Asmara, Eritrea, Nov 15, 2007 / 09:54 am
The expulsion of 14 Catholic missionaries from Eritrea two days ago is part of a plan of the Maoist dictatorship of President Isaias Afewerkito to destroy the Catholic Church in Eritrea, reports CISA.
Sources say that the missionaries were given two weeks to leave the country, beginning November 6. The plan to expel foreigners from the country has been in the making for quite some time, with some missionary institutes saying they received notification from the government two years ago to prepare local personnel to be deported.
Eritrea has one of the worst religious freedom records in the world. While the government recognizes four religions, (Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran, and Muslim) members of unrecognized churches are often detained and tortured. Many hundreds of religious detainees continue to be held without due process in harsh conditions that include extreme temperature fluctuations with limited or no access to family.
The government has severely restricted the freedom of unregistered groups, but also infringes upon the independence of some registered churches. The government harasses, detains, and arrests members of independent evangelical groups, and seeks greater control over the approved religious groups.