Religious freedom threatened in every fifth country

The Madonna della Salute, Madonna of Health, Basilica is illuminated in red light by a church group in support of the persecuted Christians around the world, in Venice, Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Luigi Costantini)

Religious freedom is under threat in every fifth country in the world,partly due to increasing “aggressive ultranationalism” according to a report by ‘Catholic Aid to the Church in Need (ACN)’.

 

Cases of religious persecution are revealed in 21 countries over a two-year period until June of this year.Niger, Myanmar,India,and China are among the countries according to the report from the Catholic ACN.

Discriminatory actions were revealed in 17 other countries,including Algeria,Turkey,and Russia, according to the report.

“We have observed attacks on religious freedom” said Marc Fromager,head of ACN’s French department.

The situation has worsened in 18 of 38 countries.

“This hostility to minorities has deteriorated to a level that we can qualify as aggressive ultranationalism” he said.

Fromager showed that churches have been destroyed in China and that Muslims belonging to the Uigur minority have been prevented from attending Ramadan’s fasting month while Tibetan Buddhists continue to be harassed.

The tension has become more muted in Syria and Iraq after the extremist group IS has been weakened,which has also made it possible for some Christians to go home the report said.

Persecution on religious grounds does not seem to be a problem in Europe,but Fromager points to “a worrying increase in extremist attacks, especially motivated by religious hatred.In France, anti-Semitic actions have increased 69% in the first nine months of this year.

 

© NTB scanpix / #Norway Today