Last week, we wrote to you about the illegal, abusive treatment of ten GreenFaith Circle members and leaders who oppose the East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP).These individuals were summoned and interrogated by the Tanzanian government for exercising their right to speak out freely. The government’s response was to intimidate and silence them.

Immediately on learning about the detention, GreenFaith Africa retained a skilled human rights attorney who confronted the Tanzanian government. These courageous local people of faith have now been released, and they are safe.

However, the government has continued to harass our GreenFaith community members.

First, government officials held the mobile phones of all the GreenFaith members, requiring them to return two weeks later. When these local leaders returned to pick up their phones, the government returned their mobiles but again told them to return in a week to “register.”

These demands represent a true hardship for these grassroots volunteers. They are forced to travel hours from their homes and farming. Without their mobile phones, they were deprived of their means of communication and the mobile banking services on which they rely. GreenFaith has covered the cost of the travel they’ve been forced to undertake. But make no mistake, this has been a terrifying and costly experience for them.

That’s why we’re asking you to sign the open letter to tell the Tanzania government, and the CEO’s of the Chinese National Offshore Oil Corporation and Total—EACOP’s biggest backers. The only way that our grassroots community members, and brave individuals around the world will be safe is if we speak up. So please, sign the letter today and share it with your friends, your faith community.