wfn.org | Adventist News Network: Ugandan Government Responds to Pleas of

["Beckett, John" <BeckettJ@gc.adventist.org>]

ANN Bulletin

www.adventist.org

Adventist News Network

Seventh-day Adventist Church World Headquarters

January 30, 2002

 

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Ugandan Government Responds to Pleas of Sabbath-Keepers

Kampala, Uganda .... [Bettina Krause/ANN]

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Election officials in Uganda have rescheduled a national election following
a public protest by local leaders of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Originally set for Saturday, February 16, the election has been brought
forward to Thursday, February 14. The change of date heads off plans by
Adventists in Uganda to hold a peaceful street demonstration to draw public
attention to their plight.

 

People of faith should not be excluded from public life simply because
government agencies fail to accommodate religious practices, such as
Sabbath-keeping, said Adventist leaders at a press conference January 22.  

 

"A peaceful protest would tell the world that we are being marginalized as a
church and as a people," says John Wani, president of the Adventist Church
in Uganda. He explains that Adventists, who keep Saturday as a holy day,
encounter problems not only at the polls, but in other aspects of public
life as well. "As far back as 1997, our students in government institutions
of higher learning have had the same problem, with examinations and lectures
scheduled on Sabbath. We have repeatedly appealed to the government and to
heads of those institutions to accommodate our students, but to no avail." 

 

This most recent incident has generated widespread support for
Sabbath-keepers within Uganda's faith community, says Wani. Following the
extensive media coverage of the Adventist protest, "many people, including
Catholics, Anglicans, and even Muslims, rang our office [and said] they
would march with us if we announced the day and time for them to assemble."

 

According to Wani, one caller suggested that marches be held in cities
across Uganda to "march in support of the brave Adventist spirit, for the
benefit of all faiths." 

 

"Before we went to the street, the Electoral Commission rescheduled the
dates of the election--thank God," says Wani.

 

Although thankful for this latest reprieve, Wani says that there is still a
long way to go before Uganda's approximately 120,000 Adventist
Sabbath-keepers receive adequate public accommodation. "We appeal to the
community of faith to pray for us in Uganda," he says, "especially for our
students who are being persecuted in universities and colleges."

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Adventist News Network. 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, Maryland,
USA 20904-6600 phone: (301) 680-6306. e-mail address:
adventistnews@compuserve.com. 

 

ANN Staff: Ray Dabrowski, director; Bettina Krause, news director; Ansel
Oliver, editorial assistant; Wendi Rogers, copy editor; Lynn Friday,
administrative assistant.