As the world rumbles on about the recent political scandals, celebrity embarrassments and sporting achievements, don't forget what happens in countries when no-one's look
Eritrea was formerly the northernmost province of Ethiopia and has a rich and unstable history having been controlled by various countries until its independence in 1993. This struggle for independence helped plunge it into various conflicts, firstly with Yemen and then its old adversary Ethiopia.
The unresolved border issue compounds other grave problems. These include Eritrea's inability to provide enough food for its population, which means that two thirds of the population receive food aid. In addition, economic progress is held back by the proportion of Eritreans who are in the army rather than the workforce, which stems again from its border problems.
But one problem which is little known is that of the religious persecution which goes on in the country. Amnesty International has said that between 2002 and 2005 at least 26 pastors and priests, over 1,750 church members, including women and children are detained, some indefinitely, along with dozens of Muslims because of their religious beliefs. Torture has also been widely used as a means of punishing members of minority faiths.
This is surprising considering that around 98% of its population belong to a long-established branch of a major world religion. The Orthodox Church and Islam, which make up about 90% of the population, have long-established roots dating back to the fourth and seventh centuries respectively and most Eritreans actively practice their faith. Only a tiny proportion describes themselves as being of no faith at all.
So why have the religions been suppressed so violently? In 1994, Jehovah’s Witnesses became a target of active repression because of their opposition to military service when it was introduced and because they refused to participate in the 1993 independence referendum.
In 1995 restrictions were placed on all faiths by Proclamation Religious Organisations no.73/1995, which prohibited them from receiving international funds or engaging in political activities. The four main religious groups, Orthodox, Catholic, Lutheran and Islam, were allowed to register with the authorities before registration was suspended.
In May 2002, the government suddenly ordered all unregistered religions to close their places of worship and stop practising their faith until they were registered. The registration process was so stringent that it became prohibitive.
The BBC has reported the effects of being found practicing one of the illegal religions in Eritrea. Correspondent Jonah Fisher writes that “When I arrived in a small dark room of a private house, 12 men and women face away from each other, looking to the corners of the room… These people are very trusting of each other - just by being here and praying together.” He met a man he calls Samuel who was caught praying with a group of other Pentecostals. "I was praying with six people at a house one evening and the soldiers came into the house, watched us for one minute and said these meetings are forbidden," he told Fisher. "We were beaten with sticks and then taken to a police station." Samuel and the other Pentecostals spent the next three months being moved between different locations where they were regularly beaten. He was eventually released after signing a document in which he promised to return to Orthodox Christianity.
This is the 21st Century and while the western world complains about not being dressed in the latest designer clothes or not having the best mobile phone, it’s easy to forget that people live real-life daily persecution just for practicing their religion. Isn’t it about time the likes of the world’s most powerful statesmen stood up to these bullies too?
