11/09/2019 Republic of Burundi (International Christian Concern) – Over the past few years, the Republic of Burundi has been witness to growing abusive governmental measures aimed at specifically repressing the population of Seventh-Day Adventists present amidst the populous.  Recent acts, however, have shown a marked increase in the severity of the governmental opposition and internal division over the situation.

In May of 2019, Ted N.C. Wilson, then the president of the Seventh-Day Adventist world church, asked for continued prayer and thoughts regarding the Republic of Burundi following the arrest of 22 prominent leaders of the church by Burundi police.  However, as of a few days ago, that call was officially reiterated by Seventh-Day Adventist leadership abroad when the new, recently-elected president of the Burundi Union Mission (BUM) president, pastor Lamec Barishinga, was arrested by Burundi state police on his way to meet with Adventist leaders in Kenya.

In addition to this, several churches and other Seventh-Day Adventist centers of worship have been forcibly occupied by forces of some connection to the former BUM president.  Who exactly they are has yet to be ascertained.  Video and photographic evidence of Seventh-Day Adventist adherents in the country being abused through intimidation and assault by state police has also been accumulating at alarming rates in recent months.

In a nation where an overwhelming majority of the population adheres to Christianity of one form or another, such events are quite unusual and reveal potential critical internal disconnects within the Republican Government.  Please be in prayer for the population of the Republic of Burundi and for the government to sort out these matters peacefully and in short order.

For interviews, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: [email protected].