Uzbekistan
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Official name: Republic of Uzbekistan |
DEMOGRAPHY
ECONOMY |
LIFE & LIBERTY |
Contents |
[edit] Geography
[edit] Location
- Uzbekistan is dry, double-landlocked country in Central Asia, formerly part of the Soviet Union. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south. Uzbekistan is approximately the size of Morocco and has an area of 172,700 square miles/45,000 square kilometer. Ten percent of Uzbekistan’s territory is intensely cultivated irrigated river valleys. The famous Silk Road passed through this country on its way from China to Turkey.
[edit] Climate
[edit] Natural Resources
[edit] Demographics
[edit] Peoples
- Uzbek (21 million)
- Tajik (1,3 million)
- Kazakh (1,1 million)
- Tatar (0,7 million)
- Karakalpak (0,5 million)
- Kyrgyz (0,3 million)
- Turkmen (0,2 million)
[edit] Provinces
- Tashkent, capital of Uzbekistan
[edit] Life
- The nation is an arena of warring value systems. Economic reform has been painfully slow, poverty and unemployment are widespread and the country has a poor record on human rights. The term Uzbek means ‘master of himself’, but many are seeking to enslave the Uzbeks with their ideologies: radical Islamism (especially in the fertile Ferghana valley), occultism, and several sects. Pray that Uzbeks might find freedom by serving the Lord their Creator and true Master.
[edit] Economy
[edit] Government
- Type of Government: Authoritarian. Uzbekistan declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 and since then Islom Karimov has been in sole charge because he has made it against the law for anyone to oppose him in government.
[edit] Religion
- Uzbekistan is predominantly Muslim (83.5%), with Christians only making up 1.28% of its population. The government has been keen to stamp out Islamic extremism, but Uzbek Christians are also treated harshly.
[edit] Islam
- * Uzbekistan’s capital Tashkent is the Islamic capital of Central Asia, and for a lot of people Islam is part of their cultural identity. Pray that people would be released from any cultural pressure to be Islamic in any way and have the freedom to explore Christianity.
[edit] Buddhism
[edit] Christianity
[edit] History
[edit] Churches
- Most Christians in Uzbekistan are Koreans and Russians. Pray that Christians would be able to cross the cultural divide between Uzbeks, Koreans and Russians and break down any mistrust or suspicion.
[edit] Church and State Relations
[edit] Challenges for Christians:
- On November 14, 2006, the Secretary of State of United States of America designated Uzbekistan as a Country of Particular Concern under the International Religious Freedom Act for particularly severe violations of religious freedom. Uzbekistan has one of the worst records in the world for religious freedom. The government particularly targets dynamic and evangelistic churches, making it impossible for them to officially register. Telling people about God could earn Christians three years in prison and for opening an unregistered Christian group, Christians would get five years. Recently, a suspended jail sentence was given to Sharofat Allamova after police confiscated Christian literature from her, a Protestant Pastor Khyn-Mun Kim was fined about a year’s salary for “illegal” religious activity and a fine being imposed on his colleague, Me Vol Kim. Twelve Protestants recently also faced charges after they “illegally” met for worship and police confiscated Christian literature from them.
- Pray that God would give Uzbek Christians strength and perseverance in the face of persecution. Pray for God to bring good from the persecution, that eyes may be opened, hearts softened and the Christian believers to grow in prayer and faith. Pray for the Gospel message to be spread through the courts and media and into the prisons, and may the Holy Spirit use it all for the glory of God.
[edit] Mission
[edit] Broadcasting
[edit] Councils and Networks
[edit] Persecution
- Christians (0,3 %) are seen as followers of a Western religion or members of an extremist sect. Television portrays Christians very negatively, bringing them more pressure. In 2006 many expatriate Christian workers were deported or their visa were not extended.
- A new law now punishes the printing of religious books with three years in prison. Bible and Christian books have to be printed outside of the country. But it is very difficult to bring them into the country.
- August 2007: The situation appears to be getting worse. There is more pressure on Christian churches. Virtually all foreign workers have been forced to leave the country.
- 17 May 2008, the Uzbek state-run First TV Channel broadcast a programme attacking religious minorities, particularly Protestant Christians and those who share their faith with others. It focussed especially on “missionary activities”, describing them as a “global problem along with religious dogmatism, fundamentalism, terrorism and drug addiction”. Evangelical Christians were compared to Satanists. The broadcast, which was entitled “In the clutches of ignorance”, used police films taken during raids on Sunday worship. Two particular pastors were depicted as traitors, and all their personal details were broadcast.
- We pray for supernatural strength for this congregation to continue to stand strong.
- Pray for Muslim-background believers pressured to deny their new faith, publicly humiliated and hounded out of their homes and jobs.
- Ask God for the safe printing and distribution of Bibles and other Christian materials.
[edit] Future Trends
[edit] For More Reading
