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Lenten Prayer of Repentance
On March 12, 2000, Pope John Paul stood in St Peter's Basilica and lead a prayer to commemorate a "Day of Forgiveness" for the Year 2000. No other Pope or Catholic leader has asked for such forgiveness for all of the past wrongs of the church. "We forgive and we ask for forgiveness," intoned the Pope, listing seven categories of wrongs done in the past: general sins, sins in the service of truth, sins against Christian unity, against the Jews, against respect for love, peace and cultures, against the dignity of women and minorities, and against human rights.
Duch is Found
Kaing Khek Iev, also known as Duch, the chief executioner of the Khmer Rouge, emerged in August after 20 years of hiding. His knowledge of--and willingness to testify against--others involved has encouraged rights groups to call for his protection. Now a Christian and a schoolteacher, he has admitted to killing or torturing over 14,000 people in Tuol Sleng prison in Phnom Penh. Other top officials in the regime, Nuon Chea and Khieu Samphan surrendered and were later released. Ta Mok is the sole leader who has been kept in prison awaiting trial.
A War of Words
In a US State department report released February 25, the US attacked China for a deterioration human rights situation in 1999. Problems noted were suppression of religion, jailing of dissidents, and political purges in Tibet. The report especially focused on the Chinese government's harsh treatment of the dissident religious group, Falun Gong. Thousands of members have been detained and others have been placed in psychiatric hospitals.
China, in response criticized the situation in the US, stating that the US criticizes others, but ignores problems within its own borders. Problems the Chinese noted were school gun violence, gaps between the wealthy and the poor, racial and sexual discrimination, and police brutality. It also noted Japanese-American internment during WWII, chemical spraying during the Vietnam war, and a recently uncovered massacre of Korean refugees by US troops. Most of the reports were taken from Western, US government, or UN sources.
One of the things at stake in this war of words is the Chinese entrance into the World Trade Organization (WTO). Also in the works is a resolution to be brought of in the UN human rights commission in March critical of the Chinese human rights record.
The State Church
The Chinese state-run Catholic Church ordained five of their own bishops in Beijing in January. Relations remain strained. An 80-year-old archbishop of the underground Catholic Church was arrested in Fujian province in late February.
Disaster Relief
Two earthquakes hit Yao An County, located in the southwestern province of Yunnan, China, on Jan. 25. Five people were killed, more than 1,500 were injured and 156,000 were made homeless.
The ELCA has made $25,000 available to support relief efforts in Yunnan. The funds are being sent through Action by Churches Together (ACT) for Amity Foundation, an independent, church-related relief and development organization based in China.
The Vote and the Outcome
In August of 1999, the people of East Timor went to the ballot boxes and voted overwhelmingly for independence from Indonesia. The vote was preceded and followed by deadly violence, with hundreds killed and entire villages looted and burned even as relief supplies were coming in, and as UN troops were making efforts to control the situation. The violence at times targeted Christians. In the end of September, 1999, there was one incident in which nine church workers were killed while travelling in the eastern part of the fledgling nation.
Chinese Catholic Bishop ordained
Dom Clement Kong, 62, became the world's first Chinese Roman Catholic abbot. He was ordained at a ceremony on January 15.
Pope John Paul Visits India
Pope John Paul visited the Indian nation in early November, 1999, and entered directly into the religious fray over "conversion", rights and violence. Demonstrators turned out at many of the venues, but the meetings were well-planned and heavily guarded, and there were no major incidents. In the midst of this sensitive atmosphere, the Pope minced no words in declaring that the preaching the Gospel and the conversion of those hearing was a basic human right. He praised Christian missionaries in India and encouraged them to preach the Gospel.
More Violence against Christians
On Saturday evening, November 13, in New Delhi, a mob of people, including one BJP politician attacked a group of Christians holding a prayer meeting outside a church. There were no major injuries. This was the first such attack in the nation's capital.
Staines Murder Suspect Arrested
The main suspect in the murder of Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two sons, Dara Singh apparently confessed while in police custody in February. He also admitted to other religious killings.
Continued Violence in Indonesia
In the Moluccan Islands early this year, fighting between Christians and Muslims took 500 lives or more. Last year, hundreds of people died in violence in Aceh as well as in the province of Maluku. The violence continues to have both economic and religious overtones. However, in the midst of the continuing violence, little leadership has been seen from President Abdurrahman Wahid or Vice-President Megawati Sukarnoputri.
In late February, the President removed Gen. Wiranto from his post to quell rumors of a military takeover.
South Korean elected as Baptist head
The Baptist World Alliance has elected a South Korean evangelist as it's new president. On January 8, at the Melbourne Exhibition Center, delegates confirmed the election of Billy Jang Hwan Kim as president of the BWA. After the meeting, a Canadian Baptist journalist asked Dr Kim if South Korea's "mega-churches" could teach the smaller Baptist churches in Canada how to boost the number of believers. Dr Kim replied: "Number one, pray. Number two, pray. Number three, pray--that can change the life of the church."
Dr Kim said that a proper prayer life demanded, "a lot of discipline. We have a prayer meeting every day at 5 am. I didn't learn that when I was at American Bible college. But that's what makes Korean churches grow."
Christians Freed after one Year in Custody
Eight Christians, jailed for a year for "causing social division" (taking part in a Bible class) were released in June, 1999.
The Directorate of the Defense Services Intelligence (Burma's secret police) has found a new strategy for it's efforts to crack down on dissidents. They are now using e-mail to deliver computer viruses to their targets. DDSI has already been active on the Internet for several years, interfering with Web sites run by overseas Burmese dissidents and searching out their foes who are also actively using the medium.
--from Far Eastern Economic Review Feb.10, 2000
Charges of Religious Abuses
The U.S. State Department issued a report on February 25 charging the government of Myanmar with using force to propagate Buddhism, and of denying human rights and political freedom to some Buddhist monks. The report noted abuses against the Christian Chin minority, including forced conversions, arrests, detentions, interrogations, and physical abuse of the ethnic Chin clergy. The Myanmar government denies the changes saying there is not substantial evidence of such abuses.
Violence may continue in S. Philippines
--Manila, 8 March (ENI)
VViolence is likely to continue in at least four southern provinces of the Philippines with big Muslim populations. The second round of peace talks is underway between the government and secessionist rebels, but little progress can be seen, according to a prominent Roman Catholic priest.
Almost 75,000 people have been displaced since January following clashes between military troops and guerillas of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
In the first part of March, 2000, at least 36 people were reported killed and 49 others wounded in a series of bombings carried out by MILF guerrillas. Peace talks later reopened and the two sides have declared a cease-fire. Some feel the cease-fire is unlikely to hold, with both military and MILF forces building.
The MILF claims to hold 26 "territories" in the southern Philippines, 10 of which the government concedes are held by the guerillas.
The National Council of Churches in the Philippines and the Catholic Bishops' Conference are organizing a joint peace committee to mediate in the conflict.
Churches condemn military exercises
--Manila, 21 February (ENI)
The National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) has denounced in the "strongest possible terms" joint military exercises, which begin today, between the United States and Philippine Armed Forces.
The NCCP accused the Philippine military authorities of human rights violations in areas declared "no-man's lands" for the war games.
The statement said the preparations for the military exercises were having disastrous effects on indigenous communities and on farmers who had been forcibly evacuated.
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