine Christian activity within the walls of the church, as happens in all the Islamic states.
The thawra has increased insecurity in urban neighborhoods and also criminality, of which the Christians are often the victims. But the thawra also constitutes a concrete opportunity to mobilize people in view of the upcoming elections. Dioceses are launching initiatives in this sense; above all, they’re forming leaders who have to make citizens aware of what’s at stake. But time is running out, and the Muslim Brotherhood, the best organized group in the country, certainly doesn’t want other groups to organize for this historic event – which ought to lead to real elections, in which the people can truly make their own choices and propose candidates of different orientations.
In a country in which women are often confined to the home, and in which the patriarchal system is deeply rooted in traditions that suffocate individual initiative – with rates of illiteracy and lack of schooling that reach 60 percent of the population, where the lone concern of the people usually is just to survive – the effort it takes simply to organize a meeting is often titanic. That situation notwithstanding, the church does well to continue in its duty of formation – not homogenization – of consciences, as the Bishop of Minieh recently recalled. This work has been underway for some time in villages and urban neighborhoods, with the aim of asking Christians, above all the young, to come together – to step out of the family circle, into activities and summer camps where they can reflect, debate and share ideas.
The impulse to close in on oneself, on one’s own religious identity and community membership, is as strong among Muslims as it is among Christians. This impulse manifests itself, for instance, in a high number of disabilities that result from marriages among blood relatives. One religious sister in Egypt, who’s worked with handicapped people for more than forty years, explained that these marriages among blood relatives have always been a means of self-preservation for Egypt’s small Catholic Coptic community, which is dispersed across the country.
A change of mentality and openness to the other – which does not mean denying one’s own faith – is the true revolution which Egypt needs.
This is what the church has been trying to promote for decades. According to the emeritus Bishop of Sohag, the church helped give rise to the revolution when it started to ask the faithful to reflect on what kind of society they wanted for their country. The thawra today affords Egyptians liberty of expression, something never before seen in the history of the Republic.
The Arab Spring will be a true thawra, a revolution, if all the currents and forces of the country adhere to the movement which was inaugurated in Tahir Square, by young people of all religious confessions, who were unwilling to renounce the ideals they discovered through the Internet and modern means of communication: the possibility of constructing their own lives, to make their own choices, to express themselves freely, to grow, to travel ...
Nigerian Jihadists Reportedly Plan More Suicide Bombings, Targeting Christians
09/06/2011 Nigeria (CNSNews.com)-New interreligious violence around Nigeria’s flashpoint city of Jos has prompted fears that worse could be on its way. One Nigerian newspaper cited an alleged government security alert warning that the Islamist group behind the recent U.N. headquarters suicide bombing is planning to carry out more attacks in Jos.Abuja’s Leadership daily said the alert from the Plateau state’s military special task force referred to a meeting in a village on the outskirts of Jos where members of the Boko Haram group discussed calling in others from the northern belt of shari’a-ruled states to “join the Muslims in Jos for a mass attack,” presumably on Christians in the area.
The paper said the alert also reported that five cars had been donated for use in suicide bombings, and that two individuals had put up 50 million Nigerian naira (about $321,000) each to finance attacks. Security forces were advised to search all vehicles entering the area.
Jos has long been the location of Muslim-Christian clashes, costing well over a thousand lives over the past decade. Deadly clashes occurred there in 2001, 2008, early 2010 and Christmas Eve 2010, when more than 30 people were killed in bombings targeting mostly Christian parts of the city.
The latest outburst on Sunday and Monday saw at least 18 people killed, including eight members of one family, according to government officials.
Boko Haram is the group blamed for the August 26 bombing of the U.N. headquarters in Abuja, in which 23 people were killed and another 70 injured.
The State Security Service reported last week that the two Boko Haram members were in custody in connection with the bombing and a third – the suspected mastermind, who had recently returned to Nigeria from Somalia – was wanted.
President Goodluck Jonathan said on Friday that security agencies were following up “strong leads as to those involved in this terror war on Nigeria and Nigerians.”
Boko Haram is reported to have links s to Somalia’s al-Shabaab and to al-Qaeda’s north Africa affiliate, al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.
Also known as the “Nigerian Taliban” or “Nigerian Jihad,” its focus has been mostly universal enforcement shari’a in Nigeria and a purge of what it sees as Western influences in education and culture. Its attacks up to now have targeted Nigerians, and the U.N. bombing marks an apparent shift in tactics.
Nigeria has long been identified as a key target for al-Qaeda, with Osama bin Laden in 2003 naming it among the six “most qualified regions for liberation” by Islamic fighters (the others were Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Morocco, Pakistan and Jordan.)
Opinion polls have found substantial support for radical views among Nigerian Muslims. In a 2010 survey by the Pew Global Attitudes Project, 48 percent of Nigerian Muslim respondents expressed “confidence” in bin Laden.
In another finding, 34 percent of Nigerian respondents said suicide bombings could be justified “in defense of Islam.” Only respondents in Lebanon scored higher (39 percent), while comparative scores in the other countries surveyed were 20 percent in Egypt and Jordan, 15 percent in Indonesia, eight percent in Pakistan and six percent in Turkey.
Nigeria: Jos on knife edge; & Sudan: war in Blue Nile State
8 September 2011
By Elizabeth Kendal - Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin (RLPB) 124 - Special to ASSIST News Service
AUSTRALIA (ANS) -- NIGERIA: Jos on a knife edge. Religious tensions soared in volatileJos, Nigeria, after a sectarian clash in Gada-biu district of Jos North Local Government Area (LGA) on 29 August left at least 20 Christians and 22 Muslims dead. [See RLPB 123 (31 Aug 2011).]As was expected, Muslim youths immediately plotted revenge, forging plans to attack Christian places of worship the next Sunday, 4 September. However, Jama'tu Nasril Islam and the Council of Ulama Plateau State set up a committee to mediate in the crisis. They managed to convince the Muslim youths to 'sheath their swords' and leave the matter in the hands of the police. Despite this, on Sunday 4 Sept at around 2am a mob of some 30 Fulani Muslims -- reportedly with 'sophisticated weapons' -- crept into Tatu village and forced their way into the home of the Chollom Gyang Christian family. Apart from the couple's fourth child who was away, all eight other family members were massacred in their beds, including a four-month-old baby. Due to rumours that they would be attacked there, most Christians stayed away from their churches all day.
Later that night, Sunday 4 September, mobs of Fulani Muslim tribesmen accompanied by uniformed Nigerian soldiers raided several predominantly Christian villages, shooting sporadically and hackin g down those fleeing. Seven people were killed and three injured at Zallaki village near Babale in Jos North (LGA). A 74-year-old man, his wife and two grandchildren were murdered at Dabwak in Jos South (LGA) and ten were injured in nearby Farin Lamba. The al-Qaeda-linked, Maiduguri-based Islamic fundamentalist group Boko Haram has reportedly sent funds, vehicles and trained militants to Jos to help mobilise a 'mass attack'.
Previously a suicide bomber struck the heavily guarded UN offices in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, on 26 August, killing 23 and wounding some 80. Boko Haram claimed responsibility for this their second suicide bombing in the capital (they struck the police headquarters on 16 June. See Nigeria: the Boko Haram threat, Religious Liberty Monitoring, 11 July 2011) Churches in Abuja are employing security and closing early in daylight hours. Fear and anxiety are rising.
SUDAN: WAR ERUPTS IN BLUE NILE STATE
Abyei, South Kordofan and Blue Nile are three border regions located in the Arab and Muslim-dominated North but are populated by predominantly Christian African tribes. According to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) they were entitled to determine their own futures by means of popular consultations. [See RLPB 117, 21 July 2011.] Fully defying the CPA, the Government of Sudan (GoS) has seized and ethnically cleansed Abyei and is now doing the same in South Kordofan.On 1 September fighting erupted in Blue Nile State as GoS forces attacked the home of elected governor, Malik Aggar in Al-Damazin, the capital of Blue Nile State. The GoS then launched a full-scale assault on Sudan People's Libera tion Army positions. In what is being described as a 'political and military coup', President Bashir subsequently dismissed Governor Aggar, declared a state of emergency and installed Major General Yahya Mohamed Khair as military ruler. Reports are flowing in of military deployments, aerial bombardments and massive displacements across the region in yet another GoS-engineered humanitarian crisis.
PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY THAT GOD WILL --
* bring Nigeria's Boko Haram and Sudan's President Bashir to account (Psalm 10:10-13) sooner rather than later, in answer to the prayers of many (2 Corinthians 1:11).
* grace Nigerian and Sudanese Christian leaders -- both civil and religious -- with great spiritual wisdom and authority so they might rightly lead God's people through this 'valley of the shadow of death' (Psalm 23:4).
* intervene for his suffering people in the ethnic-religious fault-line regions of Nigeria and Sudan, providing all their needs and keeping them safe; may he draw them into prayer, hear their cry and answer it (Isaiah 30:18,19) 'that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone are the LORD'(Hezekiah's prayer -- Isaiah 37:20b ESV).
Five Iranian Believers Must Report to Prison to Serve One Year Sentence
According to Jason DeMars of Present Truth Ministries (www.presenttruthmn.com ) their names are: Behrouz Sadegh-Khandjani, Mehdi "Petros" Furutan, Mohammed "William" Belyad, Nazly Belyad, and Parviz Khalaj.
DeMars told ANS that Nazly is about seven months pregnant.
"This absolutely breaks our heart. Please pray for these brothers, our sister, and the little baby that is growing inside of her.
"We ask that you pray for miracles to take place so that she does not have to be in prison," he said.
ASSIST News will provide further details as they become available.
Terror unleashed upon Christians in Hyderabad
6 September 2011 - The following news was received from an INcontext co-worker in Hyderabad"Yesterday dated 5-9-2011 in Latifabad, Hyderabad a minor dispute occurred between Christians and Muslims neighbors and that minor dispute turned into a full scale, well organized communal terror attack upon Christians from the Armed Group of Muslim Men who randomly fired at Christians homes.
One Christian man named Yaqoob has been shot but fortunately the bullet hit his leg and he is admitted in a civil hospital and the bullet has been taken out . A number of other Christians were also among the injured. The situation is still tense.
The Christian community is fear stricken as Hyderabad is going through a difficult time. Please keep the entire situation in your prayers. "
Al-Qaeda's new partner in Africa - Boko Haram (Time)
(Time) 01 Sept 2011 - When a suicide bomber drove into the U.N. building in Abuja's leafy diplomatic quarter on Friday, detonating his Honda Accord and killing at least 18 people, an Islamist terrorist group that was little known outside Nigeria violently thrust itself onto the international stage.
Until recently, the group Boko Haram has conducted attacks on Nigerian government targets in what most terrorism experts considered an indigenous campaign to further the organization's aim of installing Islamic law in West Africa's most volatile country. Friday's attack now has officials and experts worrying that a branch of al-Qaeda has spread its influence to Nigeria, Africa's most populous country and a key supplier of oil for the U.S. and the world market. Though no evidence of a partnership has been established, al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), the terrorist giant's arm in northwest Africa, has previously issued statements in support of Boko Haram.
Even before the bombing, U.S. military officials were growing anxious about possible links between Boko and established Islamist terrorist groups. Carter Ham, the U.S. military's commander of operations in Africa, told the Associated Press on April 17 that multiple unnamed sources indicated that Boko Haram had made contact with operatives from AQIM and with the Somali terrorist group al-Shabab.
"I think it would be the most dangerous thing to happen not only to the Africans, but to us as well," Ham said. "What is most worrying at present is, at least in my view, a clearly stated intent by Boko Haram and by al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb to coordinate and synchronize their efforts. I'm not so sure they're able to do that just yet, but it's clear to me they have the desire and intent to do that." Ham also touched on what he said could be a "loose" partnership with al-Shabab, which would mean Boko Haram's reach extends thousands of miles across the African continent.
A partnership between Boko Haram and AQIM, which operates in close proximity to Nigeria in Mauritania, Mali, Niger and Algeria, could explain the increased sophistication of recent Boko Haram attacks, including the use of Friday's car bomb. It could also mean an increase in cash flow for Boko Haram, which currently makes most of its money through taxes and by robbing banks throughout the Muslim northern half of the country. Heightened fear about an al-Qaeda link comes as religious tension explodes in already-tense central Nigeria. On Monday, Aug. 29, there were deadly clashes between bands of machete-wielding Christian and Muslim youths in the town of Jos, long a center of violence between northern Muslims and southern Christians.
The benefits for Boko Haram in teaming up with AQIM might be an influx of money and expertise — but also an international profile that would give it credibility as it attempts to recruit more followers and further scare a nervous Nigerian government. "AQIM sits on a fairly large supply of money, as well as explosives. There's a possibility that a relationship between them could open up access for the Boko," says Andrew Lebovich, a policy analyst for the National Security Studies Program at the New America Foundation, who specializes in studying AQIM. "People have been talking about [the U.N. attack] as a coming out, as a sign to al-Qaeda that they were looking for a merger," he says.
Despite a steady stream of attacks on Nigerian government targets since 2009 — including a June bombing of Abuja's police headquarters, which left five dead — "they staged an attack on the U.N. and they got more coverage than ever," says Lebovich. "So there's a logic."
An alliance would have a corresponding benefit for al-Qaeda, which has made the southern expansion of its African operation a priority since Algeria — its former major target — began cracking down on the group in 2008. A partnership with the efficient Boko Haram could perhaps give AQIM a foothold in one of Africa's most important, volatile countries. "They don't get as much recognition from international jihad groups because they haven't really engaged in large-scale operations, and because they haven't attacked Europe — so many are still suspicious of how effective they are," Lebovich says. "This would be a way of solidifying their place within al-Qaeda."
Although Boko Haram's exact size is hard to pinpoint, it likely has around several thousand supporters and at least 300 militant members who are available for armed actions, says Dr. Peter Lewis, director of the African-studies program at the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University. In 2009, Nigerian security forcefully destroyed the group's Maiduguri compound and killed its then leader Mohammed Yusuf. After months of dormancy, Boko Haram returned to the spotlight in September 2010, pledging to avenge Yusuf's death.
It's unlikely that even with an al-Qaeda tie, Boko Haram would take the fight against the government beyond Nigeria's borders. "They indicate they'll remain within Nigeria," Lebovich says. In a call to the BBC on Friday, a Boko Haram spokesman "justified the attack in part because he said the U.N. was one of the international organizations that supported the Nigerian government, so it's still a Nigeria-focused argument."
But the global terrorism community will now be watching the group's every move, especially for evidence that it might be morphing into a new branch of a terrorist group that has so far had little impact in non-Arab West Africa. If Nigerian security forces start seeing proterrorism propaganda and Boko Haram operatives working in neighboring countries like Mali and Mauritania, then what is currently fearful speculation would be replaced, Lebovich says, by "concrete evidence of a partnership." Nasser Weddady, outreach director at the American Islamic Congress, cautions that the speculation is not just idle chatter. Friday's bombing "is a wake-up call to Nigeria to get its act together."
Iran destroys bibles as Church grows (CNSNews)
(CNSNews) 31 Aug 2011 - A Shi’ite cleric affiliated with the Iranian regime has warned about the “danger” of Christianity spreading in the Islamic republic. This come amid reports of an anti-Christianity propaganda campaign and the seizure of thousands of Bibles.According to Mohabat News, an independent Iranian Christian news agency, Ayatollah Hadi Jahangosha expressed concern about “the spread of Christianity among our youth,” citing the availability of Christian satellite television programs, books and objects.
“Everyone in society should feel responsibility in this matter and play his or her role in spreading of pure Islam and fight false and distorted cultures,” Mohabat quoted him as saying during a presentation on Mahdism – the belief in the so-called “hidden” or 12th imam, prophesied to emerge at a time of future chaos.
Last week, Mohabat reported that authorities had seized 6,500 pocket-sized Bibles in northwestern Iran. It quoted a parliamentary advisor, Majid Abhari, as telling the Mehr news agency that Christian missionaries were out to deceive Iranians, particularly the youth.
“They have begun a huge campaign by spending huge sums and false propaganda for deviating the public,” Abhari said. “The important point in this issue that should be considered by intelligence, judicial and religious agencies is that all religions are strengthening their power to confront Islam, otherwise what does this huge number of Bibles mean?”
Mohabat recalled previous incidents of Bibles being seized, including one last February, when Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and security officials in a routine inspection of a bus near the Iran-Turkey border found 600 New Testaments, which they destroyed along with confiscated alcohol in a public burning.
A similar incident in the same area last October also saw officials seize and burn Bibles, it said.
In a third incident, in June 2010, Bibles were found in a town near the border with Iraq. Mohabat said the official IRGC Web site at the time accused the U.S. in neighboring Iraq of conspiring to smuggle Bibles into Iran.
The Barnabas Fund, an organization working with Christian minorities in Islamic societies, reports that Iranian authorities have been waging an anti-Christian propaganda campaign through state media in recent weeks.
“Last month, offensive caricatures depicting Christ and Christians were published in the [IRGC mouthpiece] magazine Javan,” it said.
“False and insulting stories about Christians have also appeared in government media. One such article that was published on the websiteYouth Online alleged that women evangelists were going into stores, using shopping as a pretext to enter into conversation with staff, and then suggesting sexual liaisons and insulting Islam.”
‘Islamic justice and equity’
Iran’s government claims to uphold religious freedom, noting that the constitution recognizes Christians, Jews and Zoroastrians, as permitted religious minorities.
When Iran went before the U.N. Human Rights Council early last year for aroutine rights review, its official submission stated that those three minorities, “within the limits of the law, are free to perform their religious rites and ceremonies, and to act according to their own canon in matters of personal affairs and religious education.”
“The government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and all Muslims are duty-bound to treat non-Muslims in conformity with ethical norms and the principles of Islamic justice and equity, and to respect their human rights,” it added.
When Iran in 2008 hosted a conference on “Religion in the Modern World,” attended by former U.N. secretary-general Kofi Annan and other dignitaries, the Tehran Times in an op-ed said Iran’s hosting of the event showed that its “ancient tradition of showing respect for different cultures and religions is still alive and well.”
“The reality on the ground in Iran is quite different from what is being propagated by certain countries and organizations in their disinformation campaigns,” it said.
“Due to the country’s religious and cultural traditions, in Iran there is no sign of the religious extremism and intolerance that have opened wounds in certain Muslim states and allowed the enemies to present a negative image of Islam to the world.”
Despite such claims, however, reports of religious persecution persist, including most recently the case of a pastor who has been sentenced to death for apostasy.
The Iranian Bible Society’s offices have been shut for decades, and authorities do not allow publishing or reprinting of Bibles in Iran.
Because of this, according to Mohabat, the only solution for Christians needing Farsi-language Bibles is to have them smuggled across the borders from neighboring countries.
One organization that provides Bibles for Iranians is Elam Ministries, which says it printed and distributed 100,000 Bibles and 100,000 New Testaments in 2010.
“Despite the limited support, well over a million New Testaments have been made available in recent years, and up to half a million whole Bibles,” the organization says on its Web site. “And despite the ferocious hostility of the government in Iran to the Bible, brave Christians there have risked their lives to see their fellow country men can read the Scriptures. Some are in prison now for their work.”It says that at the time of the Islamic revolution in 1979, there were fewer than 500 known Iranian Christians from a Muslim background.
Elam was founded in 1988 by senior Iranian church leaders in Britain “with the vision of reaching Iran and the Persian speaking world for Christ.”
“Today the most conservative estimate is that there are at least 100,000 believers in the nation.”
Liberating Libya from Jihadists (FrontPageMag)
(FrontPageMag) 31 Aug 2011 - The fall of Muammar Gaddafi is making some in the West giddy with the usual “Arab Spring” wishful visions of democracy and freedom flourishing throughout the Muslim Middle East, even as the last binge of democratic intoxication, the fall of Egyptian strongman Hosni Mubarak, has left the hangover of a newly empowered Muslim Brotherhood, increasing assaults on Christian Copts, growing anti-Americanism, and terrorist attacks on Israel originating in Egypt and including Egyptian citizens among the attackers. And now, according toDEBKAfile, we may see Libya heading in the same anti-Western, Islamist direction.
“Members of the Al Qaeda-linked Libyan Islamic Fighting Group – LIFG, are in control of the former strongholds of Muammar Qaddafi captured by Libyan rebels last Sunday,” DEBKAfile reports. “They are fighting under the command of Abd Al-Hakim Belhadj, an al Qaeda veteran from Afghanistan whom the CIA captured in Malaysia in 2003 and extradited six years later to Libya where Qaddafi held him in prison. Belhadj is on record as rejecting any political form of coexistence with the Crusaders excepting jihad.” Despite the media’s depiction of the Libyan National Transitional Council (NTC) as a coherent, controlling leadership structure, it is unclear who controls Tripoli at this point, the NTC, or the LIFG, and it is doubtful that the NTC will in the future be able (assuming they are willing) to control or disarm the Islamist outfits.Worse yet, in addition to being armed with weapons looted from Gaddafi’s weapons depots, the fighters in Tripoli succeeded in capturing the compound because they were given advanced weapons by British and French special operations forces, in addition to U.S.-supplied intelligence. As DEBKA concludes, “Tripoli’s institutions of government have wound up in the hands of fighting Islamist brigades belonging to al Qaeda, who are now armed to the teeth with the hardware seized from Qaddafi’s arsenals. No Western or Libyan military force can conceive of dislodging the Islamists from the Libyan capital in the foreseeable future.” And let’s not forget the remnants of Libya’s WMD program––including 10 tons of mustard gas and dumps of raw nuclear fuel––that we are depending on the NTC to secure, on the assumption that the NTC actually is in control of the country. This is the same TNC, by the way, that has just announced it will not hand over Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi.
If these reports about the LIFG are accurate, then the U.S. endorsement and financing of the NATO operation to oust a defanged Gaddafi, who presented no immediate threat to us, without any idea of who would take his place, is as shortsighted as the abandonment of another unsavory but geopolitically stabilizing figure, Egypt’s Mubarak. This lack of prudence, moreover, is still being camouflaged by the usual question-begging rhetoric about the “march of freedom” and democracy’s irresistible spread, with all the liberalizing boons assumed to follow the removal of an autocratic thug and the establishment of democratic machinery absent the liberal values that such machinery is supposed to serve. We forget that those values in the West are the fruit of 25 centuries of difficult, doubtful development from the legacies of Athens, Rome, and Jerusalem. We simply keep repeating the mantra that the “love of freedom” exists in everyone, a half-truth that ignores the fact that many other desires inhabit the human breast, such as the desire to serve and obey God, and that these can conflict with the love of freedom, and often take precedence over it. And how do we know that the “freedom” demanded in the Middle East is the freedom we believe in? What if it means the “freedom” to be a good Muslim living under Shari’a law, as we are told by both the NTC’s draft constitution, and the Cairo Declaration of Human Rights in Islam, whose Article 24 reads, “All the rights and freedoms stipulated in this Declaration are subject to the Islamic Shari’ah”?
This is not to say that Muslims are incapable of liberal democracy, which is usually how reservations like those above are mischaracterized. It just means that for liberal democracy to develop in the Muslim Middle East, it will take much more than merely removing autocrats and holding elections. It will take a critical mass of Muslims themselves figuring out how to reconcile traditional Islam and Shari’a law with notions like universal human rights, tolerance for minorities, separation of church and state, and all the other bedrock principles of liberal democracy. Based on our own experience in Afghanistan and Iraq, the possibility of this sort of reconciliation seems remote. Despite our decade-long efforts in those countries, complete with billions in aid and the presence of thousands of our troops, the jury is still out whether genuine, lasting democracies will take hold there.Seductive, unreflective idealism is no basis for a foreign policy. National interest and security are. In Libya, the alleged interest is merely the illusion that Middle Eastern “democracy” will trump the traditional theology of Islamic jihad that drives the jihadists, ultimately marginalizing them and removing them as a threat. In the process, we may be empowering and arming that same enemy, as seems increasingly to be the case in Egypt.
Uncertain future for North Sudan Church (CDN)
(CDN) 25 Aug 2011 - More than seven months after Muslim extremists burned its church building, a Presbyterian Church of the Sudan (PCOS) congregation is still afraid to meet for worship, according to Christian sources. The Rev. Maubark Hamad said his church in Wad Madani, 138 kilometers (85 miles) southeast of Khartoum, has not been able to rebuild since the Jan. 15 devastation due to the congregation’s meager resources. “Nothing has been done for the burned church building; so far it has not been rebuilt,” he told Compass by phone.
