JUBILEE CAMPAIGN USA

OCTOBER 2006 TRIP REPORT:

THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF PAKISTAN

Compiled by

Michele L. Lombardo, Esq.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Introduction 3. II. Thursday October 19, 2006 3-14. a. Trinity Law College 3-4. b. Local Muslim Madrassah 4-5. c. U.S. Consulate, Lahore 5-6. d. Interviews: Christian Victims of Persecution 6-14. i. Pastor Indriaz Masih 7-12. ii. Mrs. Naseem Bibi 12. iii. Robin & Sania 13-14. e. Apna Ghar (“Our House”) 14. III. Friday October 20, 2006 15-21. a. Gujranwala Theological Seminary 15-16. b. Sharqpur Village 16-21. c. TLC Seminar Preparation 21. IV. Saturday October 21, 2006 21-22. a. Trinity Law College Seminars 21-22. b. Dinner and Evening at the Home of Joseph Francis 22. V. Sunday October 22, 2006 22-30. a. Full Gospel Assembly of God Church (FCA), Lahore 22-23. b. Brick Kilns: Modern Day Slavery & Child Labor in Pakistan 23-27. c. United Christian Hospital (UCH), Lahore 27-30. VI. Conclusion 30-31.

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I. INTRODUCTION

From October 15–31, 2006 a Jubilee Campaign USA delegation consisting of Director, Ann Buwalda, Jubilee attorneys Michele Lombardo and Mina Bahgat, Louisiana attorney Joel Pearce, and two guests (Christian airline pilot Daryl Kampwerth and Stand Today Director Kristin Wright), had the privilege of traveling to the United Kingdom, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, and India. Our mission included a series of high-level meetings with government officials, Christian and Muslim religious leaders, and colleagues in the field of international human rights and religious freedom. We were tasked also to conduct fact-finding and follow-up meetings nearly one year after a previous trip to Pakistan and India where we witnessed a number of troubling situations as well as several more promising. We were also privileged with an invitation to return one year after inaugurating the Trinity Law College in Lahore, Pakistan to teach legal seminars to the inaugural first-year law class. We would wrap up our journey as participants in Advocates International’s “Advocates Asia 2006” conference where Christian human rights attorneys and law students would gather from throughout Asia and the former Soviet republics to share fellowship and discuss the challenges facing individual countries and minorities therein, with an emphasis on the legal profession and Christian advocacy. This report is intentionally limited in scope to the Pakistan segment of our journey. A complete report detailing the UK and India segments is available upon request.

II. THURSDAY OCTOBER 19, 2006

Our first day in Pakistan was very busy indeed. Our host in the country was Mr. M.A. Joseph Francis, Director of the Centre for Legal Aid, Assistance and Settlement (CLAAS) – Jubilee Campaign’s longtime partner in Pakistan. In the morning, the Jubilee delegation began with a visit to the now fully-functional Trinity Law College (TLC) – less than one year after we had the honor of participating in its inauguration.

(a) TRINITY LAW COLLEGE (TLC)

Trinity Law College (TLC) was launched in November 2005 as the first human-rights centered law school in Pakistan. TLC functions under the auspices of CLAAS Family International, and is associated with Advocates International, Advocates Asia, Handong International School of Law (South Korea), and Regent University School of Law (VA, USA). The Jubilee Campaign delegation was welcomed by TLC’s Dean, Ms. Aneeqa Maria Akhtar. It was wonderful meeting the inaugural first-year class of law students - all eager

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to make a positive impact upon Pakistan in the areas of religious freedom, human rights, and the protection and advancement of the rights of religious minorities, women, and children. We toured the facilities - now equipped with classrooms, offices, a law library,

and various equipment and amenities, along with an excellent administration, faculty and staff. Jubilee committed to fund and facilitate the expansion of TLC’s law library, pledging to provide additional legal texts and reference materials, and cover costs for shipping of same from the U.S. The Jubilee delegation would return to TLC later in the trip to provide a full-day series of legal seminars for the students, administration,

and others in the community and CLAAS family invited to attend.

(b). LOCAL MUSLIM MADRASSAH

After our TLC visit, the Jubilee delegation met with “moderate” Muslim leaders at a local madrassah (Islamic religious school) called Wafak al Madras. We were joined by CLAAS Director, Joseph Francis, and his son Wasim Muntizar, CLAAS Deputy Coordinator. We were instructed to remove our shoes before entering the building, and once inside we were invited to sit or recline in a large circle on the floor among many large pillows. The madrassah’s leader was an imposing figure with stark white hair, a long white beard, and dressed from head to toe in white – in the traditional garb of Pakistani Muslim clerics. He held a string of Islamic prayer beads in his hand, which he rotated throughout our meeting. An interpreter translated between the gentleman’s native Urdu and our English. He also translated as Jubilee’s Mina Bahgat addressed the gathering in Arabic. Several other leaders from the madrassah participated in the discussion, while still others came and went at different times.

We learned from our host that the institute is part of Pakistan’s general systems of schools, with its head office in Karachi. The President’s name is Saleem Ullah. We were told that there are five major schools of thought/general systems of schools in Pakistan, with a total of 20,000 schools in the general system. Although the conversation was scheduled to be a dialogue between parties, it became quickly evident that

it would instead be a lecture with us the lecturees. The gentleman opined about his thoughts on the US war on terror, and the treatment of Pakistanis at US airports. In perhaps the most unusual statement, he requested that Jubilee invite him to the US where

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he would lecture on the rights of women – a subject of which he explained the West is far behind the Muslim world. It was interesting to note that the fellow – easily 70 years of age or more, was proud to announce the birth of his newest baby by the youngest of his wives – a 16 year old girl.

The Jubilee delegation expressed our concern that madrassahs in Pakistan are seen as recruiting grounds for terrorist organizations rather than simply schools. We asked about the Islamist indoctrination of young boys, and the leaders assured us several times that the “education” provided is strictly by choice and that only “men” – those “old enough to shave” were admitted. Interestingly as soon as we stepped outside after the meeting, we were surrounded by a large group of young boys (none of whom were old enough to

shave) – all dressed in the Islamic school’s uniform.

(c). U.S. CONSULATE, LAHORE

Our next meeting was at the U.S. Consulate in Lahore, where we consulted with the acting U.S. State Department Principal Officer, Ms. Amanda Pilz. Less than one year earlier we had met in the same conference room with Ms. Pilz’s predecessor, Mr. Brian Heath. The earlier meeting had followed a savage attack by more than two thousand Muslims on the Christians of Sangla Hill – all stemming from a false charge of “blasphemy” leveled against a Christian young man who had won money while gambling with village Muslims. Five churches, a convent, and a Catholic girls’ high school were firebombed and burned to the ground, as were many Christian homes. Women and children were particularly terrorized – with many running deep into the nearby sugar cane fields to hide, as others took shelter in the home of the village “minority representative” who held the rampaging mob at bay with two powerful firearms. Rather than capturing the violent perpetrators, police arrested and tortured the brothers of Younas Masih, the Christian young man falsely accused of “blasphemy,” before arresting and imprisoning Younas himself. An embarrassed General Pervez Musharraf – desperate to paint the Islamic Republic of Pakistan as a land of religious tolerance, promised to hold the guilty parties responsible, and to provide funds for the rebuilding of the many decimated structures. We voiced our concern to Ms. Pilz that after the passing of a year, and despite promises by the Pakistani government - it had still neither funded nor rebuilt the Presbyterian church destroyed in Sangla Hill. Ms. Pilz acknowledged this failure, but assured us that the US takes a strong interest in the Pakistani government taking “public action in support of minority communities.” Thus, she reasoned, though the funding and action

