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FROM
CUBA
Cuban government threatens to take over
church under construction; faithful occupy
building to forestall any action
HOLGUÍN, Cuba, September 13 (Juan
Carlos Garcell, APLO / www.cubanet.org)
- The Cuban government has ordered construction
work on a church in Moa, Holguín
province, to be stopped and threatened to
take it over, on the grounds that "it
stands out among the poverty of its surroundings",
as varying numbers of the faithful have
occupied the building around the clock to
forestall any such action.
The standoff, now approaching two months
in duration in this mining community, follows
government orders to stop construction of
the five-story building nearing completion.
The church, the First Bethany Baptist Congregation,
claims more than 900 members and says the
government initially approved construction
and that the same was carried out with government-approved
workers. Church leaders say they have borne
the full one-million-plus peso (in addition
to thousands of dollars for locally unobtainable
materials) cost of construction of the glass
and mosaic encased structure.
Church members are taking turns holding
fasts, vigils and prayer meetings in the
unfinished building while discussions with
government authorities, which have included
Caridad Diego, responsible for religious
affairs with the Council of State, have
yielded little or no results.
Versión
original en español
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