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Protest Vigil Outside the Erittrean Embassy in London
The protesters sang hymns, read scriptures and offered prayers to show their solidarity with the persecuted church of Eritrea and Eritrean believers who are denied these basic rights enshrined in the Eritrean constitution as well as international accords that Eritrea is a party to. Members of each organisation took turns to brief participants of the rally on the situation in Eritrea and lead them in prayer on specific concerns such as refugees and prisoners. Prayers were also said for the government of Eritrea and its officials who are responsible for all the violations taking place in the country.
At the conclusion of the event, Metropolitan Seraphim of the British Orthodox Church presented a petition letter to the Embassy on behalf of all protesters; in the letter Abba Seraphim called for the granting of full religious freedom to all Eritreans, and for the unconditional release of all prisoners of conscience in Eritrea.
Several protesters wore masks, denouncing the façade of a happy united nation celebrating its independence as portrayed in government media. The reality, many Eritrean protesters stated was far from this: as Eritrea marks 20 years of independence, Eritreans are fleeing the country in numbers unprecedented, making the tiny nation one of the largest refugee producing countries in the world.
Speaking on the occasion Dr Berhane Asmelash director of Release Eritrea recounted the experiences of many prisoners of conscience, including those who died at the hands of their torturers. Dr Berhane thanked all those who continue to stand in solidarity with persecuted Eritreans and called on the international community to continue putting pressure on the government of Eritrea on behalf of countless Eritreans who have been denied basic rights. The vigil outside the embassy was followed by a prayer event at a nearby Ethiopian church.