Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ASMARA220
2009-07-10 08:22:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Asmara
Cable title:
MASS ARREST OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES IN ASMARA
how-toVZCZCXRO3954 RR RUEHROV DE RUEHAE #0220 1910822 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 100822Z JUL 09 FM AMEMBASSY ASMARA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0361 INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC RUMICEA/JICCENT MACDILL AFB FL RUEPADJ/CJTF-HOA J2X CAMP LEMONIER DJ RHRMDAB/COMUSNAVCENT RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
C O N F I D E N T I A L ASMARA 000220
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/E AND DRL/IRF
LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/09/2019
TAGS: KIRF PHUM SOCI PGOV ER
SUBJECT: MASS ARREST OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES IN ASMARA
Classified By: Ambassador Ronald K. McMullen for reason 1.4(d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ASMARA 000220
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/E AND DRL/IRF
LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/09/2019
TAGS: KIRF PHUM SOCI PGOV ER
SUBJECT: MASS ARREST OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES IN ASMARA
Classified By: Ambassador Ronald K. McMullen for reason 1.4(d).
1. (C) Eritrean police arrested a group of 22 Jehovah's
Witnesses in Asmara in late June and detained them in Police
Station 4. The group consisted mostly of women as
authorities had targeted men in earlier round-ups. According
to a close embassy source, police detained four children
between the ages of two and eight, and two elderly citizens
above the age of 70 during the round-up. The mass arrest
differed drastically from the Eritrean government's (GSE)
previous tactic of conducting long-term investigations
followed by quiet house-to-house arrests, a method used
approximately from June to October 2008 (reftel). Several of
the women arrested were the wives or children of previously
arrested men, leaving entire households imprisoned in some
instances. The group also included one woman, Luul Tombossa,
who had been arrested in September 2008 and later released
with the warning of not to practice her faith again.
2. (C) The embassy source pointed out that it was police who
arrested the group of 22, while the Eritrean National
Security Agency (ENSA) conducted many of the earlier arrest
campaigns. While this fact may provide some hope that the 22
may soon be released, the source continued, it does leave the
denomination's numbers dwindling. The arested group was half
of one of the larger congregations in Asmara. There are
"still many Jehovah's Witnesses left" in seven or eight other
congregations spread out in the city, she told Poloff, but
added that the numbers are noticeably shrinking with the
constant arrests.
THREE WOMEN SENT TO WI'A
--------------
3. (C) In separate raids, authorities also captured three
women in their early-20s who had previously evaded national
service. The three young women were then sent to Wi'a, the
military training camp reserved for youth who either fail
high school, have attempted to flee the country, or have
avoided national service. The embassy source stated the
women will face particularly intense psychological abuse for
their religious faith and worried also of possible physical
abuse.
4. (C) COMMENT: Post estimates that there are currently 65
Jehovah's Witnesses imprisoned in Eritrea. Only three have
been released since 1994, according to Post sources. Of the
three, one was re-arrested (Luul Tombossa),and one, Kahsai
Mekonnen, is on "medical release" and has been threatened
with re-arrest should he ever regain his health.
MCMULLEN
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/E AND DRL/IRF
LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/09/2019
TAGS: KIRF PHUM SOCI PGOV ER
SUBJECT: MASS ARREST OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES IN ASMARA
Classified By: Ambassador Ronald K. McMullen for reason 1.4(d).
1. (C) Eritrean police arrested a group of 22 Jehovah's
Witnesses in Asmara in late June and detained them in Police
Station 4. The group consisted mostly of women as
authorities had targeted men in earlier round-ups. According
to a close embassy source, police detained four children
between the ages of two and eight, and two elderly citizens
above the age of 70 during the round-up. The mass arrest
differed drastically from the Eritrean government's (GSE)
previous tactic of conducting long-term investigations
followed by quiet house-to-house arrests, a method used
approximately from June to October 2008 (reftel). Several of
the women arrested were the wives or children of previously
arrested men, leaving entire households imprisoned in some
instances. The group also included one woman, Luul Tombossa,
who had been arrested in September 2008 and later released
with the warning of not to practice her faith again.
2. (C) The embassy source pointed out that it was police who
arrested the group of 22, while the Eritrean National
Security Agency (ENSA) conducted many of the earlier arrest
campaigns. While this fact may provide some hope that the 22
may soon be released, the source continued, it does leave the
denomination's numbers dwindling. The arested group was half
of one of the larger congregations in Asmara. There are
"still many Jehovah's Witnesses left" in seven or eight other
congregations spread out in the city, she told Poloff, but
added that the numbers are noticeably shrinking with the
constant arrests.
THREE WOMEN SENT TO WI'A
--------------
3. (C) In separate raids, authorities also captured three
women in their early-20s who had previously evaded national
service. The three young women were then sent to Wi'a, the
military training camp reserved for youth who either fail
high school, have attempted to flee the country, or have
avoided national service. The embassy source stated the
women will face particularly intense psychological abuse for
their religious faith and worried also of possible physical
abuse.
4. (C) COMMENT: Post estimates that there are currently 65
Jehovah's Witnesses imprisoned in Eritrea. Only three have
been released since 1994, according to Post sources. Of the
three, one was re-arrested (Luul Tombossa),and one, Kahsai
Mekonnen, is on "medical release" and has been threatened
with re-arrest should he ever regain his health.
MCMULLEN