Uganda: Converts attacked by relatives

A Christian mother and her two Christian sons were attacked by her husband and relatives because of their faith. According to a report from Morning Star News (14 August 2015), "A Muslim in eastern Uganda beat and left for dead his wife and 18-year-old son on Tuesday (Aug. 11) after learning they had converted to Christianity." The report states that one of the sons escaped with minor bruises while the mother and her 18-old son were seriously injured. The two were treated in a local clinic. Ashagrie, persecution analyst for Open Doors World Watch Research; gives background information: "Uganda is a country with a Christian majority (more than 85%). However, the country has been experiencing problems with Islamic extremism. In 2010, al-Shabaab militants detonated a bomb that targeted people watching the World Cup, and killed more than 70 people. Using the instability in Eastern Congo, the militant group, Alliance for Democratic Forces, is also a serious threat to the country. There have been reports that the organization is recruiting youth from neighboring countries as well as in Uganda. In fact, Jamestown Foundation suggested in a report (9 January 2015) that the organization has links to al-Shabaab. It is particularly worrying that this militant group"s ideology is playing out among the common citizens in Uganda. Some Ugandan Muslims are persecuting Christians. There have been many attacks by local Muslims reported in the past, which are similar to the current one. A close look at those attacks shows there is a consistent and similar pattern. Thus, this should not be treated as a separate incident. Considering what is going on in the region, these attacks are an indication of the fact that extremism is becoming more challenging in the country, spelling more danger for the Christian community."