DAVID ADAMS reports…
Nigeria comes in at the top of a newly released list ranking countries according to where Christians have experienced the most violent incidents because of their faith.
The World Watch Top 10 Violence List – put together by the Open Doors team who compile the annual World World List which ranks countries according to their persecution of Christians – found that average of 322 Christians were killed for their faith in various countries around the world in every month between 1st November, 2012, and 31st March, this year.
Overall, the data shows that there were 3,641 churches and Christian properties destroyed during the reporting period and 13,120 incidents involving other forms of violence against Christians including beatings, abductions, rapes, arrests and forced marriages. |
In Nigeria, 2,073 Christians were killed for their faith and, together with Syria – where 1,479 Christians were killed – and the Central African Republic – where 1,115 were killed, the three countries account of 85 per cent of 5,479 deaths reported in the period.
Other countries in the top 10 for hosting the most violent incidents against Christians during the reporting period include Egypt, Mexico, Pakistan, Colombia, India, Kenya and Iraq.
Overall, the data shows that there were 3,641 churches and Christian properties destroyed during the reporting period and 13,120 incidents involving other forms of violence against Christians including beatings, abductions, rapes, arrests and forced marriages.
Meanwhile, after Nigeria, Syria and the CAR, those countries where the highest number of persecution-related deaths occurred included Pakistan (228), Egypt (147), Kenya (85), Burma (Myanmar) and Sudan (33 each) and Venezuela (26).
The researchers say the number of martyrs included in the data is a “minimum count” and could actually be significantly higher. Figures for North Korea – which tops the World Watch List – are excluded due to a lack of data.
Dr David Curry, Open Doors USA president, describes the level of violence against Christians in Nigeria as “alarming” and says it highlights the daily dangers they face from terrorist groups like Boko Haram.
“Going to school, attending church or identifying yourself as a Christian is a very brave decision in Nigeria,” he says.
“It is turning into a bloodbath. Christians in the West must stand in the gap with our prayers and support.”
Frans Veerman, director of World Watch Research, the group within Open Doors International who compiled the data, says it shows that violence against Christians is spread across the globe.
“Islamic extremism, tribal antagonism, and organised corruption are the main persecution engines fuelling violence with Islamic extremism being the major engine in seven of the top 10 countries.”
The data for compiled using media and internet searches as well as reports from the field.
~ www.opendoorsusa.org/downloads/pdf-downloads/violence-top-10-countries-2014.pdf
~ www.opendoors.org.au
