RELIGIOUS
FREEDOM
North
Korea Atop Persecution List
By
Jerry Dykstra Assist News Service
CBN.com
-- SANTA ANA, CA (ANS) -- The isolated communist nation of North Korea
remains atop the Open Doors World Watch List of countries where Christians are
persecuted. The annual list ranks countries according to the intensity of persecution
Christians face for actively pursuing their faith. Saudi Arabia holds the
second spot on the list followed by Vietnam. North Korea, Saudi Arabia
and Vietnam are noted as countries where severe persecution is taking place.
Other countries listed in the WWLs Top Ten include: Laos, Turkmenistan, Pakistan,
Bhutan, Maldives, Somalia, and Iran. China is listed 11th. For years, very
little information about the church emerged from Kim Il Sungs harsh North Korea
regime, which is now ruled by his son, Kim Jong Il. Some even wondered if the
church had survived the decades of severe oppression. Recent years, however, have
seen a relative flood of information coming from North Korean refugees fleeing
to China to escape famine. They report that the church has not only survived,
but even grown, perhaps to 400,000 Christians who worship in secret. But to visibly
practice the Christian faith in North Korea today can still result in imprisonment
and death. Imagine how nearly impossible it is for Christians to survive,
and the Christian faith to grow in North Korea as it again ranks first in the
hall of shame of countries repressing the free expression of Christianity, says
Terry Madison, president/CEO of Open Doors USA. And yet, despite its cruel punishment
and death to believers, indications are that the Church in North Korea continues
to grow despite the best efforts of the government to destroy the Church. Madison
adds that Christians need to lift up the needs of our brothers and sisters in
North Korea in prayer as well as millions of other believers in countries on the
World Watch List. The desert kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which sees itself
as the guardian of Islam, requires all its citizens to be Muslims. A Saudi who
converts to another religion faces the death penalty for apostasy. Even Christian
guest workers from countries such as the Philippines and Korea have been imprisoned
and deported for quietly practicing their faith, despite government assurances
that foreigners can worship privately. Oppression in Vietnam has increased
during the last two years in the Central Highlands and the northwest provinces.
The harsh treatment of predominately Christian tribal groups has caused the Southeast
Asia nation to rise in the WWL rankings despite some superficial government moves
to legalize the Evangelical Church of Vietnam (South). Compass Direct reported
in December that more than 350 tribal churches had been forcibly closed. Recent
government resolutions indicate Vietnamese communist officials plan to increase
their infiltration of the church nationwide. The World Watch List top
15 provides an interesting mix, if you can use the word interesting for countries
where our Christian brothers and sisters suffer so much, says an Open Doors spokesman.
Eight are dominated by Islamic regimes, while two countries -- Bhutan and Myanmar
(Burma) -- are predominately Buddhist. Communist governments rule four of the
top 15. Then there is the Central Asia nation of Turkmenistan, ranked fifth, which
has a mainly Muslim population but is led by a former communist named Niyazov
whose ruthlessness and demand for adoration have orchestrated a dictatorship not
unlike the Kims of North Korea. Nos. 11-25 on the World Watch list are:
China, Afghanistan, Myanmar (Burma), Sudan, Azerbaijan, Yemen, Comoros, Uzbekistan,
Egypt, Colombia (conflict areas), Nigeria (north), Cuba, Iraq, Qatar, and Libya.
Rounding out the list are Nos. 26-50: Brunei, Morocco, Tunisia, Russian
Federation (the Muslim republics of Chechnya, Kabardino, Balkarya and Dagestan),
Mexico (southern state of Chiapas), Indonesia, Tajikistan, Sri Lanka, Turkey,
Kurdistan, Algeria, India, Mauritania, Djibouti, Nepal, Oman, United Arab Emirates,
Eritrea, Kuwait, Syria, Malaysia, Ethiopia, Bahrain, Belarus, and Jordan. The
World Watch List is based on evaluations and testimonies obtained by Open Doors
indigenous contacts, field workers and from actual members of the Persecuted Church.
An estimated 200 million Christians worldwide suffer persecution for their
faith in Christ, with another 200 to 400 million facing discrimination for being
Christian. Open Doors, founded in 1955 by Brother Andrew, author of the bestselling
book, Gods Smuggler, seeks to serve and strengthen the Persecuted Church in
the worlds most difficult areas through training, literature distribution, community
development and personal encouragement.
More
from Assist New Service Assist News Service is brought to you in part
by Open Doors USA, a ministry that has served the Suffering Church around the
world for nearly 50 years. You can get more information by logging onto their
website at www.opendoorsusa.org
CBN IS HERE FOR YOU!
Are you seeking answers in life? Are you hurting?
Are you facing a difficult situation?
A caring friend will be there to pray with you in your time of need.
|
|