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http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/s05060032.htm
ASSIST News Service (ANS) - PO Box 2126, Garden Grove, CA 92842-2126 USA
Visit our web site at: www.assistnews.net -- E-mail: danjuma1@aol.com
Wednesday, June 8, 2005
ERITREA: SOME 900 CHRISTIANS IMPRISONED
By Elizabeth Kendal
World Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty Commission (WEA RLC)
Special to ASSIST News Service
AUSTRALIA (ANS) -- In September 2001 the Eritrean government closed down all private media, then rounded up its opponents and critics and silenced them by incarcerating them in 'secret' prisons. Amnesty International estimates several thousand political prisoners are languishing incommunicado in detention. The crackdown on churches began in May 2002 when the government closed and banned all but three state- sanctioned denominations: Eritrean Orthodox, Catholic and Lutheran.
Today some 900 Christians including 16 pastors are in prison for their faith. The conditions are dire and torture is routine. This religious repression is partly driven by the politically powerful Eritrean Orthodox Church trying to protect its influence in the face of significant evangelical renewal. The Eritrean government denies there is any religious repression, boasting full religious freedom with tight national security.
These four years of repression, violence and injustice have also been four years of drought. Today, around 60 percent of Eritreans rely on food aid. UNICEF reports that more than 40 percent of pregnant or lactating women are malnourished and between 10 and 20 percent of all children under age five are acutely malnourished. New laws came into effect on 1 June 2005 to regulate Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) and tax their imports, making it impossible for smaller NGOs to operate. NGOs engaging in 'political or economic sabotage' will be banned. Eritrea's suffering and isolation will thus be further compounded.
Compass Direct (CD) reports that on Saturday 28 May, police raided a large wedding ceremony in the Eritrean capital of Asmara, arresting at least 250 guests, along with the bride and groom (both of the Meserete Kristos Church) and their wedding party. Members of the government-sanctioned denominations were later released, while about 70 others belonging to banned evangelical churches were kept in custody. CD reports that amongst those arrested were Pastor Gideon of the Meserete Kristos Church, Immanuel an evangelist from the Kale Hiwot Church, and Esaye Stefanos, a nationally known gospel singer from the Full Gospel Church. The prisoners are reportedly being pressured to abandon their evangelical beliefs and join state-sanctioned churches.
On Wednesday 25 May, Eritreans from across America along with their supporters gathered outside Eritrea's Embassy in Washington DC to protest Eritrea's human rights violations. They called for the release of all political and religious prisoners, and for political, journalistic and religious freedom to be restored. Eritrean believers at the rally prayed and worshiped the Lord openly in front of posters of imprisoned Eritrean pastors. The Director of Jubilee Campaign, Anne Buwalda, comments, 'Almost everyone [at the rally] knew one or more jailed pastor. ... they came from as far away as Minnesota and Atlanta to attend because of their love for their pastors.'
Sources believe the wedding arrests were a response to the Washington protest and the Eritrean government is trying to intimidate local believers into silence. Retaliatory arrests are intended to send the message that overseas advocacy and pressure will only make things worse. There will be a rally outside the Eritrean Embassy in London on Thursday 9 June, to call once again for religious freedom in Eritrea.
PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY FOR:
God to comfort, encourage and sustain imprisoned believers, supplying all their needs, healing their trauma of body, mind and soul, and filling them with an overwhelming assurance of his presence and love.
God to raise up powerful advocates and effective measures to restore justice and religious liberty to Eritrea, so those unjustly imprisoned can be released and God's word can go out boldly, powerfully and freely.
the President of Eritrea, Isayas Afewerki - 'The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.' (Proverbs 21:1)
the irresistible Holy Spirit to revive the state-sanctioned Eritrean Orthodox, Catholic and Lutheran churches, from the grassroots to the leadership, that repenting they will know unity as one body, solidarity with the persecuted, and renewed passion for the living Christ.
'Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord. Renew them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy.' (Habakkuk 3:2)
Elizabeth Kendal is the Principal Researcher and Writer for the World Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty Commission (WEA RLC) www.worldevangelical.org/rlc.html. This article was initially written for the WEA RLP(Religious Liberty Prayer) mailing list
Elizabeth can be contacted by e-mail at rl-research@crossnet.org.au.
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