ASIA/BANGLADESH - Terrorism in the country, the PMS Director: "We are afraid"

Saturday, 2 July 2016 religious minorities   violence   terrorism   justice   peace   local churches  

Dhaka (Agenzia Fides) - "After the attack in Dhaka, we are very concerned about the growth of terrorism. These terrorist acts are damaging the country and its image abroad. The situation we are experiencing is really difficult": says to Agenzia Fides Fr. Dilip Costa, Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Bangladesh, commenting on the latest episode that has shaken the country: special forces put an end to the actions of a terrorist group that was holding several foreigners hostage in a restaurant in Dhaka. The toll is 8 dead and several wounded.
Fr. Costa, who works as a teacher at the Seminary in Dhaka and collaborator of a local parish, explains the atmosphere in the country to Fides: "It is true that most Muslims condemn acts such as this and that radical groups are a minority. But there are dangers and we Christians can feel the dangers, because there have also been attacks on Christian sites and missionaries. the government says it will do its best, but apparently it is not enough to stop them. We do not know how direct and concrete the relationship of local violent radical groups is with the Islamic State in the Middle East, but certainly this is a risk we run", adds the Director.
Christian institutions are protected by the police, but "all minorities live in a state of fear and we do not know where this precarious situation will lead the nation. As Christians we pray and we continue our mission especially with social works", he concludes. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 02/07/2016)


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