ASSIST News - Asia Pacific

ASSIST News Service - Asia - Pacific

The ASSIST NEWS SERVICE (ANS) provides a wide variety of national and international stories that goes to 2,600 media around the world. The news service is headed by veteran journalist Dan Wooding and has a string of experienced journalists and writers that include Michael Ireland, Mark Ellis, Jeremy Reynalds, Elizabeth Kendal, Rolland Baker, Bill Ellis, Maurice Rowlandson, Gordon Bailey, Herbert Eze, and many others.
  • Harsh Era Looms in Aceh, Indonesia
    Harsh Era Looms in Aceh, Indonesia

    ASSIST News Service (ANS) - PO Box 609, Lake Forest, CA 92609-0609 USA
    Visit our web site at: www.assistnews.net -- E-mail: assistnews@aol.com


    Wednesday, May 16, 2012

    Harsh Era Looms in Aceh, Indonesia
    Election of hard-line Islamic governor followed by closure of 17 churches

    By Jeremy Reynalds
    Senior Correspondent for ASSIST News Service

    JAKARTA, INDONESIA (ANS) -- The election of a hard-line Islamic governor in Indonesia's Aceh Province last month appears to have opened the way for a crack-down on the minority Christian community, which saw 17 churches sealed shut in early May.

    According to a story by Compass Direct News, emboldened by the April 9 election of Zaini Abdullah of the militant Aceh Party (Partai Aceh, or PA), hundreds of Islamists demonstrated in front of the office of Aceh Singkil regency on April 30. They demanded that area church buildings not only be sealed, but also demolished.

    Christian leaders told Compass that besides the usual pretext of lack of church permits -applications for which local authorities routinely deny or delay - the demands were based on a controversial agreement that Christians were reportedly forced to sign in 2001. It mandated that there be only one church and four chapels in the regency.

    Compass said the number of churches in the regency had grown to 22. The Diakonia Secretary of the Indonesian Fellowship of Churches, Jeirry Simampow, said the demonstrators were upset with the Interfaith Harmony Forum for allowing the growth of area churches. Of the 17 churches closed, 11 belong to the Protestant Christian Church of Pakpak Dairi, or GKPPD.

    The Rev. Elson Lingga, GKPPD district superintendent, told Compass that the mob clamored for the demolition of the church buildings, and on May 2 a new acting regent had agreed to the demand.

    “This position was supported by the police chief, who said that the time for dialogue was past - all he wanted was a schedule of the church demolitions,” Compass reported Lingga said.

    He added, “It's not that Christians do not want to apply for permits, but it is extremely difficult to secure permission even though we have put forth our maximal efforts.”

    For more information about Compass Direct News go to www.compassdirect.org


     

    Jeremy Reynalds is Senior Correspondent for the ASSIST News Service, a freelance writer and also the founder and CEO of Joy Junction, New Mexico's largest emergency homeless shelter, http://www.joyjunction.org He has a master's degree in communication from the University of New Mexico, and a Ph.D. in intercultural education from Biola University in Los Angeles. His newest book is "Homeless in the City."


    Additional details on "Homeless in the City" are available at http://www.homelessinthecity.com. Reynalds lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico. For more information contact: Jeremy Reynalds at jeremyreynalds@comcast.net.
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  • Aceh, Indonesia: new governor advances Islamisation
    Aceh, Indonesia: new governor advances Islamisation

    ASSIST News Service (ANS) - PO Box 609, Lake Forest, CA 92609-0609 USA
    Visit our web site at: www.assistnews.net -- E-mail: assistnews@aol.com


    Wednesday, May 16, 2012

    Aceh, Indonesia: new governor advances Islamisation
    -- a call to pray for the Christian community in Aceh

    By Elizabeth Kendal
    Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin (RLPB) 159
    Special to ASSIST News Service

    AUSTRALIA (ANS) -- Acehnese went to the polls on 9 April to elect a new governor. The incumbent, Irwandi Yusuf, running as an independent, had been favoured to win. However, in the end the people chose to put their loyalty behind the Aceh Party's candidate Zaini Abdullah (72). Founded in 2008, the Aceh Party (Partai Aceh, PA) has dominated the parliament since 2009. PA is the political party of the now defunct separatist guerrilla Free Aceh Movement (Gerakan Aceh Merdeka, GAM).

    Both Irwandi and Zaini have their origins in GAM. But in 2006, after GAM put Irwandi forward as its candidate for governor, GAM strongman Malik Mahmud overruled and put his own man forward, splitting the movement and forcing Irwandi to run (and win) as an independent. The political rivalry continues. All through 2011, the PA tried but failed to have Irwandi banned from the contest. Furthermore, the increasingly autocratic and militant PA has been blamed for the deadly political violence that has struck Irwandi's team and supporters. Moreover, the PA played the populist 'religion card', vowing to advance a more 'pure' form of Quranic Sharia (Islamic law).