Christian sources said they are increasingly fearful as Muslim extremists pose more threats against Christians in an attempt to rid what they call Dar al Islam, the “Land of Islam,” of Christianity. “The increased challenges now faced by many Christians in North Sudan are something for which we need to pray very hard for the Lord to intervene,” said another church leader on condition of anonymity.The PCOS building in Wad Madani was burned after a series of threats against its members by Muslims extremists, sources said.
These anti-Christian activities continue to be growing these days, aiming to cause fear among the believers in North Sudan,” said the church leader. When PCOS leaders reported the case to police in Wad Madani, they were surprised to find officers reluctant to investigate. At press time the assailants had not been arrested. Property damages to the church building were estimated at 2,000 Sudanese pounds (US$740); destroyed items included Christian literature, Bibles in local languages, chairs, tables and a pulpit.
“Muslims target our church because they don’t want anything that is related to the church,” one church member said.
Christians in North Sudan are living beneath a blanket of fear since South Sudan seceded on July 9. Just one month after the South voted for independence from the predominantly Islamic North, pressures on churches and Christians have increased, with Muslim groups threatening to destroy churches, kill Christians and purge the country of Christianity.
One anti-Christian newspaper with strong ties to the North’s ruling party continuously advocates that North Sudan become a purely Islamic state and a purely Arab country. The Al Intibaha Arabic daily is well-known for provoking Muslims against Christians in Sudan. North Sudan’s predominantly Arab population has intermingled with several indigenous peoples, leading some other Arab nations to regard it as not “pure Arab,” according to Operation World. Besides striving for an Arab-based ethnic-religious purging in North Sudan, Islamists may also be trying to counter estimated losses among adherents to Islam, with some estimating the Muslim population of the formerly unified Sudan recently dropping to about 55 percent from 61 percent.
Hostilities toward Christians by the Islamic government in Khartoum began to increase last year following a statement by President Omar al-Bashir, when he asserted that his second republic would be based on sharia (Islamic law) and Islamic culture, with Arabic as the official language.
News from Bhutan (MissionNetwork)
(MissionNetwork) 23 Aug 2011 - There are conflicting reports over what's changing in the spiritual climate in Bhutan.On one hand, Bhutan ranks 14th on the Open Doors World Watch List. The listing is a compilation of the 50 countries where persecution of Christians is the worst. In this case, it's not one particular faith that has been targeted.
Although Bhutan's constitution states that Buddhism is the "spiritual heritage" of the country, Lee DeYoung with Words of Hope says, "It's one of the few countries in the world where it is said there are no open mosques, Hindu temples, Christian churches or Jewish synagogues."
One the other hand, after 100 years of rule by absolute monarchy, the first elections were held in 2008, and Bhutan emerged as a parliamentary democracy.
Now, the government requires a license for the construction of religious buildings, which seems to hint that such buildings would be approved. Some religious freedom watchdog groups allege that those licenses are withheld, which gives force to the idea that Christianity would still be on the "black list." DeYoung agrees. "Although it is still technically illegal to be openly operating as a Christian, nevertheless, the number of believers in Bhutan is clearly growing, and they are gathering in house fellowships secretly."
Compass Direct News issued a report at the beginning of the year that indicated hopeful prospects of change. DeYoung explains that "some believe that the government may be very close--perhaps maybe later this year--to officially recognizing at least one Christian group. That would mark a milestone in which the government of Bhutan would make an open declaration that Christianity is permitted."
At the same time, movement on that issue seems to have stalled out for the last six months. Even though it seems there has been some movement toward freedom, evangelism is still forbidden in the country. This is where radio comes in. Radio has played a significant role in making the Christian presence felt in Bhutan, a country that is otherwise closed for Christian activities.
Programming in Dzongkha--the official language of Bhutan--occurs three days a week with a 15-minute program which includes health topics, music, and a Christian message. The programming not only encourages the existing believers, but also takes the message of Christ to others who are looking for answers.
They're responding, too, although DeYoung notes that "for the foreseeable future, the Bhutanese that are coming to Christ newly as believers would probably still tend to maintain a relatively low profile."
What's exciting is that "people widely believe that the government is well aware of many of those house fellowships and has chosen not to interfere, has not to gotten involved in trying to stop their activity," says DeYoung.
Although the atmosphere feels freer, DeYoung says, "It's the question of evangelism that would be still a very sensitive one."
Pray that Christians are treated fairly under the new constitution. Pray that the church continues to expand and flourish despite pressure
Religious conflict on the rise in Indonesia (JakartaPost)
(JakartaPost) 22 Aug 2011 -Religion-related conflicts and violence against minority groups are on the rise, data from the Setara Institute shows.
As of July this year, at least 99 cases of violence and conflicts had been reported, an apparent surge from 94 cases reported in the whole of 2010.
“We have to acknowledge that conflicts partly fueled by religious diversity are on the rise,” Catholic priest Benny Susetyo, chairman of the Indonesian Bishops Conference (KWI) inter-faith dialogue division, told a discussion on the role of media in dealing with issues of diversity, in Jakarta on Wednesday.
Benny, however, attributed most of the conflicts to the failure of law enforcers to do their jobs, rather than inter-religious tensions.
Meanwhile, human rights activist Bonar Tigor Naipospos from Setara Institute said that key agencies, such as the media, the police and the ministries, needed to be bold in handling such religion-related conflicts and violence.
“The Religious Affairs Ministry, for instance, should create a firm strategy to end the conflicts; the police should create a firm standard for operational procedures to stop violence; the media should produce balanced and accurate reports,” Bonar said.
Earlier this year, hundreds of hardliners attacked 20 Ahmadis in Cikeusik, Banten. Three Ahmadis were killed and several others were injured in the incident. The case ended with light sentences handed down to 13 of the attackers, and a heavier sentence handed down to an Ahmadi leader, by the Serang District Court.
Meanwhile, in Bogor, West Java, churchgoers of the Taman Yasmin Indonesian Christian Church (GKI) were forced to hold mass in the middle of the street in March after the Bogor administration sealed off their church.
Nepal churches live under threat (CDN)
(CDN) 22 Aug 2011 - Defying pouring rain and flooded streets, over two dozen people have gathered faithfully at the Putalisadak Church in the heart of capital city Kathmandu for the regular Thursday evening Bible study class, bringing a smile of satisfaction on the face of Pastor Dev Kumar Chetri. The smile fades, however, when he talks about the problems that Nepal’s second-oldest church has faced due to government discrimination. Hundreds of other churches scattered through the former Hindu kingdom have faced the same problem.
The roots of the discrimination are imbedded in history. When four missionaries from neighboring India’s Kerala state came to Kathmandu Valley and founded the Bethshalom Putalisadak Church in 1953, preaching non-Hindu religions was a punishable offense. A powerful Nepalese aristocrat, Col. Nara Raj Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana, who had secretly converted to Christianity in India, helped build the Protestant church on land bought in his name and those of two others.
“As per the old laws, churches were not allowed to register as religious institutions,” said Chari Bahadur Gahatraj, a Protestant pastor. “They functioned either as Non-Governmental Organizations [NGOs] or personal properties. In 2006, when Parliament formally declared Nepal secular, we thought it would change and churches would be recognized as religious institutions.”
Five years later, however, discrimination against Christians continues, Gahatraj said.
“We have not even been mentioned in the new policies and programs of the government proposed in Parliament this year,” he said.
The Putalisadak church suffered a crisis when two of the men who were co-owners of the land went to court to reclaim their share. The church land had to be carved up to resolve the dispute. Then it suffered another blow when the land it had bought with donations from parishioners in Lele village in neighboring Lalitpur district to build a cemetery 10 years ago could not be used due to fierce resistance by locals.
“This is the saddest story,” Pastor Chetri said. “Our church records indicate there are nearly 2 million Christians and about 4,000 churches in Nepal now. But most of them don’t have a final resting place, as Christianity is still not recognized in Nepal. It is as if we don’t exist.”
Operation World’s estimate of the number of Christians in Nepal is lower than the church’s – 850,801 – but the latest edition estimates a higher number of congregations, 9,780, than the Putalisadak church does.
The third-oldest church in Nepal, Nepali Isahi Mandali, founded in 1957, was also dragged to court by a resentful neighbor.
“When our congregation started growing, in 2006 we started building a bigger hall to accommodate them,” said Pastor Samuel Karthak. “But it was opposed by a neighbor, who went to court. The dispute went up to the Supreme Court before it was resolved. We would have felt so much more secure if the churches had been recognized as religious institutions. However, we are still regarded as second-class citizens, and churches as places that exist only to convert people. We still don’t have a voice.”
Stung by government apathy, Christians this month joined forces with other excluded religious communities like Buddhists and Muslims to begin a campaign seeking an end to religious discrimination.
The Inter-Religious Secularism Protection Movement (IRSPM) is asking the government to allow churches, mosques, Buddhist monasteries and all other institutions run by religious minorities to be registered as religious institutions and be exempted from paying taxes.
“Despite ratifying several international conventions and despite becoming secular, Nepal has not recognized Buddhist monasteries, mosques, churches, Sikh gurdwaras [worship halls] and other religious institutions belonging to the religious minorities as religious trusts,” said Ishu Jung Karki, IRSPM’s acting coordinator. “Instead, it is nurturing laws that promote one particular religion.”
The campaigners are demanding that the government amend the draft of a new penal code that has triggered widespread controversy and condemnation over the inclusion of clauses that make conversions a punishable offense. Instead, they are asking for a new Religion Act as well as Religion Commission to resolve religious disputes.
Christians make up 2.85 percent of the population of Nepal, a nation that is 16 percent Buddhist and 4.4 percent Muslim; Hindus are the majority at 75 percent, according to Operation World.
For the first time, Christians and other religious minorities are seeking proportional representation in all state organs such as the army, judiciary and civil service on the basis of population. Though Nepal’s new Parliament has 601 seats with the provision that the prime minister should nominate representatives from unrepresented communities, the stipulation has been virtually ignored. Most ignored have been Christians.
The campaign has also expressed concern at strident propaganda by a section of the Nepalese media against religious minorities; these media representatives say the religious minorities’ proposals aim to spread “envy, hatred and strife.” The Christian community has been especially alarmed by a recent article in a popular English daily, authored by the editor of a financial newspaper, who alleged that all international NGOs that had set up office in Nepal aimed to propagate Christianity.
Perhaps the greatest concern by Christians is about the delay in promulgating a new constitution that was to have bolstered the nascent republic’s secular status. The major political parties failed to meet two deadlines – one last year and one in May – to get the charter ready. A third deadline looms on Aug. 31, and it is evident that not even the first draft of the document will be ready.
The inordinate delay has given militant Hindu groups time to push for the restoration of Hinduism as the state religion and for a referendum to decide if Nepal should remain secular.
“The government should implement the new constitution by Aug. 31,” reads an IRSPM press statement. “That is the mandate of the people as well as the pro-democracy movement.”
The pro-democracy movement ended Hindu King Gyanendra Shah’s army-backed rule and brought the political parties to power.
Christian persecution in Middle East (AT)
(AT) 22 Aug 2011 - The terrible violence in Oslo last month has brought the world's attention to the ravings of a madman and a murderer -- someone who was motivated to kill fellow Christians because he feels they had acquiesced to a takeover by Islam.Our revulsion is appropriate -- this was the killing of innocent people in the name of religious and political hatred. However, when the roles are reversed, and Christians are in the minority and Muslims in the majority, are we equally upset by murder, intimidation and religious hatred?
Sadly, we don't appear to be. The world is standing silent as Christians living in Muslim-majority lands are killed, and their killers are venerated.
Today, Christians, regardless of affiliation, are being systematically harassed, persecuted, and murdered throughout the Middle East, the region of the globe from which Christianity first emerged. Churches have been bombed and those attending Christian services have been killed. Christian homes have been ransacked and cemeteries have been destroyed. Converts from Islam to Christianity are considered apostates and subject to severe punishment. In Iran, a man named Youcef Nadarkhani has been sentenced to hang for the state crime of converting from Islam to Christianity. His appeals for clemency to Iran's highest courts have been rejected.
The former President of Lebanon, Amin Gemayel has declared, "Massacres are taking place for no reason and without any justification against Christians. It is only because they are Christians." This can only be called religious cleansing on a vast scale.
Christians once represented significant populations in the Middle East; the Copts of Egypt, the Assyro-Chaldeans of Iraq, the Maronites of Lebanon, and the Southern Sudanese. Yet from the later part of the 20th century until today, the indigenous Christians are becoming refugees in the face of Muslim violence and persecution.
Lebanon was once 60 percent Christian. Today there are only 1.5 million Lebanese Christians -- approximately a third of the country. In Palestinian-controlled Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, Christians were once 90 percent of the population, but are now a very small fraction of that. The Palestinian Authority that controls Bethlehem even banned the cross for sale as a souvenir for tourists. Samir Qumsieh, director of Al-Mahed Nativity TV in Bethlehem noted, "it is like saying that Jesus was never crucified."
Roughly only a third of all of Iraqi's Christians prior to the war remain. In 2010, Iraq's Christian leaders called off Christmas celebrations in the aftermath of a bloody assault on a major church. Chaldean Archbishop Louis Sako explained, "Nobody can ignore the threats...The situation of the Christians is bleak."
One year ago, in Iskenderun, Turkey, the head of the Catholic Church in Turkey, Bishop Luigi Padovese, was repeatedly stabbed and then decapitated by his driver, Murat Altun, who shouted, "I killed the Great Satan. Allahu Akhbar." His murder garnered little outrage.
In Saudi Arabia, a Muslim nation that is making major investments in technology and higher education, a nation that purports to be America's ally, it is still a crime to hold private religious ceremonies for any faith other than Islam. It is even illegal to own Christian or other non-Muslim religious items. Violators have been sent to prison and deported.
We in the West tend to gloss over these incidents, but we should not be so dismissive. The treatment of religious minorities - or any minorities - often tells us a great deal about the majority. If Islamic majorities hear no moral outrage and receive no resistance when they harass Christians, why stop the incitement and intolerance?
The mainline Christian churches are surprisingly unalarmed by this persecution. Many U.S. and U.K. churches are more focused on boycotting and divesting from Israel, which is odd since Israel is the only country in the Middle East where the Christian population is growing in number.
There is only one historical metaphor for today's Middle East Christians: The Jews of Europe in the decades prior to the Holocaust. Like today's Christians, the Jews of Europe were a minority, once thriving and at peace with their neighbors. But they, too, were subject to discrimination by state authorities and orchestrated violence. Those who left Europe as refugees were the lucky ones; those left behind became victims of genocide.
The lesson we learn is a simple one: If we do not protect the freedom of conscience in all societies, the dark hatred of religious bigotry is sure to inflict damage on an unimaginable scale. We are seeing that today in the Middle East, in its earliest forms. And so it falls to our political and religious leaders to make clear their moral outrage, and to stand up not only to rogue terrorists but to despotic governments who have brought murder and pain into the homes of those who have chosen to pursue their alternative expressions of faith.
Christian prevented from receiving food aid in Somalia (ICC)
16 Aug 2011 - Washington, D.C. (August 15, 2011)–A famine in Somalia has resulted in the death of thousands of people and millions more in urgent need of food aid. Aid is reaching some affected areas but radical Islamists are controlling its distribution and preventing Christians from receiving help and causing many to starve to death.Members of the radical Islamist group, Al-Shabaab, which is fighting to establish Sharia law across Somalia, are openly seeking to eliminate Christianity from the country. In the past few years, Al-Shabaab members have killed many Christians, including one Christian whose beheading was caught on film. [Warning: this video contains disturbing imageshttp://www.persecution.org/awareness/videos/]
“So far we are aware of 18 Somali Christians who have died of starvation in the last three months in the cities of Afgoye, Baidawa, and Kismayo. There are reports from other Al-Shabaab-controlled areas that more Christians are starving as they are denied of food aid or the opportunity to move to government-controlled territories where they can get help,” said a Somali church leader who is based in a neighboring country.
Christians in Somalia’s capital of Mogadishu have a better chance of receiving food aid since the city is under the control of the internationally recognized transitional government of Somalia, but Christians in southern Somalia remain the most vulnerable group.
Speaking to ICC from Somalia, a leader of an underground church said, “Any Somali that the Islamists suspect to be a Christian or even a friend of Christians does not receive any food aid. However, denying us food aid is not really the worst thing they could do to us. These Islamists have previously killed many of our church members and they could kill more and get away with it.”ICC’s Regional Manager for Africa, Jonathan Racho, said, “We are extremely concerned about the famine in Somalia. Al-Shabaab has exacerbated the plight of the Somali Christians by denying them food aid. Al-Shabaab’s actions have affected both Muslims and Christians, but Somalia’s Christian minorities are suffering the most because of Al-Shabaab’s senseless killings and intentional starvation. The international community must realize the vulnerability of this minority and take decisive action to alleviate their suffering.”
Malaysian Muslims rally against Christians (JakartaGlobe)
(JakartaGlobe) 16 Aug 2011 - Kuala Lumpur. Muslim groups in Malaysia have come out in force to demand that action be taken against those who proselytize Muslims, amid a raging controversy over recent allegations that some Christians had tried to convert them.The 22 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the youth wing of Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) revived earlier calls for a law to be passed banning apostasy, as the latest allegations continued to raise tensions in Malaysia.The call came as Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) over the weekend submitted to the Selangor chief minister a preliminary report of its raid on a fund-raising dinner at a church two weeks ago.
The raid, which took place at the Damansara Utama Methodist Church in Petaling Jaya on Aug 3, followed allegations of Christians proselytising Muslim guests.Church leaders have decried the raid by Jais, saying it was heavy-handed and that the enforcement personnel had not produced any search warrant. Critics also say there was no proof that proselytisation was actually taking place.According to online media Malaysian Insider and Malaysiakini, the NGOs over the weekend issued a statement stressing their commitment to "defending the faith of Muslims held in this country from... encroachment". They also said they would seek to uphold existing legislation against proselytising Muslims and called for stronger laws to be passed regarding conversions
."We stressed that matters relating to the faith of Muslims are very sensitive issues that could affect racial harmony, thus calling on all parties not to act against the stipulated law," the statement said."We unanimously resolve to safeguard the Islamic faith in this country from any form of transgression in accordance to Islam's position as the religion of the federation and existing laws, as well as call for an anti-apostasy law."PAS Youth chief Nasrudin Hassan said that suggestions for an anti-apostasy law had been raised since 1988, but had been rejected in Parliament several times. He added that while Islam was a "religion of discourse", a law was needed for those who "cannot be persuaded through arguments".
"To curb and control those who will no longer listen to arguments, we need laws," he was cited as saying by Malaysiakini.The latest controversy has put the opposition Pakatan Rakyat, which runs Selangor state, in a tight spot, with PAS' coalition multiracial partners Parti Keadilan Rakyat and Democratic Action Party so far refraining from backing either side.Officials of Jais denied they "raided" the place as claimed by its critics, saying they had only "inspected" the premises after getting complaints that Muslims were at the dinner. Malay-language paper Utusan Malaysia quoted a source saying that Jais officials had not disrupted the dinner.Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim has drawn fire for being "apologetic" over the raid, while Barisan Nasional Senator Mohd Ezam Mohd Nor was slammed by fellow politicians for threatening local media for criticising JaLast week at a mosque in Shah Alam, Ezam had declared an "all-out war" against those who attacked the Islamic faith, and said he would "burn" Malaysiakini and Malaysian Insider.
Yesterday, however, he explained that he had meant otherwise. "Malaysiakini/Malaysian Insider are cyber news portals. No threat to burn any reporters/building," he said in Malay on his Twitter account."The remarks were only symbolic of the anger towards them for burning the hearts of the Muslim community."
Reprinted courtesy of Straits Times Indonesia. To subscribe to Straits Times Indonesia and/or the Jakarta Globe call 021 2553 5055.
US church websites hacked to post appeal for conversion to Islam
15 August 2011 - Barnabas Fund
The FBI has launched an investigation after 18 church websites across the United States were hacked and their regular content replaced with an appeal for Christians to convert to Islam.The Rev. Vinnie Dauer of Fallen Timbers Community Church in Waterville, Ohio, said he received a text message from a church member telling him that someone had posted "Muslim propaganda" on the church's website.
Mr Dauer, who is the assistant pastor of Fallen Timbers, said:
"It was unnerving, but I think also it was an indicator to me of the different world we live in. No one could walk into this church building and put up propaganda that's contradictory to our belief system, but yet our website is a representation of who we are."
Churches in other parts of the US, including California, Seattle, Texas, North Carolina and Florida, were also affected by the hacking.
The hacker, who identified himself as a Muslim and signed his work "Mr HAiL", gained access to the website host's entire portfolio of sites, but altered only the church sites.
He deleted the content and replaced them with a photograph of Mecca, a few paragraphs about Islam, and a list of twelve other websites purportedly containing more information about the Muslim faith.
Ryan Leisure of R Leisure Enterprises, which hosts the sites, said:
"It's a little alarming that just the churches were getting targeted by it. It seemed like he was clearly trying to convert people. I don't see how he could actually be successful with this, but he was talking about Christians converting to Islam."
Mr Dauer said he was confident that the site would be secure in the future after extra protection measures were introduced. He said it was "a little scary" that someone may have stumbled on the church's site and seen something different from what the church represents.
But websites and social media have become major ways for churches to reach out to people and keep members informed about church activities, and he does not see that changing. "If we had to choose between a phone number and a website, I'd choose a website."
Persecution rising in India (ChristianTodayIndia)
(ChristianTodayIndia) 12 Aug 2011 - The Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI) has released a 'half-yearly report' with incidents of persecution across India since beginning of 2011.EFI has recorded 64 instances of violence coupled with several instances of false accusations against the Christian community.
The southern state of Karnataka recorded the most number of attacks with 20 instances of violence and hostility.
The central Indian state of Chhattisgarh saw six instances of violence and the states of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh recorded five each.
EFI, a national alliance of evangelical Christians in India, said it was "deeply concerned" at the continuing hostility against Christians in the country.
"With two – three incidents of violence against the community each week in 2011, Christians continue to face the worst ever persecution," said Rev. Dr Richard Howell, General Secretary, EFI.
In an outrageous attack against Christians in Jharkhand, the local villagers in the Palamu and Garwah district left several Christians, including one woman severely injured. One woman was abducted for a month by the attackers before she was finally released by the order of the local court.
The police failed to arrest even a single person in connection with the incidents, inspite of repeated appeals from both local and national human rights agencies and the appeals from the victims themselves.
Far from being an isolated incident, EFI said, this is the norm, with several Christians being coerced by government agencies into accepting a compromise with the attackers and even submitting to demands such as leaving the village and conducting worship services at their homes.
In most of the instances, after the preliminary disruption of church or worship service, Christians including women were abused and physically assaulted. Later the Christians were arrested on the charges of "forcible conversions".
The blatant disregard for the law by alleged Hindutva proponents, coupled with the inaction and often bias of the police in favour of the attackers, has left the community vulnerable and helpless in the onslaught of violence, EFI expressed.
The evangelical body has recommended the State Governments, especially the government of Karnataka, to take immediate steps to ensure protection of the Christian minority.
EFI has also recommended the Central Government to enact the Prevention of Communal Violence Targeted Violence (Access to Justice and Reparations) Bill, 2011, after due consideration to the concerns raised by civil society.
Syrian Minorities live on knife's edge (TheWorld)
(The World) 12 Aug 2011 -
Protestors hit the streets almost every day in July, all across Syria. On one day last month, an activist who wanted to be called Ahmed, said another anti-regime march was held in the town of Qatana. The protesters were mostly Sunni Muslims, but with a mix of other religions.Ahmed said everything was peaceful until pro-government protesters showed up. They were largely from Syria’s minority Druze community, he said, trucked in from nearby villages. Ahmed said that’s when the problems began, and the rocks started to fly.
Ahmed said plain-clothed Syrian police attacked the Druze to stir up sectarian strife. But pro-government Syrians said it was the demonstrators, whom they call “Muslim Extremists,” who attacked the Druze.
