Thursday, October 08, 2020
Tuesday, October 06, 2020
Somaliland: Couple in need of prayer
Oct 6, 2020
Being alerted of “suspicious activities,” police came to the house of a Christian couple on 21 September, arresting both after they found Christian materials. The couple have three children.
At a 5 October press conference, a Somaliland police colonel stated that two individuals had been arrested for being “apostates and evangelists spreading Christianity,” with the case to be forwarded to the relevant court.
He also threatened that “whoever dares to spread Christianity in this region, should be fully aware that they won’t escape the hand of the law enforcement officers and that the spread of Christianity will not be allowed and is considered blasphemy.”
He encouraged citizens to report those spreading Christianity to the police.
The arrest and detention of the couple has caused great fear among the local Christian community, with many believers fleeing abroad.
Please pray:
- That the detained couple and their children will experience God’s closeness, peace and comfort during the couple’s detention, and for a speedy release
- For God’s strength for those who fled and wisdom if and when to return
- That the community will be, strong, courageous and overcome the fear
- For wisdom for the leadership on how to handle this situation and to continue their ministry without government interference.
Monday, October 05, 2020
Boliiska Somaliland oo Xidhay Nin & Afadiis Masiixiyiin Ah
Monday, September 28, 2020
Sunday, September 27, 2020
Wednesday, September 23, 2020
Somaliland oo u Dhacday Kiniisad-guriyeed, Waxay Eedda Dusha Ka Saartay Wadaaddo Itoobiyaan ah
Xogtii 1aad
Axad, 27 September 2020, 12: 30 AM, Geeska Afrika
Xogtii ugu dambaysay oo ay heshay SFJ ayaa tilmaamaysa in qoyskii xirnaa ay CID-du ula dhaqmayo si wanaagan. Qoysku xabsi kuma jiraan, kumana xirna xaruun boolis. Waxaa lagu hayaa guri waafi ah oo ay leedahay CID-du. Dowladda Somaliland waxay muujinaysaa dulqaad; Masiixyiinta deggan Somaliland aad ayay dulqaadkan ugu qanacsan yihiin.
Dadaallo ayaa la wadaa ku aaddan sidii loo sii dayn lahaa qoyskan iyaga oo aan dembi lagu soo oogin. CID-du illaa iminka ma aysan helin wax caddaymo ah oo ku saabsan in qoyskani ay ku lug lahaayeen wax diin faafin ah oo ay ka wadeen Somaliland. Ehel Muslimiin ah oo miisaan leh ayaa u doodaya qoyskan si ay u helaan xorriyaddoodii.
Fadlan u ducee reerkan xiran, Dowladda Somaliland iyo Masiixiyiintaba.
23 September 2020
Kiniisad-guriyeed ku taal Hargeisa, Somaliland, ayaa waxaa u dhacay Ciidamada Sirdoonka (CID). Arrintan ayaa dhacday dorraad oo taariikhdu ahayd 21 September 2020 xilli makhribkii ah. Kiniisad-guriyeedka ayaa iminka xiran waxaan dusha ka eegaya Ciidamada Sirdoonka.
Laba xubnood oo ka tirsan kiniisad-guriyeedka ayaa weli xiran kuwaas oo ah nin iyo xaaskiisa. Xubnihii kale ee kiniisad-guriyeedka ayaa u baxsaday dhanka Itoobiya iyaga oo ka gudbay magaalo xuduudeedka Wajaale. Xubin ka tirsan kiniisad-guriyeedka oo ku dhuumaalaysanaya bariga Itoobiya ayaa la soo xiriiray SFJ una sheegay in Ciidamada Sirdoonka ay kiniisad-guriyeedka ka qaateen kutub, 2 laptop, 3 taleefan gacmeed, iyo USD 341.
Xafiiska SFJ ee Hargeisa ayaa warbixin uu soo saaray ku sheegay, “Masuuliyiinta Somaliland waa kuwo sida badan dulqaad iyo haybad shaqo muujiya marka ay la dhaqmayaan Masiixiyiinta Soomaaliyeed ha ahaadeen reer Somaliland ama kuwo ka soo jeeda koonfurta Soomaaliya. Kiniisad-guriyeedkan loo dhacay waa mid dhibkeeda leh balse waxaan weli la xaalaynaa Ciidamada Sirdoonka si aan u ogaano sida wax u jiraan.”
