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BBC Report
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Song of the week
ኣታ ጐይታ እምበር ዓቢ ነገር ገይሩ መቓውሕ ሰይሩ ሓማሺሹ
ኣግማድ በቲኹ ማእሰርተይ ሰይሩ
ሓራ ገይሩኒ ካብ በላዒ
ስለ ዝፈትሓኒ የለን ዝኣስረኒ
የለን ዝኣስረኒ
መዝሙር ንምስማዕ ኣብዚ ጠውቑ
ዘማሪት ሄለነ ብርሃነ
ሓቢርና ምስ ሓፍትና ንዘምር
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Eritrea at war with Christianity |
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The Collision between Misunderstanding and Reality
In the country, over 2000 members of the various Christian denominations are tormented routinely in hot shipping containers, underground prisons and unfavorable arid detention camps. Some of them have died under unbearable conditions, some have lost their minds and some have been left physically disabled; a number of Christian literatures get torn up and burned if found with the members.
Thousands are hunted down across the country and to avoid arrest and persecution hundreds are fleeing the country day by day. According to government officials this stance against the churches came out of the perception that Christians are a threat to Eritrea's social cohesion and political stability. Hate towards these citizens has spiraled in the country and they are now seen as outcasts rather than proper citizens. But why? Have they staged a political revolution? Do they preach hate and chaos? Are they notorious for criminal activities? Let the observer judge for him self!
Careful investigation and research can be done about the nature and content of the faith, which the Christians profess, and see if their religion has any agenda aimed at frustrating government or instigating social disorder. Their religion is only concerned with spiritual issues such as eternal life and salvation through Jesus; and they preach messages of peace and love and not division.
Furthermore the churches have helped thousands of the young generation to lead a healthy and responsible life by offering practical advices and constructive teachings.This undertaking has had a positive effect in the national campaign against the speread of AIDS by bringing about direct behavioural changes,in minimizing crime and eventually decrease government spending in health and prison areas.
Interviewed by the media regarding the reasons behind government intolerance, a top state official responded as saying, "they were made illegal because they are beneficiaries of secret or undeclared foreign funds; most of them went against the national fabric to oppose the national services…" But the reality is that the churches get their finances from donations contributed by their members and if they ever receive funds from overseas sources it is spent for purely church purposes and they have nothing to do with political conspiracies.
Members of the churches are commended for their diligence, sense of responsibility and hard work in different departmental offices, schools, colleges and the national service. Their book and the principle they live by do not teach rebellion against the state? Instead it recommends citizens to obey government orders and to be responsible citizens as depicted in their book: "For the sake of the Lord, submit to every human authority: to the emperors, who is the supreme authority, and to the governors, who have been appointed by him to punish the evil doers and to praise those who do good."1 Peter 2:15-16
The sad fact is that many among those running for their lives by fleeing the country are professionals and educated: Doctors, engineers, writers, artists, teachers, technicians, university students and graduates. Imagine the ever increasing number of the youth leaving the country and the massive depletion of human resource it is causing the country. The country is slowly falling apart.
The government should kindly rethink its harsh policy towards Christians in the country; they have nothing to do with any political conspiracy whatsoever. My special appeal goes to honorable president of the state of Eritrea Issayas Afewerki and the relevant bodies that have direct jurisdiction over this issue to kindly reassess their perception of the Christians that are facing state misjudgment and persecution. They are just innocent adherents of a faith and they love their country and are credible segments of our society which should be lauded for their integrity and good work ethic.
Amanuel Isak
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Eritrea Christian News
Bfqru Amine
Alazar eqa tensiu
Haben Hywetey
ብዘማሪ ዮሃንስ ምስግና
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