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have been delayed – it is a sign of progress that the government publicly expressed support for the Christian community. She added that the State Department would continue to work to see that the Pakistani government show minorities: “not just tolerance, but active respect.” We raised also to Ms. Pilz the case of Ranja Masih – another Christian imprisoned on account of false “blasphemy” charges. Ranja was arrested in 1998 for throwing rocks at a sign in Faisalabad during a demonstration protesting the death of Bishop John Joseph – who had committed suicide in protest of a death sentence leveled against Ayub Masih, another Christian falsely accused, convicted, imprisoned, and tortured under Pakistan’s infamous blasphemy laws. International pressure has been mounting in recent years for the release of Ranja Masih, and it is with great joy that Jubilee Campaign may now report that Ranja was finally acquitted by the Lahore High Court on November 10, 2006, and released from prison – after 8 long years, on November 27. Of course Ranja Masih and his family still face grave danger at the hands of Islamic extremists in Pakistan who believe their government has failed to execute him and it is now in their hands to carry out this sacred duty. The Jubilee delegation discussed a number of other issues with Ms. Pilz. We reported on the progress of the Trinity Law Center (TLC), and invited and encouraged her to attend an upcoming youth conference. We expressed our appreciation for her predecessor, Brian Heath, having attended and spoken at the TLC inauguration the previous year. We discussed also the various topics raised in our madrassah meeting earlier that day – particularly with regard to the offering of Islamist education and our concerns about the subordination of minorities and women. Ms. Pilz noted that Pakistani government schools sorely lack funding, so as a result many parents send their sons to madrassahs which provide not only education but food, clothing and housing. She also acknowledged great problems with Pakistan’s Hudood Ordinances (Pakistani “family” laws that openly discriminate against women – often resulting in “honor killings” by one’s own father or brothers and other terrible punishments), noting that this is a very complex issue at a very complex time in Pakistan’s history, but that “the government is doing its best” to bring about change. She added that the Pakistani government has committed to “improving gender equality and enforcing the rule of law against sectarian violence.” Although we left with no concrete promises of action, Jubilee Campaign and our partners at CLAAS believe strongly that our ongoing presence and dialogue with US government representatives in Lahore fosters essential accountability and important communication.

(d). INTERVIEWS WITH CHRISTIAN VICTIMS OF

PERSECUTION

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In the late afternoon and early evening we returned to the CLAAS offices to interview several Christian victims of Pakistan’s “blasphemy laws” and other religious persecution. Among these was Pastor Indriaz Masih – who one year earlier had been left for dead by brutal Muslim assailants.

i. PASTOR INDRIAZ MASIH

Background On Wednesday November 16, 2005, last year’s Jubilee Campaign delegation visited Lahore General Hospital to check on the condition of Pastor Indriaz Masih and Mr. Lazarus Masih (not related) from the village of Niale da Wara in Manawala, Sheikhupura District. Jubilee Campaign partner and CLAAS (Centre for Legal Aid Assistance and Settlement) Director, Joseph Francis explained to the delegation that this small village is the ancestral home of both Muslims and Christians who lived together in peace for many years. There was a time when more than 60 Christian families lived in Niale da Wara, but when the older generation of Muslims passed away, the newer generation no longer treated Christians with dignity and kindness. Young Muslim men would regularly attack Christian women and girls to sexually abuse them. The Christians no longer felt safe, and today only a handful of Christian families remain. The family of Pastor Indriaz Masih had lived in the village for generations.

The Attack On November 4, 2005, local Muslims were celebrating Eid al-Fitr, the feast ending the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. As part of their “celebration” some of the Muslims came into the village and began shouting anti-Christian insults and harassing young Christian women. Eyewitnesses report that the Muslims were intoxicated, despite consumption of alcohol being forbidden under Islam. When Christian men from the village tried to protect the women, the ruffians became even more confrontational, and a Muslim named Rameez discharged his gun toward a Christian named Binyamin who was fortunately not harmed. The Christian men, including 25-year-old Pastor Indriaz Masih, reported the matter to police, and some of the perpetrators were taken to jail. But after being released the very next day, they decided to take revenge on the Christians for having reported them. On the night of November 5, 2005, an even larger group of 13 to 17 Muslim men armed with guns, wooden planks, metal rods, and other dangerous weapons stormed Niale da Wara. For two hours they fired guns in the air and shouted threats and insults at the Christians who were hiding inside their houses for fear of their lives. At one point the assailants forced their way into the home of Pastor Sadrak Masih of the Salvation Army Church and started beating him. Pastor Indriaz Masih was also in the house, and the assailants brutally beat him with bamboo hockey-type sticks and the handle of a gun. The Muslims accused Pastor Indriaz of having called the police the day before. Two of the men, Rameez and Naisar, savagely beat Pastor Indriaz to such a hideous degree that he was left

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with a shattered skull. One of the men shot Pastor Indriaz, and the bullet nearly severed his left ear in half. Pastor Indriaz was left to die with his skull crushed, his left eye blinded, part of his ear blown off, and near paralysis on the entire right side of his body. Seeing the critical condition of Pastor Indriaz, some of the village Christians transported him to the local hospital, after police would only take him to the police station. But the hospital refused to care for this Christian, supposedly because he was not accompanied by police. They tried a second hospital that was larger, but Indriaz was again refused treatment. Finally, in the early morning hours of November 6, 2005, Pastor Indriaz was admitted to Lahore General Hospital – approximately 60 miles from Niale da Wara. Also admitted was Lazaras Masih, the son of Pastor Sadrak Masih who was beaten during the attack and suffered a broken arm. Back in the village the previous night, the attackers fled when police began to arrive on the scene. But as soon as police left, the Muslim assailants returned and went immediately to beating women and children. The despicable culprits then dragged at least five young Christian women into the fields, tore off their clothing, and sexually assaulted them. When villagers called police this time, no effort was made to respond. Pastor Sadrak Masih then went to the police station and registered a First Information Report (FIR) against the assailants, 13 of whom he was able to identify by name. Only one of the perpetrators was arrested, and the others remain free on pre-arrest bail. Joseph Francis explained that CLAAS lawyers had twice sought to file writs with the court, but were refused a hearing before the judge on both occasions.

Jubilee Delegation’s First Visit On Wednesday November 16, 2005, the Jubilee delegation pulled into the parking lot of Lahore General Hospital. There we observed what looked like a war-torn refugee camp. As far as the eye could see there were men, women, children, and animals wandering around, lying on blankets, and sitting on lawn chairs. Blankets, toys, and discarded food and trash were strewn about on the ground. When we walked inside the hospital, what we saw was even more shocking. The facility was deplorably filthy from top to bottom and the stench - not of cleaning solutions - but of blood, urine, and feces filled the halls. Patients were all out in the open in one large room. Beds and their occupants were lined up one beside another, with low partitions between the rows. Friends and family members sat on whatever they could find, including the beds of other patients.

When we found Pastor Indriaz Masih, we were moved to tears and then outrage. He appeared to be nearly comatose in a small bed, with a filthy blanket, and with a dried blood-soaked bandage wrapped around his head. His left eye was a large white globe with only the faintest remnant of what the color might once have been. Pastor Indriaz was heavily sedated and had rope burns around his

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wrists where he had been tied to the bed during seizures brought on by his severe neurological injuries. Indriaz was not connected to an I.V. – neither for pain intervention nor for fluids and nourishment. In fact, the only fluid he had consumed was water from the warm plastic 7-Up bottle his family brought for him. The Pastor’s “treatment records” were tossed on the bed by his head. One note read: “Multiple depressed bony pieces penetrating brain were removed.” Pastor Indriaz was flanked by his elderly mother, his brother, his young wife, and the couple’s 3-month-old nursing infant son Simon – all of whom had remained by his side since he arrived more than a week earlier. CLAAS had received word of the attack and the pastor’s admission to Lahore General Hospital, on November 8. Joseph Francis and his team rushed to the hospital after midnight to assess the situation. A doctor had only stitched Pastor Indriaz’s ear, but by the grace of God the CLAAS team was able to convince a surgeon to operate despite the late hour. While at Lahore General Hospital, the Jubilee delegation also visited young Pastor Lazaras Masih who was beaten and suffered a fractured arm during the attack. Lazaras’ father, Pastor Sadrak Masih and another relative were by his side. Pastor Lazaras was coherent, and he and his father reiterated the happenings reported above.

Jubilee Delegation’s Second Visit

Two days later, on November 18, 2005, the Jubilee delegation and CLAAS were celebrating the inauguration of Trinity Law College – Pakistan’s first human rights-centered law school. During the festivities, Joseph Francis received a phone call from the family of Pastor Indriaz in which he was told that Indriaz had been discharged by Lahore General. When the ceremony ended, the Jubilee delegation along with Joseph Francis and a team from CLAAS returned to Lahore General Hospital.

