The Targeting of minority "Others" in Pakistan

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Excerpt from the Targeting of "Minority Others" in Pakistan

With a population estimated at over 187 million and as the fifth most populous country in the world and the second most populous country with a Muslim majority Pakistan has been experiencing a major human rights crisis in recent years. Minority Rights Group International, in its annual State of the World’s Minorities reports for both 2007 and 2008, for example, placed Pakistan in the top ten (out of nearly 200 states) of its lists of states violating minority rights. “The recent wave of intolerance toward minorities”, Ahmed Rashid has argued, “is a sign of the rapid deterioration of the very idea of Pakistan. Many Pakistanis have forgotten that when Muhammad Ali Jinnah founded Pakistan in 1947, it was not partitioned from India to become an Islamic state. It was conceived as a democratic state for Muslims and all minorities, who could live together and worship freely. The white stripe down the side of Pakistan’s green flag represents those minorities, the non-Muslims, who would be forever protected and treated as equal citizens by the majority-Muslim population.

The flag itself illustrates their presence, and is a commitment to their survival. [But] the recent mayhem in the country has been the most disturbing since 1947, because it totally repudiates those founding principles” sharp contrast to the symbolism reflected on the Pakistani flag”. In 2011, Minority Rights Group International “ranked Pakistan as the sixth-most-dangerous country in the world for minorities”, with “Ahmadiyya, Balochis, Hindus, Mohajirs, Pashtun, Sindhis, other religious minorities” listed as those most under threat.



Thank you for reading this and please know that your sharing, liking and commenting on this post goes a long way in helping to give voice to the persecuted.

All proceeds from the sale of the book support the work of the BPCA.  Much of the early sales will be used to support victims of the Peshawar bomb attacks - December 2013.

The Targeting of minority "Others" in Pakistan

Price of book including P&P for UK, Europe, Pakistan and US.

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Excerpt from the Targeting of "Minority Others" in Pakistan

In this highly politicised context in which human rights violations against the ‘minority Other’ have been taking place in Pakistan, and many asylum seekers and human rights campaigners have been – and are being – targeted for deportation and/or criminalisation in the UK for exposing the injustices and targeting that befalls the ‘minority Other’, we hope that concerned members of parliament, the public, anti-deportation campaigners, asylum seekers appealing their deportation notices, human rights organisations and campaigners, policy makers, lawyers, students, academics and church and other faith and non-faith groups will find this report of use and reflect upon its findings. Selective quotations from key reports, books and articles have been used, and extensive referencing of sources has been used, particularly in Chapters 2 and 3, so that asylum seekers and anti-deportation campaigners and lawyers, concerned parliamentarians, as well as human rights organisations, concerned faith and non-faith groups and other campaign groups, in particular, can refer to them in relevant case-work, parliamentary and campaign work. Genocide scholars and Genocide Prevention campaigning organisations (of which there are many), together with investigative journalists, will hopefully also find this report of relevance to their work.

Thank you for reading this and please know that your sharing, liking and commenting on this post goes a long way in helping to give voice to the persecuted.

All proceeds from the sale of the book support the work of the BPCA.  Much of the early sales will be used to support victims of the Peshawar bomb attacks - December 2013.

Charity’s €100,000 to help people fleeing ISIS Bishop warns that civil war would “mean the end… for us Christians”

ACN News: Thursday, 19^th June 2014 – IRAQ

With picture of Auxiliary Bishop Saad Sirop Hanna of Baghdad  © ACN www.acnuk.org

By Marta Petrosillo and John Pontifex

PEOPLE fleeing Mosul following the attacks by ISIS militants are to receive emergency help from Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need, amid growing signs that the country is lurching towards civil war.

The grant of €100,000 will provide food and shelter for many of the 3,000 Christians who poured into the mainly Christian villages in the Nineveh Plains outside Mosul.

They fled in the wake of the city’s capture by Wahhabi militants the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS).

The news comes as the charity for persecuted and other suffering Christians was told by Auxiliary Chaldean (Catholic) Bishop Saad Sirop Hanna of Baghdad that civil war would spell “the end…, especially for us Christians”.

Speaking yesterday (Wednesday, 18^th June) from the Iraqi capital, Bishop Sirop said: “We fear a civil war.

“If the various different opposing internal parties do not succeed in finding an agreement, then we must expect the worst.

“Another war would mean the end, especially for us Christians.”

Echoing concerns about international military intervention made on Monday (16^th June) by Latin-rite Catholic Archbishop Jean Sleiman of Baghdad, Bishop Sirop called for diplomatic pressure – especially from the USA – to reach an accord between the leaders of Iraq, Sunni and Shi‘a in particular.

He said: “More than a week has passed since the invasion of Mosul by… ISIS and still there is no common political plan.

“Only an Iraq based on consent and reconciliation within can react to external dangers. Shi‘as and Sunnis have to understand that nothing will be resolved by violence.”

The bishop said that the present crisis in Iraq is a direct consequence of the war of 2003 and of the inefficiency of the new democratic system which, he added: “cannot function if there is no true reconciliation”.

Describing an upsurge of people requesting Baptismal certificates to enable them to leave the capital, the bishop said the young in particular were anxious to flee.