Walid Jumblatt, the major leader of Lebanon’s Druze community, was alarmed when he heard about the violence. Jumblatt is no stranger to sectarian conflict – he led the Druze militia during Lebanon’s 15 year civil war. He admitted the Syrian Druze are in danger of being manipulated.“The Druze cannot, as a small minority, (do anything) but to live with their brothers in Syria,” he said, “and be Syrian citizens, and be with the majority, which are Sunnis.”Druze only make up 2 percent of Syria’s population. So, Jumblatt was even more concerned when rumors spread that the Syrian Druze had asked their co-religionists in Lebanon to send them weapons. He said the rumor is false, but it does suggest that Druze fear is real. Jumblatt said he encouraged President Assad to speed up his reforms and to keep the Druze out of the conflict.
“I don’t want the Druze of Syria to be used as scapegoats,” he said. “And after all we are just a very small minority, less than 500,000 scattered between Syria, Lebanon and Palestine. Living in this sea of Muslims, be it Sunnis or Shiites, we cannot afford to have any challenge. We should accept that we are a minority, but part of a whole ensemble.”
The Assad regime has long emphasized its ability to keep the peace between the Sunni majority and the Christian, Druze and Alawite minorities in Syria, while Iraq and Lebanon burned with sectarian bloodletting. Ahmed, the activist, said minorities like the Druze in Syria are torn, between joining the anti-government demonstrations and keeping their heads down. And he can’t blame them.“They were living for the last five decades under an oppressive regime,” Ahmed said. “But at the same time it was also secure; they felt safe.”Christians are another minority who felt safe in Assad’s Syria. They make up around ten percent of the population. A Christian activist, who asked his name not be used, said the regime is using rumors and disinformation to scare minorities away from participating in protests.
“The government spread news that this is a Sunni revolution. And when they will take the rule in Syria they will kill and depart all the minorities. And they will suffer from that,” said the activist. “So it’s the main tool the government uses. For the minorities to be afraid from the Sunnis.”The activist said the government has ordered Christian priests to deliver sermons against the revolution. But he said some Christians, like himself, have been participating in protests, with more and more joining in the past two months. He said he’s been welcomed by the largely Sunni protesters.
“When protesters discovered that I’m Christian, and from Christian area,” he said, “They cried. Some hugged me. They were saying, like, you are from good origin. They didn’t believe that some Christians are involved in this.”He said Muslims have welcomed Christians into Mosques so they wouldn’t be exposed to the brutality of the security forces on the street. At the same time, he said there isn’t an organized Christian presence at the protests, just individuals. That’s because the Assad regime has been sowing the fear of sectarian strife for years, and it’s hard to shake, especially for the older generation. Rima is a Syrian Christian who only wanted to use her first name.“What really surprise[s] me among some Christians is they are so eager to believe the official narrative and story,” Rima said. “I had a big argument with one of my uncles, because he is very pro -regime. And I told him I understand, but on the humanitarian level, you cannot justify what’s been happening.”
Rima said the older generation seems to be growing more sympathetic to the uprising as the government-orchestrated violence increases. At the same time, another Christian who asked to be called George said the government’s fear-mongering may be working. What George sees is a situation where Christians are afraid of chaos. And Sunni Muslims, in turn, distrust Christians and Druze because those groups on the whole aren’t joining the protests.“The situation is not easy as some think,” the activist George said. “The Americans have been trying to spread the freedom, but we’ve seen the model of freedom in Iraq. So as minorities we don’t feel safe. That’s why we fear the regime being toppled.”
“Where do we go if Syria falls apart? Go to Turkey? They don’t even speak Arabic there!” George asked.Rami Nakle said he isn’t worried. He’s a Syrian activist based in Beirut. He was born into the Druze religious sect, although he’s secular. He said regardless of the consequences, bringing down Bashar al-Assad would be worth it.“No matter what comes after him at least we will put our first foot in the step of development. If we manage to change it, we can change and reform any system that will come after him,” Nakle said.
But analysts point out that unless the heavily populated urban areas of Damascus and Aleppo join the uprising, the dreams activists have of a time after Assad, or the fears some have of that time, will never be known.
Crisis in North Sudan (CBN)
(CBN)-
10 Aug 2011 - Sudan is facing a new humanitarian crisis. Tens of thousands of lives are at risk as the Islamic regime of north Sudan launches attacks in the Nuba Mountains.The armed forces of President Omar Bashir are terrorizing people in the war-torn region of South Kordofan State.The Nuba Mountains has one of the largest Christian populations in the north.Now, humanitarian organizations are speaking out, hoping to expose ethnic cleansing of the Nuba people.Ethnic cleansing has left many dead and many others fighting for their lives.Brad Phillips, president of the Persecution Project Foundation, just returned from the Nuba mountains.He testified before U.S. congressional leaders that aid access to the region is limited.
"There is a serious humanitarian crisis that is approaching," Phillips said. "There are 70,000 to 90,000 people that are probably going to die in the next month to two months because the roads are shut down to the north and the flights are not coming into the Nuba mountains."The Nuba mountains are home one of Sudan's largest Christian communities.They are being tormented by daily air strikes and house-to-house raids from President Bashir's armed forces.Bashir is an indicted war criminal for the genocide in Darfur.Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va., said it's important the church in the West stands-up for these persecuted Christians."I think the church in the West has to do a better job of advocating for the persecuted church," Wolf said.
"If anything, hopefully, this hearing can not only motivate the administration, but also the church, leaders of all the denominations, to come together to advocate for this."Bashir's soldiers are also reportedly burning down churches.Bishop Andudu is from Sudan's South Kordofan. He testified to the devastation that happened at his diocese."My house was shot with guns and my chaplain was able to escape through the window and also my offices and café burned down," Andudu said.
The Nuba people also suffered persecution at this same level back in the 1990s. Humanitarian organizations say the same people who killed more than 500,000 people back then are trying to "finish the job" today.
Myth about Muslim Brotherhood moderation (HNY)
(HudsonNewYork) 08 Aug 2011 - Although in the early days of Egypt's revolution, the predominant narrative in American media and decision-making circles insisted that the revolution had been brought about by essentially secular people --- that Egypt was on the verge of becoming a true liberal democracy -- later, the involvement of Islamist groups in the revolution became too obvious to overlook.At first, everyone was hearing about schisms among the Islamists, how their "new generation," particularly those seceding from the Muslim Brotherhood (MB), were completely different from their predecessors. The "new generation," it was said, was worldly, open-minded and embraced the Western values of tolerance and diversity. With these new leaders in charge, it was further said, Egypt was on the verge of becoming a true liberal democracy.
Today, as acknowledging the ascent of Islamism seems unavoidable, the newest trend is to "engage" the more "moderate" Islamist groups, primarily the Muslim Brotherhood, who, according to the NY Times webpage on the Muslim Brotherhood, are "not necessarily intent on establishing an Islamic state." This policy can probably be seen most piercingly just a few weeks ago in the official invitation to dialogueextended by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to the Muslim Brotherhood. Since then, the rhetoric in Washington DC has changed. No one is talking about liberal democracy any more; the conversation now is all about being "realistic." This approach will be even more relevant after the Islamist-only million-man march for "defending identity and popular will," which most likely will deal the final blow to any claim to power by the secular parties.
Although it is probably already too late for US foreign policy to influence the course of events in Egypt, the United States' level of official engagement with the MB would do well to be minimal, otherwise, to borrow from Daniel Patrick Moynihan, the administration will be simply "defining deviancy down": increasing American tolerance for legitimizing Islamism. Discussing whether the MB is truly "moderate" is irrelevant, as the very concept of "moderate Islamism is oxymoronic. The term "moderate" has been used, fallaciously, only to clarify the distinction between Muslims (referred to as moderates) and Islamists (referred to as radicals). To flesh out this distinction a bit, Islam is a religion: a set of metaphysical and ethical beliefs, equivalent in the West to Christianity or Judaism. Islamism is a political Ideology: prescribing how governments, societies and individuals should act, and equivalent in the West to, say, Marxism. A devout Muslim, for example, will not drink alcohol and he may indeed believe that no one should; an Islamist, by contrast, seeks to establish a government that bans alcohol entirely.
Many in the West believe that Islamism is equivalent to strict adherence to the teachings of Islam, which is why they apply the term "moderate" to those who are not so strict. The fact is that the core tenets of Islamism are not derived from the religion, but are instead based on theories of mostly modern origins, Those who reject these tenets are not "moderate" Muslims, they are just not Islamist.
An Islamist cannot be "moderate" about these tenets, particularly the Sovereignty of Shari'a Law (Hakimiya) and Superiority of the (early) Islamic Civilization. While definitions of Shari'a Law and the Islamic civilization may vary, the historical predominance of orthodoxy, particularly in Sunni Islam, has kept variations at a minimum. Nonetheless these two maxims -- imposing Shari'a Law and the superiority of Islam -- are in direct opposition to Western Liberalism as we know it. Shari'a Law is opposed to the notion of universal and individual Human Rights; and the Islamic Civilization is solely based on the concept of "Justice": whatever is inside Shari'a Law is just, whatever is outside Shari'a Law is unjust, with no interest at all in the concept of "freedom of choice."
Islamist "moderation" is, in fact, nothing but pragmatism misconstrued. Islamists may, for example, embrace democracy as means of imposing Shari'a Law, or they may renounce violence as a means to prove the Superiority of Islam, but the ends – imposing Shari'a Law and the Superiority of Islam -- remain the same. In this light, it is undeniable that the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood is among the most pragmatic -- but not always benign. Consider this fatwa from the official MB website, responding to a query on whether working for a bank is forbidden because of the practice of usury: "Usury is no longer related to a bank employee or a company clerk, it is part of our entire economic and financial system (…), a situation will not be changed or mitigated by one employee's refraining from working for a bank or a company, and if we forbade every Muslim from working in banks, the result would be that non-Muslims, Jews and others, would control the affairs of banks".
Pragmatism, however, is double-edged. While the necessities of modern life, or an authoritarian regime, may force pragmatic Islamists such as the MB to pursue courses they deem incompatible with Islam, such as working for banks, pressure from moiré ideologically committed and less pragmatic groups such as the Salafis, in a democratic Egypt, could have the MB embrace a stricter line to win their votes.
This dynamic -- well understood and anticipated by every Islamist -- undermines all optimistic analyses about secessions and differences within the Islamist spectrum. Ahmed El-Naqib, for instance, one of the most respected Salafi authorities, responded to the question if Salafis would support the MB in the elections by saying: "If the MB could, through our help, come to power, what is the problem? We help them. They are not infidels (kafirs). The shoe of one member of the MB is closer to us than a nation of those infidels." When one of the listeners raised the objection that "[the MB's] statements are scary [meaning too soft]," Al-Naqib reassured him: "It is because they are being watched. Nazarenes [the Salafist term for Christians] are watching them. America is watching them. The secular parties are watching them. They try to come with arguments that do not scare people off. But we should remain barefaced. We should remain the scarecrows. These have to be scared as well. Thus a hand taps the shoulder, and a hand slaps the neck."
Leaders of the MB are not even being that subtle about hiding their convictions. In an interview with Michael J. Totten and Armin Rosen earlier this month, Essam El-Erian, one of three leaders of the MB's newly established political party, and who is considered the "moderate" face of the MB, gave a long anti-American diatribe, saying that Qaddafi was an American agent and implying some conspiracy to the 9/11 attacks.
Another issue that will never be touched by "moderation" is the unflinching animosity towards Israel. Thepolitical program of the MB's Freedom and Justice Party states on page 24 that: "The issue of Palestine is the most important issues of Egyptian national security, in addition to being an Arab or Muslim cause, because the Zionist Entity is a racist colonizing expansionist entity, possessing weapons of mass destruction, which has caused the outbreak of many wars in the region, affecting the geographical, political, social and economic situation, disrupting development programs and displacing people from their homes, in addition to the acquisition of Islamic and Christian holy places in Palestine. Therefore the party sees the need to make all efforts to resolve this issue and ensure the rights of Palestinian self-determination and the return of refugees to their homes, establish their state and its capital Jerusalem, restore all the holy places of Muslims and Christians in Palestine and the evacuation of the entire region (Middle East) of weapons of mass destruction." Of course, this sounds very "moderate" when compared to the frequent calls from the MB leadership, including the Supreme Guide, to nullify the Egyptian-Israeli treaty, as well as literally thousands of Anti-Semitic articles and statements by its members. Google-searching the term "[the] Zionists" in Arabic on the official MB official website renders an impressive 70,500 results; you can guess how many of those are favorable.
The newly-discovered "realism" of the State Department will be as inept and counter-productive as its preceding Idealism. While Egypt's Islamists may not end up taking complete control over the country in the near future, they are certainly on the right track for the farther future. The generation of the Arab Spring, and their fans in the West, will most likely be facing an enemy they never thought existed: Democratic Tyranny – despotic Islamist rule imposed by the majority through the ballot box – the worst of all
Egyptian Islamists Hijack Tahrir Square Demonstration, Demand Islamic State(AINA)
5 August 2011 - (AINA) - The worst fears of many Egyptians and non-Muslims were realized today when Islamists hijacked today's million-man sit-in at Tahrir Square. The planned sit-in was intended to be a form of pressure to achieve the demands of the revolution, mainly cleansing from corruption, freedom and social justice, as well as reuniting the revolutionary groups."Over three days a series meetings were held between representatives of several political and Islamist groups to unify all people attending the sit-in in Tahrir Square on July 29, in order to achieve the demands of the revolution, "demands that unify not splinter," said Dr. Amr Hamzawi, founder of Masr el Horreya, party " and leave everything else like the constitution, or elections for a later date." The sit-in was named "Friday of Popular Will and Unification" instead of "Sharia Friday" as Salafists wanted. It was also agreed that no sectarian or religious slogans or chanting was to be used, and all parties signed the statement to adhere to these terms. "We were surprised to find that the Muslim Brotherhood and the Salafists did not adhere to the agreements, and they intimidated other liberal groups," Hamzawi added.
Tens of thousands of Salafists and other Islamic factions came in buses from all Egyptian provinces.
From their podium, one of twelve erected in the Square, Salafists called for the creation of an Islamic State in Egypt, and the application of Sharia Law. They chanted and raised posters with "Islamic, Islamic, Egypt will remain Islamic against all secularists wishes" and "The people want Allah's Sharia," and "There is no god but Allah -- Koran is our constitution."
One of their favored chants was one addressed to the US President: "Obama, Obama---We are all Osama." A large poster was erected in the Square with photos of Al Qaida's Bin Laden, Hamas Shaikh Ahmad Yassin, Libyan fighter Omar Mukhtar, the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood Hassan al-Banna, the former Brotherhood hero who was executed by President Nasser, Sayyid Qutb and Shaikh Omar Abdel Rahman, who is being held in a U.S. prison. Under the photos was written , "May Allah rest your souls in peace" and "You are in our hearts, we will never forget you."
Hundreds of Saudi Arabian flags were raised by Islamists and others were sold by vendors. "Tahrir Square has been transformed into Islamabad," commented one participant.
Skirmishes between other participants took place. Salafists wanted the Copts from the Maspero Coptic Youth out of the Square. "They came to us and asked us to remove our tent," said volunteer Dr. Sonia, "which has been here since July 7. We refused and one of the Coptic doctors who is serving as a first-aid doctor in the tent spoke to them politely, so other people rebuked the Salafists. However, the prayers session which Copts usually have after Friday prayers was cancelled."
It was also reported that many participants were ousted from the sit-in by Salafists, who chanted "There is no god but Allah, the secularist is the enemy of Allah." They pelted the podium of the Muslim Brotherhood Youth with oranges because they played nationalistic songs and they wanted the Koran to be chanted.
One angry Coptic priests, wrapped in the Egyptian flag, was interviewed by Al Jezeerah TV on the MB podium. He criticized the Muslim Brotherhood for not keeping to the agreement. "We are here to demand social justice and democracy, and these [Islamic] slogans should disappear," said father Botros Eweida. "We are here for Egypt, there is no Muslim, Christian, Muslim Brotherhood or Salafist, only Egyptians. This is against our agreement. We agreed on Egypt only."
Dr. Naguib Ghobraeel, President of Egyptian Union for Human Rights, issued a statement rejecting today's Islamists slogans, which he says "splinter and fragment Egyptians" and are sectarian slogans, which lead to conflicts between the political forces in Egypt. He also criticized the chant "not Eastern or Western -- Egypt is an Islamic State" As well as inscribing Islamic verses on the Egyptian flag, which transforms the revolution into an Islamic one."
In the afternoon, 28 parties and coalitions pulled out from Tahrir Square, angered by what they are calling the Islamists' hijacking of the protests with their own demands, and have not kept to the agreements.
Magdi el-Gallad, editor in chief of Al Masry Al Youm, described today's events as "a quarrel over a legacy, a quarrel over political gains, a quarrel over the body of Egypt."
Egypt's Freedom and Justice Party rejects US attempts to interfere in state affairs (MEMO)
4 August 2011 - The deputy head of the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party in Egypt, Dr Rafiq Habib, has criticized the US House of Representative's decision to assign a special US Religious Freedom Envoy to the Middle East, primarily to protect Egypt's Coptic Christians.A Coptic intellectual himself, Habib said that this decision constitutes "the continuation of US attempts to interfere in the internal affairs of the region, particularly Egypt, under the pretext of supporting the rights of women and Copts."
"The US is once again trying to interfere in the region's internal affairs. Following the Arab revolutionary spring and now that the old regimes, its former allies, have been toppled - it is as though it is formulating other leverage cards to strengthen its role in the region", he added.
"Egypt won't allow interference in its affairs, and it will not once again play the old role that the toppled regime used to play."
"The US has to understand that the rules of the game have changed, and that a great change has occurred - and that the popular will now has the final word; it won't allow itself to be a follower of any external force again."
A number of US rights organizations had praised the US House of Representatives' vote in favour of a bill assigning a Religious Freedom Envoy to the Middle East, mainly to protect Coptic Christians in Egypt. The US organizations called on US Congress Representatives to take further steps to "stop the oppression of Copts in Egypt."
On Saturday, July 27, the US House of Representatives voted for a bill creating a special envoy to the Middle East to oversee the affairs of Copts and religious minorities and with the aim of "supporting the rights of these religious groups."
402 US Representatives voted for the bill and 20 Representatives voted against it.
The bill tasks the envoy with defending the rights of religious minorities in Egypt, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.
Egypt's Christians Work to Stop Islamic Takeover
24 July 2011 -By Dan Wooding - Founder of ASSIST Ministries
CAIRO, EGYPT (ANS)-- Egypt's Christians are working to stop an Islamic takeover of their country and pro-democracy supporters have launched a new campaign called Constitution First to slow the process.
This was revealed in a story by Gary Lane, CBN News Sr. International Correspondent, in a story that has just been released.
Lane began his report by saying that in Egypt, protestors are "once again in the streets calling for change." He said that they fear the revolution that toppled former President Hosni Mubarak has stalled and is in danger of being taken over by Islamists.
"It's good news to go to the streets again to protect their revolution. The Muslim Brotherhood and the military council [have] hijacked the revolution," said Magdy Khalil, spokesman for Coptic Solidarity.
Lane stated that Khalil and other Egyptians believe the ruling military council has made a political deal with radicals, moving Egypt toward an Islamic state no different than Mubarak's corrupt regime.
"They are looking to protect their positions, so who can accept this position? The Muslim Brotherhood, because the Muslim Brotherhood plans to control the whole of Egypt," Khalil explained.
He says the Brotherhood is ignoring high level corruption in exchange for power and control.
"That's why Egypt's parliamentary elections were moving on a fast track. Originally planned for September, the military council now says elections will be delayed until November," said Lane.
"But some Christians and secularists still believe more time may be needed to overcome the political advantage of the better organized Muslim Brotherhood.
"If the election moves forward as planned, chances are the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamist parties will win a majority of the seats in the parliament."
In response, he said, pro-democracy supporters have launched a new campaign called Constitution First to slow the process.
"Constitution First is like [a] model of the United States in 1787," Khalil said. "The Muslim brotherhood, salafists and the military council... they support elections first. Copts, liberal secularists, moderate people [and] moderate Muslims support constitution first."
Constitution First supporters feel if a parliamentary election is held first, the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamist parties will write the constitution to include Sharia law, added Lane.
"I do think there's a majority of people in Egypt today that would like to have freedom and democracy and an open society who are opposed to Sharia law," Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va., said.
"Fundamentally, they want to have a democracy, maybe not precisely the way that we have, but one," he added.
"And it's real dangerous if you rush in to this thing without having any standards and guidance... the Muslim Brotherhood could take over," he said.
Gary Lane reporting from Egypt
Lane declared that Egypt's Coptic Christians say a Muslim Brotherhood takeover would not be good for them.
"[It would be] a disaster not only for Christians in Egypt, but also for Israel, for the United States, for Europe," Khalil said. "For the whole West, for the human civilization, for the Western civilization."
"I think the Coptic Christians will be in a very difficult spot and much more difficult than if the Muslim Brotherhood took over than even under Mubarak," Rep. Wolf added.
And Coptic Christians, said Lane, have not fared well since Mubarak's departure.
"In the first 300 days after the Mubarak regime fell, Copts in Egypt -- the Christians in Egypt -- faced more than 60 attacks, including murders, the burning of churches," Khalil said.
And Christians are still waiting for a thorough investigation and prosecution of those responsible for a bombing at Saint Mark's church in Alexandria last year. The New Year's Day attack killed 23 people and injured 97 others.
Congressman Wolf said it's time the United States become an advocate for Egyptian Christians.
"I think there ought to be pressure on the leadership, members of Congress, and this administration to advocate and stand now with the persecuted," Wolf said.
"The Coptic Christians are really the leading point of the spear because if Egypt trends the other way, the impact that will have [is great]," he said.
Walid Phares
Lane then said that Middle East expert Walid Phares suggests the Obama administration should start talking to the right people. Earlier this summer, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced the U.S. would begin a dialogue with the Muslim Brotherhood.
"They have been arguing that the Muslim Brotherhood should be the partners of the West, knowing very well that the Muslim Brotherhood's aim, final goal is to establish an Islamic state like Iran, or like Sudan, or ultimately like the Taliban," Phares explained.
"So, we need to have a change of direction," he continued. "First, in Washington and in Brussels so that we can begin to partner with the right natural allies in the region."
"We [Coptic Christians] are the real partner of the West," Khalil said. "We can create a bloc of secular Christians in Egypt and moderate Muslims."
Lane concluded by saying, "That's the hope and prayer of Egyptian Christians and secularists -- a political movement and pressure from the West to keep their democratic revolution moving forward."
Sudanese "slaves" facing death in North Sudan (ANS)
21 July 2011 - The Republic of South Sudan declared independence on July 9 and became the 193rd member of the United Nations a few days later.
But as the celebrations subside and the process of nation building begins, there is a stark reminder that this "national liberation" remains incomplete: tens of thousands Southern slaves remain in captivity in the North, according to one organization familiar with the situation in this newly-emerging nation.
"It is a sad irony," said Dr. Charles Jacobs, President of the American Anti-Slavery Group (AASG). "It was, after all, the enslavement of African villagers that animated and bolstered much of the rebellion in South Sudan. And it was reports of modern day human bondage in Africa's largest country that awoke Americans to the tragedy in Sudan.""For over five decades the region's black Africans were oppressed, slaughtered and enslaved by the Northern rulers who aimed to destroy their cultural and ethnic identity," Jacobs said.
In a media release, AASG states the Southern rebellion against the Northern domination lasted half a century -- from 1955 until 2005, with only an eleven year break between 1972 and 1983.AASG explained that in the brutal campaign to Arabize and Islamize the African Christian/traditionalist South, the leaders of the Arab Muslim North killed almost 3 million and ethnically cleansed 4 million more (nearly 80 percent of the population.)"Slave raids were the terror weapon of choice of the Islamist regime in Khartoum," Jacobs said.
He added: "The classification of the conflict as a "holy war" -- a jihad against the Christian South and its allies in the Nuba Mountains -- legitimized in the eyes of many Northern Muslims the revival of the centuries-old practice of taking slaves as war booty."AASG estimates that in slave raids on Southern villages, conducted by government-backed Arab militias known as murahaleen, hundreds of thousands of blacks, mostly women and children, were captured, transported to the North and enslaved.
