More Protection for Christians Abroad

The landmark pledge, which will adopt a new definition of anti-Christian discrimination and persecution, comes after the Rt Revd Philip Mounstephen spent 6 months examining the extent and nature of Christian persecution, as well as assessing the UK government’s response.

Among the recommendations proposed by the Bishop included establishing a UN security council resolution urging Middle East and northern African countries to do more to protect Christians; sending UN observers to monitor the effectiveness of security measures; imposing sanctions on regimes found to have committed “serious human rights abuses” against religious minorities; and creating a Magna Carta Fund dedicated to their protection.

Other recommendations included rolling out mandatory training to help staff at home and abroad better identify persecution in all its forms, as well as adopting a definition of anti-Christian discrimination and persecution, similar to those applied to Islamophobia and antisemitism.

Now it has emerged that the government plans to implement all the recommendations “in full”.

In his report, the Bishop of Truro said that the UK government should “name the phenomenon of Christian discrimination and persecution and undertake work to identify its particular character alongside similar definitions for other religions”.

Ayo Adedoyin, Executive Director of PSJ UK (The international Organisation for Peace Building and Social Justice) welcomed the announcement.

The Bishop of Truro has produced 22 detailed recommendations, all designed to give greater prominence to the carnage against Christians worldwide, and in Nigeria in particular. Crucially, they include the imposition of sanctions against governments such as the Buhari regime, who turn a blind eye or worse to the suffering of innocent villagers singled out solely because of their faith.

“The death toll is running at 1,000 a year and in addition many more are being maimed and terrorised and driven from their homes. Britain gives Nigeria £300 million a year in aid and it is time to link that to a genuine attempt by Abuja to protect Christians. It is time to stop the silent slaughter of the innocents.”