COLOMBIA Almost all Colombians identify as Christian. According to the 2018 census, the Colombian population is 73.7 percent Roman Catholic, and roughly 16 percent Protestant (mainline, evangelical, Pentecostal and others). Colombia’s constitution provides for religious freedom and prohibits discrimination based on religion. Persecution of Christians comes in two forms: Persecution by illegal armed groups. Colombia has been at war with itself for many decades. In 1958 a decade of horrendous political violence and civil war ended when the Conservatives and Liberals agreed to form a unity government and ban all other parties. Excluded from the power-sharing agreement, communist guerrillas took up arms and by 1968 conflict was raging. For background to the conflict see: Backgrounder by Claire Felter and Danielle Renwick, Council on Foreign Relations Justice for Colombia As Christopher M. Hays writes for Christianity Today (28 October 2020), “In late 2016, for a brief moment, the international community thought that the violence might be nearing an end as a delegation from the FARC (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia) guerrillas signed peace accords with the government of then-President Juan Manuel Santos. “Cameras flashed. Santos got a Nobel Peace Prize. And the killings continued. “Year to date [Jan to Oct 2020], there have already been 68 massacres in Colombia. Since the peace accords were signed in Havana, Cuba, more than 440 community leaders have been murdered. Many of these community leaders are themselves pastors, whose resistance of violence and advocacy in favor of dispossessed campesinos (rural farmers) put them in the crosshairs of armed groups. . .” The US State Department 2020 report on international religious freedom says of Colombia: “There were continued media and NGO reports that illegal armed groups killed and threatened community leaders, including members of religious groups, and targeted them for extortion. . . “NGOs and church representatives reported that illegal armed groups continued to kill, threaten, or displace religious leaders for promoting human rights, assisting internally displaced persons, assisting with land restitution claims, and discouraging coca cultivation. . .” For an excellent report on the situation facing Christians and churches in Colombia see Christian Solidarity Worldwide’s report of March 2021. Recommended: Christian Solidarity Worldwide, 1 March 2021 Concerning persecution by illegal armed groups, Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) writes that this form of persecution is common “especially in conflict zones or areas of the country with a significant presence of illegal armed groups.” After noting that over the course of 50-years of conflict, hundreds of church leaders and have been targeted for assassination and churches extorted, CSW reports on the current situation: “Dissident FARC-EP factions and other armed actors – all responsible for serious human rights violations – have expanded into territories historically controlled by the FARC-EP and vie for control of the illicit economies in these regions (namely relating to crops and mining). Illegal armed groups continue to enforce strict rules prohibiting free movement in areas under their influence. This results in regular infringements of freedom of assembly and FoRB [Freedom of Religion and Belief]. “Illegal armed groups on both the left and right often perceive the presence of a strong or growing church as a threat to their authority. This has led to church leaders, particularly in rural areas, being targeted in a number in an attempt to force them to cooperate; a strategy to bring entire communities under their control. “Between 2015 and 2018 12.6% of religious leaders in Bogotá reported receiving death threats, 4.1% faced extortion and 3.9% had been threatened with kidnapping because of their religious activities or beliefs. CSW has received reports that the various groups attempt to co-opt church funds by extorting churches, church leaders and church leaders’ families. Religious leaders sometimes refuse to comply with extortion demands out of moral conviction, despite the risks.” In November 2020, Christian aid group Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) received reports that paramilitary groups had forcibly closed at least 60 churches throughout Colombia’s northern states of Antioquia, Bolívar, Chocó and Córdova. “Many of these churches and the homes of pastors were tagged with the initials of the Gaitanista Self-Defence Forces of Colombia (AGC) paramilitary group, which is Colombia’s largest drug-trafficking organisation. Many of the congregations also received official letters from the AGC threatening them and directing them to close. Other pastors were kept from holding church services or from visiting the homes of parishioners. According to a VOM field worker in Colombia, “It appears that the graffiti marks on churches or pastoral homes is about the AGC marking their territory. There are several armed groups fighting for control in the region, including