The religious sects opposed to dev’t

MUHANGA/RUHANGO- In a relatively big and modern house just outside Muhanga town, in Muhanga District, a group of over 10 individuals are huddled together in a house seemingly after a day’s hard work. Curiously, they are not your ordinary kith and kin. Rather, they are members of a religious group known as Abanyakabera, who haughtily refer to the sect as their new family.What is unmistakable is that members seem to do everything together. They live, cook, share meals and pray together saying they do so as Jesus Christ did with his 12 disciples.In one of the rooms, a mat lies on the ground while copies of the Holy Bible and other religious paraphernalia are strewn all over, an indicator that this is indeed their principle place of worship. Residents say that the group which comprises of more members aside from those living in the house, is a religious sect that parted ways with the Pentecostal Church of Rwanda better known as ADEPR.In an interview with The New Times last week, the former ADEPR members said they broke ranks with their church after realising that “it was not following God’s will”. They claim to be on a ‘God’s Mission’ to redeem the nation.Sources claim the sect members neither own national identity cards nor subscribe to the community health insurance scheme commonly known as Mutuelle de Sante. They are notorious for defying development policies and programmes.But, ‘Abanyakabera’ are not the sole religious group resisting the ongoing national census, and, of course, many other programmes. The New Times has established that there has been a proliferation of such sects in various parts of the Southern Province, especially in Ruhango, Nyanza, Muhanga, Kamonyi and Nyamagabe districts.Another sect, known as Abagorozi has become notorious for its distinctive beliefs and hard stance against various national programmes and policies.‘Abagorozi’ broke away from the Seventh Day Adventist Church.Like ‘Abanyakabera’, Abagorozi never acquire national identity cards, neither do they subscribe to the health insurance scheme (Mutuelle de santé) nor do they study or allow their children to attend school. They also don’t participate in elections or take part in the monthly community work (Umuganda).In addition, they never own mobile phones or other ‘modern’ gadgets, which they consider worldly and outrageous to their faith.In recent times, they have snubbed the ongoing national census and it is such attitudes that have landed some of the sect members in police custody. By press time, we could not establish the exact number of offenders recently detained for frustrating development policies.On August 10, for instance, Police in Nyamagabe District arrested and detained seven individuals, all members of ‘Abizera b’abadiventisiti’, another breakaway faction of the Seventh Day Adventist Church.Mid last week, 10 members of Abanyakabera sect were detained in Muhanga District.On August 8, a 60-year-old woman was arrested in Gisagara District for assaulting a national census official on duty and setting his documents on fire. The enumerator was reportedly attacked with a hoe.And earlier this month, a court in Ruhango sentenced 15 members of Abagorozi religious sect to 12 months in prison after convicting them of obstruction of development programmes and violation of children’s rights.“Hardliners”Seeking audience with the sects’ members is tricky as they loathe to overtly discuss their beliefs.Even when they accept an interview, they hardly give their identities–may be for the fear of being arrested or pursued by law enforcement organs.They also generally detest photo opportunities.“We are not against the government but when we have to choose between following God’s commandment and obeying human beings, we choose the first,” says a member of the Abanyakabera community who declined to disclose his identity.“I would rather die rather than betray my faith,” insists another woman who declined to disclose her name. She refers to the various programmes they oppose as being against their ‘divine mission’.A member of Abagorozi sect, who was interviewed in Ruhango District, says he is “ready to die as a martyr” instead of changing his beliefs.“I have discovered God and I know what he expects of me. I am not frightened by what human beings can do to me in this world. I am on my way back home and I have to prepare myself accordingly,” he says in reference to heaven.Others said they cannot own an ID alleging that it is a symbol of the triple 6 (666) which they consider to be a mark of the beast or the devil.Followers of these two outlawed sects generally say they draw their inspiration “from the bible” and other “holy writings”. They also believe they are “the sole holders of the truth about God’s will” and the “unique reverent individuals”.“There are no other real believers. Others are just pretending to pray,” says one of them.But are such beliefs really drawn from the Bible? When The New Times sought a reaction from Reverend Pastor Dr Viateur Ndikumana, he was categorical that such ‘religious extremism’ is not inscribed in the Bible, “but rather is a result of a misinterpretation of the Holy scriptures”.“The Bible does not, in any way, tell us to disobey our leaders but rather it teaches us to respect them because good leadership comes from God,” remarks Pastor Ndikumana, a PhD holder in theology and the current Vice Rector at the Protestant Institute of Arts and Social Sciences (PIASS).“God is not opposed to the world leaders, except when the latter stand against Him. I do not see how developmental policies can be opposed to God’s will.”He describes the sects’ followers as “hardliners” who “ignore the truth about the biblical writings.”“Such beliefs come mainly from ignorance”, he says.The clergyman told this paper that generally, such groups are mainly made of uneducated individuals.Speaking about the currently ongoing population census, Pastor Ndikumana says opposing it is a clear manifestation of how some individuals misconstrue biblical teachings.He says the Bible is not against government programmes like the census and offers the example of the birth of Jesus Christ who is considered by Christians as the Son of God. Quoting the gospel, he says Jesus was born when Mary, his mother, and Mary’s husband Joseph had gone to Bethlehem to register in a census taking place there at the time. (Luke 2).“Opposing development programmes is an inaccuracy and that has happened on several occasions in the history of the Church,” Pastor Ndikumana observes.Police sounds warningBased on the recent arrests, it is clear that the government is ready to crack the whip against those opposing development programmes, especially the ongoing population and housing census.Last week, the coordinator of the census, Prosper Mutijima, said they had recoreded cases of resistance in some districts of the Southern Province especially from members of Abagorozi.By press time, Police Spokesperson Supt Theos Badege was not readily available for comment.But the Police had earlier warned of severe consequences to those failing to abide by the law.In a recent interview, Regional Police Commander (RPC), CSP Elias Mwesigye, said that the Police do not interfere with the freedom of religion and worship. However, he added that they would not tolerate those bent on frustrating development programmes under the pretext of freedom of worship.“Residents must understand that no one has [the rights] to disrupt development policies,” CSP Mwesigye noted.“Whoever will try to frustrate the programmes will face the law,” he warned.But Pastor Ndikumana has an alternative solution on the cards.“Instead of jailing such people, the Government should devise ways of educating them and bring them back to the right way. I believe education and sensitisation can work better than prison,” he notes.A number of Abagorozi followers interviewed by this paper said they have been jailed and convicted several times, but maintained such ‘pressure’ would never push them to forfeit their faith.

National

The religious sects opposed to dev’t