For the Catholic Church today, it’s the Muslim-Christian dialogue above all things. Unwelcome truths are not be enunciated. Here is the reality of the situation in Nigeria: the article “A genocide against Christians is silently unfolding in Nigeria,” by Kester Kenn Klomegah in Modern Diplomacy, August 28, 2020, states this:
The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law, – a Nigerian-based non-governmental organization that monitors human rights violations and advocates for peace and integrated society, – has asked the United Nations (UN), the Commonwealth Secretary General, the African Union (AU) and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and other international organizations to step up efforts to address rising armed attacks mostly on civilians in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The latest letter, a copy made available to Modern Diplomacy, titled “Calling For Urgent International Intervention To Stop State Protected Fulani & Other Jihadists From Wiping Out Christians In Nigeria” and was addressed to H.E. (Mr.) Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations, Rt. Hon (Madam) Patricia Scotland, QC Secretary General of Commonwealth, H.E. (Ms) Fatou Bensouda, Chief Prosecutor of the Int’l Criminal Court Office of the Prosecutor, ICC Headquarters, among others.
It said in part: We, the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law, are a federally registered human rights group in Nigeria, formed in 2008 with thematic mandate of campaigning for promotion and advancement of democracy and accountable governance, civil liberties and rule of law and public security and safety.
As a core part of our thematic mandate, Intersociety has, since 2010, followed, monitored (including patterns and trends of anti-Christian butcheries), researched, investigated, documented and published or exposed inter faith and intra faith intolerance and violence including massacre of Christians by Jihadists in Nigeria or any part thereof and persecution of Shiite Muslims by Sunni Muslim political and security actors.
Intersociety strongly opposes use of violence for religious propagation and adoption whether in principle or in practice, of any particular religion as a state religion by any sitting Government or its security and law enforcement agencies.
As a result of the above, Your Excellencies; and with greatest respect and humility, we wish to bring the attention of Your Excellencies to the following facts:
1. That Christians are at high risk of being wiped out by state protected Islamic Jihadists, especially the Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen, parented by three major Fulani associations (Miyatti Allah, FUNAM and Fulani Houta lHore), all recognized and registered till date by the present central Government of Nigeria. Other jihadist groups massacring Christians in Nigeria are: Boko Haram, ISWAP, Ansaru and Jihadist “Bandits”. Of the named Jihadist groups, Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen enjoy full state cover and protection and are also independently found dominating other jihadist groups.
2. That from January to July 2020, Jihadist Herdsmen have been responsible for no fewer than 1,027 Christian deaths and destruction or burning of thousands of houses and hundreds of worship and learning centers belonging to Christians. All their victims since 2015 and before then are Christians. The Jihadist group is further responsible for over 15,000 Christian deaths and destruction or burning of at least 1,500 churches and Christian learning centers in Nigeria since 2009.
3. That combined with anti-Christian killings by other Jihadists including Boko Haram, ISWAP, Ansaru and Jihadist “Bandits”, over 32,000 Christian lives and more than 17,000 churches and Christian schools have been lost since July 2009. Owing to the inaction and strongly suspected conspiratorial role of the present central Government of Nigeria since mid-2015, the number of Jihadist groups in Nigeria has also increased dangerously and uncontrollably from three (BH, Ansaru and Herdsmen) in mid-2015 to not less than 20 including splinter and autonomous jihadist groups….
Yet Antonio Filipazzi would have us believe this is not a religious conflict. However, these jihad groups target only Christians.
“Pope’s Envoy Fails to Name Boko Haram,” by Jules Gomes, ChurchMilitant.com, August 31, 2020:
VATICAN CITY (ChurchMilitant.com) – The Vatican’s ambassador to Nigeria is downplaying the role of Islam in the persecution of Christians as this could “rekindle division” between Muslims and Christians.
“When we say a conflict is religious, we give it a moral justification. This makes the solution even more difficult, because everyone thinks he is in the right because he does it in the name of God, in the name of religion,” Abp. Antonio Filipazzi told Vatican News Friday.
Stressing it was important “not to present conflicts as if they are exclusively caused by religion,” the papal nuncio to Nigeria was silent on the jihadi Muslim militia Boko Haram and the Fulani herdsmen.
