Tanzania

International Christian Concern 2020 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, #941 Washington, DC 20006 301-585-5915 ♦ icc@persecution.org

PETITION CALLING FOR GREATER PROTECTION OF CHRISTIAN CHURCHES IN TANZANIA

Her Excellency Ambassador Mwanaidi S. Maajar Embassy of the United Republic of Tanzania 1232 22nd St. NW, Washington D.C 20037 November 13, 2012, Dear Ambassador Maajar, It is with great concern that we petition your government to immediately increase its protection of Christian churches which may face imminent danger both in mainland Tanzania and on the island of Zanzibar. Over the past few months ICC has received reliable reports of the destruction of at least 3 churches in Dar es Salaam and another in Zanzibar City at the hands of the radical Islamist group UAMSHO, or the Association for Islamic Mobilization and Propagation. Christians in Tanzania are rightly afraid that this group and those who share their values may continue to target Christian places of worship as well as Christian individuals. Other reports indicate that recent church burnings may have also taken place in Mdaula, Mto wa Mbu, Tunduru, and Rufiji. In addition, on October 18th, a mob of protestors carrying clubs, swords, and machetes attempted to break into two churches in Zanzibar, reportedly intent on killing Bishop Augustine Shayo of the Roman Catholic church and Reverend Emmanuel Masoud of the Anglican church. The mob was said to be chanting “We want the heads of all the church pastors in Zanzibar!” Understandably some Christian ministers have now fled Zanzibar, fearing for their lives. To make matters worse, Christians report that extremists in Zanzibar are also filing court injunctions to prevent the re-building of churches destroyed by mob violence. Coupled with the reported arrest and two year imprisonment of 17-year-old Christian Eva Abdullah in the coastal town of Bagamoyo on trumped up charges of defiling a Quran, these events paint a very startling picture of a Tanzania that is rapidly becoming intolerant of religious diversity. Ambassador Maajar, we ask that you do everything within your power to ensure an end to the destruction of Christian churches in Tanzania and to protect Christians in Tanzania from senseless acts of mob violence. No man or woman should fear the incineration of their places of worship or the murder of their leaders simply because they subscribe to a particular religious belief. Take action now to ensure that Tanzania remains as you yourself have called it: “a tolerant society free from religious bigotry.”

Sincerely, International Christian Concern (and attached) CC: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Senator John Kerry, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Senator Richard Lugar, Ranking Republican Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Congressman Howard L. Berman, Ranking Democratic Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs

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