Brazil: The World Cup's biggest secret
19 Jun 2014While its popularity is renowned across the world, its notoriety goes deeper than you may expect. It’s an industry that engages almost every country on the planet; captivating countless numbers of male and female clientele alike and making more money annually than Nike, Starbucks and Google put together. Sadly, this industry isn’t football - it's human trafficking. The World Cup brings a mass influx of tourists and traffickers are preparing for a month of the highest demand they’ll encounter. In business when demand increases, so does the supply - and unfortunately sex-tourism is no different. 20% of Brazil’s population live below the poverty line, with one of the largest disparities in the world between rich and poor. The economic imbalance is increasing and the poor are vulnerable to exploitation and violation. 120 years after slavery was abolished in Brazil an estimated 40,000 people are still trapped by it. 12-year-old children are sold for a night for less than the price of a cup of coffee.
Nepal: Calls to outlaw religious conversion
19 Jun 2014Religious freedom groups have expressed concern after reports that the Vice President of the Indian Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has urged Nepali leaders to outlaw religious conversion. Bhagat Singh Koshiyari reportedly spoke to senior leaders including Prime Minister Sushil Koirala and Chairman of Maoist party Pushpa Kamal Dahal, claiming that Western countries had been promoting proselytising in Nepal since it was declared a secular state in 2008. Koshiyari called for an immediate stop to religious conversions, particularly from Hinduism to Christianity, Christian Solidarity Worldwide's CEO Mervin Thomas expressed concern that Nepali leaders were being persuaded to exclude the rights of the people to freedom of religion in the new constitution of Nepal. In the past, Christians faced persecution and harassment from both the government and society, but have experienced a period of calm in the last few years. According to OM, Nepal has the fastest-growing Christian church in Asia. Hinduism remains the major religion with over 80% of the population.
Iran: Pastor persecuted in prison
19 Jun 2014Pastor Behnam Irani was sentenced to six years in prison in 2011 on charges of offences against national security. He has been badly treated during his imprisonment and his health suffered to the extent that he needed an operation in February to stop internal bleeding. On 7th June, Behnam was summoned to appear before the head of a revolutionary tribunal in Karaj. The summons was irregular and Behnam wrote a letter protesting against the order. In response, intelligence agents arrived at the prison, beat him and brought Behnam before the prison governor. They then took him by force to the head of the revolutionary tribunal and he was then transferred to an unknown location. We are asked to pray that Behnam and his family will know the Lord's presence and support; Behnam's whereabouts will become known; and he will experience God's physical healing, including injuries sustained during the beating.
Armed men stormed a church at Attagara village in Gwoza at 9:30 on Sunday morning and opened fire. The church had members working as a security group outside the church when a service was going on. Nine of the men in the church security group were shot dead. The killing led to a reprisal by the villagers and the community mobilised. They succeeded in killing four of the attackers according to a police source. A further three insurgents were arrested. At 6:30 the same day a bomb exploded in Admawa, targeting fans leaving a football field after watching a local club match. The bomb also affected women and children within the blast area and 40 people died. Nigeria’s military on Monday said it had made an arrest in connection with the bombing. See also http://www.360nobs.com/2014/06/football-match-bombing-military-makes-first-arrest/
STOP PRESS: Following the Sunday incident, on Tuesday, insurgents dressed in army combat clothing carrying rifles and riding on army trucks re-entered the villages of Attagara, Agapalawa and Aganjara. They opened fire on villagers and burned houses and churches to the ground. African Spotlight reported dozens killed, BBC Radio 4 reported hundreds killed. This latest incident continues a pattern of almost daily deadly violence. More at: http://africanspotlight.com/2014/06/04/boko-haram-opens-fire-villagers-burns-houses-churches-gwoza/
A 25-year-old pregnant Pakistani woman was stoned to death on 26 May by her family in an ‘honour killing’ because she married the man she loved. On 30 May, two cousins aged 14 and 16 were gang-raped and left hanging from a mango tree in an Indian village. After an international media outcry two police officers were sacked for refusing to help search for the missing Dalit ‘low caste’ girls. In the Sudan, Meriam Ibrahim was jailed and sentenced to 100 lashes and the death sentence for marrying a Christian. She gave birth to their daughter in chains last week (There are un-confirmed reports that she is about to be freed). In Nigeria many are still waiting for the abducted schoolgirls to be found and re-united with their families. These stories are the tip of an iceberg of vicious treatment of vulnerable women in many parts of the world. It was only because of media cover of these incidents that there has been international outrage.
Lebanon: Father kills 18-year-old daughter
19 Jun 2014On Wednesday 4 June, a father opened fire on his 18-year-old daughter in Lebanon's northern region of Akkar, killing her immediately, a source close to the family said. The father, Mustafa Soufan, hails from the Akkar town of Bibnine. The killing of his daughter, Walaa, took place shortly after noon. The source said the alleged crime might be related to disputes between the girl and her fiancé who were set to get married later this month. The source said the girl no longer wanted to get married, which provoked her father's anger. The source described the father as a nervous and short-tempered man. Residents classified the killing as an ‘honour crime.’
Syria: Aid urgently needed for Aleppo
19 Jun 2014Last Friday a 15-truck convoy delivered to Syrian Arab Red Crescent warehouses desperately-needed food aid for 30,000 people, medicine for 15,000 people and essential household items for 10,000 people. This aid is part of a plan to help half a million people, both in opposition - and Government-held areas. Meanwhile UN President, Ban Ki-moon said, ‘I deeply regret to inform the Security Council that resolution 2139 (on the humanitarian access) has yet to make a meaningful difference to the lives of the millions of people in need in Syria. Therefore, I call on the Council to urgently consider what steps it will now take to secure compliance with its demands.' Emboldened by Ban's report. Australia, Luxembourg and Jordan are working on a draft resolution that would allow the delivery of food, medicine and other relief aid into Syria through border crossings with Turkey, Jordan and Iraq, without the Government's approval. Russia, which took over the Council’s presidency on 1 June, is expected to veto the draft because it violates Syria's sovereignty.
Iran: Happiness in short supply
19 Jun 2014Iranians report highest negative emotions, second only to Iraq. The media storm that erupted after police arrested six young Iranians for dancing to the Pharrell Williams song ‘Happy’ in an online video prompted Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to tweet, ‘Happiness is our people's right. We shouldn't be too hard on behaviours caused by joy.’ Iran's leadership is right to be concerned about the country's happiness. Gallup's most recent rankings of positive emotions find Iran at 93 on a list of 138 countries. (Countries with highest negative experience index scores, 2013). An Iranian journalist, Golnaz Esfandiari, tweeted in response to the arrests, ‘Thousands of Iranians have been arrested in the past 35 years for being happy and partying.’ Happiness is an expression of freedom, a bridge to ideas, a clear path to exploration. Fascists, and all those ruled by fear, have always known this.