The group says that since 1995, AASG's partner, Christian Solidarity International (CSI), has been working to free Sudan's slaves. The organization provides funds to the indigenous network of Africans and Arabs who cooperate on returning the captives. CSI's efforts resulted in the liberation of over 80,000 slaves.The group goes on to say that in 2005, under guidance of the US Government, the North and the South signed a Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that ended the war and provided for Southern self-determination.The CPA ended the slave raids, but left the fate of those already in bondage unresolved. According to the recent Congressional testimony of CSI's CEO Dr. John Eibner, approximately 35,000 are still serving their masters in parts of Southern Darfur and Kordofan.
In the week prior to the independence, CSI liberated 404 slaves."AASG is committed to continuing our partnership with CSI until the last slave in Sudan is returned home," said Jacobs.
Church attacks in Senegal (ANS) (WEA-RLC) 11 July 2011
- At least six churches were attacked during the recent protests over constitutional amendments in Senegal in West Africa. These attacks in the national capital of Dakar are puzzling, as this Muslim-majority country is seen as a model of tolerance and religious co-existence.
According to a news release from the World Evangelical Alliance's Religious Liberty Commission (WEA-RLC), protests erupted on June 23 after President Abdoulaye Wade made an attempt at what the civil society and political opposition called a "constitutional coup."His government introduced a bill seeking constitutional amendment reducing the voting percentage requirement to become president from 50 to 25 percent. That means, WEA-RLC said, Wade, already in power for 11 years, could remain in office."The protests had nothing to do with the churches that were attacked," WEA-RLC Executive Director Godfrey Yogarajah said speaking in a news release.
"It is also clear," Yogarajah said, "that the attacks were not spontaneous; they were planned and organized taking advantage of the protests. How else do you make sense of mobs launching attacks on six churches when there was absolutely no immediate provocation?"Local sources have told WEA-RLC that the mobs targeted new churches including Pentecostal and Baptist, which are growing in the country. The Roman Catholic Church is seen as a traditional organization in Senegal, but some Protestant congregations are accused of having links with foreign groups and are also regarded with suspicion.
While churches have previously been attacked in the country, WEA-RLC said violence of this scale is a new development. Sufi Islam, to which the majority of Senegal's Muslims belong, is widely believed to be tolerant. Over 90 percent of the 12.5 million people in the country are Muslim.According to a news release, Abdoul Aziz Kebe, an Imam at a Dakar mosque and Professor of Islamology at Cheikh anta Diop University, condemned the violence. He stressed that Islam calls for peaceful relations between Muslims and members of other religions, according to West Africa Democracy Radio.
Speaking in the news release Yogarajah added, "It is worrisome that no one, not even the government, has a clue who the attackers were although the attacks raise many questions. Does that mean a section of the Sufi Muslims have become extremist? If so, is a foreign group behind it or some insiders are promoting radical Islam? Who is their leader? What is the strength of this new grouping and what are their plans?"
WEA-RLC said the organization urges the government to ensure religious freedom for all Christian and other groups and to investigate all aspects of the violence. In addition, WEA-RLC would like to see stopped the efforts to radicalize sections of the local Muslims, and to abstain from violent repression of protests, which it said will only lead to a state of anarchy in the country.
The Religious Liberty Commission monitors the religious liberty situation in more than 100 nations, defends persecuted Christians and gives assistance whenever possible. In addition, at the United Nations, the Commission reports about the situation and arranges special hearings with Christians from countries under pressure.
Water withheld from believers (ANS)
06 July 2011 - SOUTH ASIA (ANS) -- Bandhu Pillai and his family are scorned in their community. They are the only believers in their extended family, and now they are facing intense opposition from the other residents of the village.
Several days ago, the villagers started forbidding Bandhu's family from using the common well, so the family is forced to walk to another village to draw water. Even worse, the villagers are threatening to kick the family out of their village. This is a serious problem for these new Asian believers as their society is rooted in family and tradition. Leaving their village in shame would mean they might never see their family again. They would also lose their home and any inheritance associated with their land or business in the village they've lived in since birth.
Bandhu's pastor, Gospel for Asia-supported missionary Satya Naidu, requests prayers for the family. Please pray God will help them to hold firmly to their faith during this difficult time, and that He will change the hearts of the villagers who are oppressing the family.
Egypt: Christians flee from coming Shariah law (ICC)
The Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood says they want to institute Shariah law, while intelligence sources report al-Qaida is now staging attacks in the nation, prompting Egypt’s Coptic Christians to believe that they’ll soon be driven from their homeland.
International Christian Concern’s Aidan Clay says the Copts’ attitude has gone from uncertainty to fear. That fear is driving many Coptic Christians to try to leave Egypt.
“A report from a very prominent Coptic says he’s getting hundreds of calls a week from Coptic Christians who are trying to get out of the country,” Clay told WND in an interview. “That’s an extremely sad thing considering we’re seeing that throughout the Middle East. We’re seeing the quick removal of ancient Christian communities. Egypt has the highest Christian population of any country and a very old Christian church there.”
Clay places responsibility for the growing pressure to the growing influence of the Muslim Brotherhood.
“The Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamic groups are gaining a lot of political influence,” Clay explained. “Actually the Muslim Brotherhood is really the only organized Islamic group forming a political party.
“So really, there is a fear that the Muslim Brotherhood could take power. It’s the same with the Salafis. They’re now saying they’re willing to run for Parliament,” Clay added.
The International Christian Concern analyst was referring to a recent report on Vatican Radio that said the long-restricted Salafist group is planning to form a political party and run candidates for Egypt’s Parliament.
“In the past, Mubarak had a very hard hand on these extreme, fundamentalist, ultra-conservative groups. They were not allowed to run for government in any way,” Clay commented. “But the Muslim Brotherhood had some influence and were able to get some votes.”
Clay says that even though the groups were kept under control, they’ve long had the Christians in their “sights.”
“These were the groups responsible for the major terrorist attacks against the Christians. They may even be responsible for the New Year’s Eve attack against the church in Alexandria,” Clay asserted. “Mubarak of course blamed an outside al-Qaeda group for the attack. The Copts don’t buy that; they think it was it was an excuse by Mubarak to not to have to deal with the turmoil inside of Egypt.”
The issue for Copts, as Clay explains, is that both of these groups have promised some form of Islamic government, which would put restrictions on the Christians in Egypt.
Coptic Christians demonstrated against Shariah law and voiced support for an entirely secular state in Egypt. Clay says the desire for a secular government will likely go unheeded.
“They’re not going to get far in demanding a secular constitution, especially if the Brotherhood gains a lot of influence in the September elections,” Clay stated. “The Brotherhood will slowly gain control and they’ll gain seats by using democracy to their advantage.”
Clay’s assessment is in line with a recently published Heritage Foundation report on Egypt’s political future and the status of the Coptic Christians.
The report analyzes the constitutional amendments Egyptians voted for with a 77-percent majority in the March referendum and claims the referendum only presented the “illusion of progress.” The report also describes the Muslim Brotherhood’s involvement in the vote.
“It’s simply bad news for Egyptians who want a total transformation of the political status quo,” the paper stated. “The Muslim Brotherhood and members of the ruling National Democratic Party were the main supporters of the military-backed referendum.”
The Silent Extermination of Iraq’s Christians (ICC)
Last week an Iraqi Muslim scholar issued a fatwa that, among other barbarities, asserts that “it is permissible to spill the blood of Iraqi Christians.” Inciting as the fatwa is, it is also redundant. While last October’s Baghdad church attack which killed some sixty Christians is widely known—actually receiving some MSM coverage—the fact is, Christian life in Iraq has been a living hell ever since U.S. forces ousted the late Saddam Hussein in 2003.
Among other atrocities, beheading and crucifying Christians are not irregular occurrences; messages saying “you Christian dogs, leave or die,” are typical. Islamists see the church as an “obscene nest of pagans” and threaten to “exterminate Iraqi Christians.” John Eibner, CEO of Christian Solidarity International, summarized the situation well in a recent letter to President Obama:
The threat of extermination is not empty. Since the collapse of Saddam Hussein’s regime, more than half the country’s Christian population has been forced by targeted violence to seek refuge abroad or to live away from their homes as internally displaced people. According to the Hammurabi Human Rights Organization, over 700 Christians, including bishops and priests, have been killed and 61 churches have been bombed. Seven years after the commencement of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Catholic Archbishop Louis Sako of Kirkuk reports: “He who is not a Muslim in Iraq is a second-class citizen. Often it is necessary to convert or emigrate, otherwise one risks being killed.” This anti-Christian violence is sustained by a widespread culture of Muslim supremacism that extends far beyond those who pull the triggers and detonate the bombs.
The grand irony, of course, is that Christian persecution has increased exponentially under U.S. occupation. As one top Vatican official put it, Christians, “paradoxically, were more protected under the dictatorship” of Saddam Hussein.
Either which way, the minorities—notably the indigenous Christians—are the first to suffer once the genie of “people-power” is uncorked. Indeed, evidence indicates that the U.S. backed “democratic” government of Iraq enables and incites the persecution of its Christians. (All of this raises the pivotal question: do heavy-handed tyrants—Saddam, Mubarak, Qaddafi, et al—create brutal societies, or do naturally brutal societies create the need for heavy-handed tyrants to keep order.)
Another indicator that empowering Muslim masses equates Christian suffering is the fact that, though Iraqi Christians amount to a mere five percent of the population, they make up nearly 40 percent of the refugees fleeing Iraq. It is the same in Egypt: “A growing number of Egypt’s 8-10 million Coptic Christians are looking for a way to get out as Islamists increasingly take advantage of the nationalist revolution that toppled long-standing dictator Hosni Mubarak in February.”
Police Attack Church In Zimbabwe (ICC)
The United Reformed Church has condemned the violent disruption of an ecumenical prayer service for peace in Zimbabwean capital, Harare.
The Zimbabwe Christian Alliance reports that armed riot police launched a vicious attack on a congregation of around 600 as they met at a church in Harare earlier this month.
Numerous people were injured and 14 arrested and taken by police to Harare central police station, where they were charged with “causing public violence” and held for two days.
Commenting on this report, Simon Loveitt, public issues spokesperson for the URC, said: “This brutal attack on people gathered to pray for peace in represents a new level of oppression and violence in the long litany of human rights violations by the Zimbabwe Republic Police.
Numerous people were injured and 14 arrested and taken by police to Harare central police station, where they were charged with “causing public violence” and held for two days.
Commenting on this report, Simon Loveitt, public issues spokesperson for the URC, said: “This brutal attack on people gathered to pray for peace in represents a new level of oppression and violence in the long litany of human rights violations by the Zimbabwe Republic Police.
"It now appears that even places of worship can no longer be considered as sacred or safe spaces – and this raises serious concerns about the fundamental human rights of freedom of thought, conscience and belief in Zimbabwe.
“The greatest irony is that people praying for peace were charged with 'causing public violence' while the only violence was from those who are charged with the protection of citizens from the very acts they perpetrated; this resonates with the message of Holy Week on which we are currently reflecting."
Frank Kantor, the URC’s secretary for church and society, and a South African national, personally knows many of the victims of this recent violence.
“The greatest irony is that people praying for peace were charged with 'causing public violence' while the only violence was from those who are charged with the protection of citizens from the very acts they perpetrated; this resonates with the message of Holy Week on which we are currently reflecting."
Frank Kantor, the URC’s secretary for church and society, and a South African national, personally knows many of the victims of this recent violence.
He said: “Although I have a strong and personal connection to the Christian community in Zimbabwe, I believe that these atrocities are something all Christians should be concerned about."
He said Christians had a "prophetic mandate" to speak out against injustice and oppression in all its forms.
“As we come to the climax of Holy Week, and the eyes of the Christian Church turn towards the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we appeal to all Christians to remember the on-going suffering and distress of our brothers and sisters in Zimbabwe in their Easter prayers," he said.
“As we come to the climax of Holy Week, and the eyes of the Christian Church turn towards the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we appeal to all Christians to remember the on-going suffering and distress of our brothers and sisters in Zimbabwe in their Easter prayers," he said.
"Their suffering has been long and painful – and yet we are reminded by the Easter message that hate and turmoil is not the final reality for Christians. Faith, hope and love endure – and will overcome in Zimbabwe.
Muslim Mobs Kill At Least 100 Christians, Burn Over 40 Churches in Northern Nigeria (ICC)
Washington, D.C. (April 19, 2011)–International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that Muslim rioters have killed more than 100 Christians and burned down more than 40 churches in an attack that began yesterday in response to the election of Jonathan Goodluck, a Christian, as president of Nigeria. The rioters even destroyed the homes of many Muslims who supported President Jonathan Goodluck.The Muslim attackers allege that the election was rigged and General Muhammadu Buhari, a Muslim presidential candidate, is the rightful winner. Yet, impartial observers have called this election the fairest in decades. According to the Commonwealth observers’ report, “The elections for the National Assembly and the Presidency were both credible and creditable and reflected the will of the Nigerian people.”
According to ICC sources, it is difficult to know the full extent of the damage. The casualties could be much higher as the attacks took place over many of the 12 Muslim majority states in northern Nigeria. The situation is beginning to calm since security forces were deployed and enforced a 24 hour curfew. Christian minorities living in northern Nigeria have faced repeated bouts of violence and discrimination at the hands of the Muslim majority. Since the introduction of Sharia law in northern Nigeria in 2001, tens and thousands of Christians have been killed.
“Christians in northern Nigeria are being killed and their churches and property destroyed for voting for the candidate of their choice. Why should churches be burned when just it’s an issue of politics? Why should Christians be killed just because someone won an election? Goodluck is not the president just for Christians; he is the president for every Nigerian. Why should Christians suffer because Jonathan won the election? ” said a Christian leader in the northern Nigerian state of Kaduna.
Jonathan Racho, ICC’s Regional Manager for Africa, said, “We are very saddened by the violence against Christians and their property in northern Nigeria. Disputes over elections shouldn’t have been allowed to lead to religious violence against Christians. We have repeatedly seen Muslims attack and kill those of other faiths at the slightest provocation. We urge Nigeria to fully investigate this attack and bring the perpetrators to justice. As long as these attackers operate with impunity, the attacks will continue.”
Wikileaks: anti-Christian missionary campaign and Turkey (times.am)
The Ambassador has emphasized to State Minister Aydin serious U.S. concerns about the GOT’s anti-Christian missionary campaign, including a written statement by Aydin defining missionaries as a threat to the State and maligning Christianity. The U.S. has long urged the EU to support Turkey’s candidacy, but it will be difficult to do so while the GOT is campaigning against Christianity. The Ambassador warned that anti-Christian rhetoric could lead to violence, and urged Aydin to speak in support of the rights of Christians in Turkey. In response, Aydin accused missionaries in Turkey of using anti-Islamic rhetoric, and complained that the U.S. media have said “awful things” about Turkey. After the meeting, we learned that a Protestant church building had been attacked in Ankara.
Congress Concerned About Anti-Christian Rhetoric
Calling on Aydin April 21, the Ambassador noted that the U.S., in its support for Turkey’s EU candidacy, has long maintained that the EU should not be a Christian club. President Bush and the U.S. Congress have frequently emphasized their commitment to religious freedom and tolerance among faiths. Now, however, members of Congress are highly concerned about the GOT’s campaign against Christian missionaries. The anti-missionary sermon drafted by the GOT’s Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) and delivered by imams across the country March 11 (reftel A), as well as Aydin’s own written response to a question from an MP on the “threat” of missionaries (reftel B), depict missionary activity in Turkey as political rather than religious. Both documents imply that missionaries are a threat to the State.
The GOT’s actions, the Ambassador continued, give the impression that Turkey, whose population is officially 99 per cent Muslim, has no room for Christians. The USG’s 2005 International Religious Freedom Report (IRF), to be released in September, will reflect these negative developments. If these problems are not addressed, the report will be quite critical. Moreover, these developments threaten Turkey’s EU candidacy.
For more information go to: http://times.am/2011/04/16/wikileaks-anti-christian-missionary-campaign-and-turkey/
Egypt Copts rally for rights (Aina)
A Middle East journalist is reporting that nearly 100,000 Christian Copts staged a rally on Friday, April 15, 2011, in Cairo, Egypt.
Mary Abdelmassih, writing for the Assyrian International News Agency (http://www.aina.org/), said that the rally began with a 5 mile march from the Coptic Shubra district to Tahrir Square. Many Muslims joined the march, as well prominent Coptic activists and heads of Coptic human rights organizations."We want to show everyone that Copts are present and have fair and lawful demands," said Father Mettias Nasr, one of the organizers of the rally. "We want a secular, democratic state, a constitution void of any religious clauses, and laws that prohibit discrimination."
Abdelmassih said that the rally was organized by the Maspero Coptic Movement to commemorate the 40th day of the death of 9 Copts, who were killed by Muslims and the Egyptian army on March 9 in attacks on the Mokatam district, on the outskirts of Cairo. The remembrance cortege was in the form of a mobile pyramid with photos of the dead, accompanied by funeral military music and Coptic church scouts, who wore red, white and black shirts, the colors of the Egyptian flag.Organizers raised banners demanding a new constitution that emphasizes the civil state, those responsible for torching and demolishing the church in Soul on March 5 and those who killed the Copts in Mokatam to be brought to justice.
She went on to say that priests led the procession, showing photos of the Mokatam victims and of Coptic girls who disappeared without a trace, demanding the Supreme Council of the armed forces find the girls "because the authorities know who the abductors are" said Father Filopateer, an organizer. Demands were also made for the release of the 18 Coptic youths who participated in the Maspero Coptic Youth sit-in in March and who were arrested on March 17 by the army and sentenced to three-years in prison under false charges.
"We want our churches which were closed by the disbanded state security to be re-opened, people want to pray and the churches are closed," said Father Mettias.Father Filopateer said, "Anyone who attacks Copts is never penalized, matters are always settled through those ridiculous 'reconciliation' meetings, so the Copts are out today to say we have had enough of reconciliation meetings. We demand that anyone who attacks an Egyptian, whether Christian or Muslim, must be prosecuted. We are a country prosecuting its President, so how come those people are not brought to justice."
Abdelmassih stated that the march was originally scheduled to end at Maspero in front of the Egyptian TV building, but because of pro and anti-Mubarak demonstration in Maspero, the Copts changed the route to end in Tahrir Square. During the long march, the procession was joined by many people along the way, with Copts holding crosses in their balconies, wishing them victory.
Activist Rami Kamel, member of the Maspero Youth Movement, told elMasry elYoum newspaper the rally aims at claiming Coptic rights, saying the only concession the Copts got after their nine-day sit-in at Maspero was the renovation of the church in Soul, which was handed over to the Coptic church this week. He said the military council did not honor all of its promises, such as bringing to justice the perpetrators of the Soul church attack or those who attacked the Copts in Mokatam, building of the Maghagha Bischopric and re-opening of churches closed for no stated reason by the authorities.
"We will continue to use legitimate means to put pressure on the military council until our demands are met," Kamel said. Death warrant for Syrian Christians (ICC)
Ever since the wave of popular movements started sweeping the Middle East, Western media have rarely found much good to say about the authoritarian regimes under attack. Few observers deny that the last generation or so of Arab rulers were indeed greedy despots, and it seems desirable for Western powers to intervene as forcefully as they can on behalf of what are commonly billed as pro-democracy movements. The arguments against intervention are obvious enough, most obviously that it is much easier to begin a military intervention than to end it, while we rarely have much idea about the political character of the supposed democrats we are trying to aid. But in one case above all, namely Syria, debates over intervention have missed one overwhelming argument, which is the likely religious catastrophe that would follow the overthrow of the admittedly dictatorial government. Any Western intervention in Syria would likely supply the death warrant for the ancient Christianity of the Middle East. For anyone concerned about Christians worldwide -- even if you believe firmly in democracy and human rights -- it's hard to avoid this prayer: Lord, bring democracy to Syria, but not in my lifetime.
Christian numbers are still harder to determine. Over the past century century, Syria regularly served as the last refuge for Christian communities who had been largely destroyed elsewhere in the Middle East -- for Christians fleeing massacre in Turkey after 1915, or in Iraq after 2003. A standard figure for the number of Syrian Christians is ten percent, or around two million believers, but that omits an uncertain number of thinly disguised crypto-believers, not to mention the recent arrivals from the wreck of Saddam's Iraq. A fifteen percent Christian minority is quite probable.
It's one thing to catalogue the religious oddities of a particular country, but we also have to know that that diversity is the absolute foundation of Syrian politics. Basically, a large majority of Syria -- officially, some 74 percent -- is Sunni Muslim, and the nation's politics for almost fifty years has been devoted to ensuring that this majority does not gain power. Ever since 1963, Syria has been ruled by variations of the Ba'ath Party, an Arab ultra-nationalist movement originally co-founded by the Syrian Christian intellectual, Michel Aflaq. Because of its devotion to absolute secularism, the Ba'ath cause appeals strongly to religious minorities who fear the overwhelming demographic power of Sunni Islam. Christians, Alawites and others all have a potent vested interest in drawing all Arab peoples, regardless of faith, into a shared passion for secular modernity and pan-Arab patriotism, in sharp contrast to Islamism.
China: In a mass police action, all of Shouwang Church's leaders detained or put under house arrest
By Dan Wooding - Founder of ASSIST Ministries
BEIJING, CHINA (ANS) -- In a mass police action, Beijing authorities on Saturday (April 16, 2011) detained at least two pastors of the Beijing house church that tried to worship outdoors last weekend and have put all its lay leaders under house arrest, church sources told ChinaAid (www.chinaaid.org).
"On Nov. 1, 2009, Shouwang Church was forced to meet in Haidian Park, where Pastor Jin Tianming preached in the midst of a snowstorm. The church continued its outdoor worship the following Sunday, Nov. 8, but at 9 a.m., Pastor Jin was taken away by officers of the Domestic Security Bureau and held for more than three hours," said a ChinaAid spokesperson.
"The other church leaders and church members were stopped at the entrance of the park and not allowed to enter. They persisted in holding a 45-minute worship service before dispersing."
Meanwhile, many members of the Shouwang Church, one of Beijing's largest house churches with about 1,000 members, have been forced out of their homes by landlords who have come under intense pressure to evict them, and others have been fired from their jobs for worshipping at Shouwang Church, according to a church leader.
ChinaAid Association calls on evangelical organizations worldwide, including the World Evangelical Alliance and the National Association for Evangelicals, to speak up on behalf of these persecuted believers.
"This is a critical time for global church leaders like WEA and NAE to speak up for fellow brothers and sisters in China," said ChinaAid founder and president, Bob Fu. "God and His persecuted church will hold us accountable if we keep silent when we know clearly what we can and should do for our persecuted body of Christ.
"We urge the Chinese government to exercise restraint and refrain from using violence that would further escalate the conflict with peaceful Shouwang worshippers who ask for nothing more than simply to exercise their right to religious freedom."
Senior Pastor Jin Tianming, who founded Shouwang Church in the 1990s, was taken away by officers of the Public Security Bureau at 8 p.m. on Saturday. His whereabouts are unknown. Another pastor, Li Xiaobai, and Li's wife were also taken away by Public Security officers. The couple had been the longest-held following last Sunday's attempt at outdoor worship, and were not released until Tuesday.
The church's other two pastors and all its elders and deacons are now under house arrest.
A ChinaAid spokesperson went on to say, "The church has made clear its intention of continuing to worship outdoors this Sunday at the same location in western Beijing's Haidian district. Hundreds of church members turned up at the designated outdoor meeting site last Sunday only to be confronted with more than 300 police officers who rounded up at least 169 people, herded them onto buses and detained them for hours in police stations and a nearby elementary school, where they were interrogated and fingerprinted."
One of the most recent prayer requests distributed by the church leadership to its members says, "Pray for our dear brothers and sisters.... May God give everyone an extra measure of strength! And may God have mercy on those in authority, to soften their hearts, so that they do not misuse the authority given them by God to oppress the people.
"Tomorrow is Sunday again. We are still under house arrest, and I expect that many others also will not be allowed to leave their homes. For those brothers and sisters who will be able to go out, who knows what will await them. We earnestly seek God's protection for them!"
