Persaend cuted Forgotte n? A report on Christians oppressed for their Faith 2015 17 Persecuted and Forgotten? Executive Summary Read the full report Persecuted and Forgotten? A Report on Christians oppressed for their Faith 2015–17 – which is only available online – www.acnuk.org/ persecuted 2 Persecuted and Forgotten? Executive Summary Persaend cuted Forgotte n? A report on Christians oppressed for their Faith 2015 17 3 Persecuted and Forgotten? Executive Summary Contents At-a-glance summary of findings 05 Foreword by Archbishop Issam John Darwish 07 Executive Summary of Persecuted and Forgotten? 09 Syria : Man bound hand and foot to a cross 11 Egypt : Suicide bombers strike during Mass 12 Syria : Monastery bulldozed and the dead defiled 14 Nigeria : Woman killed in her kitchen on Easter night 16 Iraq : Young priest restores faith in desecrated village 18 Pakistan : He laid down his life for others 20 Philippines : Extremists smash and burn in cathedral attack 23 India : Christian minister beaten unconscious 24 Sudan : Churches destroyed on government orders 25 China : Bishop repeatedly arrested and forced on “a trip” 26 Eritrea : Imprisoned for their faith 29 Map of oppression/persecution 32 Table of persecution by country 34 Persecuted and Forgotten? compiled by John Pontifex, John Newton and Murcadha O Flaherty. Published by Aid to the Church in Need, 12-14 Benhill Avenue, Sutton, Surrey SM1 4DA. ACN is a Pontifical Foundation of the Catholic Church and a registered charity in England & Wales (1097984) and Scotland (SC040748). Cover image shows crucifix from the Church of St Teresa of the Child Jesus, Berhampur Diocese, India destroyed in August 2008 during anti- Christian attacks in Odisha State. All Photos © Aid to the Church in Need (UK) except: picture of Bishop Peter Shao Zhumin (© AsiaNews.it); Rev Gandham Padma Rao (© Morning Star News); Mrs Dorkas Zakka (© Father Andrew Yeycock), by kind permission of the Zakka family. With special thanks to Tony Smith, Christopher Jotischky-Hull and Tony Cotton. Designed by John Newton. Printed by Blackmore, Dorset, SP7 8PX. 4 Persecuted and Forgotten? Executive Summary At-a-glance summary of findings Period under review: August 2015 – July 2017 u In almost all the countries reviewed, the u The defeat of Daesh and other Islamists in situation for Christians has declined since major strongholds of the Middle East offers the 2015 as a result of violence and oppression. last hope of recovery for Christian groups This is especially significant given the rate of threatened with extinction. Many would not decline in the immediate run-up to the period survive another similar violent attack. under review. The one exception is Saudi Arabia, where the situation was already so u Daesh affiliate Boko Haram has carried bad it could scarcely get any worse. out genocide against Christians in northern Nigeria. u In Iraq, the exodus of Christians has continued to be very severe, but hope is on u Christians have suffered increased violence the horizon with communities returning to and oppression as a result of a rise in religious their homes. nationalism. In India, for example, persecution has risen sharply since the 2014 rise to power u This same exodus is threatening the survival of the right-wing Hindu nationalist Bharatiya of Christianity in parts of Syria including Janata Party (BJP) led by Prime Minister Aleppo, formerly home to one of the largest Narendra Modi. Christian communities in the whole of the Middle East. u In China, where the President has described Christianity as “a foreign infiltration”, increased u Daesh (ISIS) and other Islamist militant hostility to Church communities, accused of groups have committed genocide in Syria resisting government control, has resulted in and Iraq. the widespread removal of crosses from churches and the destruction of church u Governments in the West and the UN failed buildings. Some regional authorities have to offer Christians in countries such as Iraq banned Christmas trees and greetings cards. and Syria the emergency help they needed as genocide got underway. If Christian u In worst-offending North Korea, “unspeakable organisations and other institutions had not atrocities” against Christians include enforced filled the gap, the Christian presence could starvation, abortion and reports of faithful being already have disappeared in Iraq and other hung on crosses over a fire and others being parts of the Middle East. crushed under a steamroller. 