Court appearance over cross in Burma
A CHIN elder, Tial Cem, who helped to plant a 54-foot-high cross
on a hill in Hakha, Burma, was due to appear in court on Wednesday.
The government of Chin State has ordered that the cross be removed.
The Chin Human Rights Organization, which is calling for the order
to be overturned, said that Mr Tial said that permission was not
sought because he did not believe that it would be granted, owing
to discriminatory restrictions. Peaceful demonstrations against the
order were planned to take place on Thursday and Friday.
Protestants turned away from home in Mexico
DISPLACED Protestants from Chiapas State, Mexico, were denied
re-entry to their village on 20 January, despite state government
promises that village leaders had agreed to uphold religious
freedom, Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) reports. The group of
47 were forcibly expelled from Buenavista Bahuitz village in 2012,
and instructed to convert to Roman Catholicism. They have been
living in rudimentary housing for the past two and a half
years.
New audio drama to help carers of traumatised
children
THOSE caring for traumatised children, including victims of
trafficking, are to be given support through a new audio drama that
tells the story of two children who escape violence and
exploitation. Holding Esther, produced by Trans World
Video and RiverCross, has been tested in Kenya and Uganda. For more
information visit www.rivercrosstwr.org.