In response to the exodus taking place in the Mosul area, Chaldean (Catholic) Archbishop Amel Nona of Mosul is co-ordinating ACN’s emergency relief project.

The archbishop fled the city 10 days ago for the nearby Christian village of Tal Kayf, and began mounting a relief operation amid reports that 500,000 people were on the move.

Speaking to ACN, he explained that schools, church halls and abandoned houses had been opened up to receive displaced people, who left everything behind in Mosul.

The archbishop said that, although some Christians had returned to Mosul since last week’s ISIS invasion, most were too afraid to go back.

ISIS’s attack on Mosul began two weeks ago and, in its wake, half the population fled, including the city’s last remaining Christians, who as recently as 2003 numbered 35,000.

Archbishop Nona added that it was highly “uncertain whether all of the families will be able to return to Mosul”.

ACN’s Projects Director Regina Lynch said: “We are very close to this Church. This never-ending suffering is like an open wound for us.

“More than ever, the Christians of Iraq need to know that the Christians in the rest of the world are not leaving them alone, but are praying for them and are also supporting them as much as they can.”

The charity’s help for displaced Iraqis comes on top of ACN’s ongoing emergency aid for Christians and others fleeing violence and persecution in neighbouring Syria, with important help also despatched to Lebanon and Jordan, where millions of refugees have gone.

Christian politician assassinated by own bodyguard

A Pakistani Christian politician, an MPA in the Balochistan Provincial Assembly Mr Handery Masih, was assassinated outside his home by his own bodyguard today.  He died of his injuries in hospital shortly after.  His nephew was also injured in the assault by bodyguard Ghulam Mohi-ud-din, according to reports from the scene.

The exact motivation for the attack is unknown, but it comes after a moderate Muslim governor was assassinated several years ago by his own bodyguard for opposing the blasphemy laws, and the assassination of Pakistan's most senior Christian politician, Federal Government minister Bhatti soon after over the same cause.

BPCA chairman Mr Wilson Chowdhry said 'I am saddened, but not surprised, to hear that another Christian politician has been gunned down in Pakistan.  We may not know the precise reason, but this is doubtless yet another manifestation of the extreme anti-Christian bigotry that pervades Pakistani society and culture as a whole, an state of extreme moral bankruptcy.  I join with Christian politicians in Pakistan to hold the government to account for allowing such a situation to develop, and not doing nearly enough to uphold basic principles of human rights when it comes to Christians and other minorities in Pakistan'.  

Source

The Targeting of "Minority" Others In Pakistan 12 year old Shazia Bashir

Rape and murder victim Shazia Bashir was presented to her mother.

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Some lawyers groups are, to all intents and purposes, Muslim extremist pressure groups in themselves, whom police are often afraid to go against, as witnessed in last year’s case of the 12 year old Shazia Bashir, a Christian girl who was raped, beaten and tortured to death by her employer, a supreme court advocate. The police covered up the cause of death by falsifying the autopsy until the family ordered a second autopsy, and the police refused point blank to accept a report about the murder.


Thank you for reading this and please know that your sharing, liking and commenting on this post goes a long way in helping to give voice to the persecuted.

All proceeds from the sale of the book support the work of the BPCA.  Much of the early sales will be used to support victims of the Peshawar bomb attacks - December 2013.

Vigil for Meriam Ibrahim brought people of good conscience together.

 

Lyn Julius leader of Harif a group that represents Middle Eastern and North African Jews and Wilson Chowdhry Chair of the BPCA stand united against oppression of Minorities.

Sign our petition for Meriam Ibrahim (click here)

Today (Friday 6th June 2014) Christians of all diversities and humanitarians from other Minority Groups met outside the Sudanese Embassy and demanded freedom and justice for Meriam Ibrahim.  People were drawn to the protest event after hearing the tragic story of the Christian Sudanese doctor who was sentenced to death and to 100 lashes for apostasy, that is converting from Islam to Christianity, and for adultery, that is marrying a man who is not a Muslim. Despite Meriam being brought up by her mother as a Christian.

Apparently Mrs Ibrahim counts as Muslim according to Sudanese law because her father was Muslim.  Therefore law courts have ruled that her marriage is illegal.

Meriam has just given birth to a daughter in prison and has a 2-year-old son by her husband, Daniel Wani.  She has continually refused to renounce Christianity and her adherrance to her faith has resulted in the Court ruling that she must stay in prison for two years to nurse her baby.  After this grace period she will then be executed.  It is not known when the flogging is scheduled.

The event was organised by the BPCA in partnership with Christian Voice.  Stephen Green National Director of Christian Voice,  said;

"We call on President Omar al Bashir to direct the Sudanese Courts and Government to drop all charges and release Meriam Ibrahim immediately, to allow freedom to convert to Christianity in law and to guarantee the safety of Christians and the ancient Sudanese Church."

Wilson Chowdhry Chairman of the BPCA said;  

"Christian persecution in the Islamic world has reached unprecedented levels.  Extremist ideology has been endorsed by fanatical religious leaders and knitted into the fabric of their societies, through stigmatised national curriculum within these intolerant states.  This has bred hatred towards minorities and culminated in alienation and conflict."

