Government official: Persecution of Christians claims more than 4,000 victims a year

Tristan Azbej, the state secretary in charge of helping persecuted Christians, said it was “unacceptable” that while Christians are the world’s most persecuted religious group and their persecution claims more than 4,000 victims a year, “international organisations and civil law forums conspiratorially keep quiet about this”.

In a statement issued in the wake of the series of attacks committed in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, the state secretary said he “was deeply shocked” to hear of the latest terrorist attack against Christians. The attackers exploded bombs in churches, among people attending mass on Easter Sunday as well as three hotels.

“We have no idea what wounds this heinous act caused … in the soul of the 1.5-million-strong Christian community of Sri Lanka,” Azbej said, expressing his sympathy to the families of the victims and to the injured.

He noted that Viktor Orbán’s government was the first in 2016 to launch a programme aimed at helping Christians facing persecution across the world, adding that the state secretariat for helping persecuted Christians and implementing the Hungary Helps Programme was exploring the possibilities of providing assistance to Christians in Sri Lanka.

More than 200 people were killed and 450 injured in the Easter Sunday blasts that hit four hotels and three churches.

Featured image: www.facebook.com/AzbejTristan

Source: MTI