Christian Persecution Update
ASIA/PAKISTAN - Firing on Christians: Three injured in Karachi, threats to a Christian MP from Sindh
Karachi (Agenzia Fides) - A group of extremists raided the Christian neighborhood of Essa Nagri, in Karachi, firing wildly and injuring three Christians: Aftab Bhatti Khairat Masih, 40 years old, the 22-year-old Khurram Afzal and the 15-year-old Khurram Ishaq who were taken to hospital. As reported to Fides, the terrorists also hit the Adventist Church of the Seventh-day and the Church of St. Luke. The incident, which occurred on May 19, brings to surface the question of insecurity and persecution of the Christian communities of Essa Nagri and other suburbs of Karachi, the capital of the province of Sindh, city where sectarian violence is widespread.
As previously reported by Fides Agency, the Christian population of Essa Nagri is terrified: violent raids increase, day and night, on behalf of Islamic extremist groups. In the district, densely populated, about 50,000 Christians live in conditions of extreme poverty and lack of basic services and there are about 15 churches of various denominations. The militants enter Essa Nagri holding guns and machine guns, ransacking homes and committing all kinds of violence against defenseless families. They steal, extort money, saying that they must collect the "jizya" (the tax imposed, according to the sharia, on non-Muslim minorities), they strike innocent victims, abuse women for fun. The phenomenon was already reported to Fides by the Catholic politician of Sindh, Michael Javed who had spoken of "rapes and torture of Christian women and children " (see Fides 14/1/2012).
Meanwhile, the Christian community in Sindh fears for the life of Saleem Khursheed Khokhar, another Christian MP, President of the Standing Committee on Minorities and President of "All Pakistan Minorities Alliance" (APMA) in the province. Khokhar resided with his family in Essa Nagri and now he seems to have become the target of extremist groups because of his commitment to the defense of Christian and Hindu minorities. As revealed to Fides, Khokhar continues to receive threats. A recent text message on his cell said: "This is a country for Muslims, no one else can live here." Khokhar reported the matter to the police, who ignored his complaints. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 26/5/2012)
ASIA/SYRIA-Instability and violence, appeal of the Apostolic Nuncio: "Enough with atrocities"
Damascus (Agenzia Fides) - Instability, insecurity, violence, massacres: the scenario in Syria today is bleak. According to the "Syrian National Council", which leads the opposition in Houla, in the province of Homs, 88 people, including civilians and children, were killed by the bombing of the regular army. Fides sources report a different version: the regular army hit Houla, where many Salafist militants and terrorists have found refuge, using civilians as human shields.
The Apostolic Nuncio to Syria, His Exc. Mgr. Mario Zenari, interviewed by Fides, launches an appeal: "This massacre is not the only one, let's hope it is the last. We demand an end to such atrocities. All believers, Christians and Muslims today are called to discover the weapons of prayer and fasting, to rekindle the hope of a peaceful future in Syria."
According to Fides sources in the Christian community, even armed gangs out of control continue to rage and hit innocent civilians. Terrorists have blown up an Alawite's house in the district of southern Rableh near Qusayr, always in the area of Homs. The explosion caused the death of Youssef Airouti, injuring his wife and his son, but also Hallaq Shibli and his wife Niamat Saadiyet, a Christian couple from Qusayr, who found refuge in Rableh. Meanwhile in Homs the Armenian Apostolic Church and adjoining school in the district of Hamidia were seized and occupied by the Syrian military's Liberation Army, who use the buildings as housing and hospitals.
Fr. Romualdo Fernandez, a Franciscan friar of the Shrine of Tabbaleh, dedicated to St. Paul in Damascus, says to Fides Agency: "People are confused and disoriented. Reports of massacres follow but the responsible are not certain. There is pessimism because no one knows what the future holds. There are criticisms to the regime, but also to the rebels of the opposition. As Christians we share the sufferings of the people, tried by the conflict. We work for peace and justice, without adhering to any political faction." (PA) (Agenzia Fides 26/5/2012)
