Egypt refuses to pay heed to Qaeda demands

Egypt refused yesterday to react to demands over two Coptic women rumoured to have converted to Islam made by an Al Qaeda group in Iraq that claimed a deadly hostage-taking in a Baghdad church.

SITE monitoring group said the Islamic State of Iraq, an Al Qaeda branch which claimed Sunday’s attack that left 46 Christians dead, gave Egypt’s Coptic Church 48 hours to release the two women or it would attack Christians across the region. Islamists (A branch of the Muslim Brotherhood) resort to open and direct threats directed at the Copts.

“Egypt categorically rejects having its name or affairs pushed into such criminal acts,” the foreign ministry said in a statement. It also “strongly condemned” the attack on the church. Egyptian Government distances its self from this radical criminal sect.

The Christians, including two priests, were killed in a raid on a Baghdad cathedral to free dozens of hostages held by Al Qaeda gunmen. Lord have Mercy upon these innocent Martyrs. The Murder of members of the clergy can not be sufficiently denounced in words.

In an audiotape on SITE’s website, a man who said the Islamic State of Iraq’s suicide brigade was behind the kidnapping warned that the region’s Christians would be targeted if the two women were not released.

The women, Camilia Shehata and Wafa Constantine, are the wives of Coptic priests whom Islamists have said were forcibly detained by the Coptic Church after they had willingly converted to Islam.

“If you turn your churches into a prison for Muslim women, we will make them graveyards for you,” he said, threatening to kill hostages if the group’s demand was not met.

“It won’t stop just with killing the hostages but you will open on the sons of your religion a door you do not wish to be opened,” he continued.

“Not just in Iraq, but also in Egypt and Sham (Syria alone, or Syria, Lebanon and historic Palestine), and all the countries of the region,” the warning reads. The tape also addresses the Vatican, which convened a two-week synod of Middle East Catholic bishops last month. These threats point to an undisputable link between the Muslim Brotherhood and the Iraqi group responsible for this Massacre. This issue has been propagated by the Islamic Media (many of which President Mubarak has ordered be taken off the air in the last month).                                                                                                                                       A radical member of the Muslim Brotherhood WAGDY OMAN was aired on TV inciting violence directly against the Copts. In his rant he resorts to the Islamic trait of “Taqiyya”, LYING.  

( الكنائس مليئة بالأسلحة وكشف المستور.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Cy_yxSM0s4 )

During his skilful articulation of blatant lies and deception, (that he has clearly mastered) he accuses the Coptic Church of stockpiling firearms in readiness for the 10% Coptic population to attack the 90% Muslim population (70,000,000,000). Yes that is a lot of bullets. He then refers to the fabricated allegations relating to the conversion of these two women. To add insult to injury, he openly calls upon Muslims, Imams and sheiks to annihilate the Coptic People. He continues by warning “Do not thing America will come to your rescue, I swear by god we will eliminate that the Copts before the Americans get here, this is an Islamic country”. Every Copt has a duty to call for the immediate arrest of this retarded delusional mad man.

“We say to the Vatican, as you met days ago with the Christians of the Middle East, regardless of their sect, to support them, now pressure them to release our captive sisters, or killing will reach all of you and (Coptic Pope) Shenouda will bring destruction to all the Christians of the region.”                                                                                             

Shehata disappeared for a few days in July, setting off Coptic protests. Police found her and escorted her back home, triggering protests by Islamists who said the church was detaining her after she converted to Islam. Footage of a women claiming to be Shehata after converting to Islam surfaced on the Internet, firing up the protests. The Coptic Church says she was not the woman in the footage.                                                                                                                                        

The aging Muslim Brotherhood, are on the decline in Egypt, they are fighting for survival and have resorted to blatant sectarian division to gain Momentum. Over the past 2 months hundreds of these radical members of the outlawed brotherhood have been rounded up by the Egyptian government and have extended state of emergency in Egypt. In addition in the past 24 hours, 22 Muslim Brotherhood members have declared they WILL not run for Nov 28 elections. This has led to speculation of an internal rift within the Brotherhood; they have a following of about 200,000 members in a population of 80,000,000,000. Not withstanding they are the minority of the least; they continue to terrorise the country and the Middle East region with their radical interpretation of islam. Even though they are a banned organisation and recognised as a terror group, they run for election under the pretence of “Independents”, under the slogan of “ISLAM IS THE SOLUTION”. Yes it is the solution, the solution to doom, gloom, destruction, persecution, oppression and discrimination.

