Monday, September 18, 2006
MPAC Condemns Murder of Nun, Welcomes Pope's Apology
Salam/Peace:
The Muslim Public Affairs Council today condemned the murder of an Italian nun in Somalia, which reportedly took place as a result of Pope Benedict XVI's remarks on Islam last week.
MPAC also welcomed the apology offered by the Pope today, in which he said that he was "deeply sorry" about the angry reaction to his recent remarks about Islam, which he said came from a text that did not reflect his personal opinion. Pope Benedict sparked the controversy when, in a speech Tuesday to university professors in his native Germany, he cited the words of a 14th century Byzantine emperor who characterized some of the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad as "evil and inhuman." On Sunday, he stressed the words "were in fact a quotation from a medieval text which do not in any way express my personal thought."
The Italian nun was shot in the back in the Somali capital of Mogadishu by two gunmen. The nun's bodyguard and a hospital worker were also killed, doctors said. In the West Bank, two churches were set on fire.
MPAC unequivocally condemns any violence in response to the Pope's remarks as being antithetical to the teachings of Islam.
On Friday, MPAC reached out to American Catholic leaders urging them to convene a dialogue between Catholic and Muslim leaders.
In a letter to Cardinal Roger Mahoney of the Los Angeles Archdioces, MPAC Executive Director Salam Al-Marayati and Senior Advisor Dr. Maher Hathout, stressed the need for the Vatican and Catholic leaders to clarify and explain the remarks. The letter states in part: "In this spirit of dialogue and understanding that we continue to further, we would like to call for a meeting and dialogue regarding the recent comments made by Pope Benedict XVI. We do not want to allow for those individuals who call for divisiveness at such volatile times to speak on behalf of our communities. We pray that our continued dialogue will bear fruit and that this issue will be clarified in the most appropriate manner."
MPAC representatives appeared on national news programs on Friday to respond to the Pope's remarks. SEE: "Should Pope Apologize?" feat. National Director Ahmed Younis (MSNBC's "Tucker", 9/15/06) Under "More Tucker Carlson", click on "Video: Should Pope apologize?" to view video. SEE: "Pope vs. Muslims" feat. Communications Director Edina Lekovic (Fox News' "O'Reilly Factor", 9/15/06) http://www.foxnews.com/oreilly/index.html Click "Video" then select "Pope vs. Muslims" to view video. Founded in 1988, MPAC is a public policy and service agency working for the civil rights of American Muslims, for the integration of Islam into American pluralism, and for a positive, constructive relationship between American Muslims and their representatives.
The Muslim Public Affairs Council today condemned the murder of an Italian nun in Somalia, which reportedly took place as a result of Pope Benedict XVI's remarks on Islam last week.
MPAC also welcomed the apology offered by the Pope today, in which he said that he was "deeply sorry" about the angry reaction to his recent remarks about Islam, which he said came from a text that did not reflect his personal opinion. Pope Benedict sparked the controversy when, in a speech Tuesday to university professors in his native Germany, he cited the words of a 14th century Byzantine emperor who characterized some of the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad as "evil and inhuman." On Sunday, he stressed the words "were in fact a quotation from a medieval text which do not in any way express my personal thought."
The Italian nun was shot in the back in the Somali capital of Mogadishu by two gunmen. The nun's bodyguard and a hospital worker were also killed, doctors said. In the West Bank, two churches were set on fire.
MPAC unequivocally condemns any violence in response to the Pope's remarks as being antithetical to the teachings of Islam.
On Friday, MPAC reached out to American Catholic leaders urging them to convene a dialogue between Catholic and Muslim leaders.
