Brussels, 19/06/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 19 June, the European Union said it was “appalled” by the recent attacks against Christian churches in northern Nigeria, and called for the perpetrators of such attacks to be punished.
“I am appalled by the terrible attacks perpetrated against Christian churches in Nigeria on 17 June following several similar attacks in recent weeks”, EU High Representative for Foreign Policy Catherine Ashton states in a press release. She goes on to add that she “also deeply regrets that reprisal attacks appear to have been made against members of the Muslim community”.
Attacks were carried out against three churches in the region of Kaduna (north), followed by reprisal attacks by Christians, leaving some 50 dead and 150 wounded. The Islamist group Boko Haram, which has been increasing the number of its attacks since mid-2009, claimed responsibility for the attacks.
“It is important that those responsible for this terrible loss of life should be brought to trial and, if found guilty, be punished”, Ashton says. Underlining that “Nigeria's Constitution protects the freedom of belief and religion”, she affirms that the EU will “explore ways that the EU can support the government's efforts to bring greater understanding between the various religious communities through wider dialogue, in order to prevent such atrocities happening again”.
Finally, Ashton states that the EU will “renew its efforts in cooperation with the government and people of Nigeria to address the underlying social and economic problems in the north of the country, and work with the authorities to make the fight against terrorism more effective”. (LC/transl.jl)