Violence against Christians in the year 2001

Transcription

Engels Page 1 woensdag, 4 september 2002 13:53
Violence against
Christians
in the year 2001
Compiled by Dr J.G. Orbán
A publication by Aid to the Church in Need
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Aid to the Church in Need
is published by
Aid to the Church in Need (Netherlands)
Postbus 1645
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Peperstraat 11-13
5211 KM ’s-Hertogenbosch
Telephone: +31 (0)73-6130820
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Edited by:
Dr J.G. Orbán
K. Orbán-Tóth
Cover design and typeset by:
Communicatie Team ’s-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands
Printed by:
Drukkerij VNV Kappellen, Belgium
ISBN 90-806189-2-6
1st edition 2002
Violence against Christians in the year 2001 is a publication of Aid to the Church in Need. Texts
or parts of texts may be reproduced with acknowledgement of source (Violence against Christians in the year 2001 – KIN/OPH).
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Table of contents
Table of contents
1 Introduction ...................................................................................................
2 Archbishop Perko:..........................................................................................
3 Countries in which Christians are persecuted .............................................
Afghanistan....................................................................................................
Algeria ............................................................................................................
Angola ............................................................................................................
Azerbaijan ......................................................................................................
Bangladesh .....................................................................................................
Bhutan ............................................................................................................
Bosnia .............................................................................................................
Brunei .............................................................................................................
Burundi ...........................................................................................................
Chad ................................................................................................................
China ...............................................................................................................
Colombia ........................................................................................................
Congo .............................................................................................................
Cuba ................................................................................................................
Egypt ...............................................................................................................
El Salvador ......................................................................................................
Ethiopia ..........................................................................................................
Gambia ...........................................................................................................
Ghana .............................................................................................................
Greece.............................................................................................................
Guatemala ......................................................................................................
Honduras ........................................................................................................
India ................................................................................................................
Iran ..................................................................................................................
Iraq ..................................................................................................................
Israel................................................................................................................
Ivory Coast ......................................................................................................
Jordan .............................................................................................................
Kazakhstan .....................................................................................................
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Table of contents
Kenya...............................................................................................................
Korea (North)..................................................................................................
Kyrgyzstan.......................................................................................................
Laos..................................................................................................................
Lebanon ..........................................................................................................
Liberia..............................................................................................................
Malaysia ..........................................................................................................
Moluccas/Indonesia ........................................................................................
Myanmar (Burma)...........................................................................................
Nepal ...............................................................................................................
Netherlands.....................................................................................................
New Guinea ....................................................................................................
Nigeria.............................................................................................................
Pakistan ...........................................................................................................
Paraguay .........................................................................................................
Philippines.......................................................................................................
Romania ..........................................................................................................
Russia...............................................................................................................
Rwanda ...........................................................................................................
Saudi Arabia....................................................................................................
Senegal............................................................................................................
Somalia............................................................................................................
Sri Lanka..........................................................................................................
Sudan...............................................................................................................
Syria .................................................................................................................
Tajikistan .........................................................................................................
Turkey..............................................................................................................
Turkmenistan ..................................................................................................
Uganda............................................................................................................
Ukraine............................................................................................................
United Arab Emirates .....................................................................................
Uzbekistan ......................................................................................................
Vietnam...........................................................................................................
Yemen .............................................................................................................
Zambia.............................................................................................................
4 Declarations by the Vatican...........................................................................
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Table of contents
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5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
5.5
5.6
5.7
5.8
5.9
Appendices.....................................................................................................
Appendix 1: League Table of Christian Persecution ....................................
Appendix 2: Martyrology of the year 2000 ..................................................
Appendix 3: Remember the Persecuted .......................................................
Appendix 4: The Church in Africa .................................................................
Appendix 5: The Church in the Middle East.................................................
Appendix 6: Martyrs in the year 2000 ..........................................................
Appendix 7: The African population in figures............................................
Appendix 8: International Christian Prisoners List.......................................
Appendix 9: Catholic Church Statistics..........................................................
6 Sources used
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Introduction
1. Introduction
The publication of the yearbook Violence against Christians in the year 2000
evoked many reactions. These varied from astonishment about the number of
victims, to encouragement to carry on collecting such information.
In the 2000 edition I cited sources which reported that Christians form the most
persecuted religious group in the world. This continued to apply in 2001. On 26
June 2001, a commemoration day was held for the victims of violence. On that
day, the Swiss Evangelical Alliance announced that Christians are still the most
persecuted group. The Evangelical Alliance also stated that unregistered Christians in China, as well as in North Korea and Laos, are being arrested and
tortured. In southern Sudan, they are then sold as slaves and become victims of
the worst forms of psychological and physical abuse. In Muslim countries, people
who convert to Christianity are often tortured or killed, as Islam does not
tolerate apostasy. Confronted with this violence against Christians, the Evangelical Alliance has called on the world to take action and pray for the victims of
religious persecution.1
Human rights organisations have concluded that politics and the media in particular pay little attention to violations of freedom of religion. “Religionsfreiheit
als grundlegendes Menschenrecht wird von Weltöffentlichkeit, besonders der
Politik und den Medien, sträflich vernachlässigt. "Religious liberty as a fundamental human right is being criminally neglected by world public opinion, above
all by politicians and the media. And yet religious liberty is one of the most vital
preconditions for democracy." This was the view expressed by Paul Marshall,
head of the US human rights organisation "Freedom House".”2
Unfortunately, many people, including politicians and the media, still consider
matters such as religion and faith to be private. “It’s up to the people themselves.”
Of course, every now and then one encounters statements by politicians
concerning or condemning the persecution of Christians. For example, Swedish
ambassador Johan Molander expressed the European Union’s condemnation of
the oppression of religion and persecution of believers. "Deeply concerned at the
situation of human rights in Saudi Arabia: torture, executions, discriminatory laws,
absence of fundamental rights. Reason for concern also at the treatment of religious minorities in other Islamic countries, such as Afghanistan and Pakistan."”3
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CRTN, 07/07/01
IDEA SPEKTRUM, 24/2001
IDEA SPEKTRUM, 15/2001
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What I find more alarming is the report that certain Islamic countries - this
concerns countries where Christians are persecuted most - evidently spy on Christian activities in the West. "Islamic countries like Iran have not shrunk from
spying on Christian communities, even in Germany, so that they can then ’persecute Christians more effectively at home’. According to a report by Christine
Nerges, who comes from Iran, in the Free Church community she attends in the
Kreuzberg area of Berlin there had for instance been an Iranian spy who for a
long time secretly compiled lists of those attending religious worship and seminars. These lists had been transmitted to the Iranian government. Later, this spy,
who had claimed to members of the community that he was a member of the
Iranian opposition, had been unmasked and expelled from Germany – shortly
before the German national, Helmut Hofer, who had been imprisoned in Iran,
was released."”4
It is important to formulate what I interpret as violence in this context. In the
2000 edition, I made a distinction between physical and psychological violence
against Christians. The latter cannot be measured and is difficult to identify.
Therefore I am confining myself to physical violence against Christians: torture,
abuse, imprisonment and murder. There are only two cases in which I have
included information that is not covered by this definition. This concerns Greece
and the Ukraine. The Pope visited both countries in the course of 2001; there was
a great deal of opposition to the Pope and/or the local Catholic and Greek Catholic communities in both countries. Although the opposition bordered on
violence, I would like to state emphatically that the narrow definition of the
term ’violence’ does not apply in this context.
It has often been suggested that it seems as if violence against Christians and religious persecution are ignored by the media. In any case, this form of violence
receives little attention. Does this have to do with the still increasing secularisation of the West, of the Netherlands? I think it does. In an interview in Dutch
newspaper De Volkskrant5 in March 2001, Cardinal Simonis said that the Dutch
’Paars’ cabinet marginalises religion and pushes it to the periphery of society.
Literally the Cardinal said: “Originally, the separation of Church and state meant
that the state would not interfere in church affairs. But that has now gone so far
that faith and the Church no longer play any significant public role for the
government. The government sees citizens as individuals, it does not matter
whether they believe or not. As a result the Church is completely marginalised.
It appears to be a non-entity for this cabinet. Words like religion and ideology
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IDEA SPEKTRUM, 46/2001, 14/11/01
De Volkskrant, 06/03/01
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Introduction
are no longer part of the Queen’s Speech. This is terrible. The last Queen’s
Speech literally states that art and culture play a larger role in the non-material
side of life. Neither religion nor ideologies are mentioned. This secularisation has
been carried through consistently. The government fundamentally has nothing
to do with anything that has the slightest hint of the divine, revelation and religious belief. The fact that some people are mad enough to believe is up to them,
but for the government religion and the Church do not seem to exist.”
Het Volkskrant Magazine6 devoted an article to the danger of Islam in countries
like Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. It points out that such countries,
which still have weak political structures, are easy prey for fundamentalism.
Central Asia is under the spell of the Islamic threat. Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and
Tajikistan are weak states, unable to cope with independence. They only
appeared on the map of the world in 1991. Not after a long fight for independence, but only because the Soviet Union suddenly ceased to exist. The problems
that the new states have to overcome are enormous. Their borders are illogical,
their nationalities hopelessly mixed together, outbursts of ethnic violence are
always possible. Under these circumstances, Muslim guerrillas appeared on the
scene in 1998. Who’s to say the impoverished population will not choose their
side? After all, don’t they literally promise paradise on earth? They have a solution for every problem - Islamic law, the shari’ah - and they have the will and the
weapons to fight for the shari’ah. The first time in Gaz it was restricted to skirmishes. The second time the guerrillas invaded Kyrgyzstan, in August of last year,
artillery fire and the roar of fighter jets were heard for the first time. And next
summer? Radio station The Voice of Shariat has already announced: “2001 will
be the decisive year in our jihad.” Everyone knows what the guerrillas are planning.
With regard to the position of Islam in the world, the relationship between
Christians and Muslims, and particularly with regard to Muslim fundamentalism,
I refer to a short article by Hans Jansen in HP/De Tijd.7
He makes a clear distinction between Islam, Muslim fundamentalism and the use
or misuse of Islam for political purposes. In my opinion, however, he plays down
the dangers of Muslim fundamentalism by continuing to remind us of the Christians in the time of the Crusades. Such repeated references to things that
happened thousands of years ago begin to give readers the idea of ’justification’.
If people look at the reports about violence against Christians, they can see that
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Het Volkskrant Magazine, 03/03/01
Hans Jansen: Te vuur en te zwaard. In: HP/De Tijd, 23/03/01
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the relationship between Christians and Muslims is still subjected to heavy pressure. The Catholic World Report devoted an interesting article to this issue.8 The
authors begin by remarking that the visits of Pope John Paul II to the Holy Land
and Syria in the course of 2001 did a lot of good for the relationship between
them. “Most recently his pilgrimage to Syria, where he visited sites associated
with St. Paul and became the first Pontiff to enter a mosque, strengthened his
reputation as a religious leader anxious to embrace those not only within, but
also outside, his own faith.” Immediately afterwards, however, both authors
proved to be very cautious about the future developments within the relationship between Christians and Muslims.
“But recent developments in the Middle East suggest that there is much work still
to be done in the field of inter-faith relations. On May 30, a Vatican envoy was
dispatched to the Holy Land, as tension between Palestinians and Israelis
continued to simmer, with the constant threat of renewed warfare. Only two
days before the papal legate left Rome, 14 villages in the predominantly Christian
region of southern Sudan were attacked by fighter jets representing the Islamic
government in the north. Each of these situations carries central importance in
the development of relations between Christians and Muslims - a relationship
that is bound up in a complex history of friction interspersed with friendship.”
“However, inter-religious dialogue is not without its critics. When the Pope
visited Jerusalem last May, the Grand Mufti refused to attend an inter-religious
discussion with the Holy Father and the Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem; in fact he was
vehemently criticised for simply greeting the ’Great Heretic’ (as the Pope is
known in extremist Muslim circles) in a separate meeting on the holy Islamic site
of Al-Haram Al-Sharif.”
It should not be claimed that religious differences could be the primary cause of
poor relationships; it is the political leaders who use religion to increase their
own power.
“However, even if religious conflicts are not the primary causes of armed clashes,
political leaders usually find ways to invoke religion in their quest for power. It
is the use and misuse of religion that complicates the situation,” Monsignor
Akasheh says. He points out that “it is not Muslims in general who are causing
Christian suffering in the Sudan, but the political regime.” Still the Muslim
leaders in Khartoum speak of building a single Islamic regime, while southern
rebels warn Christians and animists of the Nuba Mountain region about the
forced ’Islamisation’ that could befall their children.”
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The Catholic World Report, August/September 2001, Michael Hirst-Nicholas Jubber: Together,
More than Half the World. Prospects for Catholic-Islamic relations in the 21st century.
10
Introduction
This was also the year of the inhuman terrorist attacks on the United States, in
which thousands of people died. The attacks were connected to Muslim fundamentalism. There is a danger of a generalisation occurring as a result of these
inhuman acts: Islam is equal to terror to fundamentalism. It is essential to be very
aware that this generalisation is just as dangerous as Muslim fundamentalism
itself, or any form of fundamentalism whatsoever.
Different sources point out that “various extremist groups involved in the very
bloody persecution of Christians in Africa and Asia have links to Bin Laden’s
network, called Al Qaeda. The group has cells in Algeria, Nigeria, Indonesia, the
Philippines, and to a lesser extent in Malaysia, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Bin Laden’s network has more permanent contacts with the radical Islamic
military government of Sudan, which is among the worst persecutors of Christians. Since 1998 approximately two million people have become victims of the
Islamisation policy, particularly Christians and followers of nature religions.”9
People have often wondered what could be behind the views of Bin Laden, or
behind the views of the Taliban fighters who support him. During the last few
months of 2001 I sometimes asked myself: is that Osama bin Laden really motivated by Islam? Or is it power that drives him? Is he using Islam to consolidate his
power? The Financial Times published an interesting article on the teachings
behind the Taliban and Bin Laden. The Taliban was raised in the tradition of one
of the most rapidly growing schools in southern Asia, the Deobandi movement;
named after the first madrasa, the Islamic school.
The Deobandi movement has had more than fifteen thousand madrasas in the
Islamic world since the 1960s. The leader of the hard Islamic training of the
Taliban seems to be Marghoob Ur-Rehman. He is the vice president of Darul
Uloom, the House of Knowledge of the madrasa in Deoband.
However, views within the school are contradictory. He who talks to the maluna
(student of the school) about xenophobia within Islam receives the following
response: “We believe in the verses of the Koran that say that taking away an
innocent life destroys the whole world.” And also: “Even Mohammed lived
together with Jews.”10
However, in the recent fatwas (religious edicts), the scholars of Darul Uloom
th
suggest that “the Jews are responsible for what happened on the 11 of
September and that Jews have been Islam’s enemy number one since the beginning.”
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Stimme der Märtyrer, 11/2001
Financial Times, 17/11/01, Edward Luce: The Taliban may be retreating as a military force but the
philosophy that underpinned it is thriving in the Deobandi schools and their ’medieval’ syllabus.
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In this context, even the term jihad is confusing. “Many interpreters of jihad in
the Muslim world, and an equal number in the West, have explained that jihad
has a double meaning: it stands for jihad bia al saif (holy war by means of the
sword) and also for jihad al nafs (literally, the struggle for one’s soul against
one’s own base instinct). Both interpretations are true, but Islamic militants have
rejected the spiritual explanation as a dangerous heresy. They invoke time and
again against those sections of the Koran that say warfare is ordained to faithful
Muslims; only cowards and the unfaithful will turn away from this sacred duty to
fight those ’in the path of Allah.’ They say that struggle should continue until
there is no more sedition or competing religion in the world.11
The author adds to this: “The Taliban in Afghanistan and many militants are not
impressed by the speeches and writings of more moderate exegetists about ’the
poverty of fanaticism’ and the ’spiritual mission of Islam,’ and this fact is what
matters in the present discussion.”
The jihad is seen as a call to fight the ’non-believers’. According to the Koran,
jihad actually means: going to great lengths and putting in great efforts for
one’s faith.12 However, jihad has also come to mean ’holy war’. This is where the
interpretations of the classical teachers of Islam differ. One thinks that jihad is
there to defend Muslim territory, while the other says that it is about expanding
Islam. The latter has become stronger in certain - what we refer to as - fundamentalist groups, through certain parts of the Koran that refer to a struggle. For
instance Surah 61:5 says: “Verily, Allah loves those who fight in His cause arrayed
in solid ranks, as though they were a strong structure cemented with molten
lead.”13 In this context another quotation is often also referred to: “And fight
them until there is no persecution and religion is wholly to Allah. But if they
desist, then surely Allah is watchful of what they do.”14
And nevertheless, I would like to stress once again that the fundamentalist and
violent interpretation of Islam and certain verses of the Koran is mainly attributable to small groups within Islam.
What does the Koran say about the struggle against non-Muslims? In the Koran
the prophet Mohammed has declared that war against non- Muslims is indeed
meritorious. However, if one then enquires of the Koran with what intention
this happened (sic) (?), then the answer is by no means easy to discover."
Quotation from an Arab – Dutch edition of the Koran, page 168, No. 40 (NB: in
translation – via the German!) ”15
On the morning that the Netherlands remembered the victims in the US,
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W. Laqueur: The new terrorism, p. 130.
Islam. Personen en begrippen van A tot Z. (Amsterdam, 1995)
De Heilige Qo’ran. Arabisch-Nederlands. (Hoevelaken, 2001), p. 560, no. 5.
De Heilige Qo’ran. Arabisch-Nederlands. (Hoevelaken, 2001), p. 560, no. 5.
De Heilige Qo’ran. Arabisch-Nederlands, p. 168, no. 40.
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Introduction
I presented the text of Matthew 8: 23-26 to be considered for our prayer at our
office: And when He was entered into a ship, his disciples followed Him. And,
behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was
covered with the waves: but He was asleep. And His disciples came to him, and
awoke Him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And He saith unto them, Why are
ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then He arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea;
and there was a great calm.
We do not stand alone in our pain; all those Christians, but also other believers
who are persecuted for their religion, do not stand alone. Christ suffers with
them; He stands beside them.
But I added to the preceding words: if we really want to achieve peace, if we
really want to realise God’s peace on earth, we will have to follow Christ’s
example and forgive. He said from the cross “Father, forgive them, for they
know not what they do.” Only once we are ready to forgive, no matter how difficult that may be, will there be peace.
Dr J.G. Orbán
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2. Archbishop Perko:
“Without the support of Aid to the Church in Need,
it would have been almost impossible for us
to survive the difficult times of Communism”
Vienna/Königstein,19 March 2001
“In the South-Eastern European countries, material assistance from Catholic
organisations like Aid to the Church in Need is still a necessity. Without the
support of Aid to the Church in Need, it would have been almost impossible for
us to survive the difficult times of Communism,” emphasised Archbishop Franc
Perko. He said this during the extremely interesting meeting of the chairmen of
the Catholic Bishops’ Conferences of Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia and Yugoslavia, which took place on 14 and 15 March in Vienna. Catholic
relief organisations operating in the area of humanitarian and pastoral assistance, including Aid to the Church in Need, were also invited to this meeting.
Even after the revolution in South-Eastern Europe, financial support from the
West is needed urgently, for example for the in-depth education of laypersons.
They could support the work of the priests on the spot and, in particular,
contribute to spreading the faith among young people. They are more likely to
be willing to take part in an open dialogue with members of other creeds,
stressed Croatian Archbishop Jospi Bozanic. Since the end of the war, Aid to the
Church in Need has supported numerous parishes, giving the people hope and
confidence in the future.
During the conference, organised jointly by the Council of European Bishops’
Conferences (CCEE) and the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community (COMECE), discussions took place on how the Catholic Church
can best contribute to reconciliation and stability in South-Eastern Europe. All of
the participants agreed that interconfessional meetings between representatives of the Catholic and the Orthodox Churches on the one hand and Islamic religious communities on the other are extremely useful in the reconciliation
process and should be continued in the future.
Moreover the continued education of journalists is a good opportunity to
promote reconciliation through the media. To date, the state media in the
abovementioned countries was nearly exclusively dominated by post-Communists. An advanced education centre, where journalists from East and West can
14
14
Archbishop Perko
continue their education on the basis of Christian values, already exists in
Falenica near Warsaw. The Centre for Communication and Culture, financed by
Aid to the Church in Need and Renovabis, was opened last autumn.16
16
Press Release, Info-Secretariaat, 20/03/01
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Countries (in alphabetical order) in which Christians are persecuted
3. Countries (in alphabetical order) in which Christians are
persecuted
AFGHANISTAN
Area: 647,500 km2
Population: 25,824,882
Religion:
Sunni 73%
Shi’ite 25%
A very small Christian minority.
Ethnic groups:
Pashtun, Tajik, Uzbek, Hazara.17
The largest extremist group is formed by the Taliban. It is an ultraconservative
movement that is largely dominated by Pashtuns. The Taliban proclaimed a new
theocratic government that is founded completely on the interpretation of the
shari’ah. Freedom of religion is restricted completely. In principle, non-Muslims
may practise their religion as long as they do not evangelise. Due to persecution
and economic motives, the number of Christians has been decreasing lately.18
19 January 2001
“Afghan Muslims who convert to Christianity will be executed.” This was
announced by a leader of the fundamentalist Taliban regime. In a decree, the
leader said that Afghans will also be killed if they try to promote religions other
than Islam. He said that enemies of Islam try to convert Muslims to Christianity
or Judaism by offering them money. A spokesman explained that the decree was
issued following reports of foreigners trying to convert people in Afghanistan.
He said that these people were probably members of international relief organisations.19
Lahore, 14 March 2001
After fundamentalist Muslims, the Taliban, systematically destroyed Buddhist
statues in Afghanistan, there was a fear that the destruction of Christian statues
17
18
19
International Christian Concern and CIA The World Factbook, 1999
Open Doors International: Country Profiles, 28/08/01
Bisdomblad, 19/01/01. See also: International Christian Concern, 19/02/01. See also: CRTN, 09/01/
01. Furthermore: Catholic World News Briefs, 08-01-01. See also: De Volkskrant, 09/01/01
17
17
would be the next step. The fear was expressed by Father Emmanuel Yousaf,
head of the Pakistani Justitia et Pax.20
Kabul, 22 May 2001
The fundamentalist Muslim Taliban government of Afghanistan, which
controlled about ninety percent of the country, decided that all non-Muslims
had to wear orange or yellow clothes to distinguish themselves from Muslims.
They also had to mark their houses with yellow flags. According to the new law,
non-Islam men were not allowed to wear a turban; non-Islam women had to
wear a yellow veil. These measures were effective immediately in the province
and city of Kandahar, where the Taliban command was situated. The law would
soon be enacted in all parts of Afghanistan.21
June 2001
When the Taliban announced that certain religions must identify them themselves, they stated: “There are no Christians in Afghanistan.” This statement was
incorrect, and clearly the abovementioned regulation would also affect Christians.22
06 August 2001
Afghan Taliban authorities closed a Western relief organisation, Shelter Now
International, and arrested 24 members of the organisation. They were accused
of spreading Christianity.
Among those arrested were eight foreigners, six of whom were women. Taliban
officials claimed that one of the women was arrested when she tried to convert
an Afghan family to Christianity. Two of the women, around 20 years old, came
from the US.23
The Taliban authorities announced that two female Christian relief workers
confessed to having converted Muslims to Christianity. This paved the way to
sentence them to death. This statement was made by the minister for the religious police, Mullah Mohammad Salim Haqqani. He added: “They have asked
the emir and the Muslims to pardon them and will be treated according to the
rules of the shari’ah. They did not send any messages to their families or their
government and are currently doing well.”
At the same time the authorities took 59 children into custody because they
allegedly came under the influence of Christianity. They were to be re-educated.
“We have locked them in a re-education house to remove the Christian teach20
21
22
23
18
CRTN, 15/03/01
CRTN, 23/05/01
International Christian Concern, 28/06/01
BBC NEWS, 06/08/01
18
ings from their hearts and from their heads. As soon as that has happened they
will be free.”24
23 August 2001
Despite repeated attempts by the secretary general of the UN, Kofi Annan, to
date diplomats had not received permission to visit the 24 arrested relief
workers. According to reports, the non-Afghans were treated reasonably well;
the 16 Afghans among the detainees were treated very badly.25
30 August 2001
This week I read the online edition of The St. Petersburg Times. I was intrigued
by how the columnist assured the reader that “pure ignorance and Christian
evangelism drove foreign relief workers to break the law.” This was allegedly
why the Taliban arrested them on 3 August. He accused the relief workers of
being to blame for the death of tens of thousands of children and mothers
“because they wanted to spread the religion at any cost.”26 This clearly indicated
what people in Russia thought of Christian relief workers and of proselytism,
religious zeal by certain Christian groups.
12 September 2001
Over the previous weekend the Taliban again arrested at least 35 relief workers
of IAM (International Assistance Mission). With these arrests the number of
arrestees rose to more than 50. The Taliban Minister for Vice and Virtue,
Mohammed Wali, declared that the detainees were arrested for evangelisation.27
24
25
26
27
Ahmed Rashid in Lahore: Taliban may execute women aid workers, 07/08/2001. In a press release
on 08/08/01Jubilee Campaign also listed the names of the Christians arrested: Dana Cury (US),
Nicole Bernardhollon (US), George Taubmann (Germany), Margrit Stebnar (Germany), Kati
Jelinek (Germany), Silke Duerrkopf (Germany), Peter Bunch (Australia), Diana Thomas (Australia). For this report, see also: NRC Handelsblad, 13-08-01, p. 4. See also: The Voice of the Martyrs, Canada, 16/08/01.
The Voice of the Martyrs, Canada, 23/08/01
The Voice of the Martyrs, 30/08/01
19
19
04 October 2001
The session of the court in which the blasphemy case against the eight Christian
relief workers from the West was to be heard was planned for Sunday, 30
September in the capital city Kabul. The head of the Taliban promised that the
threat of an American attack would not influence the judgement on the relief
workers. The fate of the Afghans who were arrested at the same time as them
remains unknown.28
Rome, 09 November 2001
Father Giuseppe Moretti left Afghanistan; he believes he was the last Catholic
priest left in Afghanistan. “I cannot keep quiet about the fact that the population has suffered so much during the last 20 years. Today everyone is talking
about the Taliban and Osama bin Laden. But until yesterday who ever lifted a
finger to help Afghan women and children? One thing is certain: the population
has been forgotten and sentenced to death. The cities have already deteriorated
into a pile of rubble,” said Father Giuseppe. He added: “The Taliban is the worst
enemy of the Afghan people.”29
Concept analysis of the Afghan refugee problem after
30
the Taliban withdrawal
1. Backgrounds
Twenty-two years after the Soviet invasion in 1979, Afghanistan once again
became involved in an international war, and hundreds of thousands of refugees
gathered in the border regions of Pakistan to flee the allied bombing.
The current exodus was the result of a continuous series of setbacks, including
the international war, serious domestic conflicts and drought. CNN reported on
20 November that only 11 percent of Afghanistan had water supplies. Relief
organisations and NGOs started a race against the clock to come to the aid of
Afghans stuck in their villages. Attempts were made to replenish the meagre
food stocks and to equip the population for the hard winter months which were
then setting in. The World Health Organisation (WHO) noted that several
diseases had broken out. These formed a new ordeal, for the Afghan population
as well as for relief workers and development aid workers.
During the first weeks of November, the refugees continued to flow into the
border town of Quetta in south-western Pakistan, despite a border closure
declared by the Pakistani government on 17 September 2001. The United
28
29
30
20
CAN News, 09/11/01
INFO-Kirche in Not, Kînigstein.
20
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) confirmed that the situation
in Afghanistan was critical. Children, severely undernourished upon their arrival
in Quetta, made it clear that Afghanistan is starving; recently arrived refugees
told of various deaths as a result of the cold. The WHO raised the alarm following
recent breakouts of jaundice, tuberculosis and malaria.
Afghanistan has 25 million inhabitants, from various ethnic groups: 60 percent
are Pashtun, 20 percent are Tajik, ten percent are Hazara and ten percent are
from the Uzbek, Turkmen and Aimaq ethnic groups and from other minorities.
Recent estimates, reported by international news broadcasters, assume that the
population of Afghanistan shrunk to 20 million after 11 September.
For weeks, thousands of Afghans formed a human chain on the way to border
towns in Pakistan, where at first only people with valid travel documents were
permitted to enter. UNHCR calculations show that Pakistan only let in refugees
little by little since the start of the bombing on 7 October, but also made it clear
that an estimated 150,000 refugees had crossed the Pakistani border illegally,
while 400 to 600 families were staying in no man’s land near the border at
Quetta.
Spontaneous interviews were held with countless Pakistani and Afghan people.
The information below gives an impression of these conversations.
2. The refugee situation in Afghanistan
Countless reports of violence and plundering were recorded in the border towns
of Pakistan since the Taliban withdrew from Kabul and the Northern Alliance
(also called the United Front) captured the capital city of Afghanistan on 14
November 2001. Huge numbers of refugees continued to flee Afghanistan, as
the country was not being governed in any way whatsoever. The UN strove to set
up a transitional government including leaders of the various ethnic groups in
the country.
The reasons the refugees who fled abroad gave for their unwillingness to return
to their homes were the same as those of the growing group of people within
Afghanistan’s borders seeking safety and known as IDPs (internally displaced
people). These reasons were as follows:
21
21
a. Continuing violence in Afghanistan; refugees and journalists who reached
Pakistan reported that the Taliban and the fighters of the Northern Alliance
were violent towards innocent civilians.
b. Continuous water and food shortages in Afghanistan; until one week after
the occupation of Kabul, the Northern Alliance did not permit relief organisations to provide food stocks for the winter for the starving population.
c. Continuing political instability; the majority of Afghans feel that the road to
peace among the ethnic leaders and military rulers of Afghanistan is long
and that the UN and foreign intervention offer little or no guarantee for a
swift end to the civil war in their country.
d. An ongoing lack of medical facilities; CNN reported on 20 November that
only three percent of the population of Afghanistan had access to medical
and health facilities.
e. The lack of a healthy economy; because of the present civil and international
war the Afghans have few opportunities for regular employment and a
reasonable income.
f. Poor living conditions; the cold winter weather in combination with the poor
or completely absent infrastructure in Afghanistan is pushing the population
towards the borders with other countries.
3. Recommendations
The abovementioned reasons given by Afghan refugees inside and outside
Afghanistan are valid. Clearly the Afghan people need an extensive aid
programme, which should be started as soon as possible. Such a programme
must help the Afghans on their way to reconciliation and rebuilding in the long
term.
The recommendations below have been drawn up from a humanitarian perspective. They form a provisional list of measures that can be taken to improve the
Afghans’ living conditions.
a. Establish development programmes and emergency aid programmes for the
refugee camps in Pakistan. The support could include instruction in technical
skills and needlework (sewing lessons).
22
22
b. Start health and medical aid programmes. For example, set up special camps
or departments for infants and provide medicine to prevent certain diseases.
c. Let NGOs and relief organisations, which are active in Afghanistan, join
forces and cooperate to alleviate the current crisis.
4. Conclusion
It is our belief that the flow of refugees will continue for the time being and that
refugees will cross the borders in every possible way. Their numbers are difficult
to estimate, but it is certain that millions of Afghan refugees in Afghanistan and
Pakistan urgently need help. Swift preparation of relief measures is one of the
first requirements to prevent even more suffering among the refugees and IDPs.
Humanitarian observers and organisations must take the lead as soon as possible
in aiding the Afghan people and rebuilding the country. There is a famous
adage: “Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.” If the recommendations in this brief concept analysis are not taken to heart and action is not
taken quickly, the Afghans’ situation will not change much in the years to come
and many of them will still spend a long time as refugees.
An interview with Archbishop Lawrence Saldanha
By Verenia Keet, Caritas Pakistan, 19 November 2001
Lahore, Pakistan, 20 November 2001
The words “Archbishop Larry” and “Monsignor” are not generally uttered
everyday. Pakistani Bishop Larry was rewarded for his many years of faithful
dedication, when he was made Archbishop of Lahore on 11 September, a date
he will never forget. Archbishop Larry was one of the pioneers of the news
broadcasts by Radio Veritas in the Philippines. Slightly closer to home, His Grace
is currently the national director of two CBCP commissions: the Catholic Synod of
Pakistan, the Justice and Peace Commission and Rabita. Rabita is the communication branch of the Catholic Church in Pakistan. Rabita produces videos, CDs
and music cassettes with religious and Biblical themes.
His Grace was the first national director of Caritas Pakistan when the foundation
was set up for refugees during the Indo-Pakistani War in 1965, with a starting
capital of 10,000 US dollars from the Pope. “The Catholic Synod of Pakistan is
currently returning to the objectives of the original Caritas Pakistan. But today’s
refugee issue is different... the context of the crisis cannot be compared to the
23
23
crisis then. It is a very delicate situation.” Archbishop Larry has also thought
about the reaction of the CBCP, in his opinion the strongest Christian platform
in Pakistan. It is an organ that keeps growing in strength, while the influence of
other Church institutions crumbles away.
th
The 11 of September must have been a memorable day for you for two
reasons. What is your point of view on the dramatic terrorist attacks on the
United States that day?
The hate that led to these terrorist attacks is deeply rooted. The attacks stem
from an inability to express frustrations and feelings of unrest and the idea of
being treated unfairly. I would never be able to forgive a terrorist deed like this.
th
What is your point of view on the crisis that hit Pakistan after the 11 of
September?
In Pakistan, the events caused an economic collapse which persists and causes life
to come to a standstill. From a psychological point of view, the situation is especially disheartening for Christians in Pakistan, particularly due to the Bahawalpur
th
murders on the 28 of October, when 17 Christians were shot and killed during
Sunday Mass.
To what extent did the Bahawalpur murders change the relationships between
Christians and Muslims in Pakistan?
The assistance and the sympathy from the Muslims were surprising and encouraging. The Muslims expressed remarkable solidarity and many of them visited
the memorial Mass at the Gulberg Church in Lahore. Highly educated Muslims in
the cities of Pakistan are more tolerant.
24
24
How would you describe the relationship between Christians and Muslims in the
rural areas?
Preconceptions are the most important cause of clashes between Muslims and
Christians in the rural areas of Pakistan. Prejudices often arise among the poorer
parts of the population. The relationship between Christians and Muslims is a
very sensitive point in the rural areas where there is no form of schooling at all.
The Bahawalpur Church is in a very remote area. What is hopeful is the acknowledgement that the Pakistani Christians are not responsible for the war in
Afghanistan.
The Pakistani government has taken precautionary measures to protect minorities. Do you think these are effective?
Although the Christians still have to contend with feelings of fear, the government has made considerable improvements to its precautionary measures. In my
opinion the government is doing everything it can. People have also developed
their own initiatives to increase their safety.
What kinds of initiatives?
The Christians who live in the cities are automatically better protected, because
of the social control in the cities. Moreover, there are many of them - and living
in a group is always safer. The situation in the villages is very different. There
people are more isolated, and protection by the government is often minimal.
We have advised people in rural areas to join together so that they are no longer
individuals but a close-knit group. People in the village of Chichiwatni in the
diocese of Faisalabad have joined together in this way. They say that they feel
safer like this.
The cathedral and the bishop’s residence here right in the city centre are large
and cover a wide area. Do you feel safe here?
Certainly. The cathedral is in a bustling part of the city of Lahore and there is no
danger here. The Masjid-e-Shooda Mosque around the corner is much
frequented and there is always a large police presence in the neighbourhood. An
attack on the cathedral is highly unlikely because of all this bustle. We also have
good contacts with the staff of the local police station near here. Since the fatal
25
25
attacks in the Bahawalpur Church, the cathedral is watched by armed guards and
the smaller churches in the city are also guarded.
How did the Justice and Peace Commission respond to the situation in which
Pakistani Christians found themselves after the 11th of September?
The Catholic Church of Pakistan responded by forming the Social Harmony
Committee. This committee has combined all the Catholic commissions,
including the Justice and Peace Commission, Caritas Pakistan and Rabita, into a
single platform. The Social Harmony Committee contacted all priests and nuns
and distributed guidelines for taking precautionary measures in order to
increase the security of the Christian community.
Did the Christians in the villages comply with the guidelines issued by the Social
Harmony Committee?
The Christians adopted a reserved attitude with regard to the post-September
11th scenario.
At the end of the interview Archbishop Larry drew my attention to the Christ the
King procession in Lahore on 25 November 2001. “The peace procession,” he
called it. “We expect a large turnout of both Muslims and Christians.”
P.S. The Christian minority in Pakistan covers about two percent of the total
population of 140 million. In 1998 it was estimated that there were 130 diocesan
Catholics living in Islamabad/Rawalpindi, 120,000 in Faisalabad, 500,000 in
Lahore, 180,000 in Multan, 135,000 in Hyderabad and 135,000 in Karachi. The
Protestant Church is estimated to have 800,000 followers in Pakistan.
26
26
ALGERIA
Area: 2,381,740 km2
Religion:
Muslim the vast majority.
Ethnic groups:
Arab31
Militant Muslim groups regularly carry out attacks on non-Muslim villages. One
of the most extremist groups is the Armed Islamic Group (GIA), which is striving
to form an Islamic republic. Such groups also exist in Iran and Arabia. As early as
1994, this group indicated that its intention is to eliminate Jews, Christians and
polytheists.
Algiers, 28 March 2001
The massacres by fundamentalist Muslims in Algeria continue. Ordinary citizens
are the victims. On 25 March an attack was carried out in the middle of the night
on the village of Sidi Abderrahmane, where 12 people, including five women
and four children, were killed. A baby was seriously injured. The attackers were
members of the Armed Islamic Group, which is active mainly in the south and
west of the capital city. Twenty-five people were murdered in the previous week,
and 70 a few days earlier.
Since the beginning of 2001 more than 800 people have been murdered. Three
hundred were murdered in the month of March alone. Since the violence began,
the total number of dead has risen to 150,000.32
Algiers, 09 August 2001
Sixteen young people were arrested in Algeria for possession of Biblical and
Christian literature, according to the ZENIT report on 3 August 2001. The people
were between 20 and 31 years of age and were members of a Christian community. Sixteen of them were arrested on 26 July in Cap Falcon, 450 km from the city
of Algiers.33
31
32
33
International Christian Concern, 19/02/01, and CIA The World Factbook 2000.
Catholic World News, 28/03/01
The Voice of the Martyrs, Canada, 09/08/01. See also: Open Doors, 21/08/01.
See also: KATHPRESS, and: Christen in Not, 09/2001, 31/07/01
27
27
ANGOLA
Area: 1,245,700 km2 34
Religion:
Indigenous beliefs 47%
Roman Catholic 38%
Protestant 1%.
Ethnic groups:
Ovimbundu 17%
Kimbundu 25%
Bakongo 13%
Mestico 2%
European 1%
Other 22%
Cabinda35, 07 July 2001
Bishop Paulino Fernandes Madeca of Cabinda, in northwest Angola, told the
Portuguese news agency LUSA that a priest from his diocese, Casimiro Congo,
was being persecuted by the Angolan authorities. The Voice of America reported
that the priest had been kidnapped. According to the bishop, the reason for his
arrest was the criticism that Father Congo had recently expressed with regard to
the connections between the government of Luanda and the oil company
CHEVRON. The priest pointed out that the local population lives in extreme
poverty, while the oil proceeds comprise ninety percent of the regional sources
of income.
34
35
28
African Websites - Angola - Profile on Angola, www.africanconservation.com.
See also: CIA The World Factbook.
CRTN, 05/07/01
28
AZERBAIJAN
Area: 86,000 km2
Religion:
Muslim 93%
Russian and Armenian Orthodox 5%36
Ethnic groups:
Azeri, Dagestani, Russian
At the time of the Communist revolution there was a Catholic parish in Baku. The
church was destroyed in 1950 and the Catholic priest, Stefan Demurov, disappeared in the concentration camps of Siberia. Polish priest Jersey Pilus, who is a
neocatechumenate, came to Baku in 1997. He formed a new parish, which
brought about a community of Catholics. With the support of seminarians from
Warsaw, London and Copenhagen, he also formed 20 groups of catechists. On
11 October 2000, the Pope formed the Missio sui luris for Baku. The head of the
mission is Father Daniel Pravda, who is assisted by a layman.37
The recent Islamic revival has resulted in many Azerbaijanis openly turning their
backs on Christianity. Since 1996, the government has directly or indirectly
contributed to a bad situation for Christians.38
May 2001
Christians in Ismailly were attacked and molested by the police and Muslim
mullahs. On 10 April seven members of a local Christian church were arrested.
The police searched homes without permission and confiscated belongings. Two
of the Christians were sentenced for “not obeying the police.” Azer Gasymov
was sentenced to ten days; Asif Mardanov avoided punishment because of his
poor health. After his release Gasymov was forced to resign from his job at the
local hospital.39
June 2001
The hostilities against Christians were increasing. The government refused to
register a Christian community in the capital city of Baku. This refusal forced the
community of 120 Christians to worship in the woods. As an alternative, the
36
37
38
39
International Christian Concern, 28/02/01 and CIA The World Factbook 1999
FIDES, 16/02/01
29
29
government offered a former auditorium, which costs the community 470 US$
for each meeting.40
BANGLADESH
Area: 144,000 km2
Religion:
Muslim 87%
Hindu 11.7%
Buddhist 0.6%
Tribal religions 1.1%
Christian 0.44%
Other 0.3%
Ethnic groups:
Bengali and Hindu41
Particularly during the last few years, the influence of Islam has been increasing
in this country. The tolerance of the preceding years was mainly determined by
the need for foreign support. Although the group of fundamentalists is fairly
small, they are putting more and more pressure on the government to introduce
the shari’ah. This movement, the Jamaat-I-Islami, has called for the introduction
of the Blasphemy Law.
There are currently two Christian churches in Bangladesh, the underground
church mainly comprises converted Islamites, while the ’above ground’ church
mainly comprises Hindus who have converted to Christianity. The largest Christian church is the Catholic Church, which has about 200,000 members.
07 June 2001
The bombing of a church in Baniarchar, in the province of Gopalganj, claimed
the lives of ten people and injured 16. Twelve of them were in critical condition.
The bombing took place on 3 June 2001, in an area where Christianity has a rela-
40
41
30
IDEA Spektrum, 11/07/01
Open Doors International: Country Profiles
30
tively large presence. Attacks on Christians in this predominantly Muslim country
are rare. As yet, nobody has claimed responsibility for these bombings.42
Dhaka, 11 June 2001
The Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, visited the Catholic Church of
Baniarchor, which was bombed and destroyed on Whit Sunday. The bombing on
3 June killed ten churchgoers and heavily injured 26. The Prime Minister promised to track down the people responsible for these deaths. He stated that
protection of religious freedom is one of the primary tasks of the government.43
Dhaka, 17 October 2001
Christians in Bangladesh said that they have been regularly attacked and
molested since the Muslim majority won the general elections on 1 October.
“What could be worse than your son telling you that he has to leave the country
because of threats from the local population?”, asked a Catholic inhabitant of
Bangladesh. In Dhaka, Catholic leaders recently organised a meeting to protest
against the oppression of minorities after last October’s elections.44
BHUTAN
Area: 47,000 km2
Religion:
Lamaistic Buddhist 24%45
Hindu 24%
Muslim 5%
Animist 0.6%
Christian 0.33%
(including 500 Catholics)46
Ethnic groups:
Bhote, Nepalese, indigenous tribes47
42
43
44
45
46
47
The Voice of the Martyrs, Canada, 07/06/01. See also: HMK-Kurir, 07/2001
CRTN, 12/06/01
ACN News, 17/01/01. See also: UCAN, 10/11/01
International Christian Concern talks about Mahayana Buddhism and states that 65% of the
population follows this religion while 33% are Hindu and less than 2% are Christian (International Christian Concern, 12/06/01, and CIA The World Factbook, 2000)
FIDES, 20/04/01
International Christian Concern, 12/06/01, and CIA The World Factbook, 2000
31
31
Christians in Bhutan, who make up 0.33% of the population, are confronted
with severe religious persecution, according to Christian Solidarity Worldwide.
Bhutanese Christians are told that they have a choice between renouncing their
religion and leaving their country. Bhutan does not have a written constitution.
There is no guarantee of freedom of religion. Buddhism is the state religion and
non-Buddhists are discriminated against politically and socially. The persecution
of Christians is systematic. On Palm Sunday, for example, police and government
authorities went from church to church to register Christians.48
08 April 2001
The police visited Christian communities with the goal of registering the names
of all believers and religious leaders. Clergymen were interrogated and threatened with imprisonment.49
10 May 2001
The Baptist Press announced on Friday, 4 May 2001 that the persecution of Christians in Bhutan has increased. The recent wave of violence started at the end of
2000 when the king told his followers that they would be better off if they only
followed one religion: Buddhism. According to the report, local leaders intensified the persecution of Christians following the speech, perhaps after being
encouraged by Buddhist leaders. People who take part in worship are persecuted, churches are closed, physical violence is used on worshippers, Christians
lose their jobs, priests are interrogated and threatened.50
This affects approximately 65,000 Christians whose position is becoming more
and more difficult. The government does not provide any guarantees for
freedom of religion. On Palm Sunday, militias stormed churches throughout the
country and recorded the names of everyone taking part in the services. Several
evangelical pastors were arrested and sentenced to long prison terms. According
to FIDES, there is severe persecution. The Christians are offered a choice:
renounce their religion or leave the country.51
June 2001
In June 2001, Christian villages in the Tsirang district were attacked by government officials. Thirty-four Christians suffered serious physical injury; the officials
tried to get two Christians to renounce their faith. The wounds varied from
bruised backs to broken ribs and damaged eardrums. The two who were put
48
49
50
51
32
Catholic World News Briefs, 20/04/01, and FIDES, 20/04/01
International Christian Concern, July 2001
KATHPRESS, 22/04/01
32
under pressure to renounce their faith were forced to sign affidavits stating that
they would take part in certain Hindu rituals. The others had until 2 July to
renounce their faith.52
BOSNIA
Area: 51,129 km2
Religion:
Sunni 44%
Serbian Orthodox 31%
Roman Catholic 17%
Ethnic groups:
Bosnian Muslim 44%
Serb 31%
Croat 17%
Yugoslav 5.5%53
17 February 2001
Catholics in Bosnia face severe discrimination. An older priest told a journalist of
The Tablet that the position of Catholics is still very poor even six years after the
end of the war.54 Cardinal Puljic attributes the cause to the increasing Islamisation of the country.55
52
53
54
55
Islam, personen en begrippen van A tot Z, p. 196
The Tablet, 17/02/01
KATHPRESS, 04/12/00
33
33
BRUNEI
Area: 5,770 km2
Population: 336,376
Religion:
Muslim 80%
Buddhist 20%
Christian 10%
Ethnic groups:
Malay, Chinese56
The country’s official religion is Islam. Non-Muslims are forbidden from developing activities aimed at converting people. The importation of religious books
and materials is outlawed.
30 January 2001
As early as 17 December 2000, two Christians had already been arrested for religious activities in Bandar Seri Begawan. Their Bibles and other materials were
confiscated and destroyed. On 30 January, four more Christians were arrested
for the same reason: Tokching bin Ikas, Mariam Murang, Mary Chedong and Ibu
Roslin.57
12 February 2001
Four Christians held for religious activities were released. Malai Taufick Haji
Malai Mashor, Fredie Chong and Yung Murang continued to be held for the
same reason. Murang was sentenced to two years in prison for importing Indonesian Bibles into the country.58
April 2001
Of the seven Christians arrested in December 2000 and January 2001 in the East
Asian oil state of Brunei, two were still being held: Taufick Mashor and Yunus
Murang. The other five were released in the middle of February 2001.
The Christians were initially accused of smuggling Indonesian Bibles into the
country.59
56
57
58
59
34
International Christian Concern, 21/06/2001. And: CIA The World Factbook, 2000
International Christian Concern, 06/08/01. See also: Christen in Not, 05/2001
Open Doors, April 2001, p. 10
34
BURUNDI
Area: 27,834 km2
Religion:
Christian 67%
(of which 62% Roman Catholic)
Muslim 10%
Ethnic groups:
Hutu 80%
Tutsi 15%
Twa pygmy 1%60
Burundi: bishops call for an end to the civil war
Königstein, 15 June 2001
In a letter to the warring parties, the Burundian bishops recently drew attention
to the civil war and called for an end to the hostilities. “See for yourselves what
a chasm of suffering the war has thrown your family and fellow citizens into,”
reads the letter which Bishop Joseph Nduhirubusa of the Ruyigi diocese
presented to representatives of Aid to the Church in Need. He delivered the
letter during a visit to Königstein. “The famine is spreading, epidemics and deficiency diseases are rampant. Displaced people and refugees live in circumstances
unworthy of mankind (...) Bring an end to this drama. Stop this war and help us
build a society in which human rights and social justice are respected and in
which everyone can work together to build a better future for our children.”
The civil war between the Hutus, which make up 85 percent of the population,
and the Tutsi minority which controls the small East African state, has cost the
lives of 200,000 people, and caused 370,000 people to flee to the neighbouring
countries. Priests and pastoral workers have been murdered on repeated occasions in years gone by. Bishop Nduhirubusa emphasised that they were not killed
because they belonged to the Church, but because they were intellectuals who
were in conflict with the dictatorial rulers. Many Burundians put their hopes in
the Church. This is why the dioceses attach so much importance to the training
60
Africa on a shoestring, p. 90-96. See also: CIA The World Factbook.
35
35
of priests; they can bring up young people to tolerance and reconciliation and to
confirm their beliefs.
Of the African countries, Burundi has one of the highest percentages of Catholics. More than 60 percent of the six and a half million inhabitants call themselves
Catholic. In the last year alone, Aid to the Church in Need made more than
220,000 US dollars available to the Burundian church. This year alone, the
projects supported by the relief organisation included the expansion of the
major seminary of the Gitega diocese and the construction of the Esprit de
Sagesse parish centre in the capital city of Bujumbura. The polyvalent hall of the
university parish must offer a place for liturgical services as well as for discussion
groups of intellectuals and concerned citizens and thus contribute to reconciliation between the hostile sections of the population.61
July 2001
MISNA reported that Catholic Sister Claire Nduwakristu was travelling in a
convoy to the capital city of Bujumbura when she fell into an ambush by rebels.
The first vehicle was able to break through the barricade; the last one quickly
reversed. The middle car came under fire. The Sister was killed, and her two
companions were seriously wounded.62
61
62
36
Press release by INFO, Königstein, 15-06-01
Christen in Not, 07-07-01
36
CHAD
Area: 1,284,000 km2
63
Religion:
Muslim 50%
Christian 25%
Indigenous 25%
Ethnic groups:
Arab, Toubou, Hadjerai, Fulbe,
Kotoko, Kanembou, Boulala,
Zaghawa, Baguirmi, Maba64
Moundou, 15 July 2001
The church of the flourishing evangelical community of Moundou, in the South
of Chad, was to be closed following pressure from the local Muslim community.
The land on which the church was built was once designated for the construction
of a mosque. The mosque was never built, however, as the plot was too far from
the centre of the city. This is how the evangelical community was allocated the
land. In the meantime, however, the area has been taken over by Muslim fundamentalists. They are demanding that the church be closed on the grounds that it
interferes with their activities.
According to local observers, a strong process of Islamisation is taking place,
which is leading to the destabilisation of families, villages and society in general.
In neighbouring Lolo, farmers were bribed to give up a piece of land to build a
mosque. As soon as the mosque had been built, a sign appeared at the edge of
the village saying that Lolo was now a Muslim community.65
63
64
65
African Websites - Profile on Chad www.africanconservation.com
See CIA The World Factbook
CRTN, 17/07/01
37
37
CHINA
Area: 9,596,960 km2
Population: 1,246,871,951
Religion:
Taoism
Buddhist 100,000,000
Muslim 20,000,000
Catholic 10,000,000 – 12,000,000
Protestant 10,000,00066
Ethnic groups:
Han Chinese, Zhuang, Uygar and Hui67
Buddhism is in fact the largest religion in China: there are about one hundred
million Buddhists in the country. Despite persecution of all religions, Buddhism
clearly has a major influence on the Chinese. The Communist People’s Republic
of China has the largest number of atheists in the world, proportionally as well
as in terms of absolute numbers. This was evidenced from a study by the German
magazine Weltbild.
21.4% of all Chinese say they are atheists. Russia, where 10.4% of the people
consider themselves atheists, takes second place. This is followed by Eastern Asia
excluding Japan (7.42%), Italy (6.7%) and in fifth place, Germany (6.45%). In
Europe the countries with the lowest numbers of atheists are Austria and Switzerland (1.5%), Spain and Portugal (1.2%) and Greece (0.34%). Particularly in
Africa and America there are extremely few atheists. At the very bottom of the
list are the Islamic countries of Iran (0.03%) and Pakistan (0.003%).
According to an American religious statistician, worldwide there are 150 million
atheists (2.5% of the world’s population), 2 billion Christians, 1.2 billion Muslims,
811 million Hindus, 360 million Buddhists and 14.4 million Jews.68
It is impossible to accurately count the number of Catholics in China. If someone
were to try this, many Catholics would refuse to give their names. They have
learned their lesson in the past. What is requested as “innocent information”
today will likely be misused for less innocent purposes tomorrow.69 Verbiest
Koerier does give a few figures with regard to Catholics and the Catholic Church
in China.
66
67
68
69
38
The Patriotic Catholic Church claims that there are approximately ten million Catholics. The
Protestant Patriotic Movement also talks about 10-15 million Protestants. Other sources report
that the number of Protestants is around 30 million.
KERKWEB, 25/01/01
Verbiest Koerier, March 2001, p. 22
38
1.
2.
Number of Catholics
Number of dioceses
12,000,00070
138
3.
Number of churches/chapels
5,000
4.
Number of bishops:
a. official
b. unofficial
5. Number of priests
a. official
b. unofficial
6. Number of professed nuns:
a. official
b. unofficial
7. Number of seminaries
a. official
b. unofficial
8. Number of major seminarians
a. official
b. unofficial
9. Number of Sister novitiates
a. official
b. unofficial
10. Number of Sisters in training
a. official
b. unofficial
79
49
1,200
1,000
2,150
1,500
24
10
1,000
700
40
2071
1,500
1,00072
It is incorrect to talk about a split in the Chinese Catholic Church. However, there
are two branches within the Church: there is the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association and the so-called underground Church. This split does not come from the
Church itself, but was imposed from outside. The structures of the Patriotic Association were also imposed by the government. Incidentally, the Patriotic Association is the only institution in this field recognised by the Chinese Communist
Party. There is a permanent committee with 51 members, including five women.
The honorary presidents are Jin Luxian, Dong Guangqing and Yu Chengcai. The
president of the Patriotic Association is Bishop Fu Tieshan. Other members are:
70
71
72
It is evident that other figures are also mentioned in this context. The problem in such countries
is that no censuses may be taken which include questions about religion. Therefore such figures
are only estimates. However, in my view the information from the Verbiest Foundation is very
reliable. In this context I refer to the fact that Jean Charbonnier also refers to ten million Catholics in China on p. 14 of his ’Guide to the Catholic Church in China’ (Singapore, 2000).
Jean Charbonnier writes about 1,500 novices in state-recognised noviciates and 1,000 unofficial
novices. (See J. Charbonnier: Guide to the Catholic Church in China, p. 14)
39
39
Monsignor Liu Yuanre, Monsignor Tu Shihua, Monsignor Huo Cheng and Father
Gong Qiusheng. It also includes laymen Liu Bainian, Yu Jiadi and Lu Guocun. The
secretary general is Mr Liu Bainian.
