The economic and human-rights crises pervading Afghanistan since the Taliban’s return to power are now impacting Christians in neighbouring nations.
‘The situation in Afghanistan causes a lot of worries,’ says Bäsim, a Christian in a country affected. ‘Many are afraid, but others want radical Islam to be the ruling ideology in our country.’
‘We organised a “prayer chain” to change this, but unfortunately the situation near the border is getting worse,’ says Hamad, who is in a similar position. ‘The number of people crossing into our country from Afghanistan is huge. Some have been caught by the border guards and sent back, some hide.
‘I think Christians should be open to accept suffering people, but what if radicals come among them? We need wisdom and leading from God in this. Of course, as Christians we don’t reject refugee people, but accept and serve them.
‘There are rumours that the Taliban want to increase their influence in all neighbouring Central Asian countries, which is more likely due to the high level of corruption in our country’.
A priest in Pakistan echoes that, saying believers are under increased threat since the Taliban took control in Afghanistan.
Father Mushtaq Anjum said: ‘The threat against Christians has increased, since our government supports the Taliban victory.’
He said there is a scepticism towards Christianity because of its association with a different culture: ‘Both Afghanistan and Pakistan consider the United States an enemy. There is a deep-seated hatred of Western countries where Christians compose a sizable proportion of the population. It is largely because of the Taliban that religious minorities in Pakistan and Afghanistan live a subdued life.’
Blasphemy laws in Pakistan have long been a problem, such as in the case of Asia Bibi, who was nearly put to death after being accused of insulting Islam.
Anjum said: ‘We have always complained of mob rule and about the controversial blasphemy law, with many people making false accusations to settle personal scores, to obtain the victim’s property, or to attack the person’s faith.
‘We have always demanded that Muslims should respect and accept religious diversity in Pakistan.’
The clergyman added that the future is concerning: ‘I am afraid many Taliban will return to Pakistan and exploit Islamist extremism, pushing Pakistani terror groups to step up attacks. ‘They thrive on violence. The government should ensure protection of churches and minority places of worship before their arrival.’
Background: the Middle East, refugees and evangelicals
The Middle East now hosts the largest number of displaced people in the world. Many have fled the wars in Iraq and Syria, but others are now arriving from Afghanistan.
Iran and Pakistan now hold more than 2 million Afghan refugees, according to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). But the growing inability of both those countries to take any more, and the migrants’ desire to reach Europe, are making many head to, or through, the Middle East. Jordan alone has taken several thousand Afghans until they leave for permanent hosting nations,
Evangelical churches have played a key role in this reception. President of the Evangelical Council of Jordan, David Rihani explained: ‘Many of our churches have opened their doors to refugees and have provided food, clothing and shelter. Evangelical Christians have opened their homes to house vulnerable refugee families and single mothers with children.’
In Lebanon, ‘There is a general sense of fatigue as the crisis has been going on for many years now. The local population also finds itself vulnerable as a result of the recent economic calamities’, says Wissam Nasrallah of the evangelical Christian organisation, Lebanese Society for Education and Social Development.
Despite this, ‘Many Christians continue to serve faithfully among refugees (including Afghans) and cater to their physical, emotional and spiritual needs’.
However, George Makeen, Arabic Channels Director at Christian TV station SAT-7, sounds a more cautionary note: ‘Jordan has announced it will allow only Afghans to be there as a transit point to somewhere else, but will grant them refugee status. I am quite sure that neither Jordan nor Lebanon would allow Afghan refugees in their lands for the long term. But both countries are already hosting millions of Iraqi, Palestinian and Syrian refugees, and churches there will continue to offer support to Afghans who are there temporarily.’