5 Persecuted and Forgotten? Executive Summary 6 Persecuted and Forgotten? Executive Summary Foreword by Archbishop Issam John Darwish Melkite Greek Catholic Archbishop of Zahlé and Furzol, Lebanon Everything is quiet in Lebanon’s Beqaa Valley, Many refugees have told terrible stories of where I am writing this letter to you. Only from persecution: like the man whose brother, a priest, time to time can I hear the thunder of artillery from was kidnapped – and despite the family paying the the distant fighting in neighbouring Syria, as the ransom they killed the priest. They sent his family Beqaa runs alongside the border between a box containing his severed wrist, tattooed with a Lebanon and Syria. The ceasefire has stilled cross, to show he was dead. many of the guns that used to roar. However, as this Persecuted and Forgotten? But we have felt the effects of the war. Refugees report describes, these acts of extremism are have made their way across the border and the occurring not only in Syria, but also in Church in the Beqaa has welcomed 800 refugee neighbouring Iraq and various African countries. families – more than 6,000 people – who fled their Nor is extremism the only problem facing our homeland. They left either because they were brothers and sisters, and in places like North caught up in fighting between the Syrian regime Korea and China they are crushed by the heavy and rebel forces or because they were driven out burden of state repression and intimidation. of their homes by Islamists among the rebels, who increasingly targeted the Christian community as Yet we are aware that Aid to the Church in Need, the war continued its bloody course. which has produced this report, is not only interested in reporting these atrocities but also in They have turned to us and we have helped them responding wherever they can. They have been a as best we can. How could we not? We remember partner helping us to feed the Syrian refugees in the words of the Gospel: “Lord, when did we see Lebanon, as they have also worked with the you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you Church in Iraq and other areas to relieve the drink? And when did we see you a stranger and condition of those driven from their homes by welcome you, or naked and clothe you?” And we extremists. They know that where we see our remember too the reply the Son of Man gives: brothers and sisters hungry, thirsty, or naked we “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least must minister to them, and so minister to Our Lord of these my brethren, you did it to me.” (Matt 25: Jesus Christ himself. 37-38, 40) When the Christian families who have turned to us need the very basics for daily life – food, shelter and medical care – how can we refuse to help? Until now, the UN and other humanitarian + Most Rev Issam John Darwish BSO, DD organisations have provided no aid and so we Melkite Greek Catholic Archbishop have opened our homes and hearts to them. of Zahlé and Furzol, Lebanon 7 Persecuted and Forgotten? Executive Summary Church of the Immaculate Conception, Qaraqosh on Iraq’s Nineveh Plains shortly after its liberation from Daesh (ISIS). Photo: Jako Klamer. 8 Persecuted and Forgotten? Executive Summary Persecuted and Forgotten? A Report on Christians oppressed for their Faith 2015– 17 Executive Summary “Christians are pigs. You don’t deserve to live.” against Christians around the world today. Central to the process is this, the 2017 edition of These were the words of an extremist militant Persecuted and Forgotten? A Report on Christians spoken to Christian man Elia Gargous, kidnapped oppressed for their Faith. The full report, which is by Islamist militia Al Nusra Front, outside Rableh, available at www.acnuk.org/persecuted, shows that western Syria. In an interview with Aid to the during the period under review – August 2015 to Church in Need in February 2016, Mr Gargous July 2017 – persecution against Christians in the described how he and his nephew, also called Elia, worst-affected regions reached a new peak, the 1 were abducted along with 213 others. Mr Gargous impact of which is only now beginning to be felt in said they were bound and gagged before being all its horror. taken to what turned out to be St Elias’s Convent, two miles from Rableh. There, their blindfolds were The gravity of the persecution of Christians had removed and they watched helplessly as icons been clearly established prior to the period under were smashed on the ground in front of them. Mr review. 2 In April 2017, the Pew Research Center Gargous said: “They told us to convert but we released a report showing that the number of refused. They killed people in front of us.” A countries where Christians fell victim to government huge ransom was demanded for their release. Now restrictions and social hostilities grew from 108 in back with his family, having found sanctuary in 2014 to 128 the following year. 3 In its World Watch neighbouring Lebanon, Mr Gargous was quick to Monitor Report, covering 2016, Open Doors, an stress his gratitude to friends and family who had organisation supporting persecuted Christians, exhausted their resources in funding his release.