Laos: Military kill four Christian women
Alarming religious freedom abuses contine in Laos. Believers are routinely expelled, forced to relocate, pressured to renounce their faith and arrested. Several Christians were recently attacked and killed in Xiengkhouang Province. Last month troops caught a group of Christians belonging to the Hmong community, an ethnic minority and confiscated their Bibles, they shot and killed four of the women after repeatedly raping two of them. Their husbands and children were beaten, tied up and forced to witness the gruesome killings. At last report,the whereabouts of the surviving believers is unknown. The absence of free press and lack of information infrastructure in this Communist state prevents news from reaching the outside world - including that of religious freedom. This incident and other recent reports indicate a disturbing increase of repression facing Christians in the country. Pray: protection for Protestant Christians and the Hmong Christians particularly who are as a threat to Comunisim. (Heb.10:35,36)
Mexico: Human trafficking
Mexico is a hot spot for trafficking. 85% of victims are girls exploited for unpaid labour or prostitution where they earn 160-180 pesos (£8-10) per sexual encounter with 20-40 men a day. The girls are kidnapped, or sold by parents as forced wives or servants, or lured away from home by false promises of jobs, or seduced by pimps posing as boyfriends and future husbands. Child sex tourism is also growing in Mexico, especially in tourist areas. Trafficking is linked to Mexico’s infamous drug cartels which the government is fighting, though human traffic makes far fewer headlines than the ‘war on drugs’. Human trafficking is one of the most profitable means of illegal income around the world. Mexico also has serious corruptionproblems involving police, judges and politicians. Campaigners say the country has inadequate laws to tackle human trafficking.
Pray: for Congress to pass powerful trafficking legislations and for the influential people fighting these legislations to be silenced. (Ex.23:1)
Egypt: A spiritual battle
Reports of Christians and Muslims working together guarding their neighborhoods during Egypts’ protests and violence, and an internet image of Christians linking hands to protect Muslims as they bowed in prayer, was remarkable in a country where Christians are often persecuted. Revolution gave Christians opportunities to share the Love of Jesus. However, Sheik Yusuf al-Qaraawi, Muslim Brotherhood (MB)leader called ‘Theologian of Terror’, returned from exile and addressing a vast crowd in Tahrir Square called for ‘war against Israel and a takeover of Jerusalem.’ Within weeks the MB have quickly formed a political party and some are saying they are now preparing to take control of Egypt without having to use force. The MB murdered Egyptian Prime Minister Nokrashi in 1948 and attempted to assonate President Nasser in 1954. President Sadat, ‘promised the Brothers shari’a would be implemented as the Egyptian law’ and released all Brotherhood prisoners. Then Sadat was assassinated by the MB after signing a peace treaty with Israel in 1979. Pray: God’s intervention in these dangerous and confusing situations, for Egypt, Sudan and Gaza Strip to be protected from their manipulation and control. (Ps.92:9)
Iran: Conservatives put pressure on Ahmadinejad
Last month President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad boycotted public duties for eight days after Supreme Leader Khamenei vetoed his sacking of the Intelligence Minister (an ally of the supreme leader). The clash over controlling the intelligence ministry triggered conservative backlashes against the president that show little sign of abating. Under Iranian law, the president has the right to dismiss ministers. But Khamenei is Iran's ultimate wielder of power. Conservative parliamentarians have warned Ahmadinejad he could face impeachment if he refused to obey Khamenei. The votes of at least one third of parliament's 290 lawmakers are required for impeachment of the president. The head of the Revolutionary Guard (who reports directly to the supreme leader) warned, ‘Certain people within the regime have forgotten the values of revolution and seek to misrepresent Islam. People do not follow demons or jinns, and will not tolerate such deviance.’ The conservative parliament has opposed the government frequently in recent months and launched a petition demanding that Ahmadinejad come before parliament to explain his behaviour.
Pray: for a Holy Spirit awakening and spiritual revolution over and throughout Iran. (Ep.5:14)
