RELIGIOUS FREEDOM UPDATE: HARRASMENT, ARRESTS &

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ASMARA 000146 SIPDIS SIPDIS LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCHERS, PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/13/2017 TAGS: PHUM PGOV KIRF SOCI ER SUBJECT: RELIGIOUS FREEDOM UPDATE: HARRASMENT, ARRESTS & BIBLE BURNING REF: 06 ASMARA 1058 Classified By: AMB. Scott H. DeLisi for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (U) Summary: The Government of the State of Eritrea (GSE) continues to persecute religious groups and detain individual church members. During the month of January, GSE officials confiscated the vestments of the deposed Patriarch of the Eritrean Orthodox Church, who has been under house arrest for over 1 year. The Catholic Church endured harassment and pressure from the GSE, as the GSE maintained its policy of interfering with Church operations (Reftel). Members of the Medhane Alem congregation, the reform movement of the Orthodox Church, again faced detention by the GSE and members of unregistered religious groups were arrested in Assab. In addition, the officials burned the bibles of students at the Sawa Training Center and subjected over 30 students to severe punishment. Such arrests and harassment are routine practices by the GSE and Post anticipates these types of incidents will be an on-going reality in Eritrea. End Summary. THE ORTHODOX CHURCH: GSE INTERVENTION AND HARASSMENT PERSISTS -------------- -------------- ¶2. (U) Post confirmed that on January 20, 2007, priests of the Eritrean Orthodox Church accompanied by government officials entered the home where the deposed Patriarch Antonios is being held and confiscated his vestments and other holy effects. Reports on diaspora websites claim that the Patriarch was treated roughly and may have sustained injuries, however, post is unable to confirm these claims. Post believes this action occurred with the full knowledge of the lay administrator, Yoftahe Demetrios. On February 4, 2007, his Eminence Metropolitan Seraphim of the British Orthodox Church issued a statement condemning the intrusion and the removal of Patriarch Antonios' personal religious vestments. ¶2. (U) During this same weekend, post received reports the GSE arrested nearly 20 members of the Medhane Alem congregation of the Orthodox Church in Keren and in Asmara. There were reports that the individuals arrested in Keren were government employees who were arrested after police officials searched their office desks for religious material, including bibles. There were allegations that the detainees were pressed to name the leaders and supporters of the Medhane Alem congregation. These arrests are the first arrests of members of the Medhane Alem church in over 2 years. In 2004, three Medhane Alem priests who advocated for reform within the Orthodox Church were arrested and detained. In early 2006, over 60 members of the congregation were excommunicated and threatened with arrest if they did not withdraw their support of the deposed patriarch. THE CATHOLIC CHURCH HANGS ON -------------- ¶3. (C) The GSE continues to twist the screws on the Catholic Church, and some church members believe the GSE is attempting to gain control over the Catholic Church just as the GSE has over the Orthodox Church. Father Abraha (protect) of the Asmara Cathedral told Emboff that the GSE is withholding the materials for the liturgy sent to Asmara by the Vatican. He asserts the GSE searches the mail of the Catholic Church and refuses to release the religious documents until GSE officials have reviewed them. In addition the GSE waits until the absolute last minute possible before the scheduled mass to forward the liturgical materials. Father Abraha explained that the GSE's alleges that "the Vatican is an arm of the CIA and paid by them." In addition he added, while the situation between the Catholic Church and the GSE is "tense" at the moment, the anticipated showdown between the GSE and the Catholic Church has not yet occurred. PROTESTANTS ARRESTED AND BIBLES BURNED -------------- ¶4. (U) In early January, members of unregistered religious groups were arrested in Assab. Initially post heard reports that 4 individuals were arrested, however, recently post ASMARA 00000146 002 OF 002 heard that number was as high as 25. These individuals are reportedly being detained at the Wi'a military camp near Assab. ¶5. (U) At the Sawa training center, students were subject to random inspections and searches aimed at identifying Christians, in particular those members of the unregistered religious groups. According to reports by Compass Direct, and confirmed by post, officials at Sawa confiscated and burned 250 bibles and subject 35 teenage students to "severe military punishment, including torture." ¶6. (U) The arrests continued in early February with unconfirmed arrests at the wedding of members of one of the unregistered religious groups. Nearly 30 people, including the bride and groom, were reportedly arrested by GSE officials the weekend of February 4. Also during the beginning of February, Rev. Habtom Tesfamichael of the Full Gospel Church (Muluwongel) was arrested while attending the funeral in Asmara of an Eritrean-Swedish pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. COMMENT -------------- ¶7. (C) The GSE believes that non-conforming religious groups ) as defined by the GSE ) are a threat to national unity. And, as noted above, even members of government-approved religions can become targets if they allow their beliefs to move beyond the lines the government considers acceptable. While post has had better access to information about the challenges faced by the Christian faiths, we are increasingly hearing unconfirmed reports that members of the Islamic community, particularly in the western lowlands of Eritrea, are victims of a similar GSE strategy of persecution. Post anticipates that GSE attitudes will not change in the near future, nor, unfortunately, will its harassment, detentions and abuse of adherents of religious congregations unacceptable to the government. End Comment. DELISI