FARC dissidents and a Mexican drug cartel.” Persecution of indigenous converts to Christianity living on indigenous reserves. CSW reports: “Members of indigenous communities who have converted to other faiths or no faith and away from the religious beliefs and practices promoted by their leaders face suffering and severe discrimination within their communities, including threats of forced displacement or being excluded from receiving certain benefits by indigenous authorities, generally known as ‘cabildos’. . .” As CSW explains, these violations are rooted in 1998 Constitutional Court ruling that “upheld the right of traditional authorities to enforce the observation of and participation in traditional religious beliefs and practices on indigenous reserves. . .” Consequently, indigenous governors have the right to prohibit the practice of any religion they deem “non-traditional” on indigenous reserves. Converts to Protestant Christianity suffer serious discrimination in education and serious persecution, including being arbitrarily detained, violently attacked, and forcibly displaced. As CSW concludes, what this means is that “when it comes to religious freedom, indigenous Colombians do not enjoy the same rights as the rest of the population.” CUBA According to Cuba’s 2020 census, 61.7 percent of the population identifies as Christian; they are overwhelmingly Roman Catholic. Membership in Protestant churches is estimated at around 5 percent. According to the census, 17.2 percent identify as agnostic, 3.9 percent as atheist, and 16.7 as spiritist/occultic. Also popular is Santería, a blend of Catholicism and traditional African – specifically Yoruba – spiritist/occultic religion. The primary source of persecution for Cuban Christians is the ruling Cuban Communist Party (CCP). Cuba maintains a one-party system with no independent judiciary. The ruling Cuban Communist Party exerts tight control over all religious activity. All churches are required by law to register with the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), a process which is both arbitrary and political. Registered churches – which are mostly Catholic and members of the Cuban Council of Churches (CIC) – are tightly controlled through the Office of Religious Affairs (ORA), which works out of the MoJ. The ORA is authorised to supervise gatherings, restrict activities, and limit the number of attendees. The mostly Protestant and evangelical churches that are not registered with the CCP and not members of CIC, suffer harassment, intimidation, and persecution. While current repression and persecution is nothing like the persecution suffered during the Cold War era, persecution has escalated markedly since the February 2019 constitutional referendum which saw evangelicals deemed “counter-revolutionaries”. Cubans went to the polls on Sunday 24 February 2019 to vote in a referendum on the new constitution which, despite introducing modest reforms, enshrines socialism, further weakens religious freedom, and removes the definition of marriage thereby paving the way for same-sex marriage. Individual churches and pastors came under serious pressure to instruct their congregations to vote “YES”. Instead, in a display of unprecedented unity, Cuban churches led a strong campaign opposing changes to the definition of marriage. It was a very courageous move, especially as “NO” voters were being vilified in the state-controlled media as “counter-revolutionaries” and “enemies of the state”. On Monday 25 February 2019, it was announced that 86.85 percent of Cubans had voted “YES”, thus ratifying the new constitution. More than 700,000 people voted “NO”. Having vilified Christians as counter-revolutionaries and enemies of the state, it was to be expected that the state would escalate its persecution of the Church. See: Elizabeth Kendal, Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin, 17 July 2019. Recommended: Freedom of Religion or Belief in Cuba. (Report: 17 pages) Christian Solidarity Worldwide, published 13 January 2020 Recommended: Pastor sentenced to eight years in prison Christian Solidarity Worldwide, 7 April 2022 In truth, the Cuban Church is deeply patriotic and risks much to stand with all Cubans in their pursuit of freedom. MEXICO Mexico has a highly religious population. According to the 2010 census, 83 percent of Mexicans self-identify as Roman Catholic, and 7 percent as Protestant (mainline, evangelical, Pentecostal and others). Around10 percent align with other religious communities. Also extremely popular is the cult of Santa Muerte, a Mexican folk saint most often depicted as a female Grim Reaper who personifies death. She is popular among cultural Catholics who do not know, or care, that the Catholic Church has condemned Santa Muerte as a dangerous symbol of narco-culture. Mexico’s constitution provides for religious freedom and prohibits discrimination based on religion. Persecution of Christians comes in two forms: Persecution by illegal armed groups. Enabled by systemic corruption and emboldened by a culture of impunity, violent