Sub-Committee on International Human Rights Votes to Investigate Persecution of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community

Canadian Sub-Committee on International Human Rights voted to investigate persecution of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Pakistan and Indonesia and to make recommendations to the House of Commons Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Ottawa, ON (Issues Wire / PRWEB) June 19, 2008 -- Submissions were made to the House of Commons Sub-Committee on International Human Rights on the persecution of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Pakistan and Indonesia, by representatives of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community on June 17, 2008.

Mr. Nasim Mahdi, Missionary Incharge and Vice President of the Ahmadiyya Community in Canada, provided a comprehensive overview of the history of the persecution of the Ahmadiyya Community in Pakistan, a worldwide community dedicated to the principles of peace, interfaith dialogue, service to humanity and a non-violent interpretation of Jihad (holy struggle). Mr. Mahdi explained that these principles are deeply offensive to militant extremist mullahs and the reasons they target the Community for persecution. For example, by simply referring to themselves as Muslims and their religion as Islam, and engaging in simple acts of worship and devotion, Ahmadis are charged with the offense of "posing as Muslims", an act which the law considers offensive and insulting to "real" Muslims but only when committed by Ahmadis.

Not only do the militant extremists ultimately wish to achieve their goal of the eradication and genocide of the Ahmadis through their misinterpretations of Islam, but they are also determined to achieve the destruction of democratic institutions in Pakistan, Indonesia and other countries.

In his submissions, Mr. Nadeem Siddiq, General Counsel of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Canada, stated that not only successive Pakistani governments placate and capitulate to the demands of militant extremist mullahs to deny Ahmadis their rights; the Supreme Court has provided justification for the imposition of the death penalty for peaceful Ahmadi religious practice.

Mr. Siddiq also provided a description of the nature of the persecution taking place in Indonesia describing it as akin to Pakistan in the 1970's when the Ahmadiyya were first declared as non-Muslim. As both Pakistan and Indonesia are fragile democracies, Canada has an interest in encouraging these governments to resist the pressure and influence of militant extremist groups because these same groups are also bent on establishing their own oppressive Taliban-style governance.

After receiving the submissions and receiving responses to their questions, the Sub-Committee on International Human Rights passed a motion to further investigate the persecution of the Ahmadiyya Community in Pakistan and Indonesia and to make recommendations to the House of Commons Committee on Foreign Affairs.

For copies of submission click: www.islamevents.ca/media

For further information: on the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Canada visit: www.ahmadiyya.ca; or www.alislam.org;

Media Contact: Mumtaz Butt -- Manager Press and Media Relations,
Telephone: 647.723.6425, 1.866.779.1525 (Canada)
Email: AmjMedia @ Ahmadiyya.ca

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