Persecution Index: 'From Nowhere Came The Killings.' Archbishop Ben Kwashi of Jos, Nigeria on recent massacres of Christians
Archbishop Ben Kwashi of Jos, northern Nigeria, visiting London this week, tells me what life is like for Christians in his country at present. He starts by talking about the massacres at Christmas, which we covered in The Times.
'We had hoped and we thought we were working for peace. People were coming together. You would imagine that December being the festive period, it was going to be fine for everybody. … Then from nowhere we heard of killings in the centre of the city of Jos.'Read more…
'We had hoped and we thought we were working for peace. People were coming together. You would imagine that December being the festive period, it was going to be fine for everybody. … Then from nowhere we heard of killings in the centre of the city of Jos.'Read more…
Persecution Index: 'The terrorist methods of intimidation, kidnapping and killing religious minorities.'
Archbishop Bashar Warda of Northern Iraq: 'In many countries, like Iraq, the situation for Christians seems to be worsening, sometimes to the point were we wonder if we will survive as a people in our own country. But this is not a time to hide our faith or our identity over such struggles. In Iraq, 40 yf war and oppression have strengthened our endurance and our resolve to stand strong and to claim our legal and historical right as a Church and as a people in Iraq. We have not come this far to give up.'
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Persecution Index: Christians feel 'absolutely unsafe' in Pakistan after minister gunned down by religious zealots
Speaking at Christian Solidarity Worldwide’s London Conference in October 2009, Shahbaz Bhatti had said, “This position [as Minister] cannot change my determination to pursue justice, because I live for religious freedom and I am ready to die for this cause”. And now he has.
Bishop Azariah condemns the murder of Shahbaz BhattiBishop Samuel Azariah, Presiding Bishop of the Church of Pakistan has condemned the brutal murder, by religious fanatics, of the Federal Minster for Minorities Affairs Shahbaz Bhatti on Wednesday the 2nd of March, in Islamabad.The Bishop said that the Christian Community are not only sad and hurt at this heinous act, but consider themselves absolutely unsafe in the present circumstances of Pakistan. We do not have the freedom of expressing our point of view. He also stated that the Government has either lost the will or the control over groups and individuals who freely go around killing leaders in the name of Religion. Bishop Azariah stated that it is a fact that the Blasphemy Laws in Pakistan are not only being misused but are being abused by the religious zealots. This is just another example of it. If this is not controlled neither will Democracy, law and order, or justice prevail in Pakistan. Authorities have failed to bring about fair justice to people who are doing such criminal acts in the name of religion. The Bishop asked a question why is religion being allowed to be distorted by a few and why is the majority in the sin of silence?Read more…
Bishop Azariah condemns the murder of Shahbaz BhattiBishop Samuel Azariah, Presiding Bishop of the Church of Pakistan has condemned the brutal murder, by religious fanatics, of the Federal Minster for Minorities Affairs Shahbaz Bhatti on Wednesday the 2nd of March, in Islamabad.The Bishop said that the Christian Community are not only sad and hurt at this heinous act, but consider themselves absolutely unsafe in the present circumstances of Pakistan. We do not have the freedom of expressing our point of view. He also stated that the Government has either lost the will or the control over groups and individuals who freely go around killing leaders in the name of Religion. Bishop Azariah stated that it is a fact that the Blasphemy Laws in Pakistan are not only being misused but are being abused by the religious zealots. This is just another example of it. If this is not controlled neither will Democracy, law and order, or justice prevail in Pakistan. Authorities have failed to bring about fair justice to people who are doing such criminal acts in the name of religion. The Bishop asked a question why is religion being allowed to be distorted by a few and why is the majority in the sin of silence?Read more…
Persecution Index: Middle East's largest Christian population facing uncertain future, says Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali
Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali, who retired early as Bishop of Rochester in the Church of England to concentrate on advocacy work for persecuted Christians around the world, spoke exclusively to Ruth Gledhill of The Times about his concerns for the future of Egypt.
'Mubarak has been doing a very difficult balancing act. There is heavy-handedness we could have done without. But he has kept Egypt open and moderate. The thing to see is whether what replaces him is more or less moderate. That will be the acid test. In Iran, what replaced the Shah was not open and moderate. If Islamist parties of different kinds win a majority in the next election or win the presidential election, will they remain committed to the multi-party democracy through which they will have won such an election? Or will they replace it with theocratic rule?' The bishop sees worrying signals. 'Ayatolla Ali Khamenei, spiritual leader of Iran, preached in Iran on Friday the week before last in Arabic. He called on the Egyptian people to bring about an Islamic revolution in Egypt.' Read more…
 | Posted by Ms Ruth Gledhill at February 10, 2011 2:34 PM GMT on community.thetimes.co.uk |
Said Musa is a 45-year-old father of six who is facing execution in Afghanistan for converting to from Islam to Christianity. He is one of two Christian converts in Afghanistan currently facing the death sentence for apostasy. Said, a charity worker who is disabled with just one leg and who has worked for the Red Cross for 15 years, faces possible execution any day now. ... Read More »
Persecution Index: 'Despair and helplessness' as attacks continue in Jos, Nigeria
See end for European Parliament resolution against religious persecution in full
Since the Christmas Eve attacks, which I wrote about for The Times on Christmas Day, it has dropped out of the headlines but for the unfortunate Christians living in Jos, life continues in conditions of persecution barely imaginable to those of us in the comfort and security of the West. The plight of Christians in such places is highlighted in a new EU resolution, of which I have produced the complete text below, thanks to Chris Gillibrands at CathCon. This is an ongoing situation of terrible violence which I also reported, with Jonathan Clayton, last March. Read more…
Since the Christmas Eve attacks, which I wrote about for The Times on Christmas Day, it has dropped out of the headlines but for the unfortunate Christians living in Jos, life continues in conditions of persecution barely imaginable to those of us in the comfort and security of the West. The plight of Christians in such places is highlighted in a new EU resolution, of which I have produced the complete text below, thanks to Chris Gillibrands at CathCon. This is an ongoing situation of terrible violence which I also reported, with Jonathan Clayton, last March. Read more…
Persecution Index: 'Despair and helplessness' as attacks on Christians continue in Jos, Nigeria
See end for European Parliament resolution against religious persecution in full Since the Christmas Eve attacks, which I wrote about for The Times on Christmas Day, it has dropped out of the headlines but for the unfortunate Christians living in Jos, life continues in conditions of persecution barely imaginable to those of us in the comfort and security of the West. The plight of Christians in such places is highlighted in a new EU resolution, of which I have produced the complete text below, thanks to Chris Gillibrands at CathCon. This is an ongoing situation of terrible violence which I also reported, with Jonathan Clayton, last March.
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