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UPDATE (Pakistan): Intervention required into religious conflict in Pakistan

December 7, 2005

UPDATE ON URGENT APPEAL UPDATE ON URGENT APPEAL UPDATE ON URGENT APPEAL 

ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION - URGENT APPEALS PROGRAMME 

Update on Urgent Appeal 

7 December 2005 

[RE: UA-214-2005: PAKISTAN: Desecration and destruction of churches and Christian property after blasphemy allegations at Sangla Hills, Pakistan; UP-148-2005: PAKISTAN: Tensions continue to simmer in alleged blasphemy case at Sangla Hills, Pakistan]
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UP-161-2005: PAKISTAN: Intervention required into religious conflict in Pakistan

PAKISTAN: Religious intolerance and violence, destruction of churches and Christian properties, threat and intimidation, rule of law
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Dear friends, 

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to further update you on the case involving the desecration and destruction of churches and Christian property after blasphemy allegations at Sangla Hills, Pakistan (to see further details please refer to UA-214-2005 and UP-148-2005).

According to the latest information we have received, on 2 December 2005, Islamic Religious groups gathered about three thousand Muslims for their Friday prayer at Jamia Masjid Rizvia, Main Market in Sangla Hill. A number of Islamic scholars, including Pir Mohammad Afzal Qadiri Markazi addressed that gathering. The speakers slated Yousaf Masih, the Christian who is under arrest regarding the allegations of desecrating of the Quran, and passed a resolution demanding that the man be sentenced to death. They called upon Muslims to unite against the Christian community. They demanded the unconditional release of the 88 detained Muslims who allegedly took part in the attack on churches and Christian properties on November 12. 

On December 1, twelve Christian students including four girls were severely beaten by Muslim youths on the street while on their way back home. Subsequently, one of the girls, Chanda Munir, fainted on the spot. A few days later, an unidentified man threatened the administrator of the local church over the phone. On December 5, between 9.10 and 10.15pm, six unidentified assailants at Youhanabad in Lahore robbed the residence of several Catholic priests.  The assailants tied up six foreign priests and three students with rope, and robbed them of their cash, mobile phones and other valuable household goods.  A case has been registered against the unknown assailants at the Nishtar police station in Lahore. The police are investigating the incident, however no arrest has been made so far. Security guards have been deployed at the priests’ residence.  

We have also received reports that on December 9, the Central Head (Ameer) of International Ahle-Sunnah Organization Pir Mohammed Afzal Qadri announced a countrywide protest against the desecration of the Holy Quran at Sangla Hill. He also directly threatened the Christian community forcing them to remain in their houses out of fear. 

Meanwhile, on December 3, the Archbishop of Lahore, Most Rev. Lawrence John Saldanha, in a fax message, informed the government of Punjab about the prevailing situation of Sangla Hill. The Archbishop expressed his extreme concern about the threat by the Muslim leaders. He urged the provincial government to initiate reconciliation efforts with factual information about the incidents with a view to minimise the possible danger of any violence in the name of religion in the panic stricken areas. This, he said, should be arranged before Christmas, as the Christian community is in a vulnerable position. The Archbishop requested the government to release the report of the Judicial Inquiry in public within the shortest possible time frame. In his letter he also urged the government to repeal the blasphemy laws. 

On December 12, the representatives of eight different minority communities held a meeting to monitor the situation regarding this issue. The representatives found that the incident of attacking the churches in Sangla Hill was merely one manifestation of the alarming level of religious intolerance prevailing in the country being fueled by hate speech and discriminatory laws. Criticising the slow pace of judicial inquiry and the abuses of blasphemy laws taking place in Pakistan they made some resolutions in the meeting. The meeting urged the government to repeal the Blasphemy laws and demanded the release of all innocent people, including Yousuf Masih. They also called upon the authority to apprehend the instigators of the mob without any delay who were responsible for abusing religion and law at Sangla Hill.

Moreover, we have received reports that the authorities of Pakistan are not admitting the facts and are rather protecting the instigators of mob violence. The Judicial Inquiry is being made ineffective through procedural delays and causing the loss of vital evidence to the offences. The authorities are hiding the facts by concealing the extent of the abuse of the blasphemy laws. 