But experts on religious persecution said both Islamic groups were specifically targeting Christians — including significant numbers of Catholics — expressly stating jihadi motivation for the massacre of Christians.
Filipazzi did not name the two groups even once, even though a preface to the Vatican News‘ interview acknowledged the role of “Boko Haram jihadists” in the “attacks and kidnappings” of 40,000 people in northeastern Nigeria alone.
Instead, arguing that “violence in Nigeria is a multiple issue,” the nuncio cited ethnic clashes, kidnappings for extortion, terrorism and armed gangs as causes of conflict.
In comments to Church Militant, Dr. Martin Parsons, independent consultant on global persecution of Christians, said that Filipazzi’s remarks failed to account for the jihadi-based slaughter and the Islamic slave trade kidnappings perpetrated by Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen.
“Of course, we want peaceful coexistence between Christians and Muslims, but peace without justice is oppression under another name,” Dr. Parsons said, responding to Filipazzi’s claim that “the discussion on division, precisely in the name of religion, must be very prudent, because in the past, as well as today, Muslims and Christians coexisted and coexist peacefully.”
“For too long the religious motivation of the violence suffered by Nigerian Christians has been ignored,” Dr. Parsons, who is also an Islamic scholar, asserted.
“For years, the U.S. State Department insisted the specific targeting of churches and Christians in northern Nigeria was simply a ‘socio-economic conflict’ — despite Boko Haram specifically claiming their actions were an Islamic jihad,” noted Parsons, a former aid worker to Afghanistan.
“It wasn’t until November 2013 that the U.S. finally recognized Boko Haram as a terrorist organization. That was less than a year before the Global Terrorism Index listed it as the world’s deadliest terrorist organization — slaughtering even more people than Islamic State (ISIS) were killing in Syria and Iraq,” he added….
RichardL says
lying by omission can be a sin. Here it is a great sin because he prevents help going to persecuted Christians. I personally think that most of the Catholics simply lack the virtue of courage. After being arrested by the mukhabarat and deported for being critical of islam, I have shut up, too. But then I am not a priest. I am very disappointed.
Sonia Rumzi says
You must have been in Egypt if you the Mukhabarat deported you. Not surprising at all. When I tried to establish a praying room for Christians in school as a teen, the Mukhabarat had “a talk” with my father and they searched the school. Ugh!
RichardL says
yes. And the last we checked – about three years ago – I was still blacklisted. Mubarak, al-Sisi all the same. I even am friends with a general in the mukharabat whose career was not affected in any of the three government. He checked the list for me. Egypt and Pakistan are the worst countries in the world. I hope, anyway. I am married to a wonderful Egyptian.
gravenimage says
Troubling but not surprising, Richard and Sonia.
mortimer says
A sin of OMISSION !!! Insouciant WISHFUL THINKING!
The Vatican is OMITTING to LEARN anything about POLITICAL ISLAM.
This determined, obstinate lack of interest in JIHADISM is SINFUL, SLOTHFUL and CULPABLY NEGLIGENT of the Vatican. Thousands of Christians die each month because the Vatican is silent. The Vatican leaders have no excuse for this ignorance.
There are many Roman Catholic laity and clergy that are FULLY INFORMED about POLITICAL ISLAM.
mortimer says
Message to Vatican: Mohammed said jihad is “RELIGIOUS FIGHTING in Allah’s Cause.”
Bukhari:V1B2N25 “Allah’s Apostle was asked, ‘What is the best deed?’ He replied, ‘To believe in Allah and His Apostle Muhammad.’ The questioner then asked, ‘What is the next best in goodness?’ He replied, ‘To participate in Jihad, RELIGIOUS FIGHTING in Allah’s Cause.'”
Barbara Marrs says
A good Muslim is required to make Jihad every year.
James Lincoln says
RichardL,
Sounds like a very frightening experience being arrested by the mukhabarat.
Glad you’re safe now…
Rufolino says
The Roman Catholic Church is rapidly convoluting itself into absurdity, irrelevance, and worse.
It is living off a reputation built up over centuries and now being demolished at extraordinary speed.
I’m both sad and glad. The Roman Catholic Church as an institution, which still believes it owns Christianity, is getting what it deserves.
