Press Release
10 April 2008

'SUN, SEA, SAND AND PERSECUTION' WARNS OPEN DOORS AS TEN POPULAR HOLIDAY DESTINATIONS NAMED IN LIST OF WORST 50 NATIONS FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

Bishop of Shrewsbury says Christians should make ethical choices over holiday destinations

Eti, in Indonesia, was imprisoned for being a Sunday School teacher

A Christian shop in Gaza, bombed by Islamists

Semse, widow of Turkish martyr Necati Aydin, with her children

Be careful when you think about an exotic location for your holiday this year, for you may easily find yourself travelling to one of the most repressive countries in the world as far as freedom of belief is concerned. This was the stark warning given today by Open Doors, the international charity serving persecuted Christians worldwide as it published a major new report – the 2008 World Watch List.

The fact that ten of our most aspirational places to go for a relaxing break also have some of the worst records for persecuting Christians is something that many of us are simply not aware of. Yet places like the Maldives, Egypt, Vietnam, Cuba, and India are all in the worst 30 persecuting nations with the Maldives the highest at number four. These places are often places of choice for UK teenagers taking gap years before going to university or college, too.

The Bishop of Shrewsbury, Alan Smith said “For many years I have tried to make ethical decisions about where I take my holidays and I would encourage all Christians to do the same. I am well aware that there are many grey areas. Nevertheless, part of our Christian responsibility to is learn about other parts of the world and to work for truth and justice. We also need to support our fellow Christians in other countries, many of whom are suffering or whose lives are under threat.”

The other holiday locations we should be wary of are Turkey, Sri Lanka, Morocco, Tunisia and Indonesia (which includes Bali).

Many of the nations which feature on the World Watch List are signatories to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which guarantees freedom of conscience and religious expression. Article 18 says:

“Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance”.

Eddie Lyle, chief executive of Open Doors UK and Ireland, said: “’Sun, sea sand and persecution’ would be an appropriate adage here. The image many of us have in our minds of these gorgeous locations is one of sandy beaches, palm trees and exotic cultural treasures. But the reality for those people living there wishing to express their faith openly and responsibly is very different from how the brochures portray things. Christians commonly experience discrimination in the workplace and in education, are abused physically and emotionally, cannot hold church services, are thrown into jail and – all too often – murdered.”

Steve Gaukroger, Chair of Open Doors Council of Reference, commented: "These days we routinely make decisions about important ethical issues such as the impact food-miles have on global warming. Given the appalling ways that our Christian brothers and sisters are being treated in many places around the world, we need to apply similar criteria to our holiday destinations, too."

As far as the overall World Watch List is concerned, the worst nation in the world for persecuting Christians is North Korea, followed by Saudi Arabia, Iran and the Maldives. Six of the top ten are Islamic nations that also include Afghanistan, Yemen and Uzbekistan. Three are communist, including China and Laos as well as North Korea. The Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan is the only Buddhist country in the overall top ten.

In many countries, such as North Korea, Libya, Jordan and Belarus, persecution has grown significantly worse over the past 12 months. The position in Afghanistan was also exacerbated, due to incidents such as the abduction of 23 South Korean Christians last July, two of whom were murdered by the Taliban. In Pakistan, which has a sizeable Christian minority, believers are more closely monitored than before as radical Muslim influence grows within the state security forces and the police. In the Palestinian Territories ranked 42 on the list, Rami Ayyad, the manager of the Palestian Bible Society bookshop, was murdered by extremists in October last year leaving a widow and three young children. He had been tortured and his body bore a gunshot wound to the head as well as numerous stab wounds.

 In Turkey, ranked at 34 on the list, three Christians, Tilmann Geske, Necati Aydin and Ugur Yuksel, were bound, tortured and their throats slit, before being martyred in April last year. Their attackers justified their actions because they said the three Christians who were killed as they worked in a publisher’s office, were 'attacking' Islam.

In several countries however, reports of recorded persecution fell, in places such as Somalia and Ethiopia, and Nepal dropped off the list altogether. 

[The full list is included at Appendix 1 below]

Media Enquiries:
Iain Taylor
Taylor Communications
01732 740573 or 01732 461060
www.opendoorsuk.org

Notes to Editors:

Founded in 1955, Open Doors is an international charity serving persecuted Christians in around 45 countries around the world. Its work involves:

• Raising awareness of persecuted Christians and mobilising prayer and support in the UK
• Strengthening the faith of Christians behind closed borders through printing and delivering Bibles, Christian literature and teaching/training materials
• Befriending and caring for persecuted Christians by visiting them, writing letters and praying for them
• Enabling believers at risk to earn a living by providing livelihood and literacy training and self-help opportunities
• Equipping evangelists and pastors through theological and leadership training courses and training seminars and supporting Bible colleges

Appendix 1

2008 World Watch List

Copyright © 2008 Open Doors International