Two campaigns - the first for Professor Tarfa and Du Merci orphanage in Nigeria, and the second to end Uyghur forced labour in China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region – saw hugely encouraging breakthroughs in recent months. Here we share how far we’ve come, and what we’re still working towards.

Campaign update: Professor Tarfa

Professor Tarfa had experienced harassment and had even been imprisoned unjustly by the Kano state authorities in the past. However, none of this prepared him for the events of Christmas Day 2019.

‘It is a day all my family will never forget…[when] about 65 plain clothes policemen invaded our home and arrested me’. Not only was Professor Tarfa detained but, over the coming days, 27 children in all were removed from Du Merci centres in Kano and Kaduna states and placed in a government-run home in Kano.

The professor has faced a series of false charges, including child abduction and forgery, and appears to have been targeted simply for running a Christian orphanage.

1,918 of you have campaigned for all charges to be dropped. At the same time, as a result of our advocacy, the British High Commissioner in Abuja, and the UK Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief, raised the case with the Nigerian authorities.

Crying out to God in prison 

While in prison, Professor Tarfa began a 150-day period of prayer and fasting. Wonderfully, the professor was released on bail on 10 December 2019, the 149th day. And on the 150th day, he and his wife Mercy held a party where he broke his fast. ‘We danced for joy to be reunited.’

The battle for justice continues

At the time of writing Professor Tarfa’s trial is ongoing. Not only that, but 16 of the children, aged four to 15, are still in state custody. Twelve are in the government-run home; one (Moses) was transferred to hospital, having suffered first degree burns when his mosquito net caught alight; and the three youngest, all aged four, have been separated from the others and transferred to a remote location. CSW is working alongside Professor Tarfa, seeking urgent interventions from the UN and in the UK and US to secure their release. Although we’re unable to go into detail at this stage, we’ve been encouraged by the response so far to pressure from supporters like you.

Professor Tarfa’s trial resumes on 1 April, when we hope to have a ruling. Please pray for:

• All charges to be dropped.
• All 16 of the children to be returned home, particularly the three youngest who were transferred to a remote location (Destiny, Emmanuel and Mercy).
• Moses’s healing from burns, particularly on his hands; that he won't require plastic surgery, or be discharged prematurely.

Get updates on Professor Tarfa and the Du Merci orphanage case at csw.org.uk/dumerci-case

Campaign update: How to take on a giant

Breakthrough on China campaign

In the last edition of Response, our article ‘How to take on a giant’ shared details of our campaign for freedom of religion or belief in China.

We’re delighted to report that, in January, Marks & Spencer publicly signed the brand commitment, providing assurances to its customers that its products will not be linked to the abuses of Uyghurs – a predominantly Muslim ethnic group.

They are the first top-tier global retailer to make its commitment public and this was thanks in no small part to your campaigning and prayers. We thank God.

Our strategy, as part of the Coalition to End Uyghur Forced Labour, is to create a domino effect so that as more brands sign, it becomes untenable for others not to. 

Money talks, and we believe that if enough brands refuse to buy cotton from the Uyghur region, this will force the Chinese government to stop subjecting Uyghur people to forced labour.

Take action in our China campaign at csw.org.uk/campaigns