The Christmas season’s become a time to reflect on the fate of Christians around the world, from the besieged ancient communities of the Middle East to the tyrannized worshippers in China. But let us not ignore the violent threats to Christians in Africa.
Men belonging to Boko Haram murdered at least 10 people in the Nigerian village of Chibok earlier this month. Armed with guns and knives, they slit the throats of victims before burning their houses down. Eleven others were killed the month before in the town of Jaji when a car loaded with explosives rammed into a church.
In northern Nigeria, the anti-Western, anti-Christian, anti-government Boko Haram is the top Islamist terror gang. Since 2009, its atrocities have killed at least 3,000 people in Africa’s most populous nation.
Half of Nigeria (mostly in the south) is Christian. Christians outnumber Muslims — but if Boko Haram has its way, that ratio will change.
As far as the group’s ideologues are concerned, sharia — Islamic law — must rule the country. Non-Muslim symbols, such as churches or crosses (and for that matter anything else that might have been touched by Western influence), are haram (forbidden). Anyone even suspected of holding Christian or other non-Muslim beliefs is a fair target.
Boko Haram isn’t all that well organized. Its ideologues often recruit run-of-the-mill thugs in targeting the infidels. Rape, maiming and looting often precede vicious killings.
Oh, and Boko Haram isn’t alone in Africa. Militant Islamists are spreading from the traditionally Muslim deserts of the Maghreb along the Mediterranean, moving south to spots like Somalia, Mali, Niger and Kenya.
Groups fighting Christians and other non-Muslim religionists aren’t necessarily linked (though many are inspired by al Qaeda). Iran and Sunni factions around the globe compete in nurturing and financing the fanatics — in some cases exporting fighters to Africa.
Of course, many African Muslims prefer to live in harmony with their Christian neighbors and tolerate adherents of other religions. But the Arab Spring success of sharia-based parties in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya has emboldened those who, like Boko Haram, would rather see all Christians gone. Arms flowing from post-Khadafy Libya stoke the fires further.
This, when Christian ranks have been growing across Africa for decades. A recent study by Morocco’s el-Jadida University found that 46 percent of Africans are Christian and 40 percent Muslim, while 12 percent hold traditional (pagan) beliefs. The continent holds 31 Christian-majority countries, versus 21 where Muslims predominate.
The Christian denominations would rather grow peacefully.
“Every religion would like to expand and boost the number of its followers, but this must be done in a peaceful and civil manner,” Ignatius Kaigama, the archbishop of Jos (in northern Nigeria), said last summer.
But don’t look to African governments to enforce that basic standard. Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, the president of the Christian Association of Nigeria, met last year with President Goodluck Jonathan — and came away disappointed, saying the government may be unable to guarantee Christians’ safety as Boko Haram attacks intensify.
“The Christian community nationwide would be left with no other option than to respond appropriately if there are any further attacks on our members, churches and properties,” he said.
But attacks on Christians have grown since then.
What of the global community? The UN Security Council just approved sending a 3,300-troop force from western African states to northern Mali — where the al-Qaeda-affiliated Ansar Dine has created an autonomous terrorist base where non-Muslims fear to tread.
But the UN-proposed force won’t go in until next September at best. (At the United Nations, many i’s must be dotted and t’s crossed before action takes place.)
So for now Ansar Dine can tighten its alliances with Boko Haram, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and other Islamist groups to fortify an African terror base modeled after the Afghan-Pakistan border areas.
War, atrocities and deaths in Africa rarely grab headlines. The French UN ambassador, Gerard Araud, who has pushed the Security Council for intervention in Mali, often says that his aim is to get the troubled country to the front pages of US newspapers. But this is unlikely to happen — until Islamist terrorists hit us, which may be too late.
It’s been nearly 30 years since pop stars first gathered to sing “Do they know it’s Christmas?” for African relief. In too much of Africa, they know it all too well — and hate it. Those are the spots we need to keep an eye on.
Twitter: @bennyavni