(I am not referring to all members of the RC Church, of whom there are many outstanding people.)
Michael Copeland says
“For peace to reign in the land, all Christians must convert to Islam.
Allah has tasked all Muslims in Quran 9:29 to continue to attack Jews and Christians
who refuse to believe in him and his messenger, Prophet Mohammed.”
— Abu Qaqa of Boko Haram, The Group of Al-Sunna For Preaching and Jihad,
http://www.Persecution.org, 17 July 2012.
mgoldberg says
You might this the Church would simply quote what you have posted, along with all the other supremicist statements of the slaughterers who have done so in the name of Islam and for the very obvious reason you posted. Then they might actually have to do something.
revereridesagain says
Let’s see: We must not blame religion-based conflicts on religion because it will give the conflicts a bad name if people are being murdered over “God”. It must have nothing to do with “god” even though one party is screaming that their “god” is better than the other side’s “god”, but must be laid at the feet of “sinful man” and his “selfish reasons”. The tenets of his “faith” must remain pure and good! Don’t call it “genocide”. That’s “inflammatory”. Blame these evils on “socio-economic conflicts”, land disputes, politics, “racism” (even though killers and victims are of the same race), climate change, street crime, cattle rustling, or “cis-gendered straight white men” (that just won Taylor Swift an award, so it works!)
I would consider it a “sin” to willfully ignore the obvious reason for the murder of thousands of defenseless people, but then what does a heathen know?
nicu says
Reminds me of George Carlin said about religion ! Is the Pope a Christian ????
Tony Naim says
The savagery of political Islam is not for the papacy to solve unless the west is looking to reignite more medieval religious wars. If Mr Spencer is waiting on the Pope to accomplish this task, I am afraid he will be waiting as much as Middle eastern Christians have waited to no avail.
The US has a lot of leverage in Nigeria, with influence on all major tribes, the Hausa, Yoruba and Ibo. The Northern Hausa represent the most populous, and the source of Radical Islamist groups.
Let’s begin with sanctions on the Hausa then move towards arming the Yoruba and Ibo.
This reminds me of an anecdote about an old widow who went to the priest asking for holy water to help rid of a mouse in her mouse. The priest went on the provide the old lady with holy water but at the same time he strongly advised her to get a cat.
Raja says
Good comment like most on this site.
gravenimage says
Tony Naim wrote:
The savagery of political Islam is not for the papacy to solve unless the west is looking to reignite more medieval religious wars.
………………….
Tony, do you believe that if a representative of the papacy dares to acknowledge that the genocide of Christians is being waged in the name of Islam that it will “reignite more medieval religious wars”? In that case, Islam is *already* at war with us. Our telling the truth is not the problem.
More:
The US has a lot of leverage in Nigeria, with influence on all major tribes, the Hausa, Yoruba and Ibo. The Northern Hausa represent the most populous, and the source of Radical Islamist groups.
Let’s begin with sanctions on the Hausa then move towards arming the Yoruba and Ibo.
………………….
The US does–wisely or not–provide some aid to Nigeria. The US does *not* provide aid to individual tribes in Africa.
Jan Favre says
Separation of the Christian South from the Northern Islamic part is the only viable solution like it was the case between South Sudan and North Sudan.
Tony Naim says
The US and the U.K. took the side of the North during the Biafra war. There has not been any reassessment of this policy since 9/11. Again, the fault of the Catholic Church, if you listen to Mr Spencer.
mortimer says
The northern states of Nigeria where Sharia prevails should separate and then everyone will leave them. Boko Haram is trying to ethnically cleanse the north of Christians.
gravenimage says
Where did Robert Spencer ever blame the Catholic Church for Biafra? Citations, please.
curious george says
Sudan, rebel alliance reach deal in ongoing peace efforts
https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/sudan-rebel-alliance-reach-deal-ongoing-peace-efforts-72726461
Billy Chickens says
Murdering in the name of Allah means “morally justified acts of killing Christians”. The problem is Islam. It’s as simple as that.