In the course of 2001, various articles were published which showed that the
history of Christianity in China goes back much further than people had assumed
up to now. Martin Palmer discovered the remains of a very distant Christian past
in ruins. Experts now agree that there were Christian communities in China
between the seventh and eighth centuries. Palmer is a translator of Eastern philosophical literature and is the director of the Alliance of Religions and Conservation in the UK. Until recently, people assumed that Christianity made its first
appearance in China in 1600.73
Hong Kong, 04 January 2001
About 70 students and professors were removed from the national seminary in
Beijing because they had boycotted the ordination of patriotic bishops in the
course of 2000, said UCA News. According to the same press organisation,
around 100 students and professors boycotted the ordination because the
appointment of new bishops did not receive approval from Rome.74
Hong Kong, 04 January 2001
The last Chinese bishop appointed by the Holy See, Matthias Duan Yinming, died
on 10 January 2001 at the age of 92. He was ordained priest in Rome in 1937.
Upon returning to China he became rector of the seminary of Wanxian. On 9
June 1949, Pope Pius XII appointed him Bishop. He was recognised as such by the
Communist government. He spent ten years working in cotton and battery factories and another ten in reform-labour camps and indoctrination schools. It
wasn’t until 1979 that he was allowed to return to Wanxian.75
Amsterdam, 22 February 2001
China misuses psychiatric science for political purposes. The country locks up
political and religious dissidents in special psychiatric institutions, which fall
under the Ministry of Public Security. There are about 20 such institutions. Therefore China should be suspended as a member of the World Psychiatric Association, the umbrella organisation for national psychiatric associations. This is what
the Geneva Initiative of Psychiatry has said. The GIP bases this on a report
73
74
75
40
Palmer revealed his discovery on 23 February 2001 in a speech in Hong Kong.
See: KERKWEB, 29/06/01
The story was published by the Chicago Tribune on 03/06/01. Subsequently Bay Fang devoted an
article to the discovery. This was published by US News on 10/03/01
CRTN, 05/02/01
40
commissioned by it. Author Robin Munro, a China expert at the University of
London, draws liberally from official trade publications. The Chinese Journal of
Psychiatry reports that 2.8% of the patients who receive forced treatment in
forensic institutions have committed crimes “of a political nature”... in China
“patients” suffer from “dysphrenia” or “qigong-induced psychosis” (qigong is
the name for meditation exercises).76
March 2001
A community of 30 Catholic Sisters from the official patriotic movement in
Harbin was forced to shut its doors because the Sisters refused entry to the state
appointed prioress. They were thrown out of their house.77
21 March 2001
Members of the Security Agency arrested a preacher and his son last week. The
father is a preacher at one of the churches in the province of Guangdong. Shortly
after the service began in the church, 30 security officers stormed into the room
and stopped the service. Afterwards, they arrested preacher Yang Quan and his
son. The son was released shortly after the arrest. The father is still behind bars.
Bartlesville, 06 April 2001
An American human rights organisation announced that 24 American Christians
who visited China by plane were detained. The Voice of the Martyrs stated that
this is not unusual in China. “Thousands of Chinese Christians are detained in
Beijing every day simply because they refuse to renounce their religion and do
not join the government approved Christian movements,” said the movement’s
spokesman, Gary Lane.78
26 April 2001
During Easter, 79-year-old Shi Enxiang of the Chinese underground Catholic
Church was arrested during his visit to Beijing on 13 April. Bishop Shi, of the
Yixian diocese, had been persecuted since 1996. He has already spent 30 years of
his life in prison; the last time from 1990 to 1993.
At the same time as the bishop, five priests and at least ten laymen were also
arrested during the Holy Week. Among the priests were Father Li Jianbo (34)
from the province of Hebei, arrested on 19 April in Inner Mongolia; Father Lu
Genjun (29), arrested just before Easter in the province of Hebei and immedi-
76
77
78
Trouw, 22/02/01
HMK-Kurir, 05/2001
Catholic World News Briefs, 06/04/01
41
41
ately sentenced to three years in a labour camp; a priest who is known only as
Yin, also arrested in Hebei and sentenced to three years in a labour camp; Father
Feng Yungxiang, arrested on Good Friday in the province of Fujian; and Father
Lioa Haiqing (around seventy years old) was arrested on Good Friday in the province of Jiangxi.79
At least 22 Catholics were arrested during Easter. According to the Cardinal
Kung Foundation, a 79-year-old bishop, seven priests and 30 laymen were
arrested in Fujian, Hebei and Jiangxi in mid-April. According to a report by FIDES,
the 82-year-old Bishop of Beijing, Monsignor Matthias Pei Xiangde, had already
been arrested at the beginning of April.80
Washington, DC, 01 May 2001
On 30 April, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom called on the
Bush government to urge China to stop the oppression of religious freedom.
“The situation in China has worsened in the last year,” said the commission’s
chairman, Elliott Abrams, in his second annual report. The commission also
named other countries where religious freedoms are violated: India, Indonesia,
Russia, Pakistan, Nigeria, Iran, Sudan, Vietnam and North Korea.81
18 May 2001
The Voice of the Martyrs reported that the State Security Agency was recklessly
taking measures against the ’house churches’. Leaders of the churches in Qiqihar
(in the northeast of Heilongjiang), Urumqi (in the northwest of Xinjiang), in the
provinces of Hebei, Hunan and in the city of Guangzhou (in the province of
Guangdong), explained that the persecution is terrible. Similar reports have also
come from other parts of China. A priest, Father Samuel Lamb, reported: “Do not
listen to the government’s disinformation. Persecution and oppression of house
churches in China is increasing.”82
Guangzhou, 28 May 2001
The Catholic Archbishop of Guangzhou, Monsignor Lin Binglinag, died on 25
May 2001 at the age of 88. He was ordained priest in 1941 and was appointed
Bishop in 1990.83
79
80
81
82
83
42
Catholic World News Briefs, 23/04/01 and FIDES, 23/04/01. See also: Katholiek Nieuwsblad,
04/05/01
Christen in Not, 06/2001
FIDES, 28/05/01
42
Hong Kong, 30 May 2001
The Communist authorities in China arrested 35 Christians for illegal religious
activities, and sentenced them to 15 years in a forced labour camp.84
They are Protestant Christians and were arrested while attending a church
service in a house church in Dongsheng, in Inner Mongolia. Among the arrestees
was a woman, Wang Yulan, whose position was worse than that of the others:
her husband had previously been jailed. The result was that their 12-year-old son
was left without parental care. Twenty others were released after they each paid
a fine of 200 yuan, which is the equivalent of about 25 US dollars.85
June 2001
NEWSWEEK reported that the position of Christians and Catholics in China is
improving. The reason given was that the Chinese government is prepared to
grant more freedom in view of Beijing’s bid to host the upcoming 2008 Olympic
Games. This would increase the chances of bringing the Games to Beijing.86
New York, 08 June 2001
China and Turkmenistan are two of the countries that refused to support a
recent UN resolution concerning the protection of religious sites. Human rights
organisations have recently accused both countries of destroying religious buildings. China’s spokesperson at the UN declared that China does not support the
resolution but does agree with it in principle.87
84
85
86
87
Keston Institute gave the following names of spiritual leaders and bishops who (still) remained
in prison: Bishop Jia Zhigou (Bishop of Zhending, province of Hebei, arrested on 15 August
2000), Bishop Han Dingziang (Bishop of Yong Nian, province of Hebei, arrested in November or
December 1999), Wang Chengqun (Catholic lay leader in Baoding, in the province of Hebei,
arrested before Christmas 1999), Father GuoYibao and Father Wang Zhenhe (Catholic priests
from the underground church in Anjiazhuang, Xushui, in the province of Hebei, arrested during
Easter Mass in 1999), Father Jiang Sunian (priest in Zhejiang, in the south-east of China, arrested
on 25 May 2000), Li Dexian (protestant leader in the province of Guangzhou), Pastor Wang Li
Gang and Associate Pastor Yang Jang Fu (both arrested on 23 November 1999, together with 19
others during a religious meeting in Han Ku), Zhang Rong Liang (from Tanghe, province of
Hebei, arrested together with 31 other leaders on 22 August 2000), Xu Yongze, protestant
leader, arrested on 16 March 1997.
Catholic World News, 30/05/01, see also: Open Doors, July/August 2001, p. 11
Newsweek, 11/06/01
CRTN, 11/06/01
43
43
44
44
45
45
14 June 2001
The Voice of the Martyrs (Australia) reported the arrest of Brother Huang, a
28-year-old leader of a house church in the province of Heilongjiang. During his
arrest he was hung up with his head pointed down. He was accused of circulating
religious literature.88
20 June 2001
Twelve Protestants were sentenced to two to three years in forced labour camps
in the north of China because of religious activities. This was reported by human
rights organisations in Hong Kong. The twelve belonged to a group of 35
arrested on 26 May 2001.89
Washington, DC, 18 July 2001
Catholic priests and bishops from the patriotic church have adopted an increasingly negative attitude towards the government, according to Bishop Joseph Zen
Ze-kiun of Hong Kong in an interview with CNS on 17 July 2001. Patriotic priests,
for example, boycotted the ceremony of the appointment of a bishop who was
loyal to the government. Many no longer attend political gatherings and do not
sign government manifestos. According to Bishop Zen, it is not only the underground church that is persecuted; members of the patriotic church are also
persecuted.90
Hong Kong, 25 July 2001
According to UCA NEWS, the Chinese authorities arrested the bishop of the
underground church, Li Honngye of Luoyang (83) together with the local dean
and 14 sisters. For the time, being no official charges have been made. The Italian
agency ANSA also reported the arrest of 16 priests of the underground church in
the province of Jiangxi. Father Liao Haiqing of the Yujiang diocese was arrested
at home. The 15 other priests were arrested in the middle of the night.91
26 July 2001
Pastor Li Dexian was arrested at half past one in the afternoon on 26 July 2001,
during a home meeting in Hua Du, not far from Guangzhou. At three o’clock,
security officers arrived to bring an end to the meeting. They arrested Pastor Li
and two other leaders. Pastor Li was released within 24 hours, but is not allowed
to preach anymore.92
88
89
90
91
92
46
The Voice of the Martyrs, Canada, 28/06/01. See also: KNA, 21/06/01
CRTN, 19/07/01
CRTN, 26-07-01. See also: ZENIT, 20/07/01
46
Rome, 02 August 2001
According to FIDES sources, Bishop Joseph Zhang Weizhu was recently freed.
After his arrest on 25 January 2000, nothing more has been heard from the
bishop. Monsignor Zhang (45), from Xiang Xian (Hebei), is the ’underground’
bishop of Xiang Xian. He has been arrested several times in the past. The last
time was in May 1998.93
16 August 2001
Dear Friend,
We request your support of this meritorious initiative that originated in Buenos
Aires, Latin America, in favour of 12 million Chinese Catholics, who are presently
persecuted by the communist regime.
Please read the attached report and send a message in protest (it can be done in
any language, preferably in English) to the Chinese embassies in the United
States, Argentina, Geneva and the United Nations (please see links below).
We have been collaborating for years, via Internet, in the cause of the liberation
of Cuba, and also in the denouncement of the communist narco-guerillas of
Colombia.
Greetings and many thanks.
Sincerely,
Giovanni Han Zhimin
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Cambridge, MA, USA
93
FIDES, 02-08-01. For information on his arrest in 1998, see FIDES, 12/06/98
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47
China: “The world cannot continue ignoring the persecution
of 12 million Catholics”
An outcry is underway in favour of bishops, priests and Catholic worshippers that
are currently being held as prisoners and tortured in communist China, “live
martyrs of the third millennium.”
Press contact: Andres Silva Haro. Tel. (54 11) 4375 5969 Buenos Aires / Argentina
BUENOS AIRES, August 12, 2001 (NFC) - “The world cannot continue ignoring the
cruel persecution of 12 million Catholics in communist China, which has been
increased in the past months with new kidnappings of bishops, priests and
worshippers. The time has come to voice our support in favour of these persecuted brothers, live martyrs of the third millennium,” affirmed the directors of
the magazines Christiandad.org and Panorama Catolico Internacional, Andres
Silva and Marcelo Gonzalez (www.cristiandad.org). Both of the Catholic directors, quoting recent reports of the Vatican agency Fides and of Cardinal Kung
Foundation, mention as examples of the particularly painful religious persecution in China, the detention at the beginning of April of the elderly Bishop of
Peking, Monsignor Mathias Pei, 82 years old, and of the Bishop of Hebei,
Monsignor Shi Enxiang, 79 years old, who has spent 30 years of his life in communist jails. In addition to these victims are many young priests and laymen and
women like Father Li Jiambo, 24 years old, and Father Lu Genjun, 39 years old.
Fides points out that at least ten bishops from the Church of Silence are imprisoned, remain kidnapped in unknown locations or are under house arrest.
“A mobilisation of 1,000 million Catholic worshippers in the entire world, firmly
demanding to the Chinese embassies in the respective countries; of all means of
communication; of governments; and of human rights organiations are capable
of creating an international climate that will make it difficult for the persecution
in China to continue, that being for religious motives, as in the case of Catholics,
or ideological,” added the director of Cristiandad.org. The magazine Panorama
Catolico Internacional, edited in Buenos Aires, in its latest edition, raises the
subject of the Chinese Catholics (panorama@infovia.com.ar). Sources that were
consulted by the Vatican agency Fides affirm that the recent release of the
Bishop of Henan, Monsignor Giuseppe Zhang, 45 years old, was due to “his grave
health condition” in which he is in. Therefore, there is no evidence of a change
in the methods of the Chinese communists, denounced by Fides in the same new
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report: that “the government has launched a campaign to eliminate the underground Church” which is loyal to Rome.
Meanwhile, in the United States, Cardinal Bernard Law, Director of the International Affairs Committee of the Catholics Bishop Conference, in a stern letter to
the Chinese Ambassador in Washington classified the wave of persecution
against Catholics and dissidents in China as an “unacceptable situation.” Other
recent reports indicate the resurgence of religious persecution in Cuba and
Vietnam, both having communist governments.
(NFC / News from China)
Beijing, 21 October 2001
The Chinese government declined an offer from Pope John Paul II to start negotiations about commencing diplomatic relations. According to the Chinese
government, Rome has taken a positive step, but it is not yet enough for negotiations. “We would like to point out that the Pope still has not offered his apologies for the canonisations which deeply offended the Chinese people.”94
Vatican City, 07 November 2001
Pope John Paul II sent a message to the Chinese People’s Congress to mark the
fact that Matteo Ricci reached Beijing 400 years ago. In his letter, the Pope
offered his apologies for the mistakes he made with regard to the Chinese
people.95
08 November 2001
According to UCA News, a Catholic press agency in Thailand, the government of
the province of Zhejiang, in the east of China, destroyed the Catholic church of
the city of Linjianyuan for the third time in 18 months. During the public holidays
from 1 to 7 October, the parish repaired the church; on 25 October the government destroyed the building again. This happened after the parish refused to
become a member of the local patriotic church.96
94
95
96
CWN News, 31/10/01
FIDES, 07/11/01
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49
COLOMBIA
Area: 1,138,910 km2
Religion:
Catholic 93.1%
Evangelical 3.8%
Ethnic groups:
Mestizo 74.6%
white 20%
mulatto and centavo97
Report of the meeting with two suffragan bishops in
98
Colombia, 16 July 2001
Suffragan Bishop Daniel Caro of Bogotá, Colombia
Suffragan Bishop Ismael Rueda of Cartagena, Colombia
1. A general impression of Colombia today
It is no longer possible to sketch a general impression of Colombia in the form of
an isolated enumeration of individual social, political and cultural aspects.
Regardless of how hard people try to give a clear and firm description of individual aspects of the situation in Colombia, which is only worsening in general,
other aspects eventually have to be involved and interpreted, says Bishop Daniel
Caro, suffragan bishop of Bogotá, the capital city of Colombia. An actual understanding of the situation in the country, which at first seems so contradictory,
can only be achieved if all these individual aspects are interrelated and placed in
a broader, general picture.
Their neutral position and the resulting insight into life in the various fronts
within the country, were the factors that mean that the bishops and priests are
probably the most obvious people to provide an explanation, said suffragan
bishop Ismael Rueda of Cartagena. The news and information that comes to
their attention in their capacity of bishop, is often more accurate and truthful
than reports by the various media and often also than reports by the state. As a
result of the unrest and constant fear that are prevalent in day-to-day life in the
countryside, the villages have been robbed of the most essential elements of
village life which used to exist: police officers, majors, schoolteachers, etc. These
97
98
50
International Christian Concern, and CIA The World Factbook 2000. The most recent statistics
report fewer Catholics.
Info-Sekretariat, Kirche in Not, 07-08-01
50
are all civil servants who have an important role in every society, and who have
fled to larger towns and cities out of fear. So, often, only priests remain in the
various individual communities, as a sign of the community life that once existed
and functioned there.
The townspeople feel permanently caught between the walls of the four
different fronts that oppose each another; civilians are always the first victims of
this rivalry. The four groups are:
* the guerrillas
* the partisans or paramilitaries - groups organized in a military manner
* the narcotráfico - drug dealers
* the ejercito - the country’s real army.
The ’guerrilla movement’ - formerly a group of partisans who were inspired by a
liberal agenda - is not as active as it was at first. Although their direct and indirect criminal operations are still just as brutal as they used to be, no political
content whatsoever can be detected in them anymore. Of the Colombian population of approximately 40 million, only around 50,000 are currently part of the
guerrilla movement - while more money passes through this group each year
than in the State of Colombia itself. The blackmailing of commercial companies
- for example through withdrawals from bank accounts, which were first
intended to support the guerrillas who fought for a free and liberal Colombia,
now only serve to satisfy the members’ greed. The battle currently being fought
by the guerrilleros is only about money. They do not hold the necessary intellectual principles anymore and do not have the ambitious goals in mind which used
to give meaning to their battle, said Bishop Caro. For example, the guerrillas
have set fire to the large oil pipelines in order to blackmail the international
companies that own them. But they themselves have no idea of the amount of
money they want to extort or what the money is to be used for. The pressure on
the civilian population, particularly in the rural areas, is extremely high and no
longer applies just to men, but also to young people and women. According to
Bishop Caro, however, there is nobody who maintains better contacts with the
guerrilleros who live in the country, and the civilians they blackmail, than the
clergy. It is not only the partisans who come to them with their spiritual needs,
but also the civilians who feel forced to leave, without any prospects, because
they do not want to join the guerrilleros. The Church’s neutral position is the
greatest and most important good in this matter, because if the Church were to
lose its neutral position, the contact with these already very insular people
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51
would be lost and they could no longer have any influence with regard to
improvement of the situation.
The same applies to the militarily organised group, the ’paramilitaries’; there are
very few differences. There is not much left of the times when the members of
this group were active as a kind of political contras to the partisans and the army
of the State. They too have lost the only feasible objective and it is only about
obtaining as much money as possible. The name of the group has now become
just as pointless as their campaigns, says Bishop Rueda. Although the name paramilitary is meant to refer to a type of military approach, the extortion, murders
and the bloodbaths they create are among the very worst. The total lack of logic
that emerges in many of their campaigns is so great that one sometimes wonders
whether it is a terrifying game or an incomprehensible reality.
For supporters of both the guerrillas and the paramilitaries it is, for example, the
most natural thing in the world to desert and join their respective enemies: they
take lists of names with them and betray their former comrades. The latter are
then blackmailed for money. If this extortion results in financial success, the traitors are handsomely rewarded. However, if the extortion attempt fails, no
matter what the reason, in countless cases the traitors are simply murdered,
Bishop Rueda explained to us.
The uselessness of this battle knows no bounds. The civilian population not only
suffers under this, but is also constantly working for both the paramilitaries and
the partisans - usually involuntarily rather than of their own free will. There
doesn’t even have to be the slightest suspicion of you being a spy or sympathising with the enemy: the simple fact that you were once forced to help one of
these groups is reason enough to be murdered. And in these cases ’help’ can
mean anything: from real support in the form of organisation or information to
providing a place to sleep for a night.
Geographically, Colombia is an extremely rich country, and theoretically there
are enormous quantities of natural resources that could be used to improve the
economic situation. But instead the only thriving trade is the drug trade. No
other business is as lucrative as drug dealing, and of course this does not just
apply to Colombia and the Colombians. The narcotráfico yields such a huge
profit that both the guerrillas and the paramilitaries have been involved in it for
years, which has everything to do with the deadly violence. Bishop Rueda even
believes that this drug trafficking feeds the individual groups. Furthermore,
nowadays there is nobody left who believes that the army and State are
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52
detached from the situation. The drug trade only aggravates the fundamental
evil in the country, because there is no other way of earning so much money in
such a short time as the sale of these narcotics. According to Bishop Rueda, this
is the reason why somebody said that this crime costs more lives each year than
the actual present conflicts.
One of the most macabre incidents Bishop Rueda talked about was an incident
that occurred in the capital city of Bogotá. Several years ago, following a study
carried out by a major city newspaper, it was reported that a million pesos
(approx. 500 Euro) was offered for the murder of a certain police officer. After
the man was killed, this sum was actually paid. Since then, people in Bogotá talk
about policemen in terms of ’value’ and a sinister joke is doing the rounds: when
people see a uniformed officer, they say “Look, there’s another million pesos
down the drain.” The tyranny and greed go so far that when trade is bad, the
drug dealers even kidnap guerrilla supporters and will only release them in
return for large sums of money. But this thriving drug trade is by no means the
fault of the Colombians alone. Aside from the fact that most of the drugs are
sent to the United States - and most of the money from the trade enters
Colombia from there - all the chemical products and the know-how needed for
the production of drugs come from Europe, Asia and the United States. This is
why, like so often, all other countries that support the Colombian drug trade
through direct contributions or the demand for drugs, are also to blame.
The army, which is actually the largest and most important institution to provide
peace and security in the country, also finds itself in a lamentable position. The
army used to be a respected, effective and powerful institution, which kept the
country firmly in hand during crises and conflict situations. But the numerous
and often lengthy fights with guerrilla movements in the time that it was still in
its infancy and most motivated, cost the army many victims and caused a hopeless sense of inferiority in the ranks. Fewer and fewer soldiers were prepared to
wage war against the partisans of their own free will. Over the years, people
started to view the Colombian army as an institution that no longer has to be
taken seriously. Yet, with the current level of corruption of the country and
State, nobody can really believe that the army stays out of corruption and unsavoury deals. Nevertheless, people are starting to feel that the moral consciousness of the soldiers, and with it the interest in law and public order, is gradually
growing again, said Bishop Rueda. He also said that he continues to hope that,
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53
if these trends continue, the army will once again become a source of hope for
the improvement of the general situation in the country.
2. The situation of the Catholic Church in Colombia
Amongst all the parties trying to find the best way of earning money, the Catholic Church holds a difficult position in Colombia. Although the priests in the
cities and in rural areas still have the confidence of most Colombians, regardless
of whether it concerns partisans or soldiers, their status rests on very weak foundations. In a war which is financial in nature rather than political, raising
consciousness by living as a Christian and preaching God’s Word is more important than ever before and anywhere on earth, says Bishop Rueda. According to
him the only way out of the Colombian cultural dilemma of greed, is to teach
children the values of a good, Christian upbringing. This is something that only
the Catholic Church can bring about in the country at the moment. But at the
same time it is not possible through a clear offensive against the general
declining moral consciousness, but only indirectly, in effect “by getting in
through the back door.”
The priests have to prove that they are absolutely neutral, so that the guerrilleros, the paramilitaries and the drug dealers will listen to them in the future.
Often, while Mass is being read, partisans, soldiers and paramilitaries may sit side
by side in civilian clothes. This is made possible only by the strong inner conviction that all these priests and bishops belong neither to the guerrillas nor to any
other group. Bishop Rueda thinks that if a priest ever openly took a stand, the
religious leaders would be blackmailed and abused in the same way as the
civilian population is now. It hardly needs saying that this would also mean the
disappearance of the last shared point of reference for the Colombian people in
the midst of the corrupt climate of Colombia.
All of those who have a certain amount of power in the country, from partisans
to militaries, profit from the war in Colombia, which many perceive as a trade
driven by greed. ’Everyone’ means with the exception of ordinary citizens, as
always the weakest members of society. The hardest hit among the ordinary
civilian population are the desplazados, the displaced people - people from the
rural areas who could no longer handle the pressure from the individual terrorist
groups in the country and fled to the big cities in search of work and housing.
This had been clear to the Church for some time, and the decision was made in
1988 to hold a synod in Bogotá, to discuss which changes the priests had to
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54
implement in their cultural approach in order to be able to meet the needs of the
population. From the beginning of the preparatory study up to the publication
of the ultimate solutions, this project took at least 12 years. However, we may
not forget that it is extremely difficult to convene a church council to discuss such
deep-rooted problems in such a multiracial society, said Bishop Rueda. Nevertheless it was a disgrace that it took so long. Ultimately the conclusion was drawn
that fundamental changes had to be implemented on three important issues
over the course of the years to come.
a) There must be less social preaching. Over time, as a result of the influx of so
many people from rural areas, the social sermon had become more and more
normal. Everyday situations are the main theme of the sermon while
preaching, expressis verbis, of the most elementary Christian values is kept to
a minimum. The decision was made to restore the fundamental content of
the sermons and not to pay so much attention to individual day-to-day problems anymore.
b) The parishes need to be made smaller. In some urban areas and parishes the
number of desplazados increased so much that it became more and more
difficult to stay in touch with the individual parishioners. As a result, fewer
and fewer personal conversations took place and spiritual problems were not
recognised. In view of the large number of children, the religious education
of the younger parishioners was hampered so much that it was almost impossible to give any meaning to it. Therefore, the decision was made to train
more priests and increase the number of parishes, so that they became
smaller in size.
c) An active campaign must be conducted against greed. Most people who took
part in the synod already knew before it started that greed is the biggest
problem facing Colombian society. The decision was made to actively combat
greed by encouraging people to be generous, charitable and compassionate.
In the parishes projects were launched to explain the meaning and the
purpose of charitable institutions.
Furthermore, it was decided that the actual values would be explained clearly,
separate from all material preconceptions.
Bishop Rueda, who has the same problems in Cartagena with displaced people
who have lost their culture, possessions and often also their family, thinks that
the approach of the synod is good, but that it is just a drop in the ocean. Without
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55
government support, many good ideas cannot be carried out. Many attempts
have already been made to achieve dialogue with the individual radical groups;
attempts that would certainly have been more successful if the government had
used some of its influence. But Bishop Rueda wonders: “What can you expect
from a government that lifted the ban on abortion and bigamy because of the
fact that there have only been three lawsuits since 1936?” The most important
points that Bishop Rueda would like to add to the findings of the Bogotá synod
are as follows.
*
*
*
Violence and fighting must be banned.
The State must sign the Geneva Convention, and in particular the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights.
A national project must be launched to draw attention to and strengthen
Christian values among children.
3. Conclusion
To summarise, there are many factors that are closely related and must be taken
into account in the current situation in Colombia. The helpless and suffering
civilian population is confronted with four large radical organisations, which are
driven by greed and the love of money - the guerrillas, the paramilitaries, the
drug dealers and the army. They fight against one another without any clear
political motive and at the expense of all Colombians who cannot or do not want
to defend themselves, and therefore feel forced to leave everything behind and
move from the countryside to the city. Assuming that it retains its neutral position, the Church can in turn try to promote a Christian consciousness and tell
people about all the mistakes being made. The most elementary factor this
campaign must fight against, and which appears to be deep-rooted in the whole
of Colombian society, is greed - greed as the driving force behind a war without
political objectives, but full of atrocious and inhuman acts.
Report by Xavier Legorreta
Königstein, Germany
There are two extremist groups in Colombia:
* Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). A leftist, militant organisation dedicated to forming a socialist government in the country. Its members
are involved in drug smuggling in order to get money to finance their activities. The movement is anti-religious.
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56
*
National Liberation Army (ELN), comparable to the FARC. Like the FARC, the
ELN is mainly active in rural areas.
14 February 2001
On 14 February, the priest Jorge Enrique Gomez was kidnapped from his home
by ten armed men. Father Gomez leads various Christian radio stations. It is
assumed that he was kidnapped so that he could be sold to the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia).99
20 June 2001
Compass Direct reported on the increasing number of children of Protestant
ministers who were kidnapped during the last two weeks. On 8 June, Pastor
Ederino Renteria discovered the body of his 22-year-old son, who had been
kidnapped earlier. Julio Cesar Cabera, president of the Association of InterAmerican Churches, explained that it was not clear whether this was a case of
religious persecution; in his opinion, this was the case, particularly because of the
evangelising role of the these churches. On 17 June, 20-year-old Joni Palacio, an
active youth worker and Francisca Palacio, daughter of the president of the
Inter-American Churches were shot dead. Nobody claimed responsibility.100
July 2001
Between 25 – 29 July 2001, Colombian Christians held a prayer session for the
victims of Marxist and paramilitary organisations. During the last ten years, they
have murdered more than 39,000 Colombians; thousands have been kidnapped
and at this time approximately two and a half million people are on the run.
Marxists mainly have it in for Christian leaders who evangelise heavily in the
country. Since 1998, at least 300 churches have closed and 52 clergymen have
been murdered.101
31 August 2001
The Colombian Marxist rebel organisation FARC destroyed a Catholic church and
a children’s shelter during a raid on a city last week. During the armed attack,
which did not result in any casualties, the presbytery and 25 houses were also
destroyed. The parochial children’s shelter provided a place for 110 children.
According to the priest of San Juan de Arama, those whom the rebels claim to
represent were hit hardest by the attack.102
99
100
101
102
The Voice of the Martyrs, 22/02/01. See also: International Christian Concern, 28/02/01
Katholiek Nieuwsblad, 31/08/01
57
57
27 September 2001
Based on witness statements made by several members of the guerrillas, New
Tribes Mission concluded that Dave Mankins, Rick Teneoff and Mark Rich were
shot and killed three years after being kidnapped on 31 January 1993. They are
assumed to have been killed in mid-1996, after guerrillas were surrounded by
Colombian troops. Their bodies have never been found.103
CONGO
Area: 2,345,410 km2
Religion:
Roman Catholic 50%
Protestant 20%
Kimbanquist 10%
Muslim 10%
Ethnic groups:
There are more than 200 different
African groups104
Kinshasa, 10 January 2001
In Kinshasa, after nearly two weeks of detention, the Suffragan Bishop of Boma,
Monsignor Cyprien Mbuka, was released from the prison of the DEMIAP, the
Military Investigation Agency on Anti-Patriotic Activities. According to the press
agencies DIA, African Documentation and Information Agency and Anb-Bia,
African Information Bulletin, there were no other communications about his
release. Observers suspect that his release has to do with the strong condemnation of his detention by Archbishop Cardinal Frederick Etsou Nzabi
Bamungwabi.105
Washington DC, 27 May 2001
On 17 May 2001, Father Jean-Bosco Bahala, head of the communication service
of the Bukavu Diocese, turned to the subcommittee for human rights and international relations of the American Congress. He called on the US to dedicate
itself to bringing an end to the war in Central Africa. In recent years, two-and-a-
103
104
105
58
www.travel.epinions.com See also: CIA The World Factbook
CRTN, 10/01/01
58
half million people have died in this region through acts of war. Father Bahala
added that statistics say little about the suffering of people in these areas. He
illustrated: “Women have been buried alive, nuns have been raped, young girls
and women have been abused, men have been murdered.” He also referred to
the murder of 58 priests.106
Kisngani, 04 July 2001
In a letter to the Belgian government, Father Marcien Babikanga of the Kinsangani Diocese, referred to mass killings on the night of 20 – 21 June in Kabalibali
and Masimago, two cities on the Zaire River, 60 km from Ubundu. According to
UN data, these areas are in the hands of rebels, operating under the name
Rassemblement Congolais pour la Démocratie (RCD/Goma). The movement is
known to be extremely violent. They burn down villages and massacre people
under control of the Mayi-Mayi.107
106
107
CRTN, 28/05/01
CRTN, 05/07/01
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CUBA
Area: 110,860 km2
Religion:
Roman Catholic 41.1%
Atheist 30.9%
Spiritist 25%
Protestant 2.82%108
Ethnic groups:
Mulatto, white, black
News from Cuba
The New Herald109
Pablo Alfonso, ’The New Herald’
Government prepares for anti-religious campaigns in Havana
The growing number of Cubans seeking solace in various forms of religion and
religious life has provoked reactions from the island’s Communist authorities.
Following the instructions of the Buró Provincial del Partido Comunista, the
provincial office of the Communist Party, the Consejo de Administración de
Ciudad de La Habana, the Board of Urban Management of Havana, drew up an
Action Plan, to be implemented by state organisations, in order to stem the
increasing religious influence in the capital city.
The agreements, which were recently concluded in a meeting of the government
in the Cuban capital city, relate to various provincial authorities, including public
health, education, housing, justice, employment and social security.
According to a confidential document obtained by The New Herald, the Board
for Urban Management of Havana adopted these measures to add force to the
campaigns being carried on in the capital city, with attention being focused on
a solution for the various social problems. This follows the ’Political Analysis of
the religious phenomenon in Havana’. These campaigns are run by the Partido
Comunista de Cuba, the PCC, the Cuban Communist Party.
108
109
60
International Christian Concern, 19/02/01 and CIA The World Factbook 2000. The number of
Protestants is growing by about 6.1% a year.
Published in The New Herald, 18/06/01
60
The PCC document contains a detailed, critical review of the activities of all religious groups in the capital city, which covers nearly every existing religious manifestation in the country. The purpose is to take action against these manifestations.
The following are some of the activities:
* Review of the subjects Spanish, mathematics and English and computer
lessons in Catholic churches.
* Gradual increase in the purchase of buildings by religious institutions
through wills and by placing representatives of women’s movements in
certain houses.
* Attention for families who have children with Down’s syndrome, whereby
advantage is taken of shortcomings and lack of structure in the assistance
offered by Public Health institutions.
* When there is not enough medicine, doctors send their patients on to the
Church, to try and get medicine that way.
* Material and creative attention for the elderly in some parishes.
In order to stem this influence, the authorities in Havana have given the provincial authorities instructions including the following:
Health
* Limit the consumer provision to religious institutions.
* Monitor the distribution of medicines by doctors.
* Set higher demands for sanitary inspections in buildings where children are
cared for, so that the illegal institutions can be tracked down.
* Track down and ban illegal homes for the elderly.
Employment and social security
* Give priority to mothers returning to work who have school-aged children
who are cared for in Catholic Church institutions in the old part of Havana.
* Continue with better social programmes, intended for the elderly, single
mothers and the disabled, in co-operation with other institutions that are
active in this field.
61
61
Housing
* In co-operation with the authorities in question: tracking down and
requesting punitive measures against those who use buildings for illegitimate purposes, such as worship services, childcare and care for the elderly.
Justice
* Participating in meetings of the Focus Group for Religious Affairs, and give
advice in accordance with the stipulations of the Institutions Act.
* Visiting the detected mission houses and explaining to occupants of the
premises that it is illegal to use the building for this purpose without the
necessary legislation.
* Rigidly monitor the requests submitted at notary’s practices for notarial
deeds concerning the granting of wills in favour of representatives of religious orders.
Education
* Intensification of the work of the Technical Group of the ’Teach your child’
programme and the Council for Good Works for Children.
* Give priority to using the capacities of the children’s day care centres in the
old part of Havana, so that more children of mothers returning to work can
be registered.
* Studying possible alternatives to take extra action for assistance to students
who need it.
Culture
* Increasing the number of cultural events intended for children on days off
and in areas where the need for these kinds of events is higher.
* Organising film and book discussions in which the religious theme is
addressed from a scientific and materialistic approach.
Sports
* Organising recreational activities for children and youths at weekends, in
areas and in places that have the greatest need for these kinds of activities.
* Organising mini-marathons with start and finish lines in suitable locations, so
that children and youths feel motivated to participate.
62
62
Offensive against religious rebirth
Pablo Alfonso - The New Herald
During the last few months, Fidel Castro’s regime has begun implementing a
discrete and wide programme to combat various religious demonstrations,
particularly in the capital city of Havana. This emerged from a secret document
from the Communist Party of Cuba, obtained by The New Herald.
“The religious organisations in the capital city have widened their capacity to
influence society; they carry out direct recruiting, sometimes visiting homes, and
through other innovative practices with the final objective of winning souls,”
state the Documents from the Provincial Bureau of the Communist Party in the
province of Havana City.
The report highlights that "the Christian Churches have become involved in charitable social activities" and have participated in social projects "with the support
of foreign foundations and non-governmental organisations.” The document,
entitled ’Political Analysis of the Religious Phenomenon in Havana’, also states
that in order to strengthen their recruiting activities, the religious institutions
attempt to play a vital role in meeting certain needs of individuals and specific
groups... and with this purpose they get involved in activities that are part of the
accomplishments of the Revolution. The activities mentioned... have been
carried out by representatives of these institutions, and it has been confirmed
that they occasionally violate laws and regulations and take advantage of
administrative failures caused by delays, apathy or lack of vigilance in enforcing
the laws and regulations,” stated the Party.
The report pays particular attention to the Catholic Church, which, according to
the document, has increased the amount and quantity of its publications. In
addition, it promotes laypersons to positions of responsibility in institutions,
particularly educational and cultural, with special emphasis on those in the
healthcare sector. The Communist Party also points out the increase in evangelical and Pentecostal churches that have proliferated in the majority of the municipalities, the unauthorised houses of prayer that belong to registered and unregistered denominations.
“Even though the amount of houses dedicated to that purpose fluctuates, we
know of the existence of 220,” states the document.
63
63
The African cults do not escape the Party’s microscope, which sees a politicalideological risk in the practice of hagiolatry.
The initiation in these cults in Cuba, of foreigners of the Cuban-American
community and citizens of other countries, opens areas for enemy activity,
foreign influence and organised illegality; that is why the treatment of these
groups is a priority," continued the document.
The concern shown by the Party demonstrates that the Castro government
persists in its plan of cracking down on religions, according to a Cuban ecclesiastical source that asked not be identified. “This contradicts totally the affirmation
of the Cuban State that it is secular. It is not true. It is a state identified with a
communist and anti-religious government, because of its totalitarian ideology,”
stated the source.
Report on discussions with the Cuban bishops in Rome, following their ad
limina visit to the Pope from 1 – 5 July 2001110
*
*
*
Communism in Cuba is not of an ideological nature but centred on Fidel
Castro.
In Cuba,the people live a theoretical system, whereas in many other countries
there is a practical atheism.
Everything that happens in Cuba is determined by the government.
Aid to the Church in Need had the opportunity to hold talks with the Cuban
bishops during their ad limina visit to Rome. Many of the discussions centred
upon the general situation in the country and on the relations between State
and Church. Below I attempt to summarise the main points of these discussions:
* The socialist propaganda of the government is continuing as before.
However, those in power are seeking to avoid a direct conflict with the
Church. They want to create the impression externally that relations between
Church and State are good - something that is simply not the case in practice.
The only thing that has changed in recent years is the style in which the
government carries out its plans. Thus, for example, it frequently makes it
difficult for missionaries to enter the country from abroad. The Church is also
seeking to avoid confrontation with the regime, although her outlook and
that of the regime are in many respects contradictory.
* The government of Fidel Castro continues to try to spread fear among the
110
64
Info-Sekretariat, Aid to the Church in Need, 13/08/01
64
population and to employ low tricks in order to keep them away from the
Church. One example is the school activities that are organised at the weekends; these take place on Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings. The
children are threatened with a bad mark in the school register if they are
absent from these events. These and other similar devices prevent children
from being able to take part in the Sunday Masses.
Motorisation
* The entire trade in motor vehicles is controlled by the Cuban state. The
government will grant the Church no permits for the purchase of vehicles.
One bishop told me that he still drives in a Volkswagen from 1964, which he
constantly has to repair using makeshift spare parts.
The mission houses
* The evangelisation work being carried out in the ’mission houses’ around the
country is especially admirable. In many apartment blocks, especially in the
outskirts of the towns and in the villages, where it has not been possible to
build a church in past years - assembly rooms are being created, where Catholics can meet and pray together. These ’houses or prayer’ are real schools of
Faith, where people are taught to pray.
Assistance from Aid to the Church in Need
* I also learned from the bishops that they in no way think that Aid to the
Church in Need has forgotten the Church in Cuba. They know very well that
our interest in pastoral aid projects in their country is still very much alive. I
endeavoured to convey to them the feeling that our charity appreciates the
practical consequence of their pastoral work in Cuba and is therefore willing
to continue supporting the Church in this country as it struggles with the
difficult situation. I see it as one of the principal tasks of our charity to
encourage the bishops of Cuba, so that they do not feel helpless, abandoned
and forgotten.
* Many people maintain that it is the state, not the Church, that has let them
down and abandoned them in all their difficulties. Indeed, a large majority
even take the view that it is only the Church that has ever truly helped them.
* Without the Mass Stipends which our charity provides to the Church in Cuba,
many impoverished priests could not survive.
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65
The priorities of the bishops:
* Through our conversations with the bishops, the following needs emerged as
the most important priorities:
* The laypeople who give catechetical instruction in prayer and mission houses
needing to be given a solid formation themselves.
* Young men intending to study for the priesthood should be prepared for this
in pre-seminaries.
* The public expression of the Faith needs to be strengthened with the help of
devotional objects. The bishops would like to print 250,000 small holy
pictures of Our Lady of Charity of Cobre (Nuestra Señora de Caridad del
Cobre), the Patroness of Cuba, for distribution among the ordinary people.
The Church wants to show the people that she continues to be active and
present among the people in this way. Likewise, a statue of Our Lady of
Charity is to be made, and the bishops are hoping for our support for this
project too (a request will shortly be sent to our charity).
* The ’mission houses’ and their contents should continue to receive financial
support, i.e.
* wooden benches would in future be more appropriate than plastic chairs,
which in Cuba are seen as a symbol of wealth and should therefore be
avoided.
* In addition, more Little Catechisms (I Believe/Yo Creo) are needed, and a
request for this too will be sent to us shortly.
January 2001
Vatican Radio reported the exclusion of students from schools because they
carried little crosses and devotional pictures with them. The Ministry of Education confirmed this and reported that the measures are necessary because they
act counter to the political-ideological education at schools.111
19 January 2001
The Cuban Commission for Human Rights and National Reconciliation stated
that the situation on the Caribbean island was worse in 2000 than in 1999. The
Commission already predicted that the year 2001 would be even worse. The
number of political prisoners remained around 300, but the number of cases of
temporary detention increased by 200. In addition, there was more frequent
police action against political opponents without imprisonment. Oswaldo Paya
of the Christian Liberation Movement explained to foreign journalists that “the
111
66
The Voice of the Martyrs, 09/02/01. See also: FIDES, 12/01/01. See also: Katholiek Nieuwsblad, 02/
02/01. See also: HMK Kurir, 03/2001.
66
government does not offer solutions and maintains a message of war, without
showing any willingness to change, while the life of the country deteriorates.”112
Havana, 07 February 2001
The Catholic Church opened the first religious library in Havana. The project is
financed by Seguidores de Cristo Rey, a humanitarian organisation founded by
Isabel del Pino. The library has a large number of catechistic and history books;
in addition a large number of magazines have been acquired.113
Vatican City, 02 March 2001
Cardinal Jaime Lucas Ortega y Alamino of Havana explained that, despite the
current difficulties, the Church in Cuba can look to a good future. The Cardinal
told a journalist of L’Osservatore Romano that today - three years after the Papal
visit - the Church still faces many difficulties. On the other hand, however, he
pointed out the increase in the number of priestly and religious vocations.
At this time there were 80 seminary students in Cuba; five years ago there were
just 25. The increase in the number of candidates for the priesthood is particularly important when one realises that there are only 310 priests serving approximately three million Catholics. There has also been a marked increase in
membership in women’s Orders, from just 200 in 1986 to nearly 600 in 1991. The
papal visit in January 1998 “changed the history of Cuba forever,” said the
Cardinal. “Although the government still tries to limit the influence of the Catholic Church, this is becoming more and more difficult because of the space for
freedom in the souls of the people.”114
Cuba, 09 March 2001
The Communist Party of Cuba is working hard to erase all traces of the Pope’s
visit. At least this is what the Bishop of Verona found following a visit to Latin
America. “The situation of the Church in Cuba is one of suffering," said
Monsignor Flavio Roberto Carraro. “It is a thorn in the side of the Communist
Party that the papal visit, which was already three years ago, continues to affect
their religious practice and charity. The very fact that there is a need for it means
that the revolution failed to alleviate the needs of the people, although one may
not say so out loud,” said the Bishop.115
Havana, 08 May 2001
Isabel del Pino Sotolongo, who created the Catholic human rights group
"Followers of Christ the King," has been accused of "rebellion against the State"
112
113
114
115
CRTN, 08/02/01
Catholic World News Vatican Update, 02/03/01. See also CRTN, 05/03/01
Katholiek Nieuwsblad, 09/03/01, and ZENIT.
67
67
and will face trial before the end of May. Del Pino created this organisation in
order to defend human rights against the Communist state’s violations, particularly those related to freedom of religion.
On 23 April, Del Pino was arrested at her home in Havana and brought to a
sudden trial. Claiming that she had no guarantee of a fair trial, Del Pino refused
to appear before the tribunal and declared herself on a hunger strike. After 72
hours, the State Security agency finally agreed to postpone the trial and gave Del
Pino the opportunity to prepare her defence. On 6 May, the Judiciary announced
that the trial would in any case take place before the end of May. “Everybody
knows that I believe in peace and only in peaceful means, as any Christian who
tries to be loyal to Christ’s teachings," said Del Pino. "Besides, what kind of
power do I have to make effective any threat? Obviously, the authorities have
fabricated this case against me, for political reasons.”116
More and more Catholic Cubans are regularly receiving the Sacraments. There is
a big increase in the number of Church marriages and First Communions. That is
according to statistics of the Havana Archdiocese, published in the Catholic
magazine Palabra Nueva. The total number of baptisms in 1990 was 27,609, and
in ten years time grew to 33,735 by 2000, an increase of more than 22%. During
the same period, the number of anointings of the sick grew by 42% to 5,769. It
is very likely that the sudden boost in ecclesiastical life in Cuba is related to the
visit by Pope John Paul II in 1998.117
Havana, 06 July 2001
Fidel Castro’s government invited 20 specialists from 13 different countries to
take part in a conference in Havana called the “Third International Encounter of
Social-Religious Studies.” The conference took place from 3 – 6 July. Around 90
visitors were to talk about the ’religion’ phenomenon inside and outside of
Cuba. Observers think that the rise in social unrest in Cuba can be attributed to
the growth of religions.118
116
117
118
68
Katholiek Nieuwsblad, 22/06/01 and KN/ZENIT
CRTN, 06/07/01
68
EGYPT
Area: 1,001,450 km2
Religion:
Muslim 85.4%
Christian 6%119
Ethnic groups:
Eastern Hamitic, Egyptian, Bedouin and Berber120
The vast majority of the Christians in Egypt (92%) are members of the Coptic
Church, which already existed here before the arrival of Islam. The Supreme
Guide of the Muslim Brotherhood, which is in fact still an illegal organisation in
Egypt, is dedicated to the adoption of shari’ah law. The brotherhood has carried
out various attacks on government institutions and Christians. One of the largest
fundamentalist movements is Al-Gamaa Islamiya. The movement is dedicated to
turning Egypt into an Islamic state and carries out attacks on the government,
Christians and foreign tourists. The same applies to another movement known as
jihad.
In December 1999, the Egyptian president signed a decree ordering religious
groups to obtain permission from the local authorities for the construction of
churches. Christians fear that this law will mainly have negative consequences
for them. Converts from Islam to Christianity face heavy persecution. Under
shari’ah law, conversion from Islam to Christianity is punishable by death.121
There are also conversions from Christianity to Islam. The reason for this is often
economic. There is a high level of unemployment among Christians and they are
discriminated against by employers.
Cairo, 21 January 2001
Members of the US Commission on Religious Freedom arrived in Egypt to investigate how the country guarantees religious freedoms. Many viewed the arrival
of the Commission as outside interference in home affairs. Noeman Gomaa,
head of the Wafd Party, called on the government people to boycott the
Commission.122
119
120
121
122
This percentage was reported by the government, according to other sources the Christian population is 14.2%.
Jubilee Campaign, Egypt’s Persecuted Christians
69
69
06 February 2001
Fifty-seven Muslims and 32 Christians stood trial on charges of murder during the
violence in El-Kosheh in January 2000.123 The court convicted four Muslims for
the murders in El-Kosheh. They received prison sentences ranging from one to
ten years. The others were released.124
01 March 2001
The Voice of the Martyrs learned that on 24 February 2001, a large group of
Egyptian security forces destroyed the church building in Shobra El Khaima with
armoured vehicles and bulldozers. Coptic Christians planned to use this fourstorey building for Sunday Schools, day care and medical facilities, as well as for
a place of worship. The building was purchased in 1998 by Bishop Marcos, the
Bishop of El-Qalyubia, and was to be used strictly for charitable work and
prayer.125
Cairo, 21 March 2001
Members of the American Commission for Religious Freedom arrived in Egypt to
investigate the position of Christian churches. Many Egyptians reacted angrily to
their arrival and viewed it as interference in the country’s home affairs. The
members of the Commission wanted a meeting with officials from the Ministry
for Foreign Affairs, with leaders of the Orthodox Church in Egypt and with the
Muslim organisation Al-Azhar. “It is a Commission that gives itself the right to
assault the Egyptian people’s unity,” said Noeman Gomaa, head of the Wafd
Party, Egypt’s biggest opposition party. He called on Egypt’s government and
people to boycott the Commission.126
April 2001
On 5 February 2001, an Egyptian court acquitted all accomplices in the 31
December 1999 massacre in El-Kosheh. The bloodbath cost the lives of 21 Christians and (by accident) one Muslim.
Judge Mohammed Afiffy blamed three Coptic priests for doing nothing to end
the riots. The local bishop, Wissa, condemned the verdict using strong words:
“All the murderers were acquitted. That means Muslims are encouraged to kill
Christians. ...this verdict means that the life of Christians has no value in
Egypt.”127
123
124
125
126
127
70
International Christian Concern. See also: Christen in Not, 03/2001
CRTN, 06/02/01
Open Doors, April 2001, p. 10
70
03 May 2001
In 1990, Coptic Christian Amad Ayad Bishay, of Beny Soweif in Egypt, converted
to Islam. He did this in order to divorce his wife Fayza Abd El-Shaheed Tawfiq.
The divorce was pronounced in 1991, but they reconciled their differences in
1995. According to the Coptic Church the divorce never actually took place,
because it was never pronounced by the Church.
However, the tragedy of the matter is as follows: Amad died on 6 December
1996. The civil Islamic judge ruled: “According to court order 44 issued on 29
January 1975, the child of a Muslim must follow the Islamic religion.” And that
is precisely what has caused so many problems for the mother. According to
Islamic law, after the (Christian) father’s conversion to Islam, the children automatically became Muslim. Fayza has been fighting this decision for more than
five years.128
128
71
71
72
72
73
73
CATHOLIC INSTITUTIONS IN EGYPT
129
1. Men’s Orders
Name
Year of formation Number of
houses
Number of
monks
1 Order of Franciscan Friars Minor
ii) Franciscans of Terra Santa
ii) Egyptian Franciscan Vice-Province
1219
1697
2 Vincentians
1844
2
5
3 Christian School Brothers (de la Salle)
1847
7
14
4
30
50
4 Comboni Missionaries
1867
6
19
5 African Missions
1877
2
11
6 Jesuits
1879
10
38
7 Salesians
1896
3
32
8 Carmelites
1926
4
6
9 Dominicans
1928
2
9
10 Little Brothers of Jesus
1968
2
5
11 Prado
1974
2
6
12 Community of the Incarnate Word
1995
Total
–
2
74
212
2. Women’s Orders of consecrated and apostolic life
Name
Year of formation
Number
of houses
1 Sisters of Charity of St. V. de Paul
1844
10
53
2 Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd
1845
8
63
3 Franciscan Missionaries C.I.M.
1859
14
126
4 Comboni Missionaries Pie Madri della
Nigrizia
1877
15
147
14
5 Religious of the Mother of God
1880
2
6 Religious of Our Lady of Sion
1880
3
9
7 Missionaries of Our Lady of the Apostles
1881
10
48
8 Sisters of St. Charles Borromeus
1884
4
35
9 Dominican Sisters of Our Lady of
Délivrande
1891
3
19
1891
2
14
10 Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows of Tarbes
129
74
Number
of nuns
www.opuslibani.org.lb
74
11 Franciscan Missionaries of the
Immaculate Conception
1898
1
3
12 Society of the Sacred Heart
1903
10
64
13 Sisters of the Holy Family
1908
2
9
14 Franciscan School Sisters
1908
2
13
15 Sisters of Charity of Besançon
1909
6
24
16 Sisters of St. Joseph of Lyon
1911
3
11
17 Egyptian Religious of the Sacred Heart
1913
20
115
18 Carmelite Sisters of the Holy Family
in exile
1914
1
9
19 Daughters of Mary Auxiliatrix
(Salesians)
1916
3
21
20 Sisters of St. Claire
1919
1
12
21 Franciscan Missionaries of Mary
1924
6
43
22 Apostolic Carmelites of St. Joseph
1931
3
18
23 Elisabethan Franciscan Sisters
1935
11
52
24 Armenian Sisters of the Immaculate
Conception
1913
1
6
25 Society of Jesus Christ
1939
1
4
26 Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help
1945
1
7
27 Little Sisters of the Assumption
1951
1
4
28 Little Sisters of Jesus
1951
4
16
29 Franciscan Minime Sisters of the Sacred
Heart
1955
5
22
30 Domenican Sisters of St. Catharine of
Siena
1968
1
3
51
31 Coptic Sisters of Jesus and Mary
1968
7
32 Sisters of Providence
1977
1
4
33 Missionaries of Charity of Mother
Theresa
1981
4
22
34 Indian Sisters Daughters of Mary
1984
2
7
35 Franciscan Sisters of the Cross of
Lebanon
1984
2
7
36 Basilian Chouerite Sisters
1988
1
4
37 Colombian Sisters of St. Theresa
1992
2
8
38 Rosary Sisters
1993
2
9
39 Daughters of St. Anne
1994
Total
75
2
6
176
1098
75
3. Seminaries
Major inter-ritual Seminary of Maadi
Minor Coptic-Catholic Seminary of Tahta
Oriental Franciscan Seminary of Guiza
Minor Seminary of the Egyptian Franciscans
Minor Seminary of the Franciscans in Kafr El-Daw
4. Novitiates
Novitiate of the Jesuits, Cairo
18 Novitiates of female religious congregatio
5. Theological institutes
Faculty of religious sciences, Maadi
Institute of theology, Cairo
Catechetical Institute
Franciscan Center of Eastern Christian Studies, Cairo
Dominican Institute of Eastern Christian Studies (IDEO).
