21ST CENTURY WILBERFORCE INITIATIVE | 405 NORTH WASHINGTON ST., SUITE 300, FALLS CHURCH, VA 22046 571-297-3177 | [email protected] | WWW.21WILBERFORCE.ORG
SPEAKFREEDOM
TEXASAMuslimPersecutedforHisFaithCollectedbythe21stCenturyWilberforceInitiative,June2014Tags:Eritrea,Refugee,IslamEritreaisoneofthemostbrutaloppressorsofChristianity,andhasthereputationofbeing“TheNorthKoreaofAfrica.”Thecountryisledbyadictatorwhoholdstoaradicalsecularideologythatbelievesallreligionsshouldberemoved.Whileallnationsthereforefacemarginalizationandoppression,evangelicalChristianityisparticularlytargeted.Scholarsestimatethatperhapsasmanyas2,000-3,000individualsareincarceratedfortheirfaithinEritrea.Manyoftheseareimprisonedinbrutalcircumstancesincludinginmetalshippingcontainersthatheatwiththerisingofthesuneachday.WhileChristiansaretargetedinparticular,otherreligionsalsofaceharassmentanddifficultyfromtheEritreangovernmentincludingMuslims.ThisincludesAbrehem,ayoungMuslimprayerleader.
ThankyouforlisteningtomystoryaboutreligiouspersecutioninEritrea.IamaSunniMuslimandIlivedinthesouthernregionofEritrea.Iservedasamuezzinandwouldcallthefaithfultoprayerfivetimesaday.Ieventuallybecamealeaderinthemosquewholedinthedailyprayers.Duringthattime,IhadtwogovernmentofficialsfromtheSecretary’sofficeassignedtome.Theyconstantlystoodbesideme,oneonmyrightsideandtheotheronmyleftside.ThiswastoensurethatIneversaidanythingcriticalaboutthegovernmentduringprayers.Inaddition,eachmorningandeveningIwasforcedtosignapaperattheSecretary’sofficeclarifyingthatIwasn’tgoingtoescape.TherewasfearthatmyescapewouldconveytoothersthemessagethatourIslamicfaithwasbeingpersecutedinEritrea.In2007,thegovernmentputsomuchpressureonourMuslimcommunitythattheyarrestedfourofourSheikhsandsentthemtoprison.TheGovernmentalsowrotearestrictiverulelimitingwhatwecouldteachaboutIslam.Wewereinstructedtoonlyteachcertainpartsofourfaithwhileleavingoutthosepartswhichthegovernmentdisapproved.Ifwedisagreedandwantedtoteachthewholetruthaboutourfaiththerewerethreatsincludingpotentiallyevenbeingshot.Asanexampleofwhatwasforbidden,thegovernmentinstructedusthatwecouldnotteachthedoctrineofTawhid.TawhidisadoctrinereferringtotheonenessofGod.TheydidnotwantustoteachthisdoctrinebecausetheywereafraidofanythingthatwouldhelpuniteSunni,SufiandShi’iteMuslimsintoonecommunity.
Atthetimeoftheinterview,Abrehemhadbeenlivingforafewyearsasarefugeeunemployedandinextraordinarilyharshconditions.
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