Saturday, March 21, 2009

China:Violent crackdown by Chinese authorities on dissent now a daily occurrence

China (AsiaNews/Agencies)Violence by Chinese authorities has become a daily occurrence against people who demand religious freedom or who are opposed to the actions of the Communist government.Examples abound.On the 11th of February, police raided a private evangelical seminar in the Nanyang's Wolong district (central China), and they detained more than 60 home church leaders. They were booked by the police and forced to pay a fine. Eventually, they were released.The two Koreans were instead accused of "engaging in illegal religious activities" and expelled on the 14th of February,"banned from re-entering China for five years."In Beijing, a law firm was shut down for providing legal counsel to human rights activists.Anyone stepping out of the official party line, getting together to pray, or demanding that the Chinese law protect Christians are feeling the authorities' wrath.Under the current system of government,Christians can only take part in activities organized by official groups which are run by the Communist Party.However, most Christian home churches do not receive such approval. Similarly, the authorities are not letting up in their threats and intimidations against people daring to speak about Charter 08. It is a document that states that the Chinese government is to better respect human rights and also implement more democracy. And one signatory, Liu Xiaobo, has been in detention since the 8th of December 2008 for penning his name to the charter. His family has not yet been informed of the charges pending against him. His wife has only been able to see him once since his arrest. Even violence against petitioners has become systematic. Full Story.
PRAY that the Chinese government will halt the intimidation and persecution of Chinese Christians who support or who are involved with ìdomestic churchesî by abiding with Charter 08.
PRAY that the Chinese Christians will be creative with their worship and that they continue to wisely and boldly spread the Gospel to the Chinese people.
PRAY that Christianity continues to flourish under the regime.
PRAY that the international community will continue to expose the persecution of Christians in China.
For more general information, please go to ICC’s website on China.
As in the days of Noah...

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