Nepal: New law planned forbidding evangelism
Five years after abolishing Hinduism as the state religion, Nepal is working on a new criminal code forbidding a person from one faith to ‘convert a person or abet him to change his religion.’ The proposed code also says no one will be allowed to do anything or behave in any way that could cause a person from a caste, community or creed to lose faith in his/her traditional religion or convert to a different religion. The proposal also prohibits conversion ‘by offering inducements or without inducement,’ and preaching ‘a different religion or faith with any other intent.’ Offenders could be imprisoned for a maximum of five years and fined up to US$685. If the offender is a foreigner they would be deported within seven days of completing the sentence. Last weekend Nepal failed to complete a new constitution for religious freedom due to a protracted battle for political power. Pray: for Nepal’s Christian community, which has no representation in the Council of Ministers or in Parliament, to know God's provision. (Ps.1:6) More: http://www.compassdirect.org/english/country/nepal/article_113290.html
Nigeria: Blasts rock Nigeria's northeast
A state police chief, said on Tuesday that members of a Muslim group locally known as Boko Haram detonated bombs at two police stations and at St Patrick's Church in the city of Maiduguri killing up to eleven people. The multiple blasts come a day after motorcycle-mounted gunmen shot dead a cleric from a rival sect. The police also blame Boko Haram for killing the cleric on Monday at his home because he had been critical of Boko Haram's violence. Boko Haram has pushed for the implementation of sharia in Borno State. The group has vowed to keep killing people believed to support the establishment until sharia is adopted alongside other demands.
Pray: for tensions to be calmed, fear to be removed, and Boko Haram to be lessened in influence. (Ps.140:8)
More: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/06/201167223659877448.html
Uganda: 'Nodding disease' blights children
A mysterious disease, which has no cure, is affecting growing numbers of children in Northern Uganda, Sudan and Tanzania. It is referred to as 'nodding disease', and has confounded the World Health Organisation. One of the first symptoms is that children appear to be falling asleep - their eyes close and head droops, even though they may not be tired. It frequently causes them to lose consciousness then they fall and injure themselves. Children affected are mostly between the ages of five and fifteen. They are more likely to die young because, after loosing consciousness, they have horrific accidents such as falling into cooking fires or drowning. Other symptoms are losing cognitive ability and stunted growth. Some children are abandoned by communities unable to afford to care for them. Experts are at a loss as to what causes the degenerative disease.
Pray: God will reveal the root cause of this disease and break its stronghold over the children. (Ps.3:8)
Kyrgyzstan: Injustice may spark fresh violence
Failure to deliver justice for last year's killings of civilians in ethnic clashes in Kyrgyzstan could spark more violence, Amnesty International warns. In a report released ahead of the first anniversary of the 10 June unrest. Amnesty urges Bishkek to ‘establish the truth about what happened’. 470 people died in four days of clashes between Kyrgyz and Uzbeks in the south of the country, hundreds were injured and thousands of houses destroyed. The violence followed weeks of turmoil after the ousting of then President Kurmanbek Bakiyev in April 2010’s uprising. Amnesty International urges the Kyrgyz government to punish the perpetrators of last year's violence. ‘Failure to bring those behind the violence to justice could provide fertile soil for future turmoil and human rights violations,' said Amnesty's Europe and Central Asia director. Ethnic bias and corruption are behind the pervading impunity in Kyrgyzstan. Pray: for a rebuilding of trust between the ethnic groups, and for justice to be seen to be done. (Ps.103:6)
