Dear Friends Some of you will know that we have for the past month had 21 African seafarers living here with us at Christ Church. The majority are from Nigeria, a few from Ghana. Their story was given front page coverage in Yemen’s main Arabic newspaper Al Ayyam this week. It has also featured on local radio and the English language paper promises to cover the story this weekend. This is the English text of the Al Ayyam article: Nigerian fishermen find refuge in Aden church It is now three weeks since twenty one Nigerian fishermen, employees of the Aden Maritime Investment Company took refuge at Christ Church and the Ras Morbat Clinics in Tawahi. They have not been able to travel because the Aden Maritime Investment Company has not paid their wages. All crew members are owed five months wages, a bonus on the fish they have caught for the company, five months food allowances and their air tickets home to Nigeria. In all they are owed over $95,000 – excluding their air tickets. This is the second year running and the company’s Manager has withheld the pay due to his foreign black African employees. Many of the crews’ families have suffered great hardship at home, without money for rent, urgent medical treatment and children’s education. One crew member should actually have been married back in Nigeria two weeks ago. It appears that Yemeni employees of the company, who were at sea with the Nigerians have also been denied their wages. Four other Yemeni crew members serving on the company’s vessels during these past months died at sea. In the last three weeks every single communiqué to the company on behalf of the crews has been ignored and offers to meet to resolve the situation spurned. The company’s office is only minutes away from where the crews are staying and the manager is believed to have been in Aden throughout most of this period. The company still holds the passports of all the crew members. On 13 December, the Manager threatened the Nigerian crew members then living aboard his four ancient fishing vessels in Aden, with serious physical violence if they did not leave the vessels within hours. It was at this point that the priest and people at Christ Church offered the Nigerians refuge at the church, an offer they accepted with enthusiasm and gratitude. The crews departure from their vessels was, however, hindered when the company’s manager ordered the port gates closed against them. Desperate crew members tried to climb the gates, and one stripped naked in protest at the treatment he and his fellows had been subject to. After some brief minutes of chaos, the port police and authorities agreed to the request of the Revd Peter Crooks, who was present, to open the gates and release the crew. Many police and bystanders expressed their sympathy for the departing crews. Two weeks ago crew members met with the Maritime Affairs Authority and an agent of the Aden Maritime Investment Company, who said that the crews ‘could go to the court’. Aden’s governor and the Maritime Affairs Authority are working for a speedy and just end to the Nigerians’ suffering. The world’s international maritime press has been informed of this situation, which is sadly only one in a long succession of cases of abuse of foreign crews in Aden. Unchecked by those in authority, these cases can only hasten Aden’s continued decline as a port. Is there not a saying of Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him), “Give the worker his rights before the sweat dries”? Morale among the crews is high, though all would dearly love to be home today. They are accommodated in two of our small staff apartments. They are delightful, helpful, thoughtful and appreciative. There is one Muslim among them, Abu Bakr, who is great.

  
Fleeing the Port                                                                                            Crew and their baggage


Close quarters!

Rarely has the compound here looked so tidy. The walls have been painted, new paths laid, the director’s office remodelled – even the wheelbarrows have had the dents knocked into the right shape and been repainted. Our newest volunteer, David Barker, has taught them all how to play volley ball and has also started an optional twice weekly Bible study group, which is enthusiastically attended. The staff and many, many local friends have expressed their sympathy for the seafarers and shame at their treatment. Others, particularly the company by whom they were employed, are incensed at what they see as the church’s unwarranted and dangerous meddling, though, ironically, it was the company’s manager who six months ago came to the church to seek Peter’s advice over the crews’ wages. He knew many of them worshipped here when in port. Aden’s Governor has taken the case to heart and is working hard on it. Others are also involved. It is a delicate and sensitive situation and we would value greatly your prayers for its just and speedy resolution. With our warmest thanks and best wishes in Christ Peter and Nancy