Church 'Evicted' After 7 Years Proof of Kuwait's New Islamist Policy?
The eviction of a Christian congregation from a private villa used for worship gatherings for the past seven years has some observers speculating whether Kuwait's Islamist politicians are beginning to actively target non-Muslim groups.
An American contractor for the U.S. Army in Kuwait, also a Christian, contacted The Christian Post in mid-April, saying that The Lighthouse Church (TLC) he attends was having difficulty renewing its lease. The man, who asked to remain anonymous for security reasons, said the lease was then suddenly terminated without explanation.
A villa church tied to the TLC congregation was later told by the landlord it had to pay an exorbitant fine each month to use a facility it had been renting, according to the Christian contractor. Church leaders reportedly decided not to argue and moved out.
Both congregations, affiliated with the National Evangelical Church in Kuwait, have found temporary meeting places, but leaders fear they will be unable to find permanent homes.
"The question is whether there will be further problems with other community branches, and whether we will be able to find other locations," the contractor told CP. "It is strange to realize that I have just been the victim of religious persecution. I also realize that I have some fear for my personal safety here."
The Christian contractor suggested that the rising Islamic tendencies in Kuwait's policy might be to blame for the congregations' alleged eviction.
Follow us
"It turns out our church was forced out of the villa we were leasing by pressure from unknown persons on the landlord," the man told CP in an email. "Our leaders were in the process of renewing our lease and had the needed exemption in hand to allow us to use the villa."
Raising non-Muslim worship spaces in Kuwait is nearly impossible because of the common interpretation of Islamic law forbidding any other religion than Islam. Although Islamic law is not officially the law of the land, the authorities are often pressured to reject permits for the erection of new churches.
According to some estimates, there are between 150 and 200 Kuwaiti Christians and up to 350,000 foreign Christians living in the country. There are around 20 church buildings.
Nevertheless, congregations have been allowed to meet as house churches at private venues.
That tradition might be changing, according to reports, as conservative Muslim religious and political leaders have begun speaking out against the existence of any churches, including house churches, on the peninsula. Some observers point to the fact that Islamists won a majority in parliament in February's elections. Kuwait is 85 percent Sunni Muslim, with a 30-percent Shi'a minority, as well as sizable Hindu, Christian and Buddhist minorities.
At first, local Christians were not worried about the surge of Islamist politicians, according to the Christian contractor who attends The Lighthouse Church. "The Emir and the rest of the parliament are tolerant. This move was unexpected by most of us," he said. But that is beginning to change. "There seems to be an expectation that they [Islamists] will continue to expand their influence and numbers," the man told CP.
Non-citizens (anyone without the proper proof of heritage) cannot own property in Kuwait. "The easiest way for the church footprint to be reduced here will be to simply forbid leases to the churches," the contractor suggested.
In February, Islamists reportedly introduced legislation to remove existing Christian churches from Kuwait. After criticism from abroad, party officials clarified later that the legislation would not remove the churches but prohibit further construction of Christian churches and other non-Muslim places of worship in the country. The issue has yet to be resolved.
"Next week I will present a draft law to remove all churches from Kuwait because Kuwait is an Islamic country where churches are not permitted to be built," Islamist MP Osama Al-Monawer was quoted as saying at the time. Reports have also emerged about conservative members of parliament putting pressure on the country's Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs to strictly enforce the ban on raising churches.
In March another controversy erupted when a Kuwaiti delegation reportedly sought the advice of Saudi Grand Mufti on the issue. Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh, the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, stressed that Kuwait was part of the Arabian Peninsula, and therefore it was necessary to destroy all churches in it, which drew criticism from international observers.
In addition, Kuwaiti laws on blasphemy have been tightened, as the parliament ruled at the beginning of May that offending Islam or the Prophet Muhammad could be punished with death.
Most recently, in a Monday report, Al-Watan Daily said the Kuwaiti Undersecretary of the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, Adel Al-Kandari, has asked for a list of all churches in Kuwait without giving any explanation. The ministry reportedly also asked for all details about these churches, their location, and the geographical distribution and area of each church. The purpose of al-Kandari's request was not immediately clear.
Gereja Ada ! Di kompleks Perusahaan saya ada 1 dan selalu ramai. Karena banyak Expat dari Eropa, Pilipina, India, dll.
Saya dengar total di Kuwait ada 4 ( saya kurang pasti ). Dibangun oleh Negara Kuwait. Semua Bangunan disini dibangun oleh Negara
Ada Sekolah Kuwaiti, Pakistanian, Indian, Pilipina, British School, American School……….. Semua dibangun oleh Negara atas permintaan komunitasnya. Yang Nggak ada Indonesia School (mungkin masih terlaulu kecil – saya pernah berprogram membuat survey kecil-kecilan….ternyata:fisibilitynya kita kurang PD untuk meminta)
| | |
From: wanita-muslimah@yahoogroups.com [mailto:wanita-muslimah@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Lina
Sent: Tuesday, July 31, 2012 10:15 AM
To: wanita-muslimah@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [wanita-muslimah] Re: Benarkah berita ini?
