Pakistani Christians demand to repeal blasphemy law and voting rights neglected in proposed 18th Amendment
Philadelphia, USA: April 2, 2010. (PCP) Dr. Nazir S Bhatti, President of Pakistan Christian Congress PCC said that Muslims parties have again stabbed at back of 20 million Pakistani Christians by not repealing Blasphemy Law and awarding Dual Voting rights in proposed 18th amendment in constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
The Constitutional Reform Committee comprising of parliamentarians of Pakistan Peoples Party PPP. Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz PML(N), Pakistan Muslim League Quaid PML(Q), Muthida Qaumi Movement MQM, Awami National Party ANP, Jiamiat Ulma-e-Islam JUI(F), Pakistan Peoples Party Sherpao PPP(S) and others presented the draft legislation in reform of Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan to the Speaker of National Assembly of Pakistan here today.
According to sources close to PCP, it was learnt that Constitutional Reform Committee members agreed to amend Artcle 52-B which empowers President of Pakistan to dissolve Parliament and nominate Chief of Staff of Armed Forces of Pakistan, Renaming of NWFP, Article 6 shall be made more forceful, Governors shall be appointed from same provinces and Senate seats shall be 104 instead of 100. The four seats shall be allocated for minorities from four provinces.
There was no representation to minorities in Constitutional Reform Committee but Chairman of Standing Committee told media that minority parliamentarians were consulted and their recommendations were given due consideration.
The 20 million Pakistani Christians have demanded on every forum to repeal blasphemy law and direct voting right to elect their parliamentarians by their votes but both demands were neglected by Constitutional Reform Committee.
Nazir Bhatti said “The long list of amendments proposed and passed by Reform Committee fall short to Christians demands”
“ Senator Raza Rabbani, Chairman of Constitutional Reform Committee statement that minorities were consulted need clarification that weather Shahbaz Bhatti, Federal Minister for Minorities submitted revision in blasphemy law to committee as he is claiming since 2009 or not” said Nazir Bhatti
Dr. Bhatti said that allocation of 4 seats in Senate of Pakistan under Joint Electorate which empowers Muslim political parties to nominate and select their favorites from minorities shall be only benefit to Muslims groups who shall add these senators to their numbers in Senate of Pakistan.
“Muslim political groups have neglected Christian demands which is not good sign for democracy in Pakistan because safeguard of minority rights is first step to democratic system“ added Nazir Bhatti
Pakistan Christian Congress PCC demands to repeal blasphemy law and right to elect Christian representation in democratic institution and urges Christian members of National Assembly to raise their voice in house during debate on 18th amendment for legislation.
Oregon: Anti-racist group argues shooting of Portland man was a neo-Nazi attack
— The Oregonian: “Police investigating Saturday’s shooting of Luke V. Querner in downtown Portland will review reports from a group called Portland Anti-Racist Action, which argues that Querner, a self-described anti-racist skinhead, was the victim of an orchestrated attack by neo-Nazis.”
— “As police work to track down witnesses, news of the brazen shooting quickly spread across the nation to other anti-racist and civil rights groups.”
— “Eric Ward, national field director for the Chicago-based group Center for New Community, which monitors social movements that promote bigotry, said he was familiar with Querner’s grass-roots activism, anti-racist and anti-fascist politics in Oregon.”
— “Ward, who previously lived in Eugene and Seattle, said there’s been a decades long struggle between neo-Nazi skinheads and what are called anti-racist skinheads, who trace their origin to Britain in the late ’60s and emulated the culture of early Jamaican immigrants with heavy influences from Jamaican ska, rock and reggae artists. They’re also known as Skinheads Against Racial Prejudice, or SHARPs.”
Nigeria: Jos killings: 20 suspects arraigned
— Punch reports: — “The trial of suspects involved in the killing of more than 500 people in Dogo Na Hauwa, Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State last month began on Thursday at a Federal High Court, Jos.”
— “Ninety suspects were listed for arraignment by the police but only 20 appeared in the court presided over by Justice Stephen Adah.”
