(CP) A recent study has shown a correlation between high levels of presidency corruption and increased persecution of Christian communities across several nations. Stressing the necessity for a concerted international response, the report points to a direct association between corrupt practices inside government bodies and discriminatory policies against Christians.
The report, titled “Corruption and Christian Persecution” and released this month by the U.S.-based persecution watchdog International Christian Concern, shows that corrupt governments often fail to guard minority rights, resulting in environments where Christian persecution is either ignored or tacitly supported.
The report corroborates various studies, including reports by Transparency International, which seeks to combat global corruption and defines it because the misuse of public power for personal gain. ICC suggests that the indisputable fact that countries with high levels of corruption also experience significant Christian persecution isn’t merely coincidental.
In the report, the group cites examples from countries recognized because the worst persecutors of Christians.
In Afghanistan, corruption permeates multiple sectors, including government and law enforcement, severely undermining legal and social protections for minorities, the report says, noting that pervasive corruption has allowed extremist interpretations of Islamic law to flourish, putting Christian converts at grave risk. They face dire consequences, including death threats and social exclusion, with corrupt officials often turning a blind eye and even condoning such acts.
In Nigeria, corruption not only hampers economic development but additionally directly impacts the security of Christian populations. Corruption has facilitated an absence of accountability for acts of violence against Christians, who constitute nearly 70% of non secular killings within the country, based on the report, which suggests that this neglect is usually because of corrupt relationships between local officials and extremist groups.
The situation in Azerbaijan, a predominantly Muslim country, where the militarily seized control of Nagorno-Karabakh — a region predominantly inhabited by 120,000 ethnic Armenian Christians — last yr, reflects the same pattern.
In Azerbaijan, a high tolerance for corruption among the many populace affects all layers of society, including the treatment of non secular minorities. “The country’s economy, particularly its oil and gas industry, is liable to corrupt practices, with reports of widespread cronyism amongst government officials and business elites,” says the report.
It adds that “tolerance of corruption” can also be high among the many population in Azerbaijan, with on a regular basis residents using bribes to bend the laws of their favor. Like many countries, the structure of Azerbaijan guarantees freedom of faith, but Christians face restrictions, violence and intimidation.
In Pakistan, empirical evidence suggests that corruption and non secular persecution have detrimental effects on the country’s economic growth, says the study. The economic ramifications are profound, as corruption and Christian persecution jointly degrade economic stability, discouraging foreign investment and stunting national growth through a cycle of instability and distrust.
In India, the intertwining of Hindu nationalist ideology and governmental corruption synergizes the oppression of non secular minorities, including Christians. This collusion results in policies and law enforcement practices that disproportionately goal Christians, from police inaction to legal discrimination, under the guise of maintaining Hindu cultural supremacy, the study says.
In Myanmar, the mixture of corruption and non secular persecution manifests through systemic discrimination enforced by each government and military forces. Historical and ongoing corruption inside Myanmar’s colonial-era structures allows for continued exploitation and targeting of Christian communities, particularly in regions embroiled in ethnic conflicts, ICC says.
Similarly, in Eritrea, widespread corruption amongst government officials has facilitated a harsh clampdown on religious freedoms, based on the report, which cites the U.S. Department of State (2020) to indicate that the Eritrean regime’s lack of transparency and accountability enabled the perpetuation of severe human rights abuses against Christians, who are sometimes detained in inhumane conditions without trial.
In China, the federal government’s strict control over religious activities is worsened by corrupt practices that affect all levels of bureaucracy, enabling widespread human rights violations. As officials ascend the bureaucratic ladder, their involvement in corrupt activities increases, particularly people who suppress unauthorized religious practices, says the report. The corruption results in severe repercussions for Christians, including surveillance, arbitrary detention and harsh punishments without due process, because the state seeks to eliminate any potential threats to its authority.
The study also refers back to the role of state-controlled narratives and corrupt media practices in public intolerance and discrimination against Christians, particularly in Middle Eastern countries.
ICC suggests that a concerted international response is critical in addressing the twin challenges of corruption and Christian persecution.
It urges advocacy groups and international bodies to collaborate more closely in imposing sanctions against corrupt officials and regimes that perpetuate religious persecution. The group further calls for international partnerships to offer asylum and support to persecuted individuals to mitigate the immediate dangers they face while also pressuring their home countries to reform.
© The Christian Post
