SEPARATISTS SEIZED 14 KINGDOM HALLS OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES IN DONBASS
They declared that "there is only one religion—UPTsMP" in the Donbass
During the war in the east of Ukraine, armed groups of people commandeered 14 Kingdom Halls (houses of worship) belonging to the Jehovah's Witnesses in Ukraine. The buildings seized are located in Donetsk and Luhansk provinces, on territories controlled by the unrecognized republics of the DPR and LPR, the Jehovah's Witnesses' website reports.
Jehovah's Witnesses became the target of armed people who view the believers of this confession with prejudice and do not respect their right to freedom of religion and association. In the rest of Ukraine, Jehovah's Witnesses have been freely confessing their faith for more than 20 years now.
Vasil Kobel, a Jehovah's Witness from the affiliate of the Watchtower Society in Lvov, said: "We regularly gather in our houses of worship in order to read the Bible together and to pray, and we always try to have a positive influence on the society in which we live. However, in recent months disorders in the eastern part of the country have strongly affected residents of Ukraine. Jehovah's Witnesses are no exception; we also have become victims of violence."
Vasil Kobel shares the concern of 150,000 Jehovah's Witnesses who live in Ukraine. In recent months, thousands of Jehovah's Witnesses have left the zone of armed actions. However, in Donetsk and Luhansk provinces there remain approximately 17,500 members of the confession, who are trying to live an ordinary life in conditions of armed conflict. Thousands of Jehovah's Witnesses, who have been deprived of their Kingdom Halls where they had gathered for worship, are forced to squeeze into private homes and apartments. Other Jehovah's Witnesses have to travel to a place for conducting worship services two hours each way.
"The seizures of Kingdom Halls is no accident; behind them stand discrimination against Witnesses and hostility to their religious convictions. A commander of one group said that he intends 'to get rid of all Jehovah's Witnesses,' since in his opinion in this locality only one religion is permitted, the Orthodox Church. Another commander declared: 'Everything is over for Jehovah's Witnesses.' Despite these threats, Jehovah's Witnesses throughout Ukraine are set to engage in their activity in the future," the website of Jehovah's Witnesses reports.
A list of Kingdom Halls seized in Donetsk and Luhansk provinces has been posted on the internet.
"Although none of the Witnesses were injured during the seizure of the halls, their safety and possibility to fellowship freely with like-minded persons are under threat. In one case, armed people burst into a Kingdom Hall in the city of Gorlovka (Donetsk province) during a worship service, frightening everybody there, among whom were elderly persons and children. In another case, Jehovah's Witnesses arrived at a Kingdom Hall for a service and discovered with horror that the locks had been changed and the building was being used as a military barracks," the website says.
Vasil Kobel notes: "The affiliate in Lvov addressed various ministries and also officials and reported the illegal seizure of property. Thus the government was informed that we are not involved in what is happening in these building or in the actions of those who are illegally engaged in them." In addition, the affiliate asked all responsible men in the congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses in Donetsk and Luhansk provinces to do everything possible in order to ensure the safety of every participant in the meeting. They are reminded that life is more valuable than buildings and that measures threatening the safety of Jehovah's Witnesses should not be taken.
Because of the disorders in the territory of the Donbass, Jehovah's Witnesses cannot file lawsuits in court in order to have the Kingdom Halls returned to them. However, as the report says, they are filled with resolve to continue their religious activity and are impatiently awaiting the time when their buildings will be returned. (tr. by PDS, posted 4 March 2015)
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