Afghanistan: Protesters, Parliament Members Threaten
Christians

Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.)
http://www.realcourage.org/2010/06/afghanistan-right-to-believe/

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 the 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.