ERITREA: Nuns Thrown Out Of Their Convent By Government Authorities
Security Officers removing Nun's Belongings from their convent
Following the seizure of all Catholic health facilities in Eritrea, the Government security and health officers have continued with brutal crackdown on some individuals, especially members of Religious Congregations that have been running the facilities.
AMECEA Online News has learnt of the great suffering of some Religious Sisters who previously worked in these facilities. On June 25 in the Diocese of Keren, the Government health officers broke into the facilities of St. Lucia Clinic in Hamelmalo and forcefully taking it over, at the same time they arrested one of the nuns, Sr. Leteyohannes Mengisteab. She has, however, been released.
On July 1st, Government officers invaded the convent of Sisters of St. Ann which ran a small clinic within their compound. They forcefully took over the whole facility including the convent. The nuns were maliciously ejected from their convent, their belongings thrown out as the officers took over the premises.
This happened in Zagir Village which is about 20 kilometres from Asmara, the capital city. The nuns were forced to salvage their belongings which had been thrown out by the officers and look for refuge elsewhere.
Although the move by the Eritrean Government to seizure church-ran health facilities has been widely criticized by the international community including the Chairman of AMECEA Rt. Rev. Charles Kasonde and as well as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea Ms. Daniela Kravetz, the Government has since defended their move saying that the law provides for “separation of powers” and therefore forbids religious institutions from conducting developmental activities of their choice and at will.
The Catholic Church is known and credited worldwide for supplementing social services in many developing countries so as to benefit the poor masses.
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By AMECEA Online News
