CATHOLIC CHURCH WINS A ROUND

C O N F I D E N T I A L ASMARA 000205 SIPDIS SIPDIS LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS DEPT FOR AF/E AND DRL/IRF E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/09/2018 TAGS: KIRF PHUM SOCI PGOV ER SUBJECT: CATHOLIC CHURCH WINS A ROUND REF: A. 2007 ASMARA 871 ¶B. 2007 ASMARA 699 Classified By: CDA Jennifer A. McIntyre for reasons 1.4 (d). ¶1. (C) A Catholic priest at Asmara's Cathedral told PolOff April 8 that the GSE has issued seminary students identification cards exempting them from national service. This recent policy represents an about-face by the Government of the State of Eritrea (GSE),who months earlier threatened to seize all Church property and force the Catholic priests and seminary students into national service (reftel). The priest explained to Poloff that the new identification cards identify the bearers as students in the Church's Seminary School, precluding them from participating in national service requirements. The GSE reportedly told Catholic Church leaders that "service to the Church will be considered national service." The exemption, however, does not allow for the students to leave the country, even upon graduation and entry into the priesthood. ¶2. (C) The priest further noted that the Catholic Church has also been exempted from holding the weekly "political education" meetings, run by the sole political party, the People's Front for Democracy and Justice, and required of all Eritrean businesses and organizations. ¶3. (C) In a subsequent meeting, the Country Representative of non-governmental organization Catholic Relief Services (CRS) (protect) added that the expropriation of Catholic properties in the fall had also halted. He attributed the change in the GSE's stance to two causes: the Catholic leadership's unbending position in insisting on an alternative to national service for its religious workers and students, even when faced with threats of imprisonment; and a letter sent several months ago by the Papal Nuncio for Eritrea to President Isaias with a courtesy copy to the Pope, outlining the Catholic Church's objections to GSE actions against the Church. MCINTYRE