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Mental stress takes its toll on Tamil refugees in northern Sri Lanka

Prepared July / August 2010

Priests serving Tamil refugees held in camps in northern Sri Lanka say they are concerned about the psychological impact on these people the longer they stay in the camps.

“They should be allowed to unite with their families”, said Father Emilianuspillai Santhiapillai.

Although refugees are slowly returning to their villages one year after the end of the civil war, approximately 60,000 remain in the camps awaiting resettlement. Bishops, priests and nuns minister to them by organising Masses and lending a listening ear. In Kathirgamar camp alone 1,200 of the 8,000 refugees are Catholics. The military has allowed Mass to be held on Fridays and Sundays.

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Hmong refugees held in camp in Laos

Prepared July / August 2010

We issued an action for Hmong refugees deported from Thailand back to Laos, where they are at risk of persecution. Many Hmong are Christians.

The latest reports indicate those deported are being held in a camp under military guard at Phonekham in central Laos. The camp is in an isolated, mountainous area and a single road to it is almost impassable. Human Rights Watch is concerned that those held in the camp are getting inadequate food and medical care.

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Hindu Extremist sentenced to imprisonment and new law

July / August 2010

The Church of North India, a partner church of the Uniting Church in Australia, has welcomed the conviction and sentencing of BJP (a Hindu extremist political party) Member of the Legislative Assembly in the Indian state of Orissa, Manoj Pradhan. He was sentenced to seven years imprisonment for the murder of Late Arakhita Nayak, a Christian from the village of Tiangia, on 27 August 2008.

Manoj Pradhan had been previously acquitted in three cases, which have been appealed to the Orissa High Court.

Thanks to everyone who wrote in response to actions we issued in response to the massacre of Christians by Hindu extremists in Orissa.

In related news:

India passes law that allows the National Government to take control of areas hit by riots

India has adopted a communal violence law that will allow the national government to take charge of an area where riots have broken out. Such control will be possible once the national government has been invited to send national security forces to the area and the state government is reluctant to deal with the rioters.

The new law still does not allow the national government to send armed forces into a riot affected area without the forces being asked for by the state government. However, once its forces have been invited to quell the violence, the national government will have the right – under certain circumstances – to set up a unified command, which will include its own forces and the local police.

The new law may help curb violent riots against Christians by Hindu extremists, as happened in Orissa state in 2008.

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Two detained health workers in the Philippines pregnant

July/August 2010

Two of the 43 health workers being detained in the Philippines, who we have highlighted this year, are pregnant.

Judielyn Carina Oliveros, aged 26, will give birth to her first child soon and Mercy Castro, aged 27, will give birth to her second child in October. An obstetrician that visited them in jail in May made the assessment that Judielyn Oliveros was at risk of preeclampsia or hypertension, which could make the delivery difficult.

Further, another detainee, Jane Balleta, has had eight epileptic seizure attacks, which are believed to be connected to the conditions of her detention. Her mother has stated that before her detention, Jane had less frequent and milder seizures. In mid-June she was hospitalised under guard at the Philippine General Hospital in Manila.

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Australian Government acts on murders in the Philippines

The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has written to the Justice and International Mission Unit regarding the murder of United Church of Christ in the Philippines member Samson “Mike” Rivera on 16 May 2010, who was the subject of a recent action.

The Department has stated that “The Australian Embassy in Manila has raised this case with Philippine authorities and has been assured that both the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Philippine Commission on Human Rights (CHR) are investigating the incident.”

Further “On 17 June 2010, Australia and the Philippines signed a Declaration of Cooperation to support activities enhancing the capacity of the CHR, including an initial grant of Php 5.2 million [approximately $130,000] to enhance the investigative capabilities of the CHR in responding to allegations of human rights violations.”

Thanks to everyone who took action in relation to the murder of Mike Rivera.

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Christian Lawyer tortured and imprisoned in China

Prepared July 2010

Chinese Christian lawyer Gao Zhisheng was abducted by Chinese security agents from the Public Security Bureau in his home village in Shaanxi province on 19 January 2009. He was taken into incommunicado detention.

He ‘reappeared’ in late March 2010 and was paraded before the international media.

On 20 April 2010 he was placed on a plane by four Chinese police officers and has not been seen since.

