Madagascar Denies Freedom of Worship

IN THESE days of increasing crime and violence, every country desperately needs citizens who are peaceful, who respect the rights of their neighbors, and who are obedient to the law of the land.

Jehovah’s witnesses are such kind of people. They have a deep love for God, for their fellowman, and a respect for authority. They teach their own children, and others too, the highest and most beneficial moral standards in existence. Thus, many countries in which Jehovah’s witnesses have long lived recognize that they are the kind of people a country very much needs in these times of hatred, killing, revolt and delinquency.

If you were in the seat of governmental power, what kind of persons would you want in your country? Would it not be those who are peaceful and respectful of authority? Surely that would be the reasonable and practical course. It would be the criminals, delinquents, anarchists, drug addicts, those who disrespect authority​—both God’s and man’s—​that would be undesirable.

It is for this reason that decent persons all over the world are so shocked when a government issues decrees banning its most peaceful citizens! They find it difficult to understand such a tragic situation, especially when that very government’s Constitution guarantees freedom of worship!

This very unreasonable and perverse action has been taken lately on the island of Madagascar. This large island off the southeast coast of Africa is also officially called the Malagasy Republic. The motto of this land is “Liberty, Fatherland, Progress.” With such a motto you might expect progress in respect to freedom of worship. But the progress has been in the wrong direction. The Malagasy Republic is closing its doors to freedom of worship!

Denying this liberty, the Malagasy Republic, in June 1970, informed all the missionaries of Jehovah’s witnesses that they must leave the country within a few days. Why all the hurry? Were they dangerous criminals or revolutionaries? No, yet the reason given on the deportation order was that their presence “constitutes a threat to public order and security.” Not a single fact was produced in support of this accusation.

BAN ON JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES

Then on August 8, 1970, a decree was published in the Official Journal of the Malagasy Republic. Decree No. 70-431 dissolved the “Association” of Jehovah’s witnesses. The ban, according to the decree, is based on an ordinance directed against “associations and . . . persons convicted of subversive acts.”

But what “subversive acts” have Jehovah’s witnesses committed? Again, no specific actions were mentioned, and no witness of Jehovah was brought into court and charged with any subversive acts.

DISREGARD FOR CONSTITUTION

The decree banning the Witnesses said that the action was being taken “in pursuance of the Constitution.” But is that true? What does the Constitution of the Malagasy Republic state? The Preamble to it, as published in the Annuaire National of the Malagasy Republic for 1970, states:

“Affirming their belief in God and in the eminent dignity of the human person, determined to guarantee the fundamental rights of man, . . . inspired by the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Malagasy people solemnly proclaim that:

“​—All men have equal rights and duties without distinction of origin, race or religion. . . .

“​—Freedom of thought, of conscience and freedom to practice religion is guaranteed to everybody, provided that morals and public order are respected. The State protects the freedom to worship.”

But does the ban on Jehovah’s witnesses really reflect a determination “to guarantee the fundamental rights of man”? Such a ban tramples to the ground the guarantee of “freedom to practice religion.” The Malagasy Republic has not shown respect for its own Constitution.

Obviously the matter is a serious one. With liberty to worship according to the Bible being denied in Madagascar, what is any prospective visitor to that land to think? Has he any assurance that his own freedom of worship and liberty would not be infringed by a government that chooses to violate its own Constitution? Would you feel secure in a country that tramples on such basic freedoms?

What Madagascar has done is fast becoming news around the world, and it calls into question its adherence to the Declaration of Human Rights that has been issued by the United Nations, to which the Malagasy Republic belongs.

NO THREAT TO PUBLIC ORDER AND SECURITY

In the 206 lands where Jehovah’s witnesses preach God’s kingdom and other Bible truths, they have never been found taking part in any uprising to overthrow a government. Moreover, in their publications, which get worldwide circulation, they urge obedience to governments and respect for the laws of the land. Their Bible handbook The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life, printed in thirty-two million copies and in sixty languages, urges such respect in its chapter “Christian Obedience to Law.”

