PAKISTAN: Desecration and destruction of churches and Christian property after blasphemy allegations at Sangla Hills, Pakistan 

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the destruction of Christian churches and schools by people enraged at the alleged blasphemy of the Holy Quran.

According to the information we have received, on 12 November 2005, a mob attacked three Churches, a Sister’s Convent, a Christian school building and a Pastor’s house.  The mob vandalised and destroyed properties in Sangla Hills for over an hour.  Christian families living in the Sangla Hills were forced to leave their homes the night before due to the threats and intimidation from locals living in the area.

It is also reported that the person alleged to have desecrated the Holy Quran is currently missing and the press have reported that his brother was arrested and detained a day before the mob attack.  Intervention from the police or an investigation into the allegations has still not been carried out.  The Christian community still live in fear of further retaliations.

Under these circumstances, the AHRC urges your immediate intervention in this matter. It is the responsibility of the Pakistani government to ensure that religious minorities are protected against intimidation and threats.  Thus, please ask the Pakistani government to introduce legislation that will ensure that religious minorities will be protected and treated fairly.  A step towards achieving this would be to repeal the discriminatory laws against ethnic minorities.  Furthermore, please ask the Pakistani authorities to investigate this case thoroughly and bring responsible offenders to justice and to compensate the Christian community all the property damage as a result of the mob attack.

Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission
————————————————————-

DETAILED INFORMATION:

Name of the victims: The Christian community in Sangla Hills, Pakistan
Alleged perpetrators: A mob consisting of one to two thousand persons
Date of the incident: 12 November 2005
Place of the incident: Sangla Hills in Pakistan

On 12 November 2005 at about 10.30 in the morning a mob attacked and destroyed three churches (Catholic, Salvation Army and United Presbyterian), a Sister’s Convent, St Anthony’s School building, a girl’s hostel and a Pastor’s house in Sangla Hills, Pakistan.  The mob estimated to have been between one and two thousand persons strong, stayed in the area of Sagla Hills for over an hour and caused massive destruction to properties.

There is evidence that the attacks seemed planned and organised as the attackers were brought to the site in buses according to several eyewitnesses.  450 Christian families living in Sangla Hills were forced to leave their homes and evacuate the area the night before due to the severe intimidation and threats they received from the locals.  They only dared to return after the mob had left.  Two houses belonging to the relatives of the person accused of desecrating the Holy Quran were ransacked.

The incident took place after an alleged desecration of the Holy Quran on November 11, by one Yousaf Masih who allegedly threw a burning matchstick into the Quran Mahal situated in the Sangla Hill stadium, which subsequently caught fire.  This resulted in some copies of the Holy Quran being burnt to ashes. Yousaf Masih is currently missing and according to press reports, his brother Salim Masih was detained a day before.  To date, an investigation into the allegations has still not taken place.  According to initial information and a newspaper report from  DAWN, the allegations of desecration of the Holy Quran were motivated.  The accusations were made as a result of settling a dispute regarding gambling debts between the accusers and the accused, and had nothing to do with the alleged desecration of the Holy Quaran.

The SHO Saddar was duly informed about the tension and a request for protection was made by Fr. Samson Dilawar, the local Catholic priest of Sangla Hills, at least 12 hours before the incident.
Apparently, police have arrested 80 people for taking part in the rioting.  Hindu, Sikh and Muslim leaders have joined church leaders in condemning the outbreak of violence.  Recently a protest was held by the Christian Lawyers Association Pakistan (CLAP) for solidarity with the Sangla Hill Christian community.  The lawyers raised slogans against fundamentalist and biased attitudes of the law enforcement agencies towards Christians, against the Blasphemy law and other discriminatory laws in Pakistan.  They demanded that the government must guarantee the protection of properties and lives of Christians in Pakistan.  They said that if the Christians of Pakistan are not provided with security by the government according to the Pakistani Constitution then they would contact the International Court of Justice.

In the wake of the earthquake tragedy in Pakistan, when people are trying to participate in relief activities, including many Christian organisations that are working with dedication, such action by the mob antagonises the situation for the people of Pakistan.  This situation calls for serious action on the part of everybody concerned with the well being of the country.

SUGGESTED ACTION:

Please send an appeal letter to the President of Pakistan and other government officials below asking for immediate action to protect the vulnerable religious minorities in Pakistan.

—————————————–

 

 

To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER