SOMALIA: How are Christians persecuted?

• Christians in Somalia live in one of the harshest environments in the world and persecution arises from multiple sources. A key one amongst them is the extremist group Al-Shabaab, which openly executes anyone they suspect might be a Christian. 
• Conversion to Christianity comes with extreme risk – believers can be disowned by their clan which leaves them highly vulnerable, and some are even killed by their own relatives to preserve the ‘honour’ of the community. Aweis, a believer from Somalia, received a threat from his father when he found out about his son’s interest in Jesus: “My father said, ‘I cannot stop you from reading your Bible, but if you become a Christian, I will be the one to kill you.’” 
• Some government officials condone or enact surveillance and harassment of Christians, who receive no legal protection from the state. 
• Christian women easily fall victim to brutal treatment, forced marriage even for children, and displacement. In camps for displaced people, women and girls are vulnerable to rape and abuse. 
• Female converts could face house arrest, public humiliation or worse. Coercion into marrying a Muslim man is a potential consequence of their faith being discovered. 
• Christian men could be forcibly recruited into the ranks of Al-Shabaab, while some families even send converts to Islamic centres for indoctrination. Most male converts hide their faith, weakening church leadership. 

SOMALIA: WHY ARE CHRISTIANS PERSECUTED?

• Al-Shabaab has grown in influence in certain areas of Somalia because of a worsening political and security situation, leaving believers especially vulnerable to violence. 

• Aweis identifies the reasons behind the difficulties faced by Somali believers: “The Somali church is doubly traumatised – we are part of the community that is facing the lawlessness and anarchy of the nation, but we also have the trauma caused by the persecution of our faith.” 

• Sharia (Islamic law) is upheld across the nation and makes conversion to Christianity illegal. Christians are forced to practise their faith in secret, isolated from other secret believers. 

PRAY NOW

Heavenly Father, in Your holy name, we pray. When You are with us, no one can be against us. What people see as impossible, like a Somali church, is in fact possible because of You. Because when we have You, everything for Your Kingdom is possible. No persecution, rejection, excommunication or threat could remove the light from the Somali people. You told us that the gates of hell cannot prevail against the church. In Your name, we pray. Amen.