Rising Violence in Colombia Threatens Religious Leaders and Communities

Religious Leaders in Colombia Face Rising Threats Amid Escalating Violence

Amid Colombia’s lush landscapes, a rising tide of violence threatens the safety of religious leaders and communities. Unseasonably heavy rains didn’t stop a team from Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) from venturing into the hills of Cauca, where stories of persecution echoed through a small settlement.

In the village, CSW launched “Perseguidos mas no Destruidos” (Persecuted but not Destroyed), a book chronicling the experiences of the Nasa Indigenous Evangelical Church. The event, initially planned for Bogota, was relocated due to safety concerns with upcoming elections. The potential risks for contributors speaking publicly necessitated this change.

Community members shared harrowing accounts of threats, violence, and even murder spanning two decades. One individual expressed gratitude, stating, “We are thankful because you kept and fulfilled your word. Now we have our own book. For many people it may not seem important, but for us it is a great step forward.”

Violence, driven by guerilla groups and armed criminal gangs, has surged to unprecedented levels. In Santa Marta, indigenous leader Juan Carlos recounted how his community, once left alone, now faces extortion from criminal groups demanding half of their land profits. This aggression affects not only minority Christian communities but also traditional indigenous religious sites.

The urban areas are not immune. Just miles from Santa Marta’s tourist center, Rodian and his wife stood amid the ruins of their church, destroyed on the orders of a local gang leader after hearing Rodian quote the Bible.

Before leaving the Magdalena region, the CSW team visited Pastor Karen, whose husband Ivan was killed for resisting paramilitary use of their church for drug and weapon storage. Ivan’s murderers remain at large, highlighting the severe lack of law enforcement in these areas.

Pastor Karen shared the everyday struggles of living in a violence-normalized environment, where life continues with children attending school and families maintaining their routines. The impunity faced by those who commit such crimes is staggering, leaving religious leaders vulnerable after the Colombian government withdrew special protections in 2023.

CSW continues to advocate for the restoration of these protections to safeguard Colombia’s religious leaders. Their mission remains firm: to stand in solidarity with those suffering religious persecution and to demand action from authorities.

Scot Bower is CEO of Christian Solidarity Worldwide. Click here to sign CSW’s petition calling for protections to be restored to religious leaders in Colombia.