Map of radical Islamic attacks across Tanzania’s landscape.

Zanzibar

Main land

International Christian Concern | August 2013

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I S S U E 4 / 5

PERSECU ION

The Peace of Tanzania Violently Disturbed

B Y R E B E K A H J O Y C H A P M A N

Islamic Extremism Becomes a Harsh Reality

A U T H O R ’ S P E R S O N A L N O T E :

I stared at the picture of the destroyed church, tears flowing freely down my face. Broken glass, rubble, and doors ripped in half –the images gripped at my heart. Why? The church I was looking at is located eight short minutes from the house in Tanzania where I grew up, and these people experiencing these horrific attacks are my friends and neighbors.

Last October, an angry mob of Muslims went on a rampage and destroyed three churches in eight hours. This rioting oc-

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A F R I C A

curred in my old neighborhood in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania’s largest city. However, it is not just the location of the attacks that alarm me; it is because Tanzania is my home, and the Tanzanian people are my people.

I left Tanzania five years ago. When I was there I could walk to church with my family, Bible in hand, unafraid. I had never heard of anyone in Tanzania attacked or persecuted for their faith. I went to church services underneath huge trees, out in the open, and the thought that I might be in danger because I was worshipping Jesus never crossed my mind.

But that has all changed. Over the past 14 months, ICC has documented 66 violent incidents of persecution. Alarmingly, much of this persecution has occurred in the past eight months. There is a clear escalation and geographic broadening of violence. In this once peaceful land, violent persecution is now reality and is rapidly changing the country of my youth (see graph page 17).

To me, Tanzania is not just another alarming example of the spread of radical Islam. It is my home, and it is under attack.

T H E E S C A L AT I O N O F P E R S E C U T I O N

The violence started when a young Christian boy, egged on by a Muslim friend, urinated on a Quran. Two days later, on October 12, 2012, a large, angry Muslim mob formed and went after the boy, planning to kill him. When the mob discovered the boy was being protected by the police, they rioted and burned down three churches.

Over the next few months, two pastors were murdered and one pastor had to evacuate because of a death threat. “Last October during the rioting, a mob attacked our church guesthouse setting fire to it. The mob then began making its move towards our residence compound saying they were go-ing to kill us. We split up, sending people off the island by various means to an undisclosed location,” shared a pastor from Zanzibar that spoke to ICC.

On February 11, 2012, another pastor was killed. “A group of radical Islamists armed with machetes, big clubs, knives and sticks assaulted [the Christians] and seriously beat them,” said another ICC contact in Tanzania. “When Pastor Kachili heard about the attack, he rushed to the scene to intervene. When the Muslims saw him they immediately attacked and ultimately beheaded him.”

A D I S T U R B I N G E S C A L AT I O N

However, the most violent of all the attacks was yet to come. On Sunday, May 5, St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church was bombed, killing three people and injuring over 50. “When it exploded there was a stampede, people running in all direc-

tions, walking over each other, children were screaming and women crying,” a witness told Al Jazeera. “I saw a dead woman trampled, I think even her two children were killed in the same way,” another witness added.

The months of May and June brought three more brutal attacks. “[The] attack at my church occurred on May 26, 2012,” Pastor Dickson said. “Radical Muslims, who are growing in number in Tanzania, set fire to my church build-ing. They set fire to all of the chairs, musical equipment and

Pastor Dickson, a persecuted Christian in Tanzania, hid in his church office while rioters destroyed his church and set fire to his car.

40

Total

Zanzibar

Mainland

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013

N U M B E R O F AT TA C K S

A F R I C A

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our PA system,” the pastor explained. “They even [burned] our Bibles and set my car on fire.” Pastor Daudi Nzumbi was also attacked, the Muslims coming to his home to kill him. Thankfully, they did not succeed and no one was in-jured. Two nights later, Pastor Robert was assaulted by a large group of radical Muslims. The attackers broke into his home and attacked with machetes, hacking his arms and legs. He survived but is still in recovery.

In a new low, ICC has learned extremists are strategical-ly using rape to persecute Christian women. At least six Christian girls were raped by Muslim extremists on the is-land of Zanzibar in the past couple of months. Muslim lead-ers are actually proud of the violence. A threatening text message sent to many Christian leaders after Father Evarist Mushi was killed reads, “We thank our young men, trained

in Somalia, for killing an infidel. Many more will die. We will burn homes and churches. We have not finished: at Easter, be prepared for disaster.” Though no attacks took place over the Easter holiday, many Christians on Zanzibar are still afraid to attend church regularly and are beginning to won-der if abandoning the island would be their safest option.

Since the majority of the attacks are occurring on the island of Zanzibar, you would expect the attacks on the mainland of Tanzania to be concentrated on the coast. What’s disturbing, however, is how widespread the attacks on the mainland are, occurring hundreds of miles apart (see map page 15).

