Since 2002 the regime in Eritrea has been persecuting and imprisoning Christians who do not belong to traditional church groups. Things may be about to get worse. 'Eritrea has declared there will be a purge of Christians by Christmas,' Selam Kidane told the Release conference in London.

 

The director of Release Eritrea believes the authorities have imprisoned around 3,000 Christians who refuse to obey orders by the military junta to abandon their faith.

 

While Catholic, Lutheran and Orthodox Christian groups are tolerated but kept on a tight rein, the authorities have shut down other churches. They have arrested their leaders and tortured and imprisoned Christians in shipping containers.

 

Such moves are intended to eradicate those who cannot in all conscience bow to the final authority of the state – when the state commands them to renounce their faith.

 

'Torture is rife,' said Selam. She said interrogators were binding the legs and arms of prisoners behind them, then lifting them to the ceiling - an interrogation technique known as the helicopter. 'Others are given the ‘Jesus Christ’ - they are bound with their arms outstretched,' she said. 'What is taking place in Eritrea is now similar to what is happening in North Korea.'

 

Refugees from North Korea also addressed the Release Conference Strong Together, held in London on Saturday November 6. 'To be a Christian in North Korea is death,' said a defector known as Lydia, who tried three times to escape starvation and oppression in her country.

 

Twice she was recaptured and faced brutal interrogation. 'They kept torturing me,' she said. 'They tied my hands behind me and punched my face. The teeth I have now are dentures. They are not mine. They hung me on a pulley about five metres from the ground and threatened to drop and kill me. If they had found out that I went to church in China it would have meant death.

 

'I was in a prison camp for three months. I ended up weighing only 30 kilograms. There are no human rights in North Korea.'

 

After escaping again she crossed a river into China and walked 40 kilometres without shoes. She said 20,000 of her countrymen had now fled to South Korea.

 

'The Release conference heard many moving stories, including from Sri Lanka, where Christians face growing pressure and persecution,' said Release CEO Andy Dipper. 'This is at the hands of militant Buddhists, who are turning to violence to prevent Christians from sharing their faith.

 

‘Moves to ban churches and silence Christians are gaining momentum. Now we hear of moves to eradicate Christianity in Eritrea by Christmas. Why are the authorities so afraid of Christians?' he asked.

 

Eritreans are fleeing their country to Sudan, Israel, Libya and Ethiopia, where Release is providing support for Eritreans in refugee camps. 'Eritreans have become the new boat people of our time,' said Selam Kidane, of Release Eritrea.

 

She told the conference that Eritrean refugees were being treated harshly in Italy and in Britain. 'Having fled persecution and having crossed the Sahara, they're not safe in the UK either. Some have committed suicide because of the harshness of the treatment they've received here,' she added.

 

She concluded by challenging her mainly British audience to show compassion for Eritrean refugees, using the words of Cain, after he killed his brother Abel: 'Am I my brother's keeper?'

 

Listen to audio recordings from Release's National Conference

 

 

Pictures of the conference speakers are available on request by email.

 

For country profiles on Eritrea, North Korea and Sri Lanka, please follow these links:

 

For further information, please contact Release International on 01689 823491 or by email at info@releaseinternational.org 

 

And for more information on Release International, please go to: www.releaseinternational.org