Burkina Faso bishop: ‘the
West is ignoring the plight of Christians in West Africa’
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| Christians in Burkina Faso gather around their church |
The Catholic Bishops of Burkina Faso send their condolences
to the Federation of Evangelical Church Mission in the country following an
attack on the weekend that killed over a dozen people in a Protestant church.
By Linda Bordoni
"We are deeply saddened by this evil act,” and are
praying for the souls of the dead, said the Head of Communications of the Episcopal
Conference of Burkina Faso in its message of condolences.
14 people were massacred on Sunday, in a Protestant church
in Hantoukoura in the east of the country. Their pastor revealed that the
church was a new church, and that it counted less than 30 faithful, most of
them very young.
Sunday's attack
He told of how the group of attackers crossed the border
from Niger with motorcycles. Of how they separated the men from the women, told
the men to lie down on the ground, covered their heads with a cloth, then
killed them one by one. Several of those murdered were children.
Bishop Justin Kientega of Ouahigouya decried the
violence and said that Western governments have a responsibility to stop the
flow of weapons to militants in the region.
Speaking to the charity Aid to the Church in Need,
he voiced his belief that the attack is part of an attempt by radical Islamists
to provoke a religious conflict in a country where Christians and Muslims have
always lived peaceably side by side, and he argued that the Western world has
been ignoring the plight of Christians in West Africa.
“There is an ongoing persecution of Christians. For months,
we bishops have been denouncing what is happening in Burkina Faso,” Bishop
Kientega said, “but nobody is listening to us.” “Evidently,"
he concluded, "the West is more concerned with protecting its own
interests.”
Persecution, killings and displacement
Escalating violence among armed militant groups in Burkina
Faso has drawn international concern, with the United Nations warning earlier
this year of an “unprecedented humanitarian emergency” in the country. Nearly
half a million people have been forced to flee their homes in the last five
years. More than 60 Christians have been murdered in the country this year.
Pope Francis last month called for prayers and
urged authorities to promote interreligous dialogue and harmony as well as
provide protection for vulnerable civilians.
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