We were shocked and appalled to find the critically injured Pastor Indriaz lying in a heap in the hallway on a filthy mat on the concrete floor outside the ward. He was covered with an even filthier blanket, and the dressing on his head had not been changed. A catheter was still hanging from his body, and the bag (which had clearly not been changed in days), was filled to near overflowing with dark urine. Cats and other animals were wandering around, and adults and children were stepping over him on their way to visit their loved ones. Indriaz’s infant son was wrapped in a

blanket and sleeping on the floor beside his father’s head. Pastor Indriaz was clearly in excruciating pain, but he reached for our hands and motioned for us to help him sit up. It was good to see him somewhat responsive, but heartbreaking to witness his abominable surroundings and the unmistakable agony on his face.

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The hospital’s “discharge notice” was tossed near Indriaz’ head. It noted his condition as “satisfactory at time of discharge.” It also noted that he was taking medication orally. CLAAS had to file a writ with the court just to get medication for Pastor Indriaz. We were shocked when we picked up the bottle of “medication” only to discover it was no more than ginko biloba with ginseng. The Jubilee delegation contacted faithful supporters in the United States, and were blessed when finances were forthcoming to have Indriaz transferred to a private hospital.

Pastor Indriaz: One Year Later When I learned we’d be returning to Pakistan, I quickly inquired into visiting Pastor Indriaz. I was thrilled to learn that plans had already been made for Pastor Indriaz to meet with us at the CLAAS office. I did not know what to expect. The last time I had seen him, Pastor Indriaz was in the midst of deplorable conditions on the concrete floor of Lahore General Hospital. His head was covered with bloody post-brain surgery bandages, his ear stitched together after being partially severed, his eye a blinded white globe, his arm hung limp by his side, and an expression of unimaginable agony pierced his prematurely haggard face. Although I had thought of and prayed for Pastor Indriaz many times since last November, his present condition remained a mystery to me. So when we returned to the CLAAS office in the late afternoon of Thursday October 19, I could not believe my eyes. I was greeted by a tall handsome gentleman with a great big smile and a surprisingly familiar face. It was Pastor Indriaz like I had never seen him – alert, cogent, and beaming with joy! I was struck by his crisp clean white clothes, his full head of hair, his well-groomed beard, and an expression free of pain.

We sat together and reminisced as friends eager to catch up. I had so many questions: How had he so miraculously recovered? Did I look familiar to him? Did he remember lying on the hospital floor and being visited by these strangers from America? Before leaving for Pakistan, a Jubilee delegation member from the prior year had asked me to bring a gift to Pastor Indriaz on his behalf and on behalf of his church, and also to show Indriaz a photo of a particularly poignant moment between the two of them. During one of our hospital visits, “Tim” was kneeling on the ground when Pastor Indriaz reached up, clenched Tim’s hand,

and motioned for help sitting up. During a rare lucid period of several minutes, Pastor Indriaz seemed to make eye contact with Tim, myself, Ann, and the others present, and we all prayed together with passion and faith in God. We tried desperately to express through a language barrier and through Pastor Indriaz’ pain and compromised mental condition that we were there to help and would not forget him. When I showed the picture to Pastor Indriaz, his face immediately lit up and he asked if he could keep it. “My brother!,” he exclaimed, and I confirmed: “Yes, your brother Tim.” I told him that Christian brothers and sisters throughout the United States had

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heard his story and knew him by name. He was overwhelmed and expressed great gratitude for the many prayers and financial support that had gone forth for himself and his family. Pastor Indriaz explained that he is doing much better than when we last saw him. He thanks God and the prayers of the saints for the miraculous healing of his brain and the restoration of his mental faculties. Although his left eye remains blind and his right arm paralyzed, he is thankful for sight in his right eye and for strength in his left arm. And although he is able to stand to his feet, he cannot remain standing for long and lacks the strength to walk very far, but remains hopeful that he will continue to recover and regain strength. Pastor Indriaz explained that the perpetrators of the violent assault against him remain at large in his village and continued to taunt him long after the attack. The men regularly pay small bribes to police to secure their freedom. The pressure became so great that Pastor Indriaz and his family relocated to Islamabad about four months earlier. Unfortunately, almost all the remaining Christian families in Niale da Wara have now left the village on account of the ongoing threats and fear that they will again be subjected to violent attacks by Muslims and that police will continue to turn a blind eye and offer no protection or justice.

Pastor Indriaz was happy to tell us he has been given the opportunity to preach in his new church in Islamabad, and that he is “spreading the Gospel again!” He has been unable, on account of his weakened physical condition, to find work to support his family and hopes that in the future he will secure work again as a pastor. He is thankful to CLAAS, Jubilee Campaign, and all those who have generously given of their finances to provide monthly sustenance for his family and himself. Pastor Indriaz was noticeably saddened to report that since we

last met his father passed away, which was a terrible loss for him. He also lost a close aunt only a few days before our visit – which is why he was in Lahore. On a positive note Pastor Indriaz’ wife and his now 1 ½ year old son, Simon, are doing well and happy to have him back in their lives. He also reports that Pastor Lazarus, who had been injured in the same attack, is fully recovered, and that two of the Christian girls who were victimized are doing much better. Although they were too fearful to return to school, they have been studying at home and one was admitted to the Lucy Harrison School in Lahore. I was struck by Pastor Indriaz’ humility and by the complete absence of bitterness in his heart toward those who harmed him and for all he has lost. He is an example of a true follower of Jesus Christ who though he suffered much, asks only for forgiveness for

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those who “knew not what they do.” Pastor Indriaz Masih is both an inspiration and a living testimony of the miraculous healing power of God.

ii. MRS. NASEEM BIBI We met next with Naseem Bibi, a Christian woman arrested and imprisoned for 45 days under Pakistan’s infamous blasphemy laws. On March 3, 2006, Muslim neighbors in the village of Kasur demanded that Naseem sell her house to them because they did not want a Christian family living in the “Muslim area.” When Naseem refused, the Muslims took a crucifix from her house, threw it on the ground and stomped and spat upon it.

After seeing this precious symbol of her faith desecrated, Naseem became so angry that she directed her very small son to urinate on a flyer showing “Khana Qaba” – a stone erected by Islam’s Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in Mecca. Naseem’s Muslim neighbors attempted to set her house on fire, and they dragged her out to beat her. Fortunately police arrived a short time later and rescued her from the mob by taking her to jail. Naseem was arrested for “blasphemy,” and spent 45 days behind bars before being released on bail on April 28, 2006 with the assistance of CLAAS. During her incarceration, Naseem was repeatedly enticed with offers of freedom in exchange for

renouncing Christianity and converting to Islam, and repeatedly threatened that if she did not recite the kalma (a pronunciation of faith in Islam), she would be hanged. Following her release, Naseem and her family received numerous death threats and warnings of the grave consequences that would befall them. Naseem was to terrified to step outside of her house, and when she had to do so to appear in court, she would cover her head and face in an effort not to be discovered. Naseem’s brother fled to Rawalpindi, and Naseem, her husband Gulzar Masih, and their four small children were forced to flee Kasur on account of many death threats. They are now living in Lahore near her husband’s parents. Both Naseem and her husband are uneducated and illiterate. Her husband used to work both at a gas station and a bank, and currently works as a laborer. Naseem has also taken work as a “sweeper” to help make ends meet. Naseem explained that without the financial support of CLAAS, her family could not survive. She also expressed great gratitude for the legal representation CLAAS has been providing. At this writing, it is with great joy that Jubilee Campaign may report that Naseem Bibi was finally acquitted by the Sessions Court Kasur on November 27, 2006. Of course like all Christian victims of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, there will always be those seeking to take justice into their own hands against Naseem and her family, and thus she must remain in hiding.

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iii. ROBIN AND SANIA

We met next with a young couple named Robin and Sania. Robin is a 25-year-old lifelong Christian, and his wife Sania is a Christian convert from Islam. Sania’s mother is a well-known and prominent Muslim in Faisalabad – serving as Mayor of that city, and has many contacts in Lahore, Karachi, and throughout Pakistan.

