Somalians who are suspected to have converted to Christianity face rushed public beheadings without proper trial and Christians in the country face extreme persecution at the hands of Islamic jihadists, according to an International Law analyst for Open Doors International’s World Watch Research Unit.
Based on Open Doors’ 2017 World Watch List of the worst Christian persecutors, Somalia ranks second with its persecution levels almost equal to that of North Korea. Open Doors UK & Ireland CEO Lisa Pearce said persecution driven by religious nationalism is often condoned and encouraged by some governments, the Catholic News Agency reports.
In an interview with The Christian Post, International Law analyst Yonas Dembele said killing Christian converts …show more content…
Although Somalia’s draft Constitution guarantees religious freedom for citizens, Islam is still the country’s official religion.
In 2015, the country’s director of the ministry of religion Sheikh Mohamed Kheyrow issued a warning against the celebration of Christmas, saying the occasion is only for Christians. Dembele said this is an example of the government trying to appease the Islamist extremists by implementing strict prohibitions on Christians.
Dembele relayed the story of a Christian convert who fled Somalia to escape persecution from his own family. However, he is still having a difficult time adjusting to his new environment since non-Somali Christians view him as a person who might attack them.
Meanwhile, Dembele acknowledged the international community’s efforts to put a stop to the conflict in Somalia. However, he said the country lacks resources unlike the other nations in the Middle East, and this situation causes the international community to neglect Somalia.
In light of the situation, Dembele called on Christians to support Open Doors USA and other NGOs campaigning against Christian persecution. He also urged believers to speak with their government representatives about the issue of religious
Based on Open Doors’ 2017 World Watch List of the worst Christian persecutors, Somalia ranks second with its persecution levels almost equal to that of North Korea. Open Doors UK & Ireland CEO Lisa Pearce said persecution driven by religious nationalism is often condoned and encouraged by some governments, the Catholic News Agency reports.
In an interview with The Christian Post, International Law analyst Yonas Dembele said killing Christian converts …show more content…
Although Somalia’s draft Constitution guarantees religious freedom for citizens, Islam is still the country’s official religion.
In 2015, the country’s director of the ministry of religion Sheikh Mohamed Kheyrow issued a warning against the celebration of Christmas, saying the occasion is only for Christians. Dembele said this is an example of the government trying to appease the Islamist extremists by implementing strict prohibitions on Christians.
Dembele relayed the story of a Christian convert who fled Somalia to escape persecution from his own family. However, he is still having a difficult time adjusting to his new environment since non-Somali Christians view him as a person who might attack them.
Meanwhile, Dembele acknowledged the international community’s efforts to put a stop to the conflict in Somalia. However, he said the country lacks resources unlike the other nations in the Middle East, and this situation causes the international community to neglect Somalia.
In light of the situation, Dembele called on Christians to support Open Doors USA and other NGOs campaigning against Christian persecution. He also urged believers to speak with their government representatives about the issue of religious