Pakistani Christian Asylum seekers sow seeds of hope through solidarity vigil

Image

Bangkok: August 5, 2016. (PCP) In a brave show of solidarity Pakistani Christian asylum seekers of Bangkok gathered outside the French and German Embassies in Thailand, determined to sow seeds of hope and peace. In recent weeks the world has been shocked by indiscriminate shootings in the Munich attack, the slaying of dozens by a crazed lorry driver in Nice during the Bastille Day attack and the unwarranted murder of 85 year old Catholic Priest Father Jacques Hamel. All of the attacks above have been attributed to Islamic extremism a phenomenon all to familier to Pakistan's beleaguered Christians. On Tuesday 2nd August emboldened by the visit of the Chairman of the British Pakistani Christian Association, Wilson Chowdhry - Pak-Christians from across Thailand gathered to share a time of prayer and reflection. Many of those gathered had met in a large cluster in the public streets of Thailand for their first time ever, during their unforgiving tenure as UNHCR registered asylum seekers. Meeting in this fashion draws attention and could lead to their arrest and long term incarceration in the brutal Immigration Detention Centres of Thailand. This is because Thailand is not a signatory to international UN Conventions for Asylum and determine that asylum seekers and visa overstayers. Attending the vigil was George Naz, a man who now suffers the ingnominy of re-persecution after being a voice for many victims of persecution in Pakistan. Hos bold stance against extremism which included leading televised protests led to him be targeted by clerics and fleeing Pakistan to avoid sentencing under false blasphemy charges. He has been in Thailand two and a half years and is still awaiting his initial interview that should lead to his 'Refugee Determination Status' (RSD) with the UNHCR. George Naz said: "We cannot stay silent we must speak out against these atrocities. When we choose to ignore the plight of others we are only serving to embolden extremists and in the long term we all will suffer." George prayed for unity amongst mankind and for the scourge of extremism that has encompassed the Islamic world to be purged through love. He called for succour and peace to be restored in the lives of families who have lost loved ones to extremist violence. Whilst the vigil was underway local police officers came to investigate what to them seemed like a disturbance. They started to take pictures and aggressively asked what purpose was behind the gathering. Wilson Chowdhry explained the desire for Christians to seek peace and remember those who had recently lost their lives. The rapid powerful bating of hearts of asylum seekers had a palpable resonance. Fear of arrest has made the Pak-Christian asylum seekers - who make up the largest body of asylum seekers in Thailand - anxious in the presence of police.

You May Also Like

Image

IT Minister Says At Present Internet Fully Operational; Notes Lack of Investment in Telecom Infrastructure in Past Three Years and Blames PTI Govt

Islamabad: (BY PPF) While accepting that internet users in Pakistan faced challenges, Minister of State for Information Technology and Telecommunic

Image

Anwar Kenneth, Mentally Unstable and Death-Convicted for Blasphemy, Awaiting Justice After Years of Legal Delays: Report by Advocate Mushtaq Gill

Pakistan: LEAD Ministries Pakistan has urgently called on the country’s Apex Court to review the medical report submitted by the Medical Boar

Image

Pakistani Christian Mother Pleads for Help to Reunite Family Detained in Thai Immigration Centre. Appeals Juliet Chowdhry

London: (By Hannah ChowdhryOn the afternoon of Thursday, 24th October, Royal Thai Immigration Officers conducted a raid on Phutthabucha Road in Ban



"Trial of Pakistani Christian Nation" By Nazir S Bhatti

On demand of our readers, I have decided to release E-Book version of "Trial of Pakistani Christian Nation" on website of PCP which can also be viewed on website of Pakistan Christian Congress www.pakistanchristiancongress.org . You can read chapter wise by clicking tab on left handside of PDF format of E-Book.

nazirbhattipcc@aol.com , pakistanchristianpost@yahoo.com