    On 17 April governor-elect Zaini Abdullah pledged to 'strengthen peace across Aceh' and 'eradicate corruption'. Claiming that 'moderate Islam' is what is 'in line with the Koran and Prophet Muhammad's hadiths' (i.e. is fundamentalist!), he pledged to raise awareness of right and wrong by means of Islamic education, so that Islam in Aceh 'can return to where it was during the Sultan Iskandar Muda era'. (Iskandar Muda was a cruel 17th Century Islamic autocrat who shed much blood in making Aceh strong, expansive and Islamic.)

    Aceh is around 98 percent Muslim and one percent Christian (mostly Protestant). At the southern-most tip of Aceh, Singkil district has the highest proportion of Christians of any district or city in Aceh, with Christians making up about one-sixth of the 120,000 population. Despite this, the administration has ruled that Singkil is only permitted to have one church and four 'undung-undungs' (small prayer rooms without exterior crosses).

    On 30 April hundreds of Islamic hard-liners from the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) and the Aceh Singkil Muslim Forum held a rally in Singkil demanding the undung-undungs be closed. The administration subsequently shut down 17 Christian places of worship in four sub-districts of Singkil on the grounds that they were built without permits.

    A spokesman for the group 'Pro-Democracy People', Agusta Mukhtar, denounced the administration for acquiescing to hard-liners and failing to promote religious tolerance. 'The religious peace here has been shattered,' he said, 'by this anarchistic action that seeks religious domination for an inflexible faith. This is a dark time in the history of religious freedom and tolerance in Aceh.' Everything indicates life is about to get even more difficult for Aceh's minority Christian community. (see Jakarta Globe)

    PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY THAT GOD WILL --

    • fill Acehnese Christians with full assurance of his presence. May they find their security, wisdom and strength in him in these darkening days.

    • embolden Aceh's many secular, moderate and folk Muslims, awakening them to the fact that Quranic Islam brings cruel repression and culture change (Arabisation), not the utopia the Islamists promise.

    •  work all things for good, so that repression will be replaced with beauty and liberty; may Aceh know revival, for ' . . . where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom' (2 Corinthians 3:17 ESV).

    SUMMARY FOR BULLETINS UNABLE TO RUN THE WHOLE ARTICLE
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    NEW GOVERNOR IN ACEH, INDONESIA, ADVANCES ISLAMISATION

    Aceh, on the north-west tip of the Indonesian island of Sumatra, is around 98 percent Muslim and one percent Christian (mostly Protestant). Acehnese went to the polls on 9 April to elect a new governor. The winner, Zaini Abdullah (72) of the dominant and increasingly autocratic and militant Aceh Party, ran on a platform that included a vow to advance a more 'pure' form of Quranic Sharia (Islamic law). On 30 April hundreds of Islamists protested in Aceh's southern-most district of Singkil, which has the highest proportion of Christians of any district in Aceh. The Islamists demanded the closure of Singkil's supposedly 'illegal' churches and prayer houses. The administration quickly acquiesced and 17 places of Christian worship across Singkil have since been closed. Please pray for Aceh's minority Christian community.

    Elizabeth Kendal is an international religious liberty analyst and advocate. This prayer bulletin was initially written for the Australian Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty Commission (AEA RLC).

    Elizabeth Kendal's blogs:
    Religious Liberty Monitoring and Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin
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  • Yeosu Expo 2012 Kicks Off With Spectacular Gala
    Yeosu Expo 2012 Kicks Off With Spectacular Gala

    ASSIST News Service (ANS) - PO Box 609, Lake Forest, CA 92609-0609 USA
    Visit our web site at: www.assistnews.net -- E-mail: assistnews@aol.com


    Tuesday, May 15, 2012

    Yeosu Expo 2012 Kicks Off With Spectacular Gala
    The Korean event attracts many foreign dignities

    By Joseph Park
    Special to ASSIST News Service

    YEOSU, SOUTH KOREA (ANS) -- A stunning gala was held last Friday (May 11, 2012), in the Korean southern port city of Yeosu on the eve of a world exposition, with dignitaries present, heralding the start of the three-month fair.

    The opening ceremony of Expo 2012 Yeosu, Korea
    (Photo: Cheongwadae
    The pre-opening events of the 2012 Yeosu Expo, was choreographed to reflect the exposition’s theme of “Living Ocean and Coast”, took place on the main stage of the 250,000 square-meter fair site in the port city, which is about 455 kilometers south of Seoul.

    Those in attendance included South Korean President, Lee Myung-bak, and Vicente Loscertales, secretary-general of the Paris-based Bureau of International Exhibitions (BIE) that overseas all international expositions.

    Lawmakers, CEOs of companies participating in the exposition and other organizers also attended the gala performance.