In a letter to Cardinal Roger Mahoney of the Los Angeles Archdioces, MPAC Executive Director Salam Al-Marayati and Senior Advisor Dr. Maher Hathout, stressed the need for the Vatican and Catholic leaders to clarify and explain the remarks. The letter states in part: "In this spirit of dialogue and understanding that we continue to further, we would like to call for a meeting and dialogue regarding the recent comments made by Pope Benedict XVI. We do not want to allow for those individuals who call for divisiveness at such volatile times to speak on behalf of our communities. We pray that our continued dialogue will bear fruit and that this issue will be clarified in the most appropriate manner."
MPAC representatives appeared on national news programs on Friday to respond to the Pope's remarks. SEE: "Should Pope Apologize?" feat. National Director Ahmed Younis (MSNBC's "Tucker", 9/15/06) Under "More Tucker Carlson", click on "Video: Should Pope apologize?" to view video. SEE: "Pope vs. Muslims" feat. Communications Director Edina Lekovic (Fox News' "O'Reilly Factor", 9/15/06) http://www.foxnews.com/oreilly/index.html Click "Video" then select "Pope vs. Muslims" to view video. Founded in 1988, MPAC is a public policy and service agency working for the civil rights of American Muslims, for the integration of Islam into American pluralism, and for a positive, constructive relationship between American Muslims and their representatives.
PCHR Condemns Attacks on Palestinian Churches
Salam/Peace:
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
PRESS RELEASE
Ref: 101/2006
Date: 17 September 2006
Time: 13:00 GMT
PCHR Condemns Attacks on Palestinian Churches
PCHR strongly condemns the series of attacks launched on a number of churches in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), following a statement by Pope Benedic XVI lately reported by the media. This statement has been met by criticism all over the Islamic World. PCHR believes that such attacks on churches is an extension of the state if security chaos in the OPT, which requires the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) to intervene to stop them.
According to investigations conducted by PCHR, 6 churches have been attacked by unknown persons in the past two days in Gaza City, Nablus, Tulkarm and Tubas. These attacked have followed a statement by Pope Benedic XVI in a university lecture in Regensburg, Germany on Tuesday, which has been strongly criticized in the Islamic World.
At approximately 05:40 on Friday, 15 September 2006, a bomb exploded in the Orthodox Church in al-Zayoun neighborhood near Omar al-Mukhtar Street in the center of Gaza City. The explosion destroyed the door of the Orthodox Youth Center inside the Church and a number of windows were broken. At approximately 14:00 and 15:30 on the same day, unknown persons threw two home-made grenade at the Church.
At approximately 12:00 on Saturday, 16 September 2006, 5 unknown persons threw a Molotov Cocktail bottle at the Biblical Church in Rafidya neighborhood in Nablus. Doors and stores were burnt, and walls were damaged. The same persons then fired another Molotov Cocktail bottle at the New Orthodox Church, causing similar damage.
At approximately 15:30 also on Saturday, a number of unknown persons fired a number of gunshots and then threw a Molotov Cocktail bottle at the wooden door of the Royal Church in Rafidya neighborhood in Nablus. The door was burnt.
At approximately 16:00 also on Saturday, 3 masked gunmen traveling in a civilian car fired at the office of the Council of Church Agents in the Orthodox Church in Gaza City. No casualties were reported.
At the same time, unknown persons threw a number of Molotov Cocktail bottles at the Latin Church in Rafidya neighborhood in Nablus.
At approximately 03:00 on Sunday, 17 September 2006, a number of persons broke the locks of the external gate of the Orthodox Church in the center of Tulkarm, and then broke the lock of the internal door leading into the Church. Soon after, they set fire inside the church, burning all of its contents. According to Daoud Metri Khar’ouba, the servant of the Church, the attackers stole some of the Church’s contents. The Church is the only one in Tulkarm, and only a 15-member Christian family lives in the town.
At the same time, unknown persons broke the northern window of the Orthodox Church in Tubas village, southeast of Jenin. They then set fire inside the Church. The northern part of the church was burnt, before firemen were able to extinguish fire.