Bagaimana gereja di Kuwait ya Om? Apa ada Gereja di bangun oleh negara?
Kalau di Indonesia kan bukan negara agama. Indonesia itu engara...hmmm apa ya? Negara Otopilot yg gak punya arah (pinjem istilah Ustadz Chodjim...wkwkwk). Jadi kalau masjid yg dibangun negara hrs dibiayai pengelolaannya oleh negara, berarti tempat ibadah lainnya yg di bangun negara (eh ada gak ya?) harus di biayai negara juga pengelolaannyah. Waaaa....
wassalam,
--- In mailto:wanita-muslimah%40yahoogroups.com, "Fakih, Ridwan" <rfakih@...> wrote:
>
> Saya kira sebaiknya Masjid- Masjid juga perlu beaya kelala lho. Saat ini saya kira hanya dari Swa Daya Masyarakat.
>
> Sebagai contoh di tempat saya tinggal (Kuwait), semua Masjid dibangun oleh Negara (I bLok Area minimum 1 Masjid), dikelola oleh Negara.
> Termasuk Gaji 1 Iman, 1 Garim dan 1 Janitor. Termasuk semua Quran & Tempatnya kertas tissue dan cleaning equipment. Makanya Masjidnya
> Terpelihara dengan baik. Negara berbuat demikian untuk mendapatkan Maghfiroh dari Yang Di Atas. Sehingga pantas negaranya makmur. Kelihatannya berlaku rumus : Mario Teguh Golden Ways.Tuhan dimuliakan, dan Tuhan akan memuliakan Umatnya dengan membalasnya Negara yang Baldatun Toyibatun wa ghoffur. Negara yang Aman, makmur dan kaya Raya.
>
> Saya kira Depag perlu perhatian Ini. Kapan Indonesia bisa memuliakan Masjid......Mungkin setelah makmur dan nggak ada korupsi yah.
>
>
>
>
> [Description: C:\Users\RFakih\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Signatures\KOC Outlook Signature (Fakih, Ridwan)-Image01.png]
>
> Ridwan Fakih
>
> |Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) |
>
>
> |Email: mailto:RFakih@...%3cmailto:RFakih@...> | Web: www.kockw.com |
>
> |Tel: +965 238 65311 | Fax: +965 none |
>
> |P.O Box 9758 | Ahmadi | Postal Code 61008 | Kuwait |
>
> Please consider the environment before printing
> [Description: C:\Users\RFakih\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Signatures\KOC Outlook Signature (Fakih, Ridwan)-Image02.jpg]
>
> Disclaimer:
> This e-mail and any attachments may contain confidential and privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately by return e-mail, delete this e-mail and destroy any copies. Any dissemination or use of this information by a person other than the intended recipient is unauthorized and may be illegal. Kuwait Oil Company does not accept liability for any errors or omissions in the contents of this message which arise as a result of e-mail transmission.
> From: mailto:wanita-muslimah%40yahoogroups.com [mailto:mailto:wanita-muslimah%40yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Lina
> Sent: Tuesday, July 31, 2012 7:39 AM
> To: mailto:wanita-muslimah%40yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [wanita-muslimah] Re: Benarkah berita ini?
>
>
>
> ouw ouw baru tau niiiy. Kirain hal2 begini jd urusan na Depdiknas. Many thanks.
>
> wassalam,
>
> --- In mailto:wanita-muslimah%40yahoogroups.com<mailto:wanita-muslimah%40yahoogroups.com>, Ari <masarcon@<mailto:masarcon@>> wrote:
> >
> > di tiap kota ada stain. terus madrasah dari min, mts, man termasuk yg
> > swasta kan dikelola depag juga. jumlah guru dan dosen di kalangan depag
> > nyaris separuhnya sekolah yg dkelola depdiknas.
> >
> >
> >
> > salam,
> > Ari
> > status : mahasiswa
> >
> > <http://papabonbon.wordpress.com>
> >
> >
> > 2012/7/31 Lina <linadahlan@<mailto:linadahlan@>>
> >
> > > Aisssh???...Kalo benerrr, wat apaan yak dana segitu guede di Kemenag?
> > >
> >
>
Milis Wanita Muslimah
Membangun citra wanita muslimah dalam diri, keluarga, maupun masyarakat.
Twitter: http://twitter.com/wanita_muslimah
Situs Web: http://www.wanita-muslimah.com
ARSIP DISKUSI : http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wanita-muslimah/messages
Kirim Posting mailto:wanita-muslimah@yahoogroups.com
Berhenti mailto:wanita-muslimah-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
Milis Keluarga Sejahtera mailto:keluarga-sejahtera@yahoogroups.com
Milis Anak Muda Islam mailto:majelismuda@yahoogroups.com
Milis ini tidak menerima attachment.
0 comments:
Post a Comment