RELIGIOUS FREEDOM In ERITREA

1
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM In ERITREA

• By
• Jonathan Baker
• Jessica Gartland
• Denise Lee Masters
• Tyler Raeder
• Brionna Born
• Larry Jensen, Jr.
• POL 101
• Fall 2005

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Abuses and Persecution

• Affects all religions (torture, prison and
  religious rituals forbidden).
  
• Small religions required to register
• The government drafted and approved a
  Constitution in 1997 that provides for freedom to
  practice any religion however, the government
  has not yet implemented its provisions. The
  Government severely restricted this right in the
  case of numerous small Protestant churches, the
  Bahais, and Jehovahs Witnesses.
• Larger religions (Islam, Orthodox, Catholic,
  Luther Protestantism) bank accounts subject to
  government monitoring.
  
• Prisoners of Conscience.
• -Aster Yohannes

3
Abuses and Persecution

• Authorities detained at least 500 members of
  unregistered groups without charges.
  
• Individuals held at military locations in harsh
  conditions with no access to family members.
  
• Jehovahs Witnesses are prohibited from having
  their marriages legalized by the civil
  authorities.
  
• 13 detainees of Rema Church rounded up during a
  prayer meeting still being held at a prison in
  Mai Sewa.
  
• Three senior pastors of the Full Gospel Church
  arrested and remain jailed.
  

4
Restrictions on Religious Groups

• Religious institutes closed.
• Government appointed leaders.
• Government confiscated lands belonging to Islamic
  endowment.
  
• No praying in groups in workplaces.
• No Bibles allowed.
• Government froze membership of any member of
  Council of Churches for opposing government
  policies.
  
• Many priests have been forced to leave the
  country.
  
• Forced to serve in military, regardless of
  religious beliefs.
  
• Government denaturalized members, fired them from
  jobs, children expelled from school and cannot
  obtain commercial or driving licenses.
  
• Prohibited from getting travel documents and
  renting houses.
  

5
Restrictions on Religious Groups

• Authorities in the Office of Religious Affairs
  stated, A standing law would prevent
  unregistered religious groups from holding
  political gatherings or other gatherings in
  private homes of more than three to five
  persons.
• Closely monitors activities and movements of
  unregistered religious groups
  
• In 2003 Government denied visa applications for
  Jehovahs witnesses who applied to travel the
  country to meet with their congregations or
  discuss religious freedom issues with government
  officials.
• A 1995 proclamation bans religious organizations
  from involvement in politics and restricts the
  rights of religious media to comment on political
  matters. NO religious groups, registered or not,
  are allowed to produce religious periodicals.
• In 2002, the minister if information issued a
  decree that all religions except for Eritrean
  Orthodox Church, Islam, The Roman Catholic
  Church, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church must
  fill out a registration application to the
  Department of Religious Affairs and cease
  religious activities and services until these
  applications were approved.
• A government committee reviews the applications,
  which in theory are to be approved only if they
  conform to local culture.
  
• The Government approved NO applications , despite
  the fact that some religious groups fully
  complied with registration requirements.
  

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Factors and Causes

• Western beliefs/religions undermines government
  control of the Army, thus hindering the war
  effort against Ethiopia.
  
• Influx of different religions brings new ideas
  about freedom to the Eritrean people.
  
• Religious gatherings promote a market place of
  ideas that may be contrary to government
  policies.
  

7
Violated Articles

• Article 2 Every individual shall be entitled to
  the enjoyment of the rights and freedoms
  recognized and guaranteed in the present Charter
  without distinction of any kind such as race,
  ethnic group, color, sex, language, religion,
  political or any other opinion, national and
  social origin, fortune, birth or other status.
• Article 8 Freedom of conscience, the profession
  and the free practice of religion shall be
  guaranteed. No one may, subject to law and order,
  be submitted to measures restricting the exercise
  of theses freedoms.

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Violated Articles

• Article 16 1. Every one shall have the right to
  enjoy the best attainable state of physical and
  mental health. 2. States Parties to the present
  Charter shall take the necessary measures to
  protect the health of their people and to ensure
  that they receive medical attention when they are
  sick.
• The belief in higher powers breeds purpose and
  drive in individuals denying ones right to
  exercise the spiritual part of ones being will
  harm mental health.
• Article 24 All peoples shall have the right to a
  general satisfactory environment favorable to
  their development.
  
• Religion is a source of a moral code and an
  individuals perspective on life - denying one
  the right to follow whatever religious path they
  may choose is detrimental to an environment that
  favors personal development.

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Case Law

• Kokkiankis v. Greece, European courts of human
  rights (Jehovahs witnesses).
  
• Leyla sahin v. Turkey (Head scarf ban).
• Mutua, Maku, wa, limitations on religious rights
  problematizing religious freedom in the african
  context (negating cultural values).
  
• These cases and article are examples of religious
  persecution that set a precedent for the African
  Commission.
  

10
Remedy

• Implement Constitution.
• Release prisoners of conscience.
• Provide monetary reparations to all persecuted
  religious organizations.
  
• Allow religious groups to elect own leaders.

11
Enforcement of Remedy

• How can a ruling from the African Commission be
  enforced?
  
• Civil suit American courts.
• Petition African Commission Petition.
• Compel United States action under the
  International Religious Freedom Act.
  
• Create awareness internationally through art
  exhibits of known tragedies in Eritrea.
  

12
Ideologies

• John Stuart Mill
• Harm Principle states that power can only
  rightfully be exercised over an individual to
  prevent harm to another the Eritrean government
  is concerned about harm to its own interests, not
  its citizens.
• Freedom of religion is essential to a market
  place of ideas Eritreas persecution of
  religious groups severely weakens their market
  place.
• John Locke
• Eritrean government has violated their social
  contract with its citizens.
  
• Eritrea is in a State of War because the
  government has absolute control of all freedoms
  endowed to its citizens.
  

13
Sources

• Suwera Center For Human Rights Report on the
  State of Human Rights In Eritrea 2005
  
• World Food Program (WFP) reports
• United Nations High Commission for Refugees
  (UNHCR)
  
• United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea
  (UNMEE)
  
• Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch
• Disposable People? The Plight of Refugees by
  Judy A. Mayotte
  
• United States Commission on International
  Religious Freedom
  
• United States Department of State