CHRISTIAN LEADERS CONCERNED ABOUT RELIGIOUS CLIMATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ALGIERS 000076

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR DRL/IRF WARREN COFSKY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/22/2018
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KIRF AG
SUBJECT: CHRISTIAN LEADERS CONCERNED ABOUT RELIGIOUS CLIMATE

REF: ALGERIA 2007 INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

REPORT

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Thomas F. Daughton;
reasons 1.4(b) and (d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: One month after a December 11 suicide bomb
destroyed UN offices in Algiers, Christian leaders in the
country told us that they had experienced no difficulties
directly attributable to the attacks. They did express
concern, however, that an intolerant climate against
Christians is emerging in Algeria. The trend is not
officially sanctioned or organized, they believe, but comes
from an increasing number of individual actors and actions,
some within the government. The religious leaders were
unable to pinpoint reasons for the perceived uptick in this
behavior. END SUMMARY.

NO DECEMBER 11 AFTERSHOCKS FOR CHRISTIANS
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2. (C) In individual January 13 and 14 meetings, Henri
Teissier (Roman Catholic Archbishop),Roger Correvon (pastor,
Protestant Church of Algiers),Pierre Pechoux (president,
Seventh Day Adventist Church) and Ali Khedri (Algerian
Society for Christian Books) told us that the December 11
suicide bombings in Algiers had not changed the functioning
of their churches and that they were experiencing no
difficulties directly attributable to the attacks. Teissier,
Correvon and Pechoux confirmed that their churches held
Christmas services and, in some cases, New Year's activities,
without any interference or cause for concern.

SOME TROUBLING BEHAVIOR
--------------


3. (C) While normal, day-to-day activities for churches have
continued since December 11, there is a perception among
Christian leaders that an intolerant sentiment towards
Christians in Algeria is increasing. Khedri, an evangelical
Christian who converted from Islam at age 17 and is now
around 50 years old, told us that life for Christians in
Algeria was regressing. He said that his organization, the
Algerian Society for Christian Books, has been unable to
import bibles since 2005, despite repeated and public
government declarations that all requests for bible import
licenses had been granted. He added that, in secret, the
Society prints bibles and duplicates Christian-themed DVDs in
Algeria. He said bibles have also been brought into the
country in the luggage of travelers. Khedri showed us a
September 26, 2007 letter to the Minister of Religious
Affairs in which he noted that while the minister's
spokesperson had been quoted in the press September 17 as
saying that all licenses had been granted, the Society had
not been given permission. To date, Khedri said, he has not
received a response to his letter.


4. (C) Roman Catholic Archbishop of Algeria Teissier tersely
described the difficulties the Roman Catholic church is
experiencing, focusing on three main events. First, between
May 7 and 15, 2007 he said that a letter was sent advising
all Catholic priests in Algeria to leave because they were
threatened by AQIM. Teissier said that the letter was
stamped with the mysterious "By order of the Director of
Studies in charge of the Office of Organization and
Orientation (Curricula)", which, he said, is part of the
national police, itself a part of the Interior ministry. No
such letter was sent to Protestants, Teissier added.
Teissier confirmed that no Catholic priest had departed
Algeria as a result of the letter, even though some walis
(governors) actively encouraged individual priests to do so.
Second, Teissier said that in November 2007 four Brazilian
Catholics were told to leave Algeria even though their visas
and residence cards were valid. Teissier said that no
official reason was given for their expulsion, but added that
they had been able to obtain a reprieve allowing them to stay
at least until June 30, 2008. The Brazilians, part of a
group called "Shalom," came to work with members of the
Portuguese-speaking Catholic community in Algeria, mostly
students from sub-Saharan Africa. Third, Teissier said, for
the past two months at least half of the visa requests put

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forward by the Church for individuals to come to Algeria have
been refused by the Algerian authorities.

TRYING TO CONNECT THE DOTS
--------------


5. (C) Teissier believes that neither the upper echelons of
the Algerian government nor "Islamists" are behind the
current difficulties. He posited that elements in military
security were acting for reasons he did not understand. The
stamp of the office of the "Director of Studies" appears
frequently on correspondence that he receives, he noted, yet
he has been unable to determine who runs the office.
Officially, he said, it is a part of the DGSN (the police).
However, when he spoke to DGSN Director Ali Tounsi, Tounsi
said that he was unaware of the office's existence. The
"Director of Studies," whoever it may be, is acting
independently, Teissier concluded. Similarly, Khedri told us
he believes that officials in the Ministry of Religious
Affairs beneath the level of the minister are blocking the
importation of bibles.


6. (C) Teissier and Khedri focused their attention on
individuals menacing Christian activity in Algeria. For his
part, Correvon cautioned that the status of non-Muslims in
Algeria must be understood in the context of "dhimmitude",
the Islamic system that deals with non-Muslims living under
Muslim rule. Correvon said that dhimmitude relegates
non-Muslims to an inferior status and cited Algeria's
Ordinance 06-03 as an example (ref 2007 IRFR on Algeria). He
also said that the Algerian government is legally obligated
to protect religious institutions but simultaneously has told
some groups that it cannot guarantee their protection.


7. (C) COMMENT: In the past, Christian leaders have
generally been positive about the experience of their faith
communities in Algeria. More recently there appear to be
indications that they are not completely welcome here.
Recent press reports speak of parliamentarians calling for
the government to "slow down the activity of Christian
missionaries" in Algeria and describing a perceived expansion
in Christian evangelization in the country as "an important
problem". Other recent press reports have detailed a
proposed plan to establish a commission that will "fight
against Christianization." The individuals with whom we
spoke were clear in saying that they did not believe a
systematic anti-Christian government campaign was underway.
They are nonetheless closely monitoring what they described
as the increased actions of a number of shadowy individuals.
One possible focal point in this may be the associated
evangelical Christian movement, as the Kabylie region has
witnessed a steady rise in the number of Muslim converts to
evangelical Protestantism. Septel will report on this
movement.
FORD