Christian News

15 February 2001

* SA POLICE CONFISCATE SCRIPTURE BANNER - On 9 February, at about 11am, on the opening of Parliament, Africa Christian Action (ACA), a member organization of UCA, demonstrated in Cape Town holding placards stating that ABORTION KILLS BABIES and a large banner with the Bible verse: "…this day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. CHOOSE LIFE so that you and your children may live." Deut. 30:19 Scriptural banner has been used outside Parliament before. To ACA's amazement three police officers of the Reaction Unit forcefully confiscated the banners from the pro-lifers that were demonstrating. The police threatened them with arrest. The members of ACA were confident that the Bill of Rights guarantees freedom of speech and freedom of religion. Therefore the Director of ACA who was present at the time of the confiscation by the Police will be making an official complaint against this harassment and infringement of religious freedom. Earlier the day the driver towing UCA's Pro-life trailer, which also had Scriptural verses, as forbidden by the police to enter Cape Town because of the opening of Parliament.

UCA says it's a shocking commentary of the spiritual state of the South African nation when Christians cannot publicly display a Scripture verse on the opening day of Parliament. (UCA, 9 February 2001)

* SOUTH AFRICAN WOMEN DYING FROM ABORTION PILL IN GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS? - Doctors For Life (DFL) is in possession of documentation from the Free State Department of Health which states that, due to the inappropriate use of Misoprostil, complications have occurred in a number of cases. The "inappropriate use was so high" that in every case where the over-dosage of Misoprostol was given, it resulted in a "maternal death". According to the documentation "most of the deaths were related to severe haemorrhage".  Mysoprostil (Cytotec) is a drug intended for the treatment of gastric ulcers. The company manufacturing the drug (Searle), has, in spite of pressure from the pro-abortion lobby, consistently refused to register it as an abortifacient. Neither has the Medicines Control Council approved it for use in performing abortions. DFL has warned the government on numerous occasions against allowing the use of Misoprostil for abortion. DFL has questioned the Free State Department of Health on whether the allegations contained in the document were true, whether these cases were reported and investigated in the correct manner and whether inquest proceedings were conducted in the relevant cases. In a press release on 9 February 2001 DFL said: "Every woman in South Africa should have the right to legal protection against medical malpractices. DFL would therefore like to invite women and their family members, who have been victims of these and similar incidents, to contact us for free legal advice." Dr A. van Eeden (031) 764-0443

* "DON'T THROW UNBORN BABIES INTO THE SEWAGE" - (Bisho, SA) The habit of throwing unborn babies into the provincial sewage should be actively discouraged, UDM MPL Christian Martin said on 5 February. Martin was appealing to the legislature to take note of the "dramatic" incidence of aborted foetuses that were being found at disposal works in the province, specifically in the Schorneville area near King William's Town... He said throwing a foetus into the sewage was a serious action and the people concerned needed counselling in order to acknowledge the seriousness of their actions. A follow-up on every case needed to be instituted by the police in order to curb "these unnecessary happenings and to discourage these events." The legislature is expected to debate the issue later on. (East Cape News, 6 February 2001)

* SA A MAIN DAGGA PRODUCER FOR WORLD MARKET - According to a UN World Drug Report SA has become one of the main dagga producers in the world. The report says the number of dagga seizures within SA has decreased by around 10% since 1990, but that the country is the second-largest provider of cannabis that has been seized in western Europe and the third-largest provider for North America. SA reported the third-largest seizures of cannabis worldwide, after Mexico and the US. A significant portion of domestic production continues to be exported from SA. The UN report also says amphetamines and Ecstasy are now manufactured and consumed within SA by 0,5% of the population. Frank Kahn, chairperson of the Central Drug Authority in SA, said: "We are a transit country for heroin, cocaine and amphetamines, and the danger exists of a future abuse of these drugs, but our problem overwhelmingly remains cannabis." Gary Lewis, representative of the UN Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention, said the most effective way to combat the drug problem was to educate people about the dangers of drug abuse: "The only place we will win this battle is when we get into the hearts and minds of our youth and get the message across to them". (15 February 2001)

* COURT RULES PHARMACIST CAN OBJECT TO DISPENSING ABORTION-RELATED PILL - (USA) An Ohio pharmacist, fired for refusing to fill a prescription for the emergency contraceptive pill known as Micronor, may continue with her lawsuit after a federal judge refused to dismiss the case, according to CNSNews. In a case that could have implications for the recently approved abortion pill RU 486, U.S. District Court Judge Herman Weber ruled that an Ohio law designed to protect persons who refuse to perform or participate in medical procedures resulting in an abortion also applies to pharmacists. Weber reasoned that "what is critical is the undisputed fact that Micronor does prevent implantation of a fertilized egg in some cases and the plaintiff's asserted belief is that this process results in abortion and is morally wrong." Both sides said they were pleased with the ruling. "This is a major victory for the rights of conscience [and] has enormous implications for the growing practice of chemical or drug-induced abortions," said Francis J. Manion, senior counsel for the American Center for Law and Justice, the public interest law firm suing the pharmacist's former employer, Kmart. The retailer had argued that the state law in question did not apply to pharmacists. If the suit is not settled out of court, the only matter left for the jury to decide, other than damages, will be, "was she fired for her refusal to do this?" said Manion. Both sides already agree she was. "We're pleased with the judge's ruling," said Susan Dennis, a spokeswoman for Kmart, CNSNews reported. "The judge dismissed four of the five charges, so we're pleased with that," she said. (CNSNews.com)

* PRINCE OF WALES CALLS FOR TOLERANCE OF FAITHS -  The Prince of Wales has called for more tolerance and understanding of faiths other than Christianity. Speaking to a Muslim gathering on 8 February, Prince Charles said cultural

diversity was crucial to unity in Britain. He said, "What I always try to say is about the importance of our different faith communities in this country. I think we are enormously fortunate to have such a rich and diverse mix. I feel we have a great deal of unity through that diversity." The Prince, who by law must accept the tenets of Anglican Christianity when he becomes king, had earlier listened to a reading from the Qu'ran. (CWNews.com, 8 Feb 2001)

* EURO PARLIAMENT CONCERN OVER DUTCH EUTHANASIA - A growing number of members of the European Parliament are voicing concern over the Dutch proposal to legalise active euthanasia. The proposal, which was accepted by the lower house of the Dutch parliament in December, will be discussed in the upper house in April. The law removes the active killing of patients from the Penal Code, and leaves the judgement on whether the active euthanasia was practised in a careful and right manner, to a commission. The new changes are once again a step further down the slippery slope, says Christians for Truth in the Netherlands.  "While still formally forbidden in the new proposal, the Minister of Health said during the debate that she can imagine that patients who are not fatally ill, or who do not face "unbearable and hopeless suffering" can ask for euthanasia. Also suggestions are being made that patients could be killed in certain situations without their consent, when they suffer unbearably."

With the threat mounting of a resolution being tabled in the European Parliament, the Dutch government has started a very intense campaign, though in the background, to influence the Dutch members of the European parliament to water down the proposed resolution, because of the potential harm which the resolution could do to the image of the Netherlands abroad. The European Treaty on Human Rights states that a person's life may not be  taken "intentionally" and the Dutch proposal is in conflict with this treaty.  (CFT The Netherlands)