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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ASMARA 000146 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCHERS, PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/13/2017 
TAGS: PHUM PGOV KIRF SOCI ER
SUBJECT: RELIGIOUS FREEDOM UPDATE: HARRASMENT, ARRESTS & 
BIBLE BURNING 
 
REF: 06 ASMARA 1058 
 
Classified By: AMB. Scott H. DeLisi for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
¶1. (U) Summary:   The Government of the State of Eritrea 
(GSE) continues to persecute religious groups and detain 
individual church members.  During the month of January, GSE 
officials confiscated the vestments of the deposed Patriarch 
of the Eritrean Orthodox Church, who has been under house 
arrest for over 1 year.  The Catholic Church endured 
harassment and pressure from the GSE, as the GSE maintained 
its policy of interfering with Church operations (Reftel). 
Members of the Medhane Alem congregation, the reform movement 
of the Orthodox Church, again faced detention by the GSE and 
members of unregistered religious groups were arrested in 
Assab.  In addition, the officials burned the bibles of 
students at the Sawa Training Center and subjected over 30 
students to severe punishment.  Such arrests and harassment 
are routine practices by the GSE and Post anticipates these 
types of incidents will be an on-going reality in Eritrea. 
End Summary. 
 
THE ORTHODOX CHURCH: GSE INTERVENTION AND HARASSMENT PERSISTS 
--------------------------------------------- ---------------- 
 
¶2. (U) Post confirmed that on January 20, 2007, priests of 
the Eritrean Orthodox Church accompanied by government 
officials entered the home where the deposed Patriarch 
Antonios is being held and confiscated his vestments and 
other holy effects.  Reports on diaspora websites claim that 
the Patriarch was treated roughly and may have sustained 
injuries, however, post is unable to confirm these claims. 
Post believes this action occurred with the full knowledge of 
the lay administrator, Yoftahe Demetrios.  On February 4, 
2007, his Eminence Metropolitan Seraphim of the British 
Orthodox Church issued a statement condemning the intrusion 
and the removal of Patriarch Antonios' personal religious 
vestments. 
 
¶2. (U) During this same weekend, post received reports the 
GSE arrested nearly 20 members of the Medhane Alem 
congregation of the Orthodox Church in Keren and in Asmara. 
There were reports that the individuals arrested in Keren 
were government employees who were arrested after police 
officials searched their office desks for religious material, 
including bibles.  There were allegations that the detainees 
were pressed to name the leaders and supporters of the 
Medhane Alem congregation.  These arrests are the first 
arrests of members of the Medhane Alem church in over 2 
years.  In 2004, three Medhane Alem priests who advocated for 
reform within the Orthodox Church were arrested and detained. 
 In early 2006, over 60 members of the congregation were 
excommunicated and threatened with arrest if they did not 
withdraw their support of the deposed patriarch. 
 
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH HANGS ON 
---------------------------- 
 
¶3. (C) The GSE continues to twist the screws on the Catholic 
Church, and some church members believe the GSE is attempting 
to gain control over the Catholic Church just as the GSE has 
over the Orthodox Church.  Father Abraha (protect) of the 
Asmara Cathedral told Emboff that the GSE is withholding the 
materials for the liturgy sent to Asmara by the Vatican.  He 
asserts the GSE searches the mail of the Catholic Church and 
refuses to release the religious documents until GSE 
officials have reviewed them.  In addition the GSE waits 
until the absolute last minute possible before the scheduled 
mass to forward the liturgical materials.  Father Abraha 
explained that the GSE's alleges that "the Vatican is an arm 
of the CIA and paid by them."  In addition he added, while 
the situation between the Catholic Church and the GSE is 
"tense" at the moment, the anticipated showdown between the 
GSE and the Catholic Church has not yet occurred. 
 
PROTESTANTS ARRESTED AND BIBLES BURNED 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (U) In early January, members of unregistered religious 
groups were arrested in Assab.  Initially post heard reports 
that 4 individuals were arrested, however, recently post 
 
ASMARA 00000146  002 OF 002 
 
 
heard that number was as high as 25.  These individuals are 
reportedly being detained at the Wi'a military camp near 
Assab. 
 
¶5. (U) At the Sawa training center, students were subject to 
random inspections and searches aimed at identifying 
Christians, in particular those members of the unregistered 
religious groups.  According to reports by Compass Direct, 
and confirmed by post, officials at Sawa confiscated and 
burned 250 bibles and subject 35 teenage students to "severe 
military punishment, including torture." 
 
¶6. (U) The arrests continued in early February with 
unconfirmed arrests at the wedding of members of one of the 
unregistered religious groups.  Nearly 30 people, including 
the bride and groom, were reportedly arrested by GSE 
officials the weekend of February 4.  Also during the 
beginning of February, Rev. Habtom Tesfamichael of the Full 
Gospel Church (Muluwongel) was arrested while attending the 
funeral in Asmara of an Eritrean-Swedish pastor of the 
Evangelical Lutheran Church. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶7. (C) The GSE believes that non-conforming religious groups 
) as defined by the GSE ) are a threat to national unity. 
And, as noted above, even members of government-approved 
religions can become targets if they allow their beliefs to 
move beyond the lines the government considers acceptable. 
While post has had better access to information about the 
challenges faced by the Christian faiths, we are increasingly 
hearing unconfirmed reports that members of the Islamic 
community, particularly in the western lowlands of Eritrea, 
are victims of a similar GSE strategy of persecution.  Post 
anticipates that GSE attitudes will not change in the near 
future, nor, unfortunately, will its harassment, detentions 
and abuse of adherents of religious congregations 
unacceptable to the government.  End Comment. 
DELISI