— “A mild drama, however, occurred in court when the case involving the 160 suspects arrested after the incident and taken to Abuja was called for mention. Immediately, the Federal Director of Public Prosecution, Mr. Alex Adama, sought for an adjournment.”
— “An Abuja High Court had earlier directed that the suspects be transferred to Jos, where the crime was committed, for trial.”
"Scenes from a mass burial organized for the victims of the sectarian violence in Jos." (Photo: Punch)
Nigeria’s acting leader [President Goodluck Jonathan] may meet Obama in April
— AP – March 23: “Nigeria’s former top diplomat says the West African nation’s acting leader may meet with President Barack Obama when he attends a summit on nuclear proliferation in Washington next month.”
— Punch: Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chief Ojo Maduekwe: “The Acting President’s maiden outing (April 11-14) 2010… to Washington DC for the nuclear security summit and potential bilaterals, including a possible one-on-one with Obama, must be very well choreographed for success and impact.”
— Nigerian Embassy comments on passport processing: ” WE REGRET TO INFORM NIGERIANS RESIDENT IN WASHINGTON DC, AND THE STATES OF MARYLAND AND VIRGINIA THAT THE NIGERIA IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS FROM NEW YORK PROCESSING E-PASSPORTS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO VISIT THE EMBASSY ON 10TH AND 11TH APRIL 2010 AS EARLIER ANNOUNCED, DUE TO UNFORSEEN CIRCUMSTANCES.WE SHALL INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC OF THE DATE OF THEIR NEXT VISIT IN DUE COURSE.”
— ThisDay report on March 27, 2010: Nigerian Ambassador to Meet Obama Monday
Nigeria Embassy in Washington DC
Embassy of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria
3519 International Court, NW
Washington, DC 20008
Tel: 202-986-8400
Fax: 202-362-6541
Nigeria Embassy in Washington, DC: 3519 International Court, NW, Washington, DC 20008
* Exit station using WEST SIDE OF CONNECTICUT AVE NW & VEAZY ST exit
Walk approx. 1 block SE on Connecticut Ave NW.
Turn right on Van Ness St NW.
Walk approx. 3 blocks W on Van Ness St NW.
Turn right on International Court NW.
Walk approx. 1 block N on International Court NW.
CLASFON, the Christian Lawyers Fellowship of Nigeria, joins with Advocates International to form an on-going project -THE JUSTICE FOR JOS PROJECT – to provide humanitarian and legal assistance to the survivors of the unprovoked attacks and monitoring of the criminal investigations and prosecutions to assure justice is provided for these horrible crimes.
“His victims were sleeping when he arrived, he said, and he set their house on fire.” Sure enough, they ran out. “I killed three people,” Mr. Adamu said calmly. He and the other detainees showed no sign that they had been maltreated; some confessed to killings, and others denied them, speaking in front of the police. The police quickly arrested about 200 people in connection with the killings, and many of them were crouching anxiously in rows on a bare concrete floor, outside the police headquarters on Wednesday morning. The police have confiscated 14 machetes, 26 bows, arrows, 3 axes, 4 spears and 44 guns. Victims, many of them women and children, were cut down with knives, short and long; few survived.” – New York Times
WASHINGTON, DC — On March 7, 2010 residents of three communities in the idyllic mountain range city of Jos in Plateau State of Nigeria barely had a chance to be awakened from slumber before they were mercilessly butchered in a brutally executed massacre executed by Muslim Fulani tribesmen. By daybreak a mass burial was conducted for the hundreds of Christian women and children (estimated at about 500) slain in Jos – fondly called “Jesus Our Savior” for the strong Christian heritage and missionary presence in the frontlines of Nigeria’s Muslim/Christian divide.
Following up on its statements of sorrow and concern at that time, Advocates International (AI), along with the Religious Liberty Partnership (RLP), whose member organizations based in 18 countries are working on religious liberty issues around the world, made strong statements today on the killings and violence in Nigeria and launched a global campaign calling for justice and prayer for that nation.