PCHR strongly condemns these attacks on Palestinian Churches, and:
1. Believes that these attacks is an extension of the state of security chaos in the OPT;
2. Totally rejects attacks on holy sites for whatever reason;
3. Calls upon the PNA, represented by the Attorney-General, to investigate these attacks and bring their perpetrators to justice; and
4. Calls for promoting the spirit of brotherhood, dialogue and tolerance.
……………………………………………………………
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
29 Omer El Mukhtar St., El Remal, PO Box 1328 Gaza, Gaza Strip tel/fax: +972 (0)8 282 4776 – 282 5893
email: pchr@pchrgaza.org website: www.pchrgaza.org
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
PRESS RELEASE
Ref: 101/2006
Date: 17 September 2006
Time: 13:00 GMT
PCHR Condemns Attacks on Palestinian Churches
PCHR strongly condemns the series of attacks launched on a number of churches in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), following a statement by Pope Benedic XVI lately reported by the media. This statement has been met by criticism all over the Islamic World. PCHR believes that such attacks on churches is an extension of the state if security chaos in the OPT, which requires the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) to intervene to stop them.
According to investigations conducted by PCHR, 6 churches have been attacked by unknown persons in the past two days in Gaza City, Nablus, Tulkarm and Tubas. These attacked have followed a statement by Pope Benedic XVI in a university lecture in Regensburg, Germany on Tuesday, which has been strongly criticized in the Islamic World.
At approximately 05:40 on Friday, 15 September 2006, a bomb exploded in the Orthodox Church in al-Zayoun neighborhood near Omar al-Mukhtar Street in the center of Gaza City. The explosion destroyed the door of the Orthodox Youth Center inside the Church and a number of windows were broken. At approximately 14:00 and 15:30 on the same day, unknown persons threw two home-made grenade at the Church.
At approximately 12:00 on Saturday, 16 September 2006, 5 unknown persons threw a Molotov Cocktail bottle at the Biblical Church in Rafidya neighborhood in Nablus. Doors and stores were burnt, and walls were damaged. The same persons then fired another Molotov Cocktail bottle at the New Orthodox Church, causing similar damage.
At approximately 15:30 also on Saturday, a number of unknown persons fired a number of gunshots and then threw a Molotov Cocktail bottle at the wooden door of the Royal Church in Rafidya neighborhood in Nablus. The door was burnt.
At approximately 16:00 also on Saturday, 3 masked gunmen traveling in a civilian car fired at the office of the Council of Church Agents in the Orthodox Church in Gaza City. No casualties were reported.
At the same time, unknown persons threw a number of Molotov Cocktail bottles at the Latin Church in Rafidya neighborhood in Nablus.
At approximately 03:00 on Sunday, 17 September 2006, a number of persons broke the locks of the external gate of the Orthodox Church in the center of Tulkarm, and then broke the lock of the internal door leading into the Church. Soon after, they set fire inside the church, burning all of its contents. According to Daoud Metri Khar’ouba, the servant of the Church, the attackers stole some of the Church’s contents. The Church is the only one in Tulkarm, and only a 15-member Christian family lives in the town.
At the same time, unknown persons broke the northern window of the Orthodox Church in Tubas village, southeast of Jenin. They then set fire inside the Church. The northern part of the church was burnt, before firemen were able to extinguish fire.
PCHR strongly condemns these attacks on Palestinian Churches, and:
1. Believes that these attacks is an extension of the state of security chaos in the OPT;
2. Totally rejects attacks on holy sites for whatever reason;
3. Calls upon the PNA, represented by the Attorney-General, to investigate these attacks and bring their perpetrators to justice; and
4. Calls for promoting the spirit of brotherhood, dialogue and tolerance.
……………………………………………………………
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
29 Omer El Mukhtar St., El Remal, PO Box 1328 Gaza, Gaza Strip tel/fax: +972 (0)8 282 4776 – 282 5893
email: pchr@pchrgaza.org website: www.pchrgaza.org