Shouwang Church made the controversial decision to meet outdoors after being evicted from its latest indoor meeting place, leased premises in a restaurant. The church in November 2009 had met outdoors twice, once in the midst of an early winter snowstorm, when it was unable to take possession of one floor of a building it had purchased for more than $4 million because the seller, under pressure from the government, refused to hand over the keys. In the face of that continued stalemate and unable to find an alternative meeting site large enough for its growing congregation, Shouwang leaders decided that meeting outdoors was the only choice.
Their move has garnered the support of other large house churches in the capital, which further heightens the stakes in this church-state standoff. On Friday, at least 14 other large house churches in Beijing, all members of the Beijing Ministerial Prayer Fellowship, issued a statement saying they are holding a weekly prayer vigil for Shouwang.
Anti-Christian attacks threaten worse to come (Barnabas Fund)
Recent incidents of brutal anti-Christian violence and persecution suggest that vulnerable believers are facing a menacing upsurge in such attacks across the world.
For example, in Afghanistan the Muslim Taliban have beheaded an Afghan Christian, Abdul Latif, in Herat Province. A video of the murder sent to Barnabas Fund shows one of the killers saying:
All praise be to our creator almighty god that he helped and blessed the holy warriors ... so that we can implement the commandment of god on this infidel ... so that he is punished according to his wrong deed, he is punished according to the commandment of god so that it is a warning to other infidels.
They shout "Allahu Akbar" ("god is great") over and over again during the beheading, and they bring an execution notice to hang on the wall.
The life of Christians is cheap in areas of the country controlled by the Taliban. But Christian converts are also in danger from the Afghan government as it tries to prove its commitment to Islam. Last year many were arrested, and some remain in prison facing possible execution for apostasy.
In Nigeria, in the latest of several recent incidents, a group of attackers stormed three mainly Christian farming villages in the Bogoro area of Bauchi State, in the predominantly Muslim North of the country. At least two people were killed and a number of houses were set on fire.
The episode was reminiscent of an eruption of anti-Christian violence in Bauchi two years ago, when nine Christians died at the hands of Muslim militants and churches and homes were destroyed. Then as now, the authorities failed to ensure the safety of Christians in the state.
In Egypt, a Christian mother-of-two, Heba Adel, disappeared on 6 April after walking her young son to school in the El Maadi suburb of Cairo. When her mother called her at 9 am, she said she was returning home. She never arrived, and when the family called again her phone was switched off.
Heba's husband, Fadi, believed that his wife has been kidnapped, and her disappearance was reported to the police immediately, but they were reluctant to investigate. Many Christian women and girls in Egypt are abducted, raped and forcibly converted to Islam. But as in this case, the security forces are often slow to respond, and the attackers are rarely brought to justice. Relations between Muslims and Christians have worsened rapidly since the fall of former President Mubarak.
In China, at least 160 Christians were arrested when they attempted to hold a worship service in the open air. Most of the believers from Shouwang Church, Beijing, which had already lost its indoor meeting-place owing to government pressure, were later released, but the pastor and his wife remain in custody.
These latest incidents, which are only a few examples of many, also occur against a background of growing international instability that further threatens the security of Christian minorities. As Islamist groups manoeuvre for position in Egypt, civil war rages in Libya, and unrest breaks out in many other parts of the Muslim world, Christians are often left without protection against attacks by the hostile majority. In Egypt some Christians have even been killed by the army that should have been defending them.
Dr Patrick Sookhdeo, International Director of Barnabas Fund, said:
At this time of turmoil in many parts of the world, our brothers and sisters are even more vulnerable to hatred and violence. Often the authorities cannot and will not protect them, and sometimes they even join in the anti-Christian attacks. Please strengthen our hand to support the victims with practical help.A Cry from Abidjan (ANS)
A cry emerges from Abidjan. A cry of desperation, it emerges only to be suffocated by the din of Western media celebrating the restoration of "democracy" and the return of "normalcy".
While the West is celebrating the capture and removal of Laurent Gbagbo, Christians and other minority groups in Cote D'Ivoire are fearing for their lives. here is a letter from one Christian explaining the situation in the country after the removal of Gbagbo:
"We living in great penury and fear to be looted or even killed like hundreds or even thousands of families in Abidjan. What is going on is beyond imagination: a pure genocide is currently performed right in the eyes of the French and UN troops and the international humanitarian NGO's, targeting entire ethnic groups, as well as a category of people based on their political affiliation or work. Whosoever is suspected to be from the Dan, Wê, Bété (Gbagbo's tribe), Akyé, Abbey, Ebrié -- basically all the western and southern tribes -- is targeted. Militaries, policemen, customs, all men in arms are tracked and killed, along with their families. In some extreme cases, people are killed only because they are not from the north and not Muslims."
We urge you to pray for the safety of Christians in Cote D'Ivoire.
Prime Minister says NO conversion: Bhutan (CDN)
In the Kingdom of Bhutan, where Christianity is still awaiting legal recognition, Christians have the right to proclaim their faith but must not use coercion or claim religious superiority to seek conversions, the country’s prime minister told Compass in an exclusive interview.“I view conversions very negatively, because conversion is the worst form of intolerance,” Jigmi Yoser Thinley said in his office in the capital of the predominantly Buddhist nation.Christian leaders in Bhutan have told Compass that they enjoy certain freedoms to practice their faith in private homes, but, because of a prohibition against church buildings and other restrictions, they were not sure if proclamation of their faith – included in international human rights codes – was allowed in Bhutan.
Prime Minister Thinley, who as head of the ruling party is the most influential political chief in the country, said propagation of one’s faith is allowed, but he made it clear that he views attempts to convert others with extreme suspicion. “The first premise [of seeking conversion] is that you believe that your religion is the right religion, and the religion of the convertee is wrong – what he believes in is wrong, what he practices is wrong, that your religion is superior and that you have this responsibility to promote your way of life, your way of thinking, your way of worship,” Thinley said. “It’s the worst form of intolerance. And it divides families and societies.”
Bhutan’s constitution does not restrict the right to convert or proselytize, but some Non-Governmental Organizations have said the government effectively limits this right by restricting construction of non-Buddhist worship buildings and celebration of some non-Buddhist festivals, according to the U.S. Department of State’s 2010 International Religious Freedom Report. It adds that Bhutan’s National Security Act (NSA) further limits proclamation of one’s faith by prohibiting “words either spoken or written, or by other means whatsoever, that promote or attempt to promote, on grounds of religion, race, language, caste, or community, or on any other ground whatsoever, feelings of enmity or hatred between different religious, racial, or language groups or castes and communities.” Violation of the NSA is punishable by up to three years’ imprisonment, though whether any cases have been prosecuted is unknown, according to the State Department report.
Bhutan’s first democratic prime minister after about a century of absolute monarchy, Thinley completed three years in office last Thursday (April 7). While he affirmed that it is allowable for Christians to proclaim their faith – a practice commanded by Christ, with followers agreeing that it is the Holy Spirit, not man, that “converts” people – Thinley made his suspicions about Christians’ motives manifest. “Any kind of proselytization that involves economic and material incentives [is wrong],” he said. “Many people are being converted on hospital beds in their weakest and most vulnerable moments. And these people are whispering in their ears that ‘there is no hope for you. The only way that you can survive is if you accept this particular religion.’ That is wrong.”
Thinley’s suspicions include the belief that Christians offer material incentives to convert.“Going to the poor and saying, ‘Look, your religion doesn’t provide for this life, our religion provides for this life as well as the future,’ is wrong. And that is the basis for proselytization.”Christian pastors in Thimphu told Compass that the perception that Bhutan’s Christians use money to convert the poor was flawed.
The pastors, requesting anonymity, said they prayed for healing of the sick because they felt they were not allowed to preach tenets of Christianity directly. Many of those who experience healing – almost all who are prayed for, they claimed – do read the Bible and then believe in Jesus’ teachings.Asked if a person can convert if she or he believed in Christianity, the prime minister replied, “[There is] freedom of choice, yes.”
In his interview with Compass, Thinley felt compelled to defend Buddhism against assertions that citizens worship idols.“To say that, ‘Your religion is wrong, worshiping idols is wrong,’ who worships idols?” he said. “We don’t worship idols. Those are just representations and manifestations that help you to focus.”
Leader of the royalist Druk Phuensum Tshogpa party, Thinley is regarded as a sincere politician who is trusted by Bhutan’s small Christian minority. He became the prime minister in April 2008 following the first democratic election after Bhutan’s fourth king, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, abdicated power in 2006 to pave the way toward democracy.
Until Bhutan became a constitutional monarchy in 2008, the practice of Christianity was believed to be banned in the country. The constitution now grants the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion to all citizens. It also states that the king is the protector of all religions.
Thus far, the Religious Organisations Act of 2007 has recognized only Buddhist and Hindu organizations. As a result, no church building or Christian bookstore has been allowed in the country, nor can Christians engage in social work. Christianity in Bhutan remains confined to the homes of local believers, where they meet for collective worship on Sundays.
Asked if a Christian federation should be registered by the government to allow Christians to function with legal recognition, Thinley said, “Yes, definitely.”The country’s agency regulating religious organizations under the 2007 act, locally known as theChhoedey Lhentshog, is expected to make a decision on whether it could register a Christian federation representing all Christians. The authority is looking into provisions in the law to see if there is a scope for a non-Buddhist and non-Hindu organization to be registered. (See www.compassdirect.com, “Official Recognition Eludes Christian Groups in Bhutan,” Feb. 1.)On whether the Religious Organisations Act could be amended if it is determined that it does not allow legal recognition of a Christian federation, the prime minister said, “If the majority view and support prevails in the country, the law will change.”
Thinley added that he was partially raised as a Christian.
“I am part Christian, too,” he said. “I read the Bible, occasionally of course. I come from a traditional [Christian] school and attended church every day except for Saturdays for nine years.”A tiny nation in the Himalayas between India and China, Bhutan has a population of 708,484 people, of which roughly 75 percent are Buddhist, according to Operation World. Christians are estimated to be between 6,000 to nearly 15,000 (the latter figure would put Christians at more than 2 percent of the population), mostly from the south. Hindus, mainly ethnic Nepalese, constitute around 22 percent of the population and have a majority in the south.
Religious ‘Competition’Bhutan’s opposition leader, Lyonpo Tshering Togbay, was equally disapproving of religious conversion.
“I am for propagation of spiritual values or anything that allows people to be good human beings,” he told Compass. “[But] we cannot have competition among religions in Bhutan.” He said, however, that Christians must be given rights equal to those of Hindus and Buddhists. “Our constitution guarantees the right to freedom of practice – full stop, no conditions,” he said. “But now, as a small nation state, there are some realities. Christianity is a lot more evangelistic than Hinduism or Buddhism.”
Togbay said there are Christians who are tolerant and compassionate of other peoples, cultures and religions, but “there are Christians also who go through life on war footing to save every soul. That’s their calling, and it’s good for them, except that in Bhutan we do not have the numbers to accommodate such zeal.”
Risking arrest - Unregistered Church to meet in public: China (CDN)
One of the largest unregistered Protestant churches in Beijing plans to risk arrest by worshipping in the open air this Sunday (April 10) after eviction from the restaurant where they have met for the past year.
The owner of the Old Story Club restaurant issued repeated requests for the Shouwang Church to find another worship venue, and authorities have pressured other prospective landlords to close their facilities to the 1,000-member congregation, sources said. Unwilling to subject themselves to the controls and restrictions of the official Three-Self Patriotic Movement (TSPM), the congregation has held three services each Sunday in the restaurant for more than a year.
Church members have said they are not opposed to the government and are not politically active, but they fear authorities could find their open-air worship threatening.
“Normal” (state-sanctioned) religious assembly outdoors is legal in China, and even unregistered church activity is usually tolerated if no more than 50 people gather, especially if the people are related and can cite the gathering as a family get-together, said a source in China who requested anonymity. Although the congregation technically risks arrest as an unregistered church, the primary danger is being viewed as politically active, the source said.“For a larger group of Christians to meet in any ‘unregistered’ location led by an ‘unregistered’ leader is illegal,” he said. “The sensitivity of meeting in a park is not being illegal, but being so highly visible. Being ‘visible’ ends up giving an impression of being a political ‘protest.’”The congregation believes China’s Department of Religious Affairs has overstepped its jurisdiction in issuing regulations limiting unregistered church activity, according to a statement church leaders issued this week.
“Out of respect for both the Chinese Constitution [whose Article 36 stipulates freedom of worship] and Christian conscience, we cannot actively endorse and submit to the regulations which bid us to cease all Sunday worship activities outside of [the] ‘Three-Self Patriotic Movement’ – the only state-sanctioned church,” according to the statement. “Of course, we still must follow the teachings of the Bible, which is for everyone to submit to and respect the governing authorities. We are willing to submit to the regulations with passivity and all the while shoulder all the consequences which . . . continuing to worship outside of what is sanctioned by these regulations will bring us.”
The church decided to resort to open-air worship after a prospective landlord backed out of a contractual agreement to allow the congregation to meet at the Xihua Business Hotel, the church said in its statement. “They had signed another rental contract with another property facility and announced during the March 22 service that they were to move in two weeks,” the source said. “In spite of the fact that they had signed a formal contract, the new landlord suddenly called them on March 22 and refused to let them use the facility.”The landlord offered various excuses for reneging on the contract, according to church leaders, and that disappointment came after 15 months of trying to obtain the key to another property the church had purchased.
“The space in Daheng New Epoch Technology building, which the church had spent over 27.5 million RMB [US$4.2 million] to purchase, has failed to hand the key over to the church for the past year and three months because of government intervention,” the church said in its statement. “For the past year, our church has not had a settled meeting place.”
Beginning as a house church in 1993, the Shouwang Church has been evicted from several rented locations. It also met outside after its last displacement in 2009. The congregation does not believe its calling is to split up into smaller units.“For the past several years the church has been given a vision from God to be ‘the city on a hill,’” the source said. “Especially since 2009, when they officially began the church building purchase, they have been trying to become a more officially established status. At this point, they feel that they have not completed the journey in obedience to God.”
The number of Protestant house church Christians is estimated at between 45 and 60 million, according to Yu Jianrong, a professor at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Rural Development Institute. Yu and others have concluded that house churches are a positive influence on society, but the government is wary of such influence. Yu estimated another 18 to 30 million people attend government-approved churches – potentially putting the number of Christians higher than that of Communist Party members, which number around 74 million.
The government-commissioned study by Yu and associates suggested that officials should seek to integrate house churches and no longer regard them as enemies of the state. The study employed a combination of interviews, field surveys and policy reviews to gather information on house churches in several provinces from October 2007 to November 2008. Yu’s team found that most house or “family” churches fit into one of three broad categories: traditional house churches, open house churches or urban emerging churches. Traditional house churches were generally smaller, family-based churches, meeting in relative secrecy. Though not a Christian himself, Yu attended some of these meetings and noted that the focus was not on democracy or human rights but rather on spiritual life and community.
The “open” house churches were less secretive and had more members, sometimes advertising their services and holding public gatherings, he found. Urban emerging churches functioned openly but independently of TSPM churches. In some provinces such as Wenzhou, these churches had constructed their own buildings and operated without interference from local officials.
While some house churches actively seek registration with authorities to avoid arrests and harassment, they would like the option of registering outside the government-approved TSPM structure, as they disagree with TSPM beliefs and controls. Many unregistered evangelical Protestant groups refuse to register with TSPM due to theological differences, fear of adverse consequences if they reveal names and addresses of church leaders or members or fear that it will control sermon content.
The owner of the Old Story Club restaurant issued repeated requests for the Shouwang Church to find another worship venue, and authorities have pressured other prospective landlords to close their facilities to the 1,000-member congregation, sources said. Unwilling to subject themselves to the controls and restrictions of the official Three-Self Patriotic Movement (TSPM), the congregation has held three services each Sunday in the restaurant for more than a year.
Church members have said they are not opposed to the government and are not politically active, but they fear authorities could find their open-air worship threatening.
“Normal” (state-sanctioned) religious assembly outdoors is legal in China, and even unregistered church activity is usually tolerated if no more than 50 people gather, especially if the people are related and can cite the gathering as a family get-together, said a source in China who requested anonymity. Although the congregation technically risks arrest as an unregistered church, the primary danger is being viewed as politically active, the source said.“For a larger group of Christians to meet in any ‘unregistered’ location led by an ‘unregistered’ leader is illegal,” he said. “The sensitivity of meeting in a park is not being illegal, but being so highly visible. Being ‘visible’ ends up giving an impression of being a political ‘protest.’”The congregation believes China’s Department of Religious Affairs has overstepped its jurisdiction in issuing regulations limiting unregistered church activity, according to a statement church leaders issued this week.
“Out of respect for both the Chinese Constitution [whose Article 36 stipulates freedom of worship] and Christian conscience, we cannot actively endorse and submit to the regulations which bid us to cease all Sunday worship activities outside of [the] ‘Three-Self Patriotic Movement’ – the only state-sanctioned church,” according to the statement. “Of course, we still must follow the teachings of the Bible, which is for everyone to submit to and respect the governing authorities. We are willing to submit to the regulations with passivity and all the while shoulder all the consequences which . . . continuing to worship outside of what is sanctioned by these regulations will bring us.”
The church decided to resort to open-air worship after a prospective landlord backed out of a contractual agreement to allow the congregation to meet at the Xihua Business Hotel, the church said in its statement. “They had signed another rental contract with another property facility and announced during the March 22 service that they were to move in two weeks,” the source said. “In spite of the fact that they had signed a formal contract, the new landlord suddenly called them on March 22 and refused to let them use the facility.”The landlord offered various excuses for reneging on the contract, according to church leaders, and that disappointment came after 15 months of trying to obtain the key to another property the church had purchased.
“The space in Daheng New Epoch Technology building, which the church had spent over 27.5 million RMB [US$4.2 million] to purchase, has failed to hand the key over to the church for the past year and three months because of government intervention,” the church said in its statement. “For the past year, our church has not had a settled meeting place.”
Beginning as a house church in 1993, the Shouwang Church has been evicted from several rented locations. It also met outside after its last displacement in 2009. The congregation does not believe its calling is to split up into smaller units.“For the past several years the church has been given a vision from God to be ‘the city on a hill,’” the source said. “Especially since 2009, when they officially began the church building purchase, they have been trying to become a more officially established status. At this point, they feel that they have not completed the journey in obedience to God.”
The number of Protestant house church Christians is estimated at between 45 and 60 million, according to Yu Jianrong, a professor at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Rural Development Institute. Yu and others have concluded that house churches are a positive influence on society, but the government is wary of such influence. Yu estimated another 18 to 30 million people attend government-approved churches – potentially putting the number of Christians higher than that of Communist Party members, which number around 74 million.
The government-commissioned study by Yu and associates suggested that officials should seek to integrate house churches and no longer regard them as enemies of the state. The study employed a combination of interviews, field surveys and policy reviews to gather information on house churches in several provinces from October 2007 to November 2008. Yu’s team found that most house or “family” churches fit into one of three broad categories: traditional house churches, open house churches or urban emerging churches. Traditional house churches were generally smaller, family-based churches, meeting in relative secrecy. Though not a Christian himself, Yu attended some of these meetings and noted that the focus was not on democracy or human rights but rather on spiritual life and community.
The “open” house churches were less secretive and had more members, sometimes advertising their services and holding public gatherings, he found. Urban emerging churches functioned openly but independently of TSPM churches. In some provinces such as Wenzhou, these churches had constructed their own buildings and operated without interference from local officials.
While some house churches actively seek registration with authorities to avoid arrests and harassment, they would like the option of registering outside the government-approved TSPM structure, as they disagree with TSPM beliefs and controls. Many unregistered evangelical Protestant groups refuse to register with TSPM due to theological differences, fear of adverse consequences if they reveal names and addresses of church leaders or members or fear that it will control sermon content.
Islamists look for gains in Egypt's freer politics (ICC)
Islamic hard-liners, some of them heavily suppressed under three decades of Hosni Mubarak's regime, are enthusiastically diving into Egypt's new freedoms, forming political parties to enter upcoming elections and raising alarm that they will try to lead the country into fundamentalist rule.
Some militants, taking advantage of a security vacuum, aren't waiting for the political process. They have attacked Christians and liquor stores, trying to impose their austere version of Islamic law in provincial towns.The Islamists' newfound energy prompted the ruling military to warn on Monday that Egypt "will not be turned into Gaza or Iran."
Islamists could fare well in parliamentary elections scheduled for September, especially if the various groups run on a unified ticket. Their chances are boosted by the disarray among other groups. Traditional opposition parties were deeply restricted under Mubarak's 29-year rule and have no popular base to speak of. The liberal youth groups behind the 18-day uprising that forced Mubarak to step down on Feb. 11 are still scrambling to organize before voting day.
The Islamists, furthermore, are well funded and organized. The most established fundamentalist group, the Muslim Brotherhood, has years of experience in contesting elections.
While the Brotherhood has long been Egypt's best organized opposition movement, the Salafis are a new player in politics. Salafis are ultraconservatives, close to Saudi Arabia's Wahhabi interpretation of Islam and more radical than the Brotherhood. They seek to emulate the austerity of Islam's early days and oppose a wide range of practices they view as "un-Islamic" — rejecting the treatment of non-Muslims as citizens with equal rights as well as all forms of Western cultural influence.
They are also blamed for attacks on Christians and others they don't approve of. In one attack, a Christian man had an ear cut off for renting an apartment to a Muslim woman thought to be involved in prostitution; in another a Muslim was killed for allegedly practicing magic, which ultra-conservatives denounce, a security official said.
In the oasis province of Fayoum southwest of Cairo, Salafis have forced the closure of four cafes that serve alcohol. They also set fire to four Christian homes in a Fayoum village, prompting clashes with residents, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to share the information with the media.
Churches closed down: China (ICC)(AsiaNews)
Underground Chinese Christians are increasingly the target of the authorities. Recently, one of the largest home Church has been shut down. Another one in Guangzhou has been forced to stop its activities, whilst a third one has been expelled from the premises it had rented. Although less violent as in the past, such actions shows how the central government is pursuing relentlessly and more effectively its policy of religious repression.
The Beijing-based Shouwang Church, with about 800 members, now has nowhere to worship after Sunday as its landlord has come under pressure to stop renting it a spacious film studio to host its services, Rev Jin Tianming said.
It is not the first time that this Church has been under pressure to stop meeting. It has been evicted from rented premises many times in the past and the authorities have used administrative measures, such as allegations that it breached fire regulations, to put pressure on the Church to close.
The faithful however plan to hang tight. To each act of persecution, they respond peacefully. The last time they were kicked out from their place of worship, in November 2009, they held Sunday worship outdoors, when the Church was forced to hold services in a park in a snowstorm.
Under Chinese law, unauthorised meetings are illegal, but "We don't have a choice," Rev Jin said. "We're willing to face the consequences."
In Guangzhou, things are not much better. Local authorities ordered the Tianyun Church, which has a congregation of about 200, to stop worshipping starting this week.
Another Guangzhou house Church, which has a congregation of 4,000, is also feeling the squeeze after its landlord succumbed to pressure and stopped letting out premises the church had used as an extension to host its bulging congregation. The Rongguili Church owns its main worship venue.
Religious freedom not included?: Nepal (CDN)
A new constitution that Nepal’s parliament is scheduled to put into effect before May 28 may not include the right to propagate one’s faith. The draft constitution, aimed at completing the country’s transition from a Hindu monarchy to a secular democracy, contains provisions in its “religious freedom” section that prohibit anyone from converting others from one religion to another.
Most political leaders in the Himalayan country seemed unaware of how this prohibition would curb religious freedom.
“Nepal will be a secular state – there is no other way,” said Sushil Koirala, president of the Nepali Congress, Nepal’s “Grand Old Party,” but he added that he was not aware of the proposal to restrict the right to evangelism.
“Forcible conversions cannot be allowed, but the members of the Constituent Assembly [acting parliament] should be made aware of [the evangelism ban’s] implications,” Koirala, a veteran and one of the most influential politicians of the country, told Compass.
Gagan Thapa, another leader of the Nepali Congress, admitted that banning all evangelistic activities could lead to undue restrictions.
“Perhaps, the words, ‘force, inducement and coercion’ should be inserted to prevent only unlawful conversions,” he told Compass.