21 May 2001
Dr Saad Eddin Ibrahim, one of the leaders of human rights organisations in
Egypt, and in particular a defender of the rights of the Coptic Church, was
sentenced to seven years in prison. He was charged with “tarnishing Egypt’s
image, accepting foreign money without government approval and embezzling
funds.” In a separate matter - the murder of 21 Coptic Christians in El-Kosheh the court postponed its decision until 30 July 2001. The Voice of the Martyrs
visited the region. Christians said that they never expect to find justice in this
region.130
21 June 2001
The weekly Al-Nabaa tried to use an article to destroy the reputation of the
Coptic Church. In an article on 17 June, the magazine addressed the so-called
“sexual misconduct of a priest”. The magazine published an article with the
headline “The Al-Mohurraq monastery is transformed into a prostitution house
at the hands of its head monk.” The story alleged that a monk at Al-Mohurraq
monastery had sex with over 5,000 women. According to the story, the monk
received five kilograms of gold by blackmailing a woman. The article also
published naked photos of the alleged monk having sex with women. In reality,
the monk in question, Barsoom El-Mahureqy, was excommunicated from the
130
76
76
Coptic Church in 1996. Since then he has had no contact, official or otherwise,
with the monastery. Although it soon became clear that this concerned false
information, another Egyptian magazine, Akher Khabar (which is owned by AlNabaa) printed exactly the same article on 18 June.131
Cairo, 04 July 2001
The Cairo court banned the Egyptian magazines Al-Nabaa and Al-Watany and
their magazine Akher Khabar from publishing the alleged sexual offences in a
Coptic monastery. According to observers, the Egyptian government did so to
reduce local tensions.132
01 August 2001
On 31 July 2001, a court in Egypt ordered an investigation of the trial concerning
the mass murders that took place in the weekend of 31 December 1999. Christians were attacked by Muslims in El-Kosheh and many were killed.133
20 September 2001
On 16 September, Mamdouh Mahran, editor of the small magazine ’Al-Nabaa’,
was sentenced to three years in prison for “undermining public security”. In
June, Al-Nabaa had published a sensational story about sexual misconduct in a
Coptic monastery. In reality this concerned a monk who had long been excommunicated. The article was seen as an attack on the Coptic Church.134
Despite attempts by several Muslim groups to convince the world that Osama bin
Laden’s terrorism is nothing more than extremism, the renowned Al-Azhar
University in Cairo made a statement. It was signed by several Muslim clerics and
stated “that the attacks on New York and Washington were justified in the
context of the declaration of War on the United States.” The statement was
published on the website of Al-Azhara University. In a press release, Sheikh Ali
Abu Al-Hassan, head of Al-Azhara’s Religious Ruling Committee said: “It is the
sense of danger that unites the West. They have put together a coalition against
Islam. They sense danger only from Islam. This feeling has united them against a
single enemy, which is Islam.”135
131
132
133
134
135
CRTN, 05/07/01
ACN News, 08/11/01
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77
09 November 2001
“I hear them [Muslims] talking in the street,” said Rafik Labib, one of the
mourners at a memorial service for Adel Karras in Cairo.136 “They don’t know my
religion and they say in front of me what they want to do to Christians. It sounds
bad.”137
EL SALVADOR
Area: 20,752 km2
Religion :
Roman Catholic 75%
Protestant 20%
Ethnic groups:
Mestizo 84%
Amerindian 5%
European 1%138
24 August 2001
Last week, unknown persons kidnapped a priest from his parish in a wealthy
district outside the Salvadoran capital of San Salvador. Three men pointed a gun
in the face of Father Rogelio Esquivel (58) as he was leaving the church with a
group of boys in the evening. Archbishop Fernando Sáenz Lacalle appealed
directly to the kidnappers to release the priest immediately. He described the
kidnapping as sacrilegious and an unforgivable sin.139
136
137
138
139
78
Adel Karras was shot dead in front of his shop in Los Angeles on 18 September. The police suspect that the killers wanted to vent their anger for the September 11th attacks on a Muslim.
Lonely Planet World Guide www.lonelyplanet.com
Katholiek Nieuwsblad, 24/08/01. See also: KATHPRESS, 28/08/01
78
ETHIOPIA
Area: 1,127,127 km2
Religion:
Muslim 45%
Christian 40%
Ethnic groups:
Oromo, Amhara, Tigre, Sidamo140
Recently, Christians have been under a great deal of pressure from Muslims and
the Orthodox Church. The traditional Orthodox Church and Islam are working
together in a sort of alliance against the so-called ’evangelical’ churches.141
20 September 2001
Last week, there was an outburst of violence against evangelical Christians in the
city of Debark. A bomb hit a building where believers had gathered for worship.
There were no reports of any injuries or fatalities. Fearing for their lives, many
Christians fled to the neighbouring town of Gondar.142
27 September 2001
In September 2001, a church in eastern Ethiopia was bombed for the second
time. During a choir practice in the church of Jijiga, Muslim militias threw explosives at the church. Twenty members of the choir were wounded, but were able
to leave the church quickly.143
04 October 2001
Staff of The Voice of the Martyrs in Canada witnessed the consequences of the
recent persecution of Christians in the cities of Dabat and Debark. There were
bombings here in mid-September 2001. All 45 Christians fled the city.144
01 November 2001
The Voice of the Martyrs received reports of severe persecution of evangelical
Christians in rural areas of Ethiopia. A Christian from the north-east of Addis
Ababa said that Christians were being severely persecuted there. He told of how
a building belonging to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church was burned to the
140
141
142
143
144
79
79
ground. Many youths are driven from their homes simply because they are Christians. Last week, Muslim fundamentalists sent letters to all Christians in the city
of Aggibar, urging them to leave the city. Another Christian, from the city of
Jijiga, said that the church there was recently bombed by Muslims.145
GAMBIA
Area: 11,295 km2
Religion:
Muslim 95%
Christian 4%
Other 1%146
Ethnic groups:
Mandinka 34.1%
Fulani 16.2%
Wolof 12.6%
Jola 9.2%
Serahuli 7.7%
Other 20.2%
Gambia planned to introduce the shari’ah (Islamic law) this year (2001). President
Yahya Jammeh of the West African country declared this in December 2000.
Jammeh came to power in 1994 through a military coup. In 1996 he was elected
civilian head of state in very controversial elections. Religious leaders are afraid
that the little progress Christianity has made in Gambia in recent years will be
undone by the shari’ah. People are also afraid that the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion, will be replaced by a law that promotes Islamic
fundamentalism.147
145
146
147
80
Gambia Travel Facts, newafrica.com, and: Gambia, Erdkunde Online
Open Doors, May 2001
80
GHANA
Area: 238,540 km2
Religions
Muslim 30%
Christian 24%
Other 8%
Ethnic groups:
Black African 99.8%
(major tribes - Akan: 44%,
Moshi-Dagomba: 16%,
Ewe: 13%, Ga: 8%)
European and other 0.2%148
Accra, 21 June 2001
In an appeal on 20 June, Africa Refugee Day, the Christian Council of Ghana
called on all political leaders in Africa to respect the lives and rights of their citizens.149
16 August 2001
The Voice of the Martyrs reported that many Christians suffer starvation and
persecution, often resulting in death. Much of the abuse is caused by animists
and Muslims. Foreigners are viewed with suspicion because they are assumed to
be Christians. Christians in the country have been murdered by their own neighbours after being suspected of ’being Christian’.150
148
149
150
See CIA The World Factbook
CRTN, 21/06/01
81
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GREECE
Area: 131,940 km2
Religions
Greek Orthodox 96.9%
Muslim 1.5%
Protestant 0.2%151
Ethnic groups:
Greeks 98%
Other 2%
19 January 2001
The constitution gives the Greek Orthodox Church dominant status, but
prohibits discrimination against religious minorities. As a result, however, the
Greek Orthodox Church has a considerable influence in the Ministry of Education
and Religion. The constitution does not allow proselytism. Non-Orthodox
Churches must request permission to organise houses of prayer. Permission for
such houses of prayer is granted by the Ministry of Education and Religion.
Over the last month, 16 religious organisations in Greece have pressed for restriction of the powers of the Greek Orthodox Church, which has a decisive voice in
the construction of all church buildings in Greece. This power is based on a law
passed in 1939 by the fascist Metaxas government at the time. The case was
opened following proceedings in December in which a Greek Orthodox prosecutor ordered the destruction of “illegally built church buildings.” Greek Prime
Minister Costas Simitis promised to abolish all laws which restrict the freedom of
religion and are therefore a violation of European human rights.152
Athens, 25 April 2001
Extremist groups within the Greek Orthodox Church objected to the visit of Pope
John Paul II to Greece and the planned presence of Cardinal Ignace Moussa
Daoud of the Syrian Catholic Church. These groups said that if the Cardinal were
to set foot on Greek soil, Archbishop Christodoulos should decide to cancel his
meeting with the Pope.153
151
152
153
82
Catholic World News Features, 25/04/01. See also: FIDES, 25/04/01
82
27 April 2001
Discrimination against the Catholic Church in Greece goes further and further
according to Monsignor Nikolaos Foscolos in an interview with Italian newspaper Avvenire. He expected the coming papal visit to boost the improvement of
the situation of approximately 50,000 Catholics (0.5% of the population).154
In a telephone conversation with the Greek afternoon daily Eleftherotypia, a
man announced that he would attack the Pope. He said he would do this during
the Pope’s visit to Athens on 4 May 2001. The unknown caller also claimed to be
responsible for setting fire to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople in
Athens some time ago. According to the man, the Pope is the main culprit for the
bloodshed in the Balkans, from Bosnia to Kosovo.155
Athens, 01 May 2001
On 30 April, more than 2,000 members of the Greek Orthodox Church marched
in the streets of Athens to protest the visit by Pope John Paul II. Most marched
to the parliament buildings; a smaller group made their way to the headquarters
of the Greek Orthodox Church. Many blame the Pope and the Roman Catholic
Church for injustices dating back to 1204: the Crusades. Archbishop Christodoulos of the Greek Orthodox Church appealed to Greeks not to protest,
however, radical groups ignored his plea.156
The leader of the Greek Orthodox Church was to lecture Pope John Paul II on the
injustices inflicted by the Pope’s Church during the last 1,000 years. The Holy
Synod, the Church’s administrative body, announced that Archbishop Christodoulos would not pray with the Pope, but would instead lay out all Orthodox
grievances beginning with the Great Schism in 1054. Holy Synod spokesman,
Metropolitan Efstathios, told reporters "He will present with honesty, clarity,
theological and historical documentation, all issues of dogma, ecclesiastical and
theological, which cause grief, bitterness and perplexity to the Orthodox
world."157
154
155
156
157
Katholiek Nieuwsblad, 27/04/01. According to Catholic World News Features there are 200,000
Catholics living in Greece, 25/04/01.
KERKWEB, 27/04/01
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83
Athens, 02 May 2001
In the midst of all the protests against Pope John Paul II’s visit to Greece, a new
element was added to the opposition to this visit: the Pope should not be
allowed to kiss Greek soil. Some Greek Orthodox feel that the Greek soil is sacred
and that the Pope’s kissing it would be an act of provocation.158
The Pope’s visit to Greece in May sparked a great deal of protest. The manifestation of this opposition was, to put it mildly, highly emotional, very subjective,
insulting and often aggressive. “The antichrist visits Greece... icons cry tears of
blood. Protesters brand Pope John Paul II a heretic. The Greek resistance to the
papal visit today showed that 1,000 years is quite something in the eyes of the
Greek Orthodox church,” reported De Volkskrant.159 “The Pope is an antichrist.
A heretic! A grotesque two-horned monster. The Pope has been a catastrophe
for mankind for more than 1,000 years. It is a crime that he is allowed to set foot
in Greece again after 13 centuries. All the holy ones are against this,” were
frequently voiced words of abuse and complaints against the Pope.
In the eyes of Greek worshippers, their country is not only the centre of Orthodoxism, but of the entire Christian world. In their eyes Pope John Paul II is a
heretic who is after personal power.160
In the FIDES report, which describes the background to this visit, the director of
FIDES, Father Bernardo Cervellera, stated: “Vatican officials preparing this
journey say it is the most difficult ever undertaken by the Pope. Not because of
his age, but because of the consequences of 1,000 years of division, narrow
thinking, old grievances and new wars.”
According to FIDES, in a country where 97% of the population is Orthodox, the
Catholic minority often feels oppressed. “This church (the Greek Orthodox
Church) is perhaps the single Eastern Church that has been consistently most
hostile toward the Holy See in the centuries since the Great Schism. While the
Catholic Church recognises the Orthodox as ’sister Churches,’ in this case the
recognition is not mutual. The Greek Orthodox Church looks upon Rome as an
enemy, and does not recognise the validity of Catholic sacraments.”161
158
159
160
161
84
Catholic World News Features, 03/05/01
84
In 1999, the Pope announced that he wanted to visit the Greek Orthodox Church
as part of his pilgrimage. However, Greek Orthodox leaders quickly made it clear
that the Pope would never receive an official invitation from them. The
Orthodox monks of the famous abbey at Mount Athos soon stirred up a
campaign against the Pontiff. The Holy Synod of the Greek Orthodox Church
declared that the Pope could come only “if he apologised for the historical errors
of the Roman Catholic Church.”
The breakthrough came in January. On an official visit to Rome, Greek President
Constantinos Stephanopoulos issued a formal invitation for the Pope to visit his
country. The Pope then asked the Greek Orthodox Church to invite him. The Holy
Synod did respond with an invitation, but the gesture was clearly made without
enthusiasm.
Father Yannis Spiteris, OFMCap, a Greek theologian who teaches in Rome, said
that the Pope’s visit would have positive consequences after all: “At the moment
there is a lot of noise, but as soon as the people see that the Pope comes with
humility, on a mission of love, and Greek Orthodox believers see a priest who
suffers - a bishop to be admired, a pilgrim, not a conqueror - then the argument
will stop and the hatred will dissolve.”162
All eyes focused on the east163
Following the Holy Year 2000, the pontificate of Pope John Paul II is mainly
focused on better relationships with the Orthodox church. The goal is a ’healing’
of the Great Schism of 1054. Although there seems to be a very long way to go
in achieving this goal, the Pope appears to want to do everything possible to
achieve the reunification as quickly as possible. His forthcoming travels are also
part of this plan.
Antonio Gaspari
One millennium the Churches of East and West were united, the next millennium
they were separated. Will the Western and Eastern Christians reconcile in the
third millennium? In this hopeful perspective, Pope John Paul II is working on an
ambitious travel programme for the 23rd year of his pontificate: first Syria and
Greece, then the Ukraine in June, Slovakia in July and Armenia in September.
And that may be just the beginning.
162
163
85
85
Breathing with two lungs
The Pope’s orientation to the East is a result of the dechristianisation of the
West. The old Europe is slipping away following a deep crisis, a sort of moral and
cultural decadence reminiscent of the latter years of the Roman Empire.
Europe is falling into disrepair; because of the declining birth rate, the older
generation is in danger of surpassing the youth. The American new world, the
leader of modern civilization, only conveys materialistic and hedonistic stimuli.
The Western world, saturated and desperate, is escaping into pseudo-spirituality: New Age pantheism and esoteric sects.
As he has said on several occasions, John Paul II’s ambition is a united Europe that
“breathes with two lungs,” one in the West and one in the East. Facing the
Western decline, the Pope from Poland looks for revitalising elements of Eastern
spirituality. Sometimes he refers to the Lux ex Oriente, the Light from the East.
The intensity of prayer, the beauty of the liturgy, and the perception of divine
anthropomorphism (ascribing human characteristics to God, ed.) are the pillars
of Eastern spirituality. Western Christianity is based on action, while Eastern
Christianity emphasises contemplation.
True ecumenism will be an exchange between Doing and Being.
According to Dr Michelina Tenace, professor at the Papal Gregorian University
and the Papal Oriental Institute, many of the Pope’s spiritual roots find their
origins in Slavic mysticism. In this mysticism, man is regarded in his loving unity
with God, from which his “being, his essence and his resemblance to God”
emanates. This is a sharp contrast with the vision of Western Christianity; man as
a higher level of nature, gifted with physical attributes, rationality and individuality.
Hopeful signs
A study of the Pope’s strategy for an approach to the East could begin with his
apostolic letter Oriental Lumen (April 1995) and his encyclical letter Ut Unum
Sint and his memorandum Filioque from May 1995. (Editor’s note: the Eastern
Church says that the Spirit comes from the Father, while the Western Church says
that the Spirit comes from the Father and the Son - the Filioque Debate is the
theological dissimilarity between East and West). He used this to express his idea
of an undivided Church, with a renewed consciousness of the “monarchy of the
Father.” (The Eastern Church emphasises the unity in God, the Father as the one
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86
source of Son and Spirit, compared to the trinity in Western theology, ed.) This
is more likely to be a reunified Church in a new form than an expression of a
bygone tradition.
The renowned Orthodox theologian Olivier Clement recently suggested that the
attempted murder of the Pope could be seen as Wojtyla’s martyrdom for Christian unity. According to Clement, the attack in 1981 in St Peter’s Square was
probably a necessary act in some people’s eyes in order to frustrate the Pope’s
approach to the Orthodox Church.
A divided house
Naturally, the obstacles on the road to Christian reunification sometimes seem
insurmountable. Plans for the Papal visit to the Ukraine in June caused friction in
the relationships between Rome, Moscow and Constantinople and even
between the different local Ukrainian churches. The Pope not only has to face
hostilities from the Orthodox Church leaders in Moscow and elsewhere, but also
considerable internal differences in the Orthodox Church. Alexei II of the
Moscow Patriarchate competes with the ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomeos of
Constantinople. Moscow claims to have the largest religious community
(130 million people) and political authority over the rest of the Orthodox
Church. Bartholomeos has only 2,000 followers, but also has a large historical
and international prestige. If one of them tries to get closer to Rome, his
’fraternal’ opponent will accuse him of abandoning the Orthodox cause.
Patriarchates
In ecumenical circles voices have been raised calling for the convening of a
Panorthodox council, to ’reconstruct’ and reunite the original five major partiarchates Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria, Constantinople and Rome. This council
would act as a “five-fingered hand,” but the Bishop of Rome would have the role
of Primate. At this time the patriarchate of Antioch has a relatively good relationship with Rome and the reunification of the two sometimes seemed to be
close by. Rome also has excellent relationships with the Armenian Orthodoxy.
Moscow and Constantinople would have to settle their disputes. Jerusalem
would probably be the last phase of reunification, because of the interreligious
complexity (between Jews and Muslims as well as between Orthodox and Catholics). Nevertheless, there are signs of hope. In 1995 the Aletti Centre in Rome set
up Lipa publishers, which now prints books in Ukraine, Romania and Russia. And,
hard to believe but true, the Basic Handbook of Eastern Christian Spirituality,
compiled by Jesuit Thomas Spidlik and printed by Lipa, is used in Russian
87
87
Orthodox seminaries. These are small but important steps on the road to the
reunited Church of Christian origin. Many pray that this ’marian’ Pope will
receive assistance from the Blessed Virgin - equally precious to Catholics and
Orthodox believers - to achieve the much desired reunification.
From: Inside the Vatican
Translation: Amanda Hanraets
Orthodox resistance and ecumenical declaration
The highlight of Pope John Paul II’s visit to Greece where the Pope’s six-day
journey is to commence in the footsteps of St Paul on Friday, is a pilgrimage to
Areopagus. This site near Athens is where Paul preached to the people some
1,950 years ago. The Pope was invited to visit Athens by the head of the Greek
Orthodox Church, Archbishop Christodoulos. Although this invitation was
approved by the Holy Synod, a group of extremist Orthodox monks continued to
oppose the Papal visit. Some 400 monks, many from monasteries on the Holy
Mountain of Athos, demonstrated in Athens last Wednesday against the Pope’s
visit. They shouted slogans like “Orthodoxy or death” and “Orthodoxy will
triumph.” Archbishop Christodoulos, head of the Orthodox Church, comprising
96 percent of Greece’s population of nearly 11 million, called the demonstrators
traitors.
A spokesman for the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church, Bishop Theoklitos,
emphasised once again last Sunday that the Pope will be welcomed in the Greek
capital. He also announced that during their meeting, Pope John Paul II and
Archbishop Christodoulos would issue a joint ecumenical statement on the Christian roots of Europe. Although there can be no joint prayer by the Pope and the
Archbishop because of a few theological differences between the two Churches,
the Orthodox Church certainly wishes to continue the dialogue with the Catholic
Church, said the spokesman. He also pointed out that the Papal visit may also
affect a possible papal visit to Russia. Archbishop Christodoulos will travel to
Moscow immediately after his meeting with the Pope to make his report to the
Russian Orthodox Patriarch Alexei II. (KN)
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88
In the footsteps of Paul
In his letter of June 1999 “Concerning Pilgrimage to the Places Linked to the
History of Salvation”, the Pope writes about the big pilgrimage he wished to
make on the occasion of the Holy Year 2000. He said that he not only wanted to
visit the places where Christ himself learned and taught, such as the Holy Land,
which he visited last year, but also other places which were very important in the
history of the Church, particularly the regions where the apostles preached and
converted. Within that framework, John Paul II will leave today to travel to
Greece, Syria and Malta, a trip “in the footsteps of Saint Paul”.
Syria
The Via Recta, which runs straight through Damascus, is the road on which Paul
rode his horse when he was stopped by a manifestation of Christ. It is a wellknown event, which caused the fierce persecutor of Christians, Saul, to become
Saint Paul: the fiery preacher and apostle of the heathens. Here lies the Saint
Paul memorial monument, which the Pope will visit today.
Damascus is also the seat of the Syrian Orthodox, the Melkite and the Greek
Orthodox patriarch. Except for the Copts, virtually all Eastern Churches are represented in Syria. They comprise most of the one million Christians in Syria, in other
words ten percent of the total population. There is a relatively small community
of Latin Catholics. Freedom of religion is not only guaranteed in the constitution,
but is actually present for all Christians. Sunday, the Pope will first meet the
patriarchs and bishops of Syria in the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate and then he
will meet priests, monks, nuns and laypersons of the country’s Orthodox and
Catholic Churches in the Syrian Orthodox Cathedral. Afterwards, the visit to the
Ummayad Mosque of Damascus will be a unique event in the Church’s history.
The planned meeting with the young and moderate president Bashar Assad may
be important for bringing the peace process in the Middle East back on track.
Malta
The honour of being the most Catholic country in Europe goes to the first to be
evangelised by “the apostle of the people.” The Acts of the Apostles tells of how
Paul was brought to Rome as a prisoner and then wound up on the island of
Malta after a shipwreck. Since then the Maltese have always remained faithful to
the Church of Rome. Even today it is still the most enduring Catholic country in
Europe, with virtually 100 percent of the approximately 400,000 inhabitants
practising. The archipelago has some 386 churches. During his visit to Malta on
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89
Tuesday and Wednesday, the Pope will beatify the Blessed Giorgio Preca. The
motto of this Maltese founder of the Society of the Christian Doctrine was: “Ego
cum papa semper” (I am always with the Pope).
Athens, 04 May 2001
Shortly after his arrival in Athens, Pope John Paul II asked forgiveness for
offences committed by Catholics against the Orthodox. In his speech, he made a
particular mention of the disastrous sacking of the imperial city of Constantinople by the Crusaders.164
Budapest, 21 May 2001
An Orthodox monk, Kostas Poelis, hit the Orthodox Patriarch Christodoulos in
the street, because he received “the head of the Catholic Church”. He was
arrested and was found to be a member of a fundamentalist Orthodox movement, which organised “demonstrations against the antichrist” during the
Pope’s visit.165
GUATEMALA
Area: 108,889 km2
Religion:
Predominantly Catholic
Ethnic groups:
Mestizo 56%
Amerindian 43%
European 1%167
Guatemala City, 04 January 2001
Three army officers, a priest and a former domestic employee were brought
before the court on 15 February 2001 in connection with the murder of Auxiliary
Bishop Juan Gerardi Conedera of Guatemala City. He was murdered on 26 April
1998, a few days after he published a report on human rights.168
164
165
166
167
168
90
CWN Breaking News, 04/05/01. See also: Catholic World News Vatican Update, 04/05/01
Magyar Nemzet (Hungarian Nation), 21/05/01
Guatemala Country Profiles gives a population of 11.2 million
www.forlang.utoledo.edu
CRTN, 05/02/01
90
Guatemala City, 23 March 2001
The trial of the suspects in the murder of Bishop Juan José Gerardi Conedera on
26 April 1998 was delayed.169 One of the suspects, retired Colonel Disrael Lima,
failed to turn up in court reportedly due to heart problems. The presiding judge
decided to send a doctor to determine whether Lima did in fact have heart problems. Another suspect, Captain Byron Lima, yelled out in court: “Wake up,
soldiers, we have a common enemy.” The trial turned into a total chaos.170
The home of the judge leading the trial was also attacked. According to Judge
Yasmin Barrios, the attackers threw two grenades at her house. At the time of
the attack she was eating with her mother and sister. She was not hit, but the
house was seriously damaged. According the judge, she had been threatened
two times previously.171
Guatemala City, 04 April 2001
A priest, three military officers and a cook were on trial in Guatemala City for the
brutal murder of Roman Catholic Bishop Juan Gerardi. This devotee of human
rights was bludgeoned to death three years ago. It took a long time for the
matter to be brought before the court. From the very beginning there were
accusations concerning high ranking military officers, and there is still doubt
about whether the judicial authorities are bringing the true culprits before the
court. The cook and the priest lived in the same house as the bishop.172
Guatemala City, 07 May 2001
A member of the Sisters of Mother Theresa was murdered in Guatemala City
after becoming the victim of a robbery. Sister Barbara Ann Ford (62) worked in
Guatemala for around 20 years. She helped victims of the civil war which ended
in 1996 after 36 years. The war cost the lives of 200,000 people.173
The murder of the American missionary Barbara Ford came at a time when highranking Guatemalan military officers were being questioned about possible
involvement in the Gerardi case. The climate was forbidding. In the run up to the
interrogations, unknown persons opened fire on the home of the examining
magistrate. Other persons involved in the case were also intimidated or received
death threats.
169
170
171
172
173
The bishop was murdered two days after the publication of his report. His report was on the
more than 200,000 people killed during the 26 years of civil war. See also: Catholic World News
Briefs, 26-03-01
Trouw, 04/04/01
91
91
In the last few months there were various raids on the offices of human rights
organisations in Guatemala which were preparing for trials against the perpetrators of the violence. Ford was a member of the Congregation of the Sisters of
Charity from New York and had been working in Guatemala since 1978.174
Guatemala City, 06 June 2001
The Catholic Church in Guatemala accused the former president, Alvaro Arzu, of
being involved in the murder of Auxiliary Bishop Juan Gerardi Conedera in April
1998. President Arzu was in charge of the army that planned the murder, and
must therefore have been informed about the murder. Mynor Melgar, a lawyer
for the Church, explained this to journalists. This is why Arzu should be called as
a witness.175
The Court of Guatemala sentenced Colonel Byron Lima Estrada, his son, Captain
Byron Lima Oliva, and a former presidential bodyguard, Obdulio Villanueva, to
30 years in prison for the murder of auxiliary bishop Juan Gerardi of Guatemala
City in 1998.176
José Eduardo Cojulun, the judge who found the three military officers and a
priest guilty of the 1998 murder of Bishop Gerardi, said that he has received
repeated death threats. He said that he “will not let himself be intimidated and
that he will not leave the country.” Five investigators, a public prosecutor and
judges stopped working on the case earlier. Some of them even fled the country
for fear of being murdered.177
174
175
176
177
92
CRTN, 07/06/01
CRTN, 11/06/01
CRTN, 18/06/01. See also: Catholic World News, 14/06/01
92
HONDURAS
Area: 112,090 km2
Religion :
Roman Catholic 97%
Protestant small minority
Ethnic groups:
Mestizo 90%
Amerindian 7%
African 2%
European 1%178
Bonn, 20 June 2001
The police of Honduras put up a reward of 49.442 US$ for the golden tip-off with
regard to the murder of Jesuit priest Pedro Marchetti. An international human
rights organisation announced that Father Pedro had been threatened on
previous occasions for supporting small farmers.179
INDIA
Area: 3,287,590 km2
Population: 1,000,848,550
Religion:
181
Hindu 80%180
Muslim 12%
Christian 2.4%
Ethnic groups:
Indo-Aryan, Dravidian181
Christians in India comprise about 2.3% of the total population. With that, they
are the third largest religious group, after Hindus and Muslims. Hindu nationalist
leaders regard Christianity as a “hostile religion”, or as a “remnant of coloni178
179
180
181
Honduras categories, www.dirla.com
KNA, 20/06/01
According to IDEA SPEKTRUM, 42/2001, the distribution is as follows: Hindu 82.56%, Muslim
11.35%, Christian 2.43%, Sikh 1.97%, Buddhist 0.79% and other 0.9%. According to the same
sources 4.9% of the population belongs to the highest caste (Brahmans), 10.5% to the higher
castes, 47.6% to the lower castes, 15% to the casteless (Dalits) and 22% other.
93
93
alism in India”. Nevertheless, Christianity has been firmly rooted in India for
almost 2,000 years. It was Saint Thomas who evangelised this region. Approximately 70 percent of the Christians are Catholic.
The number of attacks on Christians has been increasing sharply, particularly in
the last few years. The Indian parliament too is aware of this. In the period from
January 1998 to February 1999, the parliament registered 116 violent attacks on
Christians. The United Nations also mentioned violent incidents against Christians in their 1997 report. As early as December 1996, a special delegate from the
United Nations, Abdelfattah Amor, warned of a sharp increase in acts of
violence. The violence against Christians was fed mainly by extreme nationalist
parties; movements such as RSS, VHP and BJP.
In 1998, India’s National Commission for Minorities carried out a number of
investigations into attacks on Christians. The investigations took place in the
states of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa.
The human rights organisation Human Rights Watch talked with the chairman of
the committee, Tahir Mahmood. He declared the following: “During the last 50
years, similar atrocities have been carried out against Muslims. Nowadays you
see a shift towards Christians. The stories are very emotional. Hindus accuse
Christians of forcing members of the lower castes to convert to Christianity.”
In January 1999, the VHP drew up a programme to enable Hindus who have
converted to Christianity to “convert back to Hindusim”. The programme was
established in Jaipur during a nine-day conference convened especially for this
purpose. Two hundred ’sensitive areas’ were named, which could be eligible for
the programme.
After the Bharatiya Janatha Party (BJP), a Hindu nationalist party, came to
power, the persecution of Christians increased. Prime Minister Vajpayee is
himself a member of the BJP, but has called for tolerance towards Christians on
several occasions.
One of the Hindu extremist movements is the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh
(RSS), which calls for a “return to Hindu values and cultural norms”. The religious
group Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) is affiliated with the RSS. In September 1998,
this movement warned Christian missionaries to leave India.
94
94
Another group is the Bajrang Dal, a very militant Hindu movement with about
500,000 members. Finally, the Sangh Parivar is the group that murdered the
missionary Graham Staines and his sons. This movement has a very strong presence in the Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh states.182
In the opinion of many who follow the developments in India, what extremist
movements like the VHP, Bajrang Dal, RSS and BJP do is nothing more than
implementing the ideals of M.S. Golwalker. The former RSS leader recorded his
points of view in 1939 in “We or Our Nationhood Defined.” He wrote: “In
Hindustan exists and must needs exist the ancient Hindu nation and nought else
but the Hindu Nation. All those not belonging to the national (i.e. Hindu) race,
religion, culture and language nationally fall out of pail of real ’national’ life...
There are only two courses open for foreign elements, either to merge themselves in the national race and adopt its culture, of to live at its mercy so long as
the national race may allow them to do so and to quit the country at the sweet
will of the national race... From this standpoint, sanctioned by the experience of
shrewd old nations, the foreign races in Hindustan must either adopt Hindu
culture and language, must learn to respect and hold in reverence Hindu religion, must entertain no idea but those of the glorification of the Hindu race and
culture, and must lose their separate existence to merge in the Hindu race, or
may stay in the country, wholly subordinated to the Hindu nation, claiming
nothing, deserving no privileges, far less any preferential treatment - not even
citizen’s rights. We are an old nation; let us deal, as old nations ought to and do
deal, with the foreign races who have chosen to live in our country.”183
Thrissur, 03 January 2001
Catholic bishops in southern Kerala state decided not to take part in a meeting
with the Prime Minister. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss religious
rights. The bishops considered the preparation time far too short and felt that
the meeting was manipulated by the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party.184
11 January 2001
Two priests were beaten in Jaher Village in Gujarat. The two, David Masih and
Simon Sakria, were attending a prayer meeting when 50 armed men stormed the
meeting, beating the two priests. David Masih wound up in the hospital. Simon
Sakria disappeared.185
182
183
184
185
Direct and Indirect Persecutions of the Christian Church in India, Targeting Christians. An HRW
report.
95
95
New Delhi, 07 February 2001
Despite the devastating consequences of the earthquake in India, the Hindu
nationalist movement Vishnu Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council) called on
the citizens of India to refuse humanitarian support from Christians. In an interview with Italian newspaper Avvenire, Archbishop Cyril Mar Baselios confirmed
that some Hindus did in fact refuse support from Christians. Father Cedric
Prakash, co-ordinator of Earthquake Affected Relief and Rehabilitation Services,
an umbrella organisation of 40 Catholic NGOs, said that some Hindus tried to
monopolise the assistance to victims.186
Ranchi, 07 February 2001
Ten people, including nine Catholics, were killed on 2 February when police
opened fire on a group of 4,000 people in Jharkhand in East Bihar. According to
UCA News, the people who all belonged to one tribe, were protesting against
police discrimination against one of their fellow tribesmen. The tribe is predominantly Christian.187
23 February 2001
In the late evening, Hindu militants attacked a training school of the Gospel for
Asia. They beat the people present with sticks. Some students were badly
injured.188
New Delhi, 26 February 2001
Fears by Christian groups in eastern Orissa state over the enactment of a controversial law that requires prior government permission before religious conversion turned out to be valid. Police reported that six members of a family from
Channa Singh in Orissa were prevented from converting to Christianity. The
police intervened when Protestant pastor Rameshar Mundu started the conversion Christening ceremony.189
08 March 2001
Gladys Staines, whose husband and two sons were brutally murdered two years
ago, is still being persecuted by radical Hindus. Her dream is to open a hospital
for leprosy sufferers in Mayurbhanj in memory of her husband and children. This
plan is a thorn in the side of Hindu fundamentalists. One of the measures taken
against her is that her visa expires in August 2001. In addition, she is under investigation with regard to “literature against Hindus”.190
186
187
188
189
190
96
CRTN, 08/02/01
CRTN, 07/02/01
96
Kochi, 16 March 2001
A Catholic journalist, who made a programme on corruption in India with a team
of journalists, received death threats from a group of Hindu fundamentalists.
Matthew Samuel told UCA News that he had received various ’phone calls in
which people threatened to kill him: “I fear for my life. I have asked the government for protection.”191
New Delhi, 27 March 2001
Last weekend, there were reports of two major attacks on Christian targets.
Three people, including a Catholic priest and a nun from the Agarthala (northeast India) diocese were badly injured. The assumption is that they too were
victims of militant groups.192
Carrollton, 12 April 2001
Himachal Pradesh only has a handful of Christians, 0.08% of the population to
be precise. It is the least evangelised state in India. But in a small village at the
foot of the Himalayas, Gospel for Asia’s radio programmes caused religious
upheaval. In the village where Tularam lives, nobody knew about the God of the
Bible. One day, he listened to a broadcast by Gospel for Asia. Then he started to
spread the Word of God himself. The result was that the villagers converted to
Christianity en masse.193 This could, however, cause problems with Hindu fundamentalists who are very afraid of proselytism.
New Delhi, 30 April 2001
An Indian court sentenced 17 people to life in prison for the rape of four nuns in
1998. Seven other defendants were acquitted because their involvement could
not be proved. On 23 September 1998, more than 20 armed men stormed a clinic
and school run by the nuns and raped the four nuns. They also ransacked the
school. Hindu fundamentalists were blamed for the attack.194
New Delhi, 16 May 2001
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India condemned the brutal murder of three
Salesian missionaries. They were shot dead yesterday by ethnic militants in the
north-eastern state of Manipur. The entire staff of the Salesian novitiate in
Manipur were murdered: Father Raphael Paliakara (46), Father Andreas Kindo
(31) and Brother Shinu Joseph Valliparambil (23). They were shot dead with
automatic weapons. According to reports received by the CBCI in New Delhi, the
Salesians gave the militant Hindus who forced their way in 30,000 rupees ($680).
191
192
193
194
UCAN, 16/03/01
KERKWEB, 12/04/01
97
97
The extremists were not content with that amount and killed the Salesians when
they tried to reason with them.195
New Delhi, 18 May 2001
Christian schools in north-eastern India were closed on Fridays, in protest at the
murder of three Salesians. More than 4,000 students observed two minutes of
silence and then closed the doors of the schools. Many then took to the streets
to protest.196 More than 1,000 schools were closed in protest and in Shillong, the
capital city of the province of Meghalaya, 25,000 people took to the streets to
protest against the murders.197 Salesians declared that the murder of their three
fellow brothers was a new form of militant aggression towards Christians: “Up
to now, they have only attacked schools. This week they attacked a house of
prayer.”
31 May 2001
The Voice of the Martyrs reported that the family of the late Dondabhai Lazarus
Solanki was prevented from burying his body in a Christian cemetery in Kapadwanj, Kheda, in central Gujarat by a group of militant Hindus on 28 May 2001.
Members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) stalled the funeral procession,
claiming that the cemetery had originally belonged to the Hindus. When the
Christians tried to go ahead with the funeral, the Hindus became violent. Even
using teargas, the police were unable to prevent the Christians from having to
call off the funeral procession; they had to leave the body at the police station.
After several hours, when it became obvious that the militants would not
abandon further violence in the event of a burial in Kapadwanj, the family
decided to bury the body in Ahmedabad.198
14 June 2001
Stephanus-Lahetys Ry, of the Voice of the Martyrs mission, reported that a Hindu
temple in Funda in the Kalahanda region of Orissa was destroyed by fire in the
last week of May 2001. Thus far the police have no suspects. However, Hindus
accused Christians of setting fire to their temple. Shortly after the fire, a group
of Hindus went door-to-door to the homes of Christians, intimidating them to
find out who the arsonists were. On 4 June, evangelist Joseph Senapati was
threatened by Hindus.199
195
196
197
198
199
98
Catholic World News Briefs, 16/05/01. See also: Internazionale Salesiana di Informazione, Via
della Pisana, Roma. And: De la part d’Eglise d’Asie, agence d’information des Missions
êtrangÇres de Paris. See also: Catholic Online News. See also: HMK-Kurir, 07/2001
98
28 June 2001
A missionary from Finland reported that around 100 Christians in the city of
Funda were kicked and beaten because they were accused of setting fire to a
Hindu temple. Two families were forced to convert to Hinduism.200
New Delhi, 20 July 2001
Fundamentalist Hindus stormed two Christian schools in the Indian state of
Gujarat. According to UCA News, a Hindu attacked the Catholic school in Rajkot
and burned a straw doll symbolising the director. In Ahmedabad, a Pentecostal
school was attacked. Christian organisations have reported 150 attacks on Christian buildings in the last three years.201
New Delhi, 01 August 2001
Christians in India were alarmed that their high-quality educational institutions
may be in danger due to new Indian legislation. On 29 July 2001, the All Indian
Christian Council - an ecumenical forum in India - announced that the government, led by the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party, wanted to pass a law
preventing Christian missionaries and Christian educational institutions from
receiving foreign support. Without this support, the educational institutions
would have to close their doors. On 25 July 2001, the Indian newspaper The
Hindu reported that the government is seriously concerned about the free flow
of funds to Christian organisations. Chairman of the All India Christian Council,
Dr Joseph D’Souza, said that this law will become a tool in the hands of the
Indian government to “target Christian institutions.”202
17 August 2001
According to the Hindus, the Christians themselves are to blame for being
attacked by extremist Hindus in India last week. The anger of the Hindus can be
attributed to the conversion of their fellow believers to Christianity. According
to the police, two groups were involved in the attacks on a priest, a nun and
Church property. One of these groups is the Bajrang Dal, an organisation that
has links with the pro-Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party. “If things carry
on like this, there will be even more violence. They should expect that,” said
Milind Parande, the national chairman of Bajrang Dal.203
200
201
202
203
CRTN, 23/07/01. See also: KATHPRESS, 20/07/01 and KNA, 20/07/01
FIDES, 01/08/01
99
99
100
100
101
101
New Delhi, 20 August 2001
Catholic bishops attending a meeting of India’s northern regional Catholic
Council expressed their deep disappointment over the statement by Indian Prime
Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. He said that “Christian missionaries are making
conversions in the guise of service”. Catholic bishops said that this statement was
made at a time of increasing violence against Christians. “Our anxiety is partly
because of the fact that this comment was made by the official leader of the
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Party. In this way, this fundamentalist Hindu
group is leading a hate campaign against Christians in the presence of Indian
political leaders.”
Meanwhile, Vajpayee’s statement that “even the motive of Christian social work
is conversion” has stirred controversy. There was chaos even in parliament, when
the opposition pointed out that such a hidden agenda of the government was
coming out in the open.”204
30 August 2001
Late in the evening of 26 August 2001, many Christians were holding a service
when Hindu militants stormed the church in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.
They smashed everything to pieces. This was the fourth incident to take place in
this state in August.205
Calcutta, 12 September 2001
A student organisation in the city of Howrah in the Indian state of West Bengal
burned Christian books in public. The local leader of the government party
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Samir Hait, said in the daily newspaper Times of
India that the “books tarnish the minds of our children. Christian missionaries
want to poison the atmosphere by handing these books out in schools.” The
book burning was organised by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parish linked with
the party.
New Delhi, 31 October 2001
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India was shocked at the controversial statement made by the leader of the powerful Hindu group Rashtriya Swayamsevak
Sangh. He said that Christians in India have closed their doors to a dialogue and
a better understanding with Muslims.206
204
205
206
102
Aid to the Church in Need, 31/10/01
102
IRAN
Area: 1,648,000 km2
Religion:
Muslim 99% (Shi’ite)
Baha’i 0.5%
Jewish 0.1% (Farsi)
Christian 0.4%
Ethnic groups:
Persian 75.6%
Azeri, Gilaki, Mazandarani207
One of the most extremist groups is the Mojahadin-e-Khaleq (MEK), which has
been involved in several violent acts against Christians. According to the government, the state religion is Islam, particularly the Ja’fari Shi’isme sect. Christians,
Zoroastrians and Jews are considered protected minorities; however, the publication of Christian literature is prohibited.
London, 12 April 2001
To convert Muslims in Great Britain to Christianity, an influential Iranian evangelist put his life on the line. The 43-year-old evangelist, who has assumed a
different name for safety reasons, received death threats in Teheran because he
talked with Muslims about Jesus Christ. He fled to the United Kingdom. Now in
British hotels, he tries to engage in conversations with Muslims, many of whom
come from Iran.208
207
208
International Christian Concern and CIA The World Factbook 2000. See also: Christian Solidarity
Worldwide, Country Profile for Iran.
KERKWEB, 12/04/01
103
103
IRAQ
Area: 437,072 km2
Religion:
Muslim 59.1% (Shi’ite) and 36.1% (Sunni)
Christian 3.3% (mostly Catholic)
Ethnic groups:
Arab, Kurdish, Turkmen209
In Iraq it is mainly the Protestant minority churches that are threatened. There
have been numerous death threats and attacks on priests and Christian bookstores. The provisional constitution of 1968 establishes Islam as the state religion.
London, 08 November 2001
A leader of the Iraqi opposition said that Christians in the country are suffering
the consequences of 11 September 2001. Albert Yelda, leader of the Iraqi
National Congress opposition movement, told UPI: “They no longer dare to wear
their traditional crosses. They are being called ’crusaders’. They do not receive
food rations.” He added that supporters of Saddam Hussein have told Christians:
“Ask the Americans to feed you. You have no business here.”
Yelda explained that the recent persecution of Christians is just a new chapter in
a long history of violence against Christians at the hand of Saddam Hussein. “He
hates minorities.” The government has ordered the destruction of villages and
churches of Assyrian Christians; Saddam’s son has even raped and murdered
Assyrian women. He even admitted this in public.210
209
210
104
CAN News, 08/11/01
104
ISRAEL
Area: 20,770 km2
Religion:
Jewish 81.4%
Muslim 15.4% (Sunni)
Catholic 1.3%
Orthodox: 0.81%
Protestant 0.21%
Ethnic groups:
Jewish and Arab211
There have been many reports of harassment and violence by Jewish Orthodox
groups. However there are no organised extremist groups against Christians. The
constitution guarantees freedom of religion. Prosetylising is not prohibited but
is discouraged.
21 January 2001
Orthodox Jews presented legislation in the Israeli parliament against missionary
activities by non-Jews. According to the proposed amendment, anyone participating in evangelistic activities (including mailings and faxes) faces a minimum
of three months in prison.
Jerusalem, 05 March 2001
On Sunday 4 March, the Israeli court ordered six Melkite monks of the St John of
the Desert Monastery to return the property they lived in to the Franciscans. In
1922, Franciscans built a monastery on the site where they thought John had
lived. The buildings were handed over to the Melkites in 1979. When the
Melkites failed to pay rent in 1994, the Franciscans turned to the Israeli court.212
“Destroy our churches if you must, but leave the people their homes.” This was
the message by the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Michael Sabbah, to the Israeli
army in the spring of 2001. “If you need at all costs some sort of collective punish-
211
212
CRTN, 06/03/01
105
105
ment or ransom, to restore tranquillity to innocent children and families we
offer you our churches to destroy.”
The Patriarch’s letter is a call for peace in the Holy Land, at a time when tension
is high. Before writing his letter, the 67-year-old Patriarch visited his parishes,
communities and civil authorities in Palestine. The tensions led many Christians
to leave the area. He said: “Roads are closed, towns and villages in a state of
siege, no work, constant bombing. Brothers and Sisters, do not leave your land.
Have patience. God wants you to be believers in Him and witnesses of his Son
Jesus Christ here, in this land. Remain here in these Holy Places.” He also
addressed the Israelis: “Do not look at the Palestinian, Christian or Muslim as a
terrorist, someone who wants only to hate and kill...Remember you too [in the
past] called out for freedom, with the same cry of the oppressed.”213
Jerusalem, 12 March 2001
Israeli solders refused to let the Latin Patriarch Michael Sabbah enter the West
Bank on Friday 9 March, even though the Patriarch holds a diplomatic passport.
The Patriarch was travelling to the town of Ein Arik, near Ramallah, with several
priests to celebrate Mass. Father Raed Abusahlia, chancellor of the patriarchate,
said the soldiers refused to honour the special ID given to the patriarch by the
Israeli Ministry of Religious Affairs. The soldiers also refused to listen to explanations provided by the parish priest in Ein Arik, Father Giovanni Cinti, and even
held him briefly. The Patriarch was also unable to visit the village of Bir Zeit
because roads to the town had been cut off by the Israeli army.214
Jerusalem, March 2001
The Israeli army apologised to the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Michael Sabbah, after
recently refusing him entry to the West Bank. “It was a mistake,” said an army
spokesman.215
Jerusalem, 02 April 2001
Christians, Catholics in the Gaza strip not only suffer the bombings, but are also
prevented from working in Israel by blockades. This concerns about 500,000
people. Most people have been condemned to doing nothing in the refugee
camps. Sister Mary said about the Catholics: “Our Catholic presence also has to
deal with the large number of Catholics involved in building one of the refugee
camps. This park is a project of the Pontifical Mission/Catholic Near-East Welfare
Association. It is the only beautiful thing in that neighbourhood and although it
213
214
215
106
FIDES, 02/03/01
Catholic World News Briefs, 12/03/01. See also: CWNews.com
ANP, March 2001
106
is not yet officially open and the gates are locked except for the workmen during
the day, at night there are already hundreds of persons who enter by climbing
over the wall.”216
Gaza, 12 April 2001
Easter, the feast of rejoicing and peace, was celebrated in the Gaza strip with
intensive bombing of Palestine centres by the Israeli army. Father Manuel
Musallam, of the Holy Family parish with 500 Catholics, presided over the funeral
of Elias Semaan Id, aged 43, who lived in the Khan Younis refugee camp. Id was
one of the victims of nine bombings of the area. The priest told FIDES staff about
this: “We refuse the world’s pity. We prefer to keep our dignity. On Palm Sunday
my church was overflowing with people who have lost all hope. My community
consists of 200,000 Palestinians who live in desperate and unjust conditions in
Gaza, besieged by fear and suffering.” Sister Marie-Abel, who heads the parish
primary school, said that suffering increases day by day. She and her staff
encourage the children aged between two and seven years to talk about their
fears as a way of coping.217
Tel Aviv, 31 October 2001
Students from the Terra Santa School in Jaffa were on a field trip when they
stopped at a McDonald’s restaurant in Beersheba. Soon afterwards several buses
of Jewish students arrived and they provoked a fight that soon turned nasty.
Several students of the Catholic school were injured when they were attacked
and beaten by Jewish teenagers. Three of them were badly injured. Father
Arturo Vasaturo OFM, the pastor of the parish where the Terra Santa School is
located, protested to the authorities that the adults supervising the Jewish teenagers did nothing to prevent or stop the fighting.218
216
217
218
FIDES, 02/04/01
FIDES, 12/04/01
CWN News, 31/10/01. See also: FIDES, 31/10/01
107
107
IVORY COAST
Area: 322,460 km2
Religion:
Muslim 60%
Christian 22%
Tribal beliefs 18%219
Ethnic groups:
Akan 42.1%
Voltaiques or Gur 17.6%
Northern Mandes 16.5%
Southern Mandes 10%
Krous 11%
Other 2%220
Rome/Abidjan, 12 December 2000
In a world of violence in the West African republic of the Ivory Coast, violent
actions against religious leaders are piling up. MISNA reported that Bishop
Joseph Niangoran Teky was hospitalised by unknown men. In his diocese the
convents and monasteries of the Order of the Sisters of the Holy Heart of Jesus
and of the missionaries of the Holy Heart were also attacked. The 57-year-old
missionary Regis Grange was killed on 10 November.221
219
220
221
108
MapQuest: World Atlas, www.vada.nl/landen; according to CIA The World Factbook these figures are very different: Christian 34%, Muslim 27%, no religion 21%, Animist 15% and other
3% (these figures are from 1998).
CIA The World Factbook
KATHPRESS, 12/12/00
108
JORDAN
Area: 88,930 km2
Religion:
Muslim 94% (Sunni)
Orthodox 2.68%
Catholic 1.55%
Protestant 0.49%222
Ethnic groups:
Arab 98%
Circassian 1%
Armenian 1%
There are several Muslim groups that advocate a stronger Islamic state. The most
extremist group is the Muslim Brotherhood. The constitution designates Islam as
the state religion but prohibits discrimination of other religions. Christians have
a strong representation in the government, media and education in comparison
to their numbers: nine of the 80 seats in the Lower House are reserved for Christians. Prosetilysing by non-Muslims is illegal.
222
International Christian Concern, 19/02/01 and Compton’s World Atlas
109
109
KAZAKHSTAN
Area: 2,717,300 km2
Religion:
Muslim 47% (Sunni)
Orthodox Christians 44%
Protestant 2%
Latin Rite 360,000
Ethnic groups:
Kazakh (Qazaq) 44%
Russian 35.8%
Ukrainian 5.1%
German 3.6%
Uzbek 2.2%
Tartar 2.0%
Other (Belarussian, Azerbaijani,
Korean, Uighur): 7.0%223
Kazakhstan has almost always had ethnic problems. In 1991 this became even
more of a burning issue. The result was a wave of emigrations, first by Jews, and
then Germans who had been deported to Kazakhstan by Stalin at the time. The
Jews left for Israel and the Germans for Germany.
The ethnic shift is visible from the following figures:
1989
1999
1. Kazakhs
40.1%
53.4%
2. Russians
37.4%
30.0%
3. Ukrainians
5.4%
3.7%
4. Germans
5.8%
2.4%
5. Uzbeks
2.0%
2.5%
6. Tartars
1.4%
1.7%
7. Koreans
0.6%
0.7%
8. Poles
0.4%
0.3%224
223
224
110
International Christian Concern, 19/02/01 and CIA The World Factbook, 1999
FIDES, Kazakhstan: where Europe meets Asia.
110
Approximately 47% of the population is Muslim. The majority of the Catholics
live in the northern part of Kazakhstan. The number of Catholics is now estimated at 300,000, divided into 32 parishes. Most Catholics are of Polish origin.
On 13 April 1991, the Holy See erected the apostolic administration of Kazakhstan, with its seat in Karaganda. The apostolic administer is Bishop Jan Pavel
Lenga, also of Polish origin. In 1997, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan
separated from this apostolic administration. Kyrgyzstan followed a year later.
All were given the status of independent “missio sui juris”. In 1997, Rome estimated that there were 300,000 Catholics in this region.225
A total restructuring of the Church of Kazakhstan took place in 1999. It became
a regular diocese, with the bishop’s chair in Karaganda. The former parts of the
apostolic administration were divided into four: the apostolic administrations of
Astana, Almaty and Atyrau (the rest comprises the Kazakhstan diocese). In the
course of 2000 and 2001, the apostolic administrators of Almaty (Henry
Howaniec) and Astana (Tomaz Peta) were ordained as bishops.
12 April 2001
On 27 and 28 March, a Protestant Forum was held in Almaty. According to
reports, progress was made in discussions with the government about accepting
other Churches besides Islam and the Orthodox Church. According to existing
legislation, those caught spreading religions other than the two mentioned are
threatened with severe penalties.226
July 2001
The Ministry of Justice in Kazakhstan passed a bill that bans Christian organisations from all forms of evangelisation, spreading Christian literature and social
work. At the last moment, the parliament sent the bill back to the Ministry,
following protests by Christian groups.227
Astana, 05 September 2001
“There will probably be more Muslims than Christians attending the Papal Mass
in the capital.” This was the opinion of the Italian Father Edoardo Canetta, who
was ’lent’ to Kazakhstan by the Milan diocese seven years ago. Since
4 September, passes were distributed at five different points in the capital to
people wishing to attend the Pope’s Mass. According to Father Canetta, 90
percent of the people asking for passes were Muslim. The Grand Mufti called on
Muslims to prepare to welcome the “important guest”. Several Mullahs even
encouraged people to attend the Papal Mass.
225
226
227
Info-Sekretariat, Aid to the Church in Need, 06/09/01
Open Doors, July/August 2001, p. 13.
111
111
This reaction was a surprise to many. Only 360,000 of the 15 million people living
in the country are Catholic. Clearly the Pope’s fame plays an important role
here.228 Other Christian groups also reacted positively to the visit: on
6 September, Catholic Bishop Peta would meet with Orthodox representatives.
In Kazakhstan the relationship between Catholics and Orthodox is generally
good.
KENYA
Area: 582,650 km2
Religion:
Protestant 45%
Catholic 25.9%
Muslim 10%
Traditional African religions
Ethnic groups:
Kikuyu, Luhya, Luo and Kalenjin229
There are no extremist groups in the country. However, there are sometimes
reports of Muslims destroying Christian churches.
Nairobi, 09 April 2001
Archbishop Mwana A’Nzeki of Nairobi, leader of the Catholic Church in Kenya,
warned that the government was endangering the process of constitutional
reforms by excluding religious representatives from the process.
