Wish you didn’t have to go to school or college? It might be different if you didn’t hav
Wish you didn’t have to go to school or college? It might be different if you didn’t have the option. Imagine starting the new term, and the army entering your school. They might take away some key teachers or close the school indefinitely. It’s hard to believe that could happen. It’d be pretty schocking. But in Eritrea the government has taken, control of seven secondary schools, which were all run by religious organizations.The reason? The Eritrean government says that the closures are in line with laws that were introduced in 1995, which impose a limit on religious institutions. But the law has rarely been used. Many think that the closures are actually a response to the church’s criticism of the Eritrean President. Bishops in Eritrea bravely made a public call for government reform in a 30-page letter and the government wasn’t happy.There has been growing persecution of Christians in Eritrea. As well as the seizing and shutting down of church-run health centers in June, over 150 Christians have been arrested for being members of churches belonging to unregistered (and therefore illegal) denominations.Police regulary raid the homes of Christians from unregistered denominations. When Christians are arrested, they are often told to renounce their faith as a condition of their release. Hundreds of members of unregistered churches are still in prison, with some having been held captive for more than a decade.Pray now… That God would grant His peace to students and teachers in the midst of the storm and for Christian students facing surveillance and severe pressure to support the government. -- source link
#eritrea#persecution#church#religious fredom