Wafa Constantine also went missing, in 2004, reportedly after her husband refused to give her a divorce. She was temporarily sequestered at a convent as reports of her conversion were circulated. The two cases threatened the fragile sectarian balance of the country, where Copts make up about 10 percent of Egypt’s 80-million population and have been the target of sectarian attacks. AFP

SUMMATION:

The murder of at least 46 Christians (some reports say up to 65 deaths), including two priests and the wounding of some 70 people, has received minimal coverage in the media.

I am sure you all recall the outcry by the Muslim community when an “unknown” Pastor in the USA threatened to burn 1 Koran. It caused mass hysteria in the Muslim world.

Likewise the uproar when a journalist drew some petty cartons of Mohammed. The lopsided reaction of the Muslim world is reprehensible. I have yet to see any Islamic association, group, Imam, or Sheik denounce such an attack. They profess to be Moderate Muslims, yet do not care when non Muslims are slaughtered in a place of worship by their Islamic brothers. As always the proof is in the pudding, how would the Muslim world if a group of non Muslims stormed a Mosque and executed the exact same crime in the exact same manner. I would say all hell would break loose and our pathetic politicians would be tripping over each other in a rush to apologise and appease the Muslims. The imbalance has reached the apex of absurdity, the continual reference to these barbaric Muslim extremists as “terrorists” so as to not offend the sensitivity of the Muslim community has become a curse.                                                                                                  The underlying point here is, no matter how much the western allies attempt to help and free these Islamic countries from the shackles of suppressive regimes, all they are doing is deposing leaders and opening the way for radical Islamic warped mentalities to seek and gain power.      Iraq will now become another Lebanon and Palestine, where radical Islamists such as Hamas, Hezbollah (and now this mental group in Iraq) oppose any moves to install a true democracy. Islam DOES NOT want a democracy; they want Islamic states under shariah laws. The west must re think their strategy and actively hunt these dogs down, starting with the Muslim brother hood, recently described in Egyptian parliament as “the root of all evil”. (http://almasryalyoum.com/en/news/ndp-stalwart-calls-muslim-brotherhood-root-all-evil)

Most importantly, this whole saga brings to the fore the fundamental problem, namely the Koran. The whole issue of religion and faith in the Islamic world must be dealt with. The notion that the average person can directly involve ones self and interfere in another persons private choice of religion is at the crux of the problem. Islam is so fragile and delicate that Islamists resort to the Koran and invoke the term “apostate” to maintain membership of this warped ideology. The issue of freedom of religion is a major dilemma in the Islamic world. Every individual is free to adhere to whatever faith he/she desires. The concept of incorporating laws in any legal system that control ones faith is prehistoric draconian and repressive. Egypt goes one step further, every adult must carry an ID card, and the ID card states the person’s religion. Imagine the outcry if a western country introduced the same principal where the Muslims are the minority. Again they would cry foul. In essence, Islam is a one way street of double standards and bigotry. Islam adheres to the principal of “you can not treat me in your land as we will treat you in our land”, and they wonder why there is so much rejection of Islam. I am a firm believer of “What is good for one is good for all or no bloody good at all”.

Christ taught us “treat others as you would have them treat you”. Allah taught them, the contrary, and that Muslims are superior to all non Muslims, and they wonder why there is a current “war on Islam” under the guise of “war on terror”.

Below are news links to disturbing news out of Iraq where at least 37 Christians were killed inside a church.

The Islamists behind the attack have also issued a warning to the Coptic Church in Egypt and requested that they return the alleged converts to Islam. (the converts they are referring to are non-existant and if anything there are hundreds of Coptic girls who have been coerced into Islam in recent decades).

There seems to be a link between this devastating attack in Iraq to recent hatred and incitement propogated by Muslim leaders in Egypt and thousands of there followers.

Below are links to UN permanent missions around the world. Please write to them and request that Egypt takes a tougher stance on the incitement and hatred unfairly directed at non-muslims in Egypt and throughout the middle east by these terrorist individuals who are succeeding in their campaign of hatred against Christians.

