Zprávy HCJB 2.3.2006

 SEVERNÍ KOREA OPĚT V ČELE SEZNAMU NEJHORŠÍCH REŽIMŮ
   Již čtvrtý rok po sobě vede Korejská lidově demokratická republika seznam organizace Open Doors „World Watch List“ se jmény 50 zemí, kde jsou křesťané nejvíce pronásledováni. Každoročně zveřejňovaný seznam řadí země podle hloubky pronásledování lidí za aktivní projev víry. I když přesná čísla nejsou k dispozici, pracovníci „Open Doors“ odhadují, že severokorejský režim pobil v roce 2005 stovky křesťanů. „Severní Korea je nejrepresivnějším státem světa,“ řekl prezident americké části Open Doors Carl Moeller. „Skutečně si zasluhuje první pořadí na seznamu World Watch pro rok 2006. Bolí mě srdce, když slyším o některých zvěrstvech proti tamním obyvatelům.“ V první desítce se na seznamu dále umístily Saúdská Arábie, Irán, Somálsko, Maledivy, Bhútán, Jemen, Vietnam, Laos a Čína. (Open Doors)
 
 VŠECHNY ZPRÁVY V ANGLIČTINĚ
   AUTHORITIES RAID CHRISTIAN SCHOOL IN CHINA, ARREST 36 PEOPLE

Police in China arrested 36 people, including pastors and students, in a raid on a school that is operated by an underground church. A U.S.-based religious rights group reported that more than 50 police officers, some in anti-riot gear, swooped down on the school in Anhui province at about 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 1, as classes were about to begin.

The Texas-based China Aid Association has released a statement saying that officers from the Chinese Public Security Bureau armed with electric batons took almost everyone in the Little Shanghai Tailoring School into custody. The school teaches the Bible and sewing.

All 36 detainees were released the same evening following international pressure, and officials allowed the school to reopen. However, the 10,000 copies of Christian literature which authorities confiscated were not returned. Instead, they were given to a government committee that will rule whether or not the literature is “illegal.”

The owner of the school is Pastor Chu Huaiting, a well-known house church leader who serves as vice president of the Chinese House Church Alliance. The alliance was established in 2004 and consists of approximately 300,000 members coming from various house church movements scattered across 21 provinces.

The arrests were believed to be part of a wider crackdown against a network of churches that refuse to register with the government. China allows worship only in state-approved churches. The AFP news agency reported that local police have either denied knowledge of the incident or refused to comment. (WorldWide Religious News/ABC News/Assist News Service/Evangelical News/China Aid Association) NORTH KOREA AGAIN TOPS LIST OF WORLD’S WORST PERSECUTING NATIONS

For the fourth straight year, the isolated communist nation of North Korea remains atop the 2006 Open Doors “World Watch List” of 50 countries where Christians are persecuted the most. The annual list ranks countries according to the intensity of persecution Christians face for actively pursuing their faith. Though exact figures are not available, Open Doors’ staff estimates that hundreds of Christians were killed by the regime in 2005. “North Korea is the most repressive nation in the world,” said Open Doors USA President Carl Moeller. “It certainly deserves its No. 1 ranking on the 2006 World Watch List. It breaks my heart to hear some of the atrocities against the people there.” Rounding out the top 10 are Saudi Arabia, Iran, Somalia, Maldives, Bhutan, Yemen, Vietnam, Laos and China. (Open Doors)

CHRISTIAN GROUP LAUNCHES WEBSITE TO FOCUS ATTENTION ON NORTH KOREA

A new website dedicated to mobilizing and facilitating prayer for North Korea, was launched Tuesday, Feb. 28. The website, www.prayfornorthkorea.org, is part of the annual Global Week of Prayer for North Korea that runs June 19-25. The website is an inter-agency initiative designed to focus worldwide attention on the need to pray for the desperate plight of the country’s 22 million people. “North Korea has long been shrouded in secrecy, masking it from the interest and prayers of the outside world,” said Elizabeth Batha, Christian Solidarity Worldwide’s international advocate who started the Global Week of Prayer. “The level of brutality and the suppression of the gospel should make this a key prayer focus for the worldwide church.” Numerous resources have been created and made accessible through the website to enable prayer and facilitate the running of meetings. The website’s launch coincided with a historic prayer vigil in Seoul, South Korea, Feb. 29-March 1, attended by about 26,000 believers. (Christian Solidarity Worldwide)

VIOLENCE FAILS TO IMPEDE BIBLE DISTRIBUTION IN NORTHERN NIGERIA

Religious violence between Christians and Muslims is spreading throughout Nigeria. Thousands of Nigerians have died in sectarian strife since 2000 when the mostly Muslim northern states began implementing sharia (Islamic law). The most recent attacks followed protests over the publication in Europe of controversial cartoons of the Muslim prophet Mohammed. The Bible League’s Joseph Owens says it’s a vicious cycle of reprisals. “We offered to evacuate our staff in these areas, and they all said ‘no.’ Their family members have been moved to safe places, and we’re just being cautious at this point.” Owens says the need for ministry teams is greater than ever. “Even in northern Nigeria we’ve placed more than 60,000 Hausa Bibles.” Some 10 million Nigerian Christians are still without a Bible, and thousands more are coming to Christ each day. (Mission Network News)

* HCJB World Radio, together with partners In Touch Ministries, SIM and the Evangelical Church of West Africa, began airing weekly half-hour programs to Nigeria in the Igbo language in 2000. In 2003 weekly broadcasts were added in two additional languages, Yoruba and Hausa. HCJB World Radio also has helped with radio ministries in six cities with more in the planning stages.

AFRICA MERCY TO BE LARGEST NONGOVERNMENTAL HOSPITAL SHIP

The international board of Mercy Ships has confirmed that two of the global charity’s veteran hospital ships will be retired in mid-2006 as the newest Mercy Ship, the Africa Mercy, enters active service. The Mercy Ship Anastasis will sail to Ghana at the end of May to connect with the Africa Mercy and transfer expertise, crew and equipment. The Caribbean Mercy will be retired as well, having finished its tour of duty this winter serving as a base of operations for hurricane relief efforts on the U.S. Gulf Coast. Scheduled to be commissioned in the Port of London in April, the Africa Mercy will claim the title of the world’s largest nongovernmental hospital ship and is expected to double the number of direct medical beneficiaries being served by the two ships. Crew members from the soon-to-be-retired ships have been invited to consider service on the Africa Mercy or elsewhere within the organization. The Anastasis has been home to nearly 400 volunteer crew members from 40 nations, some of whom have served onboard for more than 15 years. (Assist News Service)

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