Find out more and take action:

Letter-writing action on Christian lawyer disappeared in China July 2010

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Ongoing Harrassment and Murder of UCCP Members in the Philippines

Prepared July 2010

RONEL RAGUING was a single, 24 year old male from sitio Tamusi, Talalac, Sta. Catalina, Negros Oriental. He was an active member of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) Talalac Sta. Catalina and of the Talalac United Farmers Association an affiliate of the Kapunongan Alang sa Ugma sa Gagmayang Maguuma sa Oriental Negros- – Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KAUGMAON-KMP).

On 9 March 2009 a team of National Bureau of Investigation-Cebu personnel (police detectives) and KARAPATAN actiLetter-writing action on UCCP harrassments July 2010ng on information gleaned from the mission, exhumed decomposing remains of two men in Junob, Nagbinlod, Sta. Catalina, Negros Oriental. The bodies were positively identified by the families as that of Ronel RLetter-writing action on UCCP harrassments July 2010Letter-writing action on UCCP harrassments July 2010aguing and Julito Quirante.

Letter-writing action on UCCP harrassments July 2010

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Christian human rights defender murdered in Democratic Republic of Congo

July 2010

Floribert Chebeya Bahizire, Martyr

On Wednesday 2 June, Floribert Chebeya Bahizire was found dead in his car.

The previous night he had been called to a meeting with the national police chief, which did not take place. His driver, Fidele Bazana Edadi, has been missing since then.

Chebeya was the executive director of La Voix des Sans-Voix (Voice of the Voiceless), which is part of the World Council of Churches (WCC) human rights defenders network in Africa. Chebeya was a member of the planning committee of a human rights workshop that the WCC and other Christian organisations held in Kinshasa in April 2009.

What you can do

Write polite and respectful letters to (a letter to the Democratic Republic of Congo will cost AUD $2.10)

H.E. President Joseph Kabila Kabange

Gombe, Kinshasa

Democratic Republic of Congo

Points to make in your letter:

• Express deep concern at the murder of Floribert Chebeya Bahizire on 2 June and the disappearance of his driver Fidele Bazana Edadi
• Seek assurances that a thorough and impartial investigation will be held into the murder and disappearance, seeking to bring those responsible to justice in line with calls already made by human rights organisations.

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Pastor and Spouse Murdered in Nigeria

July 2010

On 13 April Rev Ishaku Kadah (aged 48) and his spouse Selina (aged 45) were dragged from their home in Boto, Bauchi State, northern Nigeria and were murdered. Their bodies were then burnt.

Ishaku and Selina served with the Church of Christ in Nigeria and their home was also used as the church’s headquarters.

On 22 January, Islamic militants set fire to their church which was being used to shelter Christian refugees fleeing religious violence in Plateau State, which was the subject of a recent Just End Persecution action.

The Christian Associations of Nigeria in the 19 northern states and Abuja has appealed for government action to address the persecution of Christians in the north of the country.

What you can do

Write polite and respectful email to:

His Excellency Prof. Sunday Oluwadare AGBI

High Commission of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

PO Box 241

Civic Square ACT 2608

Fax: (02) 6282 8471

E-mail: chancery@nigeria-can.org.au

Salutation: Your Excellency

Points to make in your email:

• Express deep concern at the murders of Ishuka and Selina Kadah on 13 April 2010 in Boto, Bauchi State, northern Nigeria.
• Ask what steps have been taken to investigate the murders and bring those responsible to justice.

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More assistance needed for Tamils to return home from detention camps

July 2010

A year after the end of the civil war in Sri Lanka, Christian relief and development agency Christian Aid called on the international community to increase efforts with the government of Sri Lanka to provide assistance to the 76,000 Tamils that remain in camps and the tens of thousands that have left the camps to return to what is left of their homes. The Sri Lankan Minister of Resettlement, Milroy Fernando, has stated that resettling those in the camps by August was “realistic”.

“There was a previous deadline of April but that was not feasible”, Minister Fernando said.

A further 73,000 Sri Lankan refugees are living in 115 camps in Tamil Nadu, India, waiting for the opportunity to return home.

Christian Aid reports that those left in the camps tend to be widows, separated families or low level income families, often with no land to return to.

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