    Logo
    On Saturday, May 12, 2012, the first day of the three-month world fair, about 36,000 people visited the Expo 2012 Yeosu, the expo organizing committee said Sunday.

    Peruvian President, Ollanta Humala, and Peruvian first lady, Nadine Heredia, attended the ribbon cutting ceremony of the Peru pavilion, and at the same time, Danish Crown Prince, Frederik, and Crown Princess Mary attended a ribbon cutting ceremony of the Denmark pavilion.

    The Kingdom of Denmark is a constitutional monarchy. The current and reigning monarch is Queen Margrethe II. The prime minister is customarily chosen through negotiation between the parliament's leaders.

    Danish Crown Prince, Frederik (L),
    pictured with Joseph Park
    The Prince and the Princess attend the Church of Denmark, which is the state church and largest denomination in Denmark and Greenland.

    The Democratic Republic (DR) of Congo’s acting ambassador to Korea, Lundula Jimmy, displayed international evangelist Dr. Jaerock Lee's Bible-based Christian books in many languages in their DR Congo pavilion.

    The books included: The Message of the Cross, The Measure of Faith, Heaven, Hell, The Land Flowing with Milk and Honey, The Power of God, God the Healer, The Law of God, Lee's memoirs, Tasting Eternal Life Before Death, and his autobiography, My Life, My Faith.

    Dr. Jaerock Lee's books displayed at the DR Congo pavilion at Expo 2012 Yeosu, Korea
    In February, 2006, Dr. Lee visited Kinshasa, DR Congo and led miracle healing festival. DR Congolese president Joseph Kabila had invited Dr. Lee and his group to the presidential palace to have meeting and he also requested Dr. Lee to pray for the stability and peace of the DR Congo.

    On May 14, Crown Prince Haakon of Norway attended a ceremony marking the Norwegian National Day at the Expo.

    Expo organizers said the fair is expected to attract a large number of visitors from all over the world and will help highlight the importance of the sea and coastal environment.

    The fair, which is scheduled to run through August 12, 2012, has attracted participation from 104 countries and 10 international organizations.

    Joseph Park can be contacted at: urimbook@hotmail.

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  • Chen Guangcheng’s nephew charged with ‘intentional homicide,’ could face death sentence
    Chen Guangcheng’s nephew charged with ‘intentional homicide,’ could face death sentence

    ASSIST News Service (ANS) - PO Box 609, Lake Forest, CA 92609-0609 USA
    Visit our web site at: www.assistnews.net -- E-mail: assistnews@aol.com


    Friday, May 11, 2012

    Chen Guangcheng’s nephew charged with ‘intentional homicide,’ could face death sentence

    By Dan Wooding
    Founder of ASSIST Ministries

    YINAN, SHANDONG, CHINA (ANS) -- ChinaAid has just told the ASSIST News Service (www.assistnews.net) that it has just learned that the nephew of blind, self-taught lawyer Chen Guangcheng has been formally arrested and charged with “intentional homicide,” a crime that carries the death sentence.

    Blind activist Chen Guangcheng sitting in a wheelchair as he is accompanied by U.S. Ambassador to China Gary Locke at a hospital in Beijing
    (Photo: Reuters)
    The formal arrest of Chen’s nephew Chen Kegui took place on Wednesday, May 9, 2012, and the formal arrest notification with the charge of “intentional homicide” was given to Chen Kegui’s mother, Ren Zongju on Thursday May 10. They were executed by the Yinan County People’s Procuratorate and the Yinan Public Security Bureau.

    “This is outrageous, it is totally unreasonable,” the blind activist told AFP by phone from the Beijing hospital where he is being treated for injuries sustained during the escape.

    “Up to 10 people battered down the door and entered the home looking for me, but when they couldn't find me, they began beating people ... Chen Kegui was clubbed over the head so he picked up the knife and defended himself.”

    Police in Yinan county that oversees Dongshigu village, where Chen was kept under house arrest, refused to comment when contacted by AFP.

    A spokesperson for ChinaAid said, “According to Chinese law, Chen Kegui could face the death sentence if convicted. Due to the circumstances of the case, it is unlikely that Chen Kegui will get a fair trial.”

    According to one of Chen Kegui’s lawyers, Liu Weiguo, who himself has been put under house arrest after taking up Chen Kegui’s case, the charge stems from a government raid on the home of Chen Guangcheng’s brother, Chen Guangfu, on the night of April 26, 2012, after local authorities discovered that Chen Guangcheng had escaped from 19 months of extrajudicial house arrest.

    “At about 11:30 PM on April 26, 2012, about two dozen Yinan county officials and hired thugs broke into Chen Guangfu’s home,” added the ChinaAid spokesperson. “None of the government officials showed any IDs. The raid lasted through the night and did not end until nearly dawn on April 27.”

