Focus on Uzbekistan

Although the fall of communism heralded a new era of religious freedom, change has been painfully slow in some former Soviet Union countries such as Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan. In these countries, the presence of Religious Committees, the emphasis on registration, the introduction of restrictive religious legislation, the influence of the security services and societal pressure all make life difficult for many Christians.

Winds of change

Open Doors continued to support the church during this period of change. One major Open Doors focus at that time was to strengthen the body of Christ in the Muslim republics of the Soviet Union and give them a vision to reach out to their Muslim neighbours. In February 1990, there were less than 1,000 known Christians among the traditional Muslim populations, and indigenous Christians in some Soviet Union countries were virtually unknown. The 40 to50 million Russian Orthodox believers comprised the vast majority of the Christian church there.

During one visit to Uzbekistan in 1989, an Open Doors director met the first indigenous Uzbek Christian; but things were changing, and on his return to Uzbekistan 15 years later he discovered a vibrant church of several thousand. Before Perestroika (restructuring) and Glasnost (openness), the predominantly Russian church had to function in secret, and very few had a vision to share the gospel with the local population. But in the early 90s, a handful of newly converted indigenous Uzbek Christians began to use traditional style poetry, story-telling and music to spread the Christian message, instead of Western and Russian liturgy and songs.

It was well received by the people who began to realise they didn't need to drop their own culture if they wanted to come to Christ. Conversion is now no longer seen as a threat to their identity. The indigenous church has continued to grow as whole families and young people enthusiastically share their faith, often by telling their stories during traditional tea-drinking and meal-time rituals. There is now no city in Uzbekistan that does not have its own indigenous congregation. Many are under the protection of registered Korean and Russian churches, although many are unregistered.

Open Doors is helping the Christians cope with this church growth by printing Christian material, taking in literature and carrying out training sessions for new Christians and Christian leaders.

Repression and restrictions

Although the authorities tolerate the existence of many Christian evangelical groups, they enforce the law's ban on proselytising. The government often monitors and harasses those who openly try to evangelise Muslims.

Unable to gain official recognition, Uzbekistan's indigenous churches are often forced to meet illegally and in secret. Indigenous believers are frequently 'invited' to the police station where they may be interrogated, harassed, verbally abused or even beaten. Culprits are in most cases local authorities, who misuse their powers to persecute Christians.

General discrimination of indigenous Christians is also common. People can be demoted in their work or even lose their job altogether if they are found to be converts. Literature distribution is dangerous and if caught red-handed, believers will go to jail for five to eight years. Few Christians are willing to take the risk. The (national) media are under strict state control and Christians can make no use of them at all.