Christians Denied Funerals in Yemen

Ethiopian Immigrants Must Convert to Islam

Millions of Ethiopian Christian immigrants are living under difficult social, cultural and economic conditions in Yemen.

Famine, starvation, unemployment, torture, abuse, and lack of freedom and democracy in their birth country force them to migrate to Yemen, one of the poorest countries in the world. In order to survive, a Christian in Yemen has to convert to Islam or be alienated.

Funerals Denied to Christians in Yemen

The consequences of not converting can be felt in both life -- and death. If an Ethiopian Christian maintains their religion, after death the Yemeni government will not permit them to be buried in Sana'a. The deceased's name has to be changed (for a fee) to an Islam name by a known Muslim Ethiopian who has good contact with Yemeni officials.

Mr. Imran and Hajji Ahmed are Muslim Ethiopians who have been living in Yemen for more than 20 years. Both are married to half cast Yemenis (in Arabic they are known as Muweleds). They earn a living from Ethiopian refugees in Yemen by processing documents and getting licenses for burial.

Since they have lived in Yemen for many years, they say they understand the behavior of Yemenis when it comes to money. They are also close relatives of Tofick Abdullahi Ahemed, the Ambassador of the Ethiopian Embassy in Yemen. The Ambassador believes that Christianity should not be acknowledged in Yemen.

The Ethiopian Orthodox Church and two Ethiopian Protestant Churches in Yemen are now claiming the Embassy and the ruling faction in Ethiopia do nothing to solve the violence they are experiencing in Yemen.

Meanwhile, the Embassy says its main objective is promoting trade, investment and tourism.