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An informal cease-fire between separatist rebels in Aceh, a province on the northern tip of Sumatra, and Indonesian forces may be in jeopardy. In the last two weeks Indonesian soldiers have reportedly killed 120 rebels in the from the Free Aceh Movement for interfering in relief work in Aceh, one the areas hardest hit by the Dec. 26 tsunami that inundated coastlines in the Asia Pacific region. A rebel spokesman says the army attacks had in fact killed mostly civilians and that any peace deal with the military could not be trusted -- a worrying sign for hundreds of international relief workers in the troubled area. International Aid President Myles Fish, who recently returned from the area, isn't sure how the unrest will affect staff members working with the ministry in Aceh -- an area that had been closed to foreigners for 30 years. "We're hopeful that those doors will remain open," he said. "There are now more than 500,000 people in the Banda Aceh area alone living in tightly packed refugee camps. We are in a race against time to prevent the widespread outbreak of infectious diseases." (Mission Network News/AFP/FAS)

ERITREAN AUTHORITIES ARREST 3 MORE CHRISTIANS FOR THEIR FAITH

Three more Eritrean Christians associated with the Full Gospel Church in the northeastern African country of Eritrea have been arrested, said Kevin Turner, president of Strategic World Impact. The arrests of Pastor Kidane Gebremeskel, Abraham Belay and Fanieal Tesfa Mariam took place at 11 a.m. (local time) Friday, Jan. 21. Turner said these new arrests follow those of an estimated 200 Christians since the beginning of this year. One of the top leaders of the Evangelical Church in Eritrea (name withheld for security reasons) is calling for a change. "We now have 555 Christians from across Eritrea who are paying the price because of their belief," he said. In a plea for Eritrean Christians, the leader called for believers to mobilize in prayer for his nation's president. "We are sure the cause for the problems of the Eritrean Church is the president of Eritrea," the church leader said. "So far he has no respect for the church or for the international community which is protesting against [the persecution of] Christians in Eritrea." (Assist News Service)

ENRAGED MUSLIM MAN CHOPS OFF PAKISTANI CHRISTIAN'S ARM

An angry Muslim customer chopped off the arm of a young Christian shopkeeper in Pakistan's Punjab province in revenge for an alleged "insult" last November. Shahbaz Masih, 22, was approached by a customer wanting to rent a television set from his video shop in Talwandi, Faisalabad district. When Masih declined the request, the customer, 26-year-old butcher Ahmed Ali, became furious. He returned shortly afterwards, armed with a butcher's ax. Forcing his way into Masih's house, Ali attacked him and chopped off his left arm near the elbow. As Ali left, he threatened the victim and his widowed mother with even more "dire consequences" for the alleged insult he had endured. Following his discharge from the hospital four days later, Masih was forced to close his shop and leave the village with his mother and go into hiding. Ali was arrested after church officials pressed the case and faces criminal charges. However, local sources say police are being pressured to establish his innocence. (Compass)

RELIGIOUS QUESTIONNAIRE CONCERNS BELIEVERS IN KAZAKHSTAN

On Tuesday, Jan. 18, schoolchildren in the town of Temirtau in central Kazakhstan were forced to fill out a questionnaire asking about their religious beliefs and whether they attend a place of worship, local Baptist Dmitri Yantsen reported. He is concerned that this questionnaire in the Karaganda region, along with instructions from the Department of Education to the neighboring Akmola region late last year, are part of a wider increase in state action against religious activity in the country. The letter, sent to school directors in Akmola, reportedly instructed them to "draw up a list of participants who attend houses of prayer and Sunday schools and conduct compulsory 'educational work' with children who attend places of worship." The letter followed earlier instructions to school directors given in April 2003 not to allow school children to attend places of worship. Education Ministry spokesperson Zhanara Usibekova denied that her department had issued any new instructions about children's religious education. (Forum 18 News Service)

160 ARRESTED AT PROTEST AGAINST MYANMAR'S TREATMENT OF CHRISTIANS

Malaysian police arrested 160 citizens of Myanmar (Burma) Monday, Jan. 17, for protesting outside their country's embassy against the military junta's alleged discrimination against Christians. Authorities detained the demonstrators after they chanted anti-junta slogans for about 30 minutes and defied police orders to disperse, said a spokeswoman for the Malaysian human rights group, Suaram. The protesters could be charged with violating a rule requiring a police permit for gatherings of more than three people. Those without valid immigration documents could be deported. Police confirmed the arrests, but provided no details. While Myanmar, ruled by the military since 1962, is predominantly Buddhist, the population also includes Christians, Muslims, Hindus and animists. (WorldWide Religious News/Associated Press)

400,000 GERMAN CHRISTIANS GATHER DURING ANNUAL PRAYER WEEK

An estimated 400,000 Christians from different denominations across Germany gathered at 1,250 venues during the German Evangelical Alliance's annual Prayer Week Jan. 9-16. The sites ranged from cathedrals to private homes in small villages and from traditional churches to secular locations such as the Siemens High Tech Center in Nuremberg. The believers focused on intercession for leaders with special social, economic and cultural responsibilities. (Assist News Service/IDEA)

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