January 2018 Persecution Magazine

News
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“Religious
education would
no longer be
permitted”
Mob Attacks Coptic Church, Damages
Other Christian Buildings
1 | EGYPT On October 27, a Muslim mob formed
in Egypt’s Ezbat Zakaria village and attacked St.
George’s (“Mar Girgis”) Church. During the attack,
the mob also damaged several homes and stables
owned by Coptic Christians. Many doors and windows
were broken in the attack and three of the stables
were set on fire. One Christian woman suffered minor
injuries during the incident.
A local resident of the Christian community
recalled that, on the morning of the attack, they
found fliers near the village mosque that read, “We
opened the church in spite of you.” He noted that
the fliers were forged to appear as though they were
written by the Christian villagers as a ploy to justify
the attack.
As the Christian community seeks to recover from
the incident, security officials responded to the attack
by closing down the church. Approximately 1,800
Christians call Ezbat
Zakaria home, all of
whom have lost their
place of worship
because of this decision.
One eyewitness
to the attack noted
that it was the mob’s
goal to close the
church. When authorities
restricted the
Christians’ access to
their facilities, many
felt frustrated, as if the
radical Muslims were
given what they wanted.
While it is essential
that their church
building be restored
to its rightful owners,
it is encouraging that
the authorities are taking
action to investigate
the violence. At
the time of writing,
15 people have been
arrested pending an
investigation.
Unfortunately, this
recent attack is just
one example of growing
anti-Christian
sentiment in Egypt.
Authorities must take
stronger action to condemn
this type of violence
or else life for
minority Christians
will only grow more
dangerous.
Eritrea Forces Christian Schools to
Close in Favor of Public Schools
2 | ERITREA For years, the Eritrean government,
led by Isaias Afwerki (pictured), has persecuted its
Christian population. Rightfully earning its moniker
as the “North Korea of Africa,” the Eritrean government
only officially recognizes four religions:
the Eritrean Orthodox Church, the Roman Catholic
Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Eritrea,
and Sunni Islam. Those who practice their faith
outside of the government’s strict parameters find
themselves subject to severe persecution.
In a recent move that further restricts religious
activity, the Eritrean government ruled that all
schools within the nation must be public. In doing
so, religious education would no longer be permitted
and students are no longer able to wear religious
symbols such as crosses or Muslim headscarves.
The government justified the decision by saying that
the church’s sole function was to address the community’s
spiritual needs. When a Catholic school
refused to comply by closing itself, the government
allegedly shut
down the school and
arrested both a nun
and a priest.
This decision has
been met with widespread
disapproval
which led people to
protest in the capital
city of Asmara. In
a country as oppressive
as Eritrea, protests
of this nature
are not a common
occurrence due to the
harsh consequences
that often follow.
4 PERSECU ION.org
JANUARY 2018
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN