Ukraine: far-right and anti-Semitism
17 Mar 2022
One of Vladimir Putin’s often-repeated aims is to ‘denazify’ Ukraine. On the face of it, this is absurd, not least because President Zelensky is himself Jewish. Labelling political enemies ‘Nazis’ is also a common political ploy in Russia. Putin’s destructive actions - among them the devastation of Jewish communities - make clear that he is lying when he says his goal is to ensure everyone’s welfare. However, even if his claims may seem absurd propaganda, Ukraine has more neo-Nazi groups than any nation. The best-known of these is Azov, an all-volunteer ultra-nationalist military unit of around 900 which unofficially is part of the parliament.
Russia recruiting mercenaries
17 Mar 2022
Russian social media and private messaging groups are recruiting a brigade of mercenaries to fight in Ukraine alongside the army. The BBC interviewed a serving mercenary and former fighter linked to Russia's leading mercenary organisation who gave details of the recruitment campaign. He said many veterans of the secretive Wagner organisation were contacted on a private Telegram group a few weeks before the start of the war and invited to ‘picnic in Ukraine’, with references to tasting ‘Salo’, a pork fat traditionally eaten in Ukraine. The message appealed to ‘those with criminal records, debts, banned from mercenary groups or without an external passport’ to apply; plus ‘those from the Russian-occupied areas of Luhansk and Donetsk republics and Crimea are cordially invited’. The Wagner group, a most secretive Russian organisation, officially does not exist. Serving as a mercenary is against Russian and international law. Recruits are placed in units under officers from the GRU (Russian military intelligence unit).
The world has been watching what is happening in Ukraine with shock and sadness. Thousands across the USA are taking to the streets to show their support, including a large group who gathered recently in Virginia Beach. For many who attended, the war is personal. Hundreds marched along the oceanfront with signs, songs, and desperate prayers to raise awareness and funds to help Ukrainians who are right now fighting not just for their country, but for their very lives. ‘Every day we text him and make sure he's alive!’ said 32-year-old Olga who was born and raised in Ukraine now living in Virginia Beach with her husband. She marched with her parents, who came to America two months ago. Her twin brother is still in Ukraine.
The South Africa Council of Churches (SACC) has launched a national indaba (conference with indigenous tribes) to engage interested parties to find solutions to tensions over foreigners living and working in South Africa. Bishop Mpumlwana said they must create ‘a national process towards a stable national environment where the growing lawlessness over non-South Africans can be addressed before it spills into a broader decline of the rule of law, through “justifiable” acts of public frustration.’ He said that deep poverty gnawing at the lives of the economically excluded majority of South Africans is behind murmurings that ‘non-South Africans are stealing our jobs’ and sporadic acts of brutal violence against foreigners. ‘It is a manifestation of the failure of democratic South Africa to achieve the promise of the post-apartheid South Africa. The failure to achieve this causes a mentality that grips poor communities without hope’. he added.
Africa / Asia: food crises
17 Mar 2022
The Horn of Africa is in crisis with drought and food insecurity. 20 million are impacted or in need of aid; pray for the survival needs of both livestock and humans to be met after three failed rainy seasons back to back. In Somalia 4.3 million people are hungry, and people fear a repeat of the 2012 famine. In Ethiopia, the drought is compounding the humanitarian disaster of the war in the country’s north, while in neighbouring Kenya’s pastoralist zone, the loss of cattle is triggering raids and clashes between communities. In Myanmar farmers say the 2021 coup worsened food insecurity and is nothing short of a disaster. Humanitarian needs multiply and continue to spiral. One million people needed aid before the coup; now it’s 14 million. 500,000 people have been displaced since the coup, a quarter of the population is food insecure and violent new conflicts spread in a new wave of anti-coup militias. ‘There is fear everywhere’, one aid worker said.
A call to churches to help orphans
17 Mar 2022
The World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) and World Without Orphans (WWO) are calling on churches to help in a crisis. The ‘Lancet Child and adolescent health modelling report’, by national and international government and non government organisations, estimates that over seven million children globally have lost a parent or caregiver due to Covid-19. They estimate that for every person killed by Covid, one child is orphaned or loses a caregiver. That equates to one child every six seconds facing a heightened risk of lifelong adversity unless given support in time. Rev Dr Rebecca Goropevsek said, ‘We encourage church leaders to read the report and prayerfully consider how the pandemic has affected families and children in their own context and what support they can offer. Pray for families that are safe and nurturing to adopt and foster orphans; and for communities to protect vulnerable children from adversity and violence.
Saudi Arabia: 81 died in mass execution
17 Mar 2022
Saudi Arabia executed 81 people convicted of crimes ranging from killings to belonging to militant groups, the largest known mass execution carried out in the kingdom in its modern history. The number of executed surpassed even the toll of a 1980 mass execution of 63 militants convicted of seizing the Grand Mosque in Mecca in 1979, the worst-ever militant attack to target the kingdom and Islam's holiest site. The executions came as much of the world's attention remains focused on Russia's war on Ukraine. Death penalty cases in Saudi Arabia had dropped during the pandemic, though the kingdom continued to behead convicts under King Salman and his assertive son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The state-run Saudi press agency announced the executions included those convicted of murdering innocent men, women and children. The kingdom also said some belonged to al-Qaeda, IS and backers of Yemen's Houthi rebels.
Mozambique: jihadist conflict
17 Mar 2022
After almost a week of walking and sleeping rough, three young men arrived at Nacaca, a displacement camp in Cabo Delgado province. They fled as far as they could get from the gunmen who attacked their village. A jihadist conflict has shaken Cabo Delgado for five years; al-Shabab has routed an under-equipped army, decapitated civilians, abducted young men, and enslaved women. Last June a coalition of southern African countries scattered the insurgents, but now al-Shabaab units are re-terrorising communities. They have depopulated northern Cabo Delgado, with at least 730,000 people (1/3rd of the population) fleeing to safer southern districts. The uprising began in 2017 but its origins go deeper, growing out of fury over state corruption and opposition to establishment Islam. The displaced are settling in a poor region. The chance of these former farmers and fishermen finding work are slim. The World Food Programme is only able to deliver half rations to camps and registered displaced living in communities.