Cover photo released by US Army Africa, via mnnonline.org

Islamist group al-Shabaab continues its hunt for Christians

Islamist group al-Shabaab has banned three aid groups from carrying out relief work in Somalia, reports MNN.

The militants, with ties to al-Qaeda, accused World Vision, Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), and the Swedish aid agency Diakonia of spreading Christianity and ordered them to stop aid work immediately.

In a statement released on August 9, the group said, "Acting as missionaries under the guise of humanitarian work, the organizations have been spreading their corrupted ideologies in order to taint the pure creed of the Muslims in Somalia."

However, Todd Nettleton, spokesman with persecution watchdog Voice of the Martyrs USA says, "All three of these groups had signed on to the Red Cross stipulations for how aid is given. Those regulations say that you cannot give aid based on religious affiliation or use aid as an enticement."

The proselytism accusation is not uncommon. In this case, Nettleton says it is merely a front for their real agenda. "Al-Shabaab has specifically hunted Christians. They have gone into areas where Christians are known to be, where foreign Christians have had a presence previously, and they have sought to find all of the Christians and either kill them or force them out of the area."

Government and church officials, aid beneficiaries, and humanitarian workers throughout the region have condemned the ban.

Al-Shabaab and Hisbul Islam continue to wage war against government troops in Mogadishu, displacing hundreds of thousands of people. These aid groups are standing in the gap between thousands and starvation.

Though Christian in vision, the three groups in question keep the Red Cross code of conduct. Nettleton says, "They want to feed the hungry, help the sick, educate the uneducated. Are they motivated by their love of Christ? Absolutely. They want to be His hands and feet in these countries, but the idea that they're holding out a hot bowl of soup out in front of people and saying, ‘Do you want to become a Christian so you can eat this bowl of soup?' That's completely false."

At this point, World Vision has temporarily suspended operations. In a statement Monday, they said, "World Vision guards were disarmed, and their keys were taken. Nothing was removed from the offices although Al-Shabaab representatives occupied the offices."

Whether or not this move is the harbinger of more violence to come is unknown. However, the ongoing instability prompted the United Nations to boost its civilian presence in the hopes it could help advance the peace process.

Nettleton says there's only one sure way to peace. "One of the biggest prayer requests is just safety and the protection of our brothers and sisters who are there. Pray for a return to some kind of order and functioning government. We can pray for the radical Muslims to come to know Christ."

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TAGS: Somalia Islamist group al-Shabaab al-Qaeda World Vision Adventist Development and Relief Agency ADRA Swedish aid agency Diakonia persecution Voice of the Martyrs USA

[08/12/2010]

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