Raja says
The world is so numb to genocide in some “corner” of the globe. Where is the so called global system? Rules and principles if any are only applicable to the Western regimes. Islamic states/”republics:” and Left and Socialist nations are exempted even by all United nations bodies. Utter disgrace and disappointment for the human race. What more do you expect from these professional liars, hypocrites and thieves? The Catholic church is only making matters worse through their perpetual politicking. Very dangerous indeed.For much of their stupidity they rely on the stupid doctrines of the Left and Commies that have never benefited mankind.
Michael Copeland says
How is this for a whole flock of Bedouin-approved fashionable scapegoats? Here is Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad of Jordan, chairman of the Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought (RABIIT) using Islam’s “permissible lying”:
“From what we have witnessed, it seems to me that the primary causes of the current tension and conflict in Nigeria are not inherently based in religion but rather, rooted in a complex matrix of political, social, ethnic, economic, and legal problems, among which the issue of justice — or the lack of it — looms large as a common factor.”
These are no goats. They are red herrings.
https://gatesofvienna.net/2019/10/for-peace/
GreekEmpress says
Mr. Copeland,
Thank you for the link. I had seen a lot of articles from gatesofvienna on Jihad Watch, so I checked it out for the first time last night. To anybody that hasn’t looked at that site lately, there is a message that says that PayPal has dropped him, so to keep going he is conducting a “snail mail” fundraiser. For anybody that wants to contribute, you can send him an email and he will send you the address and tell you how to make the check out.
gravenimage says
Yes–this is awful. Gates of Vienna is an important site.
mortimer says
NOT ‘RELIGIOUS’ ? JIHAD IS NOT INSPIRED BY ISLAM?
JIHAD IS ‘RELIGIOUS FIGHTING’ (Islamic authorities)
Muslims ordinarily refer to jihad as ‘holy war’ or ‘holy fighting’.
-Definition of Dictionary of Islam: Jihad is “a religious war with those who are unbelievers (kufaar) in the mission of Muhammad. It is an incumbent religious duty, established in the Quran and in the Traditions as a divine institution, enjoined specially for the purpose advancing Islam and repelling evils from Muslims.”
Ayatollah Morteza Motahhari, former Chairman of the Revolutionary Council of Iran, in a collection of lectures titled, “Jihad: The Holy War of Islam and Its Legitimacy in the Quran,” published by the Islamic Propagation Organization, Tehran, Iran, and posted on the website of Al-Islam.org (accessed Apr. 26, 2007), wrote: “‘And Fight those who have not faith in God, nor in the Hereafter, and (who) forbid not what God and His Prophet have forbidden and (who ) are not committed to the religion of truth, of those who have been brought the Book, until they pay tribute by hand, and they are the low.’ (9:29) [chapter:verse of the Qur’an]
Ibn Khaldun (d. 1406), jurist, renowned philosopher, historian, and sociologist, summarized these consensus opinions from five centuries of prior Muslim jurisprudence with regard to the uniquely Islamic institution of jihad:
“In the Muslim community, the holy war is a religious duty, because of the universalism of the [Muslim] mission and [the obligation to] convert everybody to Islam either by persuasion or by force… The other religious groups did not have a universal mission, and the holy war was not a religious duty for them, save only for purposes of defense… Islam is under obligation to gain power over other nations.”
Daniel Pipes, PhD, Director of the Middle East Forum, in a Dec. 31, 2002 New York Post article titled “What Is Jihad?” wrote:
“Jihad is ‘holy war.’ Or, more precisely: It means the legal, compulsory, communal effort to expand the territories ruled by Muslims at the expense of territories ruled by non-Muslims. The purpose of jihad… is not directly to spread the Islamic faith but to extend sovereign Muslim power. Jihad is thus unabashedly offensive in nature, with the eventual goal of achieving Muslim dominion over the entire globe.”
-“Jihad is holy fighting in Allah’s Cause with full force of numbers and weaponry. It is given the utmost importance in Islam and is one of its pillars. By Jihad Islam is established, Allah’s Word is made superior (which means only Allah has the right to be worshiped), and Islam is propagated. By abandoning Jihad Islam is destroyed and Muslims fall into an inferior position; their honor is lost, their lands are stolen, their rule and authority vanish. Jihad is an obligatory duty in Islam on every Muslim. He who tries to escape from this duty, or does not fulfill this duty, dies as a hypocrite.” – Footnote commentary on jihad from p580 of Sahih Al-Bukhari, publ. by Maktba Dar-us-Salam
curious george says
“The nature of oratory is such that there has always been a tendency among politicians and clergymen to oversimplify complex matters. From a pulpit or a platform even the most conscientious of speakers finds it very difficult to tell the whole truth.”
