Tags
Discrimination
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Christians Targeted by Governmental Forces
For many years, warring factions have caused issues throughout the country of Myanmar (also referred to as Burma). While most members of the population are Buddhist, some tribal groups such as the Chin and Karen peoples have large Christian communities. There is also a significant Muslim population among the Rohingya people.
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Murderous Raid on Church Service
At least one worshipper was killed and 60 kidnapped after gunmen raided the Emmanuel Baptist Church in Kakau Daji village, Kaduna, on October 31st. The church members had gathered for worship when the attackers suddenly entered the building and opened fire. An uncertain number of Christians were also injured in the attack. Upon fleeing the building, dozens were taken captive by the assailants.
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Politician Claims Associating with Religious Minorities ''Will Destroy You''
A member of the legislature in Madhya Pradesh is facing backlash from religious minority leaders after cautioning Hindus from keeping company with Christians or Muslims. Rameshwar Sharma, a member of the ruling BJP Hindu nationalist party, even urged Hindus to stop using the phrase, "Good morning," a greeting he associates with Western culture and Christianity. The comments were made while Sharma was speaking at an annual Hindu festival on October 17th.
Religious leaders have expressed concerns about this prevalent attitude among members of the BJP since such comments serve only to drive a wedge between communities. Catholic archbishop Leo Cornelio said that the remarks "hurt the sentiments of peace-loving people" and divert from important issues such as illiteracy, malnutrition and unemployment.
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House Church Denied Reopening
Following an ease of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, the Cuban government announced that churches could begin meeting again in person as of Sunday, October 10th. However, two days before the restrictions were scheduled to be lifted, a house church led by Amparo Gallo received word that they would not be allowed to meet. The house church, located in the city of Santa Clara, presently has approximately 1,000 members.
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Christians Protest Proposed Legislation and Pastor's Arrest
Hundreds of Christians in India participated in a peaceful rally on October 25th in protest against proposed anti-conversion laws, as well as a recent mob attack on a church that resulted in the arrest of the pastor.
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Christian Escapes the Country
Over the past several months, Christians around the world have been following reports about a Saudi Arabian Christian referred to as "A" or "Adam." For more information, see our previously published reports, which are available at our country report.
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Community Members Pressured to Reject Christians
Two separate incidents that recently took place in Chengdu, the capital of the Chinese province of Sichuan, demonstrate the effectiveness of the Chinese Communist Party authorities in dividing communities to bring about harassment of Christians and, in particular, members of the Early Rain Covenant Church (ERCC). The first incident involved the wedding of a congregation member from the church.
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Evicted Church Warned to Stop Parking Lot Meetings
Since purchasing a former cowshed in 2002 and converting it into a church building, the New Life Church in Minsk, Belarus, has faced opposition from government agencies. After years of court battles, officials accompanied by bailiffs forcefully entered the place of worship on February 17th, 2021, evicting church members from the building. For more information on the eviction, including a video clip, go to this report.
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Legalization of More Churches
Until 2016, it was nearly impossible for churches in Egypt to obtain the required licensing to build or restore a building for worship. As a result, many structures were built without a license. With the passing of legislation in September 2016, a government committee was established to work through the large number of applications that were submitted for the legalization of unlicensed church buildings. Although the committee received 3,730 applications, and officially began the approval procedures a year later, the process has been exceedingly slow. See this report for further coverage of this situation.
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Three Elderly Pastors Arrested
Three semi-retired pastors in the Eritrean capital of Asmara were arrested towards the latter part of July. Since they were all over 70 years old, and only occasionally conducted funeral or wedding services, it is unclear why these elderly Christian men had been targeted for arrest.