Activity Report 2024

Persecuted and forgotten?

On 16 November, ACN presented the new “Persecuted and Forgotten?” report in countries around the world. The report documents the most strik- ing developments in 18 key countries where Christians suffer persecution and discrimination, including Nigeria, Burkina Faso, China and Pakistan. The new edition comes to the sad conclu- sion that the situation has worsened in 11 of the 18 countries analysed. It has only improved in one country, the report reveals. In the foreword to the report, the Chaldean Catholic Archbishop of Erbil (Iraq), Bashar Matti Warda, writes: “Our prayer is that those reading this report, whether governments or others with influence, will do more than just pay lip service to reports of Christian perse- cution. They must match their words with action – clear and decisive policy commitment – to help those whose only crime is the faith they profess.” The latest report shows that the epi- centre of Islamist militant violence has

shifted from the Middle East to Africa. The report makes it clear that aggres- sive Islamists are the main reason why there has been an increase in the per- secution of Christians in all six African countries analysed. In Egypt and Pakistan, Christian girls are regularly subjected to systematic abductions and rape. In addition, “Persecuted and Forgot- ten?” notes that authoritarian regimes, including those in China, Eritrea, India and Iran, have stepped up their repressive measures against Christians. This is carried out either in the name of religious nationalism or state secular- ism/communism.

Archbishop Bashar Warda of Erbil at the presentation of the new “Persecuted and Forgotten?” report in the British Parliament.

https://acnuk.org/ pf-edition-2024/

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