It’s easy to look at the horrific alkaline attack that took place in south London last week and wonder how it could have happened.
A woman and her two children were among 12 victims when a man threw a corrosive substance at the family on Wednesday evening in Clapham. Police identified Abdul Ezedi as a suspect and requested information on his whereabouts.
It was reported that the woman and Ezedi had come to the UK as an asylum seeker from Afghanistan. It was further reported that Ezedi had been convicted of a sexual offense and that his conversion to Christianity was part of his asylum application. But questions about how the attack could have happened, and revelations about Ezedi’s past, are no excuse to demonize asylum seekers on a wider scale – as we see with the spotlight now focused on individuals from Bibby Stockholm who have converted. .
There are a lot of questions that need to be answered in this case, but the religion of the attacker is not one of them. Yes, asylum seekers convert to Christianity. This is not the case, as the former Interior Minister claimed. Suella Bravermanmake their claims “false”, and this is not an exploitable flaw either.
As difficult as it may be, we need to separate the discussion of this attack from the fact that people are converting to Christianity in general.
It would be a stretch, to begin with, to suggest that someone cannot commit crimes if they are a “true Christian.” But more than that, there are good reasons why people convert when they seek asylum.
Christians remain persecuted around the world. This means that many people have not been able to demonstrate their faith in their home country. For Christians, openly expressing their faith in countries like Afghanistan can amount to a death sentence. Even in countries like India, Christians can remain heavily persecuted in some areas, or even throughout the country. This makes the whole conversion debate more nuanced and complex than perhaps currently understood.
Then there are people who convert because they truly have a new perspective on their faith. There’s an old saying that goes, “There are no atheists in a foxhole.” This may sound glib, but the reality is that highly traumatic experiences, such as fleeing persecution, can lead people to believe in a higher power. This is hardly rare. Over the years, in my capacity as director of human rights consultancy Stand For All and working with other organizations, I have seen this happen countless times.
Conversion to Christianity is not a “silver bullet” for obtaining asylum by any measure. Yet we often see an attitude of ingrained disbelief when converted people make their demands heard. The questions they ask can range from the intrusive to the ridiculous, such as what are often called “biblical trivia” – questions, for example, like when Pentecost will occur, or the exact number of books in the Bible . People’s lives and beliefs are scrutinized, as are – often – those of those who vouch for them.
This is not to say that some people do not try to “game the system,” as is claimed. But they are few in number and very far apart. Like with LGBTQ+ people seeking asylum, in my experience the Home Office is more likely to tell people to hide their beliefs so they can stay in their home country, rather than granting them asylum because of their beliefs. People who openly convert to Christianity while their application is being processed are often already seeking asylum on various grounds; By converting, they do not necessarily benefit from this claim, but could place themselves in an even more difficult situation if they were returned to the country they fled.
Religion, by its very nature, is personal for many people, and the reasons for converting can be just as personal. This isn’t some sort of way to “skip the system”: on the contrary, it’s more likely to make someone question their application.
To be recognized as truly in need of asylum for religious reasons, you must demonstrate that you have a “well-founded fear of persecution”. This is much more difficult than reciting memorized passages from the Bible. You must also convince a priest, or someone similar, that your conversion is genuine. Again, this is not a simple task. This person must then be confident enough to persuade others that your faith is genuine. Each stage is filled with complexity and obstacles. Neither is an easy way to get your claim accepted.
The anger at the Clapham attacker is justified, but the way he is being used to smear other asylum seekers is not.
We should celebrate the fact that we live in a country where people feel able to practice their Christianity openly and without fear. We have laws to protect us and laws that prevent people from being sent to death or persecution. These are things that we all benefit from.
In too many countries around the world, religious conversions put people’s lives at risk. Regardless of anyone’s opinion on the reasons for an individual’s conversion, the reality is that it is a life-changing, and potentially deadly, decision that few people take willingly. light.
