Obama should have raised issue of Christians persecution at U.N., advocacy groups complain

Several Christian advocacy groups voiced out their concern that Obama did not mention the issue of Christian persecutions during his final U.N. General Assembly speech last week.

Kristin Wright, director of advocacy at Open Doors USA, was disappointed when Obama did not reference the persecution of Christians and other religious minorities when he talked about the "mindless medieval menace of ISIL (Islamic State of Iraq and Levant)" and the conflict in Syria.

"I believe the American people want to see greater evidence of deep concern from the president of the United States — in word and action — for those living under the tyranny of religious persecution," Wright said in a statement to the Christian Post.

Thomas J. Reese, chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, said that the sectarian conflict needs to be recognized with regards to the refugee crisis. He noted that religious minorities such as Christians and Yazidis are among the millions of displaced people who faced genocide in Iraq and Syria.

He also stated that religious minorities have also been forced out of their lands in Nigeria, Central African Republic and Burma and they are now seeking asylum in Europe.

"These crises cry out for increased action on the part of the international community," Reese told the Christian Post. "To be effective, such action must recognize the unmistakable fact that religious freedom is a common thread in each of these challenges and deserves a seat at the table when nations discuss humanitarian, security, and other pressing issues," he added.

The American Center for Law and Justice did not make any presentations at the U.N. but the group had written several letters to the U.N. about persecuted minorities.

Its affiliate, the European Center for Law and Justice, sent a letter in August to the U.N. Office on the Prevention of Genocide calling on the organization to take action to prevent the further genocide of minorities in the Middle East.

Last week, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin told the world leaders at the U.N. that the Christians are "by far the most persecuted faith group" adding that they still face persecution even in asylum countries.