Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)/Zimbabwe: Whether the congregation of the Pentecostal community of the Northern Kamina in the province of Katanga (former Shaba) (CPNS) invited U.S. Missionaries from Harvestfield Ministry Pentecostal Church in Indiana who were arrested at Harare airport in Zimbabwe in March 1999; whether as a result of these arrests, the DRC authorities arrested various Pentecostal church pastors and customs department authorities in Kamina and in Lubumbashi on the accusation that the Church was involved in terrorism or in coup attempts against the government (1999)
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 18 June 2001 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | ZZZ36897.E |
| Reference | 4 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)/Zimbabwe: Whether the congregation of the Pentecostal community of the Northern Kamina in the province of Katanga (former Shaba) (CPNS) invited U.S. Missionaries from Harvestfield Ministry Pentecostal Church in Indiana who were arrested at Harare airport in Zimbabwe in March 1999; whether as a result of these arrests, the DRC authorities arrested various Pentecostal church pastors and customs department authorities in Kamina and in Lubumbashi on the accusation that the Church was involved in terrorism or in coup attempts against the government (1999), 18 June 2001, ZZZ36897.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3df4bed424.html [accessed 12 October 2022] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Various reports refer to a 7 March 1999 arrest at Harare airport in Zimbabwe of Gary George Blanchard, Joseph Wendell Pettjohn and John Lamonte Dixon, who said they were missionaries with the Indianapolis-based Harvestfield Ministries Pentecostal Church (AP 6 Nov. 1999; ibid. 10 Sept. 1999; US News 19 Jul. 1999; Christianity Today 24 Mar. 1999; South Bend Tribune 19 Mar. 1999). The same sources added that the three men were in possession of a cache of guns (ibid; AP 6 Nov. 1999; US News 19 Jul. 1999; Christianity Today 24 Mar. 1999)
The three men claimed that the weapons were used for hunting, recreation and protection (AP 6 Nov. 1999; The Christianity Today 15 Nov. 1999). Zimbabwean prosecutors originally accused them of treason, espionage, terrorism and sabotage (Christianity Today 24 March 1999; AP 6 Nov. 1999) and of "supplying guns to rebels trying to overthrown Congo President Laurent Kabila" (South Bend Tribune19 Mar. 1999).
Convicted of illegal weapons charged (AP 6 Nov. 1999; ibid. 10 Sept. 1999; Christianity Today 15 Nov. 1999) and sentenced to six months for possessing weapons of war and to 21 months for taking dangerous material abroad an airliner (ibid.), the defendants were released from jail on 6 Nov. 1999 (AP 6 Nov. 1999).
Information on whether in connection with the 7 March 1999 incident, Congolese authorities arrested various Pentecostal church pastors and customs department authorities in Kamina and in Lubumbashi on the allegation that the Church was involved in terrorism or in coup attempts against the government could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Associated Press (AP). 6 November 1999. Hartnack, M. "Three Jailed Americans on Way Home from Zimbabwe."
_____. 10 September 1999. Angus Shaw. "U.S. Missionaries Found Guilty."
Christianity Today. 24 May 1999. 15 November 1999. "Zimbabwe: Gun-Toting Missionaries Given Light Sentences."
_____. 24 May 1999. Odhiambo Okite. "Zimbabwe: Missionaries or Mercenaries?"
South Bend Tribune. 19 March 1999. Angus Shaw and Amy Fortlti. "Congo Mission Dispute Continues."
USNews. 19 July 1999. Satchel, M. "World Report: Are They Missionary – Or Mercenaries?"
Additional Sources Consulted
A 28 May 2001 letter was sent to a Lubumbashi (DRC) based-Centre des droits de l'homme et du droit humanitaire (CDH/L'shi).
Africa Confidential. 1999-2001.
Africa Research Bulletin 1999-2001.
Amnesty International. 2000-2001. Annual Reports.
Info-Congo/Kinshasa 1999-2001.
Jeune Afrique/L'Intelligent 1999-2001.
LEXIS/NEXIS.
Websites including:
Amnesty International Online.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) Online.
Media Congolais.
Missionarie News Agency (MISNA].
Observatoire de l'Afrique centrale.
Panafrican News Agency.
ReliefWeb.
La VSV.
Search Engines:
Google.
HotBot.
Lycos.