Two years ago the reformation process failed when a team of 12 people
appointed by parliament was unable to present a complete amendment of the
constitution. To break through the deadlock, leaders of the Catholic and the
Protestant Church, Muslims and Hindus put together their own panel for
228
229
112
FIDES, 05/09/01
112
reforms. However, President Daniel Arap Moi announced that he did not want
to work with this group.230
Nairobi, 20 April 2001
Religious leaders in Kenya rejected the conclusion by the American FBI that the
death of Father Kaiser was a suicide. Father Kaiser died of gunshot wounds on
24 August 2000. The Archbishop of Nairobi, Monsignor Raphale Ndingi Mwana’a
Nzeki was somewhat guarded in his statement, saying he would study the FBI’s
conclusions. But Father Kaiser’s Bishop, Colin Cameron Davies of the Ngong
diocese, was more outspoken: “This is a clear case of murder, and obviously there
was a murderer.” Father Kaiser was an outspoken advocate of the poor in Kenya.
When he died, the first conclusion was that the killing was deliberate.
Father Dan Kenny, another American priest working in Kenya, described the FBI
report as “ridiculous”. Gibson Kamau Kuria, a leader of the Law Society of
Kenya, called the report “incredible”.
This is not the first time that someone opposing the system in Kenya was eliminated. There have been five known cases since 1965.231
Nairobi, 23 August 2001
On the first anniversary of the mysterious death of Father Kaiser, on 20 August,
the Catholic Bishops of Kenya declared that “the Kenya Episcopal Conference
and all the people of goodwill wish to remember not only the excellent personality of the late Father Kaiser, but also what he lived, believed in and died for.”
American-born Father John Anthony Kaiser was a member of the Order of the
Missionaries of St Joseph of Mill Hill. The statement was signed by the President
of the Bishops’ Conference, Bishop John Njue of Embu.
On 24 August 2000, Father Kaiser was found dead with a bullet in his head. The
official report by the Kenyan Criminal Investigation Department said that he
committed suicide. The FBI, which also conducted an investigation, confirmed
this. However, the Kenyan Bishops’ Conference disagrees totally with this report.
They say that Father Kaiser’s death was the result of his activity to defend human
rights.232
230
231
232
Catholic World News Features, 20/04/01. In November 1965, Italian priest Father Michael Stallone was murdered; in January 1991 Italian priest Father Luigi Guiseppe Stallone; in September
1994 Irish priest Father Martin Boyle; in September 1998 Italian priest Luigi Andeni and in January 1997 Irish monk Larry Timmons. See also Catholic World News Briefs, 30/04/01
FIDES, 23/08/01. A report in Christen in Not, 06/2001, also expresses doubts about the suicide of
Father Kaiser. See also: ZENIT, 25/05/01 and DIA, 27/04/01
113
113
NORTH KOREA
Area: 120,540 km2
Religions
Buddhism and Confucianism nearly 100%
Christian 500,000233
Ethnic groups:
Korean
Behind the façade of North Korea
234
North Korea is still a rigid Stalinist country, with tragic consequences for a
starving population. The West closes its eyes to this for political-economic
reasons. A British documentary recently broadcast a shocking report.
Ben van de Venn
They no longer have names. They are called “erring swallows” and they stagger
with hunger. The same scene can be found in every big city in North Korea. In
markets and squares or at the edge of the city in the mud, one finds children,
often orphans, looking for scraps of food. In their tattered clothes, the adults do
not even notice them in the background. Sometimes they are even chased away
from the market as they look for a few grains of rice.
Shocking report
British journalist Joe Layburn and North Korean cameraman Ahn Chol and his
hidden camera made a shocking report on these orphans in the country that can
no longer see them. On Wednesday 28 March and on Saturday 1 April, Humanistische Omroep broadcast the documentary “Children of a Secret State” on the
Nederland 1 channel. The film competed for the A.I. Filmfestival Award 2001 at
the Amnesty International Film Festival at the beginning of April. It is incomprehensible that images which show the true nature of the most Stalinist country in
the world as plain as day, did not generate more publicity. Perhaps this can be
explained by the fact that more and more EU countries have established diplomatic relations with North Korea.
233
234
114
114
Orphans
In recent years, three million people in North Korea have died of starvation. We
know the hard facts. But the rest of this Communist country remains a closed
book for the West, and also for human rights organisation Amnesty International. Cameraman Ahn Chol (an alias), who himself fled to China, wanted to use
his hidden camera to film what really takes place in his native country. In the
North Korean city, the name of which is not mentioned for safety reasons, he
filmed adults who sat eating while pushing aside as a nuisance street children in
search of grains of rice. A distressing revelation, which brings down the North
Korean government’s claim that it takes care of its orphans.
Façade
The documentary includes pictures by British journalist Joe Layburn, who travelled on a tourist visa. He would not have been allowed into the country as a
journalist. The group he travelled with was ’accompanied’ by a guide, who made
it clear immediately that photos could only be taken with his permission. This
resulted in a tour along the façade which is the capital city of Pyongyang. The
large statues and billboards of the “father of the country”, President Kim Jongil, on every street corner greet visitors with a smile. Apart from that, the city
consists of empty streets and all but abandoned high-rise buildings, like the 16storey hotel where Layburn stayed which was virtually empty. The images show
that the country is not functioning and that the economy must be completely
dysfunctional.
Children’s palace
In the hotel rooms, the big leader Kim can be on TV in all kinds of forms and situations. The favourite name is “Wise counsellor of the workers”. In the hotel,
which is on an island in the city’s river, guests are treated to the most exquisite
meals, which the average North Korean can only dream of. Another part of that
façade put up for foreigners is the well-fed and healthy looking children of the
elite who put on colourful shows. A special children’s palace has been built for
this purpose, in the pompous style that is known from so many Communist countries. Ahn Chol’s hidden camera shows what happens behind this façade,
producing a dreadful picture.
Cannibalism
In a small town on the other side of the Tumen River, which forms a kind of
Berlin Wall between North Korea and China, the documentary makers talked to
115
115
Korean refugees. Disguised on the screen, a man talked about a family that died
under a bridge in the cold. The father would rather his family died than slowly
starved to death. One of the orphans among these refugees told them the sickening story of how hunger has led to cannibalism in North Korea. The meat of
people who have died is sold on the market as pork. You can’t tell the difference,
the young refugee explained unmoved. His story was confirmed by the aforementioned man and by drawings made by children from North Korea.
Cynical practices
In the refugee town they also hear stories about the so-called ’orphanages’
where children hardly get anything to eat and no medical care. Ahn Chol’s
pictures show such a house, which could rightfully be called a house of the dead.
One of the children who spent time in the house talked about a boy who wanted
to escape and jumped out of a window. Another man told a story that shed a
bright light on the infamous way in which the government deals with its starving
people. “Most of the fertile soil in North Korea,” he explained, “is used to grow
poppies, which is made into heroin in state factories.” These products, produced
under duress, are sold to other countries for good money to buy weapons. The
US has accused North Korea of these cynical practices before. It turns out to be
true.
Internment camps
After eight days, Layburn had to leave China because the time he was permitted
to stay as a tourist had expired. He then travelled to Seoul, which also houses
many North Korean refugees. However, the South Koreans are no longer very
fond of stories about the atrocities of the Stalinist regime in the North. Since the
surprising meeting between South Korean leader Kim Dae Jung and Kim Jong-il
in June of 2000, they believe in reconciliation between the two countries which
are formally still at war with each other. Layburn met Ahn Myong Chull, a
refugee who told him about a lesser known atrocious aspect of North Korea: the
internment camps.
“One out of every hundred people in North Korea lives in such a camp,”
confirmed Ahn, who himself was forced to be a guard. Often whole families are
interned; this is an extra deterrent to any counterrevolutionaries. His descriptions of the cruelties in these camps defy the power of imagination. Drawings
made by former internees confirm his stories: rapes, torture of pregnant women
and brutal murders. It was forbidden to treat the prisoners as people. Guards
116
116
who shot refugees were rewarded. The result was that the guards would
encourage prisoners to attempt to escape, only to shoot them afterwards.
Stalinist
According to Kim Jong-il, his country has suffered five years of starvation
because of failed harvests and periods of drought. The real reason, economic
mismanagement, is painstakingly concealed. Apparently, the West does not
want to see the failure and the cruelty of the Stalinist regime. In recent years,
North Korea has received more aid per head of the population than any other
country. However, the population hardly benefits from this at all. Ahn Chol’s
images show that corn from the United States and food from the Red Cross is
sold on the market to those who are still somewhat well-off. But the majority of
the food aid goes to the army. The aid organisation Action Against Hunger has
withdrawn from North Korea in protest. They no longer wanted to stand by and
watch how children starved while the food aid wound up in the wrong place due
to corruption and wastage.
Shams
It is time for the West to see through the shams of Kim Jong-il. The meeting with
the South Korean president in the summer of 2000 was not so much the result of
a wish for reconciliation and peace, but to obtain more financial and material
support. Admittedly, this resulted in a number of meetings between family
members in the South with their relatives in the North and vice-versa. But this
right, which should be normal, was presented as a gesture of peace during a
“week of reconciliation”. It turned out later that the visitors from the North had
been selected on the basis of their loyalty to the Stalinist regime.
There will only be a real breakthrough when aid organisations receive permission to monitor where the food aid ends up. And the flagrant violation of human
rights must come to an end. Then work can be done on a ecclesiastical structure
and South Korean priests can finally bring their countrymen mental nourishment. The Archbishop of Seoul and also apostolic administrator of North Korea,
Monsignor Nicholas Cheong, said in an interview last week that 60 priests in his
diocese are ready to go to North Korea. It is not very likely that they will be
allowed to in the short term. Following the historic meeting in the summer of
2000 between the two Kims there was also talk about a possible visit to both
South and North Korea by the Pope. The archbishop confirmed that he had been
117
117
118
118
119
119
invited by North Korea in that context. “But,” he added meaningfully, “only
verbally and not in writing.”
01 June 2001
Christians in Communist North Korea face severe persecution. This was declared
by Monika Pankoke-Schenk, president of the Papal Women’s Mission last week.
She denounced the situation for Christians in the country upon her return from
a trip to South Korea. She was there to offer aid to female refugees from North
Korea. The strict Communist regime regards Christians as its arch-enemy, said the
president.235
Seoul, 21 June 2001
The Commission for Reconciliation of the Korean People called on the Communist government of North Korea to allow Catholic missionaries into the country.
The Commission is made up of Catholic bishops. The appeal was published on the
Day of Unity and Reconciliation of the Korean People. The bishops also called on
Pyongyang to guarantee religious freedom in North Korea.236
01 October 2001
There are at least ten prison camps in North Korea. Between 1972 and 1998
alone, 400,000 people died here and another 200,000 are still imprisoned here.
This amounts to about one percent of the population of more than 20 million:
one out of every 100 people, one in every state, one in every block of flats. Of
those 200,000 no more than 20% have actually committed a crime. The rest are
family, because evil is eradicated root and branch, sometimes up to the third
generation.237
North Korea once had nearly 2,300 communities with 300,000 Christians. After
1950, nearly all of them were murdered or locked up, except for a small group
that managed to reach South Korea. Christians are the greatest insult to the two
Kims. They have also had to endure the most in the camps. It can no longer be
said with certainty, but many North Koreans estimate the number of Christians
today at half a million.238
235
236
237
238
120
Katholiek Nieuwsblad, 01-06-01. See also KNA.
CRTN, 22/06/01
OPEN DOORS, October 2001
120
KYRGYZSTAN
Area: 73,860 km2
Religion:
Muslim 70-75%
Russian Orthodox 20%
The remainder are Catholic
and Protestant
Ethnic groups:
Russian239
23 February 2001
The Church of St Michael the Archangel in Kyrgyzstan’s capital city of Bishkek
was the first non-European Catholic parish registered under the Soviet system.
Up to now it has remained the only one. The number of Christians in this country
has declined drastically after 90 percent of the German-speaking population
emigrated.240
LAOS
Area: 235,000 km2
Religion:
Buddhist 60%
Animist 35%
Protestant 35,000
Ethnic groups:
Lao Loum, Lao Thai, Lao Theung,
Lao Sung241
239
240
241
International Christian Concern, 28/02/01, and Compton’s World Atlas
Open Doors International, Country Profiles
121
121
Laos: the communist government uses every possible means to thwart the
spread of Catholicism242
Königstein, 17 April 2001
Although the constitution does guarantee freedom of religion, the Communist
government strongly restricts it in day-to-day life, according to representatives
of the international aid organisation Aid to the Church in Need following its visit
to the south-east Asian country. Laos is known as one of the most underdeveloped countries in the world. The rural population in the north of the country are
the main victims. According to reports from the country’s clergymen, the local
governments have put pressure on the inhabitants of several villages in that
region, to prevent them from converting to Catholicism. In addition, Church
workers are frequently arrested. According to official figures, 90 percent of the
5.2 million Laotians are Buddhist. The Christians, who usually belong to the
Hmong community, only form a minority in the country.
The government uses every possible means to prevent the spread of Catholicism.
Building permits for new churches are only issued if there was previously a
church on the site. In addition, when arranging large gatherings, permission
must be obtained from the government and a list of participants must be
provided.
Another problem for the Catholic Church in Laos is the reported acute shortage
of priests. At the moment there are only 15 priests for the approximately 35,000
Catholics in the country’s four vicariate apostolics. Like 80 percent of the population, most of them live in rural areas. Because of the lack of infrastructure, it is
difficult to reach them. In the southern vicariate apostolic of Paksé there are
several villages that have not seen a priest since the Communists seized power 26
years ago. According to the aid organisation’s staff, the shortage of priests can
be attributed to the lack of qualified instructors. Therefore candidates for the
priesthood prefer to study at seminaries in nearby Thailand and Vietnam. If the
seminarians do not return to Laos for their ordination, they are not allowed to
work there as priests. It has also been a long time since foreign missionaries were
allowed to be active in Laos. Even more important for the survival of the Church
in Laos are the consequent many catechists and the barely 100 nuns who assist
the priests in spiritual care.
242
122
INFO, Aid to the Church in Need, 18/04/01
122
In the past, Aid to the Church in Need made approximately 250,000 US dollars
available to the Catholic Church in Laos. This year, the aid organisations want to
support the construction of churches and chapels and the education of nuns and
catechists.
May 2001
The government recently closed two churches in the south. Three years ago,
there were still 20 churches in Savannakhet; now there are just five. In 1999, the
Communist regime of Laos declared Christianity “public enemy number one”.
Last year, there were 60 Christian prisoners in Laos, this year we know of 31.
However, this does not signify an improvement in the situation, but more likely
shows that the hard action against Christians is a success.243
Vientiane, 09 July 2001
According to a report by Jubilee Campaign, a British human rights group, eight
Protestants were arrested by the Communist authorities in the province of
Savannakhet on 31 May 2001. The Christians were accused of co-operating with
foreign powers and involvement in anti-Communist activities. “The Communist
authorities are planning to banish religion from Laos’ society,” said Wilfred
Wong, a researcher for Jubilee Campaign.244
Vietane, 16 July 2001
In the province of Savannakhet, eight Protestants were tortured with the aim of
getting them to renounce their religion. The victims, ranging in age from 30 – 60
years of age, were arrested and accused of anti-government activities. Protestants in Laos are more frequent victims of violence than Catholics, because they
are more open about their religion. In the course of 2000, more than 60 Christians and several Buddhists were victims of religious persecution.245
According to FIDES, the arrestees were subjected to electric shocks to put them
under pressure. FIDES also named the following victims: Sipasert Phuadaeng
(52), Bounyarn Robkhob (58), Tem Vhanthara (56), Mr Puang (60), Phouwanard
Trivilaisook (54), Mr Kiloy (36) and Kongphaeng Phrasawat (36). All of them are
leaders of the local church. Finally, Mr Khemphet (30) is an active member of the
Church. FIDES also confirmed that Protestants suffer more. The religious policy of
Laos is comparable to that of Vietnam. Protestants have to endure more because
they present themselves more clearly. Catholics appear in a good light because
of their education and social service to society. The persecution is often organ-
243
244
245
Open Doors, June/July 2001
CRTN, 10/07/01
CRTN, 17/07/01
123
123
ised by the local authorities, without the central government knowing anything
about it.246
September 2001
Several Christians were tortured into renouncing their religion. After signing a
document in which they declared to renounce Christianity, they were released.
These documents, in the possession of several Christians from the village of
Paksong, came into the hands of Christian Solidarity Worldwide.247
01 October 2001
The authorities in Laos released eight Christians in July after they were forced to
renounce their religion. The seven leaders and a parishioner were arrested on 31
May, bringing the number of (known) Christian prisoners in Laos to 33.248
27 September 2001
Letters from the World Evangelical Fellowship of Christian Leaders from Laos
show that the Communist government has started a persecution campaign
against Christians, with the objective of wiping out Christianity. Christian leaders
were asked to either renounce their religion or give up their social position. The
authorities closed more than 60 churches. Twenty-one Christians were put in
prison for their church activities.249
246
247
248
249
124
FIDES, 13/07/01. See also: Jubilee Campaign Press Release 06/07/01 "Church Leaders Arrested in
Laos."
Christen in Not, 09/2001. See also: FIDES 20/07/01 and Schweizerische Kotholisches Wochenzeitung, 20/07/01. KATHPRESS 17/07/01, KNA 14/07/01
124
LEBANON
Area: 10,452 km2
Religion:
Muslim 50%
Christian 50%250
Ethnic groups:
Arab 95%
Armenian 4%
Other 1%
14 February 2001
Hezbollah militias dug up the bodies of young men from Christian graves at the
Aytroun cemetery on 14 February. One of the mothers who protested against
them was forcefully removed and forced to keep quiet about it. A Hezbollah
spokesman gave the following reason: “These dead are not worthy of Lebanon’s
soil.”251
Beirut, 05 March 2001
A Christian cemetery outside the town of Aytroun, in southern Lebanon, was
desecrated by a group of Hezbollah warriors, who dug open the tombs and
flung out the bodies. The reason given by the Hezbollah was that the persons
buried there were “traitors who did not deserve to be buried in Lebanese soil.”
Hezbollah accuses Christians in southern Lebanon of collaborating with Israel
during the Jewish occupation (1978-2000). When women tried to prevent the
graves from being profaned, they were intimidated. They too were threatened
with revenge if they reported the incident to the authorities. Catholic sources in
Lebanon said that the Hezbollah attacks on Catholics have increased sharply
following the meeting of the Pope and Lebanese president Emile Lahoud on
2 March 2001.252
Beirut, 26 March 2001
Muslim leaders in Lebanon warned the Lebanese Maronitic Patriarch Nasrallah
Sfeir after his criticism of Syrian presence in the country. The northern Lebanese
Muslim sheiks warned the Cardinal that he had to stop asking Syrians to leave
the country.253
250
251
252
ArabNet, Lebanon, 17/04/01. The largest group of Christians is formed by the Marionites, followed by the Greek Orthodox, Greek Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, Armenian Catholic, Syrian
Catholic, Chaldeans, Protestant and Syrian Orthodox.
HMK-Kurir, 05/2001
Catholic World News Briefs, 05/03/01. See also: CRTN, 06/03/01
125
125
CATHOLIC INSTITUTIONS IN LEBANON
254
1. Men’s Orders of consecrated and apostolic life
a. Maronites
1.
2.
3.
4.
Lebanese Maronite Order (OLM)
Antonine Maronite Order (AOM)
Mariamite Maronite Order (OMM)
Congregation of Lebanese Maronite Missionaries (MLM)
Total
474
164
141
104
883
b. Greek Catholic Melkites
1.
2.
3.
4.
Salvatorian Basilian Order (OBS)
Chouerite Basilian Order (OBC)
Alepine Basilian Order (OBA)
Missionary Society of St. Paul (MP)
Total
89
40
28
37
194
c. Armenian Catholics
1. Institute of Patriarcal Clergy of Bzommar
2. Mekhitarists
They are not all in Lebanon
Total
d. Syrian Catholics
There are only eight Syrian Catholics in all of Lebanon.
253
254
126
www.opuslibani.org.lb
126
88
e. Latins
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
Community of the Beatitudes
White Fathers (Missionaries of Africa)
Capuchins, OFM Cap
Carmelites (Discalced), OCD
Conventuals, OFM Conv.
Dominicans (Preachers), OP
Christian School Brothers, FSC
Focolari Movement or Work of Mary
Franciscans (Friars Minor) OFM
Jesuits, SJ
Vincentians, Congregation of the Mission, CM
Marists (Institute of Marist School Brothers), FMS
Redemptorists (Congr. Of the Most Holy Redeemer), CSSR
Salesians (Salesian Society of St. John Bosco), SDB
Trappists (Cistercian Order of the Strict Observance), OCSO
Total
4
3
24
29
4
2
40
8
9
59
27
15
4
5
3
236
Summary of totals
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Maronites
Greek Melkites
Armenians
Syrians
Latins
Total
883
194
88?
8
236
1,409
127
127
2. Women’s Orders of consecrated and apostolic life
a. Maronites
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Congregation of the Maronite Sisters of the Holy Family
Congregation of the Maronite Antonine Religious
Congregation of the Maronite Sisters of St. Theresa of the Infant Jesus
Order of the Lebanese Maronite Sisters
Community of St. John the Baptist (Hrache)
Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of the Most Blessed Sacrament
Total
327
207
111
136
40
51
872
b. Greek Melkites
79
1. Congregation of the Salvatorian Basilian Sisters of Our Lady of the
Annunciation
2. Congregation of the Chouerite Basilian Sisters
133
3. Congregation of the Alepine Basilian Sisters
24
4. Congregation of the Missionary sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help 92
5. Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Good Service
36
6. Order of the religious of the Theotokos and of Unity
29
Total
393
c. Syrian
Congregation of the Ephremite Sisters, Daughters of the Mother of Mercy
13
d. Armenian
Congregation of the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception (Hripsimiants) 115
of which 51 outside Lebanon
128
128
e. Latin
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
Good Shepherd
Sisters of Charity of St. Jeanne Antide
Carmel of St. Joseph
Carmel of St. Theresa
Sisters of Charity (St. Vincent de Paul)
Franciscan Sisters
Sisters of the Cross of Lebanon
Salesians
Franciscan Missionaries of Mary
Franciscans of the Sacred Heart
Sisters of Ivrea
Sisters of Jesus and Mary
Sisters of Nazareth
Little Sisters of Nazareth
Sisters Missionaries of Our Lady of the Apostles
Rosary Sisters
Sisters of the Sacred Hearts
Sisters of the Holy Family (F)
Sisters of St. Joseph of the Apparition
Sisters of St. Joseph of Lyon
Community of the Beatitudes
Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows
Sisters of Charity of Besançon
Dominican Sisters, Délivrande
Dominican Sisters, Tourelle
Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine
Dominican Sisters of the Presentation
Franciscans of the Imm. Conception, Lons-Le-Saunier
Focolarine (Pious Union)
Society of Jesus Christ
Sisters of the Mother of God
Missionaries of Charity
Sisters of St. Martha
Little Sisters of Jesus
Total
129
66
44
4
16
176
4
240
27
30
4
7
8
35
3
41
67
350
27
49
10
6
6
53
13
4
4
6
20
8
7
6
7
9
10
1,366
129
Total number of women’s religious Orders
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Maronites
Greek Melkites
Syrian
Armenian
Latin
Total
872
393
12
115
1,366
2,759
3. Seminaries
Maronite Patriarcal Seminary of Ghazir
Greek-Melkite Catholic Patriarcal Seminary of Raboueh
Armenian Patriarcal Seminary of Bzommar
Syrian Catholic Patriarcal Seminary of Charfé
Seminary of St. Anthony of Padua, maronite diocese of Tripoli,
at Karm Saddé
Seminary of the Lebanese Maronite Order
Seminary of the Mariamite Maronite Order
Seminary of the Lebanese Maronite Missionaries
Seminary of the Antonine Maronite OrderSeminary
of the Antonine Maronite Order
Seminary of the Alepine Basilian Order, Sarba
Seminary of the Society of Missionaries of St. Paul, Harissa
Seminary of the Chouerite Basilian Order, Zouk
Seminary of the Salvatorian Basilian Order, Joun
Seminary of the Vincentians, Achrafieh
Seminary of the Carmelite Fathers, Nahr Ibrahim
Seminary of the Jesuit Fathers
Total
4. Catholic universities and institutes
1. University of St. Joseph, managed by the Society of Jesus (USJ)
130
130
96
39
8
12
53
54
10
27
5
3
5
9
13
6
12
4
356
2. University of the Holy Spirit (USEK), managed by the Lebanese Maronite
Order (OLM)
3. University of Our Lady of Louaizé, managed by the Mariamite Maronite
Order (OMM).
4. University of the Antonine Fathers, Baabda (UPA).
5. Superior Institute of “La Sagesse” for the teaching of Law and Political and
Diplomatic sciences, managed by the Maronite diocese of Beirut
6. Institute of St. Paul for Philosophy and Theology, managed by the Missionaries of St. Paul, Harissa (ISP)
5. Catholic schools in Lebanon
Community
Maronites
Greek Melkites
Diocesan
schools
Schools of
men’s orders
Schools of
women’s
orders
37
24
78
139
9
7
23
39
3
8
118
145
Syrian Catholics
2
Armenian Catholics
5
Total
2
Chaldeans
Latins
27
Bkerke, 15 June 2001
Cardinal Nasrallah Pierre Sfeit, Patriarch of Antioch of the Maronites, gave FIDES
an interview on the occasion of his 81st birthday.255
In the interview, he agreed that the position of Christians has not changed much
since the withdrawal of the Israeli army a year ago: “The situation in Lebanon is
closely connected with the state of the whole of the Middle East and we cannot
envisage perfect peace for Lebanon unless peace reigns throughout the region.
An example of this inter-dependence is the question of Palestinian refugees
present in Lebanon.”
Beirut, 24 June 2001
On Saturday, 23 June 2001, during their annual meeting in Beirut, the Maronite
bishops called for total withdrawal of the Syrian army from Lebanon.256
255
256
FIDES, 15/06/01. Lebanon - Our first woman saint spurs us to overcome present difficulties.
FIDES, 15/06/01. Lebanon - Our first woman saint spurs us to overcome present difficulties.
131
131
27 June 2001
The position of Christians is getting worse and worse in predominantly Muslim
southern Lebanon. Christians are leaving the area in great numbers. In 1975,
there were 90,000 Christians living in the area; now there are only 27,500.
Conversely, the number of Muslims has grown from several thousand to approximately 300,000.257
July 2001
In the middle of the night, visitors banged on the doors of the nuns who run the
De la Sainte Famille school in Alma El-Shaab. The people who knocked on the
doors so hard wanted to discuss “important matters” with the nuns. No matter
how hard the nuns tried, the men at the door refused to go away and shouted:
“We are representatives of the Hezbollah, all doors must be opened for us
without protest. Those who want to prevent this must be destroyed immediately. We are the masters and rulers of this country.” During the two-hour
conversation held through the door, the Hezbollah fighters demanded that all
girls aged nine and older wear the higab, the Islamic veil. When the nuns refused
to let them in, they left, announcing that they would return the following night.
The next morning they returned. However, by then the nuns had closed the
school for security reasons. The Hezbollah fighters then threatened to burn the
building to the ground and murder the nuns.258
20 August 2001
On 19 August, Pope John Paul II protested against the arrest of several hundred
Christians in Lebanon. He called on the Lebanese leaders to act “responsibly. The
values of democracy and national sovereignty must not be sacrificed to the political interests of the moment,” warned the Pope during the weekly Angelus
prayer in his holiday home in Castel Gandolfo. During the last two weeks, the
Lebanese army picked up more than 200 followers of the exiled Christian leader
Michel Aoun and Christian militia leader Samier Geagea. Two Christian journalists were also arrested.259
Beirut, 18 October 2001
A bomb exploded in front of a Christian church in the southern Lebanese town
of Saida. Nobody was injured by the attack and the material damage was
limited. The explosion outside the Maronite cathedral was the second attack on
a Christian church in ten days.260
257
258
259
260
132
"Das wahre Gesicht des Islam im Libanon. Vernichtet die Christen," in: Stimme der Märtyrer, no.
7/2001, p. 1 and 3.
Trouw, 20/08/01. See also: Catholic World News, 20/08/01
KATHPRESS, 18/10/01
132
LIBERIA
Area: 97,754 km2
261
Religion:
Christian 40%
Muslim 20%
Ethnic groups:
African (indigenous) 95%
(including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru,
Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola,
Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai and Bella)
Americo-Liberians 2.5%
Congo People 2.5%
10 August 2001
The regime of Liberian President Charles Taylor banned a Catholic radio station
from broadcasting outside the capital city of Monrovia. The reason was the criticism of the current government by the Church, and particularly courageous
Archbishop Michael Francis.262
261
262
African Websites - Liberia - Profile on Liberia. www.africanconservation.com
According to the CIA, Liberia’s area is 111,370 km2.
133
133
MALAYSIA
Area: 329,750 km2
Religion:
Muslim 60%
Buddhist 20%
Christian 10%
Hindu 5%
Other 5% (including Taoism)264
Ethnic groups:
Malay 52.5%
Chinese 30%
Indian 8.1%
Various tribes 8.9%
There are Islamic fundamentalist groups in the country. Islam is the official religion. Although Article 11 of the Constitution guarantees freedom of religion,
this right is restricted in practice. Non-Muslim houses of worship may only be
opened with government approval.
Islam has a special status in Malaysia. Article 3.1 of the Constitution says that
“Islam is the religion of the federation, but that other religions may be practised
in peace and harmony in every part of the federation.” Article 11 emphasises the
freedom of the profession and practice of every religion. However, there are
legal restrictions on the profession of religion by non-Muslims. Islam is in effect
synonymous with state religion.265
12 January 2001
A Christian retreat centre in Bukit Markisa was raided by the police even though
the centre had been granted official permission to organise religious activities.266
Kuala Lumpur, 18 April 2001
A woman from Malaysia asked the government for permission to change her
religion: she wanted to convert from Islam to Christianity. She was told that she
would have to obtain permission from the Islamic court. The woman, whose
name is not mentioned for security reasons, maintained that the country guar263
264
265
266
134
According to Christian Solidarity Worldwide the population is 18,800,000. See CSW, 01/05/01.
The percentages for the religions also differ: CSW refers to 55% Muslim, 8.6% Christian, 7%
Buddhist and 6% Hindu.
International Christian Concern, 09/02/01 and CIA The World Factbook.
Christian Solidarity Worldwide, 01/05/01
134
antees freedom of religion and that such permission was unconstitutional.
Government lawyers, however, said that “freedom is not something absolute
and must be tested.” In 2000, the government had already recommended that
Muslims who wished to convert to Christianity be sent to a “rehabilitation
centre” to “consider their decision.”267
29 August 2001
Christian churches were damaged in the town of Sungei Patani, 300 km northwest of the capital city of Kuala Lumpur. Human rights organisations estimated
the damage at 74.163 US$.268
Rome, 19 October 2001
Attacks on Catholic churches in Malaysia in recent weeks may have been the
result of the American campaigns in Afghanistan. Last Saturday, Muslim rebels
tried to set fire to the Catholic Church of Christ the King in Sungai Petani. Sungai
Petani is located in the northern Kedah state. On 4 October, Molotov cocktails
were thrown at St Philip’s Catholic Centre in Segamat.269
Kuala Lumpur, 01 November 2001
According to a leader of one of the government parties, non-Muslims should not
have any fear of losing their freedom of religion, despite the fact that Islam is the
official state religion. “Under the current Constitution, Malaysia is not a theocratic state,” said Ling Liong Sik, President of the Malaysian Chinese Association.270
Christians and certain Islamic groups are concerned about the increase in
violence by Muslim extremists in the country. Muslim extremists have attacked
several Christian churches and Hindu temples. One of the most recent attacks
was on the Christian religious centre of Suban Jaya on 27 October. On 13 and 14
October, the Catholic Church of St Philip’s parish in Segamat was attacked.271
The Christian Federation of Malaysia called on the country’s leaders to protect
church buildings, after several churches were attacked in recent weeks. During
the last month, two Catholic churches and two Protestant churches were
damaged. “Such attacks were very rare in the past. Now the situation is esca267
268
269
270
271
Catholic World News Service, 18/04/01
ACN News, 19/10/01. See also: KATHPRESS, 18/10/01
Aid to the Church in Need, Kînigstein, 01/11/01
FIDES, 08/11/01
135
135
lating following the events of September 11th in the United States.”272
MOLUCCAS / INDONESIA
Area: 1,919,440 km2
Religion:
Muslim 88%
Protestant 5%
Catholic 3%
Ethnic groups:
Javanese, Sudanese, Madurese,
Malay273
Indonesia’s extremist groups are:
* Laskar Jihad - the Holy War Army. The organisation is waging a holy war
against Christians. The army is mostly composed of veterans from Bosnia and
Afghanistan along with students from local Muslim schools.
* the Muslim Ahlus-Sunnah Wal Jama’ah Forum. The forum claims its role is to
help fellow Muslims and not to attack Christians. They were involved in
violent acts but claim to have acted in self defence.
* Hamas - a violent revolutionary group.
* the Indonesian Committee for Worldwide Islamic Solidarity (KISDI).274
Jakarta, 09 January 2001
In response to a letter of solidarity from the Vatican, Cardinal Julius Darmaatmadja of Jakarta warned against “generalisation of all Muslims”. He agrees that
Muslim fundamentalists exist, but at the same time says that most Muslims in
Indonesia cannot be labelled as enemies of Christianity. To illustrate he recalled
the story of a young security officer called Ryianto. He lost his life in Mojokerto,
East Java, as he was removing a bomb from a Protestant church. He was a
Muslim.275
Ambon, 29 January 2001
Around 300 Christians were evacuated from the islands of Keshui and Teor. The
272
273
274
275
136
ACN News, 14/11/01
These figures are for Indonesia. International Christian Concern and CIA The World Factbook
1999.
CRTN, 10/01/01
136
evacuation was carried out by a team consisting of the Moluccan governor Saleh
Latuconsina, police officers, representatives of churches and journalists. During
recent weeks these people had been forced to convert to Islam. Hundreds of
Christians were also circumcised. Women who bled too heavily as a result of the
circumcision had to “disinfect” themselves in the lake. At the beginning of
January 2001, a young Christian woman was murdered because she refused to
convert to Islam.276
09 February 2001
There are more and more reports of forced conversions in the Moluccas. On
many islands, Christians started to go hungry after months of deprivation. They
fled into the jungle to escape the Muslims. When they returned to their village,
they were met by Muslims of the Laskar Jihad, who gave them the choice of
conversion to Islam or death. Of the 671 Christian prisoners on the island of
Kaisiusi, in the extreme east of the Moluccas, 46 who refused to convert to Islam
were shot dead. There are similar stories from Halmahara, where 500 Christians
were killed for the same reason. The 400 Christians who were captured by
Muslims in the village of Jibubu on the island of Bacan now pray to Mecca five
times a day under the watchful eye of the jihad fighters.277
19 January 2001
The conflict in the Moluccas entered its third year without any prospects of
improved relations between Christians and Muslims. Conservative estimates
show that at least 5,000 Christians were murdered during this period, and
500,000 were driven away.
In Keshui, 473 of the total of 692 Catholics were forced to convert to Islam. The
fate of the remaining 219 is unknown. The Indonesian government has since
admitted that forced conversions take place. It has sent an inquiry delegation to
Keshui and Teor.278
Vatican City, 20 January 2001
During his visit to the Pope, the Indonesian minister for Foreign Affairs, Alwi
Shibab, promised to do everything possible to stop the violence against Christians.279
276
277
278
279
CRTN, 31/01/01. See also: FIDES, 05/01/01
Christian Solidarity Worldwide, 19/01/01
CRTN, 23/01/01
137
137
29 March 2001
The Catholic press agency, ZENIT, announced that FIDES received a letter from a
Muslim woman in the Moluccas, in which she openly criticised the Muslim attacks
on Christian communities. In this letter, Mirian Abdulah wrote to Christian girl
Christina Sagat, who was recently forced to convert to Islam and was subjected
to forced circumcision. She wrote: “We do not know what to say, especially what
to say to you. From the bottom of our hearts we ask you for forgiveness.”
At first Abdulah did not believe the reports about forced conversions; only after
the information was confirmed by the governments of the United Kingdom, the
United States and Australia, could she no longer deny the truth.280
Jakarta, 05 April 2001
Three Christians in the province of Sulawesi were sentenced to death for
violence that led to the death of hundreds of people during religious fighting.
Fabianus Tibo, Domingus da Silva and Marianus Riwu were found guilty of
killing many people during the fighting in Poso. Around 300 people were killed
here during several weeks of violence.281
Indonesia: Operation Rescue Maluku
282
“We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed,
but not dispairing"
2 Cor. 4:8
The jihad “holy war” - anything but holy!
One of the many Christian victims of violent attacks by the jihad warriors in
Maluku, Indonesia, told a visiting ICC team: “We Christians once lived in
harmony with our Muslim neighbours. If a church needed repair, the Muslims
would help us, and if a mosque needed repair, we Christians would help them.
What has been hard for me to understand is what happened to my father. The
day the jihad warriors attacked, we ran toward the jungles. My father quickly
tired and was unable to run away. When the attackers caught up with him, they
took his own spear from him and thrust it into him and then took his own
machete and cut him to pieces. What has been hard for me to understand is this
– it was my Muslim neighbours who did this to my father.”
280
281
282
138
138
The violence that has been taking place in the Moluccas for the past two years
has somehow managed to escape the attention of the media and the international community. Why is this so when the "ethnic" clashes in Timor and in Java
received wide publicity in the past? Possibly the answer is because the current
crisis in the Moluccas has become a "religious" war that has been perpetrated by
radical Islamic groups who have clearly proclaimed their intentions to Islamise all
Indonesia.
More than once, for example, the group Laskar Jihad clearly and loudly
announced its own intentions. The group used loudspeakers to announce that it
intended to destroy all Christians on the island of Ambon. On the other hand,
there is not a radical organisation to be found as soon as an official dialogue is
started. Often those who express their complaints are blamed for being misinformed.
Why is that, when the “ethnic” attacks in Timor and in Java received so much
publicity in the past? The likely answer is: Because the current crisis in the
Moluccas has become a “religious” war infiltrated by radical Islamic groups who
have made clear their intentions to Islamise all of Indonesia.
The Islamist group Laskar Jihad has made clear its intentions, having proclaimed
over loud speakers its goal to exterminate all Christians in Ambon. Some would
argue that there is no such conspiracy or organised movement. Those who make
this claim are misinformed. Not only have the Laskar Jihad (warriors of the holy
war) made their presence known, they have also posted their agenda on their
website. Furthermore, I have in my possession a CD that was produced and
distributed by jihad provocateurs among young Muslims with the clear intention
to recruit them into the jihad movement. The footage shown on this CD is
targeted against the Christians on the island of Halmahera. It provides clear
evidence of Laskar Jihad’s ambitious efforts to organise and carry out attacks on
Christians. Moreover, the footage displays hundreds of jihad warriors marching
and boarding boats, the same boats that were to deliver death and destruction
to the island Halmahera.
A family of five forced to convert to Islam
Yanis Dara and his wife Nema, along with their five small children came from the
village of Gebubu, one of the villages where a number of Christians are still
being held by the jihad warriors. The family managed to escape this past January
after being held hostage by the jihad warriors for one year. "When we were
attacked we fled to the jungle. We were told by the military that it was safe to
139
139
return, but when we returned we were taken hostage. We were told that we
must become Muslims if we wanted to survive. All of the Christians were taken
into the church. We were overcome with fear and to avoid being slaughtered
agreed to become circumcised and become Muslims. We still held Christ in our
hearts and were willing to let them do what they wanted to our bodies. We were
told that starting tomorrow we were all going to be circumcised, starting with
the children. My son Unis who is only 12 could not walk for a month afterward
because of the infections. There were no medicines or antiseptic and the same
instruments were used repeatedly without cleansing. Unis became very ill. He
still has not fully recovered."
There are still about 132 people trapped in Gebubu who are asking for our help
to rescue them from the jihad warriors. All of them were forced to be circumcised. For the adults, scissors were used to do the circumcision. Those as young as
one month were circumcised. Women over 40 were not circumcised. Nema said
that when she began crying for her children she was told by the soldiers to stop
crying or she would be turned over to the jihad to be killed. The circumcision on
the girls was performed by inserting a coin into the vagina and then a razor
blade was used to cut the clitoris. Their daughter Yesti told me, "It hurt a lot. I
didn’t want them to do it, but they said if I didn’t let them do it they would kill
me."
Sertasi: disfigured for life
Sertasi Sallom is a mother who recounted to me her story of the attack on Duma
on 19 June 2000. As testified by refugees interviewed a few days earlier in
Manado, the military had participated in the attacks against the Christians.
Sertasi told us: "Because of the help the jihad received from the military units
Brawijyra 511 and Brawijyra 512, more than 400 people were slain and another
120 drowned while trying to escape in a boat. When I saw the jihad warriors
approaching, I cried out, ‘Lord help me.’ Then a jihad warrior came up to me and
said, ‘I’ll show you how God helps you,’ and then placed a pistol in my mouth and
pulled the trigger." Sertasi’s disfigured face is evidence of the brutality of the
jihad warriors.
140
140
Ambon, 05 April 2001
On 21 January, Stefanus Wenno and his wife Mila (43), both Christians, were
attacked by Muslims. They broke Mila’s arm in two places. One of the consequences is that she has no feeling in her arm any more, partly because her nerves
were damaged.283
20 April 2001
Because of the continuing violence in the Moluccas, Catholic bishops have called
for reconciliation in Indonesia: “Our community is in a deep and serious crisis,
and if something does not happen soon, the damage will too great to repair,”
the bishops said in an Easter message published in Jakarta. They asked all of
those directly involved in the violence between Christians and Muslims not to
forsake their religion and to keep reacting in the Spirit of Christ.284
20 April 2001
Child soldiers are taking part in the bloody confrontations between Muslims and
Christians in the Moluccas, according to the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS). The
child soldiers are called agas, which refers to the name of a small fly with a
deadly sting. Catholic missionaries are working to help these children recover.
Sixty-five percent of these child soldiers have already been helped in this way.285
Atambua, 24 April 2001
A bomb was found near the bishops’ palaces in Atambua. It was hidden under
the branches of banana trees, about 50 metres from the home of Bishop Antonia
Pain Ratu of Atambua who was not home at the time.286
10 May 2001
According to sources in Indonesia, Ja’far Umar Thalib, the highest leader of
Laskar Jihad, was arrested on 4 May 2001. The arrest took place at Surabaya
airport in East Java. He is accused of stirring up hatred in people. Since his arrival
in the Moluccas in April 2000, jihad fighters have carried out many attacks on
Christians. Many thousands of Christians have been murdered.287
283
284
285
286
287
Katholiek Nieuwsblad, 20/04/01 and KNA
Katholiek Nieuwsblad, 20/04/01 and ZENIT
UCAN, 24/04/01
141
141
17 May 2001
In Paso, Central Sulawesi, at least five Christian homes were destroyed on
23 April 2001. Witnesses told of an aggressive mob pelting the houses with
stones early in the day. They were arrested, but each time a new group
returned.288
18 May 2001
During an international conference of religious leaders in November, Japanese
Cardinal Peter Shirayanagi pleaded for intervention in the war in the Moluccas.
He asked them to urge their political leaders and the United Nations to intervene. In addition, he asked them to work to send material aid to the area torn
apart by war between Christians and Muslims that has already been going on for
several years.289
Ambon, 21 May 2001
Six people were killed and 17 seriously injured in new militant Muslim violence
against Christians. Around 50 people, armed with knives, bayonets and
machetes, burned down countless houses in Mardika and Soya Kecil. Local
sources reported that security forces just stood by and watched the violence
unfold.290
Rome, 08 June 2001
In a pastoral letter, the seven Indonesian Catholic bishops condemned the ethnic
conflicts on the island of Borneo. The conflict, between Malays, Dayaks and
Muslims, has left many hundreds dead since 1997. The bishops called on Catholics to work towards peace and dialogue, and to bury their hatred.291
22 June 2001
Islamic extremists raided and destroyed a Catholic mission post on the island of
Ambon last week. Several dozen armed men forced their way into the Gonzalo
Veleso centre, run by missionaries of the Holy Heart, in Ambon City. The
attackers surprised the members of the Order – and the 14 Indonesian soldiers
there for their protection – in their sleep. While the soldiers hit back, the
attackers tried to set fire to the chapel and the living rooms with grenades. The
fire destroyed several buildings and spread to neighbouring houses. Countless
people then fled. According to eye witnesses, eight people died.292
288
289
290
291
292
142
Limburgs Dagblad, 18/05/01
Catholic World News Briefs, 21/05/01. See also: CRTN, 23/05/01. See also: KNA, 22/05/01
CRTN, 11/06/01
KNA and Katholiek Nieuwsblad, 22/06/01, see also KATHPRESS, 13/06/01
142
Jayapura, 10 July 2001
Christian and Muslim leaders on the Indonesian island of Borneo, including Catholic Bishop Leo Laba Ladja of Jayapura, called for an end to ethnic cleansing in
central and western Kalimantan. They called for a peaceful solution to the problems which guarantees “the human dignity and equal rights for all.” In the
course of 1999, more than 3,000 people were killed in the violence in this area.
In the first few months of 2001, this number grew to more than 500.293
Jakarta, 23 July 2001
Two churches were bombed near a military complex in eastern Jakarta. A bomb
exploded in the Catholic St Anna Church in Jakarta as 800 people attended Mass.
Many were injured, some of them losing limbs. A few minutes later another
bomb exploded in a nearby Protestant church, but nobody was injured there.294
According to reports from FIDES, more than 70 people were injured in the attack
on the parish church. A witness saw someone enter the church before the Mass
and leave a small package behind before disappearing. The priest, Father
Vincenzo Suryatma, said that the explosion took place during his sermon. The
second explosion hit the Protestant Church in Huriah Kristen Batak. The morning
after these explosions there was another blast close to this Protestant church.
Cardinal Julius Darmaatmadja, Archbishop of Jakarta, responded angrily: “I am
shocked by the events. I am sad and concerned not only for my people who have
been injured but for all the victims of violence here and elsewhere.”295
30 July 2001
A ten-year-old girl called Tien managed to escape from Islamic jihad fighters on
the northern Moluccan island of Doi. Her rescuers told of how she was starved by
the jihad fighters after her mother escaped in June.296
24 August 2001
An Indonesian court sentenced Edi Sugiarto to eleven years in prison on Monday
13 August for sending letter bombs to churches and priests on Christmas Eve
2000. The convict is one of three men arrested in the provincial capital of Medan
after police discovered and defused a number of bombs. During a series of
attacks on Christian churches at the end of December 2000, whereby bombs did
go off, at least 19 people were killed and more than 100 were seriously
injured.297
293
294
295
296
297
CRTN, 11/07/01
CRTN, 23/07/01
FIDES, 23/07/01
International Christian Concern, Press Release, 30/07/01, "Daring Rescue in Indonesia."
143
143
Jakarta, 13 September 2001
The Indonesian police announced that it had arrested 13 people who threw
bombs and killed 19 people during Christmas 2000. The perpetrators were
arrested in the city of Pandeglang, south-west of Jakarta. Authorities said that
they were involved in bombings on Christian targets in nine cities.298
Surakarta, 24 September 2001
Following the terrorist attacks in the US, and the US response to the attacks,
Islamic groups in Indonesia led the attack on Americans in the country. “Various
radical Muslim groups in Indonesia will start the hunt on foreign tourists on
Sunday in the state of Surakarta in Central Java.” According to Japanese press
agency Kyodo, this was published on the Indonesian website, Detik.com.299
Groups of 25-30 people of the so-called Anti-American Terrorist Force went into
five-star hotels and Adi Sumarmo international airport to force personnel to
provide information on foreigners. They were clearly looking for Americans.
“But if the US attack Afghanistan, all Americans must immediately leave
Surakarta and Indonesia,” said a spokesman for the groups.
27 September 2001
Muslim militants attacked Christian houses and churches at 7am on
17 September. This took place in the village of Klaksanaan in the Tasikmalaya
district. Twenty-three Christian homes were set on fire, 58 Christian families
were left homeless and two churches were badly damaged.300
Jakarta, 08 November 2001
The process of reconciliation between the warring Christian and Islamic groups
in the Moluccas continues despite the negative effect of the war in Afghanistan.
Religious leaders have met on several occasions and showed the will to live side
by side in peace.
Between 23 and 25 October, 25 representatives of the BakuBaeMaluku group
met in Malang, East Java. Representatives of the State University of Pattimura
were also present at the meeting, as were delegates from the state-run Institute
for Islamic Studies of Ambon, UKIM Christian university, the Islamic university of
Darussalam and the Catholic institute Trinitas.301
298
299
300
301
144
ANP, 24/09/01
FIDES, 08/11/01
144
08 November 2001
According to various sources, a militant Islamic group with links to the terrorist
movement Laskar Jihad attacked three Christian villages in Central Sulawesi
early in the morning on 1 November. More than 300 people were injured, and
churches were blown up. Three Christians were killed in the village of Tomata.
More than 1,000 Christians literally fled into the woods. The following day the
Christian village of Malitu was attacked by the same group. Here too, nearly all
the houses and churches were destroyed. There were no reports of fatalities.302
15 November 2001
Reports about Christians in Indonesia mentioned that thousands of Islamic jihad
fighters destroyed towns and villages on the island of Sulawesi last weekend.
More than 50,000 Christians were in danger because they were surrounded by
Muslim militants. Christian leaders feared a mass murder of Christians.303
302
303
The Voice of the Martyrs, 08/11/01. See also: FIDES, 09/11/01
145
145
MYANMAR (BURMA)
Area: 678,500 km2
Religion:
Buddhist 85%
Christian 6%
Muslim 4%
Hindu 3%
Animist: 2%
Ethnic groups:
Burman, Shan, Karen304
One of the extremist groups is the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA). This
movement is supported by the government. Religious publications must be
checked by the state censor. It is illegal to translate the Bible into the indigenous
languages. It is extremely difficult to obtain permission for the construction of
new Christian churches. The position of Christians is so difficult that many of
them seek refuge in the neighbouring countries of Thailand, India and Guam.
Myanmar: Christians still strongly disadvantaged305
“Despite the possibility of living abroad, from which approximately 60 priestly
candidates, nuns and catechists benefited for their studies, Christians are still
strongly disadvantaged compared to the predominantly Buddhist population of
Myanmar,” said representatives of international aid organisation Aid to the
Church in Need. Three percent of the 47 million Myanmarese are Christian and
approximately 600,000 of them refer to themselves as Catholic. It is not without
ulterior political motives that the military dictatorship, introduced in 1962,
grants Buddhism so many privileges. This way it will be accepted by the population. Only Buddhists may use certain religious terms in the press. According to
reports, all Christians are subject to strong censorship. It is illegal to bring foreign
Christian literature into the country. The Catholic station Radio Veritas, located
in Manila, not only broadcasts programmes in Myanmar but also in the
languages of ethnic minorities such as the Kachin and the Chin. The aid organisation’s Asian specialists emphasise that the success of the radio station is
304
305
146
INFO Kînigstein, 17/04/01
146
evidenced by the large number of Kachin-speaking listeners who have already
converted to Catholicism.
Out of fear of losing control over the activities of the Christian churches, the
regime has become more suspicious of foreigners and has started monitoring
more sharply. Foreigners are put up in hotels and may not stay in religious institutions. Moreover, some dioceses are required to draw up detailed reports on
visitors. There are also problems with regard to building permits. The local
government then only grants permission to build a church if it is located in a
remote rural area and is far away from the roads. In many places the bishops try
to get round these limitations by submitting applications for normal houses,
where liturgical ceremonies then take place later.
Over the last five years, Aid to the Church in Need has given more than two-anda-half million US dollars to support the printing of religious literature, the
construction of chapels, presbyteries and parish halls and for the education of
nuns, novices and catechists.
July 2001
A new law by the military government restricts the freedom of religion in the
country. Many churches have been forced to shut down. Churches less than 100
years old have to close their doors. More than 80 churches have closed in the
capital city of Rangoon alone. All churches in Hlaing Tai have been closed. Christians are allowed to meet in private homes; however, singing is prohibited.306
04 October 2001
The military government of Myanmar has required Christians to stop their services in buildings that are less than 100 years old. Buildings that are more than a
century old are not allowed to ring their bells and may not display crosses. Many
churches in the country have been forced to close their doors.307
306
307
Christen in Not, 11/2001
147
147
NEPAL
Area: 140,800 km2
Religion:
Hindu 90%
Buddhist 5%
Muslim 3%
Christian 400,000
Ethnic groups:
Newar, Indian, Tibetan, Gurung308
The country does not have an official state religion, but refers to itself as a Hindu
Kingdom. The constitution guarantees freedom of religion, but in practice
enthusiastic evangelism is prohibited.
15 February 2001
During October 2000, Trond Berg from Norway and Devi Bhattarai, Thimoty Rai
and Prem Bahadur Rai, Nepalese Christians, were arrested on suspicion of proselytism. On 15 February 2001, the court ruled that the four should be released on
the grounds of insufficient evidence.309
Kathmandu, 20 February 2001
On 18 February, more than 1,000 Christians took part in a march through Kathmandu in celebration of democracy day. The march was led by the Nepal Christian Forum. Participants carried slogans such as ”Religion Elevates the People”,
”The Bible teaches us to be good citizens” and ”God Bless the King and Queen”.
Father Stephen Sinha of the Zion Church in Kathmandu said that such a march
would have been impossible five years ago.310
Rome, 19 June 2001
Christians in Nepal are uneasy about the period ahead following the murders in
the Royal Palace by crown prince Dipendra. ”The last King, Birendra, was a
democrat and therefore had nothing against Christians,” said a representative of
Mahara, the Christian Aid Association in Nepal. ”The present government is
308
309
310
148
The Voice of the Martyrs, 15/02/01. See also: Open Doors, May 2001. See also: HMK-Kurir,
03/2001
CRTN, 21/02/01
148
totally confused, together with the new King, who in my opinion is a hardliner.
He is not in favour of democracy.”
The fear felt by Christians is justified, owing to the growth of Hindu fundamentalism in recent years. This fact, added to the anti-democratic sentiments of the
new King, does not bode well.311
NETHERLANDS
Area: 41,526 km2
Religions:
Roman Catholic 37%
Protestant 30%
Muslim 3%
Ethnic groups:
Dutch 95%
Immigrants 5% (of which
212,000 Turks and
165,000 Moroccans)312
Naturally the Netherlands is not a country where people are persecuted or
threatened because of their religion. Nevertheless, the following report was
published in 2001.