Unfortunately many of these so called Muslim leaders and Brotherhood members end up successfully applying for Asylum in Western Countries including Australia. Threats have now turned into bloodshed.

http://news.uk.msn.com/world/articles.aspx?cp-documentid=155139098

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_world/view/1090608/1/.html

http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2010/11/01/124429.html

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=priests-among-37-christians-killed-in-iraq-hostage-drama-2010-11-01

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Conference on The Plight of Minorities in Arab and Muslim Countries

Yesterday, Tuesday 26 October 2010, the Center for Democracy and Human Rights in Saudi Arabia (CDHR) played host to a gathering of organizations representing minority groups with populations in Arab and Muslim countries. The Copt, Hindu, Baha'i, Kurdish, Muslim and Jewish communities were among those represented. The conference's objective was to find ways to improve the basic human rights of all minorities as well as the rights of women.
Dr. Ali Alyami, the executive director of CDHR, brought the groups together to find common cause and unify the messages and efforts of the separate groups in order to more effectively bring political pressure on, and affect change within, Arab and Muslim governments.
Representatives from the Centre for Counterintelligence and Security Studies, Kurdish Human Rights Watch, Muslims for Progressive Values, the National American Coptic Assembly, the Voice of the Copts, the Religious Freedom Coalition, the Hindu American Foundation, National Assembly of the Baha’i and the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom participated.

Obama, world leaders address Sudan referendum at UN summit

President Obama has called for Sudanese leaders to implement the referendum agreed upon in 2005 both peacefully and on time, stressing the impending 2011 deadline. Obama called for the decision, as well as the oil rich territories of the south, to be respected; a statement clearly directed at Bashir and those in Khartoum. Different NGOs also called upon world leaders to contribute financially and logistically to the success of the referendum.

Given the fact that almost nothing is in place thus far, is pulling off this whole thing on time too much to ask or is it more important to stick to the timetable? Or would pushing it back just be delaying the inevitable given the strong support for secession in the south?

"At this moment, the fate of millions of people hangs in the balance," Obama told world leaders gathered at the United Nations to discuss the country's future. "What happens in Sudan in the days ahead may decide whether a people who have endured too much war move towards peace or slip backwards into bloodshed."
The vote is scheduled for January.
It would allow the autonomous southern region -- which holds a majority of the nation's oil -- to secede from the north. Fears that the process would cause more instability in the war-torn nation have sparked concerns among the international community.
"The referendum on self-determination ... must take place peacefully and on time," Obama said. "And the will of the people of southern Sudan and the region of Abyei must be respected regardless of the outcome."
Abyei is a disputed oil-rich city in southern Sudan.
"The worst-case scenario is war. Nobody wants war, but both sides are preparing for war," said John Ashworth, a southern Sudan analyst. "There are still major stumbling blocks. We have just over a hundred days to the referendum and virtually nothing is in place."
Obama called the stakes surrounding the vote "enormous."
"We all know the terrible price paid by the Sudanese people the last time north and south were engaged in war," he said.
The referendum was part of a 2005 peace agreement that ended two decades of violence between the north and the south. The conflict led to the deaths of 2 million people, many from starvation.
"This is the awful legacy of the conflict in Sudan. The past must not become Sudan's future," Obama said.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon echoed Obama's comments, saying, "The Sudanese people cannot afford a resumption of conflict. We must all assist them in finding a peaceful way through one of the most important passages in their country's history."
Analysts say that a failure in Sudan would have broader implications, including sparking instability in the region.
International aid agencies are urging world leaders to act as the referendum nears.
"Failure to act risks a new eruption of violence and threatens the future of Africa's largest country, with just over 100 days until the referendum to decide whether the south should remain part of Sudan," five international aid agencies said in a letter to world leaders.
Oxfam, the International Rescue Committee, Tearfund, World Vision and Christian Aid warned that the next three months will be crucial for Sudan. The aid agencies work in the nation.
"This meeting will show whether they have the commitment to make the financial and political investment needed to help Sudan have a peaceful future," said Kirsten Hagon, head of the Oxfam office in New York. "Today's decisions will affect the lives of millions of Sudanese people."
Obama cautioned, however, that "no one can impose progress and peace on another nation."
"Ultimately, only Sudanese leaders can ensure that the referendum goes forward and that Sudan finds peace," he said. "There's a great deal of work that must be done and it must be done quickly."
Ban laid out expectations for the referendum as decided by the international community.
"We expect the referenda to be peaceful, carried out in an environment free of intimidation or other infringements of rights," he said. "We expect both parties to accept the results, and to plan for the consequences. And finally, we expect the parties to adhere to the [comprehensive peace agreement], without unilateral acts on either side, north or south."
Obama said that those Sudanese leaders who follow the path to peace will enjoy improved relations with the United States, including agricultural development, expanding trade relations and "even working to lift sanctions if leaders fulfill their obligations."
But for those "who flout their responsibilities ... there must be consequences," he said, warning of "more pressure and deeper isolation."
Meanwhile, Amnesty International called on Sudanese authorities Friday to halt what it described as the intimidation of journalists. The group said journalists are regularly detained for carrying out their work while others have been tortured or tried on politically motivated charges.
"No credible poll can be conducted in an environment where freedom of speech is being so openly violated," said Rania Rajji, Amnesty International's Sudan researcher.
"The governments of north and south Sudan must ensure the vote is held in an atmosphere where all Sudanese can freely express their views and halt any further restrictions to freedom of expression."
Currently, Omar al-Bashir is the president of Sudan, while Salva Kiir serves as the president of the southern region and the nation's vice president.
At stake in the referendum are Sudan's massive oil reserves, found mostly in the south, but still controlled by the government in the north.
Ban said the U.N. mission in the country has trained more than 9,000 southern Sudanese police ahead of the vote.
"U.N. staff will be positioned in every county in southern Sudan during the polling," he said. "I have also established a panel to facilitate a credible, transparent process."

