Persecution of Christians: Africa becomes the epicenter of violence!

Persecution of Christians: Africa becomes the epicenter of violence!

Wien, Österreich - worldwide, the religious freedom of Christians is under pressure. A current report by the "Church in Need" aid organization openly suggests that the persecution of Christians has increased significantly. Between 2022 and 2024, the conditions for believing people in 18 countries have become alarming, as the executive president Regina Lynch in Fulda in the presentation of the report "pursued and forget?" executed. The situation in Africa, which has developed into a "epicenter of Islamist violence", is particularly dramatic. This development leads to the massive emigration of Christian communities that have to flee from Islamist attacks, such as Bishop Gerald Mamman Musa from Nigeria.

The data are terrifying: over 16,000 Christian life were destroyed between 2019 and 2023 alone in Nigeria. Violence not only leads to physical attacks, but also to a climate of fear, characterized by kidnapping and discrimination, especially in northern Nigeria, where the Sharia applies in many states. The cause of violence, according to Musa, is, among other things, ignorance of the Christian faith among the attackers. In countries such as China, Eritrea and Iran, Christians are considered enemies of the state, and over 850 Christians have also been detained in nationalist India. Reports on kidnapping, such as the fate of the medical student Erin Shehahata in Egypt, illustrate the precarious situation of minorities. According to the report, Vietnam is the only country to be named in which improvements are recorded, but most regions remain in a critical condition.

The aid organization "Church in Need" emphasizes the need for international measures to support persecuted Christians in order to enforce basic human rights and to create transparency about these global problems. The report is based on testimony of survivors and information from partner organizations, and it urgently shows how the climate of persecution has further exacerbated in recent years. An example from Mozambique illustrates this: Francisco Faustino had to flee his village from jihadist attacks after several villagers were brutally murdered. "The Christians who have been killed have not shed their blood for nothing," says Musa and demands comprehensive education initiatives that should contribute to more understanding and peace, as the report of die-tugspost.de reported.

The affected communities urgently need help and hope. The voice of the persecutors must be heard, because the reality of oppression is depressing and dangerous for Christian faith life worldwide, as well as