Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Peshawar (Agenzia Fides) – Over 170 schools have been attacked and destroyed in two years; over 400 girls schools forced to close their doors due to threats and a climate of terror. Among these are many Catholics schools as well as those of other Christian faiths, which are even attended by Muslim children too. This is the result of the campaign to reduce the education system, especially in the area of private girls' schools, which is being carried out by the “Pakistani Taliban” in the Swat Valley, in the North-West Frontier Province. It is a territory that is today being governed by extremist groups that have replaced civil authorities.
The private schools, which are run by Christian groups and institutions or other associations and private entities, have decided to close their doors, so as to avoid risks linked to a declaration, made through a local radio station, that threatened the attack of buildings, staff, and students of any establishments remaining open after January 15. Directors, staff, and parents of the private schools decided that, given the situation, it would be best to close their doors for an undetermined amount of time, for obvious reasons of security and not to place the lives of the students at risk. They mentioned that they will only open their doors once the notice is revoked.
“My dream of graduating has been shattered,” said Sarah, an 18 year-old girl who attends the Catholic girls' school run by the Carmelite Apostolic Sisters of Sri Lanka in Sangota. She is just one of over 125,000 girls who are affected by the situation and deprived of their right to an education.
The school run by the Sri Lankan sisters was the first forced to close its doors, after being attacked last Fall with bombs that destroyed the building (see Fides 6/11/2008). Its activity has thus ended and the sisters have left the area. The school was built in 1965 and had nearly 1,000 students, mainly from poor Christian and Muslim families in the area of Swat.
The Swat District, which covers nearly 150 km of the Northeast of Peshawar with a population of 1.8 million people, has become in recent years a battlefield for skirmishes between the Pakistani army and Islamic extremist groups that following the retreat of the military, have taken charge of the area. What now abounds in the area are acts of intimidation, threats, physical and verbal aggression one after the next, as the “Pakistani Taliban” continue to terrorize the non-Muslim population, imposing forced conversions to Islam and forcing the minorities to flee the area.
The Christians of Pakistan (2.5% of the population) are now seeing a glimmer of hope in Catholic member of Parliament Shahbaz Bhatti, who entered with the new government of Raza Gilani as Minister of Defense of Religious Minorities. The Minister says that he accepted the position “in order to defend the oppressed and marginalized communities of Pakistan” and says that he hopes to dedicate himself entirely to “the battle for equality, religious freedom, and minority rights.” (PA) (Agenzia Fides 19/1/2009)