Roermond, 09 July 2001
A 21-year-old man from Roermond was stabbed by an unknown person on
Thursday evening, apparently for following the wrong religion. The police were
still looking for the assailant, probably a Muslim. The victim is a Christian born in
Sri Lanka. He was treated in hospital and is not in danger of losing his life. In the
house where he rents a room he was approached by a man who asked him about
his religion. When he replied that he was a Christian, he was told that this was
wrong, because Moroccans lived in the house. A little while later, the unknown
person stabbed him.313
311
312
313
CRTN, 20/06/01
Islam, personen en begrippen van A tot Z, p. 208-209
149
149
NEW GUINEA
Area: 462,840 km2
Religion:
Belief in magic 34% is widespread
Roman Catholic 22%
Lutheran 16%
Presbyterian 8%
Anglican 5%
Evangelic Alliance 4%
Seventh Day Adventists 1%
Other Protestant groups 10%314
Ethnic groups:
Melanesian, Papua, Negrito,
Micronesian, Polynesian315
Port Moresby, 20 August 2001
An Australian priest was murdered on 17 August 2001 in Port Moresby, the
capital of New Guinea. The police believe that a group of men forced their way
into his room in a Franciscan monastery and shot him. The monastery had
already been the subject of ’visits’ by armed gangs in the past. Father Thorn was
a member of a Franciscan monastic order and had worked for the Church for 40
years.316
The day after Pope John Paul II had issued his Papal exhortation ’Ecclesia in
Oceania’, Dutch missionary Father Hubert Hofmans (62) was murdered. The
murder took place close to Lae. The priest was carrying an amount of 11.64 US
dollars to pay a family for services they had provided, when he was attacked and
killed. He had arrived in New Guinea 30 years earlier and was made a priest in
1987. Bishop Cesare Bonivento of Vanimo told Radio Vatican, “Papua New
Guinea is going through a difficult period socially and economically. Everyone is
being attacked, in particular those with a little money. Father Hubert had only a
handful of change with him.”317
314
315
316
317
150
See www.papua-new-guinea.com
CIA The World Factbook
ACN News, 26/11/01
150
NIGERIA
Area: 923,770 km2
Religion:
Muslim 40%
Christian 50%
Other 10%
(mostly tribal-related)
Ethnic groups:
English, Hausa, Fulani,
Yoruba, Ibo318
Lagos, 09 February 2001
In spite of the fact that Christians are no longer supposed to be suffering from
the effects of the introduction of the shari’ah, 27-year-old Alto Danmama was
sentenced by the Islamic court of the state of Kano to 20 lashes and a fine of
20 US dollars. He was accused of an attack, criminal assault and using a false
identity.319
Abuja, 06 March 2001
During this week, the bishops of Nigeria were meeting in Abuja for their annual
conference. They called upon President Olusegun Obasanjo to protect the nonMuslim community in North Nigeria. The bishops stated that since the introduction of the shari’ah, Christians were leaving the country in large numbers.320
Abuja, 21 March 2001
The Catholic Church in Nigeria was planning to discuss the shari’ah which had
recently been introduced in several of the northern states. Archbishop John
Onaiyekan of Senegal told a PANA journalist that “not only is it unconstitutional
to impose the shari’ah on Nigeria as a federation, but it would even be unconstitutional to impose the shari’ah on any state whatsoever, even if it were populated exclusively by Muslims.”
The Archbishop criticised politicians, in particular President Olusegun Obasanjo,
who did little or nothing to stop the rise of fundamentalism.321
318
319
320
321
CRTN, 12/02/01
CRTN, 07/03/01. See also: Catholic World News Briefs, 07/03/01
CRTN, 21/03/01
151
151
Lagos, 23 May 2001
During riots against the introduction of Islamic law, the shari’ah, a Catholic
church was set on fire in Gombe, in the north-east of Nigeria. Reports of violence
against Christians were also received from the city of Komo. No deaths were
reported; people were injured however and shops were set on fire.322
Abuja, 05 June 2001
Spokespersons for the Christian community of Borno made pointed criticisms of
the introduction of the shari’ah. Borno was the ninth Nigerian state to introduce
the shari’ah. The state of Borno declared that Christians were not subject to the
shari’ah; nevertheless, Christians remained sceptical. Nigerian Catholic bishops
repeatedly called the introduction of the shari’ah irresponsible.323
Lagos, 20 June 2001
In the north of Nigeria, Christians were suffering from the consequences of the
shari’ah, despite assurances from the government that this Islamic law would
only affect Muslims. Bishop Anthony Ekezia Ilonu told Aid to the Church in Need
that many Christians were losing one or both hands or even their eyes as a result
of the shari’ah, before being given the opportunity to prove that they were not
Muslims. The bishop stated that the shari’ah has changed the everyday life of
Christians. One of the results of the law is that male and female citizens are now
kept completely apart in public buildings.324
June 2001
At the end of June, at least 50 people were killed in the federal state of
Nasarawa. Thirty-five thousand people, many of them injured, fled the Christian
city of Tiv for the southern federal state of Benue.325
Abuja, 23 June 2001
Various churches and mosques were set alight this week during confrontations
between Christians and Muslims in the northern states of Nigeria. According to
government spokespersons, riots broke out in the city of Tafawa Balewa when a
bus driver tried to separate the men from the women on the grounds of the
shari’ah. In the town of Gwaram in Jigawa, five Christian churches were set on
fire following publication of a book by a Christian about Islam.326
322
323
324
325
326
152
CRTN, 06/06/01
CRTN, 21/06/01
Christen in Not, 08/08/01
CRTN, 25/06/01
152
Kaduna, 05 July 2001
A meeting of the Christian Association of Nigeria took place on 30 June 2001.
The secretary general of this movement, Saidu Dogo, called for greater freedom
of religion in the country. More than 13 northern states have now accepted the
shari’ah, which represents a threat to Christians.327
July 2001
During the course of July 2001, 15 churches and 14 parish halls were set alight.
No one was injured in these incidents. All of this was a result of the shari’ah.328
18 July 2001
The governor of the federal state of Kano, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, warned
Christians against stirring up unrest in society. His government will take tough
measures against any groups causing unrest. The shari’ah has also been introduced in Kano.329
Kaduna, 03 August 2001
In Pambegua, in the north-eastern federal state of Kaduna, there is a centre for
Muslims wanting to convert to Christianity. In practice, these are always
members of the Haussa tribe. The converts are threatened by other (Muslim)
members of the same tribe. Looting and physical violence often follow such
threats. The centre also houses a number of individuals from the Fulani tribe.330
16 August 2001
In spite of promises from the government that shari’ah would be introduced
only in a limited form, persecution and discrimination against Christians
continue. In mid-June 2001, Aid to the Church in Need received a report that bus
drivers from Yankari Mass Transit were starting to segregate passengers on the
grounds of the religious regulations. Men and women are obliged to sit separately in the buses, men at the front and women at the back. Members of the
same family are not exempt from this temporary separation. On 18 July, thousands of Muslims protested to a police inspector who wanted to improve the
position of Christians.331
31 August 2001
Christians in Nigeria protested against the destruction of churches and church
buildings in the country. A number of churches were demolished by the govern327
328
329
330
331
CRTN, 09/07/01
Stimmer der Märtyrer, 09/2001
FIDES, 03/08/01
153
153
ment under the pretext that the land was intended for housing. Mosques built
in the same way are to be spared, however. According to the Christian organisation NORCEF, the government is planning to promote the process of Islamisation
in this way. It calls for resistance to this destruction.332
Jos, 10 September 2001
At least 70 people were killed in fighting between Christians and Muslims in the
Nigerian town of Jos. More than 60,000 fled to police stations in the capital of
Plateau state, in the centre of the country. The fighting broke out on Friday,
when a Christian woman tried to cross a barricade set up to control traffic
around the central mosque for Friday prayers. The unrest escalated and on the
Saturday, President Olusegun Obasanjo sent the army into Jos to restore order.
When this had not yet been achieved by the next day, the authorities sealed off
Plateau from the outside world.333
12 September 2001
According to sources within the World Evangelical Fellowship, at least 160
people were killed during three days of violence between Christians and Muslims
in the northern town of Jos.334
On 12 September, the day after the terrorist attacks in the USA, Muslim youths
appeared on the streets of Jos chanting slogans such as “Allah is Great”. The
number of dead among Christians has risen to more than 500 since the beginning of the violence.335
Lagos, 17 September 2001
“Religion is just an excuse for violence; new rules are needed for a peaceful
society.” These were the words of Archbishop John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan of
Abuja, chair of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, in a response to the
more than 500 dead in the town of Jos. According to the bishop, the reasons for
the violence can be found not only in the religious background, but political,
social and economic motives also played a role in the violence. It is certainly clear
that there are tensions between Muslims and Christians in the South. Religion is
used to emphasise ethnic and social identity, according to the bishop.336
332
333
334
335
336
154
FIDES, 17/09/01. See also: International Christian Concern, 04/10/01
154
Kaduna, 08 October 2001
Three Christian churches and a number of shops and restaurants owned by Christians and selling alcoholic beverages were fired upon by Muslims. The incidents
occurred in the Hayin-Banki district of Kaduna, where incidents involving Christians and Muslims have regularly taken place in the past. Prompt action by Christians saved the lives of five people.337
ACN News reported attacks by Muslim youths on three churches and ten shops
owned by Christians. This reportedly happened in the Kawo district of the town
of Kaduna, where many supporters of Osama bin Laden live.338
Vatican City, 09 October 2001
Nigerian Archbishop John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan of Abuja stated during the
bishops’ synod in Rome that “terrorism is brought about by religious intolerance.” He warned those present that terrorism would increase greatly during the
years ahead “in countries where governments discriminate on the basis of religion and where society encourages intolerance and fanaticism.”339
During the past weekend, confrontations between Muslims and Christians result
in at least 200 deaths and hundreds of injured in the town of Kano. Fighting
broke out as a result of the American attack on Afghanistan.340
04 November 2001
Christians in northern Nigeria are put under heavy pressure from the Muslim
government. Unrest broke out in the northern town of Kano between 12 and 14
October, causing 200 deaths. Hundreds of Christians are driven from their
homes. Muslim leaders in the northern state of Kaduna announced that shari’ah
is to be introduced in the state.341
337
338
339
340
341
ACN News, 08/10/01
ACN News, 10/10/01
Catholic World News, 09/10/01. See also: FIDES, 09/10/01
ACN News, 16/10/01. See also: KATHPRESS, 15/10/01
The Voice of the Martyrs, Canada, 04/11/01. See also: Catholic World News, 05/11/01
155
155
PAKISTAN
Area: 803,940 km2
Religion:
Muslim 77% Sunni and
20% Shi’ite
Hindu 1.5%
Christian 1.7%
Ethnic groups:
Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashtun, Baloch342
The growth of the Christian churches is estimated at 3.9% per year. There are an
estimated 736 missionaries working in Pakistan. Various extremist Muslim
groups are also active in the country. The most well-known are Jamaat-e-islami,
Tanzeem Ilhwane-e-Pakistan, Sipah-I-Sahabah and Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Islam is given as the state religion in the constitution. Leaders of religious minorities may not hold the position of President or Prime Minister. The electoral
system operates a type of apartheid: people can only vote for candidates from
their own religious group. The result is that the religious minorities are underrepresented.
Evangelism is not illegal, but may not be implemented among Muslims. All
inhabitants of Pakistan are covered by the shari’ah, which was introduced in
1991. Testimony by Christian men in court is worth only half of that of a Muslim;
by Christian women only a quarter.343
10 January 2001
Many Christians were arrested following peaceful demonstrations. The demonstrations were organised by the All Faiths Spiritual Movement, with the intention of persuading the government to render the ’Blasphemy Act’ inoperative.
Many Christians are persecuted on the basis of this act.344
342
343
344
156
Christian Persecution in Pakistan, International Christian Concern.
156
11 January 2001
Local Muslim leaders complained about a group of eight Christians who were
distributing religious literature in the northern province of Sindh. The result:
several Christians were arrested.345
Amsterdam, 22 January 2001
A prominent Catholic priest called upon all Christians in Pakistan to start a
campaign to dispose of the extremely strict Blasphemy Act in Pakistan. Fr Arnold
Heredia of the archdiocese of Karachi was arrested by the police and held for a
week after protesting against this legislation. There are strict sanctions for
insulting Islam in Pakistan, such as the death penalty. In previous years, Christians
and other religious communities have often complained that this law is being
abused by fundamentalists.346
25 January 2001
On this date, a high court in Pakistan acquitted three Christians who were
accused of blasphemy. In Pakistan, this crime is subject to the death penalty.
Hussain Masih, his son Isaac Masih and Iqbal Sahar Ghouri were accused by their
neighbour, Ijaz Ahmed, who was annoyed that his children had learned Christian
songs and prayers from the accused. On 25 November 2000, Ahmed mobilised
hundreds of Islamic spiritual leaders in order to put the local police under pressure.347
30 January 2001
“Christians in Pakistan are afraid of genocide, but are nevertheless staying in the
country,” declared Cecil Chaunhry (58). Chaunhry is head of Saint Anthony’s
High School in Lahore and leader of the Christian Liberation Front, a combined
organisation of Catholics and Protestants. “I expect it will be worse than what
the Jews suffered under Nazi Germany.”348
08 February 2001
A group of Pakistani Christians were arrested following the screening of a film
about the life of Jesus. Those arrested included Yousef Masin (priest), Khalid
Masih, Nasir Masih, Mushtaq Ghori, Fr Samuel, Shahid Masih, Fr Benjamin and Fr
Waris Sohail.349
345
346
347
348
349
Trouw, 22/01/01. See also: CRTN, 19/01/01
Open Doors, May 2001
FIDES, "Ik verwacht dat het voor de christenen erger zal worden dan het destijds geweest is
voor de joden onder het naziregime." 30/01/01
The Voice of the Martyrs, 09/02/01. See also: CRTN, 02/02/01. See also: Christian Solidarity Worldwide, 26/01/01.
157
157
11 February 2001
During the night of 11 February, Maqsood Ahmed and a number of other militant Muslims forced their way into the home of the 14-year-old Christian girl,
Naira Nadia. She lives in Mariam-a-bad, in the province of Shiekhupura. She was
raped and abused. Her family tried in vain to involve the police. A short time
later, her family received a certificate stating that she had converted to Islam.
And some time later, a new certificate: she is married to a 40-year-old Muslim.350
March 2001
Zahur Ul Haq (40), from Sohawa in the province of Pandshab was sentenced to
death at the beginning of March 2001 on the grounds of alleged blasphemous
statements.351
Islamabad, 12 March 2001
Christians in Pakistan continue to boycott the local elections following the
boycott of the parliamentary elections in December 2000. According to the electoral act of 1979, Christians can only vote for Christians. A joint statement by the
Pakistani Catholic Bishops’ Conference, the national committee of Iustitia et Pax
and a covenant of Christian organisations for social action in Pakistan
announced a boycott of the local elections, as these are “unethical, unconstitutional and illogical”. Christians also called for the abolition of the Blasphemy
Act.352
15 March 2001
Naira Nadia was talking to a friend at school about her Christian faith. During
the night of 11 – 12 February, she was kidnapped by her friend’s father and a
number of armed men. Naira was raped and abused. The next day, she was
forced to convert to Islam. According to Pakistani law, a minor cannot make such
a decision. Naira’s parents called in the police, after receiving a certificate stating
that their daughter had converted to Islam. The police initially refused to
consider the allegations. It only did so after the intervention of the Pakistani
human rights organisation CLF.353
350
351
352
353
158
Faces of Persecution in Pakistan, International Christian Concern.
HMK-Kurir, 05/2001
Catholic World News Briefs, 12/03/01.
The Voice of the Martyrs, 15/03/01. During 2000, there were eight known cases of rape of Christian girls in Pakistan. See also: Catholic World News Briefs, 13/03/01. Also: press releases by
American International Christian Concern. Finally: CRTN, 14/03/01. See also: The Voice of the
Martyrs Canadian Website, 20/03/01.
158
29 March 2001
The Pakistani girl Naira Nadia, who was kidnapped following contact with
Muslim girlfriends, is still missing.354
30 March 2001
Two Pakistani Christians, Jhang Amjad and Asif Masih, were sentenced to life
imprisonment under the Blasphemy Act. They were accused by the judge of
having burned the Koran. The Voice of the Martyrs however has learned from
reliable sources that they were convicted purely because of being Christians.355
05 April 2001
A Christian girl, Nadia Klaimason, was recently kidnapped and forced to convert
to Islam. This took place in Mariam-a-bad, in the district of Sheikupura, Punjab
province. She was 15 at the time and the man responsible for the kidnapping is
Maqsood Nawab Sheikh. He won the confidence of the girl’s family by lending
them money. On 11 February 2001, Nadia was taken by Maqsood to a Maulvi, an
Islamic priest. He forced her to convert to Islam. Under duress, she signed a document stating that her parents had mistreated her and that she therefore wanted
to live with her Muslim husband.
When Nadia did not return, her family went looking for her. During their search,
they were told that Nadia had been seen with seven people; six men and a
woman. Five of these were identified as Maqsood Nawab Sheikh, Khurshid Bibi,
Mohammed Arshad, Nasir Nawab Sheikh and Papu Nawab Sheikh. Nadia’s family
reported this to the police on 15 February. Maqsood’s uncle, Malik Sheikh, was
then arrested, but just as promptly released again. Mohammed Arshad’s mother
was also arrested, but quickly released. In spite of great pressure on the authorities, Nadia has still not been reunited with her family.356
April 2001
The head of a Christian school in the district of Sialkot was accused of blasphemy
against Mohammed. The Blasphemy Act is often used against Christians in
discussions with Muslims. The teacher, Pervaz Masih, was arrested on 1 April on
the grounds of Section 295C of this act. He is still in custody awaiting trial.357
354
355
356
357
Press release, 05/04/01 from the Jubilee Campaign. "Kidnap and Forced Conversion of Nadia
Klaimason - Pakistan."
The Voice of the Martyrs, 12/04/01. See also: Catholic World News, 06/08/01
159
159
Lahore, 26 July 2001
The High Court of Lahore, Pakistan, under judges Khawaja Sharif and Naeem
Ullah Sharwani, confirmed the death sentence for blasphemy under Section
295C on Ayub Masih. Ayub Masih was arrested on 14 October 1996 for unacceptable comments on the Prophet Mohammed. On 27 April 1998 he was sentenced
to death for blasphemy. Since then, there have been two attempts on his life.358
Both Amnesty International and FIDES confirm that on 25 July the appeal by
Ayub Masih was rejected by the Multan Bench Lahore High Court.
On 20 June 2001, the President of Pakistan, General Musharraf, stated that the
Blasphemy Act would have to be reformed in order to improve the status of the
religious minorities in the country.359
06/09/2001
The Voice of the Martyrs received a report about Sheraz, a 23-year-old Christian
from a village in the Lahore area. He belongs to a Christian family and has three
sisters who attend a school in the village. Sheraz worked in a local factory to
provide for his parents and three sisters. He also attends a Bible College and
carries out evangelical work among Muslims. On 2 August 2001, he set off for
work but never arrived. The next day, people from his church contacted the
company he worked for and heard that he had become involved in a discussion
with extremist Muslims on the way. It is feared that this group kidnapped him.
On 9 August, Sheraz’ body was discovered in a pit opposite his church. A note
attached to the body said “Stop preaching to Muslims”.360
Peshawar, 19 September 2001
One of the consequences of the terrorist attacks in the United States and the
threatened retaliation by the US to violence by Muslim fundamentalists was an
increase in hatred against Christians in Pakistan, according to an article in De
Volkskrant.361
28 September 2001
Pakistani extremists threatened to attack churches if the government in Islamabad decided to assist the US in its war on terrorism. “Islamic fundamentalists
have told the government that they will destroy Christian churches and buildings
if Pakistan offers the US air bases or land in its fight against the Taliban”, said
358
359
360
361
160
FIDES, 06/08/01
160
Khalid Rashid Asi, director of the Catholic Church’s Human Rights Watch. The
extremists are assuming that the Christians in Pakistan are receiving financial
support from the US.362
27 September 2001
More and more reports point towards molestation of Christians in Pakistan as a
result of the threatened American attacks on Afghanistan. Pakistani Muslims
describe the war on terrorism as a war against Islam. For this reason, they are
conducting a holy war, a jihad, against the US and the West. There are reports
that a number of Christians were beaten and their houses razed on
20 September. During Friday prayers, the mullah in Rawalpindi called for two
Christians to be killed for each Muslim that dies in Afghanistan.363
04 October 2001
Pervez Masih, the school teacher accused of blaspheming against the Prophet
Mohammed, was to appear before the court on 8 October. Since his arrest on
1 April 2001, he has been repeatedly tortured and locked in a cell in Sialkot. His
cell measures 1.8 by 1.2 metres and the temperature rises to 50 degrees Celsius
on a daily basis. He is not granted permission to leave the cell for a walk. He can
be visited once a week. He sleeps on the floor next to his toilet. In May, he told
his visitors that the police were trying to force him to convert to Islam.364
09 October 2001
In the city of Karachi, a message circulated: “For every dead Afghan, we will
execute two Christians.” In cities like Lahore, Christians were afforded some
protection; in the country, however, they remain completely unprotected.365
Bahawalpur, 29 October 2001
Sixteen people were killed on Sunday morning, when armed men opened fire on
the Catholic Church. The four unknown men fired on St Dominic’s Church in
Bahawalpur. According to Bishop Andrew Francis of Multan, St Dominic’s Church
is used for services other than just Catholic ones. The attack was not claimed by
any particular group; the police believe however that it was the work of a
Muslim extremist group.366
362
363
364
365
366
The Voice of the Martyrs, 27/09/01. See also: FIDES, 22/09/01
Stimme der MÑrtyrer, 11/2001
ACN News, 29/10/01
161
161
According to De Volkskrant, which devoted a lengthy article to the event, this
area is infamous for “sectarian violence between Sunni and Shi’ite Muslims”.
During recent years, there have been hundreds of casualties. “However, this is
the first time the Catholic Church has been attacked.”367
“Nothing has happened here yet, but we are keeping a low profile just in case;
we do not discuss politics and certainly not religion,” one of the Christians said.
“The extremists think it is a war between Christians and Muslims, and that we are
on the American side. While in fact I am simply a Pakistani – just like them.”368
30 October 2001
The Bishop of Multan, to which Bahawalpur belongs, wrote us a letter dated 28
October 2001, in which he relates the following:
Dear Aid to the Church in Need,
Subject: Please pray for us in this hour of great tragedy in the diocese of Multan.
St Dominic Catholic Church is about 100 km south-west from the city of Multan.
This church is available for worship of the other denominations too. This
morning on 28th of October 2001 the people of Church of Pakistan (Protestant)
were gathered together for the Sunday worship.
At the end of the service at about 8.30am, six terrorists came on motorbikes and
rushed into the church and opened fire on the praying congregation.
Sixteen people have died on the spot (confirmed) this included women and children. Several other are wounded lying in the hospital.
Since the September 11th 2001, I have been negotiating with the Muslim clergy
for peace and reconciliation but today’s tragedy has left me and my community
in a great shock and sadness.
Please pray for us.
Sincerely in Christ,
Andrew Francis, Bishop of Multan.369
367
368
369
162
The Voice of the Martyrs, 28/10/01 reports on the murders. According to this article, the church
community was already feeling threatened. Five days before the attack, church leaders
requested protection from the Deputy Inspector General Police. But this went unheeded.
St. Dominic’s Church was built in 1961. The parish also has two Catholic schools: one for boys
and one for girls. General-Major Tahir Ali Qureshi of Bahawalpur, who visited the site, assured
the Christian community that every effort would be made to find and punish the perpetrators.
Letter in the possession of the compiler of this book. Bishop’s address: Bishop’s House, 63
Aurangzeb Road, P.O. Box 133, Multan, Cantt. Pakistan. See also: De Volkskrant, 30/10/01
162
Lahore, 30 October 2001
Since the attacks on the Catholic Church in Bahawalpur, fear among Catholics
has increased. The aggression had been condemned by various religious groups.
President Musharraf referred to this as an “act of terrorism”.370
Königstein, 02 November 2001
Following the tragic attacks on St Dominic’s Church in Bahawalpur, the situation
of Christians in Pakistan has become increasingly difficult. All too often, Christians are equated with ’the Western World’. For this reason, they are often held
responsible for what is happening in Afghanistan.371
Quetta, 08 November 2001
A Catholic Christian was shot dead by unknown assassins in the Pakistani city of
Quetta. According to the report from UCA News, Minamen Bashir was hit by 16
bullets. He was the only Christian working at Quetta airport. The only clue to his
death could be that he too came from the Catholic community of Bahawalpur,
where 16 people were killed in October.372
370
371
372
FIDES, 30/10/01. See also: Catholic World News, 28/10/01
Info-Sekretariat, 02/11/01
KNA, 08/11/01
163
163
Document concerning the position of Christians in Pakistan
Attn: Head of Communications Department, Vatican City
Yuill@caritas.va
Lynn Yuill, Head of Communications Department
Zelenka@caritas.va
Karel Zelenka
Bloodbath in Bahawalpur
From the CARITAS contact person
Pakistan, 29 October 2001
Religious and political parties have condemned the attack on the Catholic feasts
that took place on Sunday 28 October during Mass in St Dominic’s Church in
Bahawalpur in the Pakistani province of Punjab. Seventeen Christians were
killed, including the priest and 12 members of one family. A Muslim policeman
charged with guarding the church was also killed.
Eyewitnesses saw gunmen first shoot the guard. Three accomplices then entered
the church and sealed it off from the inside, so the congregation could not
escape the random, cold-blooded murder – most of the victims were women and
children. Two armed men remained outside to ensure that the murderers were
not disturbed in their massacre.
Director Ayub Sajid of the Multan diocese, part of Caritas Pakistan, informed
secretary Javaid William, who immediately contacted the national director of
Caritas, Bishop Joseph Coutts, and the Bishop of Multan, Bishop Andrew Francis.
Javaid William made exhaustive declarations of solidarity and immediately
granted all possible forms of support needed to express sympathy for the Christian community in Multan. Solidarity coalitions of Pakistani Christians were also
set up and demanded greater security from the government for all Christians
and minorities in the country. The committee for peace and justice of the CBCP,
the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Pakistan, issued a declaration calling upon
the Christians of Pakistan to remain calm and exercise self-control.
It was reported that American priests ran the 40-year-old St Dominic’s Church in
Bahawalpur. Spokespersons for the Church informed reporters for Pakistani
164
164
newspapers that all American citizens associated with the parish had left Pakistan following the terrorist attacks on the United States of 11 September.
However, the bloodbath in Bahawalpur was not the first attack on Christians to
take place in Pakistan following the events of 11 September. On 7 October 2001,
coinciding with the commencement of the American bombing of Afghanistan,
Father Maxi in Quetta reported to Caritas Pakistan that a whole village in which
80 Christian families lived had been attacked by the “Islamic mafia”. As a result,
for about a week the Christian community sought refuge camping out in the
church grounds under heavy police and army guard before being able to return
to their homes. During this week, the local Caritas personnel was not able to
contact Father Maxi and could not reach him because of the military barricades
around the church site.
General Pervez Musharraf’s military government has been alerted to possible
attacks on Christians since the beginning of the American attacks on Afghanistan, in particular with a view to belittling and prejudiced actions taken in the
West against Muslims since the events of 11 September. The slaughter of Christians in Bahawalpur has also been linked with the heartless bombardment of
Afghanistan by the United States and the bloodbath is seen as a direct attempt
to demonstrate the senselessness of the killing of defenceless Afghan citizens,
particularly women and children.
It was reported in a column in The News newspaper on 29 October that “extremists and radicals will not give up without resorting to dirty tricks to avenge what
they see as the senseless deaths in Afghanistan.” According to the paper, the
massacre falls “into the same category of irrational mass murder in Afghanistan,
of which the United States and the West are being accused”.
Some Christian and Muslim religious groups, as well as the government, have
pointed to the Indian secret service, the RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) as
the guilty party. This theory insinuates that India, Pakistan’s archrival for 54
years, is deliberately trying to generate negative publicity harmful to minorities
in Pakistan, particularly in relation to the international attention devoted
recently to the mutually harmonious relations between the different religions.
The incident was a terrible blow to Bishop Andrew Francis, Bishop of the diocese
of Multan, as for years he has promoted social harmony between the religions in
165
165
the remote areas of Pakistan where the Christian population is concentrated –
and in particular among the poor in the cities and countryside. He has brought
about relationships based on mutual trust and understanding for other religious
leaders and has created a dialogue between the religions in communities in
which Muslims and Christians live alongside one another. A particularly noteworthy fact is that Bishop Francis played a significant role in leading acceptance
initiatives between religious leaders and communities immediately after angry”
Muslim mafiosi” razed the Christian village of Shanti Nagar in Khanewal to the
ground in 1997.
Bahawalpur and Shanti Nagar are both part of the Multan diocese, which
contains the largest concentrations of Christians. Pakistani Christians represent
two percent of the complete population of approximately 140 million inhabitants. By law, Christians and other minorities do not have the vote in national
elections. They have to vote in separate elections, meaning they are sidelined in
terms of participation in national political life. Christians and minorities are also
highly vulnerable to personal and social grudge measures ensuing from the
preferred interpretations of Pakistan’s controversial ’Blasphemy Act’, and Article
295 of the Pakistani Penal Code in particular. Since 1990, this article of the Islamic
shari’ah has stipulated a mandatory death penalty for persons or parties found
guilty of offending a religious belief. Experiences in Pakistan teach that the
Muslim majority has used these legal platforms over the years to settle personal
scores concerning land or clans by involving Christians in inflammatory incidents
of a religious nature. In Pakistan, the separate elections and ’Blasphemy Laws’
are infamous, and often referred to as ’religious apartheid’.
Pakistan’s President, General Musharraf, referred to the bloodbath as a terrorist
act and the Minister for Minorities acknowledged that the attack was a result of
a lack of security, in particular in view of the fact that Christians had informed
the government of threats and repeatedly asked for security measures, right up
to the day before the massacre in Bahawalpur.
Members of the Board of Directors of Caritas Pakistan and other Christian
leaders held an emergency meeting in Lahore on Sunday evening in order to
determine a strategy for a reply of reconciliation and solidarity for the most
vulnerable minorities in Pakistan. Halfway through the week, after the funerals,
an announcement is expected giving a detailed approach to the issue.
166
166
Bishop Andrew Francis will conduct the funerals of the victims killed in Multan
on 29 October. Christians in Pakistan will then observe a seven-day period of
mourning for the victims, which will also serve as an expression of solidarity with
the worldwide elimination of terrorism.373
Islamabad, 12 November 2001
The Catholic Bishops of Pakistan are drawing up a list of security measures for
the parishes. Alongside employing guards on entrances, a central emergency
telephone service is being set up. Through this telephone service, the parishes
can obtain information on violence against Christians. This step was motivated
by an attack on a church in the town of Bahawalpur on 17 October 2001.374
PARAGUAY
Area: 406,752 km2
Religion:
Roman Catholic 90%
The rest Mennonites and Protestants
Ethnic groups:
Mixed Spanish and Amerindian
(Mestizo) 95%375
San Juan Bautista de las Misiones, 31 January 2001
Bishop Mario Melanio Medina of San Juan Bautista de las Misiones was recently
placed under police protection following threats. The threats started after he
was incorrectly accused of making statements about “corruption by the local
governor”. The Bhad simply called for an enquiry following events in his province.376
373
374
375
376
Document in the possession of the author.
KATHPRESS, 12/11/01. See also: UCAN, 10/11/01 and KNA, 10/11/01
www.state.goc
CRTN, 01/02/01
167
167
PHILIPPINES
Area: 300,000 km2
Religion:
Muslim 5%
Christian 94%
(65% of whom are Catholic)
Other 1%377
Ethnic groups:
Christian Malay, Muslim Malay
Extremist groups in the Philippines include the Moro Islamic Liberation Front
(MILF) and the Abu Sayyef Group (ASG). Both are splinter groups of the former
Islamic Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), which signed a peace treaty with
the government in 1996. The ASG has been responsible for several terrorist acts
and kidnappings in the Philippines. The goal of the MILF and similar groups is to
declare an independent, Islamic state in Mindanao.378
Manila, 28 May 2001
Armed rebels kidnapped 20 people and took them away by boat from a luxurious holiday resort in the south of the Philippines on Sunday morning. Among
the hostages were three Americans. The kidnappers were thought to be
members of Abu Sayyaf, a radical group of around 600 rebels claiming to fight
for an Islamic state.379
It has since been confirmed that the kidnapping was carried out by Abu Sayyaf,
which kidnapped several Christians in the course of 2000.
Lamitan, 05 June 2001
Two priests, four nuns and a seminarian escaped after being kidnapped by
extremists on a southern Philippine island. Father Teteng Gado, acolyte Roger
Moreno and a security officer of Father Cirilo Nacorda were killed by members
of the Abu Sayyaf movement. Neophyte Father Reynaldo Enriquez and 11 others
377
378
379
168
168
managed to escape after their group was kidnapped near Doctor José Torres
Hospital on 2 June.380
Isabela, 11 June 2001
Extremist Muslim rebels attacked a Catholic village: poor farmers were robbed,
a Catholic church was burned to the ground and 20 young children were
kidnapped.381
Manila, 17 July 2001
In an interview with UCA News, Father Cirilo Nacorda, of the St Peter’s parish in
Lamitan on the Basilan Islands, told of how he had to lock all of the doors to the
church during Mass to prevent kidnapping by Muslim rebels of Abu Sayyaf.
Father Nacorda explained that his parishioners are still fearful after three people
were killed during an Abu Sayyaf attack on 1 June 2001. Then the rebels took
another 20 hostages from a nearby hospital. Students and teachers at the nearby
Claret School have also taken security measures.382
Zanboanga, 03 August 2001
Four armed and hooded men beheaded four of the 27 villagers they kidnapped.
The hostages were from the predominantly Catholic town of Lamitan on the
island of Basilan, south of Manila. Four hostages escaped. The headless bodies of
the four victims were found by the local police. The police suspect the Abu Sayyaf
extremist group.383
Manila, 29 August 2001
Irish priest Rufus Halley (57) was shot and killed today as he travelled to his parish
on the southern island of Mindanao. Father Halley was ordained in 1969 and was
assigned to the Philippines shortly after. He was well disposed to the reconciliation of Christians and Muslims.384 Muslim extremists were thought to be behind
the murder. The police investigation focused on the Moro Islamic Liberation
Front, a Muslim splinter group that has fought for the independence of the
region in the past. On 30 August police arrested Abdul Ibrahim, who is thought
to be one of a group of seven militant Muslims who killed Father Rufus Halley.
According to the police the Muslim group planned to hand Father Halley over to
the extremist Muslim movement Abu Sayyaf.385
380
381
382
383
384
385
UCAN, 05/06/01
UCAN, 11/06/01
CRTN, 17/07/01
Catholic World News, 03/08/01. See also: FIDES, 03/08/01
Catholic World News, 28/08/01. See also: ZENIT, 30/08/01 and UCAN, 30/08/01
FIDES, 30/08/01
169
169
Manila, 22 October 2001
Bishop Zacharias Jimenez of Pagadian, Mindanao, told the media that an Italian
missionary priest had been kidnapped during the last week. However, it was the
work of ordinary bandits and not of Muslim separatists.386 Earlier reports had
assumed that the kidnapping was the work of the Abu Sayyaf group.387 The
victim was the Italian missionary priest Giuseppe Perantoni.388 Later it was
revealed that the kidnappers had demanded a 175.522 US$ ransom for the
release of the missionary.389
Manila, 16 November 2001
The Philippine government declared that five members of the gang that
kidnapped an Italian priest in October were killed in a clash with police: “We
were able to kill five, but unluckily the good priest was nowhere to be found.”
The 44-year-old Italian priest was abducted from his church in southern
Zamboanga on 17 October by a Muslim extremist splinter group.390
ROMANIA
Area: 237,500 km2
Religion:
Romanian Orthodox 69.5%
Catholic 7%
Protestant 8%
Non-religious 14%
Ethnic groups:
Romanian, Hungarian, Romany391
In Romania, it is predominately the Greek Catholics and Baptists who suffer from
the antipathy of the Orthodox Church.
386
387
388
389
390
391
170
ACN News, 22/10/01
See ACN News, 19/10/01
KATHPRESS, 18/10/01
KATHPRESS, 26/10/01
ACN News, 16/11/01
170
Romania: Bishops’ Conference seeks to continue ecumenical
dialogue with the Orthodox Church
Königstein, 9 March 2001
The Romanian Bishops’ Conference has decided to continue and improve the
dialogue with the Romanian Orthodox Church. Thus stated the Bishop of Satu
Mare, Pál Reizer, to representatives of the international aid network Aid to the
Church in Need during a visit to the headquarters. The Bishops’ Conference
consists of dignitaries from the Roman Catholic and Greek Catholic Churches.
Although the Greek Catholic Church to this day is still waiting for the return of
most of the Church buildings that passed to the Orthodox Church under the
previous communist government, at the Bishops’ Conference it is nevertheless
backing a continuation of the talks.
The foundation of this reconciliation between the Orthodox and Catholic
Churches was laid in May 1999 by Pope John Paul II, when he met the head of the
Romanian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Teoctist I, during his three-day visit to
Bucharest.
While the climate between the representatives of the two Churches has greatly
improved since the Holy Father’s visit, relations between the faithful of the two
Churches have remained the same in Satu Mare, the cathedral city in north-west
Romania, which has a large majority of Hungarian inhabitants.
In Romania, where approximately 87% of the inhabitants are members of the
Romanian Orthodox Church, the Catholic Church with its three million members
has 12 dioceses. Ten of these are in Transylvania. During the past ten years, Aid
to the Church in Need has spent more than 20 million US dollars supporting the
construction of churches and parish halls and the training and mobility of priests
in this part of the country.392
392
Info-Sekretariat, Kirche in Not, press release 09/03/01
171
171
172
172
173
173
RUSSIA
Area: 17,075,200 km2
Religion:
Russian Orthodox 55%
Muslim 8.7%
Catholic & Protestant 1%
Ethnic groups:
Russian, Tartar, Ukrainian393
The Russian Orthodox Church is striving to limit the growth of new religious
groups. There are sporadic reports of actions by Orthodox Christians against
’foreign’ religious groups.
The Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organisations Act obliges religious
groups to be registered. Legal status is only granted to those organisations that
can prove their ’existence’ in Russia for the past 15 years.
Icy Siberian cold hits the very poorest particularly hard
Königstein, 17 January 2001
It is estimated by the international organisation Aid to the Church in Need that
today more than 40 million people are suffering from the worst cold spell in more
than 50 years. As a result of the continuing freeze, the gas supply lines have broken
down in several places. The temperatures of down to 56 degrees below zero hit
the poorest of the poor in Siberia hardest. Aid to the Church in Need is already
supporting religious organisations in their selfless work. Their efforts are all the
more appreciated as a result of the cold period. In Vladivostok, the Sisters of the
Order of Saint Anne help young single mothers who are considering abortion.
The homeless, elderly and poor suffer particularly from the unbearable cold.
Street children are especially vulnerable. The Sisters of St Charles Borromeo have
taken in some 40 of these. Other street children who ask for help are given it
wherever possible. Two years ago, the Apostolic Administration for eastern
Siberia was set up. Sixteen million people live in this area. Some 50,000 of these
are Catholic. A million people are close to the Catholic Church. With an area of
13 million square kilometres, this is the largest Apostolic Administration in the
world.
393
174
174
At present, the emergency ward in the city hospital in Irkutsk is overflowing with
patients showing symptoms of frostbite. Nuns constantly work alongside the
many victims. The Missionary Sisters of Steyl support children with AIDS in the
most difficult circumstances.
The Sisters of Saint Charles Borromeo work among cancer patients in the Irkutsk
hospice. They visit and assist single and older people suffering under the inadequate social security system. The Sisters of the Madonna House Apostolate,
supported by Aid to the Church in Need, support the homeless and run an open
house for those in need of help. Such help is indispensable in such temperatures.394
The Catholic Church in Russia is growing annually following the collapse of
communism in 1990. The structures are also becoming ever more solid. This is
reflected by the number of monasteries and convents, which is growing every year.
1. Men’s religious Orders
Order
1. Ordo Fratum Minorum (OFM)
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
394
Location of monastery
St Petersburg, Smolensk,
Novosibirsk. There are also monks in
Novosibirsk and St. Petersburg.
Ordo Fratum Minorum ConventuMoscow, Tula, Kaluga, Elista and
alium (OFM Conv.)
Cherniakhovsk
Salesians of Don Bosco (Societas
Moscow, Samara, Saratov,
S. Francisci Salesii, SDB)
Novocherkassk, Rostov-na-Donu,
Gatchina and Aldan
Dominicans (Ordo Praedicatorum, OP) Moscow and St. Petersburg
Societas Verbum Dei (SVD)
Moscow
Jesuits (Societas Jesu, SJ)
Novosibirsk and Moscow
Assumptionists (Congregatio Augus- Moscow
tinianorum ab Assumptione, AA)
Claretines (Congregatio Missionari- Krasnoyarsk
orum Filiorum Immaculati Cordis
B.M.V., CMF)
Redemptorists (Congregatio Sanctis- Propop’yevsk and Orenburg
simi Redemptoris, CSSR)
Salvatorians (Societas Divini SalvaIrkutsk
toris, SDS)
Family of Maria Co-redemptoris (Pro Ufa and D. Alexseevka
Deo et Fratribus)
Info-Sekretariaat, press release, 18/01/01
175
175
2. Women’s religious Orders
Order
1. Daughters of Maria, supported by
Christians (Filiae Mariae Auxillatricis
Christianorum, FMA)
2. Missionary Sisters of the Holy Spirit
(SSpS)
3. Sisters of the Holy Heart of Jesus
(RSCJ)
4. Pious community of the daughters of
St Paul (Filiae Sancti Pauli, FSP)
5. Missionary Sisters of the Holy Heart
of Jesus (Cabrini Sisters, MSC)
6. Family of Maria Co-redemptoris (Pro
Deo et Fratribus, PDF)
7. Worshippers of the Blood of Christ
(ASC)
8. Sister Servants of the Holy Sacrament
9. Congregation of the Sisters of Saint
Agnes (CSA)
10. The Family of Bethania
11. Sisters of the Institution of Maria
12. Sisters of Mother Theresa
13. Missionaries of Christ
14. Missionary Sisters of St Charles
Borromeo
15. S.S.G. Sisters
16. Sisters of St Dominic (OP)
17. Sisters of Saint Elisabeth
18. Sisters of Saint Francis (OSF)
176
176
Location of monastery
Moscow
Moscow
Moscow
Moscow
Porpo’yevsk
Schumanovka and Tal’menka
Krasnoyarks and Slavgorad
Novosibirsk and Tomsk
Chelyabinsk
In Asiatic Russia
Tyumen
Moscow, Tomsk and Novosibirsk
Omsk
Krasnoyarsk
St. Petersburg
Barnaoel
Novosibirsk
Omsk
3. Associations of apostolic life
Name
1. Association of the Resurrection
2. Congregation of the Mission (Vincentians) (Congregatio Missionis, CM)
3. Institute of the Word Made Flesh
(IVE)
4. Societas de Maryknoll pro missionibus exteris (MM)
5. Priest community of the missionaries
of St Charles Borromeo
Location
Krasnayarsk
In Asiatic Russia
Kazan
Khabarovsk
Novosibirsk and Karasuk
4. Secular Orders
Name
Location
1. Dominican lays
Throughout Russia
2. Secular Order of the Franciscans (SFO) Throughout Russia
5. Associations of the faithful
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Name
Communicatio et Liberatio
Focolare
Madonna, Apostolic House
Memores Domini
Neo-catechumenates
Legion of Mary
Location
Karasuk
Moscow, Kurgan and Chelyabinsk
Magadan
Novosibirsk
Moscow and Novosibirsk
Moscow
177
177
6. Seminaries and colleges
Name
1. St. Thomas Aquinas, college for
Catholic theology
2. Seminary, Mary Queen of the
Apostles (major seminary)
3. Minor seminary
Location
Moscow, pr. Vernadskogo, 103
St. Petersburg, 1st Krasnoarmeysky
per.’, 11
Novosibirsk, ul. Gorkogo 100
7. Churches and parishes
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
Catholic parish of Kazan
Catholic parish of Syzran
Catholic parish of Samara
Catholic parish of Simbirsk
Catholic parish of Chelyabinsk
Catholic parish of Penza
Catholic parish of Vladivostok
Catholic parish of Magadan
Mission in Irkutsk
8. Catholic mass media
a. Svet Evangelija (The Light of the Gospel), weekly magazine. Moscow,
Dmitrovskoye, 5/1, 132
b. Sviataya Rodost (Holy Joy), young people’s magazine, Moscow, ul. Malaya
Gruzinskaya, 27
c. Spiritual Library, Moscow, Dmitrovskoye shosse, 5/1, 130
d. Bookshop, Paoline, Moscow, ul. Bolshaya Nikitskaya, 26
e. Istina i Zhizn (Truth and Life), interconfessional magazine. Moscow, a/ja 38
f. Radio DAR, Moscow, (MW 1116 KHz), daily 2 p.m. – 3 p.m.
g. Radio Maria, St. Petersburg (USW 66.68)
h. Vladivostok Sunrise, parish magazine
Moscow, 05 March 2001
The Polish Jesuit priest, Father Stanislav Opiela, was refused a visa for Russia for
the third time. Opiela played a significant role in the consolidation of Catholic
178
178
institutions in Russia. He is secretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference in
Moscow and Rector of the Thomas Aquinas College for Catholic Theology in
Moscow. He was refused re-entry to the country after having been abroad for six
months. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is currently refusing to explain to
Russian Catholic leaders why he cannot be granted a visa. Father Jerzy Karpiniski,
provincial of the Jesuit Order, explained that the third refusal was not even
announced.
“We find ourselves in a critical situation,” Father Karpinski explained. “He is the
only person who can teach certain Christian disciplines. Furthermore, Father
Stanislav is still secretary of the Russian Bishops’ Conference and Rector of the
College. At present, I am performing his tasks.” Father Bogdan Sewerynik, Vicar
General of the apostolic administration of the Roman Catholics in European
Russia is completely surprised, as nothing like this has ever happened with a
Catholic priest in Russia before.395
Moscow, 09 March 2001
Vladimir Zhirinovsky, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party and Vice-Chairman
of the Russian Duma, has announced measures aimed at curbing the influence of
Catholics in the country and against the Pope’s visit to the Ukraine. Ria Novosti
has reported that the Duma has set up an International Affairs Committee at
Zhirinovsky’s behest to collect information on the expansion of the Catholic
Church in Russia and in other Orthodox states.396
Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz of Moscow, together with Russian Catholics,
expressed deep concern about Zhirinovsky’s comments. According to the Archbishop, Catholics are always prepared to enter into a “constructive dialogue with
civilian society”. The Church is a proponent of mutual respect between all religions.397
Irkutsk, 20 April 2001
Father Jan Frankevich, a Melkite Catholic priest serving in Siberia, was beaten to
death on Easter Sunday. The police authorities reported that Father Jan was
found badly beaten and dead in his bed.398
395
396
397
398
Catholic World News Briefs, 09/03/01 and CWNews, FIDES. See also: CRTN, 12/03/01
Catholic World News Vatican Update, 13/03/01. See also: CRTN, 14/03/01
179
179
04 May 2001
Russian President Putin has reformed the Religious Commission in such a way
that religious communities such as the Catholic Church will suffer negative
consequences. On the one hand, the Commission has become closer to the state
and further removed from the Church. On the other, Putin has appointed the
Orthodox Metropolitan Bishop Mefodi to the Commission, the man accused by
Archbishop Khrizostom of Vilnius in 1992 of being a KGB agent and atheist. He
never denied these accusations. According to Keston News Service, Putin has
“entrusted religious policy to a secular body”. This new policy could have serious
negative consequences for Western missionaries, who are seen by many as
agents of Western powers. Two Catholic bishops have been refused residence
permits in recent years on these grounds.399
Moscow, 25 October 2001
The Russian government has plans to restrict the activities of foreign religious
sects and religious extremists. The Vice President, Valentina Matviyenko, has
stated that the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, of the Interior and of Justice will be
submitting new proposals to the legislator aimed at controlling the religious
activities of foreign groups. This legislation, inspired by the mighty Orthodox
Church, will also have consequences for the Catholic Church in Russia. Associated
Press reports that visas have already been refused to foreign religious congregations, including Catholics.400
399
400
180
Katholiek Nieuwsblad, 04/05/01, and ZENIT.
ACN News, 25/10/01
180
RWANDA
Area: 26,338 km2
Religion:
Roman Catholic 52.7%
Protestant 24%
Adventist 10.4%
Muslim 1.9%
Indigenous 6.5%
No religion 4.5%
Ethnic groups:
Hutu 84%
Tutsi 15%
Twa 1% 402
In Rwanda, there are currently 11 bishops, 132 parishes, 274 mission stations with
no priest, 397 priests (of which 257 diocesan priests and 140 religious),
141 monks, 1,210 nuns, 359 major seminarians, 3,502 catechists and 12 lay
missionaries. The Church leads 288 caring organisations, one kindergarten,
1,079 primary schools, 116 secondary schools.403
Dakar, 04 July 2001
A Senegalese monthly publication, Horizons Africains, published an interview
with the chair of the Rwandan Bishops’ Conference, Monsignor Frederic Rubwejanga of Byumba. He stated in the interview that he had been personally
affected by accusations that the Catholic Church was directly involved in the
genocide in 1994. “I have nothing to say about that, only that these false accusations serve only the enemies of the Church in Rwanda and the rest of the
world. Can you imagine that a Bishops’ Conference or a pastoral team would
give instructions to start genocide? I don’t think so, and nevertheless this is what
we are accused of; but the truth will out,” the Bishop said.404
Noorwijkerhout, 06 July 2001
“Rwandan Churches play a significant role in the reconstruction of the country,”
said Aloisea Inyumba, executive secretary of Rwanda’s National Commission for
Unity and Reconciliation. He stated this during a congress of the World Associa401
402
403
404
CIA The World Factbook gives 7,312,756 inhabitants
See: CIA World Factbook
Church’s Book of Statistics, 1998 and FIDES, 20/02/01
CRTN, 05/07/01
181
181
tion for Christian Communication (WACC) in Noordwijkerhout, the Netherlands.
“Nobody in Rwanda can talk about reconciliation unless the Churches are
involved,” he added, although he also stressed that some people are finding it
difficult to accept this role on the part of the Church.405
Sixty-year-old Italian lawyer Guiliano Berizzi was murdered in his home in
Rwanda on 6 October. For the last eight years, Berizzi had regularly travelled for
long periods in Rwanda. He usually stayed for three months during the Christmas
period to help the poor. He also invited Africans to Italy to follow courses.406
SAUDI ARABIA
Area: 1,960,582 km2
Religion:
Muslim 93.4%
(79% of which Sunni)
Hindu 0.7%
Buddhist 0.5%
Not religious 1.4%
Christian 4%
Ethnic groups:
Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10%407
There are a variety of extremist groups which feel supported by the government.
Islam is the state religion and all citizens must be Muslim. The government sees
itself as the guardian of the Islamic religious heritage. A religious police, the
Mutawwa’in, has been set up to eradicate all non-Islamic influences. Displaying
non-Islamic religious symbols is strictly prohibited.
405
406
407
182
CRTN, 09/07/01
ACN News, 10/10/01
International Christian Concern, 19/02/01 and CIA The World Factbook 1999. See also: Christian
Solidarity Worldwide, Country Profile for Saudi Arabia. CSW actually states that 100% of the
population is Muslim.
182
July 2001
It appears that the government of Saudi Arabia is in the process of launching a
new, large-scale attack on Christians in the city of Jeddah. On Wednesday 25
July, a Christian’s house was attacked at midnight by five agents of the Ministry
of the Interior. The Christian, Eskinder Menghis, was suspected of organising
prayer and Bible-study meetings in his house. He is an Ethiopian working in
Saudi Arabia. He and his family were still awake when the house was raided. The
agents confiscated all books, Bibles, family photos, video and audio tapes they
could find. Eskinder’s name is on a list of names and addresses of suspected Christians. One week previously, the house of Indian Prabhu Isaac had been raided; he
was placed under such psychological pressure that he gave the names of other
Christians. He is still in prison in Farifia.408
21 August 2001
In an article entitled ’Saudi Arabia Continues Sweep of Christians’, Steven L
Snyder wrote that, “during the past three weeks, six Christians in Saudi Arabia
have been visited by the Ministry of the Interior. The names of these Christians
were obtained by torturing other Christians.” According to the United Churches
of Saudi Arabia, the following Christians were involved: Prabhu Isaac (of Indian
origin), who was imprisoned in the Sharafia prison in Jeddah on 19 July; then
Eskinder Menghis (from Eritrea), who was imprisoned in Ruais, Jeddah, on 25
July; Tinsaie Gizachew (from Eritrea), who was imprisoned on 19 August
together with two other members of his church; Gabayu en Kebrom, Aforunor
Okey Buliamin (from Nigeria), Mesfin (from Ethiopia) and Baharu Mengistu
(from Ethiopia).409
Another report was received at a later date stating that Dennis Moreno (from
the Philippines) had been arrested on 29 August 2001. On 19 August, Ibrahim
Mohammed (from Ethiopia) was also arrested.410
At the beginning of September, ICC reported still more arrests: on 29 August,
that of Joseph Girmaye (from Eritrea), on 1 September that of Worku (from Ethiopia) and Tishome (from Ethiopia); on 4 September Araya Gesesew (Ethiopia)
and Tishome Kebret (from Ethiopia).411
408
409
410
411
International Christian Concern, Report 25/07/01
International Christian Concern, ’Saudi Arabia Continues Sweep of Christians,’ 21/08/01
International Christian Concern, ’Saudis Strike Another Blow to Religious Freedom,’ 29/08/01
International Christian Concern, ’Boy Pleads for Help for father Detained in Saudi Arabia,’
05/09/01
183
183
Jeddah, 29 August 2001
The Christian community in Saudi Arabia continues to suffer from the consequences of the restrictions on religious freedom. According to reports from the
humanitarian organisation Middle East Concern, eight Christians were recently
picked up by the police. In Jeddah, six Christians were arrested on 19 and
20 August. The names of three of the six are known: Tinsaie Gizachew (from
Eritrea), Afobunor Okey Buliamin (from Nigeria) and Baharu Mengistu (from
Ethiopia). The exact identity of the other three is not known. They are accused
of spreading Christianity. Buliamin is in the most difficult situation, as he is identified as a Muslim on his passport: conversion of Muslims to Christianity is a
serious offence, punishable by death.412
30 August 2001
Since the middle of July, at least ten Christians have been imprisoned in a recent
wave of aggression against Christians. This began on 19 July with the arrest of
Prabhu Isaac from India. He was subjected to psychological torture and thereby
forced to reveal the names of a number of Christian leaders in Saudi Arabia. His
computer was also confiscated. This contained many names of other Christians.
A week later, Eskinder Menghis, from Eritrea, was arrested. On 19 August,
another five Christians followed: four from Eritrea, including Tinsaie Gizachew
and three others, identified only as Mesfin, Kebrom and Gabayu. The Nigerian
Afobunor Okey Buliamin was also arrested. Two days later, another two Christians from Ethiopia were likewise arrested: Baharu Mengistu and Beferdu Fikri.
On the morning of 30 August, the authorities arrested Dennis Moreno (from the
Philippines), after having extensively searched his home looking for more information on Christians.413
04 October 2001
Since July 2001, at least 15 Christians have been arrested in Jeddah. Most of these
were from Ethiopia and Eritrea. In addition, a further three Christians were
arrested – from India, the Philippines and Nigeria. House churches in Jeddah
were also destroyed.414
November 2001
Jubilee Campaign presented the following report on Saudi Arabia.415
Saudi Arabia is an Islamic kingdom. Public gatherings of non-Muslims are
forbidden. Thirteen Christian foreign workers have been arrested on religious
412
413
414
415
184
FIDES, 29/08/01
International Christian Concern, 04/10/01. See also: The Voice of the Martyrs, Canada, 04/10/01
Jubilee Campaign, 2001, no. 7
184
grounds recently in the Saudi port of Jeddah. New arrests could follow. Jubilee
Campaign NL calls on you to take action on behalf of these Christians.
Every Saudi is by definition Muslim. This is enshrined in Saudi law. Conversion
from Islam to another religion can result in the death penalty. Spreading the
Gospel is also strictly forbidden. The rules are less severe for foreign workers.