And Ban pledged the United Nations' continued support "in assisting all Sudanese in fulfilling their long-held hopes for a better future."

The United Nations' Declaration of Human Rights, 1948

Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world. 

Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people. 

Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law. 

Whereas it is essential to promote the development of friendly relations between nations. 

Whereas the peoples of the United Nations have in the Charter reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women and have determined to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom. 

Whereas member states have pledged themselves to achieve, in co-operation with the United Nations, the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms, 

Whereas a common understanding of these rights and freedoms is of the greatest importance for the full realization of this pledge,... 

Human Rights

Human rights are what reason requires and conscience demands. They are us and we are them. Human rights are rights that any person has as a human being. We are all human beings; we are all deserving of human rights. One cannot be true without the other.
Kofi Annan, Secretary-general of the United Nations

 This Internet project is designed for secondary students to explore the historical and contemporary developments of human rights in the 20th century. It incorporates a series of Internet activities with the following aims:

• to increase students' knowledge of human rights
• to focus students' attention on values, attitudes and beliefs about human rights
• to develop students' understanding of individual and collective human rights
• to explore laws which embody human rights and promote them in practice.  

The term human rights is a relatively new one in history, yet human rights abuses and issues have been around for many centuries. History is littered with examples. For many reasons the United Nations adopted and proclaimed resolution 217 A (III) on the 10th of December 1948. This resolution was the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

 The United Nations document Universal Declaration of Human Rights, is a product of its time. There are notable omissions, such as indigenous peoples and children, and the language used is full of gender bias. Notwithstanding these, the Declaration is one of the most important international documents because it has influenced law-making, how organisations and institutions operate, personal and collective actions, values, attitudes and beliefs about human rights.

 The Universal Declaration of Human Rights identifies many rights. Here are some examples:

• life, liberty and security of person
• freedom from slavery and servitude
• freedom from torture, or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
• equality before the law (isonomia)
• not being subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile
• freedom of movement and residence
• nationality
• the right to marriage and to found a family
• freedom of thought, conscience and religion
• peaceful assembly and association
• work
• health
• education.

 In the years since it was written it has become the measure by which people can judge what human rights are and therefore what constitutes abuses of, and issues surrounding, these rights.

 The study of human rights is laden with values and attitudes and these need to be confirmed or confronted. There are no easy ways to avoid the horrific evidence of abuses, the consequences of which some people live with every minute of every day.

 If we want a world where human rights abuses are consigned to history, then it is up to all people, as individuals, communities and nations to be vigilant, and knowledgeable about human rights. 

 As Mahatma Gandhi said, "You must be the change you wish to see in the world." 

 It is easy to find examples of human rights abuses or issues. Here are some:

• 1900s:1990s In different times throughout this period, the segregation of people based on colour in the United States of America and Australia or the apartheid regime of South Africa
• 1940s:1950s The Gulags of Russia
• 1960s:1970s Chemical warfare in Vietnam
• 1970s: Attempted genocide by Idi Amin in Uganda and Pol Pot's "killing fields" in Cambodia
• 1980s: Attempted genocide of Kurds in Iraq
• 1990s: Ethnic cleansing in Kosovo or militia violence in Timor
• The use of child labour
• Implementation of mandatory sentencing in some nations
• Disadvantages girls face in education because they are girls
• Not all nations have universal suffrage
• Many people are victims of racism

 It is estimated that at least 60 million people have died or been maimed (emotionally and physically) in wars and human rights abuses since 1945. The number of victims continue to climb.

