Re: U.N. receives Muslim 'apostasy' petition

[Seymour Hare]

On Tuesday, 03 Aug 2004 20:29:29 -0600, "Anti-Multiculty"
Antimult...@hotmail.com wrote:

>
>U.N. receives Muslim 'apostasy' petition
>Urges Islamic leaders to allow conversion to another faith
>http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=39756
>August 3, 2004
>
>A major international petition calling on Islamic leaders to allow Muslims
>to convert to another faith was presented to the United Nations.
>
>The petition, signed by 88,890 people from 32 countries, says "Muslims who
>choose to convert to another faith" should be "free to do so without having
>to face a lifetime of fear as a result."
>
>Under Sharia, or Islamic law, Muslims who convert to another faith and
>refuse to repent must be put to death.
>
>The British charity Barnabas Fund presented the petition to U.N. High
>Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour July 28.
>
>The group said it launched the petition a year and a half ago on behalf of
>Muslims who "face serious persecution and massive prejudice in many
>countries around the world" because they choose to leave Islam.
>
>A Barnabas Fund representative also met at the Palais des Nations in Geneva
>with Ambassador Mike Smith, chairman of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights,
>and Soli J. Sorabjee, chairman of the U.N. Sub-commission on the Promotion
>and Protection of Human Rights.
>
>In addition to the signatures, 92 members of the British Parliament last
>year signed a motion that "supports liberal Muslims, human rights
>campaigners and others who are calling for an end to cruel traditional
>punishments for apostasy."
>
>The Barnabas Fund acknowledges the tradition is upheld and taught by most
>Muslim religious leaders around the world. But it notes a reformist
>interpretation that claims an apostate can be put to death only if he also
>is a danger to the Islamic state.
>
>Traditionalists insist, nevertheless, every apostate is a danger to the
>Islamic social order and has committed high treason.
>
>Some schools of Sharia teach the death penalty should be applied to women as
>well. Other punishments prescribed by Sharia include annulment of marriage,
>removal of children and loss of all property and inheritance rights.
>
>In countries such as Iran, Sudan and Saudi Arabia, converts have faced
>imprisonment, death threats, torture and beatings. Some have been executed,
>and others have died in prison or disappeared. Barnabas also notes converts
>often face widespread hostility and aggression from their own families and
>communities even in more moderate Muslim countries and in Western nations
>where Muslims are a minority
>
>The Barnabas Fund says that while hundreds of letters have been sent to the
>Muslim Council of Britain urging a constructive dialogue on the matter, it
>believes not a single response has been received.
>
>Hundreds of letters also have been sent to the main regional heads of
>British Christian denominations with virtually no response.
>
>"Many privately acknowledge the terrible suffering of apostates and admit to
>the gravity of the situation, but are unprepared to speak out publicly," the
>group says.
>
>The British government, according to Barnabas, has produced "very
>non-committal replies appearing to dismiss the plight of those labeled as
>apostates as something which does not concern them domestically since
>'Sharia law does not apply in the UK.'"
>
>But Barnabas points out that in April, Sheikh Omar Bakri Mohammed of the
>extremist Islamic organization al-Muhajiroun issued a fatwa condemning the
>Muslim Labour party peer Lord Ahmed of Rotherham as an apostate because of
>his calls for greater integration of Muslims into British society.
>
>"When even members of its own government are the victims of veiled threats
>as apostates surely this is an issue the British authorities must deal with
>both seriously and publicly," Barnabas says.
>
>The Barnabas Fund's international director, Patrick Sookhdeo, said, "It is a
>tragic day when so few politician or religious leaders can be found who are
>prepared to stick their necks out by simply publicly affirming the most
>basic of human rights to change one's religion, something that has been
>enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights for over 50 years."

ole`