This week, were praying for Eritrea: a country with one of the worst human rights records in the world. Young people flee in large numbers to escape indefinite national service. Reports in April alleged security forces in Assab shot at conscripts who tried to escape from a truck that was carrying them to undertake forced labour with a road construction company, killing eleven people, including a woman and child who were passing by, and injuring several conscripts. The security forces were conducting house to house searches for those who escaped.

Many of the refugees that are currently making headlines are Eritreans fleeing a government that ruthlessly persecutes ordinary citizens, and imprisons tens of thousands of them, including thousands of Christians.

• That God would comfort the families that lost loved ones in the incident in April and protect those who managed to escape;
• That the upcoming UN Commission of Inquiry on crimes against humanity, which is due in June, would bring real change for the people of Eritrea;
• That Eritrean refugees would find somewhere they are able to live peacefully;
• That prisoners in Eritrea would know God’s peace and comfort even in the midst of their suffering;
• Thanking God for the many opportunities CSW has had to speak up about the situation in Eritrea before the UN;
• For perseverance , wisdom and strategy for CSW’s Africa and Middle Team and our partner Human Rights Concern Eritrea, particularly regarding future initiatives at the UN;
• For an end to the injustice, and for freedom and peace throughout Eritrea.