When the couple met and fell in love, Robin approached several priests to marry them, but they all refused – as it is a serious crime in Pakistan for a Christian man to marry a Muslim woman (although Muslim men are free to marry Christian women who must raise their children as Muslims). Desperate to marry and seeing no other way, Robin agreed to “convert” to Islam. He foolishly reasoned that his “conversion” would be on paper only, and that he would be able to continue his Christian faith

and practice without Sania’s powerful Muslim family finding out. But a short time after they married, it was Robin’s Christian faith that inspired his wife, and Sania expressed her desire to convert to Christianity. Although not illegal per se in Pakistan, conversion from Islam to Christianity is referred to in Islam’s holy Qu’ran as “apostasy,” and the penalty for apostasy is death. In Muslim countries that apply strict Islamic Shari’a law (like Iran and Saudi Arabia), apostasy is indeed punished by execution. In the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, converts face severe discrimination and the very real threat of death at the hands of Islamists and even one’s own family members as apostasy brings shame upon them. When Sania’s powerful Muslim family learned of her conversion, Robin and Sania found themselves relentlessly hunted and pursued by the family and by fanatic Muslim organizations. On account of the many death threats and grave danger to their lives, they fled their home in Faisalabad and have been living in hiding in Lahore. During this trying time, Sania became pregnant and gave birth to twins. One child fell terribly ill with a fever and died because Robin and Sania could not afford medicine and were too frightened to leave the house – even to seek medical attention. When we met the couple, Sania was holding her surviving infant, a baby boy named Rajeel. At 4-months-old, Rajeel appeared to be a sickly newborn weighing no more than a few pounds. Robin explained that sometimes they have no food or money with which to buy it, so they have had no choice but to feed the baby only water. Now Rajeel too is very sick and has an evident cyst. His parents fear the same fate will befall Rajeel that befell his twin brother. The couple was quick to explain that they do not want a hand-out. Rather they seek only safety for their baby, and for themselves so they can work and earn money without fear of being attacked, killed, imprisoned, or having their child kidnapped. There

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is nowhere in Pakistan where they believe they will be safe because Sania’s mother has powerful Islamist connections throughout the country. The situation is dire as so far CLAAS has been unable to place the family elsewhere in Pakistan. CLAAS has, however, begun to assist the family financially each month, and Joseph Francis has arranged for medical care for little Rajeel. Jubilee Campaign made an immediate donation to provide for immediate nourishment and needed medicines.

(e). APNA GHAR (“OUR HOUSE”) Later that evening, the Jubilee delegation visited Apna Ghar (“our house”) - a beautiful facility that serves both as a rehabilitation center and a home for Christian victims of violence and sexual abuse. Tragically, the majority of residents are young Christian women and girls who have been kidnapped, raped, and forced to marry Muslim men (most often their kidnapper/rapist) against their will.

Joseph Francis had noticed through his work with CLAAS that most human rights organizations in Pakistan focus on providing immediate relief to victims – such as legal assistance, medical care, and/or shelter. Very few, he found, provided ongoing counseling and rehabilitation for the survivors of violence. As a result, Joseph set out to establish a rehabilitation center where assistance would be proactive instead of simply reactive. He also dreamed of a safe and nurturing home where victims could heal and rebuild their lives. Enter Apna Ghar. The Jubilee delegation visited this warm and impressive home, and had the opportunity to break bread and

fellowship with staff, volunteers, and several girls and young women who have been transformed by the ministry. The walls are lined with posters showing young children with messages like: “I too have the right to dream” and “I too have the right to progress.” Through legal intervention, CLAAS has successfully won the freedom of many girls and young women from their abusive Muslim “husbands.” The environment is unquestionably nurturing, and everyone present was clearly a beloved and viable part of the Apna Ghar “family.” Each was busy with chores – whether cooking, serving, cleaning, or sewing. Many of the girls are receiving education and skills training for the very first time, and all are given not only love and acceptance, but “space” and understanding to recover from their common traumas. Our first full day in Pakistan was a full one indeed, but we were thankful for every experience and looked forward to the next busy day to follow.

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III. FRIDAY OCTOBER 20

(a). GUJRANWALA THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

The Jubilee Campaign delegation traveled to Gujranwala with Joseph Francis, TLC Dean Ms. Aneeqa Akhtar, and TLC Principal Mr. Samson Joseph. We had been invited by Rev. Dr. Arthur James, Principal of Gujranwala Theological Seminary, to address his students. Our task was to share with these future Christian ministers about the legal rights and restrictions facing religious minorities in Pakistan, and equip them with knowledge and encouragement as to what thy might do to advocate on behalf of their community and improve the situation with regard to human rights and religious freedom in their country. We were asked also to share on the topic of “women’s rights,” hopefully encouraging these future Christian leaders to lead not only by word but by example. We were pleased to see that among the 40 or so young male students in attendance were 4 young female students. We were encouraged to see that the women were not deprived the opportunity to attend seminary along with their male counterparts. And we knew that our particular team (including 3 women lawyers – one of whom is the Dean of a law school and another, the Director of an international human rights organization), would bring an interesting dynamic.

Each member of the delegation addressed the students with topics ranging from Pakistan’s infamous “blasphemy laws” and “Hudood Ordinances,” to international human rights instruments such as the UN Conventions and Protocol on Human Rights; the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women; and the Convention on the Convention on the Rights of the Child. While Ann Buwalda addressed the international

instruments, CLAAS and TLC representatives took questions about specific cases of persecution and the prosecution of Christians and other minorities in Pakistan. Joseph, Samson, and Daryl all made points of expressing the import role women play in law, advocacy, and the Holy Scriptures, and Mina brought the class to laughter when he described humorously his life and legal practice surrounded and led by strong women. By the end of our sessions it was clear that the female students were encouraged both by the presentations and by the warm response of their male colleagues, and that all students were more excited and more equipped than ever to make a difference for Christ in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. The students were also a great encouragement and blessing to the Jubilee Campaign delegation, and we all count the opportunity a tremendous privilege. We hope and pray also that doors will be open for CLAAS and TLC to visit

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other theological seminaries and that word would spread throughout Pakistan that there is a law school in Lahore where human rights, women’s rights, and the protection and advancement of religious and all minorities are championed.

(b). SHARQPUR VILLAGE We left Gujranwala and traveled to the village of Sharqpur in Theki, Sheikhupura District – the same district where the Christians of Sangla Hill lost five churches, a convent, a Catholic school, several homes, and generations of birth, baptism, marriage, and other precious records to rioting Islamist mobs less than one year earlier. On August 7 and 12, 2006, another group of Muslims committed a savage attack against innocent Christian villagers – this time in Sharqpur. Muslim assailants critically injured several men with rifles, machetes, and hatchets, beat vulnerable women and children, sexually abused some women, committed a grenade attack against a church, and destroyed several homes. Then on October 18, 2006, just two days before our visit, the still free Muslim perpetrators returned for a third attack on Sharqpur.

Background

In 1988, a large population of Christians had been flourishing for generations in the village of Korotala, near the bank of the Ravi River. That year a catastrophic flood devastated the area, and forced the Christians to find a new home where they could rebuild their lives. The local Pakistani government offered 16 acres of land in the village of Sharqpur to 67 displaced Christian families. The land would belong to the government, but could be freely lived upon, cultivated, and farmed by the Christian residents. The people lived peacefully upon the land for 18 years, raising their families and going about their lives. Over the years, the land had grown ever more lush and fertile under the care and stewardship of the Christian agricultural community of Sharqpur. Several times over the years, Muslims from the nearby village of Rajian Arian attempted to take the land from the Christians for their own. Fortunately, the matter was resolved on every occasion by the local people without significant conflict. That was until August 2006.

The First Attack In early August 2006, a government utility team responded to a power outage in Sharqpur. While there, Muslims from Rajian Arian questioned the authorities about the value of the land and learned that it had become quite substantial. That was all ring-leader Yaqoob Mehr needed to hatch his barbaric plan. Mehr and his Muslim henchmen violently rioted on August 7, demanding that the Christians of Sharqpur immediately hand over their land. The Muslim mob attacked the peaceful village at about 11:30 a.m. while most of the men were at work and vulnerable women and children were left to face the terror. The despicable brutes stormed the village, broke the steel doors of the church, and started beating every woman and child on which they could get their blood-soaked hands.