Sarkaal Police ah oo iminka la shaqeeya Ciidamada Sirdoonka ayaa u warramay SFJ isaga oo codsaday in aan magaciisa la shaacin. Sarkaalku waxaa uu eedeeyay “wadaaddo Itoobiyaan ah oo abaabula isu imaatinno waawayn oo aanay fasax u haysan, diin faafin, abuurid is nacayb diimeed oo ay Hargeisa ka fuliyaan.” Sarkaalku waxaa uu intaas ku daray, “Somaliland kama soo horjeeddo Masiixiyadda balse laamaha ammaanku uma dul qaadan doonaan in diinta Masiixiga loo faafiyo si furan waayo tani waxay lid ku tahay dastuurka dalka iyo dareenka shacabka Somaliland ee Muslimka u badan.”
Somaliland ayaa sida badan ah goob ay ku nabad galaan Masiixiyiinta Soomaaliyeed ee la silciyo siiba kuwa ka soo jeeda koonfurta Soomaaliya. In kasta oo kiniisad-guriyeedkan loo dhacay ay tahay nasiib darro, madax kiniisadeedka Soomaaliyeed ayaa ku kalsoon in xaqooda diimeed laga sii xushmayn doono Somaliland.
Wadaad Soomaaliyeed oo ka howlgala Itoobiya ayaa ku dhiiri geliyay wadaadada shisheeye in ay xigmad adeegsadaan marka ay ka adeegayaan Somaliland iyo goobaha kale ee Soomaalidu degto ee geyiga Soomaaliyeed. Hogaamiyahan ayaa intaas ku daray, “Wadaadada shisheeye ee seef laboodka ah sharkooda ayaa ka badan khayrkooda marka ay Soomaalida ka dhex adeegayaan.” Wadaadada reer Itoobiya ayaa lagu eedaynayay illaa iyo 1997 in ay uga adeegaan Somaliland si aan xigmad badan lahayn.
Fadlan u soo duceeya Masiixiyiinta Soomaaliyeed ee deggan Somaliland, Dowladda Somaliland, iyo wadaadada shisheeye ee ka dhex adeega Soomaalida ku nool Geeska Africa.
Dhacdadani waa mid weli isa soo taraysa. Wixii ku soo kordha
ayay SFJ idiin soo gudbin doontaa.
Somaliland Authorities Crackdown on a Local House-Church, Blame Ethiopian Missionaries
Update# 1
Sunday, 27 September 2020: 12:30 AM
Horn of Africa Time
The latest update received by SFJ indicates that the detained couple is being treated well by the CID. The couple is neither in prison nor in a police station; they are being held in a CID spacious facility. The Government of Somaliland is showing restraint, and the community of faith in Somaliland appreciates this.
Efforts are underway to release the couple without any charges. The CID has not received any evidence that the couple was involved in any evangelism or missionary work in Somaliland. Influential Muslim members of the couple’s family are advocating for the couple’s release.
Please continue praying for the detained couple, the Government of Somaliland, and the community of faith.
SFJ, Hargeisa, Somaliland
23 September 2020
A Somali house-church in Hargeisa, Somaliland, was raided by Somaliland’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on the evening of 21 September. The house-church, which meets in a safe house, is now closed and is under CID surveillance.
Two of the members of the house-church, a husband and wife, are still in CID detention while the rest of the house-church members fled to Ethiopia via the Wajale town border crossing. A member of the house-church who contacted SJF from his hiding place in eastern Ethiopia confirmed that the CID confiscated from the house-church Bible study materials, 2 laptops, 3 smartphones, and USD 341.
The Hargeisa Bureau of SJF said in an incident report, “Somaliland authorities are often tolerant and professional in the way they deal with local Christians whether they are from Somaliland or from southern Somalia. This house-church raid is troubling but we are in contact with the CID to learn more.”
A police officer who is seconded to the CID spoke to SJF on condition of anonymity; the officer blamed “Ethiopian Christian missionaries who organized unauthorized large gatherings, proselytization, and fomenting religious animosity in Hargeisa.” The officer added that “Somaliland is not against Christianity, but the security sector will not tolerate open Christian evangelism in Somaliland as this is contrary to the constitution of Somaliland and the sensitivity of the Muslim majority in Somaliland.”
Somaliland has often been a reliable refuge for the persecuted Somali Christians, especially those from southern Somalia. While the house-church raid is unfortunate, local Christian leaders are confident that their religious rights will remain respected in Somaliland.
A Somali missionary in Ethiopia encouraged foreign missionaries to be prudent when ministering in Somaliland and in other Somali enclaves in the Somali peninsula. The leader added, “overzealous foreign missionaries often cause more harm than good in the Somali ministry.” Ethiopian missionaries have been blamed for unwise and insensitive ministry activities in Somaliland since 1997.
Please pray for the community of faith in Somaliland, the Somaliland Government, and the foreign missionaries ministering among Somalis in the Horn of Africa.
This is a developing story, and it would be updated as SJF learns more.