– Aldous Huxley (1894-1963)
“There is nothing in the world like a persuasive speech to fuddle the mental apparatus and upset the convictions and debauch the emotions of an audience not practiced in the tricks and delusions of oratory.”
– Mark Twain (1835-1910)
J Morgan says
A dangerous fool. No doubt a good friend of the Pope. Who will stand up for the Nigerian Christians?
Tony Naim says
When I was a child I traveled to Nigeria frequently where my parents worked. My mother used to take me and my siblings to Catholic missions for routine check ups or if we had health problems, like Malaria. The Catholic Church ran clinics by physicians some of whom where nuns and priests from different European countries.
The Catholic Church lives with the people in Nigeria and many other places in Africa . The same applies to the Middle East.
The problem of Islamic violence is not for the Pope to treat, like Mr Spencer insists. this is a problem for the west to deal with. Mostly for the US.
By the grace of God, I hope and pray for President Trump to be re-elected, in which case, I am certain, this problem will be no more by the end of his second term.
J Morgan says
“By the grace of God, I hope and pray for President Trump to be re-elected, in which case, I am certain, this problem will be no more by the end of his second term.”
I hope and pray for Pres. Trump’s re-election too. If he wins, I will certainly be writing him about Nigeria and the oppression of Christians by Muslims around the world. I hope you are right and this problem will stop.
gravenimage says
The Church has done a lot of good. That doesn’t mean that their representatives whitewashing the horrors of Islamic genocide is a good thing.
And the Pope is part of the West–he is in fact a major Western leader.
And much as I respect Present Trump and hope he is reelected, the idea that he is going to be able to end the Islamic genocide against Christians all over the world is likely.
At least he has addressed this issue, which is more than we can say for most Western leaders:
somehistory says
Lying is “important” to a liar. He is a liar, so lying about this is “important” to him…more “important” than telling the Truth.
Fact: moslims murder. Fact: moslims are commanded to murder. Fact: moslims are told to murder Christians and Jews. Fact: moslims are told it is “important” to their fake ‘god’…satan the devil…that they murder Christians and Jews that their fake prophet and their fake ‘god’ ***demand*** the killing of Christians and Jews.
And another fact: moslims are commanded to lie in support of their fake ‘god,’ their fake ‘prophet,’ and their fake ‘holy’ book…it’s a book of filth and evil, but they must lie and say it is “holy.”
Those who wish to stay on the side of moslims that will keep them alive longer, lie in support of moslims and the murders and rapes they commit daily.
Fact: this guy is lying for the sake of islam…a great big lie from satan.
The “reason” moslims kill Christians in Nigeria…as everywhere else…is because they are Christians and refuse islam.
Michael Copeland says
Memo to the Pope:
“Allah has instructed us to kill everyone that is unbelieving….
We call you to join us to institute Sharia globally.”
Boko Haram spokesman
https://www.jihadwatch.org/2020/06/nigeria-muslim-group-says-allah-has-instructed-us-to-kill-everyone-that-is-unbelieving
somehistory says
Thanks for that reminder. Just another bit of evidence that the Truth cannot stay hidden, no matter how many lies are told or who tells them. moslims are commanded by their fake god to kill every Christian. It’s written in their book of filth, and every cleric tells them it’s their duty.
curious george says
Pope Francis Warns ‘Creation Is Groaning!’ in New Eco-Message
https://www.breitbart.com/environment/2020/09/01/pope-francis-warns-creation-is-groaning-in-new-eco-message/
gravenimage says
Never mind that this growth has virtually wiped out starvation globally. Bad Capitalists!
FYI says
So the ‘pope of the EAR’ can hear creation groaning.
He says we must “listen to the land” and yet apparently he cannot hear the voices of persecuted Catholics living on that land as he is more concerned about climate change and pandering to islam and remains SILENT on the persecution of Christians, doing everything possible to down play islam’s role in that.
francis is a Whited Sepulchre and is like a bad shepherd scattering his flock.
