The Cuban government has issued a demolition order for every church in a southern section of the country….
The news comes from Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW). It reports five churches in the Abel Santamaria district in the southern city of Santiago de Cuba are slated for destruction and pastors and their families are to be evicted. The action comes as the result of a ruling that was issued by government Planning and Housing Officials in late November.
The demolition order follows on a “sleep in” staged two weeks ago by members of the Emanuel Church in an attempt to prevent officials from destroying their church. Reverend Alain Toledano is pastor of the Church and has accused the communist government of open persecution of Christians following the Pope’s visit in September.
CSW said the demolition order is part of an ongoing “crackdown” against churches in Cuba following new legislation last January that empowered authorities to confiscate property at their discretion. Numerous registered and unregistered denominations have reported that the law has been used to target “scores of churches” across the island in efforts by the Castro government to “tighten its control over the activities and membership of religious groups and thus eliminate the potential for any social unrest.”
the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom urges the European Union, the United States and other members of the international community to raise concerns about the abuse and its impact on freedom of religion or belief with the Cuban government as a matter of urgency.