ASIA/PAKISTAN - At Sangla Hill Christians still mobilised: 20 December protest prayer organised by the Bishops’ Justice and Peace Commission

Monday, 19 December 2005

Lahore (Fides Service) - Christians of different denominations continue to protest against anti-Christian violence at Sangla Hill, near Lahore, where an angry mob of over a thousand Muslim fanatics set fire to three churches on 12 November. The Justice and Peace Commission of the Catholic Bishops of Pakistan has announced a Day of Protest and Prayer for 20 December, 40 days after the serious episode.
The Archbishop of Lahore Lawrence Saldanha and Mr Peter Jacob, secretary of the Justice and Peace Commission urged people to take part in the peaceful demonstration to urge the government to guarantee more legality, pluralism and religious tolerance and to take steps to prevent discrimination and aggression in the name of religion.
According to a statement announcing the Day of Prayer and Protest, the aim is to keep attention on the incidents and reiterate requests made by Christians, identification and punishment of those responsible, prevent other incidents, abolition of the blasphemy law, to which so far there has been no answer. The statement expresses appreciation for the government’s offer to pay the expense of rebuilding the torched churches and calls for the release of a young Christian Yosaf Masih detained in prison falsely accused of profaning the Koran. It would seem that this false rumour triggered the anti-Christian attacks at Sangla Hill.
The All Pakistan Minorities Alliance representing religious minorities in Pakistan has said it will take part in the protest tomorrow. Archbishop Saldanha, who is also president of the Bishops conference announced that the Bishops had written another letter to President Pervez Musharraf calling for more decisive action on the part of the government to prevent discrimination against religious minorities.
In the meantime Catholics are working hard to rebuild the torched Holy Spirit Church in Sangla Hill in time for Christmas Mass.
(Agenzia Fides 19/12/2005 Righe: 27 Parole: 279)


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