Around 1,000 delegates had already arrived in Suva, Fiji for the Methodist Church’s annual conference in August when, at the last minute, the country’s military-led government ordered its cancelation. This is the third consecutive year that the church has been ordered to cancel the conference, despite having obtained permission to hold it. The government also issued a directive to the Methodist Church on 26 August banning all church activities except Sunday worship.

The Methodist Church is the largest Christian denomination in Fiji, where about 52% of the population are Christians.

Source: Barnabas Fund, October 3rd, 2011