Registered and unregistered Protestant denominations in eastern Cuba have reported an intensification of government pressure on their organisations in recent weeks, including threats to confiscate or destroy church property and
to deport non-Cuban residents because of their religious beliefs.
Reverend
Amado Ramírez, pastor of the Maranatha First Baptist Church in the city
of Holguin, told Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) that the
authorities have informed the church leadership that the historic
property will be confiscated and the church forced to pay rent to the
government. The church, which is one of the largest in the city with
hundreds of members attending each week, sits on a property which has
belonged to Eastern Baptist Convention since 1947. The building was
built in 1992 with legal permits allowing for its construction in 1992.
Reverend
Ramírez stated that until now the church has never been cited or fined
by the government for any infraction. Because of overcrowding, church
leadership had sought permission to expand the building but had received
no response from the government. However, the pastor was recently
summoned by local Communist party officials who gave him the "...sad,
unjust and arbitrary news handed down from the highest authorities of
our government and the Party who have decided to confiscate our temple,
not to give us the deed or to issue an order for reconstruction, but in
order that we would pay the government for some undefined reason, rent
to use what is already ours since this temple was built on what has been
our property originally through the American Baptist Home Mission
Society since 1947, far earlier than the triumph of the Revolution. We
believe that this move is not only unjust and arbitrary but it violates
the most basic principles of religious freedom which is protected in our
Republic's Constitution."
Other churches in eastern Cuba have
also reported threats of confiscation or destruction of property.
Reverend Fausto Polemo of the Assemblies of God denomination, which is
registered and recognised in Cuba, was informed by local authorities
that his church in the city of Santiago de Cuba would be confiscated and
demolished and that he was prohibited from holding any more services.
Similarly, Pastors Osmel and Madeleine de Calderón were told that their
church in Loma Blanca, Upper Mayarí, Santiago Province and affiliated
with the Apostolic Movement must stop holding services. Members of their
church have also been approached by government officials and warned to
stop attending the church and to distance themselves from the couple.
The government has refused to register the Apostolic Movement and
considers it to be illegal. In addition, Pastor Ernesto Duran, who
Reverend Toledano said is a young and dynamic Apostolic Movement leader
in Santiago, was summoned to appear at the State Security offices in
Santiago on 7 May.
Leaders and members of churches linked to the
Apostolic Movement in the city of Santiago also reported increasing
pressure from government authorities. Reverend Alain Toledano, one of
the key Apostolic Movement leaders in Santiago, told CSW that two
university students from Angola face deportation because they have been
attending a church affiliated with the Apostolic Movement in Santiago.
In mid-April, Iveth Pedrina Luisa Paixão and Tito Capungo were informed
by Cuban immigration authorities that they were expelled from the Frank
País García University for Pedagogical Sciences and will be deported.
CSW’s Chief Operating Officer said, “We
are extremely concerned at the sudden rise in serious violations of
religious freedom targeting both registered and unregistered churches in
eastern Cuba. Unfortunately, this seems to be a clear indication that
the Cuban government has no intention of loosening its restrictions on
religious groups despite hopes raised by the recent dialogues between
Cuba, the US and the EU, as well as the expected visit of Pope Francis
to the island later this year. We echo Reverend Toledano and Reverend
Ramírez’s calls to the Cuban government to respect the freedom of
religion or belief of all Cubans and non-Cuban residents and urge the
international community to hold the Cuban government to account for its
ongoing violations of human rights, including religious freedom.”
Copyright: CSW