    ChinaAid says that Chen Guangfu’s son, Chen Kegui, was awakened by the noise of his parents being beaten up. He grabbed a knife and walked out of his room, and was immediately attacked and beaten up as well. In self-defense, he wounded three of his attackers, all of whom were government officials. He is now being held in the Yinan county detention center.

    At least one lawyer who tried to approach Chen’s village on Thursday May 10 seeking to meet with Chen Kegui’s parents was kidnapped by local authorities.

    “We are appalled by the immediate vengeance of the local authorities, who are acting in this way to retaliate against Chen Guancheng,” said ChinaAid founder and President, Bob Fu.

    In a Friday May 11, 2012 phone conversation with Fu, Chen Guangcheng said, “I appeal to the central government to take honest and credible concrete measures to stop these illegal and barbaric actions of the Shandong authorities against my family members, including my nephew Chen Kegui, my brother Chen Guangfu and my sister-in-law Ren Zongju.

    “There is no doubt that the Shandong authorities are acting out of revenge because of my escape from my house.”

    He called the charges “illegal and barbaric.”

    Fu said, “Chen Kegui cannot get a fair trial. The local government will make him pay for their incompetence in letting Chen Guangcheng escape. This is a test of the rule of law and the government’s promise to investigate corrupt and brutal local officials.”

    ChinaAid calls on the international community, and especially the U.S. government to speak up on behalf of Chen’s family members who are being persecuted solely for their relationship with Chen Guangcheng.

    ChinaAid Contacts:
    Bob Fu, President | Mark Shan, News Analyst
    Tel: 1+ (888) 889-7757 | Cell: (267) 205-5210
    Email: Bob@ChinaAid.org | Mark@ChinaAid.org
    Website: www.ChinaAid.org | www.MonitorChina.org 

    Dan Wooding, 71, is an award winning British journalist now living in Southern California with his wife Norma, to whom he has been married for 48 years. They have two sons, Andrew and Peter, and six grandchildren who all live in the UK. He is the founder and international director of ASSIST (Aid to Special Saints in Strategic Times) and the ASSIST News Service (ANS) and was, for ten years, a commentator, on the UPI Radio Network in Washington, DC. He hosts the weekly “Front Page Radio” show on the KWVE Radio Network in Southern California and which is also carried throughout the United States. The program is also aired in Great Britain on Calvary Chapel Radio UK and also in Belize and South Africa. Besides this, Wooding is a host for His Channel Live, which is carried via the Internet to some 192 countries and also provides a regular commentary for Worship Life Radio on KWVE. You can follow Dan Wooding on Facebook under his name there or at ASSIST News Service. Dan has recently received two top media awards -- the "Passion for the Persecuted" award from Open Doors US, and one of the top "Newsmakers of 2011" from Plain Truth magazine. He is the author of some 44 books, the latest of which is "Caped Crusader: Rick Wakeman in the 1970s." To order a copy, go to: http://www.amazon.com/CAPED-CRUSADER-Rick-Wakeman-1970s/dp/1908728302/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335474883&sr=1-1 . Wooding, who was born in Nigeria of British missionary parents, has also recently released his first novel “Red Dagger” which is available this link.
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  • Woman who rescued Chinese activist released from detention
    Woman who rescued Chinese activist released from detention

    ASSIST News Service (ANS) - PO Box 609, Lake Forest, CA 92609-0609 USA
    Visit our web site at: www.assistnews.net -- E-mail: assistnews@aol.com


    Friday, May 4, 2012

    Woman who rescued Chinese activist released from detention

    By Mark Ellis
    Senior Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

    BEIJING (ANS) -- The woman who risked her life to drive blind Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng from his village to the U.S. Embassy in Beijing was released from detention. The BBC interviewed “Pearl” Peirong, a former English teacher, following her release.

    He 'Pearl' Peirong

    Pearl rescued Chen after he escaped house arrest, climbed over walls and forded a river. She drove him from Dongshigu village to Beijing following a secret rendezvous.

    “I am relieved and delighted that Pearl has been released,” said Reggie Littlejohn, President of Women’s Rights Without Frontiers. Littlejohn advocated for Pearl’s release at a congressional hearing yesterday, and Rep. Chris Smith took up Pearl’s cause.

    Littlejohn believes a strong public campaign helped win Pearl’s freedom. “Some say that quiet, back door diplomacy is the way to deal with the detention of Chinese human rights defenders. But human rights activists have found that high profile, public pressure is far more effective.”

    Pearl told the BBC she was confined in a hotel room. The police were “polite” but persistent in their effort to obtain information, which Pearl did not divulge.

    MORE


    Mark Ellis is a senior correspondent for ASSIST News Service and the founder of www.Godreports.com.  He is available to speak to groups about the plight of the church in restricted countries, to share stories and testimonies from the mission field, and to preach the gospel.
    mark@Godreports.com
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