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Three Christian men were working in nearby fields, and they heard the cries of these innocent women and children. Munir Masih, Sharafat Masih, and Mehmood Masih (no relation), ran toward the village to save the victims. But before they could save the others, they themselves became victims of a barbaric attack. Wielding rifles, hatchets and machetes, the Muslim assailants inflicted unspeakable pain and injuries upon the Christians. Munir and Sharfat nearly lost their arms to the machetes, suffering deep gashes to their shoulders, and Mehmood nearly lost his legs. All the men suffered gun-butts to the back and elsewhere, along with miscellaneous hatchet and machete slashes.

The men were hospitalized in critical condition. Two Christian women, Sugran Bibi and Salmatay Bibi, sustained serious injuries in the attack as well. All in all, 15 Christian villagers were injured in the first

attack. And in addition to the savage beatings and near fatal stabbings, the Muslim mob hurled repeated death threats at the residents, and demolished the village church and several Christian homes.

When the victims were first taken to the local government hospital, they were refused treatment. It seems that the attending physician, Dr. Bilal, is a relative of one of the culprits, and was pressured to deny medical attention. Moreover, it took police nearly 5 days before responding to Sharqpur’s cries for help. In fact it was not until CLAAS was contacted 4 days after the attack – on August 11, 2006, that anything was done for the Christian villagers. Joseph Francis quickly assembled a team to travel to Sharqpur, and after interviewing the victims and many villagers, Joseph and CLAAS filed a First Information Report (FIR) against the assailants. Arrest warrants were issued for the barbarians, but by 9:00 a.m. the following morning, they had already arranged for “pre-arrest bail” with the intervention of powerful Muslims of Rajian Arian and the collusion of local police.

The Second Attack That very night, August 12, 2006, the Muslim savages attacked again. At approximately 10:00 p.m., an even larger mob descended upon the village of Sharqpur with firearms and hand grenades. They beat the residents – mostly women and children, as many of the men were away attending a local meeting. The Muslims singled out Christian women for abuse, disgracing them by tearing off their clothes and committing horrible evils against them. Not satisfied with assaulting vulnerable women and children, the heavily armed

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Muslims then desecrated the village church – bombing it with hand grenades, and setting on fire several Christian homes. Approximately 30 minutes into the attack, a local resident contacted Joseph Francis by phone, and Joseph along with a team of CLAAS attorneys quickly left for the Sharqpur. As they drove, they telephoned the lead law enforcement offials for the area. Through CLAAS’s efforts, a police Elite Force was directed to proceed immediately to Sharqpur and protect the Christian villagers. A new FIR was lodged against the culprits, and CLAAS made clear to local government officials that if the perpetrators were not arrested and punished and the Christians protected, large demonstrations would be organized throughout Pakistan to protest the government’s acquiescence to violent attacks on the Christian minority. The government responded by dispatching additional security forces, but to date the 30 named assailants have not been arrested. The women and children of the village remain traumatized and terrified at all times of further attack. And those brutally sliced and beaten bear the disfiguring scars of their ordeal on their bodies.

The Third Attack But still the attacks did not come to an end in August 2006. On October 18, 2006, just two days before the Jubilee Campaign delegation arrived in Pakistan, the Muslims of Rajian Arian descended for a third time upon the once peaceful village of Sharqpur.

Early that day, under mounting pressure from CLAAS and other human rights groups, police raided the houses of some of the assailants. The police took with them on the raid one of the Christian villagers, Mr. Mahut Masih. As the police went from house to house, they found that none of the culprits were at home,

and they left empty handed. Then as Mahut Masih was on his way home alone, he was brutally beaten by some of these same Muslim assailants. He sustained serious head injuries, along with a very bloody and nearly gouged-out right eye. When we interviewed Mahut two days after the attack, he was in a terrible condition and told us his attackers said they were “making an example” of him for trying to bring them to justice.

Meeting Between Jubilee Delegation and Sharqpur Villagers

Upon arriving in Sharqpur, we were quickly surrounded, greeted by hugs, and warmly welcomed by the still clearly “shell-shocked” Christians. Each man, woman, and child

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had his or her own experience to report, and they all expressed great hope that our visit would serve to show the Western world that Christians in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan are still persecuted and desperately need our help. At the very least, they hoped that our presence and knowledge of what had transpired would put pressure on the assailants to relent and on the local authorities to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators. We were first given a tour of the village, where we viewed and photographed the significant damage wrought upon the firebombed church and several Christian homes. The church’s steel doors had been bashed in by heavy objects, parts of the roof had been torn off, and many Christian symbols had been smashed and shattered. Burn marks and smoke damage from the grenades and ensuing fire were evident throughout the structure. We saw mud huts and wooden homes with both walls and roofs torn off, along with the charred remains of the structures.

We quickly met several villagers in various stages of medical recovery – some wearing eye patches, others large bandages on their arms, hands, chests, and legs. All of these volunteered to have their scars and injuries photographed, and we arranged to do so in a private setting. Mina Bahgat photographed the men one by one as they described to him and to Daryl Kampwerth the horrific details of the injuries they sustained and the circumstances surrounding each one’s ordeal. After the photographs and individual interviews, the injured victims along with all the Christian villagers of Sharqpur gathered in a large tent erected especially for our meeting.

The bright festive colors belied the dark reality of what these peaceful people had endured. The village leaders escorted Ann, Mina, and I (Michele) to a platform in front of the large audience gathered in the tent. I would be lying if I did not say it was a bit intimidating sitting on that platform. Mina and I, flanking Ann one on each side, gave each other a knowing glance about our surroundings. For in addition to the large crowd of terrified victims, the perimeter of the tent was being “guarded” by Pakistani police personnel – all of them heavily armed, all of them Muslim, and presumably at least a few of them supporters if not accomplices of the assailants. The glance shared between Mina and me was one of (as we later discussed): “If they start shooting I’ll roll left, you roll right, and be sure to grab Ann on your way down…” One-by-one Christian villagers stepped forward to relay their accounts of the various attacks, to express their fears of further attacks and their leas for protection and justice that they might return to their peaceful way of life. One young man, Mr. Manute Iskander, explained how he was injured during the first attack. Manute is a restaurant manager, but because of his injuries (and after being hospitalized for two months), he cannot at this time work and support his family. Among other injuries, Manute suffered deep machete gashes on the back of his thighs – still

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painfully visible in the photographs taken by Mina. What stood out about Manute’s testimony, however, was the deep gratitude he expressed toward a “Muslim brother” in the village who stood with the Christians and “saved our women and children.”

The kind Muslim man is a landlord who will be referred to in this report only as “Zhinni.” After the first attack, Zhinni told the women and children of the village that his home was open to shelter them if anything were to happen again. As promised, he opened his doors to the vulnerable during the second attack, and many women and children took refuge in his gated courtyard protected by his own armed guards – one with an automatic and another with a semi-automatic rifle.

This kind Muslim neighbor also testified before the Jubilee Campaign delegation. He explained that what the Muslims had done was inexcusable, and he knew he must stand against them and do what he could to protect the innocent Christians. But because of this, his fellow Muslims have turned viciously against him, and have made numerous death threats against not only him but against his family. This admirable “Muslim brother” has now himself become a target of the savage assailants, and is in desperate need of protection for his family. After receiving the testimony of many others, the Jubilee Delegation was presented with the current situation in Sharqpur. It seems that 4 minor accomplices in the attacks have been arrested, although the ringleader and most brutal assailants remain free. The Christians of Sharqpur report that the Muslim savages of Rajian Arian continue to threaten and intimidate the villagers – appearing quite often with guns which they fire in the air while shouting anti-Christian slogans and death threats. From time to time the Sharqpur Christians have attempted to report to police the whereabouts of several of the prime assailants, only to be threatened with beatings and death by relatives of the attackers. They also explained that although a few Christians are now serving as armed guards in the village, they are no match for the firepower and numbers of Muslim assailants. Moreover, the nearest police station is 5 to 10 kilometers (a 20-minute drive) away. Life remains tense and infinitely dangerous for the peaceful Christian villagers of Sharqpur, Pakistan. Joseph Francis and CLAAS continue to wage the legal battle and

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provide financial support for the victims, while Jubilee Campaign and other national and international human rights organizations exert pressure on the Pakistani government by raising the plight of these victims and this travesty of justice to the world.

