Posted on 03/23/2008 8:39:41 PM PDT by Bokababe
MASSILLON, OH - D. Hunter Haynes said when he traveled to Kosovo in 2000, he was seeking adventure. What he found was a personal mission to raise awareness of religious persecution around the world.
Haynes, 41, who went to Kosovo as a U.N. peacekeeper, said at least 150 Orthodox churches have been systematically destroyed or profaned there; the result of fighting between Serbs, and Albanians, Kosovo's majority population.
In response, he started the Orthodox Christian Advocacy Institute, a company that investigates incidents of religious persecution — particularly involving Orthodox Christians — around the world.
"I've thought about doing this for a couple of years," said Haynes, who has a tiny office in downtown Massillon decorated with Orthodox icons, maps, and books from his great-grandfather's library. Haynes moved his family to Massillon after graduating from Ohio State University in January. His wife, Valerie, is from Waynesburg.
A lifelong Presbyterian, Haynes said that what he witnessed in Kosovo, led to his conversion to Orthodoxy.
"With my experience, I thought, 'How can I benefit the church?'" he said. "I felt responsible to do some kind of human-rights work."
HOT SPOTS
A former Marine, and a police officer and sheriff's deputy for 12 years, Haynes was recruited for the U.N. peacekeeping force by DynCorp, a private contractor, for the U.S. Department of State. From September 2000 through Sept. 19, 2001, he was a precinct captain at one of 34 police stations in Kosovo.
"After the NATO bombing campaign in Yugoslavia in 1999, the United Nations set up an interim government in Kosovo," he explained. "They wanted a civilian police force, but how do you do that? They decided to import veteran officers for training. It sounded like a worthy cause. I believe it was."
Haynes said there remains a disconnect about religious persecutions, even among Western Orthodox Christians
"Kosovo's just the tip of the iceberg," he said. "In at least 12 hot spots around the world where Orthodox churches are present, where people are being killed daily."
'STILL GOING ON'
Because Serbs are a minority in Kosovo, Haynes said many live in heavily fortified enclaves. "They were basically unprotected. The Albanian paramilitary attacked them. The most disturbing thing we found out is that after we were on the ground, that's when the killing of Serbs began and the churches were destroyed. It's still going on."
When Kosovo emerged in 1999 after war unraveled Yugoslavia, the U.N. and NATO placed the region under the sovereignty of Serbia. On Feb. 18, Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia. The U.S., Great Britain, France, Italy, Turkey, Albania and Germany recognize the new Republic of Kosovo. Serbia, Russia and Spain contest it.
Haynes said his goal is to provide information so that church authorities and human-rights advocates can voice their concerns to policy makers, who can exert economic and diplomatic pressure on governments.
"The international laws are on the books," he said. "They just need to honor them. That hasn't been done."
ACCOUNTABLE TO LAW
Haynes plans to submit his findings to Christian periodicals, government agencies and human rights groups. Every year, the federal government publishes the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.
"But there isn't a lot said about Kosovo," he said, "But this isn't just about Kosovo. I won't hesitate to speak out about persecution of other religions.
"This is an issue that affects everyone on certain levels. Everybody has a right to religious freedom. ... My goal is to visit 50 churches per year and do two overseas investigations per year."
Haynes doesn't charge a fee for his services, but does accept donations, explaining that OCAI isn't nonprofit because the Internal Revenue Service restricts what representatives of nonprofits can say politically.
He says that 170,000 Christians are killed every year for their beliefs.
"The facts are not a secret," he said. "We need to wake up and be vigilant and hold governments and officials accountable to the law."
Good post.
Now, this is an excellent post.
Good stuff.
But heartbreaking.
agreed
But Easter is a time that gives me hope. I believe Christians have a unique hope in overcoming these terrible conditions.
Good post. I know know we got on the wrong side of this, I don’t understand why we stayed there.
Bump!
Yes, but Christ died for our sins so that these Christians wouldn't have to. I have no wish to test their Faith beyond that which I am also willing to endure. If I can help them, I will, as I would hope that some one would give me some ray of hope if the situations were reversed. Christ's Resurrection means that "there is always Hope", yet a sign of hope in this world from someone makes it easier to bear for the next.
Here’s the list of the countries where Orthodox Christians are dying: http://www.ocai.info/Site/Welcome.html
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Croatia
Cyprus
Egypt
Eritrea
Ethiopia
Iran
Iraq
Israel and the Palestinian Territories
Kosovo-Metohija, Serbia
Lebanon
Somalia
Sudan
Syria
Turkey
The connection with the West is apparent in almost all of these countries. Most of them are allied to a greater or lesser extent with NATO countries. All of them save Croatia & Ethiopia are Mohammedan or majority Mohammedan (the “Cyprus” referred to is the so called “Turkish Republic of No. Cyprus”). I am surprised to see Syria listed as Christians are far, far safer there than in Kosovo or Turkey or No. Cyprus or Iraq, all client states of the West. Even in the countries which are not majority Mohammedan, it is the Mohammedans who are killing the Orthodox Christians.
Personally, I find it discouraging that the West supports this killing militarily, financially and diplomatically. Speaking out against it is seen in some quarters, even here in the U.S. not just in Western Europe, as being “deranged” and/or disloyal. That, frankly, is astonishing to me. Its something I never would have thought I would live to see.
LOL...peddle your lies elsewhere.
This is what it looks like when you combine Christian with American Patriot.
I figured it would be news to some.
A "patriot" who is dedicated to subverting the sovereignty of the USA to an "international" authority in the name of "human rights?"
That is news to me.
Maybe he should join Amnesty International.
“LOL...peddle your lies elsewhere.”
Not my list; its from the linked site, though I generally agree with it and it is easily backed up. Perhaps the American patriot who developed the list doesn’t know what he’s talking about, right D? Is he “disloyal”, D?
Interesting, and thoroughly appropriate screen name you have there.
Go for it.
No, a patriot who thinks we should be good to our word.
As opposed to a “patriot” who thinks we can just lie and get away with it.
Christians stand up for truth.
Thanks very much for posting this, Bokababe.
IT’S ABOUT TIME.
For too many years now, Christians have been disrespected, dismissed, vilified, or demonized. The ACLU must be rejoicing at the crime that was committed against Christianity by selling out Kosovo to Allah.
For too long, Christians have allowed their non-Christian ‘neighbors’ to trash them, all in the name of “forgiveness”.
LMAO.
BTW, we're living in 2008.
“A link from an article from 1992?
LMAO.
BTW, we’re living in 2008.”
Are the Serbian Orthodox still dead?
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