In May 2023, a group of Christian women in the Kompienga province of Burkina Faso tried to break through a blockade imposed by Islamic terrorists, thinking that the militants, who normally reserve their attacks for adult men, would leave them alone. Instead, they were kidnapped, held captive for several weeks and repeatedly raped before being returned to their village, many of them pregnant.
In November of the same year, 340 Christians were ordered expelled from the village of Débé and two teenagers were killed for defying the ban on attending school, and in February 2024 fifteen Catholics died in an attack on the Church of Essakane. In April this year, catechist Edouard Zoetyenga was kidnapped and murdered, leaving behind a wife and eight children.
These are some of the stories featured in the report “Perseguidos e Esquecidos?”, published by the Catholic foundation Ajuda à Igreja que Frere (AIS) and presented in Lisbon on Wednesday, November 20marked internationally as Red Wednesday, a day to draw attention to the persecution of Christians.
Unlike the AIS Religious Freedom Report, which analyzes the global situation for all religions, “Persecuted and Forgotten?” It only looks at the persecution of Christians in 18 countries where the situation is particularly serious, all in Asia and Africa, with the exception of Nicaragua, in Central America. The 2024 edition highlights that in 11 states the situation worsened compared to 2022, in another six it remained the same and only in Vietnam were slight improvements noted.
For constitutionalist Jorge Bacelar Gouveia, who presented the report at the Design Museum, in Lisbon, the situation is truly worrying and deserves more attention on an international level.
“In general, there is an absence of active protection of religious freedom. The issue of human rights has been very evolutionary. I always remember that the protection of children began as a mere United Nations declaration, but quickly became a treaty. Also in the case of women, there was no treaty and now there are several, quite well. But right now there is no international treaty on religious freedom. There are declarations, starting with the Universal Declaration, pacts, the European Convention and the Charter of Human Rights of the European Union, but there is no specific treaty to protect religious freedom. We have seen a certain softening and passivity in states not actively protecting it and I think this is the big challenge”, he says.
From bad to worse in the Land of Upright Men
Also present at the launch of the report in Lisbon was Fr. Jacques Sawadogo, from Burkina Faso. Ordained in 2008, he served in his diocese of Ouahigouya until 2016. “At that time you could move freely throughout the country”, explains to Expresso.
Father Jacques Sawadogo, from Burkina Faso
Armindo Ribeiro
Meanwhile, he was sent by the bishop first to France and now to Germany to study, but he continues to return every year to Burkina and has seen the situation get worse and worse. “Nowadays, when I go back, I have to be very careful. It is still possible to travel by car from the capital to Ouahigouya, but 40 kilometers from the city it becomes too dangerous to walk on the road”, says the priest.
Christians are a minority in Burkina Faso. Islam arrived in the country in the 15th century, but the first Christian missionaries only arrived in 1900. Currently only around 20% of the population is Catholic, with another six percent Protestant, but historically the Church has exerted an inordinate influence in the country. “Missionaries introduced the first Western education and health systems. Therefore, there were many Christians among the first generation of people with formal education, and many were prominent in administration. Even today, Catholic schools, universities and hospitals play an important role, and bishops are listened to and greatly respected by the people.”
Traditionally, in the country whose name literally means Land of Upright Men, harmony between religions and ethnicities prevailed, but the increase in Islamic fundamentalism, which in many cases came from outside Burkina Faso, has worsened social relations. “In general relations are still good, most Muslims and Christians get along well. Many families are mixed, including mine, the problem is always with the radicals. But it can be seen that people have become more cautious. When we speak, we are always careful about what we say, because you never know who is who, who will do what. A climate of suspicion was generated among the population, which did not exist before”, comments Father Jacques Sawadogo.
As a minority, Christians are especially affected by the climate of violence imposed by terrorists. Those who are not killed immediately are given 72 hours to leave the villages. In other cases they can stay, but women are forced to wear a veil and men to grow a beard and on the rare occasions when they are allowed to continue practicing their faith they are prevented from singing, playing music or ringing the Church bells. However, the Burkinabe priest insists that ordinary Muslims also suffer greatly. In early October in a series of massacres over three days in the northeast, at least 600 people were killed and the overwhelming majority were Muslims.
“It is not just Christians who are persecuted. Also Muslims who just want to live in peace, or who get along with Christians, or who are just not considered ‘Muslim enough’ are killed”, explains Father Jacques, who adds that Muslim leaders in the country have raised their voices , together with the bishops, against violence.
As a priest, Jacques Sawadogo is well aware that he is a particularly attractive target for terrorists whenever he returns to Burkina Faso. Over the past few years, several priests have been murdered, with many others being kidnapped. Among those kidnapped is Father Joel Yougbaré, who has been missing for four years. Others are luckier, as is the case of a friend of Father Jacques, who ended up being freed by the terrorists.
“This colleague of mine lives about 30 kilometers from my city, and was on the road when he was kidnapped. We all started praying for him, but he was known to be a very good man, a peace builder, and I think a lot of people asked the terrorists not to hurt him. They ended up releasing him, but it was a very traumatic experience. When he talks about this, he always mentions that this problem has to do with more than guns, it goes much deeper. Terrorists believe they are doing a good service if they kill us, because we are infidels. We must pray a lot for them, so that their hearts are converted”, he says.
With terrorists controlling around 40% of the territory, attacks on villages caused a large wave of internally displaced people. Many end up sheltered by institutions linked to the Catholic Church, explains Father Jacques. “When they arrive, no one asks them if they are Catholic, Protestant or Muslim. We welcome everyone, because they need help. The Church is on the front line in helping displaced people access education and healthcare, and fortunately there are many international organizations that help us with this, including AIS.”
“Pray for us”, he asks, “we are believers, even the terrorists who come to kill us say they do it in the name of God. Pray that God touches our hearts and places in each one the desire for peace.”
Source: expresso.pt
