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Technorati“I don’t know why the government is doing this to its citizens,” Essay said. “But we have heard that the government says that the Christians are CIA agents, they are supported by America, for the destruction of the nation, something like that.”
Among the many torture tactics used by Eritrean authorities include detaining Christians in large metal shipping containers where they are at the mercy of unbearable heat, disease, and mental distress.
“The shipping containers are not very big, only 20 feet long, and many of them with around 15-20 people inside,” said Alem, a skilled military soldier who chose to be imprisoned rather than renounce his Christian faith.
“They normally allowed us out twice a day to go to the toilet. The rest of the time we weren’t allowed out. It was very difficult, especially if you were sick or had diarrhea.”
Alem recalled the case of one prisoner who was a mother with a seven-month-old baby. The guards made a pen for the baby and left the child unattended all day under the heat of the sun. The mother was forced to work within hearing range of her baby and would weep when she could hear the child cry but could not do anything.
“The government has imprisoned Christians, they are torturing Christians, they are killing Christians,” said Hanibal, an Eritrean Christian activist who is documenting the persecution of believers. “Christians are treated like animals.”
Release encourages concerned Christians to pray for the persecuted Eritrean Christians, to sign a petition calling for Eritrea to respect religious freedom, to donate to Release ministry so it can continue to support Christians in Eritrea, and to participate in the International Day of Prayer for the persecuted church in November.
On the Web: www.realeaseinternational.org
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