Displaying items by tag: Asia

Israeli police entered the al-Aqsa mosque compound in East Jerusalem on Easter Sunday, leading to renewed clashes with Palestinians. Tensions flared during a rare week in which Easter, Passover, and Ramadan coincided. Police confined Palestinians in the compound to a small area and denied entry to those outside after dawn prayers so that Jewish worshippers could tour the perimeter of the complex under armed guard. Whilst Jews are allowed to visit the al-Aqsa compound, which they refer to as Temple Mount, they are not allowed to pray there. The Israeli police arrested nine Palestinians, saying that they had hurled rocks and firecrackers at them. Footage has emerged of Israeli forces using batons to beat journalists recording the clashes, as well as Palestinians who appear to be bystanders. Hamas warned, ‘Israel will bear all the consequences of the brutal attacks on al-Aqsa’.

On April 8, in Mandalay, approximately 40 soldiers from the Burmese Army (Tatmadaw) raided Sacred Heart Cathedral during Lent preparations searching for gold, money and ‘hidden weapons.’ They held scores of worshippers hostage for hours, including Archbishop Marco Tin Win. They claimed to have been tipped off about weapons being hidden in the clergy centre. When the vicar general of the Archdiocese explained that the only money they had was donations raised for the poor, he too was pushed into the cathedral. The ongoing assaults against churches and religious leaders should not be ignored by the international community. They intimidate Christians, they also occupy, desecrate, and loot churches across Myanmar.

In East Jerusalem/Gaza City tensions are heading towards a large-scale eruption this Ramadan and residents fear another war. ‘We are moving gradually towards an escalation - the conditions are ripe for an explosion,’ said a Jerusalem-based political analyst. ‘The escalation may come from different places, including but not necessarily from Jerusalem,’ Fears are growing of a possible large-scale Israeli invasion of Jenin’s refugee camp, where the armed wings of Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) and Fatah are active. On April 10, a PIJ threatened, ‘continued aggression on the Jenin camp will lead events to an open and full confrontation soon.’ Hamas said, ‘Things are likely to erupt based on developments on the ground. Hamas will not stand idly by if Israelis continue storming the Al-Aqsa Mosque. The resistance in Jenin is part of us; we will not allow harm to our people.’ On April 14 Hamas called for a ‘general mobilisation’ to defend against Israeli incursions into the West Bank and the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Anger over the worst economic crisis in decades drives unrest as hundreds of people defied a curfew and rallied in Sri Lanka’s cities and towns demanding the president steps down. They believe their economic crisis has resulted from the incompetency and impulsiveness of president Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his brothers (prime minister and finance minister) making seriously foolish decisions. The entire Cabinet resigned on 3rd April to try and appease protestors, but protesters won’t stop until the president resigns. Police are arresting hundreds for defying the curfew. India announced $1 billion credit to Sri Lanka to help shore up the sinking economy and keep food and fuel costs down. Sri Lankan doctors intend protesting as hospitals run out of essential drugs.   Meanwhile, a Christian worker said, I’ve never seen people in Sri Lanka praying as much as they are now. Around the clock, pastors and church leaders are gathering. There are many prophetic utterances that a big revival is taking place.’ 

Israel’s domestic security is among the world’s most effective, but it failed recently to foil three deadly terrorist attacks that killed 9 Israelis and 2 Ukrainian migrants. Israel has not experienced such intense terrorism since the second Palestinian intifada 20 years ago. Two attacks were carried out by Israeli Arab citizens identifying with IS, the third was a Palestinian inspired by the previous two. The timing is not coincidental, coming just before Israel’s most sensitive dates - March 30 Land Day protests, April 2 Muslim Ramadan started, April 15 the Jewish Passover starts, two days later is Easter Sunday. Major religious observances coinciding within less than a month in the small confines of one of the world’s perennial flashpoints is dangerous. As in the 2015-16 terror wave, the attackers were not terrorists under chains of command. Instead, Israelis face millions of Palestinians, some intent on achieving the glory reserved for martyrs, as depicted on TikTok and other social media.

Interserve works alongside the Church in nations across Asia and the Arab World, and in other locations where there is opportunity to disciple Asian and Arab peoples. Some missionaries serve long-term, others for a shorter time. Some join through as volunteers or as consultants. Pray for more people to hear God’s call on their lives to be involved in bringing transformation into the lives of the people by starting a business, or working in medicine, or ministering to refugees. Pray for God to send those with the skills to assist immigrants, now in the West, with language classes, teaching, and much more in partnership with the global Church. Pray for those already discipling people in dangerous situations; ask God to keep them safe. Pray for those countering human trafficking, working alongside refugees, and assisting immigrants in every way possible. https://www.interserve.org.uk/focus/ Times have changed, but Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and for ever.

Since the 2021 coup which deposed Myanmar’s democratically elected government, the Burmese military has been attacking its own civilians. The junta that controls the government continues to destroy religious buildings with artillery attacks and airstrikes on civilian areas in the Christian-majority Chin state. Residents in some regions have formed militias to resist those destroying religious buildings (often used as shelters during attacks). In Chin state, over 35 churches and 15 other Christian-affiliated buildings were destroyed between February 2021 and January 2022. In Kayah state 12 churches were destroyed in the same period. In May 2021 the military continuously shelled Sacred Heart Church in the capital of Kayah state, killing four who were sheltering there and causing extensive damage. Myanmar’s cardinal published a plea to the regime, urging them to stop targeting religious buildings. The military ignored his request and are continuing to shell many more churches.

As India’s election process gathers momentum, more Christians are being attacked. Haryana is the tenth state to pass an anti-conversion law preventing Christians from sharing their faith or Hindus from converting freely. A Haryana pastor, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, ‘There has been a gradual shutdown of house churches in the region through threats and violence. The new law will be one more step to validate what they have been doing to Christians. The law can be misused to target innocent Christians.’ Opposition Congress members staged a walkout of the legislative assembly on 22 March in protest at the bill. They called anti-conversion measures ‘draconian’ and said its passing would be ‘a black day in Haryana’s history that will deepen the communal divide. The bill is in violation of the Indian constitution, which gives the right to profess, practice and propagate a person's religion’.

The Houthi terrorists are based in Yemen. Recently, senior Houthi leader Mohammed Ali al-Houthi went on an antisemitic tirade supporting Russia's invasion of Ukraine, stating, ‘It is because Ukraine’s President is Jewish. Any country run by a Jew ends up going to war.’ His statement gives an insight into what to expect from Iran and its proxies. Many are saying, ‘We must recognise Iran for what it is and redesignate the Houthis, who operate as a weapon of war for the Iranian regime.’ Currently Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE are raising serious concerns about any new agreement between the USA and Iran that involves Iran acquiring nuclear weapons capability. They see that embracing Iran comes from a false hope that it will lead to better behaviour by its regime and terrorist proxies.

Kyrgyzstan, a remote mountainous nation with a nomadic tribal culture, is one of the poorest former Soviet states. Life is hard and many have left to work elsewhere. Most Kyrgyz have returned to their pre-communist Islamic cultural identity. 93% are Sunni Muslims: 4% are Christians, including less than 1% evangelicals. Some churches worship openly, even in small towns, but being a Christian is difficult because of the Islamic culture. Christian converts are commonly beaten, and the small Christian minority is generally oppressed by society. For example, buses will not stop for those known as Christians in small communities, and believers have difficulty getting jobs and even buying goods. In some communities, Muslim leaders have denied the burial of deceased Christians. Bibles are more accessible in Kyrgyzstan than in other Central Asian nations and can be purchased at churches in larger cities, but they are expensive.