christians – FoRB in Full

From faith to exile in Guerrero, Mexico

Posted on 14/02/202414/02/2024 by cswpress in Latin America, Mexico

Damián and his family live on the outskirts of the centre of Ayutla de los Libres¹ in south-western Mexico. In May 2022, they and two other families bought the land after they were expelled from their village because they belong to a religious minority.

On 25 March 2021, Damián, age 38 at the time, was called before the Ahucachahue community assembly in Ayutla de los Libres Municipality, located in the Costa Chica region of Guerrero. The people of Ahucachahue are Mixteco, and the majority practice Roman Catholicism. At the meeting, community leaders informed him that he had been appointed to lead the festivals in honor of San Isidro Labrador,² their patron saint. Damián would be responsible for contracting musical groups and suppliers of alcohol and food, in addition to the administrative tasks that accompany the rituals specific to the Roman Catholic saint.

However, Damián had converted to Protestant-Evangelical Christianity four years earlier, in 2017, as had many others. He refused the position.

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De la fe al exilio en Guerrero, México

Posted on 14/02/2024 by cswpress in español, Latin America ES, Mexico ES

Damián y su familia viven en las afueras del centro de Ayutla de los Libres en el Sureste de México. En mayo de 2022, ellos y otras dos familias tuvieron que adquirir un terreno en esta zona después de haber sido expulsados de su comunidad por pertenecer a una minoría religiosa.

El 25 de marzo de 2021, Damián, entonces de 38 años, fue citado ante la asamblea comunitaria de Ahucachahue en el municipio de Ayutla de los Libres, ubicado en la región de la Costa Chica de Guerrero. La gente de Ahucachahue pertenece a la comunidad mixteca y la mayoría practica el catolicismo romano. En la reunión, los líderes comunitarios le informaron que había sido designado para encabezar las fiestas en honor a San Isidro Labrador, su santo patrón. Damián sería responsable de la contratación de grupos musicales y proveedores de alcohol y alimentos, además de las tareas administrativas que acompañan los rituales propios del santo católico romano.

Sin embargo, Damián se había convertido al cristianismo protestante-evangélico cuatro años antes, en 2017, como muchos otros, por lo que Rechazó el puesto.

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A life of struggle and survival: the reality of religious oppression in Cuba

Posted on 01/02/2024 by cswpress in Cuba, Latin America

Father Alberto Reyes Pías is a Roman Catholic priest in the Archdiocese of Camagüey, Cuba. He is one of the most articulate voices on freedom of religion or belief in Cuba and continues to courageously speak out about the Cuban government’s systematic violations of this right. This is a transcript of a presentation he gave as part of a panel discussion moderated by CSW, at the 2024 International Religious Freedom Summit in Washington, DC.

In Cuba, one of the most subtle mechanisms of evil is what we call “normalisation” which is nothing more than evil becoming a habitual part of our life. We not only take its presence for granted, but also focus our energies not on eliminating it and freeing ourselves from it, but on figuring out how to continue walking, despite it hindering our steps, tying our hands, and oppressing our throat.

In appearance, religious freedom is respected in Cuba. In general, churches are open, worship is allowed, catechesis exists, young people gather, one can openly talk about God, possess a Bible, and wear religious symbols. Yet, in Cuba, there is a thirst for God. Pastoral agents focus on serving those seeking an experience with God that touches their lives, even at the cost of accepting as “normal” what is not.

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Una vida de lucha y supervivencia: la realidad de opresión religiosa en Cuba

Posted on 01/02/2024 by cswpress in Cuba ES, español, Latin America ES

Padre Alberto Reyes Pías es un sacerdote católico romano en la Arquidiócesis de Camagüey, Cuba. Es una de las voces más articuladas sobre la libertad de religión o de creencias en Cuba y continúa denunciando con valentía las violaciones sistemáticas de este derecho por parte del gobierno cubano. Esta es una transcripción de una presentación que hizo como parte de un panel de discusión moderado por la CSW, en la Cumbre Internacional de Libertad Religiosa de 2024 en Washington, DC.

Uno de los más sutiles mecanismos del mal es lo que llamamos “la normalización”, que no es otra cosa que el mal convertido en parte habitual de la vida, de modo que no sólo damos por hecho su presencia sino que enfocamos nuestras energías no en eliminarlo y liberarnos de él sino en ver cómo podemos seguir caminando a pesar de que nos traba los pies, nos ata las manos y nos oprime la garganta.

Aparentemente, en Cuba se respeta la libertad religiosa: las iglesias están abiertas, los cultos son permitidos, las catequesis existen, los jóvenes se reúnen, se puede hablar abiertamente de Dios, poseer una Biblia, portar signos religiosos… Y como en este momento en Cuba hay tanta sed de Dios, los agentes de pastoral nos enfocamos en atender a toda esa gente que viene buscando una experiencia de Dios que toque su vida, pero al precio de asumir como “normal” lo que no lo es.

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A Christmas service in the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Lahore, Pakistan.

Celebrating in silence: The Christians in Pakistan under pressure this Christmas

Posted on 11/12/2023 by cswpress in Asia, Pakistan

Life is not easy for Christians in Pakistan. Many are economically marginalised, struggling to find work, at the mercy of those who wish to make life difficult for them. And they tend to experience an increase in adversity during periods of celebration.

This includes Christmas.

In some parts of Pakistan, Christians will be asked by their neighbours not to light their homes with decorations. Others who decide to invest in a tree may be asked to take them down by those who don’t want such symbols of Christianity in their community. Sometimes, neighbours will even forcibly remove decorations from the outside of Christian houses themselves.

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