Sharp Rise In Persecution of Christians in Africa

My note: E

Persecution of Christians in Africa vastly increased in 2012, according to the Open Doors 2013 World Watch List of 50 countries where Christians face the most severe persecution for their faith. The number of countries on the African continent sharply increased on the annual list due to the increasing influence of Islam, states Open Doors, an organization that supports persecuted Christians worldwide. Mali is a newcomer on the list and holds the No. 7 position. Tanzania (No. 24), Kenya (No. 40), Uganda (47) and Niger (No. 50) also moved onto the World Watch List and Ethiopia is one of the strongest risers (from No. 38 to No. 15) on the list. In addition, the small African country of Eritrea made the Top 10 for the first time at No. 10. Libya climbed from No. 26 to No. 17. Atheism & Islam North Korea is still No. 1 when it comes to persecution of Christians. For the 11th consecutive year, the hermit communist country heads the World Watch List. Possessing a Bible alone can be a reason for a Christian to be executed or sent to a prison camp along with three generations of his or her family. Apart from North Korea, the Top 10 on the World Watch List consists of eight countries where extreme Islam poses the largest threat for Christians. They are (from No. 2 to No. 9) Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Maldives, Mali, Iran and Yemen. Worldwide, Open Doors reports an increase in the persecution of Christians. The report said second-placed Saudi Arabia, which bans public practice of any faith but Islam, has a growing Christian population because of its migrant workers and some converts it says converted after watching Christian satellite television. "Christians risk further persecution and oppression in the future due to the rising number of converts and their boldness in sharing their faith," it said. Attacks and Infiltration The most notable trend Open Doors researchers found was the increase of persecution in Africa. Fundamentalist variations of Islam rapidly gain influence on the continent. On the one hand, this was due to focused attacks, such as Boko Haram in Nigeria (No. 13). On the other, the influence of Islam increased through infiltration in different social and economic areas. Open Doors saw a similar pattern in several African countries. "We do not necessarily distinguish one overall plan from one source in the whole of Africa. However, we do see that radical Islamic groups are patiently waiting for the right time to show their power," Dykstra explains. "Apart from the pattern of violent attacks, we see that radical Muslims are infiltrating into politics, business and the judicial power, such as introducing Sharia family courts. On a number of occasions, Muslims were ready to step into a power vacuum. Take Mali, for example, where Touareg rebels and Muslim fundamentalists gained power in April 2012." Mali was a model country Of the African countries, Mali is the most noticeable newcomer on the World Watch List due to its sudden emergence to No. 7.The situation in Mali escalated after the coup. "Mali used to be a model country," says Dykstra. "The situation in the north used to be a bit tense but Christians and even missionaries could be active. Currently the situation in northern Mali is somewhat similar to Saudi Arabia. Christians are simply no longer allowed to be there." The complete list

Analysis: What Do Christians face in 2013?

My note: I

Growing persecution of Middle Eastern Christians and holy sites by radical Islamists in the Middle East and Africa in 2012 resulted in large numbers of murders, bombings, imprisonments, church closures and forced conversions to Islam. In addition, the rise of Islamic governments – coupled with tepid responses from some Western countries, the UN and many NGOs – has contributed to unprecedented levels of Christian persecution. In the course of interviews with The Jerusalem Post, leading experts on Middle Eastern Christians commented on the plight of the region’s dwindling Christian population and Israel’s role in fostering Christianity. There was no shortage in 2012 of repressive and bloody campaigns against Christians in Iran, Gaza, Nigeria, Libya and Egypt. Reuters reported a few weeks ago that in Libya two church workers were killed. “Attackers threw a homemade bomb at an administration building belonging to the Egyptian Coptic church in Dafniya, close to the western city of Misrata.” The wire service noted that Egypt’s consul in the city, Tareq Dahrouj, said he had visited the church and the building where the two church workers were killed early on Sunday. Jay Sekulow, chief counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice, a Washington- based organization that promotes religious freedom in the US and across the globe, told the Post that Israel is the “most free and protective of religious liberty for Christians” of all the region’s nations. Underscoring the severe dangers, the British daily The Telegraph headlined a pre- Christmas article: “Christianity ‘close to extinction’ in Middle East.” The paper reported on a new study titled “Christianophobia” showing that the “lion’s share of persecution faced by Christians arises in countries where Islam is the dominant faith.” The media reported in July that Hamas had kidnapped Palestinian Christians in Gaza in order to force them to convert to Islam. "Hamas digs up the bodies of Christians from Christian burial sites in the Gaza Strip claiming that they pollute the earth," said Reverend Majed El Shafie, President of One Free World International (OFWI), who will head a delegation of human rights activists, members of parliament from Canada and religious personalities. On Christmas Eve, the Nigerian-based Boko Haram Islamist terror group attacked a church, marking the third straight year that the terror group has murdered Nigerian Christians in the church on a Christmas day. The Islamic group slashed the throats of Christians right inside their churches or at their homes, adding that at least 15 of such barbaric killings have been reported in the past number of days, while worshipers had to watch in terror as their colleagues' throats were slashed open. On Friday, Raymond Ibrahim, from the Philadelphia-based Middle East Forum, noted in a report titled “Egyptian Cleric Threatens Christian Copts with Genocide” that Islamic leaders continue to portray the popular protests against President Mohamed Morsi and his recently passed Shari’a- heavy constitution as products of Egypt’s Christians. Recently, as captured on video, Muslim Brotherhood leader Safwat Hegazy issued a threat to the country’s Christians at an open rally. Asked about his prognosis for the new year, the American Center for Law and Justice’s Sekulow said he hoped there would be more “international focus” on this increasingly problematic issue. “Nations that understand and respect freedom need to speak out,” he said. “This ongoing persecution of Christians by radical Islamists – whether it’s in Africa or Iran – is intolerable. The actions also violate international human rights law.” Source: Jpost.com

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