, March
2007) (to index)
* BIBLE SOCIETY TO OPEN OFFICE IN IRAQ - The Bible Society
has received official permission to open a local office in the region of Kurdistan,
northern Iraq, and is planning to fund a Kurdish office in the city of Erbil from next
year.
News that the permission had been granted reached Nabil Omeish, the Program Coordinator
for the Bible Society's work in Iraq, in a phone call last month while he was on holiday
in France. Cutting his holiday short and leaving his family in Europe, Mr Omeish flew to
Jordan and on to Erbil, one of the leading cities in the Kurdish Autonomous Region.
On arrival, he met the government official who had contacted him, and after completing
all the formalities, he was handed a 'Faraman' – or government decree – in the
Kurdish Surani language, giving the Bible Society official permission to open an office
and conduct all its functions and activities in the self-governing region.
Although the timing of the news may have taken Mr Omeish by surprise, it was in fact
the result of months of hard work and visits by him to various government offices and
officials. In addition, the printing and distribution for the first time, last December,
of 20,000 Kurdish Scripture Calendars (see Latest News # 384) speeded up the process: the
sight of the Scripture Calendars on many desks in government and public offices is an
indicator of the strong impact that the Bible Society work has had in the region.
Mike Bassous, General Secretary of the Bible Society in Lebanon, also responsible for
the work in Iraq, emphasised the importance of moving in response to the decree. "It
is very important that we translate this official approval into action," he said,
"by opening a branch in the Kurdish region to strengthen our work amongst the Kurdish
Church."
In fact, in anticipation of the decree, the Bible Society in Lebanon had already set up
an unfunded project to establish an office in Erbil. In 2008, it is planning to staff a
Kurdish person to coordinate its work in the region.
Kurdistan itself is an autonomous region inside Iraq's borders. Administered by the
Kurdistan Regional Government, it has its own governing bodies and functionaries, such as
a parliament, prime minister and cabinet ministers. The region has become a safe haven for
the displaced Iraqi Christians seeking security inside Iraq.
Meanwhile, the Bible Society continues to operate from its office and warehouse in
Baghdad. A new branch in the relatively secure northern region will strengthen its mission
and be very effective for the Bible cause. (United Bible Societies, 17 Aug 2007) (to index)
* CHURCH MURDER SUSPECT WAS FAMILY – Kernal Rehobson
and the man now accused of killing him were relatives who took different paths, family
members and fellow Micronesian immigrants said: One gained respect in this rural town as a
preacher and community leader, while the other lost it by drinking heavily.
When Ekien Elam Saimon opened fire inside a church here on Sunday, Rehobson was the
first to die, witnesses said.
Both men arrived here nearly 20 years ago from Micronesia, but it was Rehobson who
gained influence in Neosho’s tightly knit community of hundreds of Micronesian
immigrants.
"I think Saimon was jealous," said Lou Rehobson-Manuel.
"He wasn’t a leader; he didn’t do a lot. He liked to party, and Kernal
is the opposite."
Authoriteis said Saimon entered the church with two handguns, killing three men and
wounding four other people. As he approached the congregation he cursed the men as liars
and accused them of attacking his reputation behind his back.
Saimon, 52, surrendered to police after the shooting and is being held without bail in
Newton County jail. The next hearing is scheduled for August 28.
Saimon is charged with three counts of first-degree murder; four counts of assault and
one count of felonious restraint on suspicion of holding the congregation hostage. (Daily
News, 15 August 2007) (to index)
* JUDICIAL ACTIVIST RULES IOWA DEFENSE OF MARRIAGE ACT
UNCONSTITUTIONAL - Polk County Judge Robert Hanson (not to be confused with
convicted spy Robert Hanssen) has miraculously divined that the framers of the Iowa
constitution really intended that Iowans of the same sex must be allowed to
"marry" one another. The unelected Hanson struck down Iowa's Defense of Marriage
Act on Thursday ruling that, "Couples, such as Plaintiffs, who are otherwise
qualified to marry one another may not be denied licenses to marry or certificates of
marriage or in any other way be prevented from entering into a civil marriage pursuant to
Iowa Code Chapter 595 by reason of the fact that both persons, compromising such a couple,
are of the same sex."