Man Bahadur Bishwakarma, also from the Nepali Congress, said that of all the faith communities in Nepal, Christians were most active in converting others, sometimes unethically. “There are problems in Hinduism, such as the caste hierarchy, but that doesn’t mean you should convert out of it,” he said. “I believe in reforming one’s religion.”
Asked if the restriction on converting others violated the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), Akal Bahadur of the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) said, “It may, but there was a general consensus on it [the prohibition]. Besides, it is still a draft, not the final constitution.”Nepal signed the ICCPR on May 14, 1991. Article 18 of the ICCPR includes the right to manifest one’s religion, which U.N. officials have interpreted as the right to evangelistic and missionary activities.
Akal Bahadur and Thapa are members of the Committee on Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles, which was tasked to propose the scope of religious freedom and other rights in the draft constitution. This committee, one of 11 thematic panels, last year submitted a preliminary draft to the Assembly suggesting that a person should be allowed to decide whether to convert from one religion to another, but that no one should convert anyone else.
Binda Pandey, chairperson of the fundamental rights committee and member of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist), told Compass that it was now up to the Assembly to decide whether this provision violates religious freedom.
The Constitution Committee is condensing the preliminary drafts by all the committees as one draft constitution. At least 288 contentious issues arose out of the 11 committees, and the Constitution Committee has resolved 175 of them, Raju Shakya of the Kathmandu-based Centre for Constitutional Dialogue (CCD) told Compass.
The “religious freedom” provision with its ban on evangelism did not raise an eyebrow, however, as it is among the issues listed under the “Area of Agreement” on the CCD Web site.
Once compiled, the draft constitution will be subject to a public consultation, after which another draft will be prepared for discussion of clauses in the Constitutional Assembly; provisions will be implemented on a two-thirds majority, Shakya said.
Most political leaders in the Himalayan country seemed unaware of how this prohibition would curb religious freedom.
“Nepal will be a secular state – there is no other way,” said Sushil Koirala, president of the Nepali Congress, Nepal’s “Grand Old Party,” but he added that he was not aware of the proposal to restrict the right to evangelism.
“Forcible conversions cannot be allowed, but the members of the Constituent Assembly [acting parliament] should be made aware of [the evangelism ban’s] implications,” Koirala, a veteran and one of the most influential politicians of the country, told Compass.
Gagan Thapa, another leader of the Nepali Congress, admitted that banning all evangelistic activities could lead to undue restrictions.
“Perhaps, the words, ‘force, inducement and coercion’ should be inserted to prevent only unlawful conversions,” he told Compass.
Man Bahadur Bishwakarma, also from the Nepali Congress, said that of all the faith communities in Nepal, Christians were most active in converting others, sometimes unethically. “There are problems in Hinduism, such as the caste hierarchy, but that doesn’t mean you should convert out of it,” he said. “I believe in reforming one’s religion.”
Asked if the restriction on converting others violated the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), Akal Bahadur of the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) said, “It may, but there was a general consensus on it [the prohibition]. Besides, it is still a draft, not the final constitution.”Nepal signed the ICCPR on May 14, 1991. Article 18 of the ICCPR includes the right to manifest one’s religion, which U.N. officials have interpreted as the right to evangelistic and missionary activities.
Akal Bahadur and Thapa are members of the Committee on Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles, which was tasked to propose the scope of religious freedom and other rights in the draft constitution. This committee, one of 11 thematic panels, last year submitted a preliminary draft to the Assembly suggesting that a person should be allowed to decide whether to convert from one religion to another, but that no one should convert anyone else.
Binda Pandey, chairperson of the fundamental rights committee and member of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist), told Compass that it was now up to the Assembly to decide whether this provision violates religious freedom.
The Constitution Committee is condensing the preliminary drafts by all the committees as one draft constitution. At least 288 contentious issues arose out of the 11 committees, and the Constitution Committee has resolved 175 of them, Raju Shakya of the Kathmandu-based Centre for Constitutional Dialogue (CCD) told Compass.
The “religious freedom” provision with its ban on evangelism did not raise an eyebrow, however, as it is among the issues listed under the “Area of Agreement” on the CCD Web site.
Once compiled, the draft constitution will be subject to a public consultation, after which another draft will be prepared for discussion of clauses in the Constitutional Assembly; provisions will be implemented on a two-thirds majority, Shakya said.
Please pray for the Nepal government, that God will work through them.
Earthquakes hit Myanmar (ANS)
A church has collapsed killing 25 members and injuring 50 others, during an evening meeting, in the powerful earthquakes that hit north east Burma (Myanmar) on Thursday. It is among 10 churches and over 100 other buildings destroyed.
According to a news relief from Tearfund (a relief and development agency), some initial reports have put the death toll at over 100 with more than 150 injured when three earthquakes measuring between 7.0 and 5.4 in magnitude struck the region popularly known as the Golden Triangle, bordering Laos and northern Thailand.
Other international media are reporting 74 killed and 111 injured, although they admit that figure could rise.
Tearfund said partner agencies are responding in the area of the epicenter, 35 miles south of Keng Tung, a Burmese town and 70 miles north of Chiang Rai in Thailand. Tearfund said they described the area as hilly and thickly populated and said that local people had fled their homes in panic.
Scott Coates, Director of Mekong Minority Foundation (MMF) said in the news release, "We have never experienced such earthquakes before. People rushed out; they panicked. They didn't know what to do."
Tearfund said MMF sent staff into Keng Tung early on Friday morning to assess the damage. The area between Tachilek and Keng Tung in north east Burma is reported to have suffered serious damage with bridges having collapsed making some places difficult to reach. Local sources said that Tanlay, a Shan ethnic minority town, had been completely destroyed.
Coates said that local churches will be at the front of the relief response. "Baptist churches are right there in the affected region and could be best placed to bring relief and hope to the people that have been affected," he said in the news release.
It's reported that tremors were felt in Bangkok, central Burma, parts of Laos and as far away as the Vietnamese capital Hanoi, leading to the evacuation of tall buildings and offices. Numerous aftershocks have been reported.
Tearfund said it is making emergency funds available to support MMF and other partners.
Tearfund said partner agencies are responding in the area of the epicenter, 35 miles south of Keng Tung, a Burmese town and 70 miles north of Chiang Rai in Thailand. Tearfund said they described the area as hilly and thickly populated and said that local people had fled their homes in panic.
Scott Coates, Director of Mekong Minority Foundation (MMF) said in the news release, "We have never experienced such earthquakes before. People rushed out; they panicked. They didn't know what to do."
Tearfund said MMF sent staff into Keng Tung early on Friday morning to assess the damage. The area between Tachilek and Keng Tung in north east Burma is reported to have suffered serious damage with bridges having collapsed making some places difficult to reach. Local sources said that Tanlay, a Shan ethnic minority town, had been completely destroyed.
Coates said that local churches will be at the front of the relief response. "Baptist churches are right there in the affected region and could be best placed to bring relief and hope to the people that have been affected," he said in the news release.
It's reported that tremors were felt in Bangkok, central Burma, parts of Laos and as far away as the Vietnamese capital Hanoi, leading to the evacuation of tall buildings and offices. Numerous aftershocks have been reported.
Tearfund said it is making emergency funds available to support MMF and other partners.
They are planning immediate relief such as temporary shelter, food rations and meeting basic medical needs - as well as looking at longer-term support for the region. This will include working with communities to reduce the risks when facing further earthquakes and other disasters.
Let's Pray :
Myanmar has a population of 50 495 672. 80% Buddhist, 9% Christian and 7.2% Muslim. Myanmar has 116 languages , only 26 have a complete translated bible and 15 only a New Testament, with another 135 languages or dialects with no scripture.
The Church in Myanmar is standing ready to help with relief and we pray that the Buddhist population will see what Christ is doing through His church, that they might come to faith in Him.
Egyptian Constitutional Referendum Passes Amid Reports of Voting Irregularities
EGYPT (ANS) -- Over 18 million Egyptians cast their ballots on March 19 in a referendum on a controversial package of constitutional amendments to nine articles from the previous Constitution.
Mary Abdelmassih reported in a story for the Assyrian International News Agency (AINA), that according to the Election Commission, 77 percent of the voters (14 million) voted in favor of the referendum, 22.8 voted against. There were reports of election rigging by the Muslim Brotherhood (MB), the Salafists and former members of Mubarak's National Democratic Party (NDP). "This result came as a shock to those who wanted the amendments defeated," said Coptic activist Wagih Yacoub.
AINA said he added, "The youth movement, figures such as Presidential candidates Amr Moussa, the outgoing Arab League chief and Nobel laureate Mohamed ElBaradei, liberals and Copts opposed the referendum, while the army, the NDP and the Islamic movements supported it."
The amendments changed the rules for the qualifications for the office of the president, the period of the presidency, as well as the office of the vice-president. The rules for the judicial supervision of elections, State of emergency and terrorism were also amended.
AINA reported opposition figures said this would still make the president "another Pharaoh," and open the way for a quick election by September. That would benefit the MB and NDP, established political parties which can quickly mobilize resources and field candidates.
Manar Mohsen, who was a poll monitor for the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights, said Islamic groups claimed that voting yes is a "religious duty." They were telling voters they should vote yes to keep Article Two of the constitution, which states that Sharia is the principal source of Egyptian law. "They also told voters to approve the amendments if they wanted to keep Coptic Christians out of government," AINA reported Mohsen said.
Dr. Naguib Gobraeel, head of the Egyptian Union of Human Rights Organizations (EUHRO), said the "The situation is a tragedy." AINA reported he said his organization received 39 complaints of voting irregularities by mid-morning on referendum day, and called on people to report rigging incidents to him so that he would present it to the office of the Attorney General on Monday. Gobraeel said that he was personally subjected to such an incident in Shubra district of Cairo, where he went to vote.
AINA reported he said, "After I filled the ballot, the official there asked me to put it in a certain box. I refused and threw it inside the box I chose. As I was about to leave I saw that the official was opening the box and had my balloting ticket in his hand. The team of activists who accompanied me quickly went and caught him. The supervising judge intervened only because the team took photos of that official caught red-handed."
EUHRO is an approved NGO and had over 200 election monitors at polling stations. EUHRO reported in many polling stations ballots did not have the required official stamp, and illiterate voters were taken advantage of by being directed to check yes when they wanted to vote no. Many stations had a section for Copts and another for Muslims for no obvious reason.
AINA said in areas of heavy Coptic presence, the polling stations opened late or the number of stations was reduced so that not all Copts would be able to vote before closing time. The Copts in Abu Heness, numbering 20,000, had only three voting stations. In addition, AINA said, a Muslim election judge mocked the Copts by saying, "Your church told you to vote no."
AINA reported that Hany elGezeiry, of the Million Center NGO, said in some areas of Cairo polling stations were excellent. However, in poor areas, people's poverty was taken advantage of to influence their votes. The NDP bought votes while the Muslim Brotherhood gave those who voted yes one kilo of fresh meat. He said in the city of Zagazig, 47 miles north-northeast of Cairo, food and money were paid by Islamists if the voters voted yes.
AINA reported activist Sarwat Milad said Copts participated in the Referendum to achieve equality of citizenship, while the Muslim Brotherhood participated to take over power. He said, "The MB did not start the January 25 revolution, but wants to steal its fruits. They joined forces with the NDP against the people of the Tahrir Revolution."
AINA said the TV program Inside Egypt Today reported that mosques claimed Christians would like to make Egypt a Christian country, and want the removal of the second article of the constitution.
Bishop Kirollos of Nag Hammadi said ballot boxes from a school in Bahgourah, a town affiliated to the Bishopric of Nag Hammadi, were opened. A staff member of the school discovered many ballots which had been torn. The staff member collected the ballots and brought them to the bishop as proof of rigging of the referendum.
AINA reported the bishop also said that the polling station of the village of Shusha in Abu Tisht had been closed all day yesterday and did not open until six o'clock in the evening, which prevented many of the Copts from voting. He said that mosque speakers were warning people against voting no.
In some areas, AINA said, voters managed to force Imams to remove their religious propaganda for the yes vote. The leftist Tagammu party in Qena filed a report with prosecution accusing the Muslim Brotherhood of trying to influence voters as they entered the polling station in Qos to vote yes, and of inciting Muslims against the Copts by claiming that Copts will vote no because they want to change the second article of the constitution.
AINA said ElYoum7 daily reported that thousands of protesters are presently congregating in Tahrir Square. The protesters are refusing to recognize the results of the referendum, and are expressing anger by holding slogans, casting doubt on the integrity of the referendum.
Some political entities have called for a protest against the constitutional amendments to be staged in Tahrir Square on Friday, March 25.
Sudan: serious conflict in South; Abyei attacked
-- a call to pray for South Sudan: By Elizabeth Kendal: Special to ASSIST News Service
Insecurity in predominantly Christian Southern Sudan has intensified since the 9 January 2011 referendum on Southern self-determination. The Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) has been fighting various southern armed opposition groups, in particular the forces of General George Athor and those of Gabriel Tanginya (aka 'Tang'). These conflicts arise from political and tribal grievances. A fellow Dinka and close aide to the late SPLM/A leader John Garang, Athor has been a strong supporter of Garang's 'New Sudan' vision for a united, secular, democratic Sudan. He opposes the current SPLM leadership but denies he has links to Khartoum. 'Tang' on the other hand has been allied to the National Islamic Front (NIF) in Khartoum (Northern Sudan) since 1984. Khartoum backs Tang's Nuer forces in their fight against 'Dinka domination'. When fellow Nuer, pro-secessionist Reich Machar, split from the SPLA in 1991 over ideological and tribal differences, he aligned with Tang. (After their coup failed in 1 991 Machar's Nuer forces massacred some 500 Dinka-Bor civilians, razing their villages and lands so that some 25,000 subsequently died in a NIF-engineered famine. Reich Machar is currently the Vice President of South Sudan.)
On 9 February fighting erupted in Fangak, Jonglei State, between the SPLA and the forces of General George Athor. Two days of fighting left at least 200 dead. On 22 February fighting broke out in Malakal, Upper Nile State, between the SPLA and Tang's forces, leaving some 50 dead. Children taken hostage from a local orphanage were subsequently released. So even within South Sudan, political and tribal divisions are deep and toxic, not least because Khartoum has been fostering the widening of these divisions for decades as part of its divide and rule strategy. However, if there is to be any hope for a brighter future, the Southerners must reject corruption and megalomania and strive for reconciliation in the South. Ultimately it is the masses that suffer. As goes the African proverb: 'When elephants fight, it is the grass that gets hurt.'
The most serious outbreak of all occurred at flashpoint Abyei. Fertile and oil-rich, the Abyei region straddles the North-South border. The people of Abyei were to get their own referendum to decide whether Abyei would be part of the North or the South. Traditionally, Abyei is 'Southern' and predominantly Dinka. But the Islamic regime in Khartoum wants the Misseriya Arab nomads -- allies of Khartoum who traditionally pass through the region each year -- to be given voting rights. Ultimately disagreement forced the referendum's cancellation. Khartoum wants Abyei divided and the US urging the South to 'compromise' for the sake of peace has only emboldened Khartoum in its land-grab.
On 27 February the police station in Todach, Abyei region, was attacked at 6.30am by a 100-strong force comprised of Misseriya Arab militiamen and militants of the Khartoum-backed Popular Defence Force (PDF). Seven police were killed and six wounded. The attacks continued the following day, but included uniformed members of the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) using advanced heavy weaponry. On 28 February an estimated 100 police and civilians (mostly youths) were killed. On 2 March Maker Abior, Abyei region, was attacked by a force of some 1000 Misseriya, PDF and SAF elements, resulting in 33 casualties. Two helicopters deployed from Khartoum evacuated wounded Arab-Muslim soldiers. The Khartoum-led Joint Integrated Units (JIU) did not intervene nor did they warn the Dinka of the looming threat. This violence has triggered a mass exodus of Dinka from Abyei with as many as 45,000 -- mostly women and children -- fleeing south.
According to Sudan analyst Eric Reeves (13 March), there has subsequently been a dramatic military build-up in the area, with the SAF building roads and forward military posts inside Abyei region. They have brought in tanks and advanced weaponry and have occupied and fortified several recently torched villages. The SPLA is also reinforcing its positions. In some places the two forces are only 20km apart. There is concern that Khartoum is preparing to divide Abyei by force. Meanwhile the Government of South Sudan (GoSS) has been holding talks aimed at securing alternative routes for its oil -- routes that would deprive Khartoum of revenue. Surel y Khartoum would regard this as a massive provocation. Tensions are soaring.
PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY THAT --
- God will have mercy on the impoverished, long-suffering, war-ravaged masses of South Sudan, especially those who faithfully love, worship, walk with and trust in the Lord. Please LORD, interpose yourself, protecting and delivering your loved ones in answer to prayer.
'The Lord goes out like a mighty man, like a man of war he stirs up his zeal; he cries out, he shouts aloud, he shows himself mighty against his foes.' (Isaiah 42:13 ESV)
- the Holy Spirit will encourage and embolden Christian leaders, pastors and evangelists to preach and demonstrate radical faith despite the circumstances. 'When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.' (Psalm 56:3 ESV)May this radical faith witness effectively to multitudes.
- God will grasp Sudan's leaders by their right hands and, for the sake o f the Church, call them by name to do God's bidding, that all the peoples might know that God is the LORD (Isaiah 45:1-7).
Pakistan Minorities Minister Shahbaz Bhatti shot dead
By Michael Ireland- Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service
ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (ANS) -- Pakistani Minorities Minister Shahbaz Bhatti has been shot dead by gunmen who ambushed his car in broad daylight in the capital Islamabad. Police said he was traveling to work through a residential district when his vehicle was sprayed with bullets, the BBC reported on its website. Mr Bhatti, the cabinet's only Christian minister, had received death threats for urging reform to blasphemy laws.
In January, Punjab Governor Salman Taseer, who had also opposed the law, was shot dead by one of his bodyguards. The BBC said the blasphemy law carries a death sentence for anyone who insults Islam. Critics say it has been used to persecute minority faiths. The Vatican condemned the murder of the Catholic politician as an "unspeakable" act of violence, the BBC report stated.
Mr Bhatti, 42, a leader of the ruling Pakistan People's Party (PPP), had just left home in a suburb of the capital when three to four gunmen surrounded his vehicle and sprayed it with bullets, according to the BBC report.
One witness, Gulam Rahim, told AP news agency that two of the attackers had opened the door and tried to pull Mr Bhatti out, while another man fired a Kalashnikov into the car. Bhatti was taken to the nearby Shifa hospital, but was dead on arrival, the BBC said.
The gunmen, who were wearing shawls, escaped in a white Suzuki car, according to witnesses. Police chief Wajid Durrani told reporters that the minister was not accompanied by his guards when the attack happened, although he said Mr Bhatti had been provided with a security detail, the BBC report said.
The BBC went on to report that pamphlets by al-Qaeda and Tehrik-i-Taliban Punjab, a branch of the Taliban in Pakistan's most populous province, were found at the ambush site. Tehrik-i-Taliban told BBC Urdu they carried out the attack. "This man was a known blasphemer of the Prophet [Muhammad]," said the group's deputy spokesman Ahsanullah Ahsan. "We will continue to target all those who speak against the law which punishes those who insult the prophet. Their fate will be the same."
The BBC said security has been stepped up on all main roads in Islamabad.
In January, Mr Bhatti told the BBC he would defy death threats he had received from Islamist militants for his efforts to reform the blasphemy law. A government spokesman condemned the assassination. "This is a concerted campaign to slaughter every liberal, progressive and humanist voice in Pakistan," Farahnaz Ispahani, an aide to President Asif Ali Zardari, told AP news agency. "The time has come for the federal government and provincial governments to speak out and to take a strong stand against these murderers to save the very essence of Pakistan."
In January, Governor Taseer was shot dead, also in Islamabad, by one of his own police bodyguards. The killer has been hailed by many in the country as a hero. The governor had backed a private member's bill in parliament by Sherry Rehman, a female MP, to amend the blasphemy law in an attempt to make miscarriages of justice less likely and remove its death penalty. But in the face of strident popular opposition, the federal government said it would not support the proposed reforms.
Ms Rehman said last month she was receiving death threats every half hour by e-mail and telephone. The BBC stated that Christians, who make up an estimated 1.5 percent of Pakistan's 185 million population, were left reeling by Mr Bhatti's death.
"We have been orphaned today!" Rehman Masih, a Christian resident of Islamabad, told AP news agency. "Now who will fight for our rights?"
Pakistan's blasphemy law has been in the spotlight since a Christian, Asia Bibi, was sentenced to hang in Punjab last November, the BBC explained. Bibi denies claims she insulted the Prophet Muhammad during a row with Muslim women villagers about sharing water.
Thr BBC also said that although no-one convicted under the law has been executed, more than 30 accused have been killed by lynch mobs. Critics say that convictions under the law hinge on witness testimony, which is often linked to grudges.
An opportunity for terrorism
(CNN) -- Libya's beleaguered leader Moammar Gadhafi Thursday blamed the uprising sweeping Libya on Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda, accusing the terrorist group of supplying Libyans with pills inducing them to revolt. "Our children have been manipulated by al Qaeda," he told Libyan state television by telephone.
Some may view this as Gadhafi's greatest delusion yet.
Militant Islamists have played almost no role in the uprisings in Libya or anywhere else in the Arab world, and for most Arabs, energized by a powerful democracy movement, al Qaeda now appears more irrelevant that ever.
But there is nevertheless a danger that spiraling violence in Libya may provide militant Islamist groups future opportunities in the country.
Radicalization has run higher in Libya in recent years than many other Arab countries, especially in Libya's impoverished, restive eastern provinces, whose tribes have long felt discriminated by Tripoli. At the peak of the Iraqi insurgency, more Libyans per capita traveled to join al Qaeda in Iraq than any other country. Anger over the Iraq war contributed to the radicalization of a generation of young Libyans.
Some are concerned that the increasingly chaotic scenes in Libya are the beginning of a videotape that has been played before.
In Iraq, chaotic conditions after the fall of Saddam Hussein gave foreign Islamist terrorists led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi an opportunity to build up operations in the country. The ensuing sectarian civil war, which they helped provoke, radicalized the local population, and provided al Qaeda with greatly expanded recruiting opportunities among Iraq's Sunni community. More than 100,000 Iraqis died before the insurgency was contained, more than 10,000 of whom were killed by al Qaeda suicide bombers.
What does this mean for Christians living in the Arab world?
Islamic terrorist groups have become a reality since 2001, with the world trade center being attacked. In countries like Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, Somalia and Indonesia terrorist groups seek out Christians and by association of the West, murder them.
While Tunisia and Egypt have fallen under the demands of their people and Libya and Bahrain following the question that must be asked is what will happen if Islamic terrorist groups seize the opportunity to position themselves in these "changing" countries. What will the outcome be for Christians?
As we follow the event ripping through the Arab world, we can either choose to just wait and see what will happen, or we can be actively involved through prayer.
- Pray for the innocent people caught in the middle
- Pray for the Christians in these countries, for their safety
- Pray for the governments of Libya, Morocco, Algeria, Bahrain and Yemen.
- Pray for the interim time in Tunisia and Egypt, for new governments to be formed and for minorities to be respected.
John Piper: How to pray for the unrests in the Middle East - Christian Post
Protesters in Bahrain entered their fifth day of demonstrations, and are now seeking the downfall of the entire Al Khalifa royal family.
Friends and relatives chant anti-government slogans during the funeral of Mahmoud Maki Abu Taki, 22, who died during clashes between Bahraini anti-government protesters and riot police on early Thursday, in Sitra village, Bahrain, Friday, Feb. 18, 2011.
Angered by the violent crackdown by the government that left at least five people dead, protesters have upped their demands from the resignation of just the prime minister to an immediate change of government.
"Our demands were peaceful and simple at first. We wanted the prime minister to step down," Mohamed Ali, 40, a civil servant, told The Associated Press. "Now the demands are harsher and have reached the pinnacle of the pyramid. We want the whole government to fall."
Anti-government protests continue to spread across the Middle East and North Africa among populations fed up with the corruption, discrimination and lack of opportunities plaguing their countries.
They first began in Tunisia in December and then in Egypt. In a matter of weeks, the presidents of both countries stepped down after ruling for decades.
Since then, uprisings threatening repressive regimes and authoritarian governments have emerged in Iran, Iraq, Libya, Yemen and Algeria.