T H E H I D D E N R E A L I T Y

Sources are telling ICC that Saudi Arabia plays a malignant

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role in this unfolding nightmare. “Spurred by the massive influx of petrol dollars, starting roughly 40 years ago, the Saudi government has spent more than $100 billion build-ing radical mosques and madrassas (Islamic boarding schools),” says Jeff King, ICC’s president. He explains that the problem is widespread, occurring even here in America. “In this way, the Saudi investment has paid off in hatred, bloodshed, violence, and the recent rise in Islamic terrorism. In the U.S., many experts are warning that up to 70 percent of U.S. mosques are funded and controlled by Saudi/Wahabbi Islamists.”

The Saudis have a reputation for turning moderate Muslims into radicals, using both ma-drassas and mosques to heav-ily influence peaceful areas. “Generally, Christians are denied employment, places to live and the government schools are Islamic making it very hard on the children. The pressure to convert to Islam is immense,” shared a pastor from the island of Zanzibar. When asked why he thought this persecution was happening, he answered, “Radical Islam, funded by the Middle East (Saudi) wants all non-Muslims off the island. They want an independent, Sharia Law Islamic Republic aligned with the Middle East. If they can’t force independence politically, they’ll use violence to chase away the Christian presence.”

The pastor from Zanzibar also attests to the rapid changes Tanzania has seen over the past year. “Tanzania was once the only stable country in the region. It’s now shaking,” said the pastor. He warns that there might be a civil war on the horizon: “It’s the assessment of the Western intelligence agencies and military intel that the region is headed for civil war. It’s unavoidable; once Islam hits 50 percent it must rule. Tanzania borders eight other coun-tries. Once it falls, it will be a hub for regional takeover. The overall picture for Africa is quite bleak. Radical Islam is advancing. It is well funded. It has a goal and a plan.”

T H E F U T U R E O F TA N Z A N I A

Radical Islam will not be stopped from terrorizing Tanzania and spreading across East Africa unless immediate action is taken. Unfortunately, Tanzania’s government has been use-less in preventing attacks and protecting Christians from violence. Since the first day persecution began, they have yet to convict any of the attackers.

ICC’s Regional Manager for Africa, William Stark, said, “The Tanzanian government needs to arrest and convict the perpetrators of this violence and end the culture of impu-nity. They must be proactive and take action for Tanzanian Christians so they do not have to live in terror. Religious free-dom is protected by the consti-tution of Tanzania; they should back it up.”

Unfortunately Tanzania’s government has not shown any signs of awakening from their stupor. Given that harsh real-ity, the future for Tanzania is very bleak and many Christian leaders wonder if this all leads to civil war. Christians are increasingly living under a cloud of terror (the whole objec-tive of the Muslim radicals) as they see the violence grow in breadth and intensity while the government fails to protect them.

If events continue to unfold in this fashion, the bloodshed in Tanzania will increase until peace and religious free-dom are luxuries of the past, and every Christian living in this once peaceful nation lives in terror.

“TANZANIA WAS ONCE

THE ONLY STABLE

COUNTRY IN THE

REGION. IT’S NOW

SHAKING.”

-PERSECUTED PASTOR FROM ZANZIBAR

“WHEN PASTOR KACHILI HEARD

ABOUT [AN] ATTACK, HE RUSHED TO

THE SCENE TO INTERVENE. WHEN THE

MUSLIMS SAW HIM THEY

IMMEDIATELY ATTACKED AND

ULTIMATELY BEHEADED HIM.”

-ICC CONTACT IN TANZANIA

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ICC: CAN YOU DESCRIBE IN DETAIL WHAT HAPPENED WHEN YOUR CHURCH WAS ATTACKED?

Pastor Dickson: In April 2012, I asked (my) church to enter into a month-long fasting and prayer. It’s like I was sensing a great danger. So we started fasting and praying. I remember on Saturday it was my normal custom to be in the church for the overnight prayer and fasting (24 hours). Working in an Islamic area, you really need to have God’s power. Therefore, on May 25, 2012, I was in the church. It was very special because we were concluding our one-month fasting and prayer.

So as I was in my office around [9 p.m.], I felt again the imminent danger. I went to the church auditorium and asked the young men and women who were praying to stop praying in a loud voice. I also asked them to put off the light, and I went back to my office meditating and preparing my sermon. Twenty minutes later I had a great number of people coming towards the church, chanting “Allah Akbar, takbir, burn the church...etc.” So I rushed to the church and helped the women to go out of the wall on another side because these people, who were more than

200, were pushing the gate. When they failed to push the gate, they managed to pull down the wall and entered church compound. They collected our plastic chairs (more than 700) and all of our PA system and musical equip-ments, piled them together, poured some fuel and set on fire. They went out and set on fire my only small car.