 But the number of people promoting human rights through education and the media, the growth of organisations protecting people through action such as Amnesty International or Doctors without Borders, and government legislation, such as human rights and equal opportunity acts, reflect the impact of Universal Declaration of Human Rights since its adoption and proclamation.

 The Universal Declaration of Human Rights has become a standard by which the dignity and worth of the human person can be measured.

Coptic Rights Group Sounds Off Against 'Dangerous Tide' in Egypt

Intimidation and incitements targeting Christians in Egypt are on the rise, according to a Coptic human rights group.

And, as Egypt enters into a volatile period of political changes, U.S.-based Coptic Solidarity fears that the “blatant” incitements could eventually degenerate into wholesale violence against Copts and their spiritual leaders.

“Above and beyond the never-ending and routine scenario of violence, discrimination, alienation, and persecution the Copts have endured, there has been an alarming upsurge of significant anti-Coptic activities over the recent weeks,” the rights group reported this past Thursday.

Among the incidents include a series of “wild demonstrations" – the latest on Oct. 8 – in Cairo and other cities demanding the delivery of a Coptic priest’s wife, who demonstrators insist had converted to Islam. Despite “vehement affirmations” that the conversion rumors are baseless, leaders of the demonstrations have vowed to carry on with more mob outbursts and “other daring means” until the woman is handed over.

In another recent incident, an Islamic book publisher printed a "forged Bible" that the Coptic Church said amounted to blasphemy and religious intolerance.

The owner of the Islamic Enlightenment Publishing House, Abuislam Abdullah, wrote in the introduction of the publication that the goal of printing the text was to “prove” there are multiple versions of the Bible and that Christians had “forged theirs.”

In a statement, Abdullah also said the version of the Bible his company published was written before the Book of Genesis.

The Coptic Church, in response, demanded the publishing house take the book off the shelves and said it would consider taking legal action if the company did not remove the text from publication. It called the book “extremely offensive.”

Notably, however, such ridicule of Christian and Jewish holy books has been “systematically” taking place, noted Coptic Solidarity.

Meanwhile, even passing remarks remotely critical of Islam’s holy book, the Quran, are denounced as blasphemous.

Last month, the Coptic Orthodox Church’s second highest ranking cleric was cited in the Egyptian media for wondering about the time frame for the revelation of the Quranic verses disputing the divine nature of Jesus Christ.

Bishop Bishoy reportedly said these verses were inserted by one of the Prophet Muhammad's successors after his death – a statement that sparked outrage as Muslims believe that Muhammad received all verses through the Archangel Gabriel during his lifetime and that they are the immutable word of God.

The bishop also reportedly said "Muslims are only guests" in the country, though Coptic Pope Shenouda III later blamed the press for possibly misquoting Bishoy as Coptic Christians make up around 6 to 10 percent of the country's 80 million people.

After the bishop’s remarks were made known, thousands of Muslims demonstrated and the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs, a formal state body headed by the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, strongly condemned the remarks in question.

The council further took the opportunity to point out that "Egypt was, according to its constitution, an Islamic State" and that "the citizenship rights of non-Muslims were conditional on their abiding by the Islamic Identity of the State."

The council’s statement, Coptic Solidarity noted, “revers[es] modern progress and downgrad[es] the Copts to their formerly historical status of mere Dhimmis – suppressed and humbled non-Muslims living under the will of Islam.”

“Such thinly veiled menace further risks making the Copts a religiously-sanctioned target of more persecution and violence,” the human rights group noted.

In light of these and other developments, Coptic Solidarity rebuked the “usually intrusive Egyptian authorities” for remaining silent and accused them of possibly “trying to use Islamic radicalism as a means to channel against the Copts the escalating social discontent in the country.”

“Coptic Solidarity made the point to hold the Egyptian authorities and political leadership fully responsible, and demand that effective measures be taken immediately to abate this dangerous tide,” it concluded.

Although Egypt's Muslims and Copts have generally lived in peace, tensions are on the rise over the construction of new churches and reported cases of conversions.

Since 2002, Egypt has been on the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom’s “Watch List” for its serious religious freedom violations, including widespread problems of discrimination, intolerance, and other human rights violations against members of religious minorities.

While small, Egypt’s Coptic population stands as the largest Christian community in the Middle East and is also among the oldest. The Apostle Mark reportedly founded the Coptic Church in the first century when he brought Christianity to Egypt. Muslims brought Islam to Egypt six centuries later, after which the country gradually came to be predominantly Muslim.