“It was special to hear Sigurd Bratlie’s own account of his time in prison. I experienced him as a very humble and spiritual man,” says outgoing Secretary General of Norwegian Church Aid, Dagfinn Høybråten.
He can look back on an interesting career as a former member of parliament, deputy secretary, cabinet minister, leader of the Christian Democratic Party and Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers.
But the story of Sigurd Bratlie made an indelible impression on the young student and journalist who met him after his release in April 1979.
“I was studying political science and worked as a journalist at [the newspaper] Vårt Land alongside my studies. One of the cases I worked a lot on was the imprisonment of Sigurd Bratlie and the efforts to get him released.”
Sigurd Bratlie was a tailor by trade, but was an avid missionary from a young age. He traveled in Norway, Europe, America, and Asia and was thrilled when he met people with whom he could share the Christian message. He was eventually given responsibility in the faith community that today is Brunstad Christian Church. In 1978, he was the leader together with Aksel J. Smith.
Met Christian contacts – was imprisoned
Sigurd Bratlie was 73 years old when he went to Baghdad in Saddam Hussein’s Iraq as a missionary to meet Christian contacts. They held meetings together, which was strictly forbidden under the regime. During a gathering in a private home, three men appeared and almost everyone in the room was arrested, including Sigurd Bratlie.
The imprisonment of a Norwegian Christian leader in a Muslim country caused a stir. Høybråten says that this was an unusual case that both Vårt Land and other Norwegian press followed closely. The young student and journalist contacted Sigurd Bratlie on behalf of the newspaper.
“I was met with openness and friendliness from the start,” says Høybråten.
They agreed on a time and he was invited to visit the apartment of Sigurd Bratlie and his wife Rakel in Grefsen, Oslo.
Bratlie’s answers, and the experience of the visit, made an impression on Høybråten.
“He appeared strong in his convictions, but it also made an impression on me that he was obviously not bitter about his treatment in Baghdad or the fact that it took so long for him to be released.”
Interview with a proactive lady
The story behind Sigurd Bratlie’s release involves active diplomatic work. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent several ambassadors to Iraq, but no solution was found for the imprisoned Norwegian. Then a committed lady entered the stage: Yvonne Huslid, married to Ambassador Martin Huslid.
She was dismayed that no one had been able to do anything for Bratlie and in February 1979 she contacted Foreign Minister Knut Frydenlund to see if she could use her connections to help. Frydenlund chose to send her to Iraq as his personal envoy. Høybråten also conducted an interview with her, after she had worked actively for a long time to ensure that Sigurd Bratlie could return home in freedom.
“I was tipped off about Yvonne Huslid’s trip to Baghdad and her meeting with Saddam Hussein. This was quite spectacular in light of the fact that three Norwegian ambassadors had been trying to get him released for many months.”
Høybråten printed out the interview and delivered it to the then editor of Vårt land, Thor Bjarne Bore.
“The editor chose to consult the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and shortly afterwards, Foreign Minister Knut Frydenlund called me personally and praised me for a very good article.”
A flattering response for a young journalist. But that wasn’t the only message from the minister:
“Frydenlund said that unfortunately it could not be printed, as it would cause problems. He did not go into detail about which problems. The editor chose to comply with the message from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” Høybråten explains.
The interview was stopped and never published.
Høybråten’s interview with Rakel and Sigurd Bratlie, on the other hand, was published.
“It’s always beneficial to meet people and not just hear about them”
“I didn’t know much about ‘Smith’s friends’ and asked Rakel and Sigurd Bratlie a lot of questions when I interviewed them,” says Høybråten.
He did not meet them again after that time. However,a few years ago Brunstad Christian Church (BCC) became a member of the Christian Council of Norway, where Høybråten represents Norwegian Church Aid, and in that connection he has become better acquainted with the church.
“It’s always beneficial to meet people and not just hear about them. Most people will gain through closer acquaintance,” says Høybråten, and adds: “It has been both enjoyable and educational. I have great respect for the work you do, and like many others, I am very impressed with what you achieve.”
“We can be a light in the world”
The acquaintance has brought mutual satisfaction. Høybråten is clear that faith is the most important thing in his life, that it is both an anchor and a compass. When Høybråten recently spoke at BCC’s Christmas event, he talked about being a light in the world:
“Jesus said ‘I am the light of the world’, but He also said ‘You are the light of the world.’ We can be connected; we can be lights in the world.”
Anyone who knew Sigurd Bratlie will remember the light that shone from his life. Those who were imprisoned with him in Iraq said he was a shining light in the midst of the very demanding situation he was in. Høybråten says that he also experienced Sigurd Bratlie as a humble man.
When asked about the conditions in the prison, Bratlie was very reluctant to complain about what he had experienced. “The food tasted good to me. There was a lot of rice and soup. Later I found out that we got a rash from this soup. And I also had to learn to live with lice,” replied the 73-year-old in his warm, humorous way.
TV-report on NRK
Sigurd Bratlie attracted a lot of attention when he returned from Baghdad. See NRK’s report in Dagsrevyen from April 13, 1979:
Message
Listen to Sigurd Bratlie’s thanksgiving message at Brunstad at Easter 1979, when he had just been released from prison in Iraq.
Book
If you want to read more about the dramatic and exciting story from the 1970s, the book Mission Baghdad (Oppdrag Bagdad) by Kjell Arne Bratli is recommended.
