Jerusalem leaders oppose Gazan ‘displacement’
THE Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem released a statement last Friday in which they described the “grave threat of a mass displacement” in Gaza as an “injustice that strikes at the very heart of human dignity”. President Trump has proposed that Gaza be transferred to US ownership, and the population relocated (News, 7 February). “The people of Gaza, families who have lived for generations in the land of their ancestors, must not be forced into exile, stripped of whatever is left of their homes, their heritage, and their right to remain in the land that forms the essence of their identity,” wrote the Heads of Churches — who include the Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem, Dr Hosam Naoum. The statement also called for the release of “all captives from both sides”, and unfettered access for aid workers.
Dr Makgoba condemns murder of gay imam
THE murder of an openly gay imam, Muhsin Hendricks, in South Africa, has been condemned by the Archbishop of Cape Town, Dr Thabo Makgoba. In a statement on Monday, Dr Makgoba said: “We pray that those responsible for this horrific killing will be brought to justice, and we affirm the rights and dignity of all God’s people.” The imam was shot by two masked men who had ambushed him in a car on Saturday morning. Media reports suggested that, shortly before his murder, he had officiated at an interfaith wedding. He was the founder of an LGBTQ-inclusive mosque in Cape Town. On Saturday, the executive director of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA), Julia Ehrt, said that his life had been “a testament to the healing that solidarity across communities can bring in everyone’s lives”. Ms Ehrt called on the South African authorities to “thoroughly investigate what we fear may be a hate crime”.
Priest stabbed to death in Myanmar church
A ROMAN Catholic priest in Myanmar, Fr Donald Martin Ye Naing Win, was murdered last Friday. Catholic Connect reported that he was alone in his church, in the Sagaing region of Mayanmar, when ten armed men entered. Local officials are reported as saying that the gang told him to kneel, and then stabbed him. The men were arrested, and five knives and a gun were recovered from the scene. The President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, said that “the wrongdoing committed against Father Donald Martin Ye Naing Win is not something that can be easily forgotten. Therefore, we urge those responsible to take appropriate action and ensure justice is served, so that such incidents do not occur again in the future.” More than 5000 mourners attended the funeral this week, RC news agencies reported. The founding president of Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Mervyn Thomas, said that the priest’s murder was part of a “deepening persecution and insecurity faced by religious minorities in Myanmar”.
Vietnam proscribes refugee organisation
BOAT People SOS (BPSOS), which has headquarters in the United States, has been declared a terrorist organisation by the Vietnamese government. In a statement issued last Friday, the leadership of BPSOS was accused of “assisting organisations and individuals participating in anti-Vietnam activities”. BPSOS was founded in the 1980s to assist people wanting to leave Vietnam.