Japan: Catholic school pupils attacked
31 May 2019
A man screaming ‘I will kill you’ and carrying a knife in each hand attacked Catholic schoolgirls waiting at a bus stop in Kawasaki, slaughtering two and wounding 16 others. He then stabbed himself in the throat and died. Most of the victims attended a private school founded by Soeurs de la Charité de Québec, an organisation of Catholic nuns in Quebec City in Canada. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said, ‘It was an extremely harrowing incident in which many small children were victimised, and I feel strong resentment. I will take all possible measures to protect the safety of children.’ Japan has one of the lowest crime rates in the world.
Pakistan: Christian brick-kiln workers
31 May 2019
Over the years Prayer-Alert has highlighted the plight of Brick-Kiln Workers; but it still goes on. Amanat worked seven days a week in a brick-kiln making 1,000 bricks daily, earning the equivalent of £4.20 that he never saw because it went back to the brick-kiln owner, paying interest on a loan he took out at a time of family crisis. His situation was hopeless. He had to borrow further money to buy food for his children. There are thousands of Pakistani Christian brick-kiln workers like him with debts keeping them bonded to their boss, unable to leave and get another job. Their wage just pays off interest on an impossible debt. They are despised, despairing and trapped bonded slaves. But Amanat got lucky. Barnabas Fund paid off his debt and with nothing being deducted from his wages any more, he can pay for his children’s schooling, or learn a new trade.
Italy: Migrants refused entry
31 May 2019
Italy intends to close all ports to NGO ships rescuing migrants crossing from Africa to Europe. The UN said that the decree intensifies the hostile climate and xenophobia against migrants. Meanwhile over 40 migrants from the German aid group Sea-Watch remained off the island of Lampedusa waiting to disembark its passengers. There are thousands looking for a new start after difficult journeys. In the middle of his nursing training, Hassan was drafted for five years of Eritrean military service, so, with his twin brother walked 550 miles overland to Khartoum, lived in a UN refugee camp for four months and hid in a truck caravan for 2,200 miles to Libya. Eight months of hard labour gave them enough for fake papers and a rubber dinghy holding 45 adults that crashed on a Sicilian beach. They managed to travel to Denmark, applied for refugee status and are hoping, eventually, to join friends in the UK. See https://prayercast.com/displaced-people-in-europe.html
Germany: Jews told not to wear skullcaps
31 May 2019
A skullcap, sometimes called a kippah or yarmulke, is a cap worn by some male Jews under religious rules that say their heads should be covered. Commissioner Felix Klein, the German government's top official against anti-semitism, has warned Jewish people not to wear skullcaps in parts of the country because of a rise in anti-Semitic attacks. Mr Klein told the Funke newspaper group, ‘My opinion has unfortunately changed compared with what it used to be. I cannot recommend to Jews that they wear the skullcap at all times everywhere in Germany.’ According to statistics released earlier this month, anti-Semitic incidents were up by 19.6% to 1,799 in 2018, with 89.1% of them involving far-right perpetrators. Israeli President Reuven Rivlin said he was deeply shocked by Mr Klein's words. He added, ‘We will never submit, will never lower our gaze and will never react to anti-semitism with defeatism - and expect and demand our allies act in the same way.’
Equality watchdog and Labour Party
31 May 2019
Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is launching a formal investigation into the Labour party over whether they unlawfully discriminated against, harassed or victimised people because they are Jewish. They have been carrying out preliminary investigations since March and will seek to determine whether the party and its employees have committed unlawful acts of discrimination or failed to respond to complaints of unlawful acts in an efficient and effective manner. The EHRC rarely takes action against political parties. In 2010, it ordered the British National party (BNP) to rewrite its constitution to comply with race relations laws because they banned black and minority ethnic Britons from becoming members. The inquiry transpires in the midst of a worrying rise in anti-semitism in the UK and across Europe. See https://www.prayer-alert.net/europe-pa-site/item/11821-germany-jews-told-not-to-wear-skullcaps
Migrants – Skills gap
31 May 2019
Britain has a shortage of veterinarians, medical practitioners, engineers, artists, web designers and architects according to the Government Migration Advisory Committee (MAC). Only workers from the European Economic Area (EEA), that's EU countries plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, enjoy freedom of movement to travel within the area without visas. The UK currently allows 20,700 high-skilled workers entry per year. If a job title is included in the list of vacancies it means there are lower visa application fees, no requirement to advertise the job to UK workers, or meet £35,800 salary threshold for settlement after five years. The MAC recommended there should be a ‘full review’ of the shortage occupation arrangements once it is clear what the future immigration system will look like after Brexit. We can pray for the skilled labour cap of 20,700 to be raised regardless of Brexit, and for appropriate applicants outside of the EEA to be given working visas to cover the manpower shortage in the ‘skilled workers’ categories.
Children at risk
31 May 2019
There has been much improvement over the years in quality of life for children, but we have not yet eradicated the serious harm inflicted on children at risk. Risk is increased by poverty, alcohol- or drug-addiction, domestic abuse and where parents have learning disabilities or mental illness. Childhood neglect can be a gateway to deeper problems. UNICEF reported that approximately one in 10 of all girls under 20 have experienced sexual violence. Children not in school are at greater risk. Wars take place in streets these days. In conflict areas, or where natural disasters have struck, vaccination rates plummet, education stops, trauma multiplies. Worldwide 10-20% of children and adolescents experience mental disorders. The Church is uniquely well-placed to protect children at risk and make them more resilient, resourceful, and hopeful for a brighter future. No other organisation can supply such time, compassion, volunteers, skills, and spiritual resources.
Reverend John Parker has resigned over the way a Church of England school handled an eight-year-old pupil's plan to change gender. He supported the boy's wish to become a girl but was silenced when he raised concerns that parents and pupils would be kept in the dark. He feared staff and governors had been misled by a transgender lobby group which advise the school. After his concerns were dismissed by the bishop Reverend Parker quit the church which he had served for 14 years. His resignation letter spoke of his fear that children were being 'sacrificed on the altar of trans ideology', in Church schools. Mr Parker said, 'I was basically told by my bishop that if I wished to follow the teachings of the Bible faithfully then I was no longer welcome in the Church. It felt like I was being silenced by the Church and the school.'