ERITREA: Bishops Condemn Government’s Seizure of Church Owned Health Facilities
ERITREA: Bishops Condemn Government’s Seizure of Church Owned Health Facilities
By AMECEA Online News Team
In the wake of the forceful seizure of the 22 health centers run by the Church in Eritrea, the Catholic Bishops in country have condemned the Government for the act, terming it an aggression on the integrity of the Church and an unjustifiable action for which the Eritrean authorities will be held responsible for any adverse consequences.
In a letter addressed to the Ministry of Health on June 13, the bishops have said the measure is totally ‘unreasonable’ and ‘inappropriate’ and that the Church cannot hand-over its facilities as ordered.
“The Government can say it doesn’t need the services of the Church, but asking for her to handover the property is not right,” reads a letter sent jointly by Most Rev. Menghesteab Tesfamariam Archbishop of Amara and President of the Conference, Rt. Rev. Kidane Yebio of Keren, Rt. Rev Thomas Osman of Barentu and Rt. Rev. Fikremariam Hagos Tsalim of Segheneity.
The Government of Eritrea on June 12 ordered the Catholic Church to hand over to the State all the health centers managed by the Church and forced the health workers at the facilities to sign a document for the transfer of property.
The Bishops have stated that the Church has the obligation of serving the people and it should neither be viewed as an act of “opposing the Government,” nor that She intends to be in competition with the State.
They have further expressed sadness at the manner in which the seizure was done wherein Government soldiers and police ordered doctors at the Catholic health-facilities to surrender the facilities, and in some cases bullying them as they ordered them to evict patients who were receiving health services.
“How can this happen in a country with law and order? How can health services provided by the Church in collaboration with the Government be abruptly stopped without even considering any compensation arrangements?”
The Bishops have advised that Government should have come forward and say it to them that they do not need Church health services, rather than literately confiscating Church facilities.
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Below is the full content of the letter, which was originally written in Tigrinya language.
Episcopal conference of the Eritrean Bishops Letter to the Government
English translation of letter in Tigrinya addressing Eritrea’s Minister of Health Amna Nurhussein.
13 June 2019
RE: Institutions of Health Owned by the Catholic Church
Respected Minister:
God’s Peace Be Upon You.
It is to be recalled that since 1995 the Catholic Church of Eritrea has notified the Government of Eritrea of its mission in providing health services. Because this Church’s life is linked to providing services, it has never stopped serving the public. It has an obligation to provide material and spiritual support. To provide labor of love, to make humanity whole, to contribute in the development and nation building is its obligation and its right. It is clear that all its services are people-focused and not against the government and the country, neither designed to compete with nor replace it.
History recalls that in 1982, the Derg [Ethiopian] government, based on its hostility to religion and spiritualism, confiscated the properties owned by the Catholic Church. Because the Derg regime was a foreign power, we didn’t anticipate any better behavior from it. Although what it did was very saddening, because we had our own children and brothers fighting for our independence, we did not lose hope.
Since independence, the history of our church witnesses that we have repeatedly requested that the properties unjustly confiscated be returned to us.
What is most saddening is the directive issued yesterday, Wednesday June 12, by the government through its soldiers, police and doctors ordering us to surrender Catholic health-facilities. Its [the directive’s] abrupt content and spirit is unclear to us. In some areas, they bullied those in our service and ordered them to evict the patients receiving health services and to close down the buildings and stand guard on our monasteries. How can this happen in a country with law and order? How can health services provided by the Catholic Church, services that were being provided in coordination with the government, be abruptly stopped without any compensation?
For the government to say, “I don’t need the services offered by the Catholic Church”, is one thing. But to confiscate the Church’s property is not right.
Most of the health centres are inside our monasteries. It is impossible to pester our health centres without intruding into our monasteries. To confiscate our properties is to affect the continuity of the Church: it puts in jeopardy the mission of the Church, that is, that of its monasteries and those who serve in it.
We are saddened by what is happening to the health centres in our monasteries these days; we hereby put on notice that we are not happily and willingly giving up our properties. If such steps continue, we consider it as violation of the rights of the Church. And any initiative using the logic of force will have severe ramification and the Church will not be taking any responsibility for it.
In conclusion, even now, the Catholic Church is, as usual, ready for discussions and reaching understanding. We advise that everything follows law and order, proceed in a dignified manner and does not disturb the properties of the Church.
May the Almighty God Bless our country
Signed:
His Holiness Fr Mengesteab Tesfamariam, Archbishop of Metropolitan Asmara Archeparchy
His Holiness Fr Tomas Osman, Bishop of Barentu Eparchy,
His Holiness Fr. Kidane Yebio, Bishop of Keren Eparchy
His Holiness Fikremariam Hagos Tsalim, Bishop of Segheneity Eparchy
