News of the oppressed

From my regular e-mail from Voice of the Martyrs:

CAMBODIA (ASSIST News Service)

Cambodian authorities forcibly deported approximately 100 Degar Montagnard Christians back to Vietnam, where they face the possibility of reprisals, torture and imprisonment by Vietnamese authorities. On the morning of July 20th, Cambodian police called out 100 Degar Montagnards and told them to walk toward the bus as they were going to go back to Vietnam. The Montagnards, however, sat down and interlocked their arms, closed their eyes and started praying. The police then began to beat the refugees' hands with batons and tried pulling them apart, eventually shocking them with electric truncheons until some of them became unconscious and fell down. The police and soldiers then dragged them to the bus while they were screaming and crying. During this time, the representative of the UNHCR, Eldon Hager, stood there watching but did not say a word or attempt to intervene. After the refugees were loaded on the bus, some of them called the Montagnard Foundation in the U.S. via cell phone and reported their treatment. As prisoners in Vietnam, they fear they will be injected with some kind of drug that will poison them. Many do not live long after being released from prison. Many die within a year after being released from Vietnam prisons, and many also become paralyzed from being severely tortured in prison.


ERITREA (ASSIST News Service)

Eritrean Christians are calling for a worldwide day of prayer and fasting for Christian prisoners in Eritrea, on August 5th. A "Day of Christian Prisoners" has been organized by Erishalom, a web site run by a coalition of Eritrean Christians, some of whom work underground in Eritrea, while others are living abroad. On the Web site, Eritrean Christians state: "With the help of the Living Almighty God, whom we serve, three years have passed since Erishalom Eritrean #1 Gospel Website began serving the Eritrean Church worldwide. On this special day, we are calling all to pray and fast for Christians and ministers of the gospel who are behind bars of Eritrean prisons. Through the information we are getting every day, and the kind of torment our brethren are passing through for long period without justice, we have learned that the condition of Christians who are detained is getting worse and worse. Therefore, we are calling all to join on 5th of August 2005 in prayer and fasting with churches worldwide, and with different humanitarian organizations, in one spirit."


ETHIOPIA (VOM-Canada)

During the past three years, hundreds of Muslims have come to Christ through the ministry of missionaries serving quietly in Ethiopia. Early this month, however, the identity of one of these missionaries in northeastern Ethiopia was discovered by those opposed to the spread of the gospel. According to a VOM-Canada source in Ethiopia, a large mob formed on July 8th, intending to kill the missionary "Stephen" (not his real name). His house was burned, and he was dragged into the bush. Police managed to intervene, but the mob turned on the police, wounding two of them. Stephen was taken into custody where police beat him and allowed other prisoners to attack him. He was finally released after paying 2000 Birr ($285.00 CDN). The authorities released him during the night because of threats against his life. Mission leaders are presently appealing his case to the high court in Bahir Dar.


NIGERIA (Compass Direct)

A band of Muslim extremists in Lagos state has pronounced a death sentence on a Christian family and assaulted the father because his daughter allegedly sold pork, contrary to strict Islamic law. On July 15th, militants came to the family patriarch's home looking for his 16-year-old daughter, Bridget Osagie. Not finding her, they beat her 57-year-old father, Emma Osagie. The Osagie family denies Bridget sold pork which is against Shariah Law. At the time of the original allegation in 1993, she was just 4 years old. In any event, Shariah is not in effect in Lagos state. Osagie has reported the assault to police and petitioned the Nigerian government, but officials have done nothing. The extremists vowed to return.


VIETNAM (Compass Direct)

Just five days after authorities demolished half of a Mennonite church center, officials on Sunday evening forced their way in to disband a prayer meeting. As Christians were praying quietly, one of 30 local authorities shouted at them to stop and ordered Le Thi Phu Dzung (the wife of imprisoned Pastor Nguyen Hong Quang) to disband the meeting. Dzung was cited for "gathering a crowd and disturbing public order" and "conducting illegal religious activities." Officials returned to the Mennonite center just before 9:00 p.m. for a second raid on a tip that Dzung had convened another meeting. Finding no meeting, the security police instead threatened to confiscate motorcycles parked inside the building. A prominent house-church leader remarked that the May 2005 U.S.-Vietnam agreement on improving religious liberty is on trial.

Prisoner Alert

Nigerian news

Check out VOM's blog site.

May the Lord be merciful to us for all our pitiful complaining about our posh lives here in the USA. When I learn about the suffering of my brothers and sisters around the world, I am reminded that I cannot be silent. The influential intelligentsia here want nothing to do with their Creator, and I don't always remember to pray for the Christians around them to be emboldened to share Jesus with them.