India: ‘Blood bricks’ industry
Bricks are a crucial part of India’s growing economy as brick kilns supply the country's booming construction sector who in turn are raising buildings owned by Indian, British, and multinational companies. There are more than 2 million brick workers in India. Many kilns use bonded labourers working in conditions of near-slavery earning at best around £1.50 for a 12-hour day. Many suffer ill health from the acrid smoke and harsh working conditions leading campaigners to call the bricks they make ‘blood bricks.’ By a mound of coal, barefoot women and children squat to break pieces of coal with ungloved hands. Two of the children are barely four years old their faces smeared black as they break coal by hitting pieces against each other. All of this is against the law. Among many reports of abuses, last week labour contractors were accused of cutting off the hands of two workers who tried to leave their jobs.
India: Violence against Christians rises
Incidents of violence against Christians in Karnataka state have spiked since June, including hospitalisation of Sannamma a 50 year old Christian school helper who was attacked by about 40 extremists when she visited a village to invite students back to school. Hindu nationalists stopped her and demanded she give money for a Hindu festival. She agreed to give money later, as she did not carry any cash. They called her ‘pagan,’ accused her of forceful conversion, punched and kicked her then dragged her to a Hindu temple to attempt to forcefully convert her back to Hinduism by pouring water on her (as a symbol of religious cleansing from Christianity) and applying a red dot on her forehead to symbolise Hindu reconversion. They then forced Sannamma to sign a paper stating that she and her husband, Shidda Naik, (he was not with her at the time of the attack) would not spread word of Christianity.
Pray: God’s protection and provision for all of India’s Christian residents who bravely share their faith amid hostile communities. Pray for a harvest of Christian believers to grow in the dark places. (Lk.10:2)
India: Two Christian communities attacked
Ultra-nationalist Hindu Bajrang Dal activists attacked members of two different Christian communities engaged in a prayer service, accusing them of practicing forced conversions. The episodes took place on November 12th and 13th in Karnataka.The assaulted Christians are now in prison. This brings to 40 the number of attacks against the Christian community of the state in 2011. ‘Two incidents in two days belie every promise regarding religious freedom made to the Christian community by the Chief Minister of Karnataka, a member of the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party). Collusion between the government of the BJP and the Sangh Parivar is very real, the attacks are deliberate and meticulously planned. As long as these movements escape the harsh measures of the Indian criminal justice system, violence will continue.’
Pray: for freedom of public worship for Christian minorities across secular India. (Ps.71:1)
India: Thousands affected by floods and cyclone
Global development agency Christian Aid has released £50,000 to partner organisations in India after more than 6,000 Indian villagers were forced from their homes and 48 were killed by Cyclone Thane which swept through east-India’s state of Tamil Nadu on December 30th uprooting trees, destroying roads and buildings and bringing down power lines. As villagers attempt to rebuild their homes many are without electricity and clean drinking water. 15000 hectares of paddy crops and 20000 hectares of cashew and jackfruit trees were also destroyed, affecting both immediate survival needs and long term livelihoods. The two most vulnerable groups of concern to Christian Aid are the socially excluded Dalit community and Sri Lankan Tamil refugees.
Pray: for speedy distribution of emergency aid and refugee rehabilitation for the thousands still suffering. (Ps.86:12)
More: http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/16029
India: Satanic worship
A prayer request from one of our contacts in North East India: ‘Many youth in the Christian community in north east India have resorted to the worship of Satan to get fulfilment of their needs and aspirations. There have been many cases of desecration of churches by these Satanic worshippers where Bibles are torn and black masses are conducted inside the church buildings. Also there are many incidents of gatherings in cemeteries for the conduct of black masses. It has become a sort of trend among many wayward youth to listen to music glorifying Satan and dabbling with the occult and the Satanic. All these things are happening in the predominantly Christian areas of North East India.’
Pray: for the youth of north east India, the future generation, that they would be set free from the wiles of the Devil. (2Tim.2:26)
India: Recent persecutions
Chhattisgarh - Police arrested three Christians for ‘luring people to convert to Christianity’ by offering them money and ‘false hope’ when Hindu extremists filed a complaint against them. Karnataka – Hindu extremists disrupted the worship meeting of Ebenezer Assembly of God Church and beat Pastor Ravi George and a church member identified only as Ramu. Both received hospital treatment for serious head and hand injuries. Karnataka - Christians face a social boycott of business and grocery shops, students are prevented from attending Christian schools and the Rev. Philip Rock of St. Sebastian Church was charged with ‘causing disharmony’ after Christians refused to follow Hindu rituals. New Delhi - Hindu extremists attacked Pastor Isaac Laal returning from a Sunday church service. The Evangelical Fellowship of India reported that armed extremists took him to a Municipal Corporation hall, accused him of forceful conversion and severely beat him. Pray: for these and the hundreds of other Christians persecuted for their faith in India. (Ps.18:6) More: http://www.compassdirect.org/english/country/india/24929/