Tag: christians

Pastor Rudy Palacios Vargas dared to speak out against injustice in Nicaragua. For that he has been labelled a murderer and a terrorist. 

Posted on by cswpress in Latin America, Nicaragua

On the evening of Thursday 17 July, armed police officers – some in uniform and others dressed in black or blue and with their faces covered – arrived in a coordinated operation at the homes of Pastor Rudy Palacios Vargas and several of his friends and family in Jinotepe Municipality, Carazo Department, Nicaragua. 

The police, who did not show any arrest warrants, broke down the doors of each house using their rifle butts and a tool called a ‘pig’s foot’ before proceeding to arrest Pastor Palacios Vargas, his sister Jéssica Palacios Vargas and brothers-in-law Pedro José López and Armando José Bermudez. Mauricio Alonso Petri, a political activist and friend of the pastor, and his adult son of the same name, who is a part of the worship team at Pastor Palacios Vargas’ church were detained as well. Family friend Olga María Lara Rojas, a former political councillor, who is a Protestant Christian but not a member of Pastor Palacios Vargas’ church, was also arrested at her home. 

The officers confiscated the detainees’ cell phones and other electrical devices and were reported to have taken them to the 3rd Police District, though the authorities initially refused to provide their family members with any information as to their whereabouts. 

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El Pastor Rudy Palacios Vargas se atrevió a denunciar las injusticias en Nicaragua. Por ello, ha sido acusado de asesinato y terrorismo. 

Posted on by cswpress in español, Latin America ES, Nicaragua ES

En un operativo coordinado la noche del jueves 17 de julio, policías armados —algunos uniformados, otros vestidos de negro o azul y con el rostro cubierto— llegaron simultáneamente a la casa del Pastor Rudy Palacios Vargas y las casas de sus amigos y familiares en el municipio de Jinotepe, departamento de Carazo, Nicaragua.   

La policía, que no mostró ninguna orden de arresto, derribó las puertas de cada casa con las culatas de sus rifles y con una herramienta llamada “pata de cerdo”.  De inmediato arrestaron al Pastor Palacios Vargas, a su hermana Jéssica Palacios Vargas y sus cuñados Pedro José López y Armando José Bermúdez Mojica. También fueron arrestados Mauricio Alonso Petri, activista político y amigo del pastor, y su hijo adulto del mismo nombre, quien forma parte del grupo de alabanza de la iglesia del Pastor Palacios Vargas. Olga María Lara Rojas, cristiana protestante, no miembro de la iglesia del pastor Palacios Vargas, pero amiga de la familia y exconsejera política, también fue detenida en su domicilio. 

 Los agentes confiscaron los teléfonos celulares y otros dispositivos eléctricos de los detenidos y, según se informó, los llevaron al Tercer Distrito Policial, aunque inicialmente las autoridades se negaron a proporcionar a sus familiares información sobre su paradero. 

Continue reading “El Pastor Rudy Palacios Vargas se atrevió a denunciar las injusticias en Nicaragua. Por ello, ha sido acusado de asesinato y terrorismo. “ →

Where justice fails: How cultures of impunity lead to forced displacement in India and Mexico

Posted on by cswpress in Asia, India, Latin America, Mexico

On 11 June the families and loved ones of Neelkant and Pushpa Verma gathered for what should have been a day of celebration. The young Christian couple were due to marry in Raipur in India’s Chhattisgarh State, no doubt filled with excitement at what should have been one of the happiest days of their lives, and all the joy to follow in the years to come. 

But this excitement was cut short when three villagers in in their early twenties stormed the wedding venue, cutting off the electricity supply and declaring that Christians were not allowed to hold celebrations in the village. When Neelkant’s family attempted to contact the electricity board, over 30 villagers gathered outside of the venue, vandalising guests’ vehicles and setting the building on fire.  

The mob proceeded to hurl abuse at the women and tear some of their sarees. When the women’s children tried to defend their mothers, they were pelted with stones and forced to seek refuge in a nearby house. Once the victims were inside, they called the police who arrived quickly and escorted them to safety, managing to disperse the attackers.  

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Donde la justicia falla: Cómo las culturas de impunidad conducen al desplazamiento forzado en India y México

Posted on by cswpress in Asia ES, español, India ES, Latin America ES, Mexico ES

El 11 de junio, las familias y seres queridos de Neelkant y Pushpa Verma se reunieron para lo que debería haber sido un día de celebración. La joven pareja cristiana debía casarse en Raipur, en el estado indio de Chhattisgarh, sin duda todos estaban llenos de emoción por lo que debería haber sido uno de los días más felices de sus vidas y por toda la alegría que les esperaba en los años venideros. 

Pero esta emoción se vio truncada cuando tres mienbros de su comunidad de alrededor de veintite años de edad irrumpieron en el lugar de la boda, cortando el suministro eléctrico y declarando que los cristianos no podían celebrar bodas en el pueblo. Cuando la familia de Neelkant intentó contactar con la compañía eléctrica, más de 30 residentes se congregaron frente al lugar, destrozando los vehículos de los invitados e incendiando el edificio. 

La turba comenzó a insultar a las mujeres y a rasgar algunos de sus saris [prenda tradicional india]. Cuando los hijos de las mujeres intentaron defender a sus madres, fueron apedreados y obligados a refugiarse en una casa cercana. Una vez dentro, llamaron a la policía, que llegó rápidamente y los escoltó a un lugar seguro, logrando dispersar a los atacantes. 

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State repression knows no ideology

Posted on by cswpress in Cuba, El Salvador, Latin America

On 12 May a community in rural El Salvador gathered for a peaceful protest demanding their land rights. Within hours, the government responded with riot gear and arrests, striking fear among the families present. This is how authoritarian tendencies manifest themselves, no matter the political branding. 

In today’s polarised world, it is easy to label enemies by ideology. When we think of authoritarianism, our minds may leap to the right or the left. But beyond the party name or rhetoric lies something more universal: the impulse to silence those who question injustice. 

In recent weeks, two cases from opposite ends of the ideological spectrum have brought this to light. In one, a pastor in a country with a right-leaning government was arrested while seeking to protect his community from an unjust eviction. In the other, two pastors living under a left-leaning government were detained for speaking of God’s justice in defence of their son at a military tribunal. Though the contexts differ, the charges were similar: ‘public disorder’ and ‘resisting arrest’ in the former, and “‘disrespect’ and ‘disobedience’ in the latter. Neither government would tolerate independent voices raising moral concerns. 

Continue reading “State repression knows no ideology” →