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Legislative Council - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2017-05-31 Daily Xml
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International Christian Faith Persecution

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD (15:53): I rise to speak about international persecution against Christian groups around the world. The definition that has been used by the defining society is that it is, 'Hostility experienced as a result of proclaiming one's faith in Christ,' and the prevalence of such persecution is unfortunately increasing on a global scale. Today, it is estimated that 215 million Christians worldwide are experiencing persecution. This is not just a finger-in-the-wind-type estimate: it is an estimate calculated, based on verifiable, reportable incidents.

This figure is conservative when compared to figures estimated by the Center for Studies on New Religions, which estimates that nearly 90,000 Christians were killed in 2016 because of their faith and another 600 million were prevented from practising their faith through intimidation, forced conversions, bodily harm or, as I have outlined, in some cases, even death.

For example, India has recorded the highest increase in incidence since 2014. The subcontinent averaged 40 incidents of Christian persecution per month in 2016. Incidents include physical beatings of pastors, which have been documented, burning of churches and the general harassment of Christians. It is estimated that 39 million (56 per cent) of the 64 million Christians living in India have experienced persecution. The majority of Christians residing in India live and, to some extent, worship in fear.

Christians are further targeted by ISIS in Syria and Iraq, and incidents of persecution are on the rise in Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf nations. Despite the rise in Christian persecution around the world—or perhaps because of the rise—there are organisations that are making a difference in this area. One such organisation is called Middle East Concern, which includes specialists in international law, and migration and refugee law. A substantial number of its members hold masters degrees in international law, including from Australian universities.

Middle East Concern is a coalition of agencies and individuals working with politicians and government officials worldwide who are willing to be approached to engage with perpetrating governments in the Middle East and North Africa region. The role of the MP in that case is to contact those governments and write a letter on behalf of the individual concerned in order to persuade that particular government that its behaviour towards that individual is not acceptable in the modern world. This includes petitioning for a just resolution in cases of discrimination or persecution, such as the release of those imprisoned for their faith and the reopening of church buildings, which can be closed at a moment's notice in some countries.

I hosted a meeting in this building today where a representative from that organisation (Middle East Concern) spoke about her experience in advocating for persecuted Christians, and provided an overview of the current situation facing Christians in the Middle East and North Africa region. In one case last year, an Algerian man by the name of Slimane Bouhafs was imprisoned for three years after he spoke out against Islam. Today, Mr Bouhafs is a Christian, who converted from Islam, and is still languishing in an Algerian prison as we speak, suffering from ill health and fearing for his life.

In another case, a Turkish Muslim man (I may not get this pronunciation quite right), Mr Orhan Kemal Cengiz, received death threats because of his willingness to support a Turkish Protestant church's right to exist. Mr Cengiz worked with the church in the pursuit of justice for victims of murder who were brutally tortured and killed on account of their faith in 2007. Just to reiterate, that is a Muslim man that this Christian organisation is defending. In 2017, Mr Cengiz was indicted and held in detention based on his work as a journalist. These are only two examples of Christian persecution in that part of the world. In that particular case, this individual was, as I said, a Muslim man defending the church's right to exist, and he has been persecuted for that simple act.

In a world where the persecution of Christians is often unreported, or certainly underreported, it is important that individual organisations such as this—and there are many others, of course—have chosen to devote their time, experience and expertise to assist those being oppressed because of their faith. There is simply too much of this. It goes largely unnoticed, but organisations that I have mentioned today and others have decided that it is time to take up the fight.

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