As the unrest continues to sweep the Arab world, evangelical theologian John Piper is advising Christians on how to pray during the unprecedented wave of protests.
Christians should first of all pray for "all who are in high positions" (1 Timothy 2) – that is, for political leaders and structures in the Middle East.
And there are two goals in praying for them, Piper listed: so that the followers of Jesus "may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way" and so that more people would be saved.
"When we pray for the Middle East, we should be praying mainly for conditions to prevail that sustain freedom and peace for the followers of Jesus, so that the gospel would run and triumph, and millions would turn to Christ and be saved for his great glory," he explained.
Friends and relatives chant anti-government slogans during the funeral of Mahmoud Maki Abu Taki, 22, who died during clashes between Bahraini anti-government protesters and riot police on early Thursday, in Sitra village, Bahrain, Friday, Feb. 18, 2011.
Angered by the violent crackdown by the government that left at least five people dead, protesters have upped their demands from the resignation of just the prime minister to an immediate change of government.
"Our demands were peaceful and simple at first. We wanted the prime minister to step down," Mohamed Ali, 40, a civil servant, told The Associated Press. "Now the demands are harsher and have reached the pinnacle of the pyramid. We want the whole government to fall."
Anti-government protests continue to spread across the Middle East and North Africa among populations fed up with the corruption, discrimination and lack of opportunities plaguing their countries.
They first began in Tunisia in December and then in Egypt. In a matter of weeks, the presidents of both countries stepped down after ruling for decades.
Since then, uprisings threatening repressive regimes and authoritarian governments have emerged in Iran, Iraq, Libya, Yemen and Algeria.
As the unrest continues to sweep the Arab world, evangelical theologian John Piper is advising Christians on how to pray during the unprecedented wave of protests.
Christians should first of all pray for "all who are in high positions" (1 Timothy 2) – that is, for political leaders and structures in the Middle East.
And there are two goals in praying for them, Piper listed: so that the followers of Jesus "may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way" and so that more people would be saved.
"When we pray for the Middle East, we should be praying mainly for conditions to prevail that sustain freedom and peace for the followers of Jesus, so that the gospel would run and triumph, and millions would turn to Christ and be saved for his great glory," he explained.
"Such conditions would include freedom for other religions too, since Christians do not spread their faith by the sword, but by proclamation and service.
"North Africa – A Highway of Revolution or A Highway of Righteousness?
By Ben F. Gray | Founder & Apostolic Oversight - Australian Prayer NetworkThe speed and scope of recent events in Tunisia and Egypt caught many by surprise. Some media commentators are drawing parallels with the fall of Communism and the ‘Iron Curtain’ in the 1980s, where one nation after another broke free of its grasp. One news report said, “All hell seems to have suddenly broken lose. Or heaven. Who knows? It's as though a big hand came from somewhere and is stirring things up with a cosmic spoon.” Others note the role of modern communications and have dubbed it the ‘Facebook Uprising’.
My Christian contacts in Tunisia tell me that the situation on the ground in the capital is gradually improving; people are enjoying their freedom of expression; almost daily peaceful demonstrations seem to be happening. Other regional reports suggest ongoing lawlessness. An obvious prayer of the fledgling Church there is that the new found freedoms will not open the door to an Islamist government. One of the leaders urges us to pray, “That as the church, we will be bolder in what we do and continue to press for more religious freedom.” For example: the right to be publicly recognised, the right to continue public meetings; the right to have their own cemeteries. The removal of internet restrictions has seen a huge increase in hits on Christian websites. As a friend of mine recently said, “The current events in North Africa and the Middle East have the potential to bring us to one of the greatest mission opportunities in the history of the Church.”
Different views, opinions and affiliations are being expressed from within Egypt, even within the Christian community. Of course all are wary of the Islamic extremists, especially the Muslim Brotherhood, exploiting the chaos and rising to power through the support of ‘moderates’ like ElBaradei. Many ordinary Egyptians are concerned that international media are not reporting the honest feelings and aspirations of the common folk who want stability, dialogue, and change without the nation falling into anarchy. Neither will they now accept a repressive non-democratic regime because of fearing the alternative may be worse. As they say, “We stand firm behind the actions that the courageous young people of Egypt have taken, in seeking to break the barrier of decades of fear and intimidation; the push for basic human rights, freedom and social justice for all.”
Many in the Egyptian Church have seen the appointment of Ahmed Shafik as prime minister as a tremendous step forward for the Christian community and relief for the Church. I agree with the sentiments of one leader who said, “We need supernatural wisdom on how to handle this open door that God has given us. What we see happening is a reflection of what is happening in the heavenlies – all-out spiritual war for the souls of men and women.” Should ElBaradei win the Presidency, many suspect the suffering within the Christian community would most probably increase.
From reports to hand, even though Christians make up 10-15% of the population, their leaders have not been invited to participate in the recent talks between government and other opposition groups. I invite you to intercede for God’s appointed leaders to emerge: men of goodwill, integrity and a commitment to human dignity, freedom and justice: that through it all, God’s destiny for Egyptians would breakthrough. As one senior pastor in Egypt said, “The church and the saints in Egypt, for many generations now, have been praying for blessings for our nation. We are asking our living God who sees and hears all to come and save. We’re asking for a new era of freedom and dignity. We are asking for a new system where leaders with integrity and fear of God would tend to the needs and the aspirations of Egyptians.”
Now, for those of us who have been interceding for the people of North Africa and the Muslim World in general, we need to keep our focus on God and His love for the people who live in these nations; He loves them with a passion and wants only the best for them and their future. So, whichever way the affairs of men take in North Africa and the Middle East, it is certain that increasing spiritual hunger will be running neck and neck with the spreading rage and demands for political freedom and change. Therefore, however the ‘ancient doors’ swing open, the Church of Jesus Christ must to be ready to seize the day and walk through them.
Now all this is happening thousands of kilometers away from the safety of our shores, so where does it leave us as the Church in Australia and the West in general? Something monumental is happening: something historic. How do we as concerned Christians respond? Is God clearly answering the prayers of the saints - unseating principalities, tearing down strongholds? Are we witnessing a shift that will usher in Isaiah’s prophetic word in chapter 19:23-25 concerning a ‘righteous highway’ that God seeks to build between the family of Isaac and the family of Ishmael? Is His answer to bless, through this Isaiah companionship all the families of the earth beginning to take shape?
Isaiah 19:23-25 (NASB)
In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrians will come into Egypt and the Egyptians into Assyria, and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians. In that day Israel will be the third party with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth, whom the Lord of hosts has blessed, saying, "Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance."
As we commenced to work in harmony with God’s prophetic agenda for this region, this state of ‘blessedness’ – this end-time companionship of Isaiah 19, became a mind-blowing revelation to me. That God, in His infinite wisdom, had chosen as part of His divine purpose to bless all peoples…the entire earth, through the coming together of the family of Isaac and the family of Ishmael. That is His strategy for them to be joined together by a special highway: a highway of holiness (Isaiah 35:8). This tri-national (Egypt, Assyria and Israel) end-time prophecy spoken of by Isaiah is yet to be fulfilled. It may yet come as a result of more upheaval, internal division and conflict or through all-out war. Verses 16, 17 and 22 of the same chapter says, that the Lord’s hand will be raised against Egypt, He will strike her, but for a time, and they will respond to Him and then He we will heal her…knowledge and worship will flow freely into the heart of Egypt and beyond its borders. Now, whatever way this is ushered in, we can be assured, ‘there will an altar set up in the heart of Egypt…’(v19) and this will be a place where the ‘Isaiah companionship’ gathers together in worship.
With the current turmoil and tensions occurring across North Africa and the Middle East, including the longtime tensions between Jews, Arabs and Christians, it is vitally important that as believers in Christ, we keep our focus on heaven’s agenda, and God’s prophetic purpose – to bless all of Abraham’s seed. My friend James Goll (author of The Prophetic Intercessor and Praying for Israel’s Destiny) comments on the Isaiah 19 prophecy in a recent article, “God is the supreme multi-tasker. He can accomplish more than one thing at a time! Biblical prophecy indicates that alongside God's gathering of the outcasts of Israel to their homeland, He is setting the stage to do a great work among all the descendants of Abraham.” [His full article can be viewed at www.elijahlist.com/words/display_word.html?ID=9563]
A key to seeing this ‘Isaiah companionship’ become a reality is the nation of Egypt. It is crucial that we understand the strategic role of Egypt, including the role of the Coptic (Orthodox) Church, the Evangelical church and other Christian organizations. Into this mix we need to add the changing face of Islam that is emerging across the region, where now we are seeing a large number of Muslims turning to Christ. Late last year whilst visiting one of these nations, I was informed by those who are working within this grassroots network, that the current estimate was somewhere between 1.5 to 2 million. Leaders in and beyond Egypt agreed, “that Egypt is a very important country in the whole of the Middle East, for whatever happens in Egypt affects the rest of the Muslim World.” The events in Egypt cannot be discussed in any other context. From a Kingdom of God perspective, Egypt is one of the most strategic nations in the world. Unless we understand the spiritual connotations of what is happening and the strategic implications, we will completely miss the point.
Consider the following: approximately 47% of all Christians in the Arab World live in Egypt. Now unlike Western believers, Egyptians have a free reign to visit any Islamic nation. God has kept alive through centuries of hardship, trial and persecution, the seed of the Gospel in the heart of this nation for ‘such a time as this’. It is not beyond reason to believe that an Esther anointing is now falling on the Church of Egypt (Esther 4:14). History shows us that the Church seems to come alive in the midst of crisis – may we witness this even more so now. Indeed, North Africa and the Middle East have the potential to usher in one of greatest mission opportunities the Church has ever witnessed. Over recent times there have been unprecedented conversions to Christ in the Arab world. As I travel and meet local believers in these regions, I increasingly hear testimonies of local Muslims who are coming to Christ through personal contact with loving followers of Jesus, answers to prayer, supernatural healings and encounters with Christ. Do we dare to imagine our Father God inspiring an indigenous missions movement amongst His Church in Egypt and North Africa? Let’s pray for such a wave of saving grace and power.
Is the recent turmoil in North Africa and in other Arab nations in response to the decades of focused intercession? One cannot be definitive, but we do know that our Australian prayer teams received clear prophetic words for this region to sharpen and inform our intercession. For example, in the lead up to our 2009 Tunisia prayer journey, we received a word that this tiny nation of Tunisia was the “thin end of the wedge” in North Africa. This English idiom is used for something small and seemingly insignificant that will lead to something much bigger. Remember that God does nothing that He does not first reveal to His prophets (Amos 3:7). During our 2008 Egyptian prayer assignment God revealed that He was about to visit Egypt in the context of a storm; this storm would be the beginning of a new season and that He was in the storm. Therefore we can be certain that God is in the midst of things that are unfolding right now. That He is sovereign and that all history, including what is happening in Egypt and the region, is under the direct control of a sovereign, omnipotent and Holy God.
As the Church we need to pray for those who are angry, frustrated and fed-up with such things as; abuse, unemployment, corruption, autocracy, the absence of human rights and basic human freedoms, that they would encounter Christ through an emboldened Spirit-led church. Pray for political and religious freedom to be enshrined in the Tunisian and Egyptian constitutions. It’s time! – Time for genuine spiritual and societal transformation to take place. Now is our time to stand with our brothers and sisters. On the ground this is an incredibly unstable situation yet our confidence and hope is not in the politics of the moment nor worldly systems. We have the certainty of God’s word that, …through the church the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms according to His eternal purpose (Ephesians 3:10 NIV).
I agree with my friend, Mike Burnard <www.incontext.webs.com> when he said, “We cannot deny that we are called into a spiritual battle. We cannot deny that the battle is intensifying and that North Africa and the Muslim World are on the frontline of this battlefield. We cannot deny that the situation in Egypt is directly related to the battle for the hearts and minds of people. However we can try to deny, like in the days of Noah, that this will have no effect on us who live in the West.” To do that would be foolhardy and unconscionable. Let us not forget that the church was born in the midst of a national struggle. It was designed to be a light in the darkness to lead the way to mercy, justice and eternal freedom. Let us join our hearts and prayers with our brothers and sisters in Egypt and North Africa. Together with the assistance of the angelic hosts of heaven, let us see His church stand like Esther did, for ‘such a time as this’.
South Sudan Set to Become World's Newest Country
By Dan WoodingFounder of ASSIST Ministries
JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN (ANS) -- ABC News (http://abcnews.go.com/) is reporting that the streets of South Sudan's capital Juba were filled with people dancing with joy over the official announcement today (Monday, February 07, 2011), that the proposed-nation's independence referendum has passed with more than 98 percent of southerners voting to secede.
"In Khartoum, Sudan President Omar Al-Bashir and South Sudan President Salva Kiir were together as the official results were announced. Earlier Bashir repeated that the Khartoum government will accept and support the results," Dana Hughes said in her story for ABC News.
Bashir said on state television, "Today we received these results and we accept and welcome these results because they represent the will of the southern people."
The Obama administration also welcomed the results and congratulated both parties on a largely considered fair and peaceful vote.
"I am therefore pleased to announce the intention of the United States to formally recognize Southern Sudan as a sovereign, independent state in July 2011," President Obama says in a statement.
Hughes went on to say that US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton issued a statement that the United States would begin the process to remove Sudan from the state-sponsored terror list, a list that has resulted in the country being under strict economic sanctions for over a decade.
"Removal of the State Sponsor of Terrorism designation will take place if and when Sudan meets all criteria spelled out in U.S. law, including not supporting international terrorism for the preceding six months and providing assurance it will not support such acts in the future, and fully implements the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement, including reaching a political solution on Abyei and key post-referendum arrangements," Clinton said.
British Prime Minister David Cameron also welcomed the announcement, saying: "This moment is testament to the leaders in both north and south Sudan who ensured a credible and peaceful process."
The ABC journalist went on to say, "Bashir currently faces charges of war crimes and genocide for his role in ordering the mass murders, rapes and displacement of hundreds of thousands of people."
She was referring to the fact that on March 4, 2008, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for al-Bashir on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the ongoing conflict in the Darfur region of western Sudan, the first sitting head of state ever indicted by the ICC. And on July 12, 2010, the ICC issued a second arrest warrant for al-Bashir, adding the charge of genocide.
Meanwhile, the celebrations in the south continued with Abiong Nyok, a housewife, telling the BBC, "The results of the referendum mean I am free today. Now I am a first class citizen in my own country."
The Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/) newspaper in London said, "While the relatively peaceful conduct of the vote was welcomed, human rights groups expressed alarm at suggestions that Sudan's president, Omar al-Bashir, should be 'rewarded'. Weekend reports suggested he could receive a year's reprieve from war crimes charges relating to Darfur after France and the US agreed to consider deferring the international criminal court's indictment. The US has also signaled it is ready to remove Sudan from its list of state sponsors of terrorism and to help ease crippling trade sanctions.
"But the campaign group Waging Peace said that in the past week Bashir's security forces had crushed political protests in the north, resulting in hundreds of arrests and an unconfirmed number of deaths."
Terrible violence against Christians in the South
The news of the victory for the south will be welcomed by the many Christians in the country who suffered terribly in the brutal civil war which went on for more than twenty years, including the use of Russian-made combat helicopters and military cargo planes which were used as bombers to devastating effect on villages and tribal rebels alike.
Sudan's independent history has been dominated by chronic, exceptionally cruel warfare that has starkly divided the country on racial, religious, and regional grounds; displaced an estimated four million people (of a total estimated population of thirty-two million); and killed an estimated two million people. It damaged Sudan's economy and led to food shortages, resulting in starvation and malnutrition. The lack of investment during this time, particularly in the south, meant a generation lost access to basic health services, education and jobs
The shocking way that many Christians were treated during the long-running civil war was reported on by Michael Ireland, the ASSIST News Service Chief Reporter who, in a story that was released on Tuesday, November 9, 2004, under the headline: Sudanese Slave 'Crucified' By His Master Not Unusual In Central African Nation and with the sub-head: But Christian Teen Rescued, Redeemed, Still Lives With Scars; Evidence Exists Of Others Sentenced To Crucifixion By Khartoum Government, told the story of Joseph.
Ireland said that after being nailed to a board by his master and left for dead -- the last in a series of torturous acts - this Sudanese Dinka boy escaped from his bondage and lived to tell his horrific story.
The story of Joseph, said Ireland, was told in a newsletter of the Persecution Project Foundation, an organization that monitors Christian persecution in Africa, by Brad Phillips who, at the time, had recently returned from visiting Joseph, who originally was sold into slavery at age 7 in 1987.
"I had the privilege of spending a day with this amazing boy who is now called Joseph," Phillips wrote. "I spoke with him, I interviewed him, I saw his scars, and I saw his eyes. What I saw moved me, and still haunts me."
Ireland went on to write, "Phillips explained that since the 1980s, the Muslim National Islamic Front government has sanctioned the taking of Christians and animists from the southern part of the nation to be sold to Muslims as slaves in the north. The two sides have been engaged in a civil war for several years."
Philips wrote that as 7-year-old, Joseph, then called Santino Garang, was sold to his master, Ibrahim. Though Joseph was given an Arab name, Ibrahim referred to him only by the pejorative "Abid," which means black slave. For ten years, Joseph remained in bondage to his master.
"During his enslavement," Phillips wrote, "he was often beaten, tortured and abused by his Arab master. African slaves, especially Christians, are viewed as lower than animals.
"Joseph was raised Christian. His desire to worship was mocked by his master, who told him every day for 10 years that he had no business worshipping since he was of no more value than a donkey."
"One Sunday morning, reported Ireland, "Joseph heard the hymn singing of a Christian service. He joined into the worship, remembering church services from when he was a young boy.
"While Joseph was at church, some of the camels he was in charge of escaped, and his master flew into a rage. 'Ibrahim', Phillips writes, 'swore he would kill Joseph and do to him what had been done to Jesus ... he would crucify him'.
"After brutally beating Joseph on the head and all over his body, the master laid him out on a wooden plank. He then nailed Joseph to the plank by driving nine-inch nails through his hands, knees and feet. He then poured acid on Joseph's legs to inflict even greater pain, and finally left him for dead."
Miraculously, he said, Joseph did not die, even though he lay on the plank for seven days. He survived through the kindness of his master's son, who brought him food and water, and eventually took him to a medical facility.
"In case you are wondering," wrote Phillips, "no criminal charges were brought against Joseph's master, because he acted within his 'rights' under currently practiced 'sharia law.' To say that Christians are second-class citizens in much of the Islamic world (not just the Sudan) is a cruel understatement."
After Joseph returned from the hospital, his master saw little value in him since he was crippled from the nails being driven through his knees. Joseph was "redeemed" by Christian slave redeemers who arranged his return home to his village in Bahr el Gazal.
"When he arrived back in his home village", added Ireland, "the elders thought he should have a new name, so they named him after Joseph of the Bible, who was sold into slavery but later was used mightily by God".
Phillips said: "Joseph still desperately needs your prayers. By God's grace Joseph survived kidnapping, the loss of his parents, ten years of enslavement and near death by crucifixion. But while Joseph is free in body, he is still in great pain physically and emotionally. He bears the marks of his crucifixion in his body and the scars of his torment in his soul. He is wounded and broken in his spirit. And his is haunted by the memories of hundreds of other children from his community who perished or remained enslaved in the north."
He added: "Joseph is one of a small number of people in the 21st century who knows what it means to be crucified because of his Christian faith. But the reality is that hundreds of thousands of our fellow Christians in the Sudan have been enslaved, driven from their homes, hunted and murdered by devoted followers of Islam. This war of Islamic cruelty has raged for centuries in the Sudan. Please remember our Sudanese brethren in your prayers, and do all you can to aid us in the relief of their suffering."
Background to the Peace Talks
Peace talks between the southern rebels and the government made substantial progress in 2003 and early 2004. The peace was consolidated with the official signing by both sides of the Nairobi Comprehensive Peace Agreement 9 January 2005, granting Southern Sudan autonomy for six years, to be followed by a referendum about independence. It created a co-vice president position and allowed the north and south to split oil deposits equally, but also left both the North's and South's armies in place.
John Garang, the South's peace agreement appointed co-vice president died in a helicopter crash on 1 August 1, 2005, three weeks after being sworn in. This resulted in riots, but the peace was eventually able to continue. The United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) was established under the UN Security Council Resolution 1590 of 24 March 24, 2005. Its mandate is to support implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, and to perform functions relating to humanitarian assistance, and protection and promotion of human rights.
In October 2007 the former southern rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) withdrew from government in protest over slow implementation of a landmark 2005 peace deal which ended the civil war. Due to significant cultural, social, political, ethnic and economic changes in short amounts of time, conflicts were evolved in western and eastern provinces of Sudan in addition to an escalating conflict in Southern Sudan.
Since the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), several violent struggles between the Janjaweed militia and rebel groups such as the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), Sudanese Liberation Army (SLA) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) in the form of guerilla warfare in the Darfur, Red Sea and Equatoria regions have occurred, which has resulted in death tolls between 200,000 and 400,000, over 2.5 million people being displaced and the diplomatic relations between Sudan and Chad being at a crisis level
Now the people of the world's newest country face many problems such as a new currency must be established, diplomatic missions need to be opened, and a country name must be chosen. Also critical negotiations still must be held with the north to decide on citizenship rights, oil rights and even the final border demarcation.
But for the many Christians in the south, these are small problems to deal with after the mass killings and cruelty that so many of them endured at the hands of the government based in Khartoum.
Letter from the Bishop of the Episcopal / Anglican Diocese of Egypt
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." John 14:27My Dear Friends,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ!
First, I would like to thank you so much for your prayers, phone calls, and messages from around the world that you have sent in the last few days. I want you to know that these meant a lot to me personally and to your brothers and sisters in the church here.
In the midst of the turmoil which Egypt is going through, we have felt that the Lord is very near to us. We have experienced his peace, and we were assured of his protection. In most of our churches and homes, there have been prayer meetings for the situation and for our beloved country Egypt. All our churches are safe, although they have not been guarded by the security since Friday when all the security were withdrawn. This assured us that the one who protects the churches is the Lord of the Church.
I was touched to see young adults, Muslims and Christians, guarding the streets, homes, and our churches. They did not allow any thieves or looters to come near the area. They also arrested some of those and handed them over to the Army. I applaud our local Egyptian clergy and people who joined the youth in the streets in guarding homes and churches.
I admired all our expatriate clergy and diocesan staff who refused to leave Egypt in order to stay in the midst of the people who decided not to go, even when their Embassies encouraged them to leave and provided airplanes to do so.
Yesterday demonstrations were very peaceful, in spite of the huge number that gathered in the middle of Cairo. We praise the Lord that we have now the internet back, and we can communicate with you all. This morning the security also returned to guard the churches as normal.
Yesterday, President Mubarak made it very clear that he will not seek re-election after he finishes his term in November 2011. He appointed Mr. Ibrahim Soliman as a Vice-President. He has a good reputation among Egyptians. This appointment ruled out the possibility of appointing the President's son as a successor. President Mubarak also appointed a new Prime Minister, Mr. Shafik who was the Minister of Civil Aviation (Egypt Air, etc…). He is a very good man and has done a lot of improvement in his previous Ministry. President Mubarak also called for a review for the Constitution to allow democracy; he also assured the people that those who were responsible for the violence, destructions, looting, escape of prisoners, etc… will be brought to judgment.
Our concern was that extremist groups would take advantage of the demonstrations to push for violence. We thank God that this did not happen. It seems that the majority of the youth who are demonstrating are aware of this possibility. Many of them started to see this possible risk. The youth who were interviewed by the television yesterday mentioned that all what they need is democracy. Many groups this morning are demonstrating in support of President Mubarak, the new government, and peaceful transfer of authority at the end of the Presidents term.
Egypt is a very important country in the whole of the Middle East, and whatever happens in Egypt affects the rest of the countries. I was amazed at how the President of Yemen, this morning, announced that he will not seek re-election and will not promote his son to be the next president. We pray that we can set a good example to the surrounding countries.
We appreciate your prayers for:
- Our churches and institutions, so that we can fix our eyes on God who is in control. May what is happening help us to draw nearer to God and to know that the time is short.
- The end of demonstrations, especially in view of the changes that President Mubarak announced. This will bring Egypt back to normal and the curfew will be ended.
