BUDAPEST, HUNGARY – Tristan Azbej, Hungary’s State Secretary for the Aid of Persecuted Christians and head of the Hungary Helps Program, is using his platform to draw global attention to ongoing tragedies faced by Christian communities worldwide, from a somber anniversary in Pakistan to a recent, brutal massacre in Nigeria that has gone largely unreported in Western media.
In a radio interview on Spirit FM, Azbej spoke from Kenya, detailing the program’s dual mission of providing both humanitarian aid and spiritual solidarity. His remarks come as the international community marks the two-year anniversary of the Jaranwala tragedy, a horrific incident that remains a painful symbol of persecution.
Jaranwala Anniversary: A Painful Reminder of Persecution
On his Facebook account, Azbej commemorated the August 16, 2023, attack in Jaranwala, Pakistan, where churches were burned, homes were destroyed, and families were displaced due to a false blasphemy accusation. Calling it one of the worst tragedies to affect Pakistan’s Christian community, he revealed that he had personally visited the country in April to listen to the stories of survivors as part of the Hungary Helps Program. The Hungarian government, he said, remains committed to helping those attacked for their faith and promoting peaceful coexistence.
A New Tragedy in Nigeria Goes Unnoticed
During the interview, Azbej shifted focus to a new, urgent crisis: a devastating attack on a Christian community in Nigeria’s central Benue state. He reported that Islamist extremists had brutally attacked an internally displaced persons (IDP) camp, killing at least 200 people, including women and children, with machetes and firearms. The victims were people who had already been forced to flee their homes due to previous violence.
Azbej lamented the near-total silence from Western media regarding the massacre. He said the Nigerian authorities were either “powerless” or unwilling to help, with security forces reportedly arriving more than an hour after the last terrorist had left the scene.
In response, the Hungary Helps Program has immediately dispatched a financial aid package to the local Catholic Church, which is providing assistance to the survivors. Azbej emphasized that alongside direct aid, his urgent priority is to publicize the event and use diplomatic channels to compel the international community to acknowledge and address the persecution of Christians.
A Model of Compassion in Kenya’s Slums
While in Kenya, Azbej’s mission extended beyond addressing persecution to supporting vulnerable communities in need. He described the grim reality of life in Nairobi’s sprawling urban slums, where many live without basic utilities, facing extreme poverty, violence, and disease. He was particularly moved by the plight of children who, in some cases, inhale chemicals to suppress gnawing hunger.
Hungary Helps operates in these areas by collaborating with Christian missions, including the Hungarian Maltese Charity Service and Franciscan nuns. Their work focuses on the social mission of the church, providing aid through education, healthcare, and infrastructure. Azbej highlighted two powerful examples:
- Clean Water: A school supported by the program installed a well, making it the only source of safe drinking water for the entire neighborhood.
- Fighting Hunger: A kindergarten, after discovering children were inhaling chemicals to cope with hunger, began providing warm meals for them to take home to their families.
Azbej also praised an innovative “repatriation” program developed with local partners, which helps families living in the slums return to their rural villages. The program provides moving aid, agricultural training, and a small financial investment. Of the 54 families who have participated, 46 have successfully rebuilt their lives in the countryside, restoring their dignity and self-esteem. One woman, a beneficiary, movingly stated that the program made her feel like “someone” again.
Interfaith Unity and a Call for Principled Action
Azbej also recounted a powerful story of interfaith heroism that speaks to the true nature of faith versus extremism. About a decade ago, on a bus near the Somali border, Al-Shabaab terrorists attempted to separate and kill Christian passengers. A Muslim teacher, Salafara, argued with the terrorists, then demanded they either release the Christians or kill everyone on the bus. He was shot and later died of his wounds, but his sacrifice saved the lives of many. The Hungary Helps Program funded a monument in his honor and provided aid to his family.
Azbej stressed that this story demonstrates that the persecution of Christians is not a religious conflict between Muslims and Christians, but rather a fight against political extremism. He noted that true people of faith often stand together in solidarity.
The State Secretary concluded with a firm stance on U.S. policy, stating that while the previous Trump administration prioritized the protection of persecuted Christians and even initiated programs in cooperation with Hungary, the Biden administration shifted its focus away from religious freedom to “woke” topics like gender lobbying. He expressed optimism that the current administration would again prioritize the defense of religious freedom globally, a mission he believes is shared by both Hungary and the United States.
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