He added;

"Christians have now become the most persecuted faith adherents in the world. Moreover, the affect of these acts of violence and oppression has been an increase in the societal differences in our own communities. Fascist groups in the UK and other western countries have gained support due to the misunderstandings that these acts of aggression foster in our own communities."

Lyn Julius, leader of HARIF a group that represents Middle Eastern and North African Jews, said;

"I was moved by the suffering of innocent Meriam Ibrahim.  There was once two million Jews in the Middle East and North Africa, now only around 400,000 remain.  The conditions faced by minorities living in the region has reached a nadir."

A petition was signed by all attendees at the vigil.  However despite his promise the Sudanese Ambassador failed to receive the petition, opting for it to be left at the reception area.

People gathered opposite the Sudan Embassy from 2pm.

Banners contained biblical passages and demanded freedom for Meriam.

Rev Stephen Green spoke out for Meriam

We walked across to the Embassy led by a bagpiper.

The walk to the Embassy created a stir amongst Embassy staff.

A former military bagpiper led the way.

Amazing Grace was played and sung.

A prayer was said before the Sudan Embassy.

The Sudan Embassy called the Police because our singing Amazing Grace caused offence.

Minority representatives unite against hatred

The protest moved to the steps of the Sudanese Embassy.  

A bag piper led Christians in singing Amazing Grace.

This local Brazilian Christian was working at a construction project he was moved by the resolve of UK Christians standing up for the oppressed.

WITNESS FOR MERIAM AT SUDANESE EMBASSY 6/6/14

The BPCA will be collaborating with Christian Voice to hold a witness for Meriam Ibrahim outside the Sudanese Embassy on Friday 6^th June 2014 from 2pm to 4pm.

Sign our petition here:

(click here)

This is despite false reports of Meriam's imminent release.

The address of the Sudanese Embassy is 3 Cleveland Row, St. James, London SW1A 1DD

Meriam Ibrahim is the Christian Sudanese doctor sentenced to death and to 100 lashes for apostasy, that is converting from Islam to Christianity, and for adultery, that is marrying a man who is not a Muslim. Despite Meriam being brought up by her mother as a Christian, she counts as Muslim according to Sudanese law because her father was Muslim.  Her marriage doesn’t count.

Meriam has just given birth to a daughter in prison and has a 2-year-old son by her husband, Daniel Wani.  She has refused to renounce Christianity. The Court says she must stay in prison for two years to nurse her baby and will then be executed.  It is not know when the flogging is scheduled.

Stephen Green, National Director of Christian Voice, said today: ‘The Sudan court decision has at last been condemned by all UK political leaders, but to our knowledge, no-one has yet taken a protest to the Embassy itself.

‘We are calling the Church to give thanks for Meriam’s courage and to pray for her release, but for those who are near enough, sparing a few hours on a Friday afternoon is the least we can do.

A couple of hours after Christian Voice posted the call to witness on Saturday 31st May, a Sudanese government foreign-office official was reported as saying that Meriam would be released 'within days'. 

Stephen Green responded: ‘This apparent answer to prayer was dashed even quicker.  The official had no authority to make such a statement, her husband said he had heard nothing, and her lawyer now says the judicial process must be gone through before any release.

‘We call on President Omar al-Bashir to direct the Sudanese Courts and Government to drop all charges and release Meriam Ibrahim immediately, to allow freedom to convert to Christianity in law and to guarantee the safety of Christians and the ancient Sudanese Christian Church in Sudan.

Wilson Chowdhry, Chairman of the British Pakistani Christian Association, said;

"Christians living in the Islamic World are facing unprecedented levels of persecution and oppression.  Asia Bibi a Pakistani mother of 5 sentenced to death for an alleged blasphemy has had to suffer the ignominy of five failed Appeal hearings, because judges are to frightened or extreme in their views to preside over a trial.  Incarcerated for over five years her case mirrors that of Meriam, in that she has been detained in prison for no other crime then adherence to her faith."

He added;

"This incident only serves to magnify societal differences and affects each of us in our own communities.  People of good conscience from all faiths must unite in condemnation of this act of oppression, if not, one day we may face similar prejudice where we are."

Excerpt from the targeting of "Minority Others" in Pakistan

Price of book including P&P for UK, Europe, Pakistan and US.

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The UK Border Agency rejected his assertion that his family had been threatened and his brother beaten by militants looking for him. In other words, they think it was made up. One of the reasons they gave for disbelieving him is that his family also never went to the authorities. The fixation the BA official has with the fact that people did not go to the police indicates ignorance of the fact that very many crime victims do not go to the police in Pakistan because of police corruption and fear of blackmail by the police.

Christians especially have found that going to police often means police refusing to take reports of incidents, and, indeed, often using the kidnap of Christian girls as a pretext to coerce and blackmail parents into converting to Islam.


Thank you for reading this and please know that your sharing, liking and commenting on this post goes a long way in helping to give voice to the persecuted.

All proceeds from the sale of the book support the work of the BPCA.  Much of the early sales will be used to support victims of the Peshawar bomb attacks - December 2013.