Do Nam Hai a Nguyen Phong, členové prodemokratické skupiny pro lidská práva bojující za náboženské a politické reformy, byli uvězněni po setkání v Haiově domě. Hai byl nedávno oceněn organizací Human Rights Watch za “usilovnou činnost za nápravu křivd v oblasti lidských práv” ve Vietnamu. Haiův spolupracovník Nguyen Phong, zakladatel Vietnamské Pokrokové Strany, byl nedávno zadržen po rozhovorech s náboženskými představiteli a s Haiem.

Trápení 45-letého uvězněného degarského Horala Ksor Daih bylo nedávno předmětem svědectví jeho příbuzných, kteří jej směli navštívit poprvé po třech letech. V úterý 9. ledna jeho příbuzní řekli, že “se zhroutili v slzách, když spatřili jeho jizvy, podlitiny, prázdný oční důlek a zbité tělo.” Následkem opakovaného bití a mlácení pěstmi ztratil Daih své oko.

Zprávy o jiném vězni zahrnují mučením zlámané a zmrzačené končetiny a ucho visící na kousku kůže, neboť „dozorci ho pravidelně trápí taháním za poraněné ucho.“ Skupiny zastánců lidských práv spojují trápení Horalů s jejich podporou amerických sil v době vietnamské války a se zlobou úřadů ohledně šíření křesťanství mezi Horaly. (BosNewsLife)

Radio Rhema in Hamilton, New Zealand, is pioneering a program schedule that features nothing but Bible readings. Called “The Word -- Bible Radio 24/7,” it is believed to be the first conventional radio station in the world to broadcast nothing but readings from three different Bible translations. “We are very excited about this,” said Rhema Broadcasting Chief Executive John Fabrin. “It’s an experiment really, and we don’t expect huge audiences, but we hope to reach people who need to hear the Scriptures, maybe in the middle of the night or when driving in their cars.” The broadcasts went on air just before Christmas and will continue at least until the end of next year. Informal monitoring on the Radio Rhema website will be ongoing, and a formal impact survey is slated within six months. Initial reports are positive with one woman reporting listening in her stationary car for more than an hour after expecting to hear just a short reading. Audio versions of the Scriptures originate from the U.S. and U.K., but Fabrin says he would love to air local, professionally made Bible readings. (Assist News Service)

VIETNAM’S HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES AGAINST CHRISTIANS CONTINUE

Communist forces in Vietnam again made news recently by arresting two human rights activists in Ho Chi Minh City on Monday, Jan. 29, and continuing to torture Degar Montagnard prisoners in the country’s central highlands. Do Nam Hai and Nguyen Phong, both members of pro-Democracy human rights groups fighting for religious and political reforms, were arrested after a meeting in Hai’s home. Hai was recently recognized by Human Rights Watch for his “dedication to work on the improvement of violations of human rights” in Vietnam. Hai’s colleague, Nguyen Phong, founder of the Vietnam Progression Party, was reportedly detained following talks with religious leaders and Hai.

Abuse of 45-year-old Degar Montagnard prisoner Ksor Daih was witnessed recently when family members were allowed to visit him for the first time in nearly three years. On Tuesday, Jan. 9, his family said they “broke down in tears upon seeing his scars, bruises, gorged eye socket and battered body.” Repeated beating and kicking caused Daih to lose his eye.

Other prisoner reports include a broken and disfigured leg caused by torture as well as a prisoner’s wounded ear hanging by threads following “guards regularly torturing him by pulling and interfering with his wounded ear.” Human rights groups link abuses of the Montagnard people to their support for American forces during the Vietnam War and anger regarding the spread of Christianity among them. (BosNewsLife)

ILLINOIS CHURCHES OFFER MATCHING FUNDS FOR NEW MISSIONS MONEY

Churches in Champaign county in Illinois are challenging other churches across the U.S. to “Increase Missions and We’ll Match It!” A communal fund project of regional churches and individuals has been building monies to match new missions spending by congregations nationwide and has $63,000 to give away. To date, congregations in 16 states have received matching funds for a variety of projects in 21 countries. Some of the projects include the building of a pastor-training center in Cambodia; a water system for a village in Haiti (sponsored by a youth group); a self-esteem program for low-income youth in Ohio; and educating women in Tanzania. The group’s research showed that on average in 2004 congregations only spent 2 cents on the dollar for overseas missions compared to 8 cents in the 1920s. One South Korean church gives more than 70 cents of every dollar to missions. To encourage more giving, the group leveraged its funds to match new missions spending by other congregations. As of 2006, Mission Match has distributed a total of $62,000 to match $106,609 in “new mission money” raised for 47 congregational projects. (Christian Newswire)

DETROIT BECOMING CENTER OF ORTHODOX RESURGENCE IN U.S.

Reports in The Christian Post indicate that Detroit, Mich., is emerging as a national center for the rebirth of Orthodox Christian churches in the U.S. Immigration and conversion have both contributed to the resurgence of the ethnically rooted Eastern European, Middle Eastern and North African denomination. This week members of Detroit’s Orthodox clergy are holding the first in a series of nationwide conferences for non-Orthodox clergy who want to explore conversion. Rev. John Fenton said Orthodoxy represents “an oasis of Christian tradition with its centuries-old style of worship and timeless celebration of the mysterious power of saints. So many people feel that the world is constantly changing all around them, and they want to find something that’s so deeply rooted that it won’t change on them.” (Religion Today)

AUSSIES JOIN IN PRAYER, FASTING TO ASK GOD TO BREAK DROUGHT

A group called the Australian Prayer Network used Australia Day Friday, Jan. 26, to kick off 40 days of prayer and fasting to ask God to send rain to the drought-riddled continent. The drought has crippled farming communities and left water supplies dwindling with the lowest water flow rates ever recorded at some dams. Farmer suicides and foreclosures are common, and even the larger cities are reaching crisis mode. Many brushfires continue to rage out of control, and some farmers have been told they will have no water allotment this year. Brian Pickering, head of the APN, said, “Our goal in humbling ourselves before God for this 40-day period and gathering at the Solemn Assembly is to deal with the underlying cause of the drought and see a complete reversal of the weather patterns. One shower of rain will not solve the problem.” In many areas the drought began almost 10 years ago. (Australian Heart Ministries)

* HCJB Global-Australia operates a shortwave station in Kununurra, reaching across the Asia Pacific region with programs in 20 languages. Studios at the office in Melbourne are used to record programs in English and Oromo, a language spoken in Ethiopia.

© Copyright 2007 - HCJB World Radio - Colorado Springs, CO US