Strained friendship
Moroccan crackdown against Christians continues; Capitol Hill scrutiny underway
ICC Note:
23 foreigners have received notifications of expulsion from Moroccan authorities since May 10, the possible beginning of a second large wave of deportations from the country.
By Jamie Dean
5/21/2010 Morocco (World Magazine) – Less than six weeks after the Moroccan ambassador to the United States insisted that his country's government wasn't cracking down on foreign Christians—despite a rash of March deportations—the Moroccan government asked more foreign Christians to leave in May.
U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va., told House members that Moroccan officials delivered deportation notices to 10 foreigners in the second week of May. International Christian Concern (ICC)—a D.C.-based group—reported that the African nation had notified 23 foreigners of expulsion orders since May 10. The group reported that the expelled foreigners included Christians and that government officials accused the foreigners of proselytizing—a crime in Morocco
While some foreign Christians leave, trouble may be brewing for Moroccan Christians who stay behind. Some deported foreigners said Moroccan Christians reported that Moroccan authorities were harassing and following them. An ICC report confirms some of the fears among Moroccan Christians—a tiny minority. The group reported correspondence from a Moroccan pastor near Marrakech. "We have stopped all worship activity," the pastor said. "We are afraid they will attack us if we are in meetings, so there is no meeting."
