Archived reference: “Eritrea Christian Persecution Profile”

ERITREA

Population 4 million Tigrinya 50% Tigreacute 32% Saho & Afar 10% Hedareb & Bilen 4.5% Kunama Nara Rashaida Capital City Asmara Leadership President Isaias Afwerki Religion Christian 50% Muslim 50% Eritrean Ambassador to the U.S. His Excellency Mr. Girma Asmerom Embassy of Eritrea 1708 New Hampshire Ave, NW Washington DC 20009 Phone: (202) 319-1991 Fax: (202) 319-1304

E-mail: veronica@ embassyeritrea.org

[External image reference] BIO Eritrea is divided almost equally between Muslims and Christians, and interfaith relations are generally good. Nevertheless the Popular Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ) is haunted by fears that Muslim extremism or radical Christian evangelism may disturb the balance between religions and threaten national unity. Ostensibly in the interest of maintaining national cohesion the PFDJ banned religious org- anizations from involvement in politics and from com- menting in detail on political matters. Fear of the de- stabilizing effect of proselytism by either major faith has also caused the government to impose restrictions on international Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) that have all but ended their activities in Eritrea. The government is close to the Orthodox Church, which has had a presence in the area for 17 centuries. How- ever it is suspicious of newer Evangelical, Charismatic and Pentecostal Christian denominations, and of other religious groupings that do not have as long a history. Eritrea’s 1,600 Jehovah Witnesses were the first religious grouping to experience repression. The Witnesses annoyed both the government and the general populace by refusing to take part in the 1993 independence referendum or to serve the obligatory tours of national service. Although the group was allowed to meet in their ‘Kingdom Halls’ and in private homes, members experienced harassment ranging from detention to the revocation of trading licenses and dismissal from the civil service.

Map copyright Lonely Planet, modified by CSW

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Recently the newer evangelical and charismatic churches have begun to suffer increasing repression. For several years adherents have experienced harassment, mainly as a result of tensions with the Orthodox Church. The Orthodox Church appears to have been alarmed by the growth of what it con- siders ‘heretical’ newer denominations, and the loss, particularly of its younger members, to these denominations. Local sources report that persecution has been occurring for several years in provincial areas, where non-orthodox church buildings have been confiscated and some church leaders have been detained. Others have been beaten or threatened and later released. In 2001 severe persecution broke out in two Orthodox churches in the capital, Asmara, as church leaders sought to deal with ‘heretics’ in their midst. Many young people were beaten, their property was vandalized and Bibles and other religious material were burned during this officially sanctioned attack. Government spokespersons then began comparing Pentecostal/charismatic and evangelical church members to Islamists, and branded them a danger to national security. Finally, on May 21 2002 the PFDJ issued a decree ordering the closure of all churches not belonging to the Orthodox, Roman Catholic or Lutheran denominations. According to sources over 36 churches have been closed so far, including Kale Hiwot, a church affiliated to Serving in Mission (SIM), an evangelical protestant organization with a history in the region that can be traced back to 1893. It is now impossible for these Christians to meet even in private homes. Persecution is said to be particularly severe in the armed forces. Large numbers of Eritrean soldiers embraced a more evangelical brand of Christianity during the war with Ethiopia after listening to broad- casts in the local vernacular from FEBA radio, a Seychelles-based Christian station. The government was clearly alarmed by this development. Prayer meetings are now forbidden and attendance is punishable by imprisonment. Moreover, anyone found in possession of a Bible faces severe punishment. There are unconfirmed reports of several young Christian soldiers having been shot after being discovered reading the Bible. COUNTRY BACKGROUND Eritrea fought a lengthy war for independence from Ethiopia with little or no outside assistance. During its short history as a sovereign nation Eritrea has engaged in further hostilities with Sudan, Yemen and Ethiopia. The country’s robust post-independence foreign policy has meant that these neighboring countries have been more than willing to harbor Eritrean opposition forces, and this in turn has caused the ruling Popular Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ) to develop what one observer has termed a ‘persecution complex’. The most significant post- independence trans-national crisis was the 1998 war with Ethiopia. This not only emptied Eritrea’s coffers, but also slowed down progress towards democratic development, leading to the postponement of elections proposed under the extremely liberal 1997 constitution, and occasioning increasing local discontentment with the ruling regime. For its part the government has become progressively more intolerant of dissent and of any activity that it deems a threat to national unity. Eritrea’s constitution also allows for extensive civil, political economic and social rights including freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, the right to due process and the right to free assembly. However, fear of potential threats to national unity has meant that nearly all the rights outlined in the document have been clawed back by the government. The PFDJ has become increasingly hostile to civil society, cracking down on students, journalists and even ruling party members who have questioned government actions or the pace of democratization© Christian Solidarity Worldwide 2002