Europe’s silence about persecution of Christians elsewhere is shameful

The recent slaughter of holidaymakers on an idyllic Tunisian beach sent shockwaves of revulsion throughout the world. 

It was right that An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, should extend Ireland’s sympathy to the relatives of the Irish and British people so callously murdered. We can but hope that the misguided zealots will not spread further terror and spill innocent blood.

Sadly, and unreported, many hundreds of Christians are daily being slain in middle-eastern and Asian countries. Their only crime is being Christian. They are defenceless in countries of other religions and which have carte blanche to do with Christians whatever they wish. Being put to the sword, or being beheaded, are regular occurrences.

European countries, including Ireland, are in the main, at least nominally, Christian, and should have some solidarity with those whose lives are in daily mortal danger. But scarcely a word is spoken in their defence on the international political stage. European countries have enormous economic power and must use that ‘clout’ to bring pressure to bear on those lands where being a Christian is to exist in fear of extermination.

Is it that we are ashamed to raise our voices because of the brutality of the Crusades of the Middle Ages? Or is it that we are simply ashamed of the term ‘Christian’? Or maybe we are in awe of some of the super-rich oil-producing nations?

Whatever the reasons for Europe’s silence, it is long past time for our shared humanity to raise a united voice in defence of the many whose lives are in peril. Failure to act will mean that by inaction we have blood of innocent people on our pathetic, collective hands.

Cllr Michael Gleeson

Clasheen

Killarney

Co. Kerry