Andrew Wiegand, Jr. | Wednesday, 02 September 2009 15:54
Following her release from an Eritrean prison in December 2006, the well-known Eritrean gospel singer Helen Berhane shared with the world the story of her imprisonment. In an effort to make her recant her faith, authorities gave Berhane severe beatings.. She was imprisoned in a metal shipping container, suffering through sweltering heat during the day and bitter cold conditions at night.[1] Berhane's experience is shared by hundreds of other Eritrean refugees, who tell of similar (and sometimes more severe) hardships faced after being unlawfully detained because of their faith. The Constitution of Eritrea was ratified by the National Assembly in 1997 and provides freedom of religion for all faiths within Eritrea. However, the Constitution has not been effectively implemented. The government severely persecutes minority groups that have not registered with the government, following a 2002 decree requiring registration of all groups outside of the country's four principle religious groups: the Eritrean Orthodox Church, the Evangelical (Lutheran) Church of Eritrea, Islam, and the Roman Catholic Church.[2] There are compelling reasons for Eritrea to implement its Constitution and to allow greater freedoms for religious minorities. These reasons include greater national security, economic benefits for the government and its citizens, Eritrea's removal from the U.S. Department of State's Country of Particular Concern (CPC) list, and a more respectable international image. Awareness of these benefits could motivate the government to implement the Constitution in a way that provides freedom for religious groups.
There are a wide variety of minority religious groups in Eritrea but the most widely oppressed are the unregistered Christian groups. The Eritrean government's failure to implement its Constitutional obligations on religious freedom has allowed for the persecution of these groups. Many Christians must worship in secret or flee the country for fear of imprisonment, torture, or worse. The Eritrean government denies any accusations of religious persecution, claiming that "absolute freedom of belief" is permitted. The Eritrean embassy in London says, "Eritrea is a secular country, with absolute freedom of belief. Peaceful coexistence and religious harmony have been a part of Eritrea's history for centuries."[3] Victims of religious persecution in Eritrea, however, tell a very different story. In 2008, NGO reports indicated that more than 3,225 unregistered Christians remained in detention.[4]
There are several significant causes for protracted persecution in Eritrea. First, the country's military history impacts how younger Christians are viewed. During Eritrea's border war with Ethiopia in 1998, the evangelical (and unregistered) Pentecostal church expanded rapidly among young Eritrean soldiers, many of whom had been conscripted into the army. When the war ended, the government became suspicious of organized groups of young people meeting secretly.[5]
These evangelical groups, however, are not the only groups facing persecution. Even the state-recognized churches and their leaders experience difficulties. A second cause for persecution stems from the established church's hesitance to follow the state's orders regarding internal religious affairs. Human Rights Watch reports that in 2006, "the government removed the 81-year-old patriarch of the Eritrean Orthodox Church after he refused to interfere with a renewal movement within the church."[6] A few years later, the government denied some Orthodox priests their right to avoid military service.[7]
Third, the Eritrean government sees unregistered Christian groups as unpatriotic and as a destabilizing influence on the delicate balance that is currently being maintained between Christians and Muslims. The single-party, authoritarian Eritrean government is rooted in Marxist ideology,[8] and it views the suppression of these Christian groups as an avenue through which social stability can be maintained. As a result, refugees are pouring out of Eritrea—an exodus that has become known as one of the "world's most protracted refugee situations."[9]
In order for Eritrea to make practical progress toward improving religious freedom, the government must be able to see the freedom of oppressed Christian groups as a benefit to society instead of a destabilizing influence. The benefits of increased freedom of religion can be seen in Vietnam. Vietnam provides a prime example of an historically oppressive, single-party, authoritarian government that is working to integrate evangelical Christian groups into its society. The integration of these Christian groups, although slow, has proven to be beneficial to the Vietnamese people, culture, and its image in the international community. Although religious persecution still exists to a degree, there was enough improvement to warrant Vietnam's removal from the State Department's CPC list in 2006.[10] Removal from this list brought an end to U.S. economic sanctions against Vietnam, and allowed the country to join the WTO in 2007, both of which have led to greater economic benefits for the developing nation.[11]
As the Vietnam example shows, it is to Eritrea's benefit to end current violations of religious freedom against Christian groups. In a one-party, authoritarian nation like Eritrea that is struggling with its international image, integration of the currently oppressed Christian groups may warrant its removal from the State Department's CPC list. Eritrea remains on that list as of the last International Religious Freedom Report, released in 2008.[12] Removal from the CPC list would end certain U.S. economic sanctions against Eritrea and help it take a giant step forward in the global economic community. Freedom for Christians and other religious groups to worship, one of the most basic of all human rights, may also foster greater respect for and loyalty to the current regime.