However, non-Muslims are not permitted to organise meetings. Prabhu Isaac,
from India, had worked in Saudi Arabia for 17 years. Friends organised a leaving
party for him, as he and his wife wished to return to India. They hired a hall for
this purpose. The police heard that a Christian meeting was to be held. So on
18 July 2001, Prabhu Isaac was arrested. Through Prabhu, the police obtained
the names of other Christian foreign workers. They too were arrested. There are
currently 13 Christians incarcerated, all of them from the Saudi port of Jeddah.
It is believed that the police are trying through these foreign Christians to trace
Saudis who have shown interest in the Christian religion.
SENEGAL
Area: 196,722 km2
Religion:
Sunni 90%
Roman Catholic 5%
The rest ethnic religions
Ethnic groups:
Wolof 40%, Fulbe or Fulani 18%,
Serer 17%, Toucouleur 8%,
Diola 5%, Mandin 5%416
Dakar, 16 November 2001
According to press reports, a Roman Catholic priest was gunned down and killed
during the past week. He is Father Simeon Coly, of the Ziguinchor diocese in the
Casamance region. He was shot dead while travelling by taxi-bus on a national
highway leading to Gambia.417
416
417
Islam, personen en begrippen van A tot Z, page 211
ACN News, 16/11/01
185
185
SOMALIA
Area: 637,657 km2
Religion:
Muslim (Sunni) 99.96%
A small Christian minority
Ethnic groups:
Somali, Bantu, Arab418
Mogadishu, 07 June 2001
The public prosecutor of the Somali national interim government accused
HornAfrik, the largest and most popular radio station in the country, of
attacking the country’s Muslim majority by broadcasting Christian radio
programmes. Muslims feel particularly offended by the broadcast of BBC
programmes.419
SRI LANKA
Area: 65,610 km2
Religion:
Buddhist 70%
Hindu 12%
Muslim 7%
Christian 8%420
Ethnic groups:
Singhalese, Tamils, Moors
The Hindu population is primarily concentrated in the north of the country; the
Christians primarily in the West. The South is predominately Buddhist. The ’Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam’ (LTTE) in particular carry out extremist attacks. They
are struggling for an “independent, Hindu, Sri Lanka’s Tamil state.” In addition,
there are a number of small, extremist Buddhist groups, who have a grudge
against Christians in particular.
418
419
420
186
International Christian Concern and CIA The World Factbook
CRTN, 08/06/01
International Christian Concern, 07/06/01 and CIA The World Factbook
186
May 2001
When the Protestant community of Nurwarawatte (220 km north-east of
Colombo) went to church on 18 February 2001, they discovered that the entire
contents of the church had been destroyed. Masked men had broken into the
church in the early morning and smashed everything. The community had no
option but to perform their service among the debris. While the minister was
praying, a mob of 100 fanatical Buddhists armed with machetes attacked the
congregation. Thirty-six Christians had to be treated in hospital. One of these is
in a very serious condition. Although the incident made the front pages of the
newspapers in Sri Lanka, and the President called an immediate inquiry, the
church was burned down by unknown perpetrators halfway through March.421
Colombo, 15 May 2001
The government of Sri Lanka announced that it had reached an agreement with
the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The conference of the Indian Ocean
island’s Catholic Bishops declared that they were satisfied with the agreement.
The number of deaths caused by the Tamil Tigers during the past year is estimated at approximately 60,000. The attacks are targeted predominately at Christians.422
May 2001
The past few weeks have seen a strong increase in violence by Hindu extremists.
On 10 May 2001, extremists in Negombo murdered the priest Father Bernard
Costa. He was found dead, lying in a pool of blood. During the course of April
2001, two churches were threatened and their priests asked to leave town.423
Colombo, 08 June 2001
“This war is a scandal for humanity. The number of dead (75,000) and the
number of refugees (1,000,000) exceeds the totals for the wars in East Timor, the
Balkans and Palestine. Every attempt must be made to get dialogue going,” said
Bishop Malcolm Ranjith of the Ratnapura diocese. He is also the Secretary
General of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference on Sri Lanka and President of the
Bishops’ Commission Iustitia et Pax. Between 4 – 15 June, the Bishop made a
’peace tour’ of a number of countries, visiting Norway, England, Switzerland,
France and Germany.424
421
422
423
424
Open Doors, May 2001. See also: UCAN, 22/02/01
FIDES, 08/06/01
187
187
09 August 2001
Buddhist monks complained to the government about the influence of Christianity in the country. The increased spreading of the Gospel by Christians in
particular makes them feel “threatened as Buddhists in the country.”425
SUDAN
Area: 2,505,810 km2
Religion:
Muslim 70% (Sunni)
Christian 19%
Others 9.9%
(primarily tribal religions)
Ethnic groups:
Black, Arab426
The conflict between Christians and Muslims has been going on for more than 15
years. One of the extremist groups is the Popular Defence Force (PDF), which
receives government support. It is a well-known fact that the government
supplies weapons to certain extremist groups known as Mujahadeen or Murahaleen. Thanks to this government support, such groups have more and better
equipment than the army itself. The most extremist Muslims are represented
within the PDF. In addition, the government provides weapons to various other
Muslim tribes, who in turn often carry out attacks on the Christian South.427
The government, based on the National Islamic Front (NIF), claims that there is
freedom of religion, but in practice Islam is the state religion. Forced conversions
to Islam are part of state politics.
Sudan
428
1. Agau Adom Mayen is now 18-years-old. As a small boy, he was forced to flee
his home in war-torn Sudan. Together with thousands of other boys, he made
the agonising journey on foot to neighbouring Ethiopia in the hope of finding
a refuge and safety. When Mengistu fell in 1991, they fled back to Sudan – where
425
426
427
428
188
International Christian Concern: Sudan - Christian Persecution in Sudan, 07/06/01
These three articles were written for the media by Cecilia Bromley-Martin, a staff member of
Aid to the Church in Need in London
188
they were persecuted all the more. Finally, they walked south, to Kenya, and
camped for three months, before being located in a refugee camp. Of the 20,000
boys who initially left Ethiopia, only 10,000 made it to the camp in Kenya. Today,
they are known as ’the lost boys of Sudan.’
“Many of my friends died of thirst, hunger and bombs,” Agau told me. “We
picked the leaves from the trees to eat them, and if there was no water some of
us even drank our own urine. If someone died, we just left him on the ground.
Our priest died and we just left him on the side of the road.
“When I left, my parents and four other brothers were still alive; I don’t know
whether I’ll be able to find them if I ever return. It is almost 15 years since I last
saw my family – but God gave me life and if He gave it to them too, I hope to
meet them again in the future. That is my prayer.”
Agau’s home for the past nine years, Kakuma refugee camp, was originally set
up in 1992 to cater for these lost boys of Sudan. Today, more than three-quarters
of its inhabitants are still Sudanese, although there are now more than 70,000
refugees from nine different countries living here. Here, they are safe from the
civil war that has ravaged their country for the past 18 years – the Muslims from
the North against the Christians and the animists from the South – but it is a hard
life and constantly beset by danger. “Life in Kakuma is not good, because there
is no safety,” Agau told me. “You can’t leave your house in the evening as you
are in danger of being shot by members of the local tribes. They come into the
camp to take your belongings and shoot everyone they come across. Last month,
they shot a boy in Zone Four. He was sitting in the fenced-off area in front of his
tent. They took nothing, but he was a witness so he had to be killed.”
Many Sudanese in Kakuma are Catholic, just like Agau, and their faith has lost
none of its vitality in spite of their hardship. I visited one of the ramshackle mud
churches in the camp, the Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, where a large,
enthusiastic choir was practising for Sunday. A little way off, a young man was
praying before one of the Stations of the Cross marked on the mud walls with
chalk. They told me that the church is full on Sundays for Mass, and that people
even stand outside. During the week, a number of groups meet in the church. A
priest is often sent from a local parish, but if he is unable to attend, one of the
catechists leads the others in prayer.
But it’s not just about the refugees. Because of the war, approximately one
million displaced persons have spread throughout southern Sudan. They have
left behind their houses, cattle, plantations and all their belongings and walked
for many days to camps where there is insufficient food and where many die of
thirst and cholera or other diseases. But for the Catholics among them, their
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faith is still central to their lives. The first displaced people reached Macar-Abiak
in September last year; they travelled on foot for 17 days and nights to reach the
camp. Fifteen died during the trip of hunger, thirst or illness, yet one of the first
things they did after they arrived was to build a chapel where they could pray.
They carved a cross on a tree and made benches from thick branches.
The incredible suffering that so many years of war, hunger and illness have
brought has led to a strong and righteous flourishing of church life among the
population of southern Sudan. “The strength of this faith comes from the fact
that they have been under such attack,” Bishop Erkolano Lodu of Yei explained.
“The people are obliged to defend themselves and do not want to become
Muslims. Sacramental life is on the increase and the Bible is being read more and
more. Participation in liturgical activities is great, particularly among the young.
During the next 25 years, the Church will be very strong in Sudan, because the
youth now is so enthusiastic.”
This deep spirituality among the young was visible in all of parishes I visited, and
the Church is acutely aware of the need to care for and support its young
members. “If we don’t mould the youth today,” a local priest told me, “they will
be victims tomorrow of everything that can occur.”
But tragically enough, the war takes away many young Sudanese men and
makes little soldiers of them, who are taught “to see all foreigners as enemies to
be killed,” as the bishop put it. Countless boys are sent to war and do not return
for a very long time – if at all. Sister Jacinta Dagbaaboro’s brother Peter joined
the army in 1991 and she didn’t see him again until 1999, when he passed
through her village before moving on again. “The men die, or carry on fighting
until the war is over,” she told me.
A large number of young men from the South join the SPLA, the Sudan People’s
Liberation Army, through a genuine belief in the cause, or to get enough to eat,
out of a sense of revenge or because they are forcibly recruited. “Many boys of
16 and older hide if they hear that the army is coming,” Sister Jacinta explained.
“Otherwise they will be taken away, whether they want to go or not. Even if the
boys say ’no’, the army will simply take them if they need them.” Whatever the
cause, the shortage of men in every town I visited was acute, and this has a
serious effect on morality and family life.
“The women feel terrible; they hate the fact that their husbands, brothers and
sons are taken away like this. But what can they do? Nothing. All of these factors
affect the children while they are growing up. They need a father and a mother
to bring them up. Mothers find it difficult to bring them up and boys are more
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likely to listen to their fathers. Many of the children do not attend school, they
just hang about all day. They learn to steal, because they do not have a good
family background. This war has brought a kind of violence with it – people are
very rough and not inclined to forgive. They are ready to avenge every little
thing. We want to make Christians who have a Christian conscience.”
The role of the nuns and priests in the country also seems to be crucially important. It is now that many people in southern Sudan are turning to the Church.
“My people were celebrating Mass seven miles from the front line, but they
stayed and finished the Mass and baptisms,” Bishop Mazzolari of Rumbek told
me. “The people will never forget that the Church stayed. Slowly, the international community is starting to realise that the Church stays – it has proven to be
the most reliable, particularly the Catholic Church. They know that through us
they can help: we will stay. We are the Church, which is the people. We must be
present. In the Church, we offer them the only social event where they are at
peace – they don’t want to go home. They want to stay and sing until the sun
goes down.”
2. “The most frightening experience of the war is the noise of the Antonov
bombers, which people can hear from a long way off. It paralyses them spiritually. You don’t know where the bombs will fall; you don’t know who will die. It
causes panic, and not just physical destruction.”
Bishop Caesar Mazzolari of Rumbek knows what he is talking about. “We
endured almost weekly bombardments between June and October of last year,”
he told me. “They usually target the market square, so there are always victims.
They are usually cluster bombs: they fall, splinter and hit like sharp knives. They
can tear off your head or limbs. But sometimes the clusters are made of land
mines, and these are subsequently found in fields – or children think they are
toys: only to lose and arm, or even their life.”
Bishop Mazzolari’s diocese was ’war zone number one’ in this civil war that has
ravaged southern Sudan for the past 18 years. The introduction of shari’ah,
Islamic law, stirred up resistance from the animistic and Christian South in 1983.
The introduction of this law led to terrible fighting, which has cost more than
two million people their lives – but the real reasons for the conflict are manifold.
It is about culture: the Arabs against the blacks – the ’slaves’ as they call them. It
is about resources: the rich but arid North wants the oil and water from the
fertile South. And it is about religion: Muslims against Christians. “The Arab
government says it is a religious war,” one parishioner said. “We are not against
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any particular religion, we are simply fighting for our rights.” The result of all
this is unimaginable suffering: thousands die each year, there is virtually no
medical aid and education is minimal and often in the hands of dedicated but
uneducated teachers.
Family life is being destroyed. In every town I visited, the shortage of men was
acute. “I would say without a doubt that almost 75% of the population here are
women,” said a priest from one of the parishes. “So many men have died and the
SPLA is still recruiting. They go to the villages, arrest young men and take them
away to fight. The men and boys who go often do not return for many years – if
at all.”
Sister Jacinta Dagbaaboro from Tomburo, whose brother Peter has been in the
army for years, said “We don’t hear much, sometimes twice a year. It is hard to
find out if someone has been killed. Sometimes we only hear after a very long
time – but it is not easy to get news from the front.” A large number of young
men from the South join the army because they passionately believe in the
cause, but others simply go to get enough to eat or to get revenge: everyone has
lost someone. There is so much recruiting that those who don’t want to fight
have to hide.
Nevertheless, most of the victims are not even soldiers. “Every year, thousands of
people die in this war,” a local priest told me. “Some are killed in battle, but
there are also victims among innocent civilians who get caught in the crossfire.
Many die of hunger and thirst because of the war. No journalists visit here to
report on what goes on. I get the impression that it is easy for Khartoum to
convince the West.” Bishop Mazzolari echoed these words: he recently delivered
urgent press releases in an attempt to make the Western world aware of the
perilous situation of the many thousands of displaced persons in his diocese. The
Bishop told how their homes, their food and their property have been burned,
their cattle stolen and how they now live far from a source of water, in appalling
poverty and isolation.
“These people are at death’s door,” he wrote. “In the evening, you can walk
through any village, and you will not see a single fire in a hut... they do not cook,
because there is no food to cook, not even for their children.”
Bishop Mazzuri accuses the international community of “ignoring this tragedy”,
and this feeling of being abandoned is something I often encountered among
the people of southern Sudan. “We are surprised and angry and concerned,”
Bishop Joseph Gasi said. “Why does the international community not take any
notice? It seems as if we are not part of the human race.” For the international
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aid organisation Aid to the Church in Need, assistance to Sudan is a priority, and
everyone was desperate to tell us his or her story, so we could take their cries of
help to the West. “The fact that you have come to Africa means we have not
been forgotten. That you still think of us,” said Fr Mark Kumbonyaki of Mupoi
parish. “We will never forget you, and the fact that you followed us into the
bush to see how we live in this poverty.”
And, in spite of the hunger, the homelessness, the war and the disease, the
Church is flourishing and growing in southern Sudan, where religion is central to
the life of the Christians of this country. The first group of refugees reached
Macar-Abiak in September of last year, following a journey on foot lasting
17 days and nights; some died on the way of thirst, hunger or disease.
Today, they still have to walk for two hours to fetch water and the adults spend
all day looking for wild fruits so they can feed their children. But still one of the
first things they did when they arrived was to build a chapel where they could
meet and pray; they carved a cross on a tree and made benches from thick
branches.
“This dedication and spiritual energy is evident throughout the country. Religious faith has grown extremely rapidly in Sudan, and has become much deeper
during the past ten years,” Fr Galdino, a young priest, told me. “Every day,
people come along and recommence their life in the Church, and our Jubilee
Year programmes brought many back into the fold – some even brought their
old witchcraft implements with them to burn!”
Fr Galdino is one of only 12 priests in the massive Tombura-Yambio diocese. The
people wanted to build a cathedral for the diocese, dedicated to Christ the King,
but the war interrupted their plans. Today, the brick chapel is only large enough
for the 300 or so people who attend Mass at 6.30am on weekday mornings – for
the Sunday Mass, they have to relocate to the ’green cathedral’ – under the trees.
I was told that the Mass would start at 9.30am, but although I arrived before
nine o’clock, the music and singing were already in full swing. In spite of their
poverty, everyone was wearing his or her Sunday best for the high point of the
week. The music and singing confirmed once again Africa’s reputation as the
’singing and dancing Church’. And it continued after I left at the end of the Mass,
at 12.15pm. “The people are enthusiastic,” their Bishop, Joseph Gasi, said. “They
pray and dance like David in the Old Testament. There are a lot of weddings
taking place and devotion to the Sacred Heart is on the increase. The Lord is still
with us and encouraging us.”
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Although most Masses pass without incident, there is no guarantee of safety –
just because one is in church. In fact, in some of the hardest-hit war zones in
southern Sudan, the church is one of the least safe refuges. Bishop Erkolano
Lodu of Yei admitted that people attending Mass are always putting their lives
at risk. “The Masses are full, but in Yei we are bombed almost every Sunday, in
order to get the people during Mass. Sometimes we have to celebrate Mass at
night. The government has decided that Sunday is the best day to bomb the
churches, because they are full.”
“We sit in the shelters for an hour to hide from the planes and then emerge to
inspect the damage – and sometimes the victims. We have been losing our
possessions for years, so we are used to that, but human life is worth more to us.
Sometimes it happens more than twice a week; we are being bombed and humiliated. We have no way of defending ourselves. They want to destroy us and
reduce our faith to nothing.”
It is an illusion to assume that this aim will succeed: the faith and trust of these
forgotten Catholics is indestructible. One day, an old parishioner took me aside
after Mass to talk. “We are suffering so much here in southern Sudan, and we
don’t know when there will be an end to this war and poverty,” he said. “But we
put our lives in God’s hands; God is mighty and we are praising Him.”
3. Catechists: the future of the Church in war-torn southern Sudan.
As a child, Rosa had polio. Today, she can only get about by crawling painfully on
her hands and knees – she wears flip-flops on her hands to protect them against
the scorching heat of the African sand. As is so often the case in southern Sudan,
plagued by disease and ravaged by war, four of Rosa’s five children were born
sick. “There was no hospital, no medicine, nobody to help,” she told me, sitting
on the mud floor of her straw hut. “The hunger made it worse. They died. My
husband left, because he thought the children were dying because of my
disease.” Yet when I first met her, she was leading a group of women singing a
hymn: “God is good. God is so good to me.”
Because Rosa is a catechist. She has been teaching the Catholic faith to women
from the local tribes for 25 years. “I decided to serve God with the life He has
given me – sitting,” she explained. “The women want to learn, but our
programme is often interrupted by illness or hunger, as they often have to go
and look for food for the children.”
The devastating civil war has now been ravaging southern Sudan for 18 years.
Everyone has lost somebody. Men and boys leave for the front – often spurred
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on by passion for the cause, but sometimes against their will or from feelings of
revenge, or simply because it is the only way to get enough food.
Because of the intense war and the possibility to protect their people and homes,
few young men have the opportunity or inclination to heed a vocation as a
priest, while those who do feel the call often find themselves in circumstances
whereby it is not possible to study at the seminary. As life expectancy is less than
50 years, most of the older clergy in Sudan have already died and left the few
young priests who have somehow managed to complete their studies at the
seminary facing a task much too hard for them alone. For this reason, everyone
agrees with Rosa’s conviction: “The catechists are the future and the hope for
the Church in Sudan.” Bishop Caesar Mazzolari of Rumbek even said, “Many of
them are just as good as the priests. They are recognised as the spiritual leaders
of their communities.”
These are the people who heroically and courageously keep the faith alive
among Catholics who cannot see a priest or receive the sacrament more than
once or twice a year, if at all. Indeed, from 1983 to 1997, there was not a single
priest in the remote, isolated Nuba Mountains. All the people had in terms of
pastoral care was a catechist to evangelise them, teach them and pray with
them. But when the priests finally arrived a few years ago, they discovered that
almost three-quarters of the people were Christian – thanks to that one catechist. “Sudan is a country torn apart by war, and the first thing they need is the
Word of God. They need Jesus, so we have to sacrifice ourselves so that they can
learn the Peace of Jesus from us.”
It was the incredible courage of these dedicated people that always impressed
me. For little financial reward, they are willing to take themselves and their families to be with the people most in need of the Gospel. A 27-year-old catechist
told me very simply and pragmatically about his everyday life in the Wau
diocese. “I was given responsibility for more than 50 chapels. In one area, we
were close to the railway, and when the Arabs came and found people praying,
they murdered them and set their chapels on fire. Three of my chapels were
burned down, so we prayed outside.”
More than two million people have already lost their lives in this tragic war,
which is being widely ignored – the powerful Muslim North against the predominately Christian and animist South. Another million people have been made
homeless and are dying of hunger, illness and thirst. They have lost their homes,
belongings, cattle and plantations. Many have lost members of their families.
But they are hanging onto their belief in God – and the catechists play a crucial
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role in this. “We are here to encourage the people in times of war,” one of these
explained. “Otherwise people lose their faith in God, if the priests are not
there.”
For this reason, many prayers have been answered with the St Josephine Bakhita
Education Centre in the Kenyan city of Kitale. This is an inter-diocesan centre,
founded in 1996. Courses are given for catechists, trainee priests, teachers, nuns
and peace officers. As it is virtually impossible to ensure good, thorough, uninterrupted training under safe circumstances in southern Sudan, this centre is
vitally important for the future work of the Church in this country.
Nevertheless, it takes a considerable effort on the part of the students to adjust
from the war and their home to the relative comfort and plenty of Kenya. “They
have lived in isolation,” one of the teachers, the Peruvian Fr Roy Zuniga,
explained. “It is a shock for them to come here – it is completely different. They
see cars and houses and get a real culture shock.”
There is no danger however that the people who have studied in Kitale will
refuse to leave safe, peaceful Kenya at the end of their studies: they all sign a
written agreement in advance and declare that, once they have finished their
course, they will return to Sudan to support their diocese.
“The training we receive here is very useful,” one of the students told me. “In
southern Sudan, there are very few priests – there are more catechists. Having
completed this course, we can go there and teach the people more.” The Church
in Sudan badly needs courses such as this, and therefore the training of these
unselfish men and women is a priority for the international aid organisation Aid
to the Church in Need. As is offering possibilities for travel between the remote
chapels in the enormous diocese. In one town, I was told, “Our parish is very
large and we have no transport. There are 52 chapels in the parish, but the priest
cannot visit them all, as he doesn’t even have a bicycle. The priests and catechists
really need transport to visit the chapels.”
It is the same everywhere. Most catechists don’t have any means of transportation at all, and therefore have to walk for hours on dusty, uneven roads and
brave the African heat to reach their remote stations; often they also have to
pass through hostile territory. Their dedication is absolute, as they know that a
great many Catholics depend on them.
It is humbling to see the dedication and love of the faith shown by the Christians
of South Sudan. A Comboni brother told me that, when the first Catholic
missionaries reached the Upper Nile in the mid nineties, they asked people,
“What do you want?” The answer was not, as they had expected, ’relief’, but
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’the Word of God’. It is largely thanks to many hundreds of dedicated and courageous catechists that so many faithful can share in the Gospel.
02 February 2001
Troops from the Sudanese army have once again hunted for slaves in village in
South Sudan. Members of the Christian Solidarity International organisation,
which has its headquarters in Zurich, reported that, on 12 January, armed troops
belonging to the government in Khartoum took at least 103 women and children as slaves during targeted raids in the villages of Chelkou and Mabior. Local
leaders of the village communities estimate that, at present, some 100,000 slaves
are being held in North Sudan. Most of these slaves are Christians from the
South, who have been persecuted for years. Once the slaves are in the North,
they are distributed between their masters. They are then subjected to personal
violence, sexual abuse, unpaid work and forced conversion.429
Khartoum, 16 February 2001
On 15 February 2001, the police conducted a violent raid of the offices of the
Sudanese Bishops’ Conference in Khartoum. According to the MISNA press
agency, ten officers were involved in the raid on the buildings and confiscated
six cars belonging to the Medini Health Training Institute. No further explanation was given in relation to this raid.430
Nairobi, 15 March 2001
Rebels from the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) attacked the town of
Nyal. Fifteen thousand people fled to the Catholic Comboni Mission, where the
rebels then razed the church to the ground. The attack took place on 22 February
2001, but only became known on this date.431
Khartoum, 09 April 2001
A delegation of Catholic bishops from the US visited Sudan. Pursuant to this, the
Sudanese bishops issued a declaration asking the US for support in remedying
the ravages of the civil war. The bishops specifically asked for the setting up of a
no-fly-zone to hamper the bombing of civilian targets.
429
430
431
CRTN, 20/02/01
Catholic World News Briefs, 15/03/01. See also: FIDES, 15/03/01
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197
In their appeal, the bishops also pointed out the lack of religious freedom for the
Sudanese:
“Religious persecution is part of the recent tragedy in modern Sudan and is one
of the principal causes of the war.”432
12 April 2001
On 10 April, a delegation of Canadian Church leaders returned from a visit to
Sudan. The delegation called upon the government to impose a moratorium on
all oil products from Sudan, including Talisman Energy in Calgary. The appeal
was based on the regular bombardment by the Sudanese government of areas
where Christians live.433
Many believers were arrested and others injured when thousands of Christians
protested in front of a Catholic church against the decision by the Muslim
government to relocate the Easter celebrations to sites outside the city. Christians congregated by All Saints’ church and began stoning cars after 40 Christians
were arrested.434
Fifty-three Christians were beaten after the authorities repeatedly attempted in
vain to relocate the Easter celebrations from the church in the centre of Khartoum to the edge of the city. On the Thursday, two women and two children
were each given 15 lashes before being released. All 47 men were given 20 lashes
and sentenced to 20 days’ imprisonment.435
An aircraft belonging to the Bishop of El Obeid was attacked by bombers shortly
after taking off in the Nuba Mountains. The bishop, Macram Max Gassis, and his
entourage, were not harmed, in spite of the attack. One policeman died and two
civilians were seriously injured, however. The group was en route to Bahr alGhazal in the North to celebrate Easter. Six heavy bombs were dropped on the
end of the runway. The bishop’s aircraft took off quickly to prevent the bombers
from turning back.436
On 16 April, the Sudanese government bombed two civilian targets; both at a
time when Catholic bishops were present. On 16 April a runway in Kauda, in the
432
433
434
435
436
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Nuba Mountains, was bombed. Fourteen bombs were dropped. One person was
killed and two injured. On 22 April, the government dropped 16 bombs on
civilian targets around the city of Narus, in eastern Equatoria. Two bombs fell on
the marketplace and two on a church school. Bishop Macram Max Gassis of the
El Obeid diocese said: “The regime has regularly attempted to block my access to
Catholics in these marginalised areas, and when it fails to prevent that, it seeks
to disrupt our religious celebrations through the constant threat of aerial
bombardment.”437
Director of JRS Eastern Africa, Stephen Power SJ, said: “I spoke to two Maryknoll
Sisters about their first-hand experience of the terror of the recent bombing of
Narus. They are just completing their bunker. Bishop Paride Taban was not able
to get in a bunker and narrowly escaped being hit by shrapnel. Many more children could have been killed and it was only fortunate that they were not.”
Leaders of ten Christian groups protested to the Sudanese President about the
treatment of some 100 Christians during Holy Week and Easter. Three people
were injured by rifle bullets; others were seriously wounded when they were hit
with canes.438
London, 23 April 2001
Amnesty International called for an investigation into violence against and
arrests of Sudanese Christians, including many women and children, during the
Easter period 2001. The human rights organisation stated that, “it is concerned
about the fact that at least nine people, including children, have been beaten
up, after they were accused along with 47 others of ’disturbing the public order.’
All of those arrested by the police must be given the opportunity to be represented by a lawyer of their own choosing.”439
April 2001
“If the international community does not intervene quickly, there will soon be
millions more dead in Sudan.” These words of warning were recently uttered by
Bishop Paride Taban of Torit in South Sudan on Saturday 17 March in the drug
rehabilitation centre in Cadier en Keer during the annual mission day of the
Bishop of Roermond. “The country has been embroiled in a civil war for more
than 30 years. For a long time, this war has not been about religious disputes
anymore, but power and wealth,” the bishop said. “The government of Khar-
437
438
439
Jesuit Refugee Service: Sudan Alert, 02/05/01
Catholic World News Briefs, 20/04/01 and FIDES, 20/04/01
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toum is not at all interested in peace. As long as the war rages, they can get
billions in support to buy new weapons.”440
Nairobi, 18 May 2001
Because of threats by the rebels of the People’s Democratic Front, a splinter
group of the SPLA, two missionaries and 14 employees of aid organisations were
evacuated from Ganyli. The town was recently designated as ’high risk’ owning
to the frequent attacks by Muslim militants.441
Königstein, 21 May 2001
An air attack on the town of Narus, in the far south of Sudan, killed three people,
including a child of six-years-old. This report was received from the Bishop of
Torit, Monsignor Paride Taban. The Bishop himself only narrowly escaped the
attack. Attacks like this have been going on for 18 years. The northern Muslim
armies are responsible. The attacks are aimed at Christians in the South.442
24 May 2001
Fourteen bombs were dropped on Tonj, in the Bahr el Ghazal region.443
Khartoum, 28 May 2001
Even the American Secretary of State, Colin Powell, spoke of a “new attempt by
the Sudanese Muslim government” to hit the Christian communities in the Nuba
Mountains hard by bombardment.
Bishop Macram Max Gassis of El Obeid, visiting Canada, said that he had received
new documents that make it clear that the Sudanese military are preparing to
close all arterial roads around Kauda and Gidel. “I invite all people, whatever
their religion, to pray for the people who live in the Nuba Mountains, and for me
personally. They are being systematically bombed and attacked. Many villages
have been burned out, many people murdered, many have fled. The old and the
children are very vulnerable. They are hunting down priests and other
colleagues,” the Bishop said.
The Muslim government in the North has been at war for more than 20 years
with the predominately Christian South. In the Nuba region, at least 300,000
people have been killed during this period. Throughout the country as a whole,
there have been some two million deaths. The Muslim armies have concentrated
440
441
442
443
200
Contactblad van de Sociâteit voor Afrikaanse missiân, no. 123, April 2001, page 7
CRTN, 21/05/01
Info-Sekretariat, press release, 22/05/01
200
in particular on Christian institutions. Bishop Gassis has also been attacked
repeatedly.444
According to Open Doors, 14 villages in the Nuba Mountains have been razed,
and 5,000 people displaced.
28 May 2001
“In the last 17 years, two million persons have been killed, four million have been
internally displaced and hundreds of thousands made refugees. Yet the West
seems to evince little interest in the hidden holocaust that is consuming southern
Sudan, a situation that the US bishops have rightly called ’one of the worst
human tragedies of our times’.”445
“The religious and political reasons for the slaughter are well known: the Khartoum government is a regime bent on the ’Islamisation’ of the country... The
genocide includes wrenching stories of slavery, rape, torture, executions
(including reports of crucifixions), the regular bombing of schools, churches and
hospitals, as well as restrictions on aid to populations threatened by famine.”446
14 June 2001
The US House of Representatives passed a bill intended to support the peace
process in Sudan. This law makes it possible to punish foreign companies
hampering the process. American companies have already been prohibited from
working from Sudan. The companies affected are predominately oil companies.447
July 2001
The government’s policy of Islamisation continues. Before a child goes to school
at the age of six, it has to have had two years of nursery education. This nursery
education is in the hands of the government, which wants to indoctrinate the
children with Islam at the age of four.448
August 2001
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir stressed that, in spite of the acceptance of a
peace plan, he wishes to continue on the Islamic course. He rejected the sidelining
of his government when speaking to recruits last week Wednesday in Khartoum.
The peace plan, arrived at through the mediation of Egypt and Syria, provides for
an interim government, consisting of representatives of the Islamic government
444
445
446
447
448
America, 28/05/01, page 3
America, 28/05/01, page 3
Open Doors, July/August 2001, page 8
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201
and the Christian and animist rebels in the South. The previous weekend, AlBashir had already rejected any correspondence between the peace process and
a change of government. At that time, he stated that he had seized power in
order to introduce shari’ah, Islamic criminal law. He does not want to change this.
He referred to it as “illusionary” to believe that acceptance of the peace plan
would bring about a change of course on the part of the “Government of Salvation”. The civil war has now forced some five million people to flee.449
09 August 2001
In a press release, Maurice Vellacott, Canadian Alliance Member of Parliament
for Saskatoon-Wanuskewin, reported that Canadian pension funds were being
used to fund the genocide in Sudan. On page 18 of his report, he states that on
31 March 2001, the Canadian Pension Plan invested 57.3 million US dollars in
Calgary-based Talisman Energy. According to the Harker report (2000), this
company contributed to instability in the areas of conflict in Sudan.450
Khartoum, 28 August 2001
A teenager and four men were injured in an attack by the Sudanese government
on villages and refugee camps in the South of the country. Reports of this were
received from Torit diocese. Father Maurice Loguti, spokesman for the Torit
diocese, reported that bombers appeared on Sunday morning while a lot of
people were attending Mass. Having bombed the village, the bombers flew
away in the direction of the town of Ikotos, which was also bombed.451
28 August 2001
The bishops of Sudan called upon the government to put an end to the war
immediately; negotiations are the only way to peace. This call went out at the
end of a meeting, held between 12 – 17 August, of Catholic and Episcopal
bishops. The Sudanese government thinks differently: shari’ah is the only law.452
According to Monsignor Daniel Adwok, the suffragan bishop of Khartoum,
dialogue between Christians and Muslims is very difficult, but essential. During
the past decades of the war between the Muslim government of Sudan and
Christians, more than two million people have been killed. In the Khartoum
diocese, in recent years an average of 5,000 people have been baptised,
including many former Muslims.453
449
450
451
452
453
202
Katholiek Nieuwsblad, 03/08/01, and report KNA
Jesuit Refugee Service, 28/08/01
ACN News, 09/10/01
202
08 October 2001
Compass Direct reported that Mohammed Saeed Mohammed Omer was
tortured by the Sudanese secret police, after being picked up on the street in
Khartoum on 22 September. Omer converted to Christianity in December 2000,
while studying at a university in India. When his family heard about his conversion, Omer was compelled to return home. Omer believes that the torture is a
result of a report made to the police by his family.454
Khartoum, 09 October 2001
The UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan related that the town of Mangayath had been bombed by the Sudanese government on 5, 6 and 8 October. On
6 October alone, six people were injured and one person died.455
Zurich, Los Angeles, Nymalell (Sudan), 08 November 2001
The Sudanese army killed 21 civilians and took 113 women and children into
slavery. The governor of the district Aweil-West related how six villages to the
east of the town of Nyamlell were attacked. One of the women kidnapped was
Juliana Mururi, a member of the staff of CEAS (Church Ecumenical Action for
Sudan). During the October attacks, 93 civilians were killed and 85 women and
children taken into slavery.456
The bishop of a Catholic diocese in southern Sudan called upon the Islamic
government of Khartoum to release an aid worker from Kenya. The man was
arrested last week. Bishop Caesar Mazzolari of Rumbek told the press agency in
Rome that the arrest of “aid workers in the northern city of Bahr el Ghazal
clearly illustrates that Khartoum has no respect for human rights.” In particular,
this concerns Juliana Mururi (see report 08/11/01).457
Bishop Erkolano Lodu Tombe had already accused the Islamic government in
Khartoum of systematically persecuting Christians. According to the Bishop, the
conflict in his country is “the result of a systematic campaign for the Islamisation
of Sudan.” “Freedom of religion is being methodically suppressed,” the Bishop
said.458
454
455
456
457
458
ACN News, 08/11/01
ACN News, 14/11/01
KATHPRESS, 12/10/01
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203
SYRIA
Area: 185,180 km2
Religion:
The vast majority Muslim 86%
Christian
Jewish
Ethnic groups:
Arab, Kurd, Armenian459
There are no extremist groups in Syria that target Christians in particular.
Freedom of religion exists, but religious groups have to be registered.
Damascus, 16 March 2001
The leader of the Syrian Muslims declared that he did not want to pray with the
Pope during his planned visit to the country in May 2001. The Syrian Grand
Mufti, Sheik Ahmed Kiftaro, also said, “Reports that a Christian/Muslim prayer is
to be said in the Omayyad mosque are completely false. No decision has been
taken in this matter by the Grand Mufti. Co-existence between Christians and
Muslims does not require common prayer.”460
Königstein, 30 April 2001
During the 93rd trip by Pope John Paul II, which took him to Syria, among other
countries, the Pope was to call for peaceful co-operation between Muslims and
Christians. However, most attention during this journey went to meetings with
other Christian groups. The largest Christian group is formed by Catholics of the
Byzantine Rite, also known as Melkites, and the Orthodox Church. Until Islam
arrived in the seventh century, Damascus was a pre-eminently Christian city.461
Damascus, 05 May 2001
On the occasion of the Pope’s visit to Syria, Archbishop Mounayer (76) gave an
interview to FIDES. Mounayer has been head of the Syrian Catholic Church of
Damascus since 1978. His Church has a congregation of 6,200, divided among
four parishes. In the interview, Mounayer told of the mass murder of Syrian Christians in 1915. One hundred and fifty thousand people perished in that genocide.
He expected the Pope’s visit to strengthen the position of the Church in Syria.462
459
460
461
462
204
INFO, Kînigstein, press releases, 30/04/01
FIDES, 05/05/01
204
Damascus, 07 May 2001
A small monastic community of the abbey of Mar Mussa al-Habashi, named after
St Moses the Ethiopian, planned to enter into a dialogue with Islam. The abbey
is in the Nabak area, where approximately 86,000 people live, including 800
Christians. Through their everyday contact with their predominately Muslim
outside world, the monks have built up good contacts among the Muslims.
Furthermore, a great deal of time is devoted in the monastery to the study of
Arabic and the basic principles of Islam.463
TAJIKISTAN
Area: 142,100 km2
Religion:
Sunni 80%
Shi’ite 5%
Ethnic groups:
Tajik, Uzbek, Russian464
According to the government, a number of Muslim extremist groups are active
in the country. The constitution guarantees freedom of religion. The government tries to restrict the influence of Muslim fundamentalism by holding on to
the secular state. In 1998, a law was even introduced forbidding the formation
of political parties on the basis of religion. However, the law has never been
enforced: at present, two members of an Islamic party have seats in parliament.
Religious organisations must be registered with the government. The government has decided to recognise the Islamic holidays as the official public holidays
for the entire country.465
25 October 2001
According to Keston News Service (KNS), Salijon Valiyev, the Muslim mayor of
Kurgan-Tyube, refused to register the evangelical church. Kurgan-Tyube is the
third largest city in Tajikistan. As an explanation for this refusal, Valiyev said that
this was the same Baptist Church as was already registered in Dushanbe.466
463
464
465
466
FIDES, 07/05/01
The Voice of the Martyrs, Canada, 25/10/01. See also: International Christian Concern, 22/11/01
205
205
206
206
207
207
TURKEY
Area: 780,580 km2
Religion:
Muslim 99.8%
Christian 0.2%
Ethnic groups:
Turk, Kurd467
Riches and suffering of the Arameans of Mesopotamia
At a meeting two months ago in Damascus, the Patriarch of the Syrian Orthodox
Church presented to the Pope a three-part book on the history of his people. It
is a revealing book on the little-known history of triumph and sorrow for the
Arameans of Mesopotamia, including genocide.
Ben van de Venn468
The small living room of his flat in Hengelo is simply furnished. Only the walls of
his room display a colourful array of icons, all manner of crucifixes and family
photographs. Gabriël Sengo talks passionately about his people, the Aramaicspeaking Christians of Mesopotamia, known these days as Syrian Orthodox Christians. He sees it as his duty to defend the existence and position of his people.
Since 1999, the worldwide organisation of Arameans, the Syriac Universal Alliance, has been recognised by the UN as a non-governmental organisation. Sengo
is one of the delegates to the UN in Geneva.
Also annihilated
He wishes to make a few corrections to inaccuracies in the Katholiek Nieuwsblad.
But he also has another reason for talking to the KN. A great deal has been
written in recent years about the genocide perpetrated on the Armenians by the
Turks during the years 1915 -1918. A lesser-known fact is that the Aramaic or
Syrian-speaking Christians were also the victims of the slaughter perpetrated by
467
468
208
208
the Turks with Kurdish accomplices during this period. Some 300,000 Aramaic
Christians were brutally murdered.
The arrest of Syrian Orthodox priest Yusuf Akbulut in October 2000 is proof of
Turkey’s reluctance to recognise the existence of Aramaic Christians, let alone
the genocide perpetrated on them. When a journalist from the Hurriyet daily
paper asked him about the genocide of the Armenians, he replied, “Not only
Armenians were massacred, but Syrians also.” The headline above the article
read “Traitors in our midst.” The genocide of the Arameans had been placed
embarrassingly in the public eye. Thanks to international pressure, Akbulut has
since been released.
Unity of Christ
Mesopotamia, located between the Euphrates and the Tigris, has always been
inhabited by Arameans. Aramaic was an important language in the Middle East
– it was the language spoken by Jesus. The Arameans of Mesopotamia were a
people with great learning and culture. Following the arrival of Christ, they were
quick to embrace Christianity. The Church of Antioch, the first patriarchate
outside Palestine, located in the present-day town of Antakya in the extreme
south of Turkey was founded by the Apostles, converted Jews and the Arameans
of Mesopotamia. From here, the Gospel was spread to various peoples and this
was the starting point for Paul’s missionary travels.
In 451, the Council of Chalcedon was convened to lay down the teachings on
the person of Christ. The council stated that Christ was one person with two
natures, a Godly and a human nature. The Arameans of Mesopotamia did not
agree with this formulation. Without giving up the Theandric character of
Christ, they insisted upon the unity of Christ, also in his nature. Their opponents therefore referred to them as ’monophysites’ (believers in the single
nature of Christ). This led to the birth of the Syrian Orthodox Church of
Antioch, not to be confused with modern-day Islamic Syria. In the confusing
time following Chalcedon, Peter the Patriarch of Antioch added the typically
monophysite “who was crucified for us” to the three “holies” of the old
liturgy. In the Syrian Orthodox Church, congregations still sing at the start of
prayer meetings, “Holy God, holy strength, holy immortal, who was crucified
for us, have mercy upon us.”
209
209
Holy war
th
Following the arrival of Islam in the area, the Turks began in the 16 century to
seriously attempt to drive the Aramaic Christians from their land or exterminate
them. Above the entrance to the Mar Gabriel monastery in Tur Abdin, we read,
“This holy monastery was first plundered by the Turkish enemies. They also
caused devastation throughout the Tur Abdin area, to monasteries and villages
in the surroundings.” Nevertheless, the Syrian Orthodox Church managed to
survive against the odds. Before 1914, there was therefore a reasonably strong
Aramaic community in Turkey. But then came the disastrous year 1914, the “year
of the sword”.
On 7 November 1914, the highest Islamic authority in Istanbul called for a ’holy
war’ against all enemies of Turkey. This declaration was formally addressed at
the English, French and Russians. But enemies also clearly referred to nonMuslims on Turkish soil, such as the Armenians and Arameans of Mesopotamia.
Especially when they could be accused of collaboration with Russia.
Brute force
There were in fact links between the Russians and the Arameans and Armenians
and agreements had been made in the area of armaments. When the Third
Turkish army attacked the Russians in 1914, the Christians in eastern Turkey were
also dealt with. Raids followed and whole villages were razed to the ground. The
Aramaic Christians in the Tur Abdin area initially kept out of the firing line. They
had no nationalist aspirations, unlike the Armenians, and simply wanted to practise their belief in Jesus Christ in freedom. In 1915, however, the Ga’oer
(heathens) in the Aramaic villages also became targets for the Turkish and
Kurdish troops.
One document of the genocide of the Arameans is the testimony of Abdulmesih
Niman Karabas, a student of Aramaic in the Deyrl’Zahfaran monastery in the
town of Mardin. He gives examples of the cruelty he saw himself and was subsequently related by Turkish soldiers. For example, the events of 9 April 1915 in
Diyarbekir: “On the orders of the army, 1,200 prominent Syrian (Aramaic) men of
distinction were rounded up and tortured in the most horrific manner. Some
were tortured with red-hot irons.” The survivors were led to the Tigris river,
“where they were undressed and taken to a valley where they were barbarously
slaughtered.” In Kahbia, not one of the 1,650 inhabitants survived an attack. In
Hazach, the two archbishops were tortured, killed and thrown out of the city like
garbage. In Siirt, Father Gabriel was disfigured by the Kurd Kasimo using a sword
210
210
and a butcher’s knife in an attempt to make him become a Muslim. When he
refused, he was beheaded.
No recognition
The number of victims of the genocide of the Arameans is estimated at between
200,000 and 300,000. Sengo, “The most reliable documents to determine the
scale of the genocide are the village records in the villages concerned in Tur
Abdin. Using these, it is possible to ascertain how many Arameans there were
before the bloodbaths and how many were left afterwards.” Many survivors of
the mass slaughter fled to Syria, the Lebanon and Western countries. Following
discrimination, persecution and murder by the Islamic Kurds in the 70s and 80s,
tolerated by the Turkish government, many Arameans once again left. There are
now some 1,500 left on their original land, Tur Abdin.
Recognition of the genocide of the Aramean Christians seems much further
away than that of the Armenians. In the treaty of Lausanne of 1923, only the
Greeks and Armenians were recognised as ethnic minorities in Turkey. The
Arameans were and often still are referred to as ’mountain Turks’ in order to
deny them their status as a separate community. Use of their language, Aramaic,
is still forbidden in Turkey. One positive aspect is that the worldwide community,
numbering some five million Arameans of Mesopotamia, as the community –
proud of its historic roots – calls itself, was recognised by the UN as an NGO in
1999.
Dream
The cement that binds the Arameans of Mesopotamia, both in their original
homeland and the diaspora, is their old Church and its rich liturgy. The head of
this Church is the Patriarch of “Antioch and all the East.” The present Patriarch,
Ignatius Zakka I Iwas, has his seat in Damascus. There are still 15 dioceses,
including a number in the diaspora. The monastery of Glanerburg in the Dutch
province of Twente is home to Bishop Ciçek of the Netherlands and Western
Europe.
One characteristic of the Syrian Orthodox liturgy, naturally in Aramaic, is the
large number of anaphoras (eucharistic prayers) – there are more than 70.
Generally speaking, only two are used today. The number of fasting periods is
also striking.
This rich and varied liturgy is very dear to the Arameans.
January 2001
An Orthodox priest was prosecuted for openly protesting about the murder
211
211
of 500,000 Syrian Christians in 1915. He is Father Yusuf Akbulut, who was
arrested on 21 December 2000. He is the priest for the Syrian Orthodox parish
of Diyarbakir, in eastern Turkey. In the daily newspaper Hurriyet, Father
Yusuf was called “a traitor in our midst”. He was prosecuted under Article
312 of the Turkish penal code, which makes “inciting religious or ethnic
hatred” an offence.469
Diyarbakir, 16 February 2001
Kemal Timur, a Turkish Christian, was summoned to appear before the court,
accused of insulting Islam and Mohammed. This was reported by Middle East
Concern, a human rights organisation for the Middle East, following a request
from the Alliance of Protestant Churches to provide him with a lawyer. Timur is
32 and a member of a small Protestant church.470
Ankara, 22 February 2001
The trial of Father Yusuf Akbulut (36), a priest of the Assyrian Church in the east
of Turkey, was postponed as the accusations made against him could not yet be
substantiated. Father Akbulut was arrested after having given an interview to
the Turkish nationalist newspaper Hurriyet, in which he claimed that the Assyrians, like the Armenians, had been the victims of genocide early in the 20th
century.471
469
470
471
212
Information und Appelle, 01/01/01, pages 1-3
CRTN, 08/02/01 and International Christian Concern, 19/02/01
CRTN, 26/02/01
212
Frankfurt-Ankara, 21 June 2001
The Society for Threatened People, a German non-governmental organisation
affiliated with the UN, announced that a Syrian Orthodox Christian had been
arrested in Idil, in south-east Turkey. At the time of his arrest, the man was in
possession of a Swiss passport and was filming a Christian cemetery. He wanted
to make a documentary on life in the Tur Abdin region. The 20-year-old man,
identified as Abrohom S., was first taken to a military camp, before being transferred to the civilian prison in Midyat. A second Syrian Christian, arrested with
him, has since been released.472
Ankara, 24 July 2001
Turkish President, B. Ecevit, recommended ending the isolation of Christian
villages in the Tur Abdin region. The President was responding to accusations
from Syrian Christians wanting to return from abroad and refused access. The
President’s decision came shortly after reports had appeared in German and
Australian publications about this refusal on the part of the Turkish police. The
Swedish Consul General had also been refused permission to visit these areas.473
472
473
CRTN, 22/06/01. See also: KNA 21-06-01
CRTN, 26/07/01
213
213
TURKMENISTAN
Area: 488,100 km2
Religion:
Muslim 76% (Sunni)
Atheist 18.2%
Christian 5.7%
Ethnic groups:
Turkmen, Uzbek, Russian474
January 2001
In Turkmenistan, members of ’non-registered Christian communities’ fall victim
to systematic persecution. CSI reported that Father Shokrat Piriyev of the small
church in Bagyr was forced to leave his house as a result of religious activities. In
November 2000, he was arrested together with three colleagues after the secret
service, the KNB, had found religious videos at his home.475
04 January 2001
A court ordered the church of the Pentecostal movement in Ashgabad to
disband. The church did not have permission to operate at the time of the official
registration in 1997.476
05 February 2001
Shagildy Atakov, a member of a Baptist church, was so badly mistreated in prison
that there were fears for his life. This was reported by Amnesty International.
Atakov has been detained in forced labour camps for more than two years now.
He was arrested in December 1998, after being accused of fraud; it is assumed
however that his arrest was really motivated by his religious activities.477
26 March 2001
Shagildy Atakov is a Christian leader. He and his family were informed that “they
are no longer permitted to believe in Jesus and that they must convert to Islam.”
This news was brought to them by the local mullah and officers from the KNB,
474
475
476
477
214
International Christian Concern, 19/02/01 and CIA The World Factbook 1999. The number of
Christians is growing by some 1.2% a year.
CSI, January 2001, page 5
The Voice of the Martyrs, 09/02/01, information also from Amnesty International and Keston
Institute
214
the former KGB. This is stated in particular in a report from the Keston Institute.478
April 2001
The Turkmen Christian Shagildy Atakov (38) does not expect to leave prison
alive. He told this to his wife who was permitted to visit him on 3 and 4 February.
Atakov was severely mistreated and is covered in external and internal injuries.
His kidneys and liver have been damaged. He is also said to have been ’knocked
out by drugs’ even though he showed no symptoms of psychiatric illness. His
arms and wrists are full of needle marks.479
26 April 2001
According to reports from Keston News Service, the Baptist Atakov, who was
arrested in December 1998, has been placed under house arrest while awaiting
transfer to a prison in Turkmenbashi, the former Krasnodovsk. He is not allowed
to receive post or visitors. In the meantime, his health is deteriorating so rapidly
that there are fears for his life.480
17 may 2001
Two recent incidents make it clear that violence against Christians is increasing
in this country.
a. Yevgeny Samsonov, who had previously been arrested in April after participating in Easter celebrations, was deported. During his arrest, he was
mistreated on a number of occasions in order to make him sign a declaration
confirming that he was a criminal. When this failed, he was forced to sign a
document in which it was stated that he would voluntarily leave the country.
He has since arrived in Moscow without clothes.
b. On 6 May, Vasily Korobov left a small town approximately 350 km from the
capital for a service. The service had hardly begun when members of the
secret service, the KNB, arrested the priest and two of his colleagues.481
Moscow, 20 June 2001
According to sources from Keston News Service, all Bibles have been banned
from the shops in Turkmenistan. All owners of bookshops and kiosks are
receiving letters from the authorities stating that they are not permitted to sell
Bibles.482
478
479
480
481
482
Open Doors, April 2001, page 10. See also: Christen in Not, CSI Informationen und Appelle, 06/
2001
Voice of the Martyrs, Canada, 17/05/01
CRTN, 21/06/01
215
215
23 July 2001
According to reports from the Keston Institute, the Baptist Shagildy Atakov is
back in prison in the Caspian Port of Turkmenbashi. He was transferred in May
to Ashgabad in order to convince him and his family that they should leave for
the United States. Both he and his wife refuse to leave the country.483
UGANDA
Area: 236,040 km2
Religion: 484
Catholic 44.5%
Protestant 39%
Muslim 10.5%485
Ethnic groups:
Baganda 17%
Karamojong 12%
Basogo 8%
Iteso 8%
Langi 6%
Rwanda 6%
Bagisu 5%
Acholi 4%
Lugbara 4%
Bunyoro 3%
Batoro 3%
non-African:
(European, Asian, Arab) 23%486
Kampala, 09 January 2001
The Catholic Church of Uganda requested sanctions against a soldier who gave
the order for the destruction of the Rushoga Church in Mbarara in south-west
Uganda. The church was destroyed on 29 December 2000. This took place at the
instruction of Major Jero Bwaishe Bwende of the Uganda People’s Defence
Forces (UPDF). This was stated by Father John Tibamwenda, secretary of the
Ugandan Bishops’ Conference.487
483
484
485
486
487
216
Voice of the Martyrs, Canada, 26/07/01
CIA The World Factbook says Roman Catholic 33%, Protestant 33%, Muslim 16%, indigenous
18%
Religionsfreiheit weltweit, Munich, 2001, page 321. See: CIA The World Factbook
www.travel.epinions.com
CRTN, 10/01/01
216
UKRAINE
Area: 603,700 km2
Religion:
Orthodox 55%
Catholic 15%
Protestant 3%
Not religious 25.5%
Ethnic groups:
Ukrainian, Russian, Jewish488
There are no extremist organisations in the country attacking Christians. The
separation of Church and State pronounced in the 1996 Constitution and in the
Freedom of Conscience and Religion Act permit the various religious activities. A
1993 amendment to the 1991 Act however curtails the activities of so-called nonUkrainian religious organisations. Such organisations may only engage in activities at “the invitation of Ukrainian organisations following official approval by
the government authorities, who are entitled to register the status and by-laws
of religious organisations.” Registration of such activities often takes many
months.
Acid test for ecumenicalism
489
The Ukraine before the Pope’s visit
From 23 – 27 June, Pope John Paul II travelled to the Ukraine, the second largest
country in Europe. The head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Cardinal
Lubomyr Husar, spoke to the international aid organisation Aid to the Church in
Need about what made the Pope’s visit such a burning ecumenical issue. The
questions were asked by Michaël Ragg on 2 April 2001.
Michaël Ragg: Your Eminence, what does the planned visit by Pope John Paul II
mean to Ukrainian Catholics?
Cardinal Lubomyr Husar: It is a great joy to many people. We have suffered so
much for our faith, our loyalty to the Holy See. Our faithful have heard a great
deal about the Pope, they have believed in him and now they can finally see him.
488
489
INFO Kînigstein, 17/04/01
217
217
For us, it is also extremely important that the Pope addresses people who are not
members of the Church, but are looking for God. The Pope can talk to people
extremely well and in a very humane way. We hope that he will speak to many
inhabitants of the Ukraine at a religious and human level and perhaps give them
new hope, that he will at least make them aware of God and what really matters
in life.
How many non-religious people are there in the Ukraine?
During a survey carried out approximately every two years, about half of the
population stated they were not members of a Church. This does not mean that
they are atheists or unsympathetic to God. We are attempting to reach people
in the eastern areas of the Ukraine, primarily through using the radio. But naturally the presence of the Pope and the focus of attention on him will be much
more important than anything we can do ourselves.