(c). TLC SEMINAR PREPARATION After leaving Sharqpur, the Jubilee Campaign delegation returned to our hotel, where we spent the evening preparing the seminar topics we would present the following day to the inaugural law school class of Trinity Law College. The preparation was extensive, and lasted into the late hours of the night/early hours of the next morning.

IV. SATURDAY OCTOBER 21

(a). TRINITY LAW COLLEGE (TLC) SEMINARS

At 9:00 a.m., the Jubilee Campaign delegation embarked on a day-long series of seminars for the first-ever law school class of TLC. It was a true joy for us to return to this one-of-a-kind institution 11 months after we had participated in its inauguration ceremony. The Dean and administrators had invited us to share on a variety of topics including: (1) The

Magna Carta (its influence on English Common Law and the US Constitution, Bill of Rights, etc. re. the king/government not being above the law, the concept of habeas corpus, etc.); (2) Marbury v.

Madison (the concept of judicial review, the supremacy of the Constitution over conflicting laws, separation of powers, etc.); (3) Legal Powers of the US Supreme Court contrasted with the

Supreme Court of Pakistan; (4) Checks and

Balances under the US Constitution (and in the Three Branches of Government); (5) U.S. Legal

Procedures; (6) Biblical Basis of Laws and Advocacy; (7) International Human Rights

Instruments; (8) The Status of Minorities in Non-Muslim States; and (9) Human Rights

Advocacy (avenues and procedures), among others. The individual seminars varied in length, but each was met with great interest and

attention, and we were truly blessed by the active participation of students who asked many questions and engaged in well-reasoned give-and-take with the presenters. In addition to the participation of TLC’s first law school class, the seminar attendees included TLC faculty and staff, along with guests from the community with an interest in attending law school, as well as other friends of TLC and CLAAS who had attended TLC’s inaugural ceremony in November 2005.

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Midway through the seminars we broke for lunch, during which students, teachers, administrators, staff, and guests all broke bread together and continued both deep discussions and jovial fellowship. The afternoon seminars were met with just as much enthusiasm, and the day ended with a great sense of accomplishment and camaraderie for both the Jubilee delegation and for the TLC students, faculty, administration, and community participants. It was a tremendously satisfying experience for the Jubilee delegation, and we all eagerly look forward to our next opportunity to return to Trinity Law College.

(b). DINNER AND EVENING AT THE HOME OF MR.

JOSEPH FRANCIS

The Jubilee Campaign delegation had the great privilege of spending Saturday evening at the home of CLAAS Director, Joseph Francis and his wife Monica. Among those also in attendance were Joseph and Monica’s son Wasim Munitzar and his wife Sunita Waseem - both tireless CLAAS staffers; members of Sunita’s family; Mrs. Shafguta, General Manager of the Technical Services Association (TSA) – a truly inspiring (and CLAAS-sponsored) institution where children, youths, women, and the physically and/or learning-disabled are provided with education and technical skills training in a nurturing Christian environment; and Dr. Immanuel Benjamin and his wife. Dr. Benjamin is a Pakistani by birth, married to an American woman, who returned only slightly more than one year ago to Pakistan to revive and oversee the United Christian Hospital (UCH) in Lahore. Our discussions that evening with Dr. Benjamin were both fascinating and providential, and we agreed to visit UCH the next day before leaving for India. It was a wonderful evening of breaking bread, of fellowship, and of sharing the activities of Jubilee Campaign with old friends and new.

V. SUNDAY OCTOBER 22

(a). FULL GOSPEL ASSEMBLY OF GOD CHURCH (FGA),

LAHORE We were blessed and honored to be invited back to the Full Gospel Assembly of God Church (FGA), Lahore by its Senior Pastor, Rev. Hizkiel Serosh. Pastor Serosh is a good friend of Joseph Francis of CLAAS, and has had a longstanding relationship with Jubilee Campaign. The first thing one notices upon visiting FGA, is the striking size of this Christian church in the heart of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. There is both an enormous sanctuary, and a large upstairs “overflow room.” In all, approximately two thousand (2,000) Christians worship at FGA every Sunday. Because of the great number of church attacks that have occurred in recent years, armed guards are posted at the front doors. Male

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parishioners submit to a metal detecting wand before entering, and women to having their bags searched. As always, the praise and worship was lively and the service truly moving. Dedication, passion, and the joy of the Lord were clearly evident on every face as believers sang their

hearts out to Jesus – despite the discrimination and evident persecution they live with every day. Each Jubilee team member addressed the congregation briefly, thanking and encouraging them from the heart and from Scripture. The powerful keynote sermon was given by Joel Pearce, and the service was followed by a time of ministry where many came forward for prayer. We were all blessed by the service and by the people of Full Gospel Assembly of God. It was

truly an honor and privilege to have had the opportunity to stand beside our Pakistani brothers and sisters that morning.

(b). BRICK KILNS: MODERN DAY SLAVERY &

CHILD LABOR IN PAKISTAN

Last year’s Jubilee Campaign delegation to Pakistan visited for the first time one of the country’s many “brick kilns.” Illegally enslaved within these rural clay-rich lands on the outskirts of most major cities and towns, are millions of poor and illiterate men, women, and children – most of them Christians, or Muslim descendents of low caste Hindus. Pakistan’s Constitution declares:

Slavery is non-existent and forbidden and no law shall permit or facilitate its introduction into Pakistan in any form. All forms of forced labour and traffic in human beings are prohibited. No child below the age of 14 years shall be engaged in any factory or mine or any other hazardous employment.1

Nevertheless, in 21st Century Pakistan, a deplorable, archaic, and illegal system of bonded labor is alive and well. It is most prevalent in agriculture and the back-breaking work of the brick kilns, but also in mines, the carpet industry and domestic service. Bonded labor is proliferated through an endemic and widespread system of peshgi

(advance money), which exploits impoverished and minority groups. The poorest of Pakistan’s poor approach a wealthy zamindar (landlord) either directly or through a broker (jamadar) for a small loan. The loan is granted as a cash advance that the debtor agrees to pay back through labor. To the debtor, the nominal amount means the difference between life and death for a sick child or starving family member.

1 Constitution of Pakistan Article 11 (1-3). http://www.nrb.gov.pk/constitutional_and_legal/constitution/

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By accepting the peshgi, the debtor, with his wife and children, are bound to the creditor/employer until the entire debt is paid. The unconscionable bonded labor system is designed to insure that debts are never paid off, as arbitrary (and illegal) interest accumulates at extravagant rates without the understanding or consent of poor illiterate debtors.

Debtors, along with their families, are kept in perpetual bondage to these modern-day slave owners. The employer pays a single despicably low wage to the husband, while the wife and children are not compensated for their work. Typically, 50% of the wage is withheld under the pretence that it is applied to the family’s debt. In Pakistan’s brick kilns, families begin their hard labor before dawn and work late into the evening – slaving for more than 12 hours each day, 7 days a week, for less than 1,800 rupees (approximately $30 USD) per month. The UN’s International Labor Office’s (ILO) 2005 global report on forced labor found that 40 percent of brick kiln workers in Punjab and sharecroppers in Sindh:

…had no understanding of their creditors’ calculations concerning debt, the terms of which were dictated unilaterally by the employer or landlord. Many confirmed that they were not free to seek alternative employment while their debts remained unpaid. Between one-fifth and one-third also reported verbal or physical coercion on the part of the landlord or employer. Household illiteracy was a key indicator of both destitution and bondage.2

Fathers, mothers, and their children work in the blistering heat of summer and the punishing cold of winter. The lands on which the brick kilns sit are covered in thick soot being constantly expelled from enormous black chimneys. While husbands and sons raise pick axes and haul heavy loads, wives and daughters wash their family’s tattered clothing in streams and against soot-covered rocks. At the end of the night, the families retire to square brick shelters furnished with nothing but bare bamboo cots – only to begin the cycle again before daybreak. Unfortunately the grueling cycle also includes the likelihood of assault. In February 2006, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) reported:

2 ILO, Report of the Director General: “A global alliance against forced labor: Global Report under the Follow-Up to the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work,” May 2005, p. 31. http://www.ilo.org/dyn/declaris/DECLARATIONWEB.DOWNLOAD_BLOB?Var_DocumentID=5059.