International pressure for Eritrea to address religious freedom violations is mounting. In January 2009, a two-day conference was held in London that sought to bring about reconciliation between the government and its opposition, which includes banned political parties and some of the country's best known intellectuals—many of whom are in exile. One attendee was Professor Bereket Habteselassie, the writer who drafted Eritrea's Constitution.[13] This conference launched a new movement called Citizens for Democratic Rights in Eritrea. The first among this movement's many aims and objectives is to mobilize enough support from Eritreans around the world, as well as those close to the government, to force the government to address the need for the "broad advancement of the rule of law and constitutional governance."[14]
There is considerable pressure as well from the United States government. The Department of State reports that "The U.S. Government makes regular efforts to discuss religious freedom with [Eritrea]. Despite repeated attempts, U.S. embassy officials were not permitted by the Government to meet with religious leaders or government authorities responsible for religious affairs."[15] President Obama also publicly denounced Eritrea's repressive regime and specifically spoke against its denial of free speech within its borders, citing the imprisonment and harassment of journalists.[16] U.S. foreign policy in the area is aimed toward helping to advance the peace process between Eritrea and Ethiopia, as well as helping Eritrea to build a democratic culture and provide basic human rights to its citizens.[17]
The implementation of Eritrea's Constitution will lead to economic benefits for Eritrea and its citizens, a more positive international image, a stronger sense of nationalism, and respect for the government. Until this implementation occurs, however, stories like Helen Berhane's will be all too common, and they will continue to limit Eritrea's future.
[1] "Asylum for Eritrean gospel singer," BBC News, October 22, 2007, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7056120.stm. Accessed July 24, 2009.
[2] "Eritrea," U.S. Department of State, 2008, http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2008/108367.htm#. Accessed June 29, 2009.
[3] "Eritrea targeting ‘permitted' churches," BBC News, April 20, 2006, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4924252.stm. Accessed June 29, 2009.
[4] "Eritrea," U.S. Department of State, 2008, http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2008/108367.htm#. Accessed June 29, 2009.
[5] "Eritrea targeting ‘permitted' churches," BBC News, April 20, 2006, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4924252.stm. Accessed June 29, 2009.
[6] "Eritrea: Events of 2008," Human Rights Watch, 2009, http://www.hrw.org/en/world-report/2009/eritrea. Accessed June 29, 2009.
[7] Ibid.
[8] "Dumped into Drums," Christianity Today, July 18, 2005, http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2005/july/28.56.html. Accessed June 29, 2009.
[9] "Eritrean Christians tell of torture," BBC News, September 27, 2007, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7015033.stm. Accessed June 29, 2009.
[10] "International Religious Freedom Report: Vietnam," U.S. Department of State, 2008, http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2008/108430.htm. Accessed June 29, 2009.
[11] "Viet Nam joins WTO with Director-General's tribute for true grit," World Trade Organization, January 11, 2007, http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news07_e/acc_vietnam_11jan07_e.htm. Accessed July 24, 2009.
[12] "International Religious Freedom Report: Eritrea," U.S. Department of State, 2008, http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2008/108367.htm#. Accessed June 29, 2009.
[13] "Eritrea group seeks human rights," BBC News, January 11, 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7822599.stm. Accessed June 29, 2009.
[14] "CDRiE's Aims and Objectives," CDRiE, May 23, 2009. http://www.cdrie.com/about-us. Accessed August 17, 2009.
[15] "International Religious Freedom Report: Eritrea," U.S. Department of State, 2008, http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2008/108367.htm#. Accessed June 29, 2009.
[16] "Obama Statement on World Press Freedom Day," Time, May 1, 2009, http://thepage.time.com/obama-statement-on-world-press-freedom-day/. Accessed June 29, 2009.
[17] "Background Notes: Eritrea," U.S. Department of State, April 2009, http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2854.htm. Accessed June 29, 2009.