- The new government, in order to achieve the desired targets in serving the people, especially the Minister of Interior who is now trying to re-build the trust with the people of Egypt.
- People to find their needs of food and health care.
- Wisdom for the youth, in order not to allow the extremists to stir them up.
- The families who lost their loved ones in the violence, and those who are injured.
- Our beloved Egypt to recover this turmoil.
Once again, thank you so much for your prayers and words of encouragement.
May the Lord bless you!
Yours in Christ,
The Most Rev. Dr. Mouneer Hanna Anis
10 Common denominators amongst Christians in Egypt
After receiving a number of emails and comments from various sources in Egypt as well as some personal conversations with friends and missionaries in Egypt we have come to a new understanding of the complexity of the current situation. Different views, different opinions and even different affiliations were expressed by Christians from various spheres of life. But even though there were different views, there were some common denominators that everybody agreed on. For us to get a non-biased, balanced and media-free understanding of the events in Egypt, let us consider the following 10 points of general agreement:1. It is all about honour.
When I asked the one Christian leader in Egypt about Mr.Hosni Mubarak and if he should step down or not, the answer came immediately. “My brother, in the West you talk about what is right and what is wrong, in the Arab world we talk about honour and shame. You do not tell the president of a country to step down. This is not about saving a nation; it’s about disgracing an individual.” We should understand this culture of honour and shame before we try to understand anything else.
2. Egypt is strategic
Every leader from within and without Egypt confirms and reiterated this important issue. “Egypt is a very important country in the whole of the Middle East, and whatever happens in Egypt affects the rest of the Muslim World.” Egypt is known as the brain of the Arab World. At the same time nearly 50% of all Christians in the Arab World live in Egypt. The events in Egypt cannot be discussed in any other context. Unless we understand the Spiritual implications of what is happening and the strategic implications of the outcome we will completely miss the point.
3. The biggest concern is who will fill the vacuum.
The one leader wrote:”So the Young on the Arab Street cannot even be guaranteed that their revolutions will indeed lead to better lives. It depends on who (and what) takes over”. This is indeed a case of the proverbial “better the enemy you know than the enemy you don’t know” All agree that the answer is not for Mr.Mubarak to step down. The answer is to secure a peaceful transition. The pro-Mubarak and the anti-Mubarak Christians are all in agreement that they support Mr.Mubarak to remain in power till a solution can be negotiated. But he should not leave a vacuum that will/ might be filled by the Brotherhood.
4. Answer to prayer
Hosni Mubarak directed his cabinet to resign on Saturday 29 January and appointed intelligence chief Omar Suleiman as deputy president. Mubarak also appointed Ahmed Shafik, the former aviation minister, as prime minister on Saturday evening. This was seen by all as a tremendous step forward for the Christian community and relief for the Church. Elements in the previous cabinet were mostly responsible for many hardships suffered by Christians and this is indeed a positive step with hope for the future.
5. Concern of the Brotherhood
Everybody shared the concern that extremist groups would take advantage of the demonstrations to push for violence. There is a common feeling that the Brotherhood is responsible for the demonstrations and using it for their own political (and religious) agenda. They provided the spark to make a very volatile situation explode and their aim is chaos and ultimately power. We were warned to be aware of the religious agenda behind the political uproar
6. No to Mohammed Al Baradei
There is great concern about Mr.Al Baradei, former Nobel peace prize winner, to take over from Mr.Mubarak. Mr.Al Baradei has support from both Iran and the Brotherhood and under his leadership the suffering of Christians will most probably increase.
7. General Gratitude
The one Christian wrote: “We thank God that this did not happen (the Brotherhood taking control of the situation). It seems that the majority of the youth who are demonstrating are aware of this possibility. Many of them started to see this possible risk. The youth who were interviewed by the television yesterday mentioned that all what they need is democracy.” We need to pray that common sense will prevail and that the masses are not swept away by the moment.
8. God is in control
This sentiment was echoed by all but with an understanding that the situation is out of control and people are suffering. There are food shortages and many protesters were hurt during attacks. By God’s grace a number of Churches near Tahrir Square were not damaged and in some cases even Muslims helped protect the properties of Christians. BUT on Sunday 30 January 11 Christians were slaughtered in the province of Minya and there was no media coverage or mention of this incident. People are hurting and need to understand God’s sovereignty through the prayers and actions of those who care
9. Pray
Without exception the request came through “Pray for us!” Most of the Christians see these events as an answer to the countless prayers but they also know that much prayer is needed to see a solution. Here are practical Prayer request as supplied by The Most Rev. Dr. Mouneer Hanna Anis, Bishop of the Episcopal / Anglican Diocese of Egypt)
Pray for:
- Our churches and institutions, so that we can fix our eyes on God who is in control. May what is happening help us to draw nearer to God and to know that the time is short.
- The end of demonstrations, especially in view of the changes that President Mubarak announced. This will bring Egypt back to normal and the curfew will be ended.
- The new government, in order to achieve the desired targets in serving the people, especially the Minister of Interior who is now trying to re-build the trust with the people of Egypt.
- People to find their needs of food and health care.
- Wisdom for the youth, in order not to allow the extremists to stir them up.
- The families who lost their loved ones in the violence, and those who are injured.
- Our beloved Egypt to recover this turmoil.
Lastly, another sentiment that everybody echoed, “don’t watch Aljazeera. They are pro-bortherhood and interviews are not balanced.” Christians more vulnerable than ever - Please pray for the Church
Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin (RLPB) 093Special to ASSIST News Service
Lost amidst the noise and chaos are the region's Christian minorities. Already viewed as 'infidels' and allies of the enemy (i.e. America and Israel), the Church is now more vulnerable than ever. As US influence diminishes in the Middle East, so too does the protection of the Christian minorities. Furthermore, militant Muslims may well decide to exploit the chaos to do some under-the-radar removal of Christians. For instance, on Sunday 30 January eleven Coptic Christians were massacred inside their homes in Sharona, Al Minya Province. Christians cannot hope in the US and the UN -- our hope must rest in the one who is eternally supreme and always sufficient: Yahweh Sabaoth (lit. the Lord of Hosts; the commander of heaven's forces).
PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY FOR GOD TO:
- draw the region's Christians into dependent prayer and then answer their prayers, protecting them, providing all their needs, and making his presence known.
- awaken Arabs across the Middle East to the fact that Islam -- because it is repressive rather than liberating, and legalistic rather than transformative -- can never be the solution for those yearning for freedom and dignity. Pray for an Arab Awakening! (Ephesians 3:20,21)
Making the
By Reyno Seymore: Economics lecturer, Christians all over the world currently experience a mixed bag of optimism and excitement, but also empathy when they think of the current situation in Tunisia, Egypt and so many other countries in the Middle East. Winds of change are blowing. Years of dictatorship are being questioned and these bastions of suppression seem to be falling. The Islamic dictator of
Maybe this is a good time for Christians to go through some sort of introspection. Obviously this is a great opportunity to spread the word of Jesus Christ. However, this is not the first dictator to fall; this is not the first time that such an opportunity presents itself. Furthermore, Christians failed in the past to make optimal use such opportunities. Why?
The reason lies not within the Christian faith, but rather within a misunderstanding of the socio economic environment. What do I mean? Any revolution is the result of socio economic circumstances. One person that set himself alight cannot start a revolution if the underlying factors are not in place. However, such an incident might be the trigger should factors conducive to a revolution, such as extreme poverty and oppression, be in place.
After such a revolution, a power vacuum exists and the nation returns to the bare basic form of capitalism where only the strongest survive. During this adjustment phase, poverty tends to become more intense and income distribution becomes even more distorted, corruption tends to thrive. This is where the challenge lies. Christianity is often associated with capitalism or the so called West. After the revolution, this capitalism brings about even more pain and suffering in the short run. Even if the West provides aid with the most noble of intentions, it might be perceived as a bribe while multinational organisations seek to take the opportunity and take over mineral rights, are awarded reconstruction contracts by international aid agencies to name but two. It is then understandable that when missionaries attempt to spread the word that they will encounter resistance.
How should missionaries then go about to use this window of opportunity? Well, first of all pray that God should open the hearts of the people. But also be acutely aware of the socioeconomic dynamics at work during transitional times.
Christians fall victim to chaos in Egypt: Who will help them?
Poor and vulnerable Egyptian Christians need food and basicsBy Michael Ireland-Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service
CAIRO, EGYPT (ANS) -- As Egypt descends into deeper unrest with a seventh day of protests (Monday, Jan.31), the country's Christians are falling victim to the chaos as their shops are looted and essential supplies start to run out.
According to one Christian organization working in the region, Egypt's beleaguered Christian minority is on red alert today. Barnabas Aid (http://www.barnabasfund.org/ ) the majority of Egyptian Christians already live in extreme poverty, and as the demonstrations paralyze daily life, their struggle to make ends meet has become harder. While many shops are being attacked and looted, Christian shops have been particularly targeted.
Barnabas Aid says Christian gatherings and church meetings have been cancelled, while some church minsters are sleeping in their church buildings to protect them from attack. A Barnabas Aid contact said that believers were staying in their homes, where they are "praying hard" and "trusting God" amid the tumult.
Barnabas Aid goes on to say that Egypt's Christian community was already feeling under threat following targeted attacks, most notably the suicide bombing at a church in Alexandria on New Year's Day that killed at least 21 worshippers. Now they find themselves caught up in an escalating political crisis that could have worrying implications for their future.
In a post on its website, Barnabas Aid says: "Though the unrest is essentially fuelled by economic, social and political grievances, there are growing fears that radical Islamists may capitalize on it to seize power. The Muslim Brotherhood, which is backing influential opposition leader Mohamed ElBaradei, is the only large, organized opposition group."
Barnabas Aid quotes Former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton who warned this weekend that Egypt's ancient Christian minority could become increasingly endangered should President Hosni Mubarak be ousted.
He said: "It is really legitimate for the (Christians) to be worried that instability (will) follow Mubarak's fall and his replacement with the Muslim Brotherhood."
In addition to the targeted, violent attacks, Egyptian Christians face discrimination in many areas of life, such as in education and employment. Conditions for them would only worsen under an Islamic regime. Dr Patrick Sookhdeo, International Director of Barnabas Aid, said: "Christians in Egypt need our immediate practical help and prayer support as they find themselves embroiled in this unfolding crisis. We must also pray that as Egyptian citizens seek freedom from an autocratic leader, they will not fall into the hands of a strict Islamic regime that will only further oppress its people, especially Christians."
Barnabas Aid supports Egyptian Christians through a variety of projects. In this time of crisis, many of the poorest and most vulnerable Christians are in need of food and other basics.
To help provide food and other basics for poor and vulnerable Christians in Egypt, visit the website of Barnabas fund for more information at: http://www.barnabasfund.org/poor-and-vulnerable-egyptian-christians-need-food-and-basics.html
Egypt: Day of Revolt (ANS)(BBC)(FRANCE24)
CAIRO, EGYPT (ANS) -- At least three people have been killed during a day of rare anti-government protests in Egypt, according to reports describing "remarkable scenes" in the Egyptian capital.In Cairo, where the biggest rallies were held, state TV said a policeman had died in clashes. Two protesters died in Suez, doctors there said, according to the BBC.The BBC report said thousands joined the protests after an internet campaign inspired by the uprising in Tunisia. It stated that in Cairo, police used tear gas and water cannon in an attempt to disperse the crowds.
The BBC said activists had called for a "day of revolt" in a web message. The broadcast news outlet explained that protests are uncommon in Egypt, which President Hosni Mubarak has ruled since 1981, tolerating little dissent.US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the Obama administration supported "the fundamental right of expression and assembly" and urged all parties "to exercise restraint," the BBC report said.Clinton added that Washington believed the Egyptian government was "stable" and "looking for ways to respond to the legitimate needs and interests of the Egyptian people."The BBC report stated that the events in Cairo were co-ordinated on a Facebook page -- tens of thousands of supporters clicked on the page to say they would take part.
Reports said the social networking site Twitter had been blocked in Egypt and that mobile phone networks in the Cairo area were down.The Swedish-based website Bambuser, which streams video from mobile phones, said it had been blocked in Egypt. On its blog, it accused Egyptian officials of trying to control the news agenda, the BBC reported.The BBC's correspondent in Cairo, Jon Leyne, said rallies had been held in several parts of the capital, and the turnout had been more than the organizers could have hoped.Leyne reported that police were taken aback by the anger of the crowd and let protesters make their way to the parliament building.Police regrouped there in full riot gear with tear gas and water cannon and temporarily drove the crowd back. However, protesters threw stones and stood their ground, pushing the police back until they were on the run, the BBC correspondent reported.The correspondent says the scale of the clashes will surely come as a shock to President Mubarak.Protests also broke out in other areas, including the eastern city of Ismailiya and the northern port city of Alexandria, the BBC said.In Alexandria, witnesses said thousands joined the protests, some chanting: "Revolution, revolution, like a volcano, against Mubarak the coward."
The BBC went on to report that in Cairo's Tahrir Square, demonstrators attacked a police water cannon vehicle, opening the driver's door and ordering the man out of the vehicle.Officers beat back protesters with batons as they tried to break the police cordons to join the main demonstration, the BBC said.Protesters alluded to the Tunisian uprising -- this one using the French word "degage," meaning "out."One protester, 43-year-old lawyer Tareq el-Shabasi, told the Associated Press news agency: "I came here today willing to die, I have nothing to fear."The AFP news agency reported that protesters had gathered outside the Supreme Court holding large signs that read: "Tunisia is the solution."
Weeks of unrest in Tunisia eventually toppled President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali earlier this month.The BBC report explained that Egypt has many of the same social and political problems that brought about the unrest in Tunisia -- rising food prices, high unemployment and anger at official corruption.However, the BBC said the population of Egypt has a much lower level of education than Tunisia. Illiteracy is high and internet penetration is low.
The BBC's Cairo correspondent goes on to say that there are deep frustrations in Egyptian society, yet Egyptians are almost as disillusioned with the opposition as they are with the government; even the Muslim Brotherhood, the banned Islamist movement, seems rudderless.While one opposition leader, Mohamed ElBaradei, called on Egyptians to take part in these protests, the Muslim Brotherhood has been more ambivalent, the BBC said.The BBC correspondent added that Egypt is widely seen to have lost power, status and prestige in the three decades of President Mubarak's rule.Earlier in the day, the Egyptian government warned activists against Tunisian-inspired protest, according to FRANCE24 TV.The French broadcast outlet said activists, inspired by the recent overthrow of Ben Ali in Tunisia, were planning to use a police holiday in Egypt to voice their frustration on poverty and corruption.
FRANCE24 stated the demonstrations coincided with a national holiday in honor of the police, a key force in keeping President Hosni Mubarak in power for 30 years. The outcome in Egypt on Tuesday is seen as a test of whether vibrant Web activism can translate into street action."The security apparatus will deal firmly and decisively with any attempt to break the law," the government's director for security in the capital Cairo said in a statement.
"It is the end of silence, acquiescence and submission to what is happening in our country. It will be the start of a new page in Egypt's history -- one of activism and demanding our rights."Human rights watchdog Amnesty International has urged Egypt's authorities "to allow peaceful protests."FRANCE24 explained that protests in Egypt, the biggest Arab state and a keystone Western ally in the Middle East, tend to be poorly attended and are often quashed swiftly by the police, who prevent marching.The TV station said the banned Muslim Brotherhood, seen as having Egypt's biggest grassroots opposition network, has not called on members to take part, but said some would join in a personal capacity.
Cairo security director Ismail Shaa'er said the government had sent warnings to protest organizers that they would need an interior ministry permit: "In the absence of such permits, these demonstrations and sit-ins will be dealt with in a legal manner and those beyond the law will be arrested," he said.FRANCE24 reported that Adli, commenting on the wave of public unrest in Tunisia, said talk that the "Tunisian model" could work in other Arab countries was "propaganda" and had been dismissed by politicians as "intellectual immaturity."Activists and the opposition say the interior ministry refuses to issue protest permits, citing security reasons.
FRANCE24 also reported that sympathizers across the world have said they planned to protest in solidarity. In Kuwait, security forces detained three Egyptians on Monday for distributing flyers for the protests."On January 25th, Egyptian protesters will carry their cameras as their weapons," one Facebook user wrote, 10 days after Tunisians faced down their veteran leader's police state in a revolt flashed around the world in website images."They will use cameras to capture every policeman who will attack peaceful protesters and every scene of our protests to show it to the world."
Christians become legitimate targets in Bloody Baghdad.
"If we stay, they will kill us."Archbishop Athanasius Toma Dawod, a senior Iraqi church leader. Christians in Iraq are living in a state of constant fear after a series of co-ordinated blasts targeting Christian neighbourhoods followed a bloody siege at a Baghdad church. Two Sundays ago, as faithful Christian believers gathered at church in Baghdad to worship, Al-Qaeda attacked.
They took about 120 worshipers hostage, beat and killed three priests, and detonated explosives moments before Iraqi security forces stormed the church in a rescue attempt. At least 64 people, mostly worshippers ––including a 3-year-old–– were massacred and an estimated 300 wounded.
Yesterday morning, in another well executed attack, at least four people were killed and around 25 injured when roadside bombs and mortar shells targeted homes and a church in six districts across central Baghdad – all of them areas that are predominantly Christian. An interior ministry source told Reuters, "These operations, which targeted Christians, came as a continuation of the attack that targeted the church."
Al-Qaeda’s Iraq splinter group, the self-proclaimed Islamic State of Iraq (ISI) who was responsible for the attack, issued the following statement soon after the attack:
"All Christian centers, organizations and institutions, leaders and followers, are legitimate targets for the mujahedeen wherever they can reach them.”
A Baghdad church leader said that Iraqi Christians were "panicked" and did not know what to do. Archbishop Athanasius Toma Dawod, a senior Iraqi church leader in London, warned of a pending "genocide" and urged Christians to flee the country, while a senior cleric in Baghdad called for them to stay and bear witness to the faith, adding, "But people are human, and we can't stop them leaving."
Hundreds of thousands of Iraqi Christians have already been driven from their homeland over the last 20 years because of attacks by Muslim extremists. The exodus is expected to accelerate in light of the latest outbreak of violence.Dr Patrick Sookhdeo, International Director of Barnabas Fund, said:
My heartfelt prayers go out to the Baghdad Christian community, which is clearly under siege by Islamist militants who want to rid the entire country of Christians. I fear these latest attacks may precipitate the end of the Church in Iraq.
Please Pray
- For all who have lost loved ones in the attacks and that the Lord will grant peace to those who are anxious about further violence.
- That Iraqi Christians will find comfort, hope and strength in the Lord at this time.
- For wisdom and guidance for Christian families in Iraq as they consider whether or not to stay in their homeland.
- That the new Iraqi government, reportedly formed just yesterday after eight months of deadlock, will be strong and stable. Pray that it will exercise its authority over this escalating security crisis.
Pakistan's Blasphemy Laws
Pakistan’s Infamous Blasphemy Law
One country sure to rise in the World Watch List of most persecuted countries in the world (open doors) is Pakistan. With more and more reports trickling out of the country as to Christians being persecuted and its connection with Pakistan’s infamous Blasphemy law, the future of Pakistani Christians lie somewhere between fear and hope.
21 June 2010 - A Muslim mob in Jhelum, Pakistan,murdered the wife and four children of Jamshed Masih, but local authorities are too afraid of the local Muslim leaders to file charges.
19 July 2010 - Faisalabad, Pakistan. Gunmen have killed Pastor Rashid Emmanuel and his younger brother Sajid Emmanuel as they were leaving the courthouse yesterday. The brothers had been accused of blasphemy against Islam. The brothers were chained together when the attack took place; they were being taken back into custody after their court appearance
23 August 2010 - Authorities recovered the bodies of three Christian relief workers who had beenkidnapped and killed by members of the Pakistani Taliban in the flood-ravaged country, area officials said.
28 September 2010 - Islamic extremists killed a Christian lawyer, his wife and their five children in north western Pakistan this week for mounting a legal challenge against a Muslim who was charging a Christian exorbitant interest.
These reports are only a small portion of what is happening to Christians living inside Pakistan and most cases are due to the Blasphemy law practiced in Pakistan.
26 October 2010 - RAHWALI, PAKISTAN. Two young Pakistani Christians have been accused of blasphemy, resulting in threats by local Muslims to burn them alive. The two men, Nasir (aged 20) and Hanif (aged 24) known to be best friends in the town of Rahwali, a suburb of Gujranwala were implicated in a what is alleged to be a false case of blasphemy under article 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code, according to a report from CLASS (Centre for Legal Aid Assistance Settlement) obtained by ANS.
The Pakistan Penal code is much like the Penal code for any other country around the world with one significant difference, the infamous blasphemy law under article 295 – 298 pertaining to offences relating to religion.
In the case of Nasir and Hanif, October 26, a false case of blasphemy under article 295-C of the Pakistan penal code was brought against them. Article 295-C states: “Whoever by words, either spoken or written, or by visible representation or by any imputation, innuendo, or insinuation, directly or indirectly, defiles the sacred name of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) shall be punished with death, or imprisoned for life, and shall also be liable to a fine.”
Let’s look at the events preceding Nasir and Hanif being accused. Nasir is known to have done different kinds of labour, including working with masons and collecting scrap from door-to-door and then selling it to scrap shops. He also worked as hawker, selling different items on the streets. Hanif, who is also known as Chand, was reported to be a government servant, working for the Pakistan Army as a sweeper at the Rahwali Army Base, which he has been doing for the last eight years.
Nasir's father, William Masih, told CLAAS that the alleged incident of blasphemy took place on October 16, 2010, when Mohammad Baig, a factory night watchman, called Nasir and Hanif late at night and asked them to sell some books to a scrap dealer. Apparently, Baig told Nasir that he would pay him for selling the books, weighing almost 80 kg. Nasir allegedly asked Hanif to help in taking the books to the scrap shop. In one night, they sold two bags of books to a scrap dealer and one bag to another dealer, and were paid for the books.
In the morning, when one of the scrap dealers saw that the books were actually Islamic Holy books, he came to Nasir, returning the books and demanding his money back. Nasir told him that he had spent the money, but he would return it soon. As a result of this conversation, the scrap dealer became angry and started shouting, alleging that Nasir committed blasphemy and had insulted the Islamic/religious Holy books.
Nasir and Hanif then fled from the factory, but the owners and other local Muslims went to the police station to register a blasphemy case against Nasir and Hanif. When local Muslims learned that Nasir and Hanif had left the area, they become furious and aggressive toward other Christians living in Rahwali.At about 9:30 p.m. on the evening of October 18, 2010, Mohammad Zahir, a cleric from a local Mosque, along with about 50-60 young Muslims, started shouting at local Christians. Zahir told the Muslims to attack the Christians.
From the above it’s easy to see that Nasir and Hanif were tricked into selling the Islamic holy books without knowing what would happen to them. After the mentioned conversation between Nasir and the scrap dealer, the scrap dealer, not getting his way made up false accusations of blasphemy to get back at Nasir.
Whether or not Nasir and Hanif ran away or not, the fact is that as Christians they are regarded as second class citizens and it only takes a 1 Muslim witness to condemn Nasir and Hanif of blasphemy, and condemn them to death. We know Nasir and Hanif fled because they feared for their lives, but this has given the Muslim people in the village more that enough reason to think that the blasphemy charges are true. Even if they did not run away, Nasir and hanif would not have stood a chance in defending themselves.
Ungodly methods
Many Pakistani Christians have gone to prison or have paid the ultimate price because of false blasphemy charges brought against them, and it seems as if brining false blasphemy charges against Christians is becoming a popular way of persecuting the Christian minority in Pakistan.
Core to the Pakistan Penal Code is Islamic culture witch lie on the foundations of Honour and Shame. With Christians only considered as second class citizens, it would be a shameful thing to accuse a fellow Muslim of making up false blasphemy charges against a Christian, therefore all a Muslim needs to do is create a situation whereby a Christian is put in a “questionable” act, accuse him of acting against the law and start proclaiming the false act publicly. In order to avenge the shame inflicted on Islam (according to the law of offences relating to religion/ Pakistan Penal Code) Muslims would unquestionable believe the accusations in order to reclaim the honour lost. It would seem that all Muslims in Pakistan know this and use it to persecute Christians in a seemingly lawful and righteous way.
What are Christians to do?