The biggest religious community in the Ukraine, the Russian Orthodox Church, is
constantly protesting against the visit by the Pope. What is your opinion of this
conflict?
I believe that we should not attach too much importance to this. We do not
know exactly what the believers of the Russian Orthodox Church think about
this. We can only go by the pronouncements of bishops, we have their ecclesiastical documents. However, I don’t know how faithful the people are to the
bishops. Of course, a number of brotherhoods are taking a very belligerent line,
but these are very small groups within the large Orthodox Church.
Is the resistance by the leadership of the Russian Orthodox Church to the Pope’s
visit the result of fear of the effect the Pope will have on simple believers?
I think so, yes.
The Christian Churches have been arguing for centuries in the Ukraine. How can
this lead to an ecumenical sensitivity?
The priests need to stop whipping the people up. If they stop this, in my opinion
the people will not view one another with hostility.
218
218
The objections of the Orthodox also apply to your Ukrainian Greek Catholic
Church (UGCC). Since 1946, this has been forcibly merged with the Russian
Orthodox Church. As an independent Church it was forbidden and subject to
terrible persecution. Since it was re-admitted by Gorbachev in 1989, it has undergone rapid growth. In its previous heartland, Galicia, the UGCC has now become
much stronger than the Orthodox Church, which is unhappy with this and sees
your success in western Ukraine as an obstacle to ecumenicalism with Rome.
What do you think underlies these objections?
The Russian Orthodox Church feels affronted, as it lost more than 1,000 congregations from 1989 to 1991. They always claim they were violently robbed of
more than 1,000 congregations. Although a lot of people always went to the
Orthodox Church on Sundays and feast days, in their hearts they were still Catholic. As soon as they got the chance, they openly returned to their own church.
In some congregations, this led to conflict. People fought for the church building
or forced the priest out. But this was only in a very small number of cases and was
ten years ago already. The wound remains, however.
What is the view from the other side, if your Greek Catholic Church wants to
form parishes in Central or Eastern Ukraine? Can you work freely then, or are you
hindered by the state?
Generally speaking, we can do as we please. There have been incidents,
however, and they still occur, in which the temporal government was not favourably disposed towards us and did not want a new congregation formed. But
these were isolated cases. In general, the situation is not bad.
We have only been talking about the Russian Orthodox Church up to now. There
are two other Orthodox Churches in the Ukraine, however, both dependent on
Moscow. The largest of these, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Patriarchate of Kiev, has spoken out in favour of the papal visit. Where does this division in the Orthodox Churches come from?
The split occurred at the beginning of the 1990s. The background to it is both
personal and political. I believe that the principal reason lies in human weakness,
which makes people focus on the external political and emotional problems,
rather than what is really good for the Church. Of course, a lot of people have
to change to arrive at real cooperation and perhaps even unity.
219
219
In May, the honorary head of the world Orthodox movement, Patriarch
Bartholomaios I of Constantinople, will be visiting the Ukraine. What do you
expect from this visit?
First, he actually has to come. There have already been concerns and doubts
expressed about whether he really will. His visit is aimed at giving canonical
recognition to the two Churches not affiliated to the Moscow Patriarchate (the
autocephaly). Of course, this would be very positive, but unfortunately it would
also lead to a confrontation with the Moscow Patriarchate, and this would be
very painful.
Prelate Iwan Dacko, who is authorised to handle your Church’s external relations, has said that he can see the Orthodox Churches of Ukraine merging with
the Ukrainian Catholics in a sort of Kiev Patriarchate. Could you imagine a
Church existing that is recognised by both Rome and Constantinople simultaneously?
Personally, I am not convinced about this. I believe that it is possible to be recognised by different groups, but it is not possible to be loyal to all of these. Our
tradition comes from the Constantinople Patriarchate. But of course we are
Catholic. We recognise the Pope as the centre, as the successor to Saint Peter. We
would naturally welcome an association. We would not impose ourselves as
Catholics, because the Orthodox believers are in the majority. Our only demand
is that the united Patriarchate in the Ukraine has to co-exist in communio with
the Holy See.
And this is not to be expected within the next few decades...
The fall of the Soviet Union was very unexpected. In human terms, you are right.
But nothing is purely human.
In view of the tensions we have mentioned, do you think it is a good idea for the
Pope to visit? Could such a visit disturb relations between Catholic and Orthodox
Christians for a considerable time?
I believe that the situation is not as tense as you might think. The position of the
Russian Orthodox hierarchy is clear. It is against the papal visit. But I am not sure
that the people are also against it. Surveys, the value of which is not known, have
shown that people are at least curious about the Pope. I believe that the situation is not as clear-cut as it is portrayed in the West.
220
220
Do you expect the Pope to make a special gesture to the Orthodox religion?
It would be a good idea and would smooth the path a little. Neither we nor the
Pope want to worsen the situation. On the contrary. We would like something
positive to emerge from this visit, as has happened in many other countries.
Bishop Lubomyr Husar
Potted biography
Bishop Lubomyr Husar was born on 26 February 1933 in Lviv. After his family was
driven from the Ukraine, Husar lived in Austria, before emigrating to the United
States in 1949.
In 1954, Husar obtained a degree in philosophy from Saint Basil College. He then
studied theology at the Catholic University of America. In 1958, Husar became
licentiate at Saint Josaphat’s Seminary and was ordained as a priest in the
diocese of Stamford.
From 1958 to 1969 Husar worked as a teacher and prefect at the Saint Basil Seminary. From 1965, he was the parish priest in Kerhonkson. At the same time, he
continued his study of philosophy at Fordham University in New York. In 1967,
Husar became a Master of Philosophy.
In 1972, he obtained his doctorate and entered the Saint Theodore Monastery in
Grottaferrata. In 1978, Cardinal Josyf Slipyj made him archimandrite of his Order
for Europe and America.
From 1973 to 1984, Husar held a teaching position at the Papal Urbania University in Rome. In 1977, Husar was made a bishop.
From 1984 to 1991, Husar was vicar general of the Lviv arch-parish in exile in
Rome. In 1994, he returned to the Ukraine. A year later, he was made exarch of
Kiev-Vyshorod. In 1996, Husar became suffragan to Cardinal Lubachivsky, the
head of the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church in Lviv/western Ukraine.
Following Lubachivsky’s death, the synod of the Ukrainian Catholic Church
elected Husar on 25 January 2001, with the permission of the Vatican, as Major
Archbishop of Lviv and thereby head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church. During
the consistory of 21 February, Pope John Paul II made him a cardinal.
221
221
Lubomyr Husar is known for his interest in ecumenism. Observers therefore see
his appointment as cardinal as a signal in the quarrel between the Ukrainian
Catholic and the Orthodox Church in the Ukraine.
Kiev, 07 June 2001
Several hundred Orthodox priests from the Moscow Patriarchate demonstrated
in Kiev on 7 June against the Pope’s visit to the Ukraine between 23 – 27 June.
Observers compared the demonstrations to those in Athens when the Pope was
planning to visit that city. The Orthodox priests accused Rome of “stealing
believers and Church property”.
Vatican City, 11 June 2001
The Russian Orthodox Patriarch, Alexei II, repeated his objections to the Pope’s
visit to the Ukraine. In an interview with the Italian magazine Il Messaggero, the
Patriarch stated that the Papal visit to the Ukraine was “not welcome”. He
objected to Catholic proselytism. When the Patriarch was reminded of the Pope’s
conciliatory words in Athens, he said that “deeds speak louder than words.” The
Patriarch pointed to the fact that to date the Catholic Church has failed to
respond to ecumenical approaches. “We regret that previous agreements
seemed to exist only on paper,” the Patriarch said. He then repeated that the
Catholic Church had taken parish property from the Orthodox Church under
pressure and by force.490
490
222
CWNews, 11/06/01
222
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Area: 82,880 km2
(80% are foreign nationals)
Religion:
Muslim (almost 100%)
Christian
Hindu491
Ethnic groups:
Emirati, Iranian, South Asian
There are no known extremist groups; however, the fact that Islam is the official
state religion makes the position of Christians difficult. Christians may not
openly spread the Gospel, nor disseminate Christian literature.
Dubai, 21 March 2001
Three American missionaries were arrested in Dubai while circulating Christian
material, including videos. A fourth inhabitant of Dubai was arrested as he had
issued the three missionaries with visas. The English-language publication Gulf
News stated that it is illegal to promote religions other than Islam. Non-Muslims
may attend religious services, however.492
491
492
223
223
UZBEKISTAN
Area: 447,000 km2
Religion:
Muslim 68.2%
Christian 1.5%
The rest are atheist
Ethnic groups:
Uzbek 71%
Russian 5%
Tajik 4%
Kazak 3%
Tatar 2%
Kara-Kalpak 6%493
Officially, Uzbekistan has a secular constitution. Freedom of religion is guaranteed. On the other hand, the government does not tolerate any form of independent religion whatsoever. All important religious leaders are controlled by
the state. Islam is seen as the traditional religion.
Christian clergymen run the risk of being sentenced to eight years imprisonment
for being leaders of a non-registered Christian church. The Protestant clergyman
Nikolai Shevchenko and nine members of his church were interrogated on 24
June 2001. The Church has made repeated attempts to be registered, but in
vain.494
27 March 2001
Government authorities banned a performance by a musical group during a
church concert. Keston Institute reported that this was a state school, the pupils
of which had previously often performed in a church in Tashkent. According to
the latest rules, state institutions may not have any contact with religious institutions whatsoever. Religious organisations are also not permitted to set up
social institutions. Religious literature may not be offered in public. Religious
groups are also excluded from access to the state media.495
493
494
495
224
Open Doors International: Country Profiles
HMK-Kurir, July 2001
224
VIETNAM
Area: 329,560 km2
Religion:
Buddhist 52%
Atheist 29.8%
Protestant 0.8%
Catholic 8.9%
The rest Taoist, Confucian,
Caodaist, Hoa Hao
Ethnic groups:
Vietnamese 87%
Chinese 2%496
Vietnam denies that religious groups and churches are subject to sanctions or
control by government bodies. In practice, this is not so however. The Communist Party is extremely vigilant in preventing the attraction of churches from
influencing recruitment to its mass organisations.
In 1998, the UN Special Reporter on Religious Intolerance, Abdelfattah Amor,
wrote that religious freedoms in Vietnam “should be better guaranteed”. The
government is sticking to its position that all religious activities must be registered by the state in advance; this also applies, for example, to preaching.
In April 1999, the government passed a new law on religion: Article no. 26/1999/
ND-CP.15. On the one hand, this law guarantees freedom of religion, while on
the other it obliges all religious organisations to pledge loyalty to the State of
the Socialist Republic of Vietnam; “subversive activities” are punishable.497 This
law facilitates wide-ranging control of religious groups and churches by the
government. The work of seminaries and the appointment of religious leaders
are under government control.
The position of Catholics has improved slightly since a delegation from the
Vatican visited Vietnam in 1999, and Vietnam has accepted the appointment of
four new bishops.
496
497
Repression of dissident voices, Human Rights Watch 2000, Vietnam. See also: Decree no. 26/
1999/ND-CP., Articles 5 and 7
225
225
Name
226
Religion (date of birth) Time and place of detention
1. Thich Huyen Quang
Buddhist (1917)
1977, 1982, 1994 in Nghia
Hanh, Quang Ngai prov.
2. Thich Thien Minh
Buddhist (1954)
1979, 1986, 1997 in K2, subcamp of Z30A, Xuan Loc, Dong
Nai province
3. Thich Hue Dang
Buddhist (1943)
1992, Camp Z30A, Xuan Loc,
Dong Nai province
4. Le Minh Triet
Hoa Hao (1942)
1993, in Long Xuyen, in An
Giang province
5. Ms Le Kim Bien
Cao Dai (1950)
1998, in Rach Gia, Kien Giang
province
6. Pham Cong Hien
Cao Dai (1950)
1998, in Rach Gia, Kien Giang
province
7. Father Nguyen
Van De
Catholic
1987, 1990, Camp A20, from
Xuan Phuoc, in Phu Yen
province
8. Father John Bosco
Pham Minh Tri
Catholic (1941)
1987, in camp Z30A, Ham Tan,
Xuan Loc, in Dong Nai province
9. Brother Benedito
Nguyen Viet Huan
Catholic (1951)
10. Brother John Euder
Mai Duc Chuong
Catholic (1931)
1987, in camp K-3, Long Khanh,
11. Brother Michael
Nguyen Van Thin
Catholic (1952)
Xuan Loc, in Dong Nai
province
12. Lau Si Phuc
Catholic (1968)
1987, in camp Z30A, Xuan Loc,
in Dong Nai province
13. Nguyen Van Dan
Catholic (1966)
14. Le Xuan Son
Catholic (1966)
15. Ms Mguyen Thi Thuy Protestant
1999
16. Dinh Troi
In Quang Nai province
Protestant
226
17. Vu Gian Thao
Protestant
1997, Dien Bien Phu prison in
Lai Chai province
18. Sung Phai Dia
Protestant
Dien Bien Phu prison
19. Vang Gia Chua
Protestant
1999, in Ha Giang province
20. Sung Va Tung
Protestant
Dien Bien Phu prison in Lai Chai
province
21. Sung Seo Chinh
Protestant
Dien Bien Phu prison in Lai Chai
province
22. Sinh Phay Pao
Protestant
23. Van Sinh Giay
Protestant
24. Phang A Dong
Protestant
1999, in prison C-10 of Dien
Bien, in Lai Chau province
25. Vang Sua Giang
Protestant
26. Lau Dung Xa
Protestant
In prison C-10 of Dien Bien, in
Lai Chau province498
January 2001
Following President Clinton’s visit to Vietnam in 2000, the American human
rights organisation Freedom House published documents from Vietnam that
clearly demonstrate that the communist government is persecuting people with
religious beliefs. All religions, particularly the Christian religion, are under strict
government control. The Vietnamese government disputes the authenticity of
these documents; experts are however convinced of the truth of their
contents.499
Hanoi, 23 January 2001
Two Catholic priests and two Buddhists from Vietnam made an appeal to their
government for recognition of human rights and the right to freedom of religion. The two Catholic priests are the Redemptorist Father Chan Tin and Father
Thaddeus Nguyen Van Ly, of the Hue diocese. The two Buddhists are Bhikkhu
Thich Hanh and Le Quang Liem.500
Cardinal Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan was given permission by the Vietnamese authorities to return to his country following a period of ten years in
exile. The new Cardinal received his cardinal’s hat from the Pope on 21 February.
According to the authorities, he would “only be submitted to the usual immigra-
498
499
500
Appendix A: Partial List of Political Prisoners in Vietnam, 29/04/00. Report of HRW
CSI, January 2001, page 4
CRTN, 24/01/01
227
227
tion procedures.” The Cardinal spent 13 years in prison and was forced to leave
the country in 1991, at which time he was put on a plane to Australia under
police escort.501
Hanoi, 05 March 2001
A Catholic priest was imprisoned last week by the Communist authorities on the
grounds of activities “which according to the government were aimed at undermining Socialism.” The communist publication Hanoi Moi alleged that Father
Nguyen Van Ly is one of the many anti-communists becoming increasingly active.
Father Ly (54) has been placed under “administrative detention”.502
Hanoi, 04 April 2001
For the first time since the communists took power in South Vietnam in 1975, the
authorities recognised the Protestant Evangelical Church. This meant that only a
limited number of the country’s one million Protestants now belonged to an
officially recognised church community. They are estimated to represent no
more than 20 percent of the total number of Protestants in the country.503
Ho Chi Minh City, 12 April 2001
“A small step has been taken on the road to freedom of religion in Vietnam. For
the first time since the communist takeover in 1975, the authorities have legally
recognised a Protestant church.” This was reported by the Compact Direct news
service.
The World Evangelical Fellowship (WEF) reported that Le Quang Vinh, head of
the Religious Affairs agency of the Vietnamese government, wrote a letter on
23 March to the recently elected leader of the Evangelical Church of Vietnam
(ECVN). According to the WEF, Quing Vinh announced on behalf of the President
that he was happy “to be able to inform the ECVN that government officials had
approved the new rules governing Church life and recognise the results of the
Church elections.”504
Hanoi, 23 April 2001
Official representatives of the Vietnamese government claimed that no religious
persecution takes place in Vietnam. Le Quang Vinh, head of the Government
Committee on Religion, stated at the five-yearly congress of the Communist
Party that Vietnam observes freedom of religion. However, the country would
501
502
503
504
228
Catholic World News Briefs, 05/03/01. See also: CRTN, 05/03/01. See also: Catholic World News
Briefs, 06/03/01. Buddhist leaders were also arrested together with the Catholic priest. The 75year-old Buddhist Ms Mguyen Thi Thu committed suicide to avoid being arrested.
Trouw, 04/04/01
KERKWEB, 12/04/01
228
never accept religion being used to undermine the Party. Vinh declared that the
authorities have never arrested or imprisoned people on the grounds of religious
activities.505
04 May 2001
Le Quang Vinh, head of the Government Committee on Religion, denied at the
end of last month that religious persecution exists in his country. According to
him, there are people who misuse religion to undermine the Communist Party.
One of these is the Catholic priest Nguyen Van Ly, who was arrested after testifying to a Congressional Committee in the USA. This was under pressure not to
approve an agreement of importance to the Vietnamese economy.506
17 May 2001
Father Thaddeus Nguyen Van Ly, a Catholic priest who started a campaign for
religious freedom in Vietnam in 2000, was arrested in the parish church in An
Truyen. He was preparing for Mass at the time. Six hundred security officers
surrounded the church. Some of the congregation the priest sought to protect
were mistreated. This report was also confirmed by Dang Cong Dieu, Chair of the
People’s Committee in Phy An.507
The Vietnamese government has agreed to the appointment of three new
bishops. These are for the dioceses of Ho Chi Minh City (one suffragan bishop),
Phan Thiet and Bui Chu. The names of the new bishops were to be announced by
Rome at a later date. This is the result of negotiations between the delegation
from the Vatican and the Vietnamese government that took place between 11 –
17 June.508
This year, the Vietnamese government accepted the appointment of the
following bishops: a bishop for the diocese of Bui Chu in the north; this post had
been vacant for two years since the death of Bishop Joseph Mary Vu Duy Nhat.
A suffragan bishop for the diocese of Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City); Saigon already
had a suffragan bishop, but he was ill (Aloysius Pham Van Nam). A co-adjutor for
the diocese of Phan Thiet, where the bishop, Monsignor Nicholas Huynh Van
Nghi, had reached the age of 74. Rome was concerned about the appointment
of three other bishops: a co-adjutor for Hanoi, where the archbishop, Cardinal
Joseph Pham Dinh Tung, had reached the age of 82; a bishop for the north-
505
506
507
508
Katholiek Nieuwsblad, 04/05/01 and CWNews
FIDES, 17/05/01. See also: Catholic World News, 18/05/01. See also: Katholiek Nieuwsblad,
25/05/01
CRTN, 19/06/01
229
229
eastern diocese of Hung Hoa, which has been vacant since 1992, and finally a
bishop for Haiphong, where there has been a vacancy for three years. No agreement has yet been reached on these appointments.509
Hanoi, 06 July 2001
The Communist government of Vietnam appropriated the parish church of
Thanh Quang, close to the town of Da Nang, to convert it into a museum. This
was reported by Free Vietnam Alliance, a local human rights organisation. Father
Nguyen Huu Long is the parish priest of the parish church of Thanh Quang. He
was ordered to leave the church before 25 June. The priest, supported by the
bishop and his congregation, refused to give up the church. On 25 June, thousands of Catholics came to the church to celebrate Mass. Four priests from neighbouring parishes concelebrated. Security officers were scared off by the amount
of people and refrained from taking action. They took photos and made video
recordings of the worshippers. On 29 June, Father Long handed a petition with
200 signatures to the authorities in protest against the decision. In the meantime, the telephone line to the parish was disconnected.510
Hanoi, 23 June 2001
According to Viet Catholic News, the Vietnamese authorities decided to have a
documentary produced on their attitude to religions. This was intended to
answer criticisms from abroad. According to the Vietnamese authorities, this film
would give the outside world sufficient information on internal religious
matters.
It is possible that this was in part a result of the decision by the European Parliament of 5 July 2001 – on this date, the European Parliament called on Vietnam
to respect its citizens’ civil rights, irrespective of their religious convictions.511
20 July 2001
Jubilee Campaign received reports of attacks by the Vietnamese government on
the ’Montagnard population’. The Montagnards, also known as Degars, are a
group of more than 30 tribes in the central highlands of Vietnam. There are
600,000 Montagnards, more than 400,000 of whom are Christians. During the
Vietnam War, many of them served the US. More than 200,000 were killed
during the war. Most of their villages were destroyed.
509
510
511
230
FIDES, 18/06/01
CRTN, 09/07/01
CRTN, 24/07/01
230
The attacks on the Montagnards by the communist government are still continuing. For example, on 2 January 2001, two Christians – Rahlan Pon and Rahlan
Djan – were arrested without cause in the district of Cu Prong, in Pleiku province.
They were taken to army camps 29 and 47, where they were subjected to severe
torture.
Following the introduction of Martial Law in the central highlands in February
2001, many have fled to neighbouring countries, such as Cambodia. The Cambodians deport many of these back to Vietnam, where the refugees are tortured in
prison.
On 15 May, Christian Montagnards crossed the border with Cambodia in the
province of Mondolkiri, fleeing religious persecution. On 17 May, they were
forcibly repatriated and handed over to the Vietnamese authorities. Eighteen of
them are still imprisoned.
The names of the 19 Montagnards forced to return are: Dieu Mblen, Dieu Mol,
Dieu Don, Dieu Mao, Dieu Men, Dieu Breo, Dieu Dong, Dieu Hnel, Dieu Bel, Dieu
Mling, Dieu Ben, Dieu Men, Dieu Min, Dieu Kual, Dieu Mbeo, Dieu Mbot, Dieu
Tuan, Dieu Sol and Dieu Thin. They all come from the province of Daklak.512
More than 100 Montagnards from the central highlands are currently in various
prisons.513
21 August 2001
According to Compass Direct, on 17 August the Vietnamese Christians Mr and
Mrs Nguyen Hong Quang and Truong Tri Hien Hien were arrested in Binh Tanh
province. Qung is a Mennonite priest and lawyer. He had been repeatedly
threatened by the Vietnamese authorities.514
512
513
514
Keston Institute gives the following names for those still in prison: Thich Huyen Quang (Chua
Phuoc Quang, Buddhist, under arrest since 1994), Thich Khong Tanh (Buddhist, under arrest
since 1994), Nguyen Van Thin (Thu Doc, under arrest since 1994, member of a Catholic monastic
order), Mai Duc Chuong (Thu Doc, under arrest since 1994, member of a Catholic monastic
order), Pham Noyoc Lien (Thu Doc, under arrest since 1994, member of a Catholic monastic
order), Mguyen Thien Phung (Thu Doc, under arrest since 1994, member of a Catholic monastic
order), Ms Nguyen Thi Thuy (church leader in Viet Tri, arrested on 10 October 1999), the priest
Ngo Truong Tien Linh, the evangelist Nguyen Huu Day and a lay colleague, Ngo Ba Tan (of Ha
Long, arrested on 15 October 2000).
Press Release from Jubilee Campaign US, 20/07/01. ’Mass Detention and Torture of Vietnam’s
Montagnard People.’
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231
Paris, 23 October 2001
The Free Vietnam Alliance, which has its offices in Paris, received a report that
the government of Vietnam had sentenced a Catholic priest to 15 years in prison
because of his efforts for human rights. Father Nguyen Van Ly was arrested in
May 2001. According to the organisation, this is a new sign of the increased activities on the part of the government to curtail religious freedom.515
25 October 2001
The Vietnamese court sentenced a Catholic priest to 15 years in prison for undermining the unity of the nation. This was reported by Associated Press. In
February 2001, Father Thaddeus Nguyen Van Ly called upon the US Congress to
postpone the ratification of a bilateral trade agreement as long as there were
restrictions against religions in the country.516
YEMEN
Area: 527,970 km2
Religion:
The vast majority is Muslim.
The two largest groups are:
Zaydi Shi’ite Muslims and
Shafi’i Sunni Muslims.
There are also small pockets of
Christians, Jews and Hindus.
Ethnic groups:
Arab, Afro-Arab517
There are local extremist groups. The state religion is Islam. The government
forbids conversions to Christianity. Permission is required to construct new places
of worship.
Aden, 02 January 2001
A bomb that exploded outside the Catholic Church of Jesus in Aden did not cause
any major damage. The bomb only destroyed part of the walls built around the
church. Nobody claimed responsibility for the attack. The police arrested three
515
516
517
232
ACN News, 23/10/01
The Voice of the Martyrs, Canada
232
people. In all of Yemen there are only five churches, all of them in Aden, that
belong to the foreign Christians who work in Yemen.518
ZAMBIA
Area: 752,614 km2
Religion:
Christian
African religions519
Ethnic groups:
Bemba tribe, African 98.7%
European 1.1%
Others 0.2%
Lusaka, 11 May 2001
The President of Zambia, Frederick Chiluba, called upon the Catholic bishops to
avoid “the terminology of partisans.” He was sworn in this week as Zambia’s
new President. In his speech, he said, “I call upon the Church, when speaking on
political issues, to avoid the terminology of partisans.”520
518
519
520
Catholic World News Briefs, 02/01/01. See also: International Christian Concern, 28/02/01
Profile of Zambia (World News) and Nations of the Commonwealth (Zambia)
Catholic World News Briefs, 11/05/01. See also: CIA The World Factbook, Zambia
233
233
4
Declarations by the Vatican
John Paul II visits Kazakhstan
521
Pope takes message of peace to area of conflict
On the vast ’Fatherland Square’ in Astana on Sunday morning, everyone is saying
the Our Father in Russian. A nun leads the prayer. Many of the approximately
50,000 participants at the Mass with Pope John Paul II read along out loud, sometimes hesitantly. Most of them are not religious, or are Muslims. Nevertheless,
this was the most moving moment of the Pope’s visit to Kazakhstan.
Sef Adams/Ben van de Venn
Pope John Paul II directed his urgent appeal for peace last Sunday not just to the
50,000 participants at the Mass in the Kazakh capital Astana, but to the whole
world. Following the acts of terror in New York and Washington, there should
be no more violence, the Pope said. “From this city, from this country of Kazakhstan, a country that serves as an example of harmony between people of
different origins and different religious beliefs, I call upon every Christian and
every supporter of other religions to work together to build a world without
violence. A world that loves life and can grow in justice and solidarity. We cannot
tolerate events deepening still further the fissures between people. Religion may
never be used as a source of conflict. From this place, I call upon Christians and
Muslims to pray to the only God, whose children we all are, that the greatest
good of peace on earth may prevail.”
Logic of love
In his sermon, the Pope underlined the connections with Islam. He reminded the
congregation of the common foundation of one God, linking the three great
world religions. “It is this truth, which the Christians inherited from the children
of Israel and share with the Muslims.” The Pope was addressing not only Christians of the various denominations or other religious communities, but also the
many people without religious convictions. One quarter of the people at Mass in
Astana were Catholic, according to Vatican spokesperson Navarro-Valls. Pope
John Paul II called upon people without a religious faith to follow Jesus in living
a logic of love, and helping those in need. “This is a logic that brings together
Christians and Muslims in their common work on a culture of love.” John Paul II
called on Christians to co-operate in building a new society in Kazakhstan, which
has now been independent for ten years.
521
234
234
Church structures
Following High Mass on Sunday, the Pope had lunch with the Catholic bishops of
this Central Asian country. He reminded them of the long years of communist
dictatorship, during which believers were deported to the gulags. Today, these
believers are the small but hopeful plant of the Roman Catholic Church in Kazakhstan and are called upon anew to spread the Gospel, the Pope said. The important task facing the bishops must consist of spreading the Gospel and building
the Church structures within the country. In spite of the fact that Kazakhstan
does not yet have a bishops’ conference, but has an apostolic administration, the
bishops should nevertheless co-operate to the full. On the one hand, this means
ensuring good training for priests, but on the other also making full use of the
laity. Once again, the Pope called for harmony with Muslims. Dialogue is
intended not only as a discussion with other Christians, but also with Muslims
and non-believers.
Unrepeatable uniqueness
The meeting of the Pope with the young people of Kazakhstan was, as always,
a party. John Paul II received a rapturous welcome. The central thought the Pope
wished to communicate was: open yourself to God. In his speech, he attempted
to give answers to questions such as, “Who am I according to the Gospel you
preach? What is the meaning of my life? What is its purpose?” “You are in God’s
thoughts, you count for God in your unrepeatable uniqueness; this is the basis of
your urge for knowledge and freedom,” the Pope impressed upon his young
audience. The Pope also reminded the young people of the deadly violence of
the ideologies in the history of their country and warned them not to fall “prey”
to the destructive violence of “nothing”. It is a suffocating violence, the Pope
said, when nothing counts any more, when there is nothing to believe in. Instead
of this, the Pope proposed, people should open themselves to the still small voice
of God. “It is God, who has left his imprint in your hearts, only surrender to the
unending and Most High God can grant your desires.”
Promises
The 81-year-old Pope’s 95th foreign pastoral trip started on Saturday. In view of
the international tensions in the region being visited by the Pope, the trip was
surrounded by strict security. After all, the country being visited was inhabited
predominately by Muslims. And Kazakhstan borders various countries that could
become involved in any potential conflict. The BBC announced that the USA had
promised not to carry out any attacks while the Pope was in the area, but it was
235
235
not clear how substantial these assurances were. Even before the Pope left
Rome, it was reported that Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano would not
be accompanying the Pope, as he normally would. In fact, this was the first time
he had not accompanied the Pope since the arrival of the ’number two’ at the
Vatican. This was a security precaution immediately compared to President Bush
and Vice-President Cheney staying in different places. The announcement that
the papal plane would be escorted by fighters also raised eyebrows. But this
quickly turned out to be a journalistic fantasy. The number of security officers
surrounding the Pope was significantly increased, however.
Islam
Upon arrival at the airport in Astana, the Pope explicitly referred to war and
peace. He pointed out that Kazakhstan has rejected nuclear weapons and on the
basis of this formulated a worldwide message of peace. This was the first foreign
speech made by the Pope in Russian, the common lingua franca of Kazakhstan.
The President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, provided a courteous
welcome in Astana and in his welcome speech expressed his hope that his
country could serve as a bridge between East and West. Another significant
factor was that the head of the Muslims in Kazakhstan, Grand Mufti Absattar
Derbisaliev, was at the airport, contrary to protocol. The Pope greeted those
present and the Muslims even before turning to the Roman Catholics and other
Christians. He referred to Kazakhstan as “a country of martyrs and believers, of
deportees and heroes.” “This country has undergone a long period of darkness
and suffering,” the Pope said, referring to the era of Stalin and Soviet rule. “But,
although the scars remain,” John Paul said, “with its declaration of independence ten years ago, Kazakhstan has won new freedom.”
Volga Germans
The scars referred to by the Pope concern the millions of people of various
origins deported to Kazakhstan by the Communists, including many Germans,
Poles and Ukrainians. Their descendants constitute the core of the Catholic
community in the country. The ’Volga Germans’ make up one such large group
– their presence in Kazakhstan can be traced back to the 18th century, when they
were brought to Russia by Catherine the Great by promises of lower taxes and
exemption from military service. This led in the 19th century to the formation of
many ’German Districts’ and in 1924 an autonomous republic of Volga Germans
was founded on the banks of the Volga. The German attack on Russia prompted
Stalin to disband this republic and deport some 400,000 Volga Germans to Kaza-
236
236
khstan, where they were sentenced to forced labour and forced to abandon
their mother tongue and religion. It was only in 1955 that an amnesty law was
passed providing some relief for the Volga Germans; the Germans, formerly seen
as war criminals, were rehabilitated.
Testament
John Paul II made an appeal to these and other ethnic groups during the last
Mass he celebrated in Kazakhstan. In the new cathedral in Astana, built with
financial support from the West, the Pope met with many priests, monks and
nuns from throughout Kazakhstan and the surrounding Central Asian republics
on Monday morning. It was no coincidence that he based his sermon on the
Gospel that a Christian should not hide his light under a bushel but should be the
light of the world and the salt of the earth. Society in Kazakhstan, ravaged by
atheism and threatened by consumerism, needs the strength of testament of
faith and the Christian message, now more than ever, the Pope warned. In view
of the nationalities represented by the clergy present in the cathedral, it was
clear that this was more than the usual encouragement of missionary zeal. More
than two-thirds of the priests in Kazakhstan are of Polish origin, as is the entire
episcopate of Kazakhstan and Central Asia. In addition, there are a handful of
German priests and monks and a number of other nationalities. The same applies
to the seminarians at the recently dedicated Central Asian seminary in Qaraghandy/ Karaganda. Only two of the trainee priests are Kazakhs.
Bridgehead
According to the Pope, the ’foreign’ priests have concentrated too much on their
own ethnic groups. It is now necessary for them to concentrate with new zeal on
Kazakhs and Russian unbelievers. The Pope stressed in his sermon that the
’foreigners’ have a duty to pass on “the great gift of Christianity” to people of
other religions. The Pope stated that the consequences for the whole of the
Church in Asia could be severe, if this new orientation by the clergy were to fail.
Thanks to the presence of a relatively large number of young priests and the
Vatican/Kazakh Concordat signed in 1998, Kazakhstan is the only reliable bridgehead the Catholic Church has in Central Asia. From here, it will be possible in the
future to approach China. And believers and priests can temporarily withdraw to
here if threatened in areas of conflict such as Uzbekistan, Tajikistan or Afghanistan.
The Pope felt obliged to bring this powerful message to Kazakhstan. The
shadow of the international crisis forced his hand. His message was geared to the
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237
future and formed a sharp contrast to the complaint voiced by the patriarchate
in Moscow that the Pope was once again penetrating the ’canonical territory’ of
Moscow.
Vatican City, 16 February 2001
Together with the Armenian Catholic Patriarch Nersos Bedros XIX, Pope John
Paul II conducted a service in the Armenian rite. The Pope reminded those
present of the Armenian people, who have suffered so much for their faith.
Without mentioning a date, the Pope said he was “longing to visit Armenia”.
Following the service, the Pope spoke of the genocide of the Armenians in 1915
and referred to these events as “martyrdom that is a constant element of
history”.522
Vatican City, 28/02/2001
At the end of the general audience, Pope John Paul II referred to the “serious
humanitarian situation” in Afghanistan. The Pope spoke of “alarming news”
and stated that many had recently starved to death. National organisations estimate that approximately one million people are threatened by starvation.523
Tehran, 05 March 2001
On Sunday 4 March, a Vatican diplomat was a chief participant in a Mass in the
capital of Iran. He encouraged the Catholic minority to be steadfast in its beliefs.
Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran called upon the Catholics “to continue to be
good, concerned Christians.” He also said that he was to meet Iranian leaders in
order to “strengthen the historic relations between Iran and Rome.” The archbishop also said that Christians “are relatively satisfied with the freedoms guaranteed by Iran”.524
The National Catechism Service of the Italian bishops published a book on
converting Muslims to Christianity. The title is ’Catecumeni provenienti
dall’Islam’ and is published by Edizione Paoline. The book describes the
dangerous life of Muslims who – often following time spent in Europe – convert
to Christianity. Such conversions take place in Italy, the United Kingdom, France
and other Western European countries. In France, 300-400 Muslims a year
convert to Christianity. This is a hazardous choice, as it is not tolerated by Islam.
Even European citizens receive threats, for example from Muslim neighbours.
One convert, Jasmine from England, told how she was beaten by her parents
522
523
524
238
CRTN, 20/02/01
Catholic World News Vatican Update, 28/02/01
238
following her conversion. Her family had to leave London as she could no longer
show her face in the Muslim community.525
A group of Arab bishops made an ad limina visit to the Pope. The Pope expressed
his fears for the position of Christians in the Middle East and called for immediate negotiations between Palestinian and Israeli leaders. The Pope told Arab
Christians that “they should not lapse into discouragement” or “decide to leave
their country”. He continued: “I would like to encourage Christians to have faith
in themselves, and to persevere in their attachment to the land of their forefathers.”526
Cardinal Francis Arinze recently returned from a trip to the Holy Land. In a discussion with Radio Vatican, he explained that a religious dialogue is the key to
peace in the Middle East. The Cardinal is Chair of the Papal Council for Interreligious Dialogue and travelled to the Holy Land at the invitation of the papal
nuncio in Israel. There, he met the Muslim Grand Mufti and leaders of the
Orthodox, Armenian, Anglican and Lutheran Churches.
The Cardinal expressed particular concern about the position of Christians in the
Holy Land. “Many Christians,” the Cardinal said, “emigrate to the United States
or other countries in the West for economic, political and cultural motives. This
is not good, either for the Muslims or for the Christians. The presence of both
Churches should be a blessing to all.”527
Vatican City, 18 April 2001
During the general audience this week, Pope John Paul II called for peace in the
Middle East. In front of an audience of 20,000 people, the Pope stated that negotiations should be conducted “on the basis of honest attention to the legitimate
aspirations of all peoples with the observance of international law.”528
Vatican City, 15 May 2001
Pope John Paul II encouraged the bishops of Bangladesh, who were making an
ad limina visit to Rome, to continue with the interreligious dialogue and to
ensure better training of priests and laymen.
525
526
527
528
CRTN, 08/03/01
239
239
As Christians are only a small minority in Bangladesh, the Pope stressed that “an
interreligious dialogue is the core of their mission”. He encouraged them to
extend contact with Muslims and thus remove mutual suspicion. In Bangladesh,
there are approximately 250,000 Catholics in a population of 125,000,000; Catholics are therefore approximately 0,1% of the population.529
Pope John Paul II condemned the murder of three Salesians in India as a “barbarous assault” on the three priests. In his letter to Father Juan Edmundo Vecchi,
the Salesian Superior, he expressed his “deep feelings of sympathy for the loss of
these servants of the Gospel”. The Pope’s message was made known on the day
l’Osservatore Romano described the bloody attacks on Catholics in India on its
front page.530
Pope John Paul II voiced his support for Christians in Pakistan by calling on the
government to protect religious freedoms more. He did this during a meeting
with the Pakistani bishops on 19 May 2001 during their ad limina visit. “Many
Catholics are persecuted in Pakistan because of their beliefs,” the Pope said.531
Pope John Paul II said in his speech to the Bishops of Guatemala, who were
making an ad limina visit to Rome, that “they are entitled to search for the real
motives behind the murder of suffragan bishop Juan Gerardi of Guatemala
City.” The Bishop was murdered in 1998, a few days after he published a report
on human rights.532
Joaquin Navarro-Valls, director of the press agency of the Holy See, announced
that a Church delegation had returned from a six-day visit to Vietnam. The delegation was led by Monsignor Celestiono Migliore and Monsignor Barnaba
Nguyen Van Phuong, undersecretary of the Vatican and head of the office of the
Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples respectively. The delegation met
both church and state authorities. The appointment of bishops was also
discussed. An answer is expected from the Vietnamese government on this
matter in the near future.533
529
530
531
532
533
240
CRTN, 30/05/01
As in all Communist states, no bishop may be appointed without government approval. See:
CRTN 20/06/01
240
Vatican, 02 July 2001
Pope John Paul II called Charles de Foucauld, a Franciscan priest, a model for the
dialogue between Christians and Muslims. The Pope said this in his message to
the French bishop Monsignor François Blondel of Viviers. He attended a lecture
in July during a conference on de Foucauld. De Foucauld lived from 1858 to 1916
and left France in 1905, to live with the Touaregs in Algeria. He was murdered in
1916.534
Vatican, 02 July 2001
Patriarch Maximos V Hakim, Head of the Greek Melkite Catholic Church, died on
Friday 29 June 2001, at the age of 93. He resigned a year ago on health
grounds.535
Vatican City, 06 July 2001
Pope John Paul II received the members of the Cuban Bishops’ Conference on an
ad limina visit. During the welcome, the Pope said the he was “particularly
pleased that, since his visit to Cuba, certain improvements have taken place.” He
referred to the possibility of celebrating Christmas, holding certain processions,
greater participation by believers in the everyday life of the country and the
presence of young Cubans at the 15th World Youth Day in Rome during Holy
Year.
“The increasing number of vocations is promising,” the Pope said. “In this
context, it is necessary to consider founding minor seminaries, to cater for young
people before they complete their theological philosophical studies. In this way,
they can be educated in the spirit of Christian morality.”536
Vatican City, 06 July 2001
During a speech to the Cuban bishops, Pope John Paul II called upon the United
States to lift the embargo against Cuba. His Holiness made this speech during an
ad limina visit by Cuban clerics. The measures taken by the US against Cuba are
“wrong and ethically unacceptable,” the Pope said.537
China/Vatican City, 11 October 2001
Contrary to previous reports in the weekly Far East Economic Review, there is no
reason to assume that China and the Holy See will resume diplomatic links in the
near future. Sources within the Vatican stated that China has broken off all
forms of dialogue after the Vatican beatified 120 Chinese on 1 October 2000.538
534
535
536
537
538
Vatican Update from Catholic World News, 02/07/01
Vatican Update from Catholic World News, 02/07/01
CRTN, 10/07/01
CRTN, 09/07/01
ACN News, 11/10/01
241
241
242
242
Appendices
243
243
5
Appendices
5.1 Appendix 1
539
League Table of Christian Persecution
July 01
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
539
244
January 01
01
03
02
04
07
08
05
06
10
20
15
18
11
16
42
26
12
25
22
17
09
21
14
36
24
28
13
31
32
33
34
COUNTRY
NO. OF CHRISTIANS
Saudi Arabia
Afghanistan
Laos
China
Turkmenistan
Iran
North Korea
Vietnam
Maldives
Bhutan
Somalia
Pakistan
Yemen
Colombia
Nepal
North Sudan
Comores
Cuba
Uzbekistan
Morocco
Egypt
Qatar
Tunisia
Azerbaijan
Southern Mexico
Burma
Libya
Bahrain
Brunei
Turkey
United Arab Emirates
Open Doors International
244
600,000
2,500
50,000
60,000,000
60,000
200,000
100,000
6,000,000
250
5,000
11,000
3,250,000
15,000
34,000,000
150,000
2,500,000
200
4,000,000
300,000
25,000
8,000,000
30,000
10,000
45,000
1,000,000
2,500,000
140,000
43,000
24,000
90,000
180,000
Appendices
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
27
43
35
39
38
40
41
30
44
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
45
23
47
48
49
46
50
37
29
53
Djibouti
Chechen Republic
Kuwait
Tajikistan
Oman
Dagestan (Russia)
Iraq
Mauritania
Kabardino-Balkaria
(Russia)
Tatarstan
Northern Nigeria
Ingushetia (Russia)
Sri Lanka
Malaysia
Algeria
Syria
India
Indonesia
Peru
22,500
200
75,000
10,000
60,000
1,000
500,000
2,300
10,000
200,000
45,000,000
200
1,400,000
1,600,000
40,000
1,200,000
25,000,000
20,000,000
20,000,000
EXPLANATORY NOTES
Of the Top Ten countries in this list of Christian persecution, four have communist governments, all of them in East Asia: Laos, China, North Korea and
Vietnam. Five countries are Muslim: Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan,
Iran and the Maldives, and one country has a Buddhist regime: Bhutan.
Compared to the situation six months ago, the situation for Christians has
improved in Egypt, Tunisia, Mauritania, Nigeria, India, Indonesia and southern
Sudan.
In Nepal, northern Sudan, Azerbaijan and the Chechen Republic, Christians have
suffered (even) more during the past six months.
General:
Points are allocated on the basis of a large number of criteria, such as the legal
status of Christians, the role of the Church in society and the present situation of
Christians. For each country, 38 questions are put, to which 164 answers are
245
245
possible. The questions are answered on the basis of both passive and active
research by Open Doors.
5.2 Appendix 2
540
MARTYROLOGY OF THE YEAR 2000
N¯
Name
Country of origin
1. Brother Yosef Jami Indonesia
2. Rev. José I. Flores
Gaytán
Institute
Place and date of death
Divine Word
Seminarian (SVD)
Ende (Indonesia) – 1/1
Mexico
3. Sr M. Odette Simba D. Congo
Abakumate
Torreón (Mexico) – 17/1
Sister of Charity of
Jesus and Mary
4. Fr. Remis Pepe
Kiliba (D. Congo) – 15/2
5. Sr. Christine
Sequeira
Pakistan
Franciscan
Missionaries of Mary
Karachi (Pakistan) – 16/3
6. Fr. Hugo Duque
Colombia
Diocesan
Supia (Colombia) – 27/3
7. José da Rocha Dias
Angola
Seminarian
Cunene (Angola) – 29/3
8. Fr. Ruel Gallardo
Philippines
Claretian
Basilan (Philippines) – 3/5
9. Fr. Joaquin
Bernardo
Spain
Dominican (OP)
Tirana (Albania) – 7/5
10. Rev. Pascal
Nzikobanyanka
Burundi
Diocesan
Buhoro (Burundi) – 14/5
11. Fr. Clement Ozi
Bello
Nigeria
Diocesan
Kawo (Nigeria) – 23/5
12. Claude Gustave
Amzati
R.D.Congo
Seminarian
Bukavu (D. Congo –
30/31-5
13. Fr. George
Kuzhikandom
India
Franciscan
Uttar Pradesh (India) – 6/6
14. Fr. Isidro Uzcudum
Spain
Fidei donum
(S. Sebastian)
Mugina (Rwanda) – 10/6
15. Fr. Remis Karketta
India
Jesuit
Bihan (India) – 12/7
16. Fr. Victor Crasta
India
Holy Cross
Congregation
Balukcherra-Tripura
(India) – 25/7
17. Fr. Anthony Kaiser
United States
Mill Hill Missionaries
Naivasha (Kenya) – 24/8
18. Fr. Jude Maria
Ogbu
Nigeria
Carmelite Discalced
Ekpoma (Nigeria) – .../9
540
246
Bambari (Bangui-Central
Africa) 5/2
FIDES, 06/04/01
246
Appendices
19. Fr. Raffaele di Bari
Italy
Comboni Miss.
Pajule (Uganda) – 1/10
20. Fr. Antonio
Bargiggia
Italy
Brothers of the Poor
Kibimba (Burundi) – 3/10
21. Sr. Floriana Tirelli
Italy
Sister St John Baptist
Solwezi (Zambia) – 7/10
22. Sr. Gina Simionato
Italy
Sisters of St Dorothy
Gihiza (Burundi) – 15/10
23. Fr. Arnoldo Gomez Colombia
Ramirez
Yarumal Missionaries Buenaventura (Colombia)
– 17/10
24. Fr. Howard
Rochester
25. Sr. Pierina Asienzo
Hartland (Jamaica) – 28/10
Uganda
Little Sisters of Mary
Immaculate.
Gulu (Uganda) – 5/11
26. Sr. Dorothy Akweyo Uganda
Little Sisters of Mary
Immaculate
Gulu (Uganda) – .../11
27. Brother Regis
Grange
France
Sacred Heart Brothers Man (Ivory Coast) – 11/11
28. Grace Akullu
Uganda
Voluntary Nurse
Gulu (Uganda) – 17/11
29. Fr. Shajan Jacob
Chittinapilly
India
Diocesan
Manipur (India) – 2/12
30. Fr. Benjamin
Inocencio
Philippines
Oblate Mary
Immaculate. (OMI)
Jolo (Philippines) – 28/12
31. Sr. Teresa Egan
Ireland
Congregation
St Joseph of Cluny
Saint Lucia (Antilles) –
31/12
Martyrology of the year 2000
18 priests (4 diocesan, 10 Religious, 1 fidei donum, 3 unknown)
1 male religious
7 women religious (of 6 congregations)
3 seminarians
1 member of a lay institute: 1 lay voluntary nurse
Nationality
9 Africans (3 Uganda, 2 Nigeria, 2 D. Congo, 1 Angola, 1 Burundi)
8 Asians (4 India, 2 Philippines, 1 Pakistan, 1 Indonesia)
8 Europeans (4 Italy, 2 Spain, 1 France, 1 Ireland)
4 Americans (2 Colombia, 1 Mexico, 1 United States)
2 nationality unknown.
247
247
Place of martyrdom
17 in Africa (4 Uganda, 3 Burundi, 2 Nigeria, 2 D. Congo, 1 Central African Rep.
1 Angola, 1 Zambia, 1 Ivory Coast, 1 Rwanda, 1 Kenya)
8 in Asia (4 India, 2 Philippines, 1 Pakistan, 1 Indonesia)
5 in America (2 Colombia, 1 Mexico, 1 Jamaica, 1 Antilles).
1 in Europe (Albania).
Notes on circumstances (see information Fides)
1. Brother Yosef Jami – killed by unidentified persons (Fides 23-1)
2. Fr. José I. Flores Gaytán – killed by thieves
3. Sr. M. Odette Simba Abakumate – killed by bandits on the road
4. Fr. Remis Pepe – killed by armed men who attacked the mission (Fides 25-2)
5. Sr. Christine Sequeira – killed when the convent was robbed
6. D. Hugo Duque – killed by unidentified persons who broke into the house
7. José da Rocha Dias – killed while on his way to Mupanda mission
8. Fr. Ruel Gallardo – killed by Muslim kidnappers (Fides 19-5)
9. Fr. Joaquin Bernardo – found murdered in his apartment
10. Fr. Pascal Nzikobanyanka – killed in an ambush
11. Fr. Clement Ozi Bello – missing on the way back to the parish, later found
dead (Fides 2-6)
12. Claude Gustave Amzati – killed during an attack on the seminary (Fides 9-6)
13. Fr. George Kuzhikandom – murdered in his sleep by Hindu fundamentalists
(Fides 16-6)
14. Rev. Isidro Uzcudum – shot during a burglary (Fides 16-6)
15. Fr. Remis Karketta – shot while travelling on the highway
16. Fr. Victor Crasta – shot by men in uniform
17. D. Anthony Kaiser – shot while travelling
18. Fr. Jude Maria Ogbu – he bled to death after being shot by thieves
19. Fr. Raffaele di Bari – ambushed and shot dead on his way to celebrate Mass
(Fides 6-10)
20. Fr. Antonio Bargiggia – killed by bandits (Fides 27-10)
21. Sr. Floriana Tirelli – killed by thieves in a forest ambush (Fides 27-10)
22. Sr. Gina Simionato – ambushed and murdered on her way to Mass (Fides 27-10)
23. Fr. Arnoldo Gomez Ramirez – murdered by criminals he reported
24. Fr. Howard Rochester – murdered by bandits who stole his car
25. Sr. Pierina Asienzo – she chose to stay to care for the sick and died of ebola
26. Sr. Dorothy Akweyo – working in hospital she contracted ebola and died
27. Brother Regis Grange – mortally wounded by thieves and died the day after.
248
248
Appendices
28. Grace Akullu – voluntary lay nurse offers to care for ebola patients. She
herself contracts it and dies of the illness
29. Fr. Shajan Jacob Chittinapilly – kidnapped and killed by bandits (Fides 8-12)
30. Fr. Benjamin Inocencio – shot as he got out of his car.
31. Sr. Teresa Egan – murdered in the attack to the Cathedral (Fides 19-01-2001)
The Martyrology of the last 20 years (1980/2000)
Rome (Fides) – According to information collected by Fides in the first decade
1980-1989, 115 missionaries suffered a violent death. However the number is
probably higher since our news service refers only to cases actually reported.
The table we give below is to the years 1990-2000, during which 604 missionaries
were killed in action as reported in Fides News Service. This number is considerably higher than in the previous decade but various factors must be taken into
account: the genocide in Rwanda (1994) during which 248 members of Catholic
Church personnel were murdered; greater speed and accuracy of media
reporting cases even in remote places; besides missionaries ad gentes in the strict
sense, we count every member of Church personnel who was murdered, or died,
while putting his or her life at the service of others, or choosing to stay on
mission despite serious personal danger, all these Pope John Paul II calls “martyrs
of charity”.
ANNO TOT
BIS
PR
DEA
1990
17
1991
19
1992
21
1993
21
1994
26
1994*
248
1995
33
1996
48
3
1997
68
1998
40
1999
32
17
2000
31
18
BROS
SIS
10
1
1C+1
SEM
14
1
3
6
2
13
13
4
1
1
4
1
47
65
3
9
19
8
13
1
1
19
1
7
40
1
13
5
17
4
20
3
103
18
ICL
CAT
LAY
VOL
7
1
1
1
30
2
9
4
7
3
2
1
1(ct)
2
1
1
* = figures refer only to the massacre in Rwanda.
BIS: Bishops; C: Cardinals; Pr: priests diocesan or religious; DEA: deacons; BROS
Brothers ; SIS: Sisters; SEM: seminarians; ICL: members of institutes of consecrated
life; CAT: catechists; LAY: lay; VOL: volunteer; ct: catechumen. (5/1/2001)
249
249
5.3 Appendix 3
541
Remember the persecuted
“Remember those who are in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and
those who are mistreated as if you yourself were suffering.” Hebrews 13:3 (NIV)
More Christians are persecuted and martyred for their faith in this century
than all previous centuries combined. Nearly two-thirds of all Christians
alive in the world today suffer persecution in varying degrees, including
the loss of freedom, discrimination, imprisonment, slavery, torture and
even death.
"I have always envied those Christians who were martyred for Christ Jesus
our Lord. What a privilege to live for our Lord and to die for Him as well. I
am filled to overflowing with joy; I am not only satisfied to be in prison. . .
but am ready to give my life for the sake of Jesus Christ."
Mehdi Dibaj, (martyred in Iran, 1994)
To Be a Martyr for the Lord
Sung by persecuted Christians in China
1. From the time the early Church appeared on the day of Pentecost,
the followers of the Lord all willingly sacrificed themselves.
Tens of thousands have sacrificed their lives that the Gospel might prosper.
As such they have obtained the crown of life.
2. Those apostles who loved the Lord to the end,
Willingly followed the Lord down the path of suffering.
John was exiled to the lonely isle of Patmos.
Stephen was crushed to death with stones by the crowd.
3. Matthew was cut to death in Persia by the people.
Mark died as his two legs were pulled apart by horses.
Doctor Luke was cruelly hanged.
Peter, Philip and Simon were crucified on a cross.
541
250
250
Appendices
4. Bartholomew was skinned alive by the heathen,
Thomas died in India as five horses pulled apart his body,
The apostle James was beheaded by King Herod,
Little James was cut up by a sharp saw.
5. James the brother of the Lord was stoned to death,
Judas was bound to a pillar and died by arrows,
Matthias had his head cut off in Jerusalem.
Paul was a martyr under Emperor Nero.
6. I am willing to take up the cross and go forward,
To follow the apostles down the road of sacrifice.
That tens of thousands of precious souls can be saved,
I am willing to leave all and be a martyr for the Lord.
Chorus: To be a martyr for the Lord, to be a martyr for the Lord,
I am willing to die gloriously for the Lord.
Examples of Modern Day Martyrs
Zhang Xiu Ju (China), a house-church leader who was beaten to death by police
in April 1996. She refused to stop holding "illegal" services in her home and to
stop evangelising.
Mehdi Dibaj; (Iran), a convert from Islam who was imprisoned for nine years.
After his release in 1994, he was abducted and brutally murdered.
Haik Hovsepian Mehr (Iran), a pastor who refused to cease evangelising and also
spoke up in defence of Mehdi Dibaj. On January 20, 1994, he was abducted and
later found stabbed to death.
