In Afghanistan, over 1,000 protesters have demonstrated in Mazar-e-Sharif in northern Afghanistan against foreign Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and allegations of proselytizing by two Christian aid organizations, with protesters calling for punishment against Christian converts.
Afghanistan: Over 1000 at Mazar-e-Sharif Protest against Christian Converts
This June 8 protest follows a previous demonstration on May 31, 2010, where hundreds of protesters at Kabul University called for the death or expulsion of any those who might seek to convert Afghans to Christianity.
Afghanistan: Mazar-e-Sharif Protesters Upraised Fists against Christian Converts
The latest protest demonstration in Mazar-e-Sharif on June 8, 2010, called for organizations that proselytized in Afghanistan be banned and burned an effigy of Catholic Pope Benedict XVI. The hour-long protest in Mazar-e-Sharif was composed mostly of students, who chanted “Death to America! Long live Islam!” (See also link to 3 News video.)
Afghanistan: Mazar-e-Sharif Protesters Burning Effigy of Pope Benedict XVI
New Zealand’s 3 News quoted one protester Zabiullah Khan as stating: “We want those who have converted from Islam to be punished. We also want the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to ban all the churches that have been established and any organization spreading Christianity here.” On May 31, 2010, Radio Free Europe/Radio Free Liberty reported that “Those found to be promoting Christianity or any other non-Muslim creed can face the death penalty.” Previously Afghanistan judges, prosecutors, clerics, and Parliament members have called for the death penalty for Afghans who converting to Christianity.
The US-based World Church Service and the Norwegian Church Aid were suspended from operations in Afghanistan after a local television claimed that they were promoting Christianity, which is illegal in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, despite claims in its Constitution observes the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Both organizations denied these accusations.
The Church World Service Deputy Director and Head of Programs Maurice A. Bloem stated that “Our work is entirely humanitarian — meaning we are impartial, neutral, and independent. We fully adhere to and support the Red Cross/Red Crescent Code of Conduct, which mandates that Ingots do nothing to further a religious agenda. We have never and will never engage in any religious proselytism. Such activities are contrary to our mandate as a humanitarian organization, and we fully respect the religion of the communities we serve. Any allegations that we have engaged in proselytism are entirely false — and we are fully cooperating with the investigation by the Ministry of Economy and look forward to its result.”
The Norwegian Church Aid denied this allegation stating that “In Afghanistan, as in the rest of the world, Norwegian Church Aid does not work to convert people to another religion.”
On June 1, 2010, a member of the Afghanistan Parliament called for the death penalty for any possible Christian converts. AFP and ICC reported that Abdul Sattar Khawasi, deputy secretary of the Afghan lower house in parliament, called for the death penalty of Afghanistan citizens choosing to become Christians, shown in a television program showing Afghans being baptized with water. Khawasi stated: “Those Afghans that appeared in this video film should be executed in public, the house should order the attorney general and the NDS (intelligence agency) to arrest these Afghans and execute them.” RAWA also reported that “Qazi Nazir Ahmad, a lawmaker from the western province of Herat, said killing a converted Muslim was ‘not a crime.'”
Image of Afghan Being Baptized - Shown to Afghanistan Parliament
The Afghanistan Parliament has previously called for the death of other Afghans who converted to Christianity. In the report of a previous Christian convert, the Afghanistan Parliament demanded that the individual not be allowed to flee the country to escape the death penalty for his freedom of conscience.
Such rejection of freedom of conscience is contrary to the Afghanistan Constitution which claims to “observe” the Universal Declaration of Human Rights , according to Article 7 of the Afghanistan Constitution which reads: “The state shall observe the United Nations Charter, inter-state agreements, as well as international treaties to which Afghanistan has joined, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”
Afghan Parliament Calling for Death Penalty for Apostates (Photo: Gulf Times)
Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) supports our unqualified, universal human rights for all people – including their freedom of religion, freedom of worship, and freedom of conscience, as defined in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.” Our unqualified support for such universal human rights do not apply just for those we like or those who are like us, but for all people, everywhere, whether it is convenient or not, and whether it is popular or not.
We offer an outstretched hand, not an upraised fist, to those who reject such freedoms, and urge them to understand that such human rights are for us all.
We urge the Afghan people, the Afghanistan government to accept such universal human rights for all people. We call upon the United States government, international governments, international bodies, and the American and European people involved in the Afghanistan war to demand genuine support of such universal human rights by the Afghanistan government – and to be Responsible for Equality And Liberty.
We urge those who support hatred and violence to people of different faiths and different identity groups, to release the burden of hate and violence from your hearts. Choose Love, Not Hate. Love Wins.