criminal groups – in particular, those associated with the trafficking of illicit drugs – have expanded throughout the country leaving a trail of blood and misery in their wake. Christian Solidarity Worldwide reports (1 March 2021): “Over the past decade there has been a significant increase in violence against religious leaders. . .” Recommended: Christian Solidarity Worldwide, 1 March 2021 Excerpt “Criminal groups often target churches for extortion, attempting to coerce church leaders into paying protection money or allowing their churches to be used for money laundering. Priests [Catholic and Protestant] have also been threatened, kidnapped, tortured and killed. Church leaders have complained that local and state police are quick to label these attacks and murders as ‘common crime’, most frequently as robberies gone wrong, rather than investigating the cases fully. . . Many such cases go unreported because of the high levels of fear of retaliation by criminal groups.” For a more detailed report see: A culture of impunity: religious discrimination in Mexico Christian Solidarity Worldwide, 2020. In 2010, the youths of one evangelical Protestant church in crime-wracked Ciudad Juarez – Mexico’s most violent city – decided they would take to the streets in protest of the endless bloodshed. The did so, not as shouting activists, but as silent “Messenger Angels”. The youths were painted white and dressed in white angel costumes complete with wings plastered with feathers collected from old pillows and doonas. Standing tall on step ladders in the middle of busy highways, on overpasses, and on the edge of bloodied crime scenes, these silent messenger angels held large signs with words such as, “Hitmen, believe and repent”, “Assassins repent, Christ loves you!”. Despite the risks, these courageous youths took their message to the streets at every opportunity, trusting God to keep them safe. According to the BBC, not only did the murder rate in Ciudad Juarez drop by 45 percent between 2010 and 2011, but “the figures for the first six weeks of 2012 were even more promising, suggesting a 57 percent drop in homicides compared to the same time period in 2011.” While job creation and other government initiatives undoubtedly had a significant and beneficial impact, I believe we can confidently assert that through their courageous public witness, ministry, and prayers these young “messenger angels” undoubtedly had more to do with the improving security situation in Ciudad Juarez than most journalists would ever dare suggest. Recommended: A Tribute to Ciudad Juarez’s Angels By Elizabeth Kendal, Religious Liberty Monitoring, 19 February 2012 Angels take to Mexican streets to fight drug crime, (You Tube, AFP, 2mins) 21 Dec 2011 The Messenger Angels of Ciudad Juárez, (10min documentary) 4 Jan 2014 Persecution of indigenous converts to Protestant Christianity living in indigenous communities. In the indigenous communities of southern Mexico, it is common for converts to Protestant Christianity to face serious pressure from syncretistic Roman Catholics (Catholics who also practise Indian traditional religion) who view Protestant Christianity as non-traditional, foreign, and divisive. Pressure can include denial of services and even expulsion from the village. The problem is most severe in the southern states where local authorities have sought to impose religious uniformity in their communities justified under Usos y Costumbres, the Law of Uses and Customs. As Christian Solidarity Worldwide notes (CSW Briefing, March 2021): “Mexico’s Law of Uses and Customs allows indigenous communities to govern themselves according to traditional laws and customs. The law is meant to be exercised in line with the individual rights guaranteed in the constitution, but in practice the government at both the state and federal level does little to enforce it. As a result, the rights of religious minorities are routinely violated. A culture of impunity has become entrenched in around 14 states, and especially in Chiapas, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Oaxaca and Puebla. In these states the majority religious group often believes it is their right to enforce religious belief and practice.” The anti-Protestant persecution is driven in part by superstitious fear and jealousy, and in part by the megalomania of some community leaders; and fuelled by a pervasive culture of impunity. Persecution starts out as pressure to renounce Protestantism and return to the old ways. That is then followed by boycotts, illegal fines, and denial of services – impacting children’s education and family’s access to water and markets. If this fails, then the persecution can extend to incarceration and even expulsion from the village. Despite religious freedom being a constitutional right, state authorities rarely intervene; and to its shame, neither does the Catholic Church. See: Mexico: needing a word from Pope Francis Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin, 3 February 2016 Colombia
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