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A rapid assessment on bonded labor, carried out by the ministry of labor, ILO and other organizations late last year, found almost one million bonded laborers in 4,000 brick kilns across the country. Many kilns were unregistered, with virtually no safeguards for workers. Physical and sexual abuse, especially of children, was common with women also reporting rape by kiln owners.3

Children of the brick kilns are denied even basic education and are unaware that they are legally free to leave their lives of bondage or avail themselves of training that could help them secure outside employment. It was a sobering as it was surreal when we visited the “brick lands” last year. It was like stepping into another time and place where we were quickly surrounded by curious children - barefooted, and dressed in filthy rags, their faces covered with the thick soot that billowed from the towering chimneys at the center of their existence. This year the “brick lands” were a bit different. It was deep into Ramadan (an Islamic holy month of fasting) when we visited, so the Muslim laborers and supervisors were at prayer or breaking their fasts when we arrived. We were left, therefore, with the opportunity to visit alone with Christian families in the brick kilns on the outskirts of Lahore. Men, women, and children all greeted us warmly, and eagerly showed us drawings and carvings of crosses and other Christian symbols they had made to decorate various carts and other items around the grounds. We were struck, as always, by the children most of all. Many scurried about naked, thinking nothing of their exposure to the elements, the soot and grime, and the dangerous hazards all around them. Wasim Muntizar of CLAAS spoke with many of the laborers, offering legal assistance and the support of their Christian brothers and sisters should they want or need help. As stated earlier, Article 11 of Pakistan’s Constitution prohibits “slavery;” “child labor” (defined as a “child who has not completed his 14th year of age”); and “all forms of forced labor and traffic of human beings.” And in the case of Darshan Masih v. State, PLD 1990, Supreme Court 513, Pakistan’s Supreme Court ruled against the Muslim brick kiln owners and in favor of the Christian bonded laborers. Nevertheless the ruling and the Constitution itself was slow to be enforced. Then in 1992, Pakistan’s Parliament passed the Bonded Labor System (Abolition) Act (BLAA). The Act provided legal emancipation to all bonded laborers in Pakistan,

3 Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP): “State of Human Rights in 2005,” February 2006. Section 5-3 Labor, p. 231. www.hrcp-web.org/ar_home_o5.cfm.

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declaring them free of any existing liability toward their employers. All bonded debt was cancelled, and no suit could be brought for the recovery of such debt. The Act also provides for punishment of 2 to 5 years in prison with or without a minimum fine of Rs 50,000 for keeping any human being under bonded labor. Unfortunately, the BLAA has never been diligently enforced by Pakistan’s government against powerful bosses in the brick lands. Writs of habeas corpus are filed on an ongoing basis in Pakistan’s High Courts – many by CLAAS, asking that bonded laborers and their families be set free from the clutches of cruel masters who are blatantly and with impunity keeping slaves despite laws outlawing both bonded labor and child labor.

In 2005, the UN observed that bonded laborers were taking extreme measures to pay off peshgi debts they do not legally owe and had sold kidneys to buy their freedom.4

Each kidney, bought from donors on average for between $1,000 and $2,000, depending on the age and health of the donor, is sold to rich recipients for up to 10 times that amount. An increased number of visitors from abroad are traveling to the country to fly out with a brand new kidney, and Pakistan is now thought to be a growing center of global ‘organ tourism’.5

Joseph Francis and the tireless advocates of CLAAS filed 14 habeas corpus petitions seeking the freedom of illegally enslaved Christian laborers in 11 brick kilns outside of Lahore. The Lahore High Court granted the petitions, and 342 individuals were set free on June 13, 2005! Other laborers soon approached CLAAS, which filed an additional 25 petitions. CLAAS was successful once again, and 414 Christian laborers were granted their freedom on June 22!

This did not sit well with the powerful “land bosses” and brick kiln owners. Following the release of the first group of laborers, Joseph Francis became the target of a drive-by shooting. On June 17, 2005, while Joseph and a CLAAS staff member stood outside the office, a hail of bullets rang out and they dove to the ground. By the grace of God both men escaped unharmed, but it is clear that those who engage in this important advocacy face grave danger. Despite this, CLAAS continues to fight the good fight on behalf of Christians and others illegally enslaved in Pakistan. It is interesting to note that over the past year, The HRCP, Anti-Slavery International and other NGOs and labor unions

have also been tireless advocates on the issue of bonded labor, and there is an amazing rising movement among bonded laborers themselves. In early 2006, thousands of bonded

4 Id. 5 Id.

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brick kiln workers organized strikes and protests demanding better wages, kiln registration, “an end to the humiliation of women workers and the withdrawal of all false cases registered by the police at the behest of the owners.”6 7

Kiln owners retaliated by bringing criminal cases against the protesters and many were beaten and arrested by police acting in collusion with the owners.8 The strike ended 8 days later, with government assurances that the BLAA would be implemented.9 Only time will tell if these are more than hollow promises. Slavery in Pakistan – whether through forced labor, trafficking in human beings, or hazardous child labor cannot be tolerated at any level of government or society. These practices rob victims of their dignity and violate the most fundamental of human rights. But advocacy within Pakistan alone is not enough. The

country receives enormous financial support from the United States while its government portrays Pakistan as a nation committed to protecting human rights. No nation that turns a blind eye to the enslavement of its most vulnerable can be considered a protector of human rights. And to reward such a country financially without requiring it to uphold its obligations to human rights is both foolish and alarming. Monetary and political pressure must be exerted on Pakistan’s government. And it is up to free people everywhere to insist that their representatives exert such pressure. It is our hope that next year’s report will find former bonded laborer’s successfully embarking on new professions, and Pakistan’s brick kilns operated safely, within the law, and with employees working reasonable hours, well-compensated, and truly free.

(c). UNITED CHRISTIAN HOSPITAL (UCH), LAHORE As previously noted, the Jubilee Campaign delegation had the pleasure and privilege of meeting Dr. Immanuel Benjamin, Medical Director of United Christian Hospital (UCH), Lahore. We were so impressed by his vision and commitment to return to his homeland to turn an abandoned and decaying Christian hospital into a top-notch facility that we knew we must visit UCH for ourselves before leaving Pakistan. We did so literally “by the skin of our teeth,” as we had only a few hours between our visit to the brick kilns and our flight to Mumbai.

6 See Europe Solidaire Sans Frontieres: “Brick Labourers: Victory in Sight,” 04 May, 2006. http://www.europe-solidaire.org/article.php3?id_article=2143. 7 See International Viewpoint: “Pakistan Brick kiln worker revolt against slave labour,” March 2006. http://www.internationalviewpoint.org/article.php3?id_article=999. 8 Id. 9 See Europe Solidaire Sans Frontieres: “The Bhatta Workers strike ends with a victory note,” 27 April, 2006. http://www.europe-solidaire.org/article_impr.php3?id_article=2022.

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When we arrived at United Christian Hospital, Dr. Benjamin warmly welcomed us and graciously showed us around. The grounds were themselves quite spacious and lovely with a large grassy courtyard accented with several trees and flowers. Red wooden benches dotted the campus, upon which a group of nursing students waved at us from across the courtyard. Certainly the grounds could use work, but there was unmistakable potential. Some of the buildings were clearly more dilapidated than others, but we eagerly embarked upon our tour to hear of Dr. Benjamin’s vision for each. Dr. Benjamin explained that he had initially come to UCH to help restore the hospital’s Nursing School in order for it to obtain recertification from the government. He quickly realized, however, that until the UCH itself was brought to at least a minimum standard of restoration, the recovery of the Nursing School would be impossible. He told us that UCH was “at its zenith” in the 1970s, which in his opinion was a result of the tireless efforts of many of its past Medical Directors, physicians, leaders, and humanitarians. The hospital had unfortunately fallen into disrepair over recent decades, and Dr. Benjamin felt a strong leading from God that UCH could rise like a Phoenix from the ashes and reach a truly new zenith. Dr. Benjamin explained that slow but steady progress has been made and continues to be made every day. The front office has been fully restored, and a new pharmacy has been established and is now up and running. A new exclusively female outpatient service section has been opened, and it is smoothly running and well-staffed and managed.