Only the truly blind refuse to see that.
francis ‘the pope of the EAR’ always listening to anything{the climate,the muslims}except the cries of his own shepherdless flock.
Persecuted Catholics:can the pope hear us?Hull-oh?surely he will speak for us?FRANCIS!
Help us francis!The muslims are massacring us.Speak out francis it is your duty since ‘all it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing’ and surely the ‘holy’ father is a good man?Evil triumphs when popes remain silent.
francis:What is all that racket?Oh right..it must be the Earth groaning.I must write some new eco-friendly encyclical.What is this nonsense about muslims killing Christians?It couldn’t possibly have anything to do with islam: a proper reading of the koran shows it to be opposed to every form of violence.Even using a fly swat is forbidden in islam as Ahmed told me on one of his regular visits to the Vatican.muslims love and respect Jesus and why wouldn’t they since he is not Jewish.
DavidR says
Mid level doormat.
gravenimage says
Vatican ambassador to Nigeria says it’s important to say that Muslim genocide of Christians there is not religious
………………………
How is avoiding telling the truth about the motive of genocide important?
Merri-joy says
The Vatican Ambassador To Nigeria & the Pope should be sued in a class action by the murdered victim’s family members, Catholic & Christian Churches of Nigeria!
Surely the Pope & his ambassador are guilty of aiding and abetting the murder of Nigerian Catholics & Christians?
Surely the Pope & his ambassador are guilty of wilful ignorance and spreading lies about Islam!
Prince Eugene says
Above all else Bergoglio and the lavender mafia for years have cherished a fruitless dialogue, fruitless to Christians who desire an end to their persecution, with Muslims who support the ongoing Christian genocide in Nigeria and invasions of Western Civilization.
Aleksander says
If it isn`t religious war crime, than what is it mr. nuncius?
Jayell says
Perhaps this person is admitting that islam isn’t a religion at all, which is what a lot of people believe anyway. It’s a pseudo-theocratic totalitarian supremacist political ideology with a basis in implied arab racism. The ‘religious’ element is just a bogus facade concocted by and on behalf of its founding ‘prophet’ to validate and advance his political ambitions and criminal activities and it has only staggered on for 1,400 years because (a) it appeals to a ubiquitous kind of mentality with certain common intellectual limitations and (b) like other totalitarian movements, it comprises a strong element of institutional thuggery to maintain and control its membership. Essentially, the world’s longest-running organised protection-racket scam.
J Morgan says
“..It’s a pseudo-theocratic totalitarian supremacist political ideology with a basis in implied arab racism.”
Well said!
Linde Barrera says
Please send an email to President Trump via the website “whitehouse.gov” to ask him to impose sanctions on Nigeria for allowing the barbaric treatment of Nigerian Christians. The majority of the legislative body in Nigeria including the head of state is Muslim and they do not give “a good kitty“ about Nigerian Christians. They have fossil fuel oil and that is what is important to them. That and spreading Islam.
James Lincoln says
test
Wellington says
The Vatican over the course of time can be accused of many things, some rightly so (just think of the Renaissance Papal period though, damn, those Popes sure knew art—no velvet Jesus in the Vatican now is there?), some just off the wall denigrations, but as of present the Vatican can be accurately inveighed against because of the effective complicity with the abominable religion which is Islam.
Now, I am not religious, but I don’t see how any Christian, Catholic or non-Catholic, can think positively of a faith which denies the Crucifixion, hence denies the Resurrection, most certainly denies the Trinity (which it gets absurdly wrong in the Koran per Christian doctrine), and which has Jesus at the end of the world throwing all the Christians into Hell for deifying Him (except of course, for those Christians, at the very last moment, becoming converts to the one true faith, Islam—yuck).
The Vatican under a very foolish man and Pope, Francis, has lost all moral authority. As the invincibly ignorant agnostic I am, I nonetheless am grieved by this because a strong and informed Pope, like the previous one, Benedict XVI (and still living though he resigned for health reasons seven years ago—hmmm), is a positive not just for Catholicism, not just for Christianity in general, but for all of Western Civilization, the very civilization that explored human rights as no other civilization remotely has.
Del says
Of course the violence isn’t “religious”. Islam is a theocracy, not a “religion”.