Often the public press has commented on the good public order and conduct of the Witnesses. On the occasion of an international assembly held in France in August 1969, bringing to the Colombes Stadium near Paris 47,480 conventioners from 78 countries, including the Malagasy Republic, the French press was unanimous in rendering praise for the peaceful conduct of the Witnesses. A well-known newspaper said in a report under a four-column title “God in the Stadium” the following:

“‘Brother’ Knorr [president of the world organization of Jehovah’s witnesses] showed in his instructions that although the governments of this world will have to give way to the Kingdom of God some day, ‘this does not authorize the Christian to try to overthrow the present systems, nor to incite his fellow-citizens to disobey the legitimate laws of the nations: Jehovah’s Witnesses are not anarchists. They pay their taxes and cooperate with the police to maintain order.’”​—Le Monde, August 7, 1969, p. 8.

People who truly live by the Bible are no threat to any government. And Jehovah’s witnesses, as Collier’s Encyclopedia states, place “great emphasis on the Bible.” Concerning the influence that the Bible has on the Witnesses, the Dutch newspaper Het Stadsblad (The City Journal), edition for Breda and Baronie, said in its issue of November 23, 1967, in an article by journalist M. van Dael: “For these witnesses the Bible is the book out of which all wisdom and all truth can be drawn up. The method applied has been grafted onto the system that the first Christians used some 2000 years ago.”

So the Malagasy ban on Jehovah’s witnesses is in effect a ban on the Bible and Christianity, which they preach and teach.

APPEAL TO GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS

If you love freedom of worship and wish to help these peaceful Christians to regain their “fundamental rights” to worship God according to the dictates of their consciences, we invite you to write respectfully to the ambassador of the Malagasy Republic in your country and to government officials in Madagascar.

The government officials can be asked to investigate the facts: That throughout the earth Jehovah’s witnesses are known as Christians that do not meddle in politics; that they everywhere respect the country in which they live and that they prove it. How? By not defrauding the government of tax money, by not plotting against rulers or engaging in political strife, and by building up the community by teaching the Bible’s high moral principles.

You may wish to entreat the officials to heed the warning issued to the religious persecutors of the apostles of Jesus Christ: “Do not meddle with these men, but let them alone; (because, if this scheme or this work is from men, it will be overthrown; but if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them;) otherwise, you may perhaps be found fighters actually against God.”​—Acts 5:38, 39.

The Constitution of the Malagasy Republic speaks of “affirming their belief in God.” In your appeal you may wish to urge them, if that is really true, to refrain from fighting a losing battle against Jehovah God. Your written appeal may request to hear at the earliest possible time the news published to the whole world that the Malagasy Republic has revoked its ban on the Christian witnesses of Jehovah and has once again dignified itself by granting to these peaceful Christians the religious freedom that the Malagasy Constitution “guarantees.”

Lovers of freedom of worship, having made this appeal, will eagerly await the response of government officials, not merely by written word, but mainly by the favorable action of the government of Malagasy Republic before the judgment bar of Almighty God.

[Box on page 91]

OFFICIALS OF MALAGASY REPUBLIC

His Excellency

President Philibert Tsiranana

Résidence de Mahazoarivo

Tananarive, Malagasy Republic

The Honorable Calvin Tsiébo

Vice-president, Justice

Antaninarenina

Tananarive, Malagasy Republic

The Honorable André Resampa

Vice-president, Interior

Tsimbazaza

Tananarive, Malagasy Republic

The Honorable Jacques Rabemananjara

Vice-president, Foreign Affairs

Ministère des Affaires Etrangères

Rue Jean-Assolant

Tananarive, Malagasy Republic

Mr. Césaire Rabenoro

Secretary of State for African Affairs

Ministère des Affaires Etrangères

Rue Jean-Assolant

Tananarive, Malagasy Republic

Mr. Jean-François Jarison

Minister of Justice

43, rue George V

Tananarive, Malagasy Republic

Mr. René Rasidy

Tananarive, Malagasy Republic

Mr. Pierre Bora

Director of National Security

Tananarive, Malagasy Republic

His Excellency

Embassy of the Malagasy Republic

2374 Massachusetts Ave. N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20008

His Excellency

301 E. 47th St.

New York, N.Y. 10017