Pakistani Justice
Yet another unfortunate misunderstanding between Muslims and Christians. These miserable incidents keep occurring with distressing regularity. The intolerance appears to be reflected in the belief of deeply devout Muslims that the minority Christians in their midst are deviously engaged in attempts to destroy vestiges of Islam. As in the blasphemous acts of destroying a Koran, as in the insulting of the blessed name of the Prophet Mohammad.And in Pakistan this is a capital offence, along with the expressly forbidden act of daring to abandon Islam to effect a dreadfully unforgivable act of heresy deserving of death. Hundreds of Christians are reported to have clashed with police across Pakistan on their most holy of days, Sunday. The day before, a mob of Muslims burned down homes owned by Christians, retaliation for insults against the Prophet.
One must ask the obvious question: knowing beforehand what the result would be in offending the sensibilities of devout Muslims what Christian would ever be so utterly devoid of the sense of self-preservation that they would go out of their way to insult any manifestation of Islam's presence in their midst, particularly those living in a majority-Muslim country known for its rabid response to perceived insults.
It is well enough known that Pakistani lawmakers sympathetic to the oppressed plight of the Christian minorities have been rewarded for their compassion and their attempts to have unjust laws altered to reflect a more humane treatment of minorities, by bloody assassination. It is well known that even a hint of sacrilege will bring out the avenging ferocity of the Muslim mob, whose imams during Friday prayers urge revenge?
This past Friday in the eastern city of Lahore a Muslim accused a Christian man of blasphemy, clearly known to anyone as an offence punishable by life in prison or death. The day following hundreds of furious Muslims ran rampage through the Christian neighbourhood, destroying some 170 houses owned by Christians. This is reminiscent of the outrage over accusations a Christian child last year defaced pages of a Koran.
Authorities have acted swiftly to contain the situation, arresting 160 suspected mob members, many identified through TV footage and photographs published in newspapers. Mob violence is such a common occurrence in that country, that even while initial arrests are made to quell further disturbances and protect authorities against charges of disinterest, it is unlikely anyone will ultimately be held to account.
In 2009 in the eastern city of Gojra a deadly attack sparked by allegations of blasphemy resulted in the burning of dozens of homes, and the death of eight Christians, seven of whom represented a single family trapped in a burning home. The Lahore Christians had taken the precaution of fleeing their area before the arrival of the mob, so there was no blood shed, but police failed to prevent the mob from destroying Christian homes.
On Sunday in Lahore hundreds of Christian protesters, some holding aloft large crucifixes, blocked a highway, pressing their impassioned demands for improved compensation from government. They were complimented by the firing of tear gas canisters, and batons. The local government promised they would assist Christians in rebuilding their homes.
"I have been robbed of all of my life's savings" Yousuf Masih stated. The 200,000 rupees ($2,000) offered as compensation would hardly serve to replace what he has lost to mob violence. The protesters are demanding that the compensation be raised to $10,000. The Christian man accused of blasphemy has been taken into custody and an investigation will ensue. Perhaps it should have been done in reverse.
Those who had been among the attackers are being investigated for offences including arson, robbery, and astoundingly, given current legislation, insulting the feelings of the Christian community. A local bishop in the Lahore Christian community felt the incident was one of personal enmity between two men who had brawled after drinking one night, and the next morning the Muslim man cooked up the story about blasphemy.
Labels: Atrocities, Christianity, Conflict, Islamism, Justice, Pakistan
posted by Pieface @ Tuesday, March 12, 2013
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