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Don't Deport the Dar Family
Naseem Ahmad Dar is an Ahmadi Muslim from
Pakistan who came to Britain in October 2001 escaping religious persecution.
The Ahmadiyya minority is a religious sect who claim that their founder
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad is the Promised Messiah and a prophet. They adhere
to the Islamic faith and consider themselves to be Muslims however, their
belief in Ahmad's prophetic status contravenes orthodox Islam which contends
that Mohammed was the last prophet. This has resulted in their persecution.
Since the 1970's a series of laws have been passed in Pakistan aimed at
restricting the religious freedoms of Ahmadis. In 1974 they were declared
"non-Muslims" during the administration of President Z.A. Bhutto.
State repression continued in 1984 when an ordinance on un-Islamic activities
made Ahmadis liable to prosecution for a number of "offenses"
including, calling themselves Muslims, preaching, using an Islamic greeting
or calling their place of worship a Mosque. In 1986 the penal code was
amended to allow for the death penalty as punishment for breaking the
ordinances. http://www.hrw.org/reports/1993/pakistan/
Repressive legislation continued to be
passed and Ahmadi's have suffered from violent reprisals as a result.
By July 1987 more than 2,000 Ahmadi's had been charged with offenses under
these laws which not only violate a persons right to practice their religion
freely but as the US state department notes, "encouraged an atmosphere
of religious intolerance which has led to acts of violence directed at
Ahmadis" and other religious minorities.
Anti-Ahmadi feeling runs at dangerously
high levels and is not prevented by the police. In June 1987 an Ahmadi
lawyer and community leader was shot and killed. In July 1992 anti-Ahmadi
feeling resulted in the murder of one Ahmadi awaiting trial under these
laws. In 1999 the home of an Ahmadi religious leader in the Punjab was
looted and burned after he was accused of planning to build an Ahmadi
house of worship. The Police did nothing to stop the crowd from damaging
his property and instead registered a blasphemy case against him and his
two sons. Persecution and violent attacks on the Ahmadi community persist.
In 2000 five people were killed and seven injured when an Ahmadi prayer
meeting was fired on.
For more information on the persecution of Ahmadi Muslims go to http://www.thepersecution.org/
Mr Dar is an Ahmadi preacher. In February
2001 he was attacked in his home in Islamabad by 3 men who demanded he
renounce his faith and beat him when he refused. They returned later with
policemen who arrested Mr Dar and his son and charged them with offenses
under the ordinances. They were released after Mr Dar paid a bribe of
200,000 rupees. Mr Dar immediately fled to Rawalpindi another City. However
in May he was again arrested by police for preaching. Once again he paid
a bribe and was released. They moved back to Islamabad. In July the family
were violently attacked by four local mullah's and by a neighbour who
was armed with a gun and threatened to kill them. The police were called
and it was Mr Dar and his son who were arrested and again charged. Once
again bribes were accepted and Mr Dar was released, although this time
it took the intervention of an influential Major in the army to secure
their release. Mr Dar felt that his and his family's life was in danger
and he did not want to take the risk of being arrested again so he applied
for visas to the UK, which were issued in August 2001. The family eventually
travelled to the UK in October 2001. Mr Dar leaves behind his mother who
he does not believe he will ever see again and a lucrative job in order
to be able to practice his religious beliefs without fear.
Since he has been in the UK Mr Dar has
contributed to the Chase Neighbourhood Centre in Nottingham as a volunteer.
He has helped local people develop computer skills and improved the qualitative
controls of the centre. Mr Burbidge, the ICT Development Manager of the
Centre, says Mr Dar, "has been an inspiration to both members of
the staff and to the local people accessing our centre facilities".
Mr Dar has also taken a number of courses at the People's College Nottingham
including counselling, drug awareness, first aid, and teaching. If he
is allowed to stay he would be able to make a valuable contribution to
the community using these new skills. In addition to this Mr Dar worked
in project management for British owned companies in Pakistan for sixteen
years before he was forced to flee the country. He is a highly qualified,
experienced and motivated person who could contribute much to this society.
Mr Dar also has the support of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association UK who
verify that he is an Ahmadi and confirm that if he is sent back to Pakistan
he would be targeted for persecution because of this.
What
you can do to help
Fax/write to the Home
Secretary David Blunkett, using the model letter
'Attached', which you can copy/amend/write your own.
Fax no: 020 7273 3965 from outside the UK + 44 20 7273 3965
Or write to:
David Blunkett
Home Secretary
Home Office
50 Queen Anne's Gate
London SW1H 9AT
Please
take time to send a copy of anything sent to:
Dar Family Campaign
c/o NCADC
Cambridge House
131 Camberwell Road
London SE5 0HF
Enquiries/further information:
Allison Bennett
Phone: 020 7701 5197
ncadc-london@ncadc.org.uk
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