World News

The government of Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki is brutally totalitarian. In September 2001 it imprisoned all its critics and closed down all the independent media. A ban on 'non-traditional'worship came into force in May 2002, affecting some 20,000 believers in dozens of Protestant, Pentecostal and mission-based denominations. Since then police have been pulling members from prayer meetings, Bible studies and even wedding parties to face intimidation, beatings, arrest, incarceration and torture (even to death). Today more than 2,000 mostly Protestant Christians are incarcerated in appalling conditions purely because they are active members of banned 'non-traditional' fellowships.

The case of a man whose heart stopped beating for 1-1/2 hours only to revive just as doctors were preparing to remove his organs for transplants is fuelling ethical debates in France about when a person is dead.

Repression is escalating in China in the lead-up to the Beijing Olympics as the Communist Party government prepares the country to go on display before the world. The government is determined that visitors and television viewers will witness only stability, harmony and economic development and not human rights abuses, neglect or repression. The government wants to ensure 'subversive'
elements and 'reactionary' forces do not spoil the show. Though Shi Weihan's Christian bookshop near the Olympic village sells only government-approved books, Shi and an employee were recently arrested. On 7 December, 270 house-church pastors meeting together for prayer, study and fellowship were arrested in a major police raid. As of 10 December, 150 are still in custody. Please pray for

Whilst Indonesian Muslims have traditionally been nominal, cultural, progressive Muslims, Islamic fundamentalism and militancy is growing. From west to east, Christians are coming under increased pressure. Islamists are pressing ahead with Sharia law in autonomous Aceh, while militant fundamentalists in West Java
continue to tackle 'apostasy and Christian expansion' by persecuting pastors and evangelists and forcing the closure of churches. Meanwhile in Papua the genocide of a betrayed Christian people is being perpetrated. Please pray that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono would make a just stand for the rights and security of ethnic and religious minorities. Pray too for God to give Indonesia's Christian leaders the 'Spirit of wisdom' (Ephesians 1:17) in abundance. Source: Religious Liberty Prayer

Since granting Papua Special Autonomy in 2001, Indonesia has ramped up the repression and terrorisation of the mostly Christian indigenous population. Some 5000 Javanese Muslims migrate to Papua weekly. Church leaders such as Rev Sofian Yoman are being increasingly intimidated. On Sunday 29 July, Indonesian security forces threatened him at gunpoint outside the Baptist Church service in Jayapura. On 2 September, Indonesian security agents distributed leaflets throughout Jayapura picturing and defaming him. Two young key members of the Maranatha Kingmi Protestant Church in Nabire were recently brutally murdered.

Pastor Leule Gebreab of Asmara's Apostolic Church 'disappeared' on  12 August. For weeks nobody has been able to learn anything of his whereabouts and he is believed to have been arrested. His wife is greatly distressed. On 19 August, 10 members of the Full Gospel Church were arrested as they worshipped in a house in Asmara. Some 2000 Eritrean Protestants are presently suffering for their faith under appalling conditions in prison. Recently a group of 10 single Christian women who had been in prison for some 18 months were separated from other prisoners and taken to Weaa (Wi'a) Military Training Centre. Compass Direct reports the women were then ordered to recant their faith and were tortured when they refused. On Wednesday 5 September, Nigsti Haile (33) was tortured to death. She is the fourth Christian to die in custody due to torture.

A group of Coptic converts to Islam wanting to return to Christianity were denied permission in the courts. However, they successfully appealed and their case will be reheard in Egypt's Supreme Administrative Court on 1 September. Subsequent to the Copts' appeal, a Muslim convert to Christianity named Mohammed Ahmed   Hegazy launched legal action against the Interior Ministry as it would not officially recognise his conversion to Christianity.

Though Egypt's Constitution guarantees freedom of belief, Egyptian Muslims are not at liberty to leave Islam because Islamic Law which forbids apostasy is used to interpret Egyptian law. The historically Christian Copts have generally been treated leniently if, after converting to Islam, they later seek to revert to their 'birth religion'. However the mood is changing. On 1 September Egypt's Supreme Administrative Court will re-hear the recently refused request of 45 Copts to have their identity papers changed from Muslim to Christian. The case has sparked heated debate.

Christian relief and development agency TEAR Australia has launched an emergency appeal for people affected by floods in India and Bangladesh.

TEAR Australia is working through five local development agencies in the flood-devastated areas. These organisations have extensive expertise and experience in disaster relief and rehabilitation.

The number of religious believers in China could be three times higher than official estimates.