Manzoor Masih (Pakistan), a father of ten who was falsely accused and jailed for
"blasphemy against Islam". While out on bail, he was gunned down by Islamic
extremists.
Lai Manping (China), a 22-year-old evangelist who was beaten to death by the
police during a raid on a house church in March 1993.
251
251
Among the Persecuted Today. . .
Melek Akyil (Turkey), a Christian businessman arrested June 22 1996 and falsely
accused of terrorism. He’s the victim of government intimidation to force the
Christians to convert to Islam or leave.
Matthias Akabd (Sudan), arrested January 1995, along with his wife and baby,
and has not been heard from since.
Jacob Jeyaseelan (Saudi Arabia), arrested December 22 1995 for leading an
"illegal" Christian gathering of 50 Indian Christians. A total of seven were
detained and severely beaten. All but Jacob were released.
Salamat Masih (Pakistan), arrested in 1993 at the age of 12 for blasphemy and
threatened with death. He was acquitted in 1995 as a result of international
pressure. Extremists have placed a bounty on his life. He has fled his home and
family and now lives in hiding.
Soner Onder (Turkey), at the age of 17, was arrested following a Christmas
service in 1991. He was beaten and is serving a life sentence.
“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves.” Proverbs 31:8
International Christian Concern (ICC) is an interdenominational human rights
organisation for religious freedom and for assisting Christians who are victims of
persecution and discrimination.
For information about how you can help persecuted Christians, write or call:
International Christians Concern
2020 Pennsylvania Avenue NW #941
Washington, DC 20006
1 800 ICC-5441
252
252
Appendices
5.4 Appendix 4
542
The Church in Africa
Compiled by J. Mutiso-Mbinda
Item
Year Ending 31st December 1997
Total Population
756,918,000
Total Catholics
112,871,000
Percentage of Catholics
14.9%
Ecclesiastical Territories
474
Archdioceses
76
Dioceses
363
Cardinals
14
Patriarchs
2
Native African Bishops
435
Non-native Bishops
127
Total number of Bishops
562
Total number of Priests
25,279
Diocesan Priests Incardinated
15,654
Diocesan Priests Present
14,873
Religious Priests
10,406
Permanent Deacons
308
Brothers
7,083
Sisters
49,854
Major Seminarians
19,078
Lay Missionaries
1,248
Catechists
329,775
Parishes
10,497
Mission Stations
76,406
Kindergartens
9,867
Primary Schools
29,543
Secondary Schools
6,265
Students in Higher Institutions
27,188
Social Service Centres
14,611
542
See Websites Kerk in Africa
253
253
Compiled by J. Mutiso-Mbinda
254
Angola and Sao Tome
Episcopal Conference of Angola and Sao Tome
C. P. 87, LUANDA, Angola
Tel: +244-2-343-686; Fax: +244-2-345-504
E-Mail:
Benin
Conférence des Evêques de Benin
Archevêché, B.P. 491 COTOUNOU, Benin
Tel: +229-31-31-45
E-Mail: cepiscob@intnet.bj
Botswana (see Southern Africa)
Caritas Botswana
P.O. Box 42
GABARONE, Botswana.
Fax Reachable through Internet free service is:
Fax: +267-356970
Burkina Faso and Niger
Conférence des Evêques de Burkina Faso et du Niger
B.P. 1195, OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso
Tel: +226-30-60-26
Burundi
Conférence des Evêques Catholique du Burundi (C.E.C.A.B.)
5 blvd. de l’Uprona
B. P. 1390 BUJUMBURA, Burundi
Tel: +256-23-263; Fax: 256-23-270
E-Mail: cecab@cbinf.com
Cameroon
Conférence Episcopale Nationale du Cameroun (CENC)
B. P. 807 YAOUNDE, Cameroun
Tel:
Cape Verde (see Senegal)
Central African Republic
Conférence Episcopale Centrafricaine (CECA)
B. P. 798 BANGUI, Central African Republic
Tel: +236-61-31-48
Chad
Conférence Episcopale du Tchad
B. P. 456 N’DJAMENA, Tchad
Tel: +235-514-443; Fax: +233-512-860
Congo Brazaville
Conférence Episcopal du Congo
B. P. 200 BRAZAVILLE, Congo
Tel: 242-83-06-29; Fax: 242-83-79-08
Congo Kinshasa
Conférence Episcopale du R. Du Congo
B. P. 3258 KINSHASA-GOMBE, Congo Kinshasa
Tel:
E-Mail: conf.episc.rdc@ic.cd
Equitorial Guinea
Conférence Epicopale de Guinea Equitorial
Arzbispado
Apartado 106, MALABO, Equitorial Guinea
Tel:
254
Appendices
Ethiopia and Eritrea
Episcopal Conference of Ethiopia and Eritria
P. O. Box 2454 ADDIS ABBEBA, Ethiopia
Tel: 251-1-55-00-09; Fax: 251-1-55-31-13
E-Mail: ecs@telecom.net.et
Eritrea (has its own Secretariat
but both have one Conference)
Catholic Secretariat
P.O. Box 1990, ASMARA, Eritria
Tel: +251-1-12-50-00; Fax: +251-1-12-00-70
Gabon
Conférence Episcopal du Gabon
B. P. 209 OYEM, Gabon
Tel: +241-89-63-20
Gambia, Liberia and
Sierra Leone
Inter-territorial Catholic Bishops’s Conference of
the Gambia, Liberia and Sierra Leone (ITCABIC)
P. O. Box 893 FREETOWN, Sierra Leone
Tel: +220-22-82-40; Fax: +220-22-82-52
Ghana
Ghana Bishops’ Conference
National Catholic Secretariat
P. O. Box 9712, AIRPORT, ACCRA, Ghana
Tel: +233-776-491/1/2/3
Guinea
Conférence Episcopale de la Guinée
B. P. 1006 bis CONAKRY, Guinea
Guinea-Bissau (see Senegal)
Ivory Coast
Conféerence Episcopale de la Côte d’Ivoire
B. P. 1287 ABDJAN 01, Ivory Coast
Tel: +225-33-22-56
Kenya
Kenya Episcopal Conference (KEC)
Kenya Catholic Secretariat
P. O. Box 48062, NAIROBI, Kenya
Tel: +254-2-44-31-33; Fax: +254-2-44-29-10
E-Mail: csk@africaonline.co.ke
Lesotho
Lesotho Catholic Bishops’ Conference
P. O. Box 200, MASERU, Lesotho
Tel: +266-31-25-25
Liberia (see Gambia)
Madagascar
Conférence Episcopal de Madagascar
102 bis Av. Maréchal Joffre
B. P. 667 ANTANANARIVE, Madagascar
Tel: +261-2-20-478; Fax: +261-2-24-854
Malawi
Episcopal Conference of Malawi
Catholic Secretariat of Malawi
P. O. Box 30384, LILONGWE, Malawi
Tel: +265-782-066; Fax: +265-782-019
E-Mail: ecm@malawi.net
255
255
Mali
Conféerence Episcopal du Mali
Archevêche
B. P. 298 BAMAKO, Mali
Tel: +223-225-499; Fax: +223-225-214
Mozambique
Conférencia Episcopal de Moçambique (CEM)
Secretariado Geral da CEM
Av. Armando Tivene 1701
C. P. 286 MAPUTO, Mozambique
Tel: +258-1-492-174; Fax: +258-1-490-766
Namibia
Namibian Catholic Bishops’ Conference (NCBC)
P. O. Box 11525 WINDHOEK 9000, Namibia
Tel: +264-61-224-798
E-Mail:ncbc@windhoek.org.na
Niger (see Burkina Faso)
Nigeria
Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria
6 Force Road
P. O. Box 951, LAGOS, Nigeria
Tel: +234-1-263-5849; Fax:: +234-1-263-6680
E-Mail: cathsecl@infoweb.abs.net
North Africa (Algeria, Tunisia,
Morocco, Libya)
Regional Episcopal Conference of North Africa (CERNA)
13 rue Khelifa-Boukalfa
16000 ALGER-GARE, Algeria
Tel: +213-2-634-244; Fax: +213-2-640-582
Rwanda
Conférence Episcopal du Rwanda (CEp.R.)
B. P. 357 KIGALI, Rwanda
Tel: +250-54-39
Sao Tome (see Angola)
Senegal, Mauritania, Cape
Verde,
Guinea Bissau
Conférence des Evêques du Senegal,
de la Mauritania, du
Capo Verde et de Guinée-Bissau
B. P. 941 DAKAR, Senegal
Tel:
Sierra Leone (see Gambia)
Southern Africa
Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC)
Khanya House 140 Visagie Street
P. O. Box 941, PRETORIA 0001, South Africa
Tel: +27-12-323-6458; Fax: +27-12-326-6218
E-Mail: sacbclib@wn.apc.org
Sudan
Sudan Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SCBC)
SCBC General Secretariat
P. O. Box 6011, KHARTOUM, Sudan
Tel: +249-11-255-0759
Swaziland (see Southern Africa)
256
256
Appendices
Tanzania
Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC)
P. O. Box 2133 DAR-ES-SALAAM, Tanzania
Tel: +255-51-851-075; Fax: +255-51-851-133
E-Mail: tec@cats-net.com
Togo
Conférence Episcoplae du Togo
B. P. 348 LOME, Togo
Tel: +228-212-272
Uganda
Uganda Episcopal Conference
P. O. Box 2886 KAMPALA, Uganda
Tel: +256-41-268-157; Fax: +256-41-268-713
E-Mail: ucmb@infocom.co.ug
Zambia
Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC)
P. O. Box 31965, LUSAKA, Zambia
Tel: +260-1-212-070; Fax: +260-1-202-996
E-Mail:zecsap@zamnet.zm
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops’ Conference (ZCBC)
Causeway, 29 Selous Avenue
P. O. Box 8135, HARARE, Zimbabwe
Tel: +263-4-705-368; Fax: +263-4-705-369
E-Mail: zcbc-sec@harare.inafrica.com
5.5 Appendix 5
543
The Church in the Middle East
a. The Latin Church. Consists of: the patriarchate of Jerusalem (Monsignor
Michel Sabbah); the archbishopric of Baghdad (Monsignor Paul Dahdah); the
vicariate apostolic of Lebanon (Monsignor Paul Bassim); the vicariate apostolic of Alep-Syria (Monsignor Armando Portolozo); the vicariate apostolic of
Kuwait (Monsignor Francis Micaleff).
The Latin patriarchate of Jerusalem has 85 priests, 60 parishes (15 of which in
Palestine, 10 in Israel, 27 in Jordan, four in Cyprus and three in the United
States).
The archbishopric of Baghdad has a congregation of approximately 2,500;
there are three parishes served by eleven monks/nuns: four Carmelites, five
Dominicans and two Redemptorists.
In the same diocese, there are 174 Chaldeans and Syrian monks/nuns: 135
543
See Website L’eglise latine au Moyen Orient
257
257
Dominicans of St. Catherina; 29 Dominican Sisters of Charity; five missionary
Franciscans of the Immaculate Heart of Maria; five missionaries of Mother
Theresa.
The vicariate of Beirut has a congregation of 20,000. There are nine parishes
and three priests.
The vicariate of Alep has a congregation of 9,500; ten parishes and six priests;
52 priest/monks and 203 nuns.
The vicariate of Kuwait has a congregation of 100,000 in two parishes, with
four priests, a deacon and seven seminarians.
b. The Armenian Catholic Church
The Patriarch, Jean Pierre XVIII Kasparian, has his seat in Beirut. There are
approximately 500,000 Armenian Christians in the Middle East. There are 25
parishes in Armenia and Georgia, nine in Syria, four in Turkey, three in Egypt
and two in Iran.
c. The Chaldean Church
The head of this church is Patriarch Raphael I Bidawid, Patriarch of Babel for
the Chaldeans. He has his seat in Baghdad. The Church has a total congregation of approximately 600,000 divided among 14 dioceses, with vicariates in
Iraq, Iran, the Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, but also in France, Italy,
Sweden, Denmark, England, Greece, the Netherlands, Australia and New
Zealand. There are 15 bishops (one of which emeritus); 93 priests and 92
parishes.
d. The Syrian Catholic Church
The head of this Church is Patriarch Ignace Moussa I Daoud, who has his seat
in Antioch. The congregation numbers 175,000 in nine dioceses: four in Syria,
two in Iraq, one in the Lebanon, one in Egypt and in the US and Canada.
Seventy-five priests and six deacons work for the Church.
e. The Syrian Maronite Church of Antioch
The head of this Church is Patriarch Mar Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir. He is also a
cardinal and has his seat in the Lebanon. The congregation numbers approximately 1,200,000. There are 616 priests and 918 parishes. Approximately one
third of the priests are married. The Church has four large men’s religious
Orders and six women’s, with 883 and 872 members respectively.
258
258
Appendices
f. The Greek Melkite Church
The head is Patriarch Maximos V Hakim, who resides in Damascus. The
congregation numbers 700,000 in the Middle East and approximately
400,000 in Brazil (owing to emigration). There are 24 dioceses and exarchates. The number of bishops is 33 (ten of which are emeritus); there are 433
parishes with 360 priests, 103 monks and 482 nuns.
259
259
5.6 Appendix 6
544
Martyrs in the year 2000
ANNO TOT
BIS
PR
DEA
1990
17
1991
19
1992
21
1993
21
1994
26
1994*
248
1995
33
1996
48
3
1997
68
1998
40
1999
32
17
2000
31
18
BROS
SIS
10
1
1C+1
SEM
14
1
3
6
2
13
13
4
1
1
4
1
47
65
3
9
19
8
13
1
1
19
1
7
40
1
13
5
17
4
20
3
103
18
ICL
CAT
LAY
VOL
7
1
1
1
30
2
9
4
7
3
2
1
1(ct)
2
1
1
Martyrs in the year 2000
18 priests (4 diocesan, 10 Religious, 1 fidei donum, 3 unknown)
1 male religious
7 women religious (of 6 congregations)
3 seminarians
1 member of a lay institute: 1 lay voluntary nurse
Nationality
9 Africans (3 Uganda, 2 Nigeria, 2 D. Congo, 1 Angola, 1 Burundi)
8 Asians (4 India, 2 Philippines, 1 Pakistan, 1 Indonesia)
8 Europeans (4 Italy, 2 Spain, 1 France, 1 Ireland)
4 Americans (2 Colombia, 1 Mexico, 1 United States)
2 nationality unknown.
Place of martyrdom
17 in Africa (4 Uganda, 3 Burundi, 2 Nigeria, 2 D. Congo, 1 Central African Rep.
1 Angola, 1 Zambia, 1 Ivory Coast, 1 Rwanda, 1 Kenya)
8 in Asia (4 India, 2 Philippines, 1 Pakistan, 1 Indonesia)
5 in America (2 Colombia, 1 Mexico, 1 Jamaica, 1 Antilles).
1 in Europe (Albania).
544
260
FIDES, 05/01/01
260
Appendices
Notes on circumstances
1. Brother Yosef Jami – killed by unidentified persons
2. Fr. José I. Flores Gaytán – killed by thieves
3. Sr M. Odette Simba Abakumate – killed by bandits on the road
4. Fr. Remis Pepe – killed by armed men who attacked the mission
5. Sr. Christine Sequeira – killed when the convent was robbed
6. D. Hugo Duque – killed by unidentified persons who broke into the house
7. José da Rocha Dias – killed while on his way to Mupanda mission
8. Fr. Ruel Gallardo – killed by Muslim kidnappers
9. Fr. Joaquin Bernardo – found murdered in his apartment
10. Fr. Pascal Nzikobanyanka – killed in an ambush
11. Fr. Clement Ozi Bello – missing on the way back to the parish, later found
dead (Fides 2-6)
12. Claude Gustave Amzati – killed during an attack on the seminary
13. Fr. George Kuzhikandom – murdered in his sleep by Hindu fundamentalists
14. Rev. Isidro Uzcudum – shot during a burglary
15. Fr. Remis Karketta – shot while travelling on the highway
16. Fr. Victor Crasta – shot by men in uniform
17. D. Anthony Kaiser – shot while travelling
18. Fr. Jude Maria Ogbu – he bled to death after being shot by thieves
19. Fr. Raffaele di Bari – ambushed and shot dead on his way to celebrate Mass
20. Fr. Antonio Bargiggia – killed by bandits
21. Sr. Floriana Tirelli – killed by thieves in a forest ambush
22. Sr. Gina Simionato – ambushed and murdered on her way to Mass
23. Fr. Arnoldo Gomez Ramirez – murdered by criminals he reported
24. Fr. Howard Rochester – murdered by bandits who stole his car
25. Sr. Pierina Asienzo – she chose to stay to care for the sick and died of Ebola
26. Sr. Dorothy Akweyo – working in hospital she contracted Ebola and died
27. Brother Regis Grange – mortally wounded by thieves and died the day after.
28. Grace Akullu – voluntary lay nurse offers to care for Ebola patients. She
herself contracts it and dies of the illness
29. Fr. Shajan Jacob Chittinapilly – kidnapped and killed by bandits
30. Fr. Benjamin Inocencio – shot as he got out of his car.
31. Sr. Teresa Egan – murdered in the attack to the Cathedral
261
261
The Martyrology of the last 20 years (1980/2000)
Rome (Fides) – According to information collected by Fides in the first decade
1980-1989, 115 missionaries suffered a violent death. However the number is
probably higher since our news service refers only to cases actually reported. The
table we give below to the years 1990-2000, during which 604 missionaries were
killed in action as reported in Fides News Service. This number is considerably
higher than in the previous decade but various factors must be taken into
account: the genocide in Rwanda (1994) during which 248 members of Catholic
Church personnel were murdered; greater speed and accuracy of media
reporting cases even in remote places; besides missionaries ad gentes in the strict
sense, we count every member of Church personnel who was murdered, or died,
while putting his or her life at the service of others, or choosing to stay on
mission despite serious personal danger, all these Pope John Paul II calls ’martyrs
of charity’.
ANNO TOT
BIS
PR
DEA
1990
17
1991
19
1992
21
1993
21
1994
26
1994*
248
1995
33
1996
48
3
1997
68
1998
40
1999
32
17
2000
31
18
BROS
SIS
10
1
1C+1
SEM
14
1
3
6
2
13
13
4
1
1
4
1
47
65
3
9
19
8
13
1
1
19
1
7
40
1
13
5
17
4
20
3
103
18
ICL
CAT
LAY
VOL
7
1
1
1
30
2
9
4
7
3
2
1
1(ct)
2
1
* = figures refer only to the massacre in Rwanda.
BIS: Bishops; C: Cardinals; Pr: priests diocesan or religious; DEA: deacons;
BROS Brothers ; SIS: Sisters; SEM: seminarians; ICL: members of institutes of
consecrated life; CAT: catechists; LAY: laici; VOL: volunteer; ct: catechumen.
(5/1/2001)
262
262
1
Appendices
5.7 Appendix 7
The African population in figures
Country
Nigeria
Population
(millions)
Per km/2
(millions)
Growth
in percent2030
Forecast for
(millions)
120.8
133
2.5
Egypt
61.4
62
1.5
255
92
Ethiopia
61.3
61
2.1
114
Zaire
48.2
21
2.6
114
South Africa
41.4
34
1
56
Tanzania
32.1
33
2.1
56
Algeria
29.9
13
2.6
48
Sudan
28.3
12
2.1
50
Uganda
20.9
105
2.3
41
Ghana
18.5
81
2.2
33
Mozambique
16.9
22
2
30
Madagascar
14.6
25
2.7
30
Ivory Coast
14.5
2.7
1.6
23
Cameroon
14.3
2.1
2.1
26
Zimbabwe
11.7
30
0.1
16
11
61
2.8
27
Burkina Faso
10.6
2.3
2.4
22
Mali
10.6
9
2.7
23
Malawi
10.5
112
2.2
20
Niger
Angola
10.1
8
3
24
Zambia
9.7
13
0.8
16
Zambia
9.3
60
1.2
13
Rwanda
8.1
274
2.2
15
Chad
7.2
6
7.3
16
Guinea
7.1
29
2
12
Benin
5.9
54
2.5
12
Sierra Leone
4.9
73
1.9
9
Togo
4.5
82
2
8
Eritrea
3.9
5.7
2.3
7
Rep. Congo
2.7
8
3
6
Mauritania
2.5
2
2.3
5
Lesotho
2.1
68
1.6
3
263
263
Namibia
1.7
2
1.7
3
Botswana
1.6
3
0.9
2
Gambia
1.2
99
2.2
2
Guinea-Bissau
1.2
41
1.8
2545
5.8 Appendix 8
546
International Christian Prisoners List
Christian Prisoners
South-East Asia
Indonesia
Name: Salmon Ongirwalu
Date of Arrest: 1998
Charge: kidnapping*
Sentence: 10 years
Name: Robert Martinus
Charge: kidnapping*
Sentence: 7 years
Name: Yanwardi Koto
Charge: kidnapping*
Sentence: 7 years
*These three men and their wives helped to house a young woman who claimed
to need protection from her Muslim parents because she wanted to convert to
Christianity. Later the woman said she was held against her will by the men, who
forced her to become a Christian.
Myanmar (Burma)
Name: Gracy
Date of Arrest: February 13 2001
Charge: harbouring members of a separatist group
Sentence: two years labour
545
546
264
African Population, newafrica.com
264
Appendices
Laos – Imprisoned Christians listed by province.
Savannakhet
1. Lerm
2. Khamsone
3. Gnanh
4. Boun Thong
5. Boon Thai
6. Duan
7. Koom
8. Kone
9. Ateum
Attapeu
1. Kaew
2. Kham Seuk
3. Sanguan
4. Khammuan
5. Sinh
6. Virakorn
7. Lang
8. Ilamuan
9. Sompong
10. Cha Leng
Luang Prabang
1. Peto
2. Sisamut
3. Boonme
4. Chai
5. Saeng
6. Champeng
7. Nuamchan
8. Simon
265
265
Houaphan
1. Khoua Neg Yang
2. Thao Tchong La
3. Vang Pao Ya
4. Tscheu Yang
5. Pao Ye Yang
6. Vang Yang
Udomsay
1. Boon Chanh
2. Tcheng
3. Chanh
4. Nhot
5. See
Vietnam Ha Giang Province
1. Hau Chung Vu
2. Sung Say Day
3. Vang Sihn De
4. Sinh Mi Pao
5. Giang Xua Chung
6. Sinh Pa Pay
7. Va Sing Giay
8. Van Sua Giang
9. Sing Phay Pao
10. Sung A. Chua
Quang Ngai Province
1. Tran Van Vui
2. Dunh Van Troi
3. Tran Van Chinh
4. Dinh Be
5. Ho Hoang Duy
Phuoc Long Province
1. Dieu Thinh
2. Dieu Vuc
3. Dieu Phuong
266
266
Appendices
Lai Chau and Lao Cai Provinces
1. Sung Va Tung
2. Phang A Dong
3. Sung Phia Dia
4. Vang Gia Chua
5. Vu Gian Thao
6. Va Tong
7. Lau Dung Xa
8. Sung Seo Chinh
9. Ly A Cho
10. Ly A Sinh
11. Ly A Chu
12. Ly A Khoa
13. Sung Giong Xang
14. Ly A Hu
15. Lau Giung Se
16. Ho Va Tung
Other
1. Lo Van Hoa
2. Nguyen Van Ly
East Asia
China
Names: Zheng Yunsu, Zheng Jikuo, Zheng Jiping
Date of Arrest: June 1992
Charge: holding illegal religious meetings
Sentence: nine years labour
Names: Cao Wen Hai, Zhang Chun Xia, Zhao Song Yin
Date of Arrest: August 10, 1997
Sentence: re-education through labour
Names: Han Rongoin, Song Jianxuan, Wang Kaiju, Quan Ailing, Zhang
Quingqun, Liu Xiang, Li Ping, Liu Yuanpo, Ma Yunhai, Li Xiaona
Date of Arrest: October 26, 1998
Sentence: re-education through labour
Names: Lu Lianquan, Zhang Fushan
Date of Arrest: November 5, 1998
Names: Wang Li Gong and Yang Jing Fu
267
267
Names: unknown, 12 believers from Dongsheng city, Inner Mongolia
Date of Arrest: May 26, 2001
Sentence: 2-3 years re-education through labour
North Korea
There are believed to be as many as 100,000 Christians serving time in labour
camps. Specific names and charges are unknown. It is reported that Christian
prisoners receive the worst treatment in the camps because they refuse to deny
their faith.
Central Asia
Afghanistan
24 humanitarian aid workers from the German-based Shelter Now Afghanistan
are being held on the charge of proselytising Christianity. Eight foreign nationals
(4 Germans, 2 Americans and 2 Australians) as well as 16 Afghan nationals are
being held for investigation.
Pakistan
Name: Ayub Masih
Date of Arrest: October 14, 1996
Charge: blasphemy
Sentence: death
Name: Aslam Masih
Charge: blasphemy
Sentence: unknown
Name: Jhang Amjad and Asif Masih
Date of Arrest: June 1999
Charge: blasphemy (burning a Koran)
Sentence: life imprisonment
Names: Rasheed and Saleem Masih
Date of Arrest: May 30,1999
Charge: blasphemy
Sentence: 35 years
Name: Augustine ’Kingri’ Masih
Date of Arrest: May 4, 2000
Charge: blasphemy
268
268
Appendices
Sentence: not yet decided
Name: Pervez Masih
Date of Arrest: April 1, 2001
Charge: blasphemy
Sentence: not yet decided
Turkmenistan
Name: Shagildy Atakov
Date of Arrest: December 1998
Charge: fraud
Sentence: four years labour
Turkey
Name: Soner Önder
Date of Arrest: December 25, 1991
Charge: participation in separatist group
Sentence: life in prison
Middle East
Egypt
Name: Shayboub Arsal
Date of Arrest: September 17, 1998
Charge: murder
Sentence: 15 years labour
Name: Sourial Gayed Isshak
Date of Arrest: December 31 1999
Charge: Inciting religious strife
Sentence: three years labour
Saudi Arabia
Name: Prabu Isaac (Indian national)
Date of Arrest: July 17 2001
Charge: Evangelising Muslims
Sentence: unknown
Name: Eskinder Menghis (Eritrean national)
Date of Arrest: July 25, 2001
Charge: unknown
Sentence: unknown
269
269
Names: Tensaye Gezachew (Ethiopian), Ibrahim Mohammad a.k.a. Gebeyew
(Ethiopian), Kebrom Haile (Eritrean) and Afobunor Okey Buliamin a.k.a.
Benjamin (Nigerian)
Charges: unknown
Sentence: unknown
Name: Baharu Mengistu (Ethiopian)
Charges: unknown
Sentence: unknown
Name: Beferdu Fikre (Ethiopian)
Charges: unknown
Sentence: unknown
Name: Dennis Moreno (Philippino), Joseph Girmaye (Eritrean)
Charges: unknown
Sentence: unknown
Name: Worku (Ethiopian), Tishome (Ethiopian)
Charges: unknown
Sentence: unknown
Name: Araya Gesesew (Ethiopian)
Charges: unknown
Sentence: unknown
Name: Tishome Kebret (Ethiopian)
Date of Arrest: unknown
Charges: unknown
Sentence: unknown
Christians held against their will
Indonesia
At least 5,000 Christians have been forced to convert to Islam and are being held
hostage in their own homes and villages by militant Muslims.
270
270
Appendices
Pakistan
Name: Naira Nadia
Date of Abduction: February 11, 2001
Forced to marry a Muslim man against her will
Philippines
Name: Martin and Gracia Burnham
Date of Abduction: May 27, 2001
Missionary couple held hostage by Abu Sayyaf rebels who want to create an
Islamic homeland in the southern part of the country.
LAST UPDATED: October 26 2001
5.9 Appendix 9
547
CATHOLIC CHURCH STATISTICS
Continents
Population
Variations
WORLD 1997
1998
1999
5,820,767,000
5,855,623,000
5,936,398,000
+ 80,677,000
+ 34,856,000
+ 80,775,000
1,005,254,000
1,018,257,000
1,033,129,000
+ 10,126,000
+ 13,003,000
+ 14,872,000
Africa 1997
1998
1999
756,896,000
748,612,000
768,999,000
+ 14,978,000
– 8,284,000
+ 20,387,000
112,871,000
116,664,000
124,270,000
+ 3,600,000
+ 3,793,000
+ 7,606,000
America 1997
1998
1999
788,153,000
799,804,000
810,521,000
+ 7,006,000
+ 11,651,000
+ 10,717,000
495,756,000
504,787,000
512,153,000
+ 4,591,000
+ 9,031,000
+ 7,366,000
3,562,142,000
3,592,965,000
3,641,696,000
+ 59,241,000
+ 30,823,000
+ 49,530,000
105,294,000
105,742,000
107,044,000
+ 2,064,000
+ 448,000
+ 1,302,000
Europe 1997
1998
1999
684,421,000
684,384,000
684,909,000
- 874,000
– 37,000
+ 525,000
283,313,000
283,023,000
281,704,000
- 102,000
– 29,000
– 1,319,000
Oceania 1997
1998
1999
29,155,000
29,858,000
30,273,000
+ 326,000
+ 703,000
+ 415,000
8,020,000
8,041,000
7,958,000
- 27,000
– 21,000
– 83,000
Asia 1997
1998
1999
547
Catholics
Variations
FIDES, 06/11/01
271
271
At the end of 1999 the world population was 5,936,398,000 with an increase of
80,775,000 compared to the previous year...
The global increase of 80,775,000 is distributed by continent as follows:
49,530,000 in Asia, 20,387,000 in Africa, 10,171,000 in America, 525,000 in
Europe and 415,000 in Oceania..
At the same date the number of Catholics was 1,033,129,000, with an increase of
14,872,000 compared with 1998; distributed as follows by continent: increase of
7,366,000 in America, 7,606,000 in Africa, 1,302,000 in Asia; a decrease of
1,319,000 in Europe a decrease of 83,000 in Oceania. Note: The number of Catholics does not include Catholics in countries where it is impossible to make a
census.
272
272
Appendices
Priests per person/Catholics
Continents
Persons
per priest
Variations
Catholics
per priest
Variations
WORLD 1997
11,270
+ 48
2,487
+ 26
1998
11,321
+ 51
2,517
+ 20
1999
11,474
+ 153
2,551
+ 34
Africa 1997
29,942
- 121
4,465
+ 37
1998
28,764
– 1,178
4,483
+ 18
1999
28,967
+ 203
4,681
+ 198
America 1997
6,567
+ 62
4,131
+ 41
1998
6,649
+ 82
4,196
+ 65
1999
6,747
+ 98
4,263
+ 67
Asia 1997
56,781
- 1,591
2,604
– 16
1998
53,917
– 2,864
2,551
– 53
1999
54,977
+ 1,060
2,502
– 49
Europe 1997
3,207
+ 21
1,328
+ 10
1998
3,231
+ 24
1,336
+8
1999
3,253
+ 22
1,338
+2
Oceania 1997
5,883
+ 240
1,580
+5
1998
5,948
+ 65
1,602
+ 22
1999
6,064
+ 116
1,594
–8
The number of persons per priest increased altogether in the world by 153 units;
on the continents the situation is as follows: increase of 203 in Africa, 98 in
America; 1,060 in Asia, 22 in Europe, 116 in Oceania.
The number of Catholics per priest increased altogether in the world by 34 units;
by continent as follows: increase by 198 in Africa, 67 in America; 2 in Europe,
decrease by 49 in Asia and 8 in Oceania.
273
273
BISHOPS
(in brackets variations compared with the previous year)
274
WORLD 1997
4,420 (+ 45)
3,299 (+ 49)
1,121 (- 4)
3,707 (+ 43)
1998
4,439 (+ 19)
3,324 (+ 25)
1,115 (- 6)
3,720 (+ 13)
719 (+ 6)
1999
4,482 (+ 43)
3,370 (+ 46)
1,112 (- 3)
3,742 (+ 22)
740 (+ 21)
Africa 1997
562 (+ 18)
410 (+ 8)
152 (+ 10)
435 (+ 12)
127 (+ 6)
1998
575 (+ 13)
414 (+ 4)
161 (+ 9)
441 (+ 14)
134 (+ 7)
1999
592 (+ 17)
425 (+ 1)
167 (+ 6)
457 (+ 16)
135 (+ 1)
America 1997
1,659 (+ 13)
1,133 (+ 20)
526 (- 7)
1,354 (+ 17)
305 (- 4)
1998
1,672 (+ 13)
1,147 (+ 14)
525 (- 1)
1,365 (+ 11)
307 (+ 2)
1999
1,675 (+ 3)
1,157 (+ 10)
518 (- 7)
1,358 (- 7)
317 (+ 10)
Asia 1997
617 (+ 15)
442 (+ 16)
175 (- 1)
528 (+ 18)
89 (- 3)
1998
617 ( = )
446 (+ 4)
171 (- 4)
531 (+ 3)
86 (- 3)
1999
619 (+ 2)
453 (+ 7)
166 (- 5)
534 (+ 3)
85 (- 1)
Europe 1997
1,464 (=)
1,236 (+ 4)
228 (- 4)
1,312 (- 5)
152 (+ 5)
713 (+ 2)
1998
1,459 (- 5)
1,240 (+ 4)
219 (-9)
1,307 (- 5)
152 ( =)
1999
1,477 (+ 18)
1,256 (+ 16)
221 (+ 2)
1,316 (+ 9)
161 (+ 9)
Oceania 1997
118 (- 1)
78 (+ 1)
40 (- 2)
78 (+ 1)
40 (- 2)
1998
116 (- 2)
77 (- 1)
39 (- 1)
76 (- 2)
40 ( =)
1999
119 (+ 3)
79 (+ 2)
40 (+ 1)
77 (+ 1)
42 (+ 2)
274
Appendices
PRIESTS
Continents
Total
Diocesan
Religious
WORLD 1997
404,208 (- 128)
263,521 (+ 622)
140,687 (- 750)
1998
404,626 (+ 418)
264,202 (+ 681)
140,424 (- 263)
1999
405,009 (+ 383)
265,012 (+ 810)
139,997 (- 427)
Africa 1997
25,279 (+ 600)
14,873 (+ 749)
10,406 (- 149)
1998
26,026 (+ 747)
15,535 (+ 662)
10,491 (+ 85)
1999
26,547 (+ 521)
16,371 (+ 836)
10,176 (- 315)
America 1997
120,013 (- 69)
73,495 (+ 509)
46,518 (- 578)
1998
120,297 (+ 284)
74,039 (+ 544)
46,258 (- 260)
1999
120,138 (- 159)
74,282 (+ 243)
45,856 (- 402)
Asia 1997
40,441 (+ 1,037)
23,789 (+ 714)
16,652 (+ 323)
1998
41,456 (+ 1,015)
24,337 (+ 548)
17,119 (+ 467)
1999
42,789 (+ 1,333)
25,175 (+ 838)
17,614 (+ 495)
Europe 1997
213,398 (- 1,664)
148,595 (- 1,306)
64,803 (- 358)
1998
211,827 (- 1,571)
147,517 (- 1,078)
64,310 (- 493)
1999
210,543 (- 1,284)
146,457 (- 1.078)
64,086 (- 224)
Oceania 1997
5,077 (- 32)
2,769 (- 44)
2,308 (+ 12)
1998
5,020 (- 57)
2,774 (+ 5)
2,246 (- 62)
1999
4,992 (-28)
2,727 (- 47)
2,265 (+ 19)
The number of priests in the world increased by 383: however while the number
of diocesan priests increased by 810 (+838 in Asia, + 836 in Africa, + 243 in
America; but less 1,060 in Europe and – 47 in Oceania) the number of Religious
priests decreased by 427, (+ 495 in Asia and + 19 in Oceania, but less 402 in
America, – 315 in Africa and – 224 in Europe.
275
275
BROTHERS, SISTERS, CATECHISTS
Continents
WORLD 1997
Brothers
Sisters
Catechists
58,210 (- 757)
819,278 (- 9,382)
2,019,021 (+ 434,388)
1998
57,813 (- 403)
814,779 (- 4,499)
2,298,387 (+ 279,366)
1999
55,428 (- 2,385)
809,351 (- 5,428)
2,449,659 (+ 151,272)
Africa 1997
7,083 (+ 97)
49,854 (+ 1,161)
329,775 (+ 4,926)
1998
7,025 (- 58)
51,304 (+ 1,450)
343,085 (+ 13,310)
1999
7,299 (+ 274)
51,617 (+ 313)
356,259 (+ 13,174)
America 1997
17,426 (- 317)
240,858 (- 4,064)
1,071,707 (+ 330,638)
1998
16,990 (- 436)
237,504 (- 3,354)
1,258,836 (+ 87,129)
1999
16,413 (- 577)
236,294 (- 1,210)
1,368,018 (+ 109,182)
Asia 1997
7,274 (+ 119)
127,969 (+ 1,664)
188,985 (+ 5,686)
1998
7,764 (+ 510)
134,035 (+ 6,066)
226,500 (+ 37,515)
1999
7,476 (- 288)
135,638 (+ 1,603)
219,794 (- 6,706)
24,460 (- 538)
388,693 (- 8,175)
399,485 (+ 76,727)
1998
24,097 (- 363)
380,309 (- 8,384)
455,481 (+ 55,996)
1999
22,306 (- 1,791)
374,447 (- 5,862)
490,787 (+ 45,306)
1,967 (- 118)
11,904 (+ 32)
29,069 (+ 16,411)
1998
1,937(- 30)
11,627 (- 277)
14,485 (- 14,584)
1999
1,934 (- 3)
11,355 (- 272)
14,801 (+ 316)
Europe 1997
Oceania 1997
The number of Brothers decreased altogether by 2,385. By continents the situation is as follows: increase: 274 in Africa; decrease: 577 in America, 288 in Asia,
1,791 in Europe, 3 in Oceania. The number of Sisters shows a marked total
decrease of 5,428. By continents as follows: increase: 1,603 in Asia, 313 in Africa;
decrease: 5,862 in Europe, 1,210 in America and 272 in Oceania.
The number catechists in the world increased by 151,272.
276
276
Appendices
SEMINARIANS
Continents
Major
Seminarians
Variations
Minor
Seminarians
Variations
WORLD 1997
108,017
+ 3,147
106,210
– 2,741
1998
109,171
+ 1,154
104,857
– 1,353
1999
110,021
+ 850
104,885
+ 28
Africa 1997
19,078
+ 922
43,469
+ 2,185
1998
19,654
+ 576
42,306
– 1,163
1999
19,816
+ 162
42,867
+ 561
America 1997
34,947
+ 1,904
22,425
– 2,123
1998
36,071
+ 1,124
21,393
– 1,132
1999
36,166
+ 95
21,399
+6
Asia 1997
25,342
+ 173
22,329
– 1,074
1998
25,481
+ 139
23,847
+ 1,518
1999
25,726
+ 245
24,561
+ 714
Europe 1997
27,853
– 788
17,541
– 1,720
1998
27,154
– 699
16,916
– 625
1999
27,428
+ 274
15,641
– 1,275
Oceania 1997
797
– 64
446
–9
1998
811
+ 14
395
– 51
1999
885
+ 74
417
+ 22
The number of major seminarians increased altogether by 850. By continents the
situation is as follows: increase 274 in Europe, 245 in Asia, 162 in Africa and 95
in America, 74 in Oceania.
The number of minor seminarians increased altogether by 28. By continents as
follows: increase 714 in Asia, 561 in Africa, 22 in Oceania, and six in America. A
marked decrease in Europe of 1,275.
277
277
SCHOOLS, PUPILS, STUDENTS
The Church’s work in education serves altogether 50,653,338 pupils with an
increase of 2,195,648 compared to 1998 not counting numerous students trained
at professional schools.
Kindergartens
Pupils
278
Primary Schools
Institues
Pupils
WORLD
1998
1999
5,112,570
5,221,037
5,367,009
58,224 25,441,837
58,274 25,469,255
63,125 26,130,792
Africa
1998
1999
781,536
829,522
944,471
9,867 9,285,102
10,479 9,629,479
10,774 10,033,401
America
1998
1999
1,117,954
1,226,078
1,301,946
14,786
14,631
15,504
Asia
1998
1999
1,373,087
1,324,223
1,391,154
Europe
1998
1999
Oceania
1998
1999
Institues
86,505
88,930
89,537
Secondary Schools
Pupils
Institues
High
Schools
Universities
Pupils
Students
13,881,909
14,038,182
14,200,096
34,849
35,596
35,722
1,411,689
1,589,696
1,572,449
2,033,318
2,109,520
2,382,992
29,543
29,824
30,440
2,050,080
1,945,865
1,910,048
6,265
6,754
6,949
24,093
30,966
24,524
27,188
26,987
101,206
7,321,405
7,352,671
7,561,528
22,411
24,052
24,348
3,676,894
3,800,983
3,788,738
9,493
9,599
9,591
458,231
489,704
540,493
1,276,849
1,394,735
1,482,552
9,700
9,702
10,335
4,199,371
4,857,594
4,794,587
13,622
14,391
14,344
4,199,371
4,355,740
4,551,707
7,931
8,179
8,244
725,905
836,903
195,058
474,465
405,271
440,296
1,810,755
1,777,862
1,689,625
23,283
22,916
25,896
3,416,138
3,053,330
3,141,464
18,363
18,081
17,663
3,614,826
3,583,720
3,593,546
10,425
10,377
10,261
196,918
217,518
197,266
250,365
276,788
349,677
29,238
33,352
29,813
588
546
616
552,900
576,181
599,812
2,566
2,582
2,742
340,738
351,874
356,057
735
687
677
6,542
14,605
15,108
4,451
5,739
9,261
278
Appendices
CHARITABLE INSTITUTES
(1999 figures in bold type, allow a comparison with 1997 and 1998 figures)
Hospitals
Dispensaries
Leper
centres
Homes for Orphanages
elderly and
handicapped
Infant
centres
WORLD
5,188
17,157
825
12,209
8,246
11,911
1998
5,215
16,428
823
12,605
8,147
10,666
1999
6,038
17,189
799
13,238
8,711
10,368
Africa
808
4,191
372
455
729
1,645
1998
817
4,381
375
504
705
1,634
1999
977
4,701
339
532
797
1,905
America
1,864
5,676
84
3,166
2,280
5,297
1998
1,941
5,632
92
3,269
2,049
4,231
1999
1,993
5,917
89
3,466
2,489
4,149
Asia
1,027
3,198
361
1,222
2,968
2,485
1998
1,001
3,374
349
1,309
3,040
2,620
1999
1,662
3,333
361
1,456
3,080
2,196
Europe
1,362
3,917
6
7,092
2,043
2,402
1998
1,326
2,858
6
7,218
2,127
2,097
1999
1,245
3,067
9
7,435
2,273
2,020
Oceania
127
175
2
274
226
82
1998
130
183
1
305
226
84
1999
161
171
1
349
62
98
279
279
ECCLESIASTICAL ADMINISTRATIONS
Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples
1,061 Administrations dependent on the CEP (17 October 2001)
Continent
AD
Africa
AT
PA
M
AA
13
6
1
7
30
45
1
2
69
317
14
34
Europe
4
8
Oceania
11
30
173
750
Total
VA
365
America
Asia
D
82
1
1
72
OM
Total
1
3
471
5
4
2
446
1
1
1
45
6
1,061
1
2
42
11
85
6
14
Archdioceses (AD); Dioceses (D); Territorial Abbeys (AT); Vicariates apostolic
(VA); Prefectures apostolic (PA); Missions sui juris (M); Apostolic Administrations
(AA); Military Ordinariates (OM).
Archbishops
280
156
Bishops
650
Bishops Ap. Administrators of "sede vacante"
2
Apostolic Vicars
68
Apostolic Prefects
12
Superiors of (missions sui juris)
11
Abbots Ordinary
0
Apostolic Administrators
5
Archbishops co-adjutor
8
Bishops co-adjutor
14
Bishops Auxiliary
80
Archbishop and Bishops emeritus or titular
247
280
Appendices
PANORAMA OF RELIGIONS IN THE WORLD
"International Bulletin of Missionary Research USA" – January 2000
1990
2000
2025 (estimate)
World population
5,266,442,000
6,055,049,000
7,823,703,000
Christians (total)
1,747,462,000
1,999,566,000
2,616,670,000
Roman Catholics
929,455,000
1,056,920,000
1,361,965,000
Protestants
296,339,000
342,035,000
468,594,000
Orthodox
203,766,000
215,129,000
252,716,000
Anglicans
68,196,000
79,650,000
113,746,000
5,239,000
6,688,000
9,635,000
Catholics non Roman
Non Christians
Muslims
3,518,980,000
4,055,483,000
5,207,033,000
962,356,000
1,188,240,000
1,784,876,000
1,049,231,000
Hindus
685,999,000
811,337,000
Buddhists
323,107,000
359,982,000
418,345,000
Atheists
145,719,000
150,090,000
159,544,000
No religion
707,118,000
768,159,000
875,121,000
New religions
92,396,000
102,356,000
114,720,000
Tribal religions
277,247,000
200,035,000
228,367,000
Sikh
19,332,000
23,258,000
31,378,000
Jews
14,189,000
14,434,000
16,053,000
(19/10/2001)
Acta of the Holy See
281
281
6. Sources
a. Literature
1. Jean Charbonnier: Guide to the Catholic Church in China (Singapore, 2000)
2. Koen de Ridder: Footsteps in Deserted Valleys, Missionary Cases, Strategies
and Practice in Qing China (Leuven, 2000)
3. Thomas Grimaux: La Force de la Croix. Soudan (Paris, 1999)
4. A. Morigi, V.E. Vernole, C. Verna: Relionionsfreiheit Weltweit (Munich
2001)
5. Hans Jansen : Te vuur en te zwaard. In HP/De Tijd, 23 March 2001
6. Human Rights Watch has published various dossiers on the Churches in
China:
a. Freedom of Religion in China (1992)
b. Religious Repression in China Persists (1992)
c. Continuing Religious Repression in China (1993)
d. Detained in China and Tibet: A Directory of Political and Religious
Prisoners (1994)
e. Persecution of a Protestant Sect in China (1994)
f. No Progress on Human Rights (1994)
g. Religious Repression Persists (1995)
h. Cutting off the Serpent’s Head: Tightening Control in Tibet, 1994-1995
(1996)
i. The Cost of Putting Business First (1996)
7. Human Rights Center: List of Individuals Arrested and Convicted on Political and Religious Grounds in Uzbekistan (January 1999-April 2000),
Moscow, May 2000
8. Human Rights Watch: Torture in Uzbekistan. A Human Rights Watch
Report, vol. 12, no. 12 (D), December 2000
9. Human Rights Watch: Hearing on the State Department. Annual Report on
International Religious Freedom of 2000. (Washington, September 5, 2000)
10. J. Orbán (ed.): Geweld tegen christenen anno 2000 (Den Bosch 2001)
11. C. Hope Flinchbaugh: The World is not Worthy of Them. July 2001.
See www.persecution.org
12. A. Morigi, V. Vernole, C. Verna : Rapporto 2000 sulla libertá religiosa nel
mondo (Rome 2000)
13. Servir, Service Jésuite des Réfugiés. Information bulletin of the Jesuit
Refugee Service, C. P.6139, 00195 Roma Prati, Italy
282
282
Appendices
14. 30 Giorni nella Chiesa e nel mondo. 30 Tage in Kirche und Welt. Monthly
publication: Via Francesco Antolisei 25, I – 00173 Roma
15. Verbiest Koerier, three-monthly information bulletin of the Ferdinand
Verbieststichting (China-Europa Instituut), Naamsestraat 63, bus 4,
B – 3000 Leuven
16. The US Department of State has a report on religious freedoms and the
violation of religious freedoms. It is a thick report discussing dozens of
different countries. The full English version can be found at the website of
the US Department of State: www.state.gov
17. Rob de Wijk: Allah steunt alleen de winnaar, in Trouw 17/11/2001
18. Dirk van Delft: Korankritiek. Ook moslims werken mee aan Encyclopedie
van de Koran, in NRC Handelsblad, 17/11/2001
19. Edward Luce: Teachers of the Taliban. In Financial Times, 17/11/2001
20. B.R. Barber: Jihad vs. McWorld. How globalism and tribalism are reshaping
the world (Toronto 1995)
21. Walter Laqueur: The New Terrorism. Fanaticism and the Arms of Mass
Destruction (London 1999)
22. Heinz-Jürgen Förg – Hermann Scharnagl: Glaubenskreige. Führer und
Verführte (Wurzburg 2001)
23. David C. Rapoport: Inside Terrorist Organisations (London 2001)
24. S. Kohlhammer: Die Feinde und die Freunde des Islams (Göttingen 1996).
Bassam Tibi: Kreuzzug und Djihad. Der Islam und die christliche Welt
(Munich 1999)
25. E. Sivan – M. Friedman (ed.): Religious radicalism and politics in the Middle
East (Albany N.Y. 1990)
26. De Heilige Qor’an. Arabish – Nederlands (Hoevelaken 2001)
27. D. Douwes – A. Termeulen: Islam, personen en begrippen van A tot Z
(Amsterdam 1995)
b. Explanation of sources
1. Info-Königstein: Aid to the Church in Need has a large division in Königstein i. Taunus (near Frankfurt, Germany) dedicated to processing information received. This information comes from all of the countries in which
Aid to the Church in Need has projects.
I have often used information sent to me on a more or less regular basis by
this division.
2. ACN News: is the continuation of the reports previously provided by CRTN.
CRTN is the division of Aid to the Church in Need in Königstein that processes and treats audio-visual material.
283
283
3. International Christian Concern: ICC is a coalition of Christian movements
in the USA that acts on behalf of other Christians suffering from persecution.
The organisation is involved in a range of activities:
a. writing letters of encouragement to the persecuted
b. writing protest letters to governments
c. raising public awareness
d. requesting support from governments
e. offering practical assistance to the persecuted
f. calling for prayers for the persecuted.
International Christian Concern, 2020 Pennsylvania Avenue NW-941,
Washington DC, 20006, USA (tel. +1-301-989-1708; fax +1-301-989-1709b.
Web www.persecution.org; e-mail icc@persecution.org)
4. Mar Thoma Church of Greater Washington-Home, 322 Ethan Allen
Avenue, Takoma Park, Maryland 20912 (tel. +1 301 891 1633). This is an
organisation concerned with the fate of Christians in India. Website
www.marthomawashington.org
5. Human Rights Watch, 350 Fifth Avenue, 34th Floor, New York, NY 101183299, USA. Internet site www.hrw.org (tel. +1 212 290 4700, fax +1 212
736 1300)
This organisation is active on behalf of political freedom, protecting
people against violence, war and injustice. Its staff investigate human
rights abuses.
6. Catholic Online News is a press agency for and by Catholic news reports.
The service is offered by Catholic News Service, a cooperation of the U.S.
Catholic Conference. Website www.catholic.org
7. Open Doors International is active on behalf of persecuted Christians
worldwide. It is involved particularly in spreading Christian literature and
providing information on persecution. Website www.od.org
8. Christian Solidarity Worldwide is involved primarily in letter-writing
campaigns to the governments of countries in which Christians are
unfairly treated. Its address is PO Box 99, New Malden, Surrey KT3 3YF (tel.
+44 208 942 8810, fax +44 208 942 8821). Website www.csworldwide.org
9. The Voice of the Martyrs supports the persecuted Church with information
and prayer campaigns. Its address in the USA is P.O. Box 443, Bartlesville,
OK 74005 (tel. +1 918 337 8015, fax +1 918 338 0189), e-mail
thevoice@vom-usa.org and website www.persecution.com
10. The Voice of the Martyrs Inc. Canada also serves the persecuted Church. Its
284
284
Appendices
address is P.O. Box 117, Port Credit, Mississauga, Ontario, L5G 4L5 (tel. +1
905 602 4832, fax +1 905 602 4833), website www.persecution.net and email thevoice@persecution.net
11. International FIDES Service is a news service of the Pontifical Mission
Society for the Propagation of the Faith of Rome. It supplies short reports
on the position of the Catholic Church throughout the world. Address
Palazzo de Propaganda Fide, Via di Propaganda 1c, 00187 Rome (tel. +39
06 69880115, fax +39 06 69880107). Website www.fides.org and e-mail
fides@fides.va
12. Catholic World News supplies articles and Updates to the Vatican. Its
address is Catholic World News, P.O. Box 1608, So. Lancaster, MA 01561,
USA, e-mail editor@cwnews.com and website www.cwnews.com
13. CRTN is the media division of Aid to the Church in Need and has its offices
in Germany, Postfach 1209, D – 61452 Königstein. Alongside providing
many radio and TV documentaries, this division also publishes short
reports on the Catholic Church throughout the world. Website
www.kirche-in-not.org and e-mail kinoph@kirche-in-not.org (tel. +49
6174291399, fax +49 6174 3423).
14. Keston Institute is an institute with its offices in England that specialises in
information on the former communist countries of Central and Eastern
Europe and the former Soviet Union. Its address is 4 Park Town, Oxford,
OX2 6SH, UK (tel. +44 1865 31 10 22, fax +44 1865 31 12 80). E-mail
keston.institute@keston.org
15. CESNUR, Center for Studies on New Religions, is also involved in freedom
of religion throughout the world. www.cesnur.org CESNUR was set up in
1988 and is an international network of academics in the field of new religions. The center is at CESNUR International of Torino, Via Confienzia 19,
10121 Torino (tel. +39 011 541905, fax +39 011 541905). CESNUR is independent of any religious denomination.
16. The Jesuit Refugee Service was established in 1980 by Father Pedro
Arrupe. The organisation serves refugees, enquiring about their situation
and calling upon people to become involved with refugees. Its address is
JRS, CP 6139, 00195 Roma Prati, Italia (tel. +39 06 689 773 86, fax +39 06
687 92 83). e-mail international@jesref.org). JRS has branches in Belgium,
France, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Croatia, Burundi, Kenya, Zimbabwe,
Thailand, India, the Dominican Republic, USA).
17. Schutzgemeinschaft für Mensenrechten, Humanität und Toleranz e.V.
(also in English). PSF 7300239, 90244 Nuremberg, Germany (tel. +49 911
285
285
428799, fax +49 911 4180489), www.schutzgemeinschaft.de
18. MISNA, Missionary Service News Agency, is a press agency specialising in
news and background information on political, economic and social
aspects of the Southern Hemisphere. MISNA was set up in 1997.
www.misna.org
286
286
Appendices
For further details on how to help Aid to the Church in Need through prayer,
information and action, please contact your national office:
UK
1 Times Square
Sutton
Surrey
SM1 1 LF
Tel: 020 8642 8668
Email: acn@acnuk.org
Web: http://www.acnuk.org
Reg. Charity No. 265582
AUSTRALIA
P.O. Box 6245
Blacktown DC
NSW 2148
Tel: 02-9679 1929
Email: acnaus@bigpond.com
Web: http://www.aidtochurch.org
ABN 62 418 911 594
CANADA
P.O. Box 670, STN H
Montreal, QC
H3G 2M6
Tel: (514) 932-0552
Email: jb@acn-aed-ca.org
Web: http://www.acncdn.ca/
Reg. Charity No. 13036 2593 RR0001
IRELAND
151 St Mobhi Road
Glasnevin
Dublin 9
Tel: 01-83 77 516
Email: churchinneed@tinet.ie
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287
287
USA
378 Broome Steet
New York, NY 10013-3706
Tel: 1-212-334-5340
Email: info@acnusa.org
Web: http://www.aidtothechurchinneed.org
ID number: 95-319 4083
288
288
Appendices
289
289

Violence against Christians in the year 2001

Transcription

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