Burkina Faso Bishop: We respond to bloodshed with love

By Federico Piana and Deborah Castellano Lubov

Bishop Laurent Birfuoré Dabiré says that despite the horrific events plaguing the people of Burkina Faso, Christians believe in responding to them with love and faith.

The Bishop of Dori, who is the President of Burkina Faso's Bishops' Conference, offered this perspective in his recent interview with Vatican News, as the African nation continues to make headlines for the scores of lives taken by ongoing terrorism and violence.

Gruesome events

A week ago, some 170 people, including women and children, were "executed" in attacks on the villages of Komsilga, Nodin, and Soroe in Yatenga province.

A public prosecutor reported the news on Sunday, appealing for witnesses to help find those who attacked the three villages. It was not known what terrorist group orchestrated the attacks.

On Sunday, February 25, there were two attacks on worshipers of different faiths.

At a mosque in Natiaboani in eastern Burkina Faso, at about 5 am, dozens of Muslims were killed during prayers, when armed men entered on a shooting rampage. 

Separately, fifteen people were killed and several others injured at a Catholic church in Essakane, a village in the country's northern region, just a few hours later, when terrorists opened fire on the praying congregation.

Commitment to peace

In the interview, Bishop Dabiré confirmed to Vatican News the great difficulty of promoting peace and stability in this dangerous context.

He highlighted that the violence is not just against Christians, as evidenced by the deadly attack the same day against Muslims.

"The terrorists' strategy," he suggested, is to "instrumentalize religions to create confusion in the nation" and "pit different communities against each other," in order to "give the impression that there is a religious war underway."

"I can assert with certainty," he said, "that there is no ongoing persecution of Christians."

Bishop Dabiré has been calling for peace, faith, and hope, and has been appealing to his faithful to continue living Christian charity, "without falling into the temptation of responding to violence with violence."

Inspired by the Gospel

"We Christians," he said, "have no other way to live: we must base our lives on the Gospel. Our relationship with others must be based on brotherhood, friendship, and mutual help."

"We must avoid it being said that we belong to a religion that meditates revenge," he said, adding that this "is not true."

Bishop Dabiré expressed gratitude to the Holy Father for his sorrow over the recent attacks.

"The closeness of the Holy Father," he said, "gives us courage and strength and invites us to persevere."

Comforted by Pope's closeness

"When our faithful hear that the Pope is informed of their suffering," the Bishop continued, "they are truly heartened" and feel "a great stimulus to move forward."

During his Wednesday General Audience and in an earlier telegram of condolences, Pope Francis expressed his sorrow and solidarity with the people of Burkina Faso, as he condemned the violence.

These attacks, which shocked the nation and garnered international attention, have brought to light the ongoing violence and insecurity in the country, which has been increasingly threatened by the terrorist groups operating within its borders.