The Statement — formally known as the CYRUS STATEMENT ON THE CRISES IN NORTHERN NIGERIA because it was released following the RLP’s meeting in Larnaka, Cyprus last week — acknowledges some positive elements within Nigeria, including the role that the church is playing, but expresses deep concern about the ways in which the situation is being handled by the government. In addition, the Statement calls on the worldwide church to pray for the restoration of the religious liberties of all Nigerians, the provision of needed humanitarian support, and for the institution of much-needed reconciliation efforts. “Following the recent appalling massacres of Christian men, women and children in villages around Jos, Nigeria it was timely that our partners focus on Nigeria,” stated Mervyn Thomas, CEO of Christian Solidarity Worldwide, UK and Chairman of the Religious Liberty Partnership.
“Together as the RLP, we stand in support of Christians in Nigeria, calling upon the Church worldwide to pray for a restoration of lasting peace in Nigeria,” said Andy Dipper, CEO of Release International. “Christians in central and northern Nigeria today face unprecedented persecution, with women and children suffering barbaric acts of violence. In this context the Nigerian Church leadership is actively choosing to isolate those perpetrators of these recent killings by not retaliating, and relying on God to sustain them in their grief.”
Advocates International’s General Counsel, Samuel B. Casey, one of the co-drafters of the Cyprus Statement, said “the perpetrators of this violence must to be brought to justice. If these people continue to kill with impunity, the violence will escalate even further, and will eventually endanger the entire nation. Therefore, in partnership with CLASFON, the Christian Lawyers Fellowship of Nigeria, we are announcing today the formation of our JUSTICE FOR JOS PROJECT.” AI’s special counsel for this project, Emmanuel Ogebe, a Nigerian lawyer who was born in Jos, said: “In the past decade in which we have lost thousands of lives in religious violence, this is the first time we actually have perpetrators in captivity who have admitted to the crime. In my two decades as a lawyer I have never seen anyone prosecuted and convicted for killing in the name of religion.”
AI sees a unique opportunity to provide a justice monitoring program that will track the trial of Mr. Adamu and others like him who calmly plotted the savage killings and raised resources to do it. Past suspects have slipped through the legal system creating a culture of impunity and incentives for more killers.
The JUSTICE FOR JOS PROJECT will:
• Provide immediate help for displaced families and survivors as well as create early warning alert systems in the communities.
• Work with local businesses and missionaries to create economic empowerment projects to engage Christian and Muslim youth in gainful employment that will keep them out of trouble and build bridges of commonality
• Monitor the performance of the legal system to ensure all perpetrators are brought to justice.
This Easter, you can be a part of ministry to the persecuted church in very real and practical ways. Just this week 12 more Christian women and children were murdered in their homes in Jos – a strong indication that more terror cells are on the loose in addition to the ones in detention. This underscores the importance of prosecuting the suspects and identifying other conspirators now at large. Says Mr. Ogebe, “We fear that this is a new strategy – sleeper attacks in the dead of the night. Christians are in the majority in Jos so if there is a direct daylight clash, they are more likely to successfully defend themselves. People who are sleeping don’t stand a chance.”
Advocates International is an international organization of attorneys in over 150 nations who seek to do justice with compassion, including through its Task Forces on the Rule of Law And Religious Freedom, dedicated to upholding rule of law and protecting the rights to free expression, religious belief and free exercise and association throughout the world for all people.
The Religious Liberty Partnership (RLP) is a collaborative effort of Christian organizations around the world focused on religious liberty. A listing of RLP members is set forth at the end of the Cyprus Statement. For more information about the Religious Liberty Partnership or the Cyprus Statement, please contact Brian O’Connell: E-mail: Brian@REACTServices.com; Phone: +1-425-218-4718
Aftermath of March 7, 2010 Jos Attack (Photo: Akintunde Akinleye/Reuters)"Scenes from a mass burial organized for the victims of the sectarian violence in Jos." (Photo: Punch)
