Burkina Faso: UN Expresses Disgust at Church Attack
Following the gruesome attack by unknown gunmen at a Catholic church in Dablo, Burkina Faso, United Nation’s top Officials have condemned the dastardly act.
UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, revealed this via a post on the UN website over the weekend. ThisDay reports.
According to the statement on the site, “The church was burned to the ground, along with other buildings including a health centre.” The post further called on “all citizens of Burkina Faso to stand firmly with one another across communities.”
Also reacting to the development, the UN Resident Coordinator in Burkina Faso, Metsi Makhetha, in a tweet, described the act as “heinous attacks”, offering her sympathies to families of those who lost members.
Revealing her disgust at the incident, resident of the UN General Assembly, Maria Espinosa, expressed her outrage in a tweet, “we cannot tolerate hatred. The fundamental right of religious freedom must be respected everywhere”.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) however said the situation was putting the future of a “whole generation” at stake.
“Violence is spreading in Mali and Niger, as well as Burkina Faso, and risks spilling over into other West African countries.
“This has led to a five-fold rise in the displacement of the local population in the last 12 months, who have seen more than 330,000 people leave their homes, in addition to 100,000 refugees.” OCHA stated.
The attack which took place on Sunday claimed six lives including a priest, leaving 20 injured, and buildings where burnt including a health center.
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