Ethiopia: Information on whether Seventh-day Activists and their pastors are politically active or become members of political parties or groups, and if so, on whether they are sought by the government or other groups
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 June 1996 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | ETH24212.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ethiopia: Information on whether Seventh-day Activists and their pastors are politically active or become members of political parties or groups, and if so, on whether they are sought by the government or other groups, 1 June 1996, ETH24212.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6acd168.html [accessed 2 June 2023] |
| 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. |
The following information was obtained in a 19 June 1996 telephone interview with a former Department Director for Youth and Lay Activities in the Seventh-day Adventist church in Addis Ababa, now resident in Berrien Springs, Michigan. The director, who worked in Ethiopia until April 1996, was only aware of the situation of Adventists in Addis Ababa, and stated that the situation in rural Ethiopia may differ.
According to the source, Seventh-day Adventists have traditionally discouraged political activity among their membership. Individuals can become members of political parties or groups, but in general the church holds strongly to the doctrine of the separation of church and state in all affairs. If a pastor were politically active and church members became aware of the activity, the source stated the church leadership would try to get the pastor to desist from further involvement in politics.
The source was not aware of any Adventists being arrested because of their membership in the church in Addis Ababa, but added that Adventists may have been arrested because of activities unrelated to religion.
Additional and/or corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the DIRB. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB 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.
Reference
Former Department Director for Youth and Lay Activities, Seventh-day Adventists of Central Ethiopia now residing in Berrien Springs, Michigan. 19 June 1996. Telephone interview.
Additional Sources Consulted
Africa Confidential. 1995-1996.
Africa Research Bulletin. 1995-1996.
Amnesty International Report 1995.
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1995. 1996.
DIRB Ethiopia Amnesty Country File. 1995-1996.
DIRB Ethiopia Country File. 1995-1996.
Focus on Africa. 1996.
Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) Daily Reports. 1995-1996.
Horn of Africa Bulletin. 1995-1996.
Human Rights Watch World Report 1996.
The Indian Ocean Newsletter. 1995-1996.
New African. July 1995-June 1996.
News from Africa Watch. Various reports.
On-line search of media articles (NEXIS). 1995-1996.
Oral sources.
Two sources consulted did not provide information on the requested subject.
Unsuccessful attempts to contact oral sources.
Note on oral sources:
Oral sources are usually contacted when documentary sources have been exhausted. However, oral sources must agree to be quoted in a publicly available Response to Information Request. If they refuse, the Response will read "no information could be found among the sources consulted." Contacting oral sources is also subject to time constraints; for example, there are periods of the year when academics are unavailable. Long distance calls to Africa are often constrained by limited telecommunications capacity.