In light of this situation, we again call on you to write to the relevant authorities seeking their intervention in this matter. The ongoing slow paced investigation should be speedily conducted into the initial violence that occurred at Sangla Hill. The repeated threat from the Muslim scholars upon the Christian community must be stopped immediately. Full compensation must be provided to the Christian community so that they can repair and rebuild any damaged property. All responsible persons must be charged and brought before a court of law. In regard to religious tolerance it is the responsibility of the Government of Pakistan to ensure that religious minorities are protected against intimidation and threats. Thus, please ask the Pakistan government to introduce legislation that will ensure that religious minorities are protected and treated fairly. A step towards achieving this would be to repeal the discriminatory laws against ethnic minorities.  

Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission
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Sample letter:

Dear ________________,

PAKISTAN: Intervention required into religious conflict in Pakistan

I am writing to bring to your attention the tension that continues to simmer between religious groups following the desecration and destruction of churches and Christian property after blasphemy allegations at Sangla Hills, Pakistan.

According to the information I have received, tensions are still riding high amongst the people of the Sangla Hills community, with consecutive threats and intimidation still very much in existence there. I am aware that Pir Mohammad Afzal Qadiri Markazi Ameer Alam-e-Tanzeem Alah-e-Sunnat demanded a “death sentence of detained Christian man, Yousuf Masih”, in a meeting following the midday prayer on December 3. He also demanded the unconditional release of the 88 detained Muslims who took part in the attack on churches and Christian properties on November 12. He urged Muslims to unite to eliminate Christians for the honour and integrity of Islam. 

Such threats by a key leader are of no benefit to improving religious tolerance in the area. They are also highly premature given that the inquiry into the incident has not yet been completed, and therefore there is no evidence to support the claims that church leaders set their own property on fire. The district of Nankana is simmering with hate speech against Christian minority. The government has yet to take any appropriate action to defuse the tension despite repeated reminders by the community leaders. 

Additionally, an unidentified person threatened to destroy the house of a Catholic church and twelve Christian students were badly beaten by Muslim youths, causing on girl to faint on the spot. Unidentified assailants at Youhanabad in Lahore robbed the house of Catholic priests on December 5.

I am aware that several organisations belonging to the minority communities, monitoring the situation of Sangla Hill, urged the authorities of Pakistan to propel the judicial inquiry before any vital evidence disappears. Allegations that the government is not admitting to the facts and is rather protecting the instigators of mob violence have surfaced.   

Given the situation in Sangla Hill, and owing to the fact that people are living every day in fear, I call on the Government of Pakistan to properly intervene. The judicial inquiry should commence immediately. Threats from Muslim religious groups must be stopped and reconciliation of the religious communities should occur prior to the Christmas period. Full compensation must be provided to the Christian community so that they can repair and rebuild any damaged property. All responsible persons must be charged and brought before a court of law. In regard to religious tolerance it is the responsibility of the Government of Pakistan to ensure that religious minorities are protected against intimidation and threats. 

Finally, I call on the Government of Pakistan to introduce legislation that will ensure that religious minorities are protected and treated fairly. A step towards achieving this would be to repeal the discriminatory laws against ethnic minorities.  

I look forward to your intervention in this matter.

Yours sincerely,
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PLEASE SEND LETTERS TO:

1. General Pervez Musharraf
President
Pakistan Secretariat
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 51 922 4768/ 920 1893 or 1835
Email: CE@pak.gov.pk 

2. Mrs Saira Karim
Joint Secretary for Law, Justice and Human Rights
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Tel: + 92 51 9202819
Fax: + 92 51 9203119 

3. Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao
Minister of the Interior
#404, 4/F., R Block,
Pak Secretariat
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Tel: +92 51 9212026
Fax: +92 51 9202624

4. Dr. Muhammad Shoaib Suddle
Deputy General (BPR&D)
National Police Bureau
Old Navel Headquarter,
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Tel: +92 51 9202963

5. Ms. Asma Jahangir
Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief
c/o Office Of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
United Nations at Geneva
8-14 ave de la Paix
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Fax: (+41 22) 917 9006
E-mail: freedomofreligion@ohchr.org or nmontchovet@ohchr.org

6. Ms Gay Mcdougall
Independent Expert on Minority Issues
c/o Global Rights
1200 18th Street, N.W.  
Suite 602  
Washington, D.C. 20036
Phone: 202.822.4600
Fax:  202.822.4606
Email: gaym@globalrights.org

Thank you. 

Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission

Document Type :
Urgent Appeal Update
Document ID :
UP-161-2005
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Extended Introduction: Urgent Appeals, theory and practice

A need for dialogue

Many people across Asia are frustrated by the widespread lack of respect for human rights in their countries.  Some may be unhappy about the limitations on the freedom of expression or restrictions on privacy, while some are affected by police brutality and military killings.  Many others are frustrated with the absence of rights on labour issues, the environment, gender and the like. 

Yet the expression of this frustration tends to stay firmly in the private sphere.  People complain among friends and family and within their social circles, but often on a low profile basis. This kind of public discourse is not usually an effective measure of the situation in a country because it is so hard to monitor. 

Though the media may cover the issues in a broad manner they rarely broadcast the private fears and anxieties of the average person.  And along with censorship – a common blight in Asia – there is also often a conscious attempt in the media to reflect a positive or at least sober mood at home, where expressions of domestic malcontent are discouraged as unfashionably unpatriotic. Talking about issues like torture is rarely encouraged in the public realm.

There may also be unwritten, possibly unconscious social taboos that stop the public reflection of private grievances.  Where authoritarian control is tight, sophisticated strategies are put into play by equally sophisticated media practices to keep complaints out of the public space, sometimes very subtly.  In other places an inner consensus is influenced by the privileged section of a society, which can control social expression of those less fortunate.  Moral and ethical qualms can also be an obstacle.

In this way, causes for complaint go unaddressed, un-discussed and unresolved and oppression in its many forms, self perpetuates.  For any action to arise out of private frustration, people need ways to get these issues into the public sphere.

Changing society

In the past bridging this gap was a formidable task; it relied on channels of public expression that required money and were therefore controlled by investors.  Printing presses were expensive, which blocked the gate to expression to anyone without money.  Except in times of revolution the media in Asia has tended to serve the well-off and sideline or misrepresent the poor.

Still, thanks to the IT revolution it is now possible to communicate with large audiences at little cost.  In this situation there is a real avenue for taking issues from private to public, regardless of the class or caste of the individual.

Practical action

The AHRC Urgent Appeals system was created to give a voice to those affected by human rights violations, and by doing so, to create a network of support and open avenues for action.  If X’s freedom of expression is denied, if Y is tortured by someone in power or if Z finds his or her labour rights abused, the incident can be swiftly and effectively broadcast and dealt with. The resulting solidarity can lead to action, resolution and change. And as more people understand their rights and follow suit, as the human rights consciousness grows, change happens faster. The Internet has become one of the human rights community’s most powerful tools.   

At the core of the Urgent Appeals Program is the recording of human rights violations at a grass roots level with objectivity, sympathy and competence. Our information is firstly gathered on the ground, close to the victim of the violation, and is then broadcast by a team of advocates, who can apply decades of experience in the field and a working knowledge of the international human rights arena. The flow of information – due to domestic restrictions – often goes from the source and out to the international community via our program, which then builds a pressure for action that steadily makes its way back to the source through his or her own government.   However these cases in bulk create a narrative – and this is most important aspect of our program. As noted by Sri Lankan human rights lawyer and director of the Asian Human Rights Commission, Basil Fernando:

"The urgent appeal introduces narrative as the driving force for social change. This idea was well expressed in the film Amistad, regarding the issue of slavery. The old man in the film, former president and lawyer, states that to resolve this historical problem it is very essential to know the narrative of the people. It was on this basis that a court case is conducted later. The AHRC establishes the narrative of human rights violations through the urgent appeals. If the narrative is right, the organisation will be doing all right."

Patterns start to emerge as violations are documented across the continent, allowing us to take a more authoritative, systemic response, and to pinpoint the systems within each country that are breaking down. This way we are able to discover and explain why and how violations take place, and how they can most effectively be addressed. On this path, larger audiences have opened up to us and become involved: international NGOs and think tanks, national human rights commissions and United Nations bodies.  The program and its coordinators have become a well-used tool for the international media and for human rights education programs. All this helps pave the way for radical reforms to improve, protect and to promote human rights in the region.