And more...
India
From Religioun Clause a blog by Howard Friedman Professor of Law Emeritus University of Toledo. Excellent resource for these issues...
India Added To USCIRF's Watch List
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom yesterday added India to the 11 countries already on its "watch list," a notch below the 13 designated as "countries of particular concern. (See prior posting.) The move came as USCIRF released its country report on India-- added as a chapter to its 2009 annual report. In a press release announcing its action, USCIRF said that the new concern about India stems from "the disturbing increase in communal violence against religious minorities– specifically Christians in Orissa in 2008 and Muslims in Gujarat in 2002 – and the largely inadequate response from the Indian government to protect the rights of religious minorities." A planned visit by USCIRF members to India never materialized as India delayed approving visas for those scheduled to go. (See prior posting.)
Somalia
4 Christian Orphanage Workers Beheaded in Somalia
Somali Islamic extremists beheaded four Christians recently after kidnapping them last month, according to eyewitness accounts reported to International Christian Concern (ICC).
Members of the Islamic extremist organization Al-Shabaab had kidnapped Fatima Sultan, Ali Ma'ow, Sheik Mohammed Abdi, and Maaddey Diil on July 27 from their coastal town of Merca, 56 miles from Mogadishu, and eventually beheaded the Christians after they refused to renounce their faith in Jesus Christ.
The four Christians had been working for a local NGO that helps orphans in southern Somalia.
"Al-Shabaab has once again demonstrated its utter disregard for the dignity of human life,” commented Jonathan Racho, ICC's Regional Manager for Africa and the Middle East, after receiving news of the beheadings. “It is high time for the international community to take robust measures to end the heinous crimes that Al-Shabaab and other extremist groups are committing against the people of Somalia."
According to one eye witness account, all four of the “apostates” were given an opportunity to return to Islam and to be released “but they all declined the generous offer."
When they refused, all four were beheaded for apostasy and news of their deaths was passed along to their families on Aug. 4 by a junior Al-Shabaab militant who called himself "Seiful Islam" ("the Sword of Islam").
Then militant described the Christians as promoters of "fitna," a Muslim term for religious discord....."
Muslims burn 6 Christians to death after false allegations
".- Religious extremists struck again in Pakistan on Saturday when a violent mob of Muslims looted and burned a Christian neighborhood, killing six Christians by burning them to death. The attacks took place in reaction to a rumor that the Koran was desecrated in a nearby village.
The violence, which took place in the central Punjab town of Gojra City, occurred early on Saturday when a throng of Muslims surged into the Christian quarter, setting all 40 of the Christian houses and two churches aflame.
As the crowd of Muslims approached Gojra City, Christians fired shots at them in self-defense.
Six Christians—four women, a man and a 7 year-old child—were burned to death in the attacks...."
Forum18.org out of Norway reports:
"Unregistered communities of Protestant Christians, Hare Krishna devotees and Ahmadiya Muslims in many parts of Kyrgyzstan have been ordered by the authorities to stop meeting for worship, Forum 18 News Service has found. In some cases, communities have been told that state registration in the capital Bishkek does not allow religious activity elsewhere. One Protestant church in the north-west told Forum 18 that they had been unsuccessfully trying for two years to register, but that they "would not be registered unless they had 200 signatures. How can we collect 200 signatures if we are not allowed to function normally?" Asked what would happen to religious communities who have less than 200 members, and so cannot be registered, an official of the State Agency for Religious Affairs told Forum 18 that "there is a Law, and we will deal with them accordingly." An employee of the State Agency recently told a person known to Forum 18, who wished to remain unnamed for fear of state reprisals, that after the July presidential elections there would be "a massive campaign against religious groups meeting illegally."
China
U.S. Congressman Pays Tribute to Chinese Martyr Watchman Nee-From Chinaaid.org
August 12, 2009
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On July 30, Congressman Christopher Smith (NJ-04) spoke from the House of Representatives’ floor to pay tribute to Chinese Christian martyr Watchman Nee. Congressman Smith wanted to recognize Nee, who is known around the world for his Christian witness and influence, and whose books are still banned in China today.
Christianity Today magazine recently honored Watchman Nee as one of the 100 most influential Christians of the twentieth century. Nee was imprisoned for his faith in 1952 and died in 1972 in a labor camp farm.
In his speech, Congressman Smith stated:
“Madam Speaker, it is estimated that China has more than 100 million Christians, and millions of them consider themselves spiritual heirs of Watchman Nee. Millions more are rightly proud of the contribution Watchman Nee made to global Christianity—he was the first Chinese Christian to exercise an influence on Western Christians—and indeed of his contribution to world spiritual culture. It is sad that the works of Watchman Nee are officially banned in China—even as they are being discovered afresh by a new generation of Western Christians. It is my hope that Watchman Nee’s collected works can be freely published and distributed within China.”
Read Congressman Smith’s speech from the House floor regarding Watchman Nee."
US
UN
Woman Quits U.N. to Fight Against Sharia Law
