News Watch: Morocco | Government shuts down Christian Orphanage
Fès, Morocco
International Christian Concern asks for the world to pay attention to Morocco’s government’s increasingly aggressive stand against Christians and Christianity. According to ICC Regional Manager, Lougan Maurer, they have been forcibly deporting Christian foreigners and bringing charges against the Moroccan nationals that associated with them. This marks a swift and ominous change in Moroccan policy toward human rights.
Amongst numerous stories of injustice reported by ICC, is the forced closure of the “Village of Hope” orphanage in Ain Leuh, Morocco. Reason given by the government authorities was that the officials have been proselytizing the children to Christianity.
The closure came without warning. “We have always been open about our faith to the authorities,” responded Chris Broadbent, Human Resources Manager for VoH. “Watching the children be told by their [foster] parents that they had to leave, that they would maybe never see them again, is the most painful thing I have ever witnessed … This is a shame and a disgrace to the leaders of Morocco.” He lamented.
Village of Hope orphanage has been operating for 10 years, taking in children abandoned by their parents and society. Thirty three children lived there, some since its founding in 2000. Without Village of Hope (VoH), their future could be a life on the streets or one of the government “mega” orphanages.
The demand by the authorities was for the 20 expatriates that ran the orphanage to leave the country within three days.
Morocco is an Arabic speaking country in northwestern Africa. Islam is the established state religion of Morocco. Almost the entire population is Sunni Muslim. The monarch is the supreme Muslim authority in the country. There is a very small Christian population.
Sources: ICC, Encarta