Within two hours of the ruling homosexual couples began applying for marriage licenses.
Addressing the decision, Matt Barber, Policy Director for Cultural Issues with
Concerned Women for America (CWA) said, "Through his actions, Judge Hanson has
arrogantly ignored the will of the people by cavalierly disregarding a law
constitutionally enacted by Iowa citizens through their elected representatives in 1998.
"Once again we have another renegade judge abusing the authority he's been granted
and arbitrarily legislating from the bench. Hanson is a judicial activist. He's just one
man - a county judge - who has haughtily trampled on the concept of separation of powers,
the elected state legislature and the people of Iowa in order to push his own radical
agenda.
"It's preposterous to think that the framers of the Iowa constitution could have
even imagined that the document they were drafting would someday be distorted in such a
way as to force "'gay' marriage" upon Iowa.
"This case proves once again that the only way to assure that the institution of
marriage is protected - and not radically redefined into oblivion - is to pass a federal
marriage amendment," concluded Barber.
The case is expected to be appealed to the Iowa Supreme Court. (Concerned Women for
America, 31 Aug 2007) (to index)
* SOUTH KOREAN HOSTAGES FREED: TROUBLING ISSUES REMAIN -
Nineteen South Koreans held hostage by Taliban rebels since July 19 have been freed and
are now in the custody of South Korean government officials. The hostages were released in
five handoffs starting August 29 and ending on August 30. All were handed over to
representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) at undisclosed
locations.
A South Korean government official said the hostages would be reunited and returned to
their home country as soon as possible. ICRC officials said the newly released hostages
appear to be in good health.
The hostages were released after South Korean officials reached an agreement with
Taliban representatives to withdraw the nation's 200 military personnel from Afghanistan
and end all missionary work in the nation. That agreement has come under fire from many
observers, including members of the South Korean media, who note that the action lends
credibility to the radical Islamic group even though its demand for a prisoner exchange
was not met.
"Although the Taliban did not achieve their stubborn demands for a prisoner swap,
they certainly obtained a lot in terms of political credibility through their direct
negotiations with a foreign government in their 'territory,'" said one Korean Times
editorial.
The editorial asserts that the negotiations worked to undermine the Afghanistan
government as well as international efforts in the war on terror. The government in Kabul
is still recovering from the heavy criticism it encountered in March when it freed five
Taliban in exchange for an Italian hostage.
One leading South Korean paper, Dong-A Ilbo, said the Seoul government showed weakness
in its dealings with the kidnappers and may have increased the chances of more South
Koreans being abducted.
The Afghan hostage situation does not end with the release of the 19 South Koreans.
Taliban extremists are still holding German engineer Rudolf Blechschmidt. Blechschmidt,
his colleague Ruediger Diedrich and five Afghans were abducted the day before the
abduction of the 23 South Koreans.
Three days after their capture, Diedrich's body was discovered. He had been shot to
death. Taliban militants also shot to death two of the South Korean hostages, including
the group's pastor. Two South Korean women were released last week as a "good
will" gesture.
The deal brokered by the South Korean government, which calls for the end to all
missionary work in the nation by South Koreans, is troubling to many in the faith
community. The Saemmul Presbyterian Church, to which the former hostages belong, insists
that its volunteers were providing humanitarian aid, not evangelizing. It remains to be
seen what impact there will be internationally from the South Korean government's
concession that humanitarian aid efforts qualify as proselytizing. A New York Times
article estimates that some 17,000 South Koreans serve as fulltime missionaries, along
with countless volunteers and short-term aid workers, many in predominantly Muslim
nations.
There is also the issue of what power the Seoul government has to control the
missionary and human aid work of a vast array of independent churches. While it is certain
that churches will review their outreach efforts in light of the government's agreement,
there is much less certainty that believing congregations will abandon the Great
Commission based on their national government's agreement with Islamic extremists.
Continue to pray for Christian missionaries around the world - from every nation - who
remain in peril from the actions of Islamic militants. (Concerned Women for America, 31
Aug 2007) (to index)
