Saudi Arabia Continues Sweep of Christians

Saudi Arabia Continues Sweep of Christians

August 21, 2001, Editorial by the President of ICC

For the past three weeks, six Christians in Saudi Arabia have been anticipating the dreaded knock at their door by officers of the Ministry of Interior (MOI). The names of six Christians were extracted by force by MOI officers after interrogating Christian leader Prabhu Isaac who was arrested on July 19. The most recent Christian arrested was Baharu Mengistu who, like the others on the MOI's newly compiled most-wanted list, was a foreign national and, also like the others, had been working and living in the city of Jeddah. It is now confirmed that Baharu [30 years old] was taken by the Saudi MOI on the morning of Aug. 20th, 2001. The MOI were waiting for him outside of his place of employment as he came to work. Unlike the others detained before him, Baharu was able to spend a few hours with his wife because he had been tipped off that the MOI were coming to get him. 

According to the United Churches of Saudi Arabia (UCOSA), over the past 3 weeks the following individuals have been taken by the Saudi MOI: 

Taken on July 19th (held in Sharafia prison, Jeddah, SA) 

· Prabhu Isaac [Nationality: Indian] 

Taken on July 25th (held in Ruais prison, Jeddah, SA) 

· Eskinder Menghis [Nationality: Eritrea] 

Taken on Aug. 19, 2001: 

· Tinsaie Gizachew [Nationality: Eritrean], and two other members of his Church as well: Gabayu and Kebrom. This is a total of 7 taken from one of the Eritrean fellowships. 

· Afobunor Okey Buliamin (Benjamin) [Nationality: Nigerian] 

· Mesfin -Ethiopian or Eritrean national 

Taken on Aug. 20, 2001: 

· Baharu Mengistu [Nationality: Ethiopian] 

A number of others have been taken by the MOI as well. Their names are not available at this point. There are only a couple left to be taken whose names were on the original list that the MOI took from Prabhu's computer. Prabhu's computer contained the list of nearly all the Christians who had met in private homes in Jeddah, therefore causing concern among the Christian community that they too will be targeted next by the MOI. 

The recent wave of arrests in Saudi Arabia is an eerie reminder of the beginning stages of the Nazi campaign to eliminate all Jews from Germany. How far will the Saudis go in preventing Muslims from being exposed to the Christian faith remains to be seen.

The question now being asked by the human rights group International Christian Concern and UCOSA is whether there may be a link between the arrests of Christians in Saudi Arabia and that of the extremist Taliban regime in Afghanistan where 24 Christian aid workers were arrested on charges of proselytizing. Of special concern are the Afghan Christians, because they are likely to have already suffered torture in an attempt to re-convert them back to Islam (the same tactics used by the Saudis). The Afghan Christians now face a death sentence mandated by strict Islamic law. Little known to most Westerners, similar laws apply to Saudi citizens who are accused of sharing their faith with Muslims in Saudi Arabia - America's friend and ally. 

It is now quite evident that the Saudi regime is not withholding any means by which to systematically eliminate the Church in Saudi Arabia. How far will they test Western resolve in safeguarding human rights and religions freedom? Will there be an outcry from the West or will silence serve as a green light for the Saudis to carry out their own Nazi-style extermination of Christians who refuse to allow their faith to be bound by four walls? 

Moreover, Saudi Arabia has joined the ranks of the likes of China and Sudan who are campaigning to be accepted into the World Trade Organization (WTO). Hopefully, the outcry from concerned freedom-loving Americans and other Westerners will be loud enough to prevent Saudi Arabia from being accepted. Just imagine if Hitler's Germany had been bidding for WTO acceptance! Maybe Saudi Arabia hasn't yet taken the same extreme measures as did the Nazis, but nevertheless the objective concerning eliminating Christians holds many parallels. 

One frantic Christian called the Washington, DC office of International Christian Concern pleading, "Does anyone care that we Christians are targeted by the intolerant Muslim regime for elimination?" This man's name is on the "list of six" and is nervously waiting the MOI to pay him a midnight visit. "Please", he says, "pray for us; but not only pray, speak up for us."

 ICC is asking Americans to call their elected representatives in Washington to urge them to make every effort to persuade the Saudi government to release the Christians.

International Christian Concern is a human rights organization based in Washington, D.C. that serves as a watchdog and advocate for religious freedom worldwide.

Posted:  September 8, 2001

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