How are Christians persecuted in Cameroon?
- Militant Islamic violence continues to be the most obvious source of persecution in Cameroon, particularly in the Far North. Christian communities are attacked and many believers are abducted or murdered.
- Some men and boys have been forcibly recruited into militant groups.
- Many churches have had to close because of the violence, leaving some believers without a place of worship.
- Huge numbers of Christians have been forced to flee their homes and are living as refugees inside or outside Cameroon, contributing to the wider displacement crisis in sub-Saharan Africa.
- Converts from Islam can face rejection by their families, forced marriage or divorce, losing custody of children, house arrest or disinheritance.
Why are Christians persecuted in Cameroon?
- Islamic militants Boko Haram and Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP) use violence to try to destroy Christianity and create a caliphate.
- The ongoing conflict between separatists and the nation’s government has caused a massive humanitarian crisis. Christians caught in the middle have been accused by both sides of ‘harbouring the enemy’, and their churches and property destroyed.
- Conversion from Islam to Christianity can be considered an act of unacceptable defiance by the convert’s family that needs to be punished or quashed.
Who is particularly vulnerable in Cameroon?
- The most vulnerable place for Christians is the Far North region of Cameroon, where attacks by Islamic militants Boko Haram and ISWAP are unrelenting.
- Converts from Islam, particularly in the Far North, are most at risk for pressure and persecution from family and community members.
What has changed in Cameroon in the past year?
- This year, government has tried to stifle dissent and opposition groups – a worrying development in a country already wracked by intra-country violence.
- Cameroon remains at number 43 on the World Watch List, and little has changed in the past year. Boko Haram have continued to attack, and the threats from Islamic extremism have forced believers to live in fear.
How can I help Christians in Cameroon?
Please keep praying for your brothers and sisters in Cameroon. Your gifts and prayers make an enormous difference to those following Jesus no matter the cost.
Open Doors works through local partners to strengthen persecuted Christians in Cameroon by providing emergency relief aid, trauma care, economic empowerment projects and spiritual care for new believers.
please pray
Heavenly Father, we pray for our sisters and brothers in Cameroon. They endure so much: violence, instability, government corruption and constant threats. Yet we trust You are with them. Will You please show Your face to Your children in Cameroon in a powerful way, and grow their faith? We ask this in Jesus’s name, Amen.