As they were doing this I was still hiding in my office. I had the time to run away but something was holding me back. In my office, I couldn’t pray. I was thinking that what we learn from Church history about persecution is very real and live to me. I didn’t know what to do but I was ready for anything. I knew why God had pushed me into long-time prayer. It was like I was dead already. I was thinking of my lovely wife and my kids. I understood that day why Paul said, “To die is to be with Christ and to live is for Christ.”

That story went live on TV so some of my members came the same night. Others were crying especially women. On Sunday more came to the church. I remember sitting in my office wondering what am I going to say before the con-gregation. I didn’t want to cry before them but deep down me I was bitterly crying. By the help of the Holy Spirit I

A few questions with Pastor Dickson

If anyone knows targeted persecution, it is Pastor Dickson. After his church building was attacked and his car set on fire, Pastor Dickson still finds a reason to smile. In an intimate interview with ICC, he shares his hope for the future of Tanzanian believers.

I N T E R V I E W

stood before them and said, “Why God has allowed this to happen to us - it is because he trust us.” I used Job’s experi-ence to point out that we should encourage one another, that God is proud of us and that he still loves us. I had never seen such a powerful service like that day. People became so strong. It was like they confirmed that our faith is real and that our Jesus is real.

WHY DO YOU THINK THIS PERSECUTION IS HAPPENING?

I think there is an element of radical Islam invading our country. There is a group who have this element and are advocating to break from the union. They are claiming that, since 99 percent of the population is Muslim, then Zanzibar should be ruled by Islamic laws (Sharia). My church is the target because of its influence. It is the larg-est and most powerful church on the island and because God is greatly using us in signs and wonders, some Muslims are attract-ed and we have some converts from Islam.

The reason behind this is an increase in the number of fundamentalist and radical elements in Zanzibar and Tanzania in general. In the case of Zanzibar, this is fueled by separatists who are advocating for the [island] to break away from the [mainland]. Separatists want to break away from Tanzania because many fundamen-talist Muslims believe that being tied to the mainland is causing Zanzibar to become “Christianized.”

It is very difficult to know who exactly is behind this [in-crease in persecution]. But it is obvious these people are well funded and they have strategized their campaign of persecuting Christians, aiming to their specific goals.

I don’t exactly know why my church was targeted, but I think one reason is that my church congregation was growing very fast. God has been using me mightily. Many people, including Muslims, have come for healing and some of them are converting to Christianity.

HAVE YOU NOTICED ANY CHANGES IN THE ENVIRONMENT OF TANZANIA OVER THE PAST YEAR?

There are big mosques built in Zanzibar. There are some popular mosques which are known to be preaching vio-

lence against Christians. Video tapes to propagate vio-lence against us is everywhere in Zanzibar. We are living under normal threat. As am speaking I am not free to go the public areas with my family. My life has been home - church - home. Our community has greatly changed. I just see fear, hatred among the people. In general, there is an increased hatred of Christianity on the island now. Attacks against churches have increased.

HOW HAS YOUR FAITH HELPED YOU GET THROUGH THIS PERSECUTION?

My faith has helped me to get through these persecution. First of all the Bible teaches me that persecution is part of our Christian life. Jesus made very clear that “they will per-secute and even kill you....” Church history is covered by the stories of persecution. I strongly that God has called me in Zanzibar and since he has called me he will protect me.

Whatever will happen to me then it will be the divine appointment.

IN THE PICTURE OF YOU STANDING NEXT TO YOUR BURNED UP CAR, TAKEN RECENTLY AFTER THE ATTACKS (PAGE 18), YOU HAVE A HUGE SMILE ON YOUR FACE. CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW YOU ARE ABLE TO SMILE SO SOON AFTER THE ATTACK?

I am a leader. When things like this happen people look at you. They want to hear what you say. Whatever you do or say may have either negative or positive impact. Paul in Philippians 4:4 says, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice.” Paul was in jail as he was writing this letter. He had all the reason to be sad and to ask people to mourn about him. Instead he encour-aged people to rejoice even at this difficult time. Why? Because the Bible says “...the Joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). When the devil attacks he wants you to be scared, full of fear, weak. He wants you to stop do-ing what you are doing. This is what they did to Peter and John: “They called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus” (Acts 4:18). Peter had to be firm, “for we can not help speaking about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20). God has done great things to me... I am a leader. In a place like this you just need to find strength in the Lord.

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[THE PERSECUTION] WAS LIKE [THE ATTACKERS]

CONFIRMED THAT OUR FAITH WAS REAL AND THAT OUR JESUS WAS

REAL.

-PASTOR DICKSON

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