News | Public Affairs and Religious Liberty Department

Religious Freedom Issues December 2001

Turkmenistan: Adventists and Other Christians Arrested, Jailed

Turkmen police in the city of Turkmenabad broke up a lawful Adventist religious meeting in a private apartment on November 16. Six participants at the religious service were detained and their identity documents confiscated. In addition, the title documents of the apartment were taken by the police. All religious books and audio-visual materials were also seized. This is just part of a continued government program of harassment and imprisonment that has targeted protestant Christians including Adventists, Baptists and Pentecostals. Most recently, jail terms and fines were imposed on members of the Word of Life church following a police raid on November 15.

Indonesia: Some Encouraging News

International Christian Concern reports that the Indonesian government has sent in troops and declared a civil state of emergency in the Poso region (see November report of RFI). This is in an attempt to protect the 30,000 Christian refugees burned out of their villages by the Islamic Laskar Jihad terrorist group. Over 30 villages and 4,000 homes have been destroyed by the Laskar Jihad in the past few months and the current threat is their promise to give Christians "a bloody Christmas."

China: Premier Calls for Tighter Control on Religion

"Believers must love their country, support the socialist system and the direction of the Communist Party, and respect the laws of the country. Religion must never be allowed when it opposes the direction of the party or the socialist system, or destroys national reunification or ethnic unity," said Chinese premier Jiang Zeminin in a speech December 12. Currently believers in the spiritual meditation program, Falun Gong, are being subjected to intense persecution, while many Christian church buildings have recently been destroyed. One Catholic church building in Zhejiang province has now been destroyed for the third time, since local believers repeatedly rebuild on the site.

Egypt: New Coptic Church Destroyed by Local Authorities

A new church still under construction in Al-Ubor, Egypt, was attacked and destroyed just after the first prayer meeting held there, reports Voice of the Martyrs. Despite having permits from the country's president and government, the new building was attacked on December 16, and ten believers arrested as the wrecking crew destroyed what had been built.

North Korea: President Calls for "Absolute Worship" of Himself

Kim Jong-Il, president of North Korea is calling for a "revolutionary militant spirit" and "absolute worship" of himself as supreme leader in an attempt to prevent the country collapsing into chaos, reports Keston News Service. The only permitted "religion" is Juche, begun by the previous Communist president Kim Il Sung, who declared himself to be divine. Juche blends religion and Marxism-Leninism. It teaches that the trinity is Kim Il Sung (Father), Kim Jong-Il (Son), and the tower of Juche (this religious ideology) is the Holy Spirit. Christianity, along with all other religions, is banned.

News reports prepared by Dr. Jonathan Gallagher, associate director

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