Thursday, August 27, 2009

Things You Should Know About in the World...

I have personally met the pastor who reported this and is assisting the village. He is full of Jesus! You can check out the website at the very bottom of the page to investigate his ministry further.


NINE CHRISTIANS AND MORE THAN 200 HOUSES BURNT DOWN BY MUSLIMS IN PAKISTAN
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Persecution in Village 362, JB, Korian, Gojra, District, Toba Tek Singh, Pakistan

Christians in Pakistan were once again the target of Muslim mobs looting, burning down their houses and killing. This time it was a village called Korian Chak # 362 JB, very close to the small city of sub Division Gojra, District, Toba Tek Singh, Pakistan. On 26th July 2009 there was a Christian wedding in the village. Some children cut up pages of an old book to use as sort of ticker tape to shower on the wedding party. They had unknowingly cut up pages from an old school book of Islamic Studies. The next day when some Muslims found pieces of paper with Arabic script and some Quranic verses scattered about, there was uproar in the village. However, the matter was settled amicably when it became clear that this had been done by children who were illiterate and there was no intention of desecrating any holy texts.

Violence against Christians in Korian by Militants of Banned Islamic groups

Life in Korian returned to normal and the matter was almost forgotten. However, Muslim hardliners were at work. The rumor was being spread that the Christians of Korian had desecrated the Holy Qur’an by tearing out pages and scattering them on the roadside to be trampled underfoot. Around sunset on 30th July a large mob descended on Korian demanding that Taalib Masih (the father of the children) be hanged for blasphemy. Fortunately the Christians had been forewarned and had already fled their homes to safer places. The mob then began its spree of looting and burning the 70 to 80 Christian houses in the village. The two small churches, one Protestant and the other Pentecostal, were ransacked but not burned down. Sharief Masih a disabled who was not able to run away died a day before yesterday as he was in a trauma.
You can view the footages of burning down. Please click the link below.
http://www.youtube.com/user/peaceinasia
For pictures, click the link below
http://picasaweb.google.com/ashfaq.fateh/PersecutionOfChristiansInPakistan#
Post Korian violence against Christians even worst
Assurances were given by the local administration and provincial government that every effort would be made for compensation and to bring the situation back to normal. It seemed as if this was the end of a terrifying and traumatic experience.
Killing, Bunning and looting in Gojra
But malicious rumors continued to be circulated that Christians had desecrated the Holy Book. It did not matter where this had happened or who had done it or whether it was true. Christians in many surrounding villages and towns began receiving threats as Mullahs (Muslim clerics) began preaching hatred and revenge. On 1st August a large mob moved towards a Christian locality called Christian Town in the centre of Gojra city near railway station. They carried sticks, clubs and even firearms. The small police force’s half-hearted attempt to stop them was ineffective. The Christians tried to resist the mob. The mob besieged the locality and went on a rampage, looting and burning about 100 Christian houses. Police reinforcements arrived by late afternoon, but it was too late - the damage had been done. Till evening bodies were being recovered from the smoking ruins of the houses. The number of injured is not known, but 8 Christians were killed, two of them children. (Seven burnt down while eight one died this morning August 04, 2009 as he was in a traumatic situation.

Mourners Protest against government for not giving Justice to affected Christians.

It was planned to have the funeral of the 7 Christians around noon on Sunday, 2nd August. But when the local Atif Jamil Pagaan, central convener Pakistan Minorities Democratic Movement came to know that the police had not yet registered a report against 12 persons whom the Christians had identified and two city officials for criminal negligence, they refused to release the bodies for burial. But the police delayed in registering the report, offered to enter a milder, watered-down version instead. But the Christians did not back down. By 4.00 p.m. a large group carried the seven coffins and placed them on the railway track. They then sat down around the coffins thus blocking the railway track and disrupting rail & road traffic. The demand was accepted by the government and First Investigation Report was registered against the District Coordination Officer, District Police Officer and hundreds others. Once the FIR was shown to mourners the coffins were taken to grave yard for burial where their funeral was performed.

Demand to Repeal Black laws in Pakistan

Atif Jamil Pagaan a Christian leader demanded the government to repeal Blasphemy Law that was repeatedly being misused and had now caused the death of nine innocent Christians. He urged the government to ensure equal rights and protect the Christians” You can find two minutes YouTube movie,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OReMScRvGE
The following interview has been recorded from the person whose seven family members were burnt down.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nVHQmqO6ZA&feature=related
For pictures and protests movies,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivRdCh3h9Qg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryLblIeL_L4
http://picasaweb.google.com/ashfaq.fateh/AttackOnChristianColonyGojraTobaTekSinghPakistan#
There are indications that the attack on Korian as well as on Gojra was planned and the people instigated by a banned Islamic group. Such extremist Islamic groups want to make Pakistan strictly Islamic, theocratic state. Democracy is rejected as something Western and un-Islamic. .Non-Muslims should either convert to Islam or leave the place. They want a sort of religious cleansing.
Previous Violence by using the Black laws against Christians.

What happened in Korian and Gojra was almost a replication of what had happened near Kasur a small city about 40 kilometers from Lahore only a month ago. Similarly, in 2005, in the town of Sangla Hill, Christian houses, two churches, the pastor’s houses, a high school and convent were ransacked and badly damaged. In 1997 a large Christian village called Shantinagar was reduced to ruins. In all these cases the police did almost nothing to stop the rampaging mobs. No doubt condolences, apologies and assurances pour in from officials and other citizens after the event. But the timely action required to prevent such incidents has always been missing.
The affected and common Christians have strongly condemned the role of Christian politicians and Church leaders who badly handle this issue and did not respond up to the demands and of the people. Affected people have formed their own Action Committee. The political and church leadership housed them in a Church building waiting that people will come to them for the funeral and they will perform funeral. Affected and mourners strongly condemned and protested against them. The local Muslim politicians and civil society organizations were also slow to respond in this situation.
Role of Local and national media
The role of local and national media is shaky. The media tried to show it Christian Muslim clashes not Christian persecution for their faith. The Christians loss was not shown. It was not shown how the masked people in an organized way burnt down the houses within less than two hours.

Urgent Needs:

Ø Ration, (Wheat/Flour) Lentils, milk, tea, towels, soaps, utensils, stoves etc, cooking oil etc.
Ø Bed sheets, blankets, local beds (called Charpai), and clothes for children, women and men, school bags and books.
Ø Bicycles, sewing machines for women, fans, tube lights.
Ø Home repairs/renovation,
Ø Programs for trauma affected people like formation sessions, games with children and women programs etc.

Please visit our websites,:
www.fortheloveofmuslims.org
www.fortheloveofmuslims.com


1 comment:

  1. I just love your blog~I am going to come back when I can really look around!
    Blessings~
    Carrie

    ReplyDelete

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