The Emergency Room has been moved to the old outpatient area, and its approach has been improved by creating an emergency gate for ambulance access. The Jubilee Campaign delegation observed as one gentleman was brought into the ER by ambulance. He was carefully removed on a gurney and taken inside for evaluation and treatment. It was somewhat striking that the hospital and nursing school are up and running in the midst of major renovations, but one gets the overwhelming impression that great care and excellence are offered by and to all involved. Dr. Benjamin explained that the general Outpatient Area has been significantly improved in its facilities, and the numbers of

outpatients are steadily rising. The Pediatric Ward, which had not been operating for 6 or 7 years, has been restored from an empty devastated ward to its original grandeur on the tower’s 5th floor. The Intensive Care Ward is also fully restored, but Dr. Immanuel notes that wall suction, wall oxygen, and modern monitoring equipment are still needed.

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With regard to modern equipment, the Laboratory is in the greatest need of improvement. In October 2006, UCH purchased a new blood analyzer at a cost of Rs. 255,000 (approximately $4,200 USD), which has been a true lifesaver for the hospital. Dr. Benjamin explained that the hospital used to have four entrances, which created security problems. Now there are front and rear entrances only, and both are secured by armed guards – which is customary (and necessary) for hospitals in Pakistan. The Eye Department, which in its past had thrived before being abandoned by a German mission, has also been restored under the leadership of some faithful Korean supporters. Dr. Benjamin showed us an area of the Eye Department building that had been poorly constructed with many cracks in the walls. With the help of UCH’s Korean friends, reconstruction of the area would begin in early November – just weeks after our departure. Completed construction on Eye Department is estimated at late January 2007.

Dr. Benjamin explained that the Nursing School, although functioning when he arrived, was in a dilapidated condition. The roofs had leaked during the rainy season for years, and the false ceilings had deteriorated. Most of the lavatories were out-of-order and many permanently sealed shut. When Dr. Benjamin first arrived, he found only 3 or 4 poorly functioning commodes for more than 100 nursing students. Walls in rooms and hallways needed sanding and repainting, and window screens were torn

and in disrepair. The latter was of particular concern to Dr. Benjamin, as the tropical climate of Pakistan brings with it a high incidence of Malaria and a rising danger of Dengue Fever – both brought on by mosquitoes which must be kept out by proper screens. Dr. Benjamin quickly took to addressing these problems, and the Nursing School now boasts brand new roofs/ceilings; all toilets either replaced or fully repaired; hallways that have been fully repainted; rooms and hallways now well-lighted; and more than 75 percent of the screens replaced, with the remaining 25 percent in the works. Dr. Benjamin explained that the kitchen and dining facilities are still in great need of a complete overhaul, and the library is in desperate need of modern medical books as those currently stocked were published in the 1940s and ‘50s. In an additional effort to modernize the Nursing School, Dr. Benjamin has hired a Special Secretary who in addition to administrative duties will teach computer skills to the student nurses. Among other needs, UCH is currently very short of accommodations for their visiting staff of technologists, physicians, and nurses. Dr. Benjamin explained that this is a very important project to complete, because without these professionals, there is little chance of UCH raising the funds it needs to continue providing care for the poor. The hospital is located in a wealthy part of Lahore, and thus living accommodations for local and visiting physicians and others is quite expensive, as is the cost of building and renovation. Dr. Benjamin and his wife host in their own residence quite a few visiting individuals at

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all times, which leaves very little space and privacy for any of them. Funding is desperately needed to purchase, construct, or lease a hostile or other such facility that could house on an ongoing basis visiting and local technologists, physicians, and nurses. Personnel have been added who are vitally important for the functioning of the hospital – particularly Admission and Discharge officials in the front office. Dr. Benjamin explained that Pakistan offers nearly no medical insurance whatsoever, and that medical care is generally purchased and bargained for, with concessions routinely requested. He explained that watchful discretion is necessary, and for that there is now the Department of Admission and Discharge. He also explained that a Reception Department has been created, which serves as the “face of the hospital.” Proper accounting procedures had been lacking in the institution for many years, and Dr. Benjamin has seen to it that qualified and trustworthy individuals have been hired, and the hospital’s audit are now up-to-date. Another new addition is that of a Maintenance Department staffed with carpenters, electricians, and plumbers so that the hospital can carry out its own building, renovations, and repairs. On November 15, 2006, Dr. Benjamin forwarded to Jubilee Campaign a “UCH Wish List.” The list includes a significant amount of equipment greatly needed for the Radiology Department, the Laboratory, the Operating Rooms, and elsewhere in the hospital. Despite the great challenge ahead, Dr. Immanuel Benjamin is a true visionary and a faithful steward of the task at hand. He has made tremendous progress already, and inspires in others an absolute expectation that UCH will reach its full potential. Every physician, nurse, staff member, and worker we met was cheerful and confident, as is Jubilee Campaign. It is our desire and intention to stand with Dr. Benjamin in his endeavors to establish a Christian hospital and nursing school in Lahore that provides excellent and affordable medical care in a safe and nurturing environment, and that also stands out in the community as a beacon of light.

After leaving the UCH, the Jubilee Campaign delegation picked up our luggage and proceeded to the Lahore airport, from which we left on a 10:00 p.m. flight to Karachi, Pakistan. We arrived in Karachi just before midnight, and traveled on the following morning, October 23, 2006, from Karachi, Pakistan to Mumbai (Bombay), India.

VI. CONCLUSION Jubilee Campaign USA is aware of and sensitive to the fact that Pakistan’s cooperation in the “War on Terror” is of vital importance to the United States. Nevertheless, neither Jubilee Campaign nor the United States can turn a blind eye to the great number of human rights and religious freedom abuses perpetrated in and by the Islamic Republic of Pakistan – particularly against its Christian minority.

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The Christian victims of Sangla Hill have still not been compensated, protected, or permitted to rebuild their churches after last year’s horrific attacks, despite public government assurances feigning support for the Christian minority. The Christians of Sharqpur village are among an ever-increasing number of innocent victims violently terrorized by the Muslim majority, with the acquiescence and often active participation of local police and other government authorities. Pastor Indriaz Masih, Naseem Bibi, and Robin and Sania are just a few among countless innocent Christian victims of religious persecution in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Pakistan’s notoriously unconscionable and inherently abusive “blasphemy laws” have been repeatedly used since their inception to both prosecute and persecute Christians solely on account of their religion. They are conveniently invoked to settle personal scores, grab land, or simply to see that members of the religious minority are imprisoned and/or killed, and their families forced to flee and live the rest of their lives in hiding. Likewise Pakistan’s Hudood Ordinances have been used repeatedly to prosecute and persecute women (with Christian women particularly vulnerable at the very bottom of Pakistani society), often resulting in hideously violent deaths at the hands of family members or village elders. Christian (and Muslim descendants of low-caste Hindu) brick kiln workers continue to be enslaved in an archaic and illegal system of bonded labor. The victims include millions of women and children who are robbed of their dignity, their humanity, their God-given freedom, the opportunity to receive an education, their health and safety, and their very childhoods. Jubilee Campaign is pleased to see the establishment and success of Trinity Law College in Lahore, and the renovation and reestablishment of United Christian Hospital, Lahore. We are honored to partner with Joseph Francis and CLAAS in the ongoing, and often dangerous, efforts to end discrimination, abuse, and violent persecution of Christians in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. We will continue to draw both national and international attention to the plight of Pakistan’s Christians, and we strongly implore and expect leaders of the United States Government to both stand with us and take the lead in raising these concerns and exerting financial and other pressure upon General Pervez Musharraf and our other “allies” in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.