Comments and UN Council on Human Rights statements by David G. Littman: representative and spokesman for the World Union for Progressive Judaism at the United Nations in Geneva.
While at home and in hospital for treatment on and off over the past months, I managed to read books and prepare five oral statements and one written statement for the 16th session of the UN Human Rights Council, which began on February 28 (with a week of “˜higher segment” speakers) and will end on Friday, 25 March — with the usual “˜clusters” of resolutions. As usual, I propose to share with your readers these five brief statements on several “˜sensitive” subjects, which were all delivered without the speaker being stopped on a “˜point of order” by dictatorial states” delegates. Things are even changing at the Council after widespread uprisings throughout the Arab world!
I was able to deliver my 1st WUPJ statement on the “˜Martyred Christian Minorities in the Middle East and the Blasphemy laws of Pakistan” — our verbatim text March 11 text is printed below. The UN webcast link for readers to view this 2 minute delivery is provided here.
Another bout of prior pneumonia sent me back to hospital the next day and a good friend kindly offered to read my two oral WUPJ statements under items 6 (March 18) and the “˜Palestinian” item 7 (March 21). After ten days I was home & “˜kicking” and managed to deliver — even with a croaking voice — two crucial oral statements yesterday (Tuesday, March 22) on “˜violence against women” and on ongoing Blood Libel accusations — with a special Appeal to Pope Benedict XVI to have removed the infamous 1840 Father Thomas plaque, still on display in a Damascus church.
These four additional oral statements and the written statement (with the two UN webcasts of me speaking yesterday) will follow during the next days, to allow interested Jihad-Watch readers to take one bite at a time and not be overwhelmed with too much material on one posting.
WORLD UNION FOR PROGRESSIVE JUDAISM
UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL — 16th session (28 Feb. — 25 March
2011)
Statement by David G. Littman, spokesman for the WUPJ
Promotion and protection of all human rights … minority issues (item 3)
Dwindling Christians in Middle East / Blasphemy laws in Pakistan and at the UN
Sir, on Christmas Day we renewed our Appeal to the High Commissioner for the martyred Christian minorities of Iraq. [1]
The grave human tragedy of Middle East Christians is worsening weekly. Since 1986 we have reminded delegates of a well-known Middle East saying: “After Saturday comes Sunday”: after the dhimmi Jews have been expelled from Arab lands [2], it will be the time of the dhimmi Christians. The hazardous position of Muslim minorities in most Muslim-majority countries should also be condemned.
In a 1998 written statement to the Sub-Commission we detailed the tragedy of John Joseph, Bishop of Faisalabad [3], who killed himself to protest Pakistan’s blasphemy laws against non-Muslims. [4] His suicide was related to the “blasphemy” case of Ayub Masih. [5] Asma Jahangir [6] secured the release of two other Christians in 1995 on similar blasphemy charges & was also involved in Masih’s case.
A few hours before his tragic death, Bishop Joseph publicly declared that all the charges were false and were concocted to force 15 Christian families to drop a local land dispute with Muslim villagers. He urged religious leaders and all segments of society in Pakistan to support the campaign for the repeal of the iniquitous blasphemy laws. [7] Nothing has happened since then.
A year earlier [8] at the 1997 Commission, the Organization of the Islamic Conference described as “˜blasphemy” a true passage on Arab-Muslim Antisemitism quoted in the Special Rapporteur’s Report on Racism [9]. Two months ago, Punjab’s Governor Salman Taseer, who opposed the blasphemy laws, was shot by his own bodyguard; and only 10 days ago Pakistan’s Christian Minority Minister Shahbaz Bhatti was slaughtered by the Punjabi Taliban. [10] His assassins left leaflets promising to kill those who followed in his path “With the blessing of Allah, the mujahideen will send each of you to hell.”
Sir, it is time for this Council to recognise the growing danger worldwide from “jihadist” killers, who consider all non-Muslim minorities as inferiors, refusing equal & universal human rights to “˜infidels” and “˜dhimmis”. Let Pakistan explain what it plans to do to end its egregious blasphemy laws, targeting Christian and other minorities — which clash with the International Covenants.
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[1] Cf. the High Commissioner for Human Rights statement (7 January 2011), condemning religious attacks worldwide.
[2] Only a remnant of Jews remain, c. 5″000 from 950″000 in 1948 (½ of 1%); c. 30,000 in Turkey & Iran (c. 200″000, 1948).
[3] Chairman of Human Rights Commission of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Pakistan; d. 6 May 1998.
[4] http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G98/131/77/PDF/G9813177.pdf?OpenElement; Written text:
E/CN.4/Sub.2/1998/NGO/3: 14 July 1998 (available): Blasphemy legislation in
Pakistan’s Penal Code
[5] He was incarcerated in solitary confinement & sentenced to death by Session
Court Judge Rana Abdul Ghaffar (27/4/98).
[6] She became the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief from
August 2004 to July 2010.
[7] In his last circular letter published on 7 May 1998 in the Lahore edition of the
newspaper Dawn.
[8] 18 April 1997 at the Commission on Human Rights; and on 27thAugust
1997 at the Sub-Commission on Human Rights.
[9] The Report was by the then Special Rapporteur on Racism (until 2002), Maurice Glélé-Ahanhanzo (Benin).
[10] In December 2010 Minister Shahbaz Bhatti recorded a statement and asked that it be sent to the BBC in the event of his death. It was thus seen worldwide after he was slaughtered: “I am living for my community, and for suffering people” he said, gazing directly at the camera, “and I will die to defend their rights. I prefer to die for my principles, and for the justice of my community rather than to compromise.” No fellow Muslim minister dared attend his funeral and many lawyers publicly supported his killers.