Death threats for family who tried to save Church property
Eviction then death threats for Catholic campaigners
Augustine George with his family
- ucanews.com reporter, Lahore
- Pakistan
- August 2, 2012
A Catholic family is now living in mortal fear after conducting a high-profile campaign to stop a Church property from being demolished.
Augustine George, a teacher trainer, lived at the 7,922 sq.m. property in Lahore, which was managed by Caritas and included a small chapel. He and his family also helped maintain it.
Their efforts to save the property from demolition were fruitless and, since their eviction from the Gosha e Aman missionary institute in January, they have been staying in servant’s quarters at the back of St. Anthony’s College.
Now George says the family has been physically attacked and received at least 10 threatening letters, calling on him and his family to convert to Islam or be killed.
“I try to visit the site where the institute stood, to salvage things from the rubble, but the clerics from the neighboring madrassa - Islamic seminary - do not allow me access. A few youths also attacked me last month,” he said, showing the pile of threatening letters which started arriving after he first tried to visit the demolition site.
Most of the letters, written in red ink, are written anonymously. However, one he received last week was signed ‘Ashqian e Rasool’ - lovers of the prophet.
“We know everything about you. We could have killed you last night if we wanted to, but we broke the mirrors of your motorcycle just to let you know that we are always watching you,” the letter said.
“The lives of you and your family now depend on you entering the circle of Islam with us, so that you can get a place in heaven. Or else you will face the same fate as your leaders. Obey our commands or get ready to face your fate,” it continued. “We could have killed you … but spared you for your children. We know hope you will join us in Jihad. Or else death awaits you.”
George blames being put under the media spotlight during the chapel protests for his predicament.
“We were shown on news channels, pulling desecrated Bibles and religious pages from the rubble. We were at the forefront of the protests and we featured in newspapers. People recognize us,” he said.
He says he fears for his family every time they leave where they are now living, to go to a convent school.
“My children are depressed and insecure," he said. "The police cannot help and there is no escape from clerics in this country. I am not sure how long we can hide.”
Father Emmanuel Yousaf Mani, director of the Catholic Bishop's National Commission for Justice and Peace says he has only just heard of the death threats.
“We met once after the demolition and they never told me,” he said. However, he added that the Bishop of Lahore has stepped in to offer them a place to stay at a Catholic facility which is always guarded.
Related reports
Church campaigns against ‘land grab’
Christians protest chapel demolition
Augustine George, a teacher trainer, lived at the 7,922 sq.m. property in Lahore, which was managed by Caritas and included a small chapel. He and his family also helped maintain it.
Their efforts to save the property from demolition were fruitless and, since their eviction from the Gosha e Aman missionary institute in January, they have been staying in servant’s quarters at the back of St. Anthony’s College.
Now George says the family has been physically attacked and received at least 10 threatening letters, calling on him and his family to convert to Islam or be killed.
“I try to visit the site where the institute stood, to salvage things from the rubble, but the clerics from the neighboring madrassa - Islamic seminary - do not allow me access. A few youths also attacked me last month,” he said, showing the pile of threatening letters which started arriving after he first tried to visit the demolition site.
Most of the letters, written in red ink, are written anonymously. However, one he received last week was signed ‘Ashqian e Rasool’ - lovers of the prophet.
“We know everything about you. We could have killed you last night if we wanted to, but we broke the mirrors of your motorcycle just to let you know that we are always watching you,” the letter said.
“The lives of you and your family now depend on you entering the circle of Islam with us, so that you can get a place in heaven. Or else you will face the same fate as your leaders. Obey our commands or get ready to face your fate,” it continued. “We could have killed you … but spared you for your children. We know hope you will join us in Jihad. Or else death awaits you.”
George blames being put under the media spotlight during the chapel protests for his predicament.
“We were shown on news channels, pulling desecrated Bibles and religious pages from the rubble. We were at the forefront of the protests and we featured in newspapers. People recognize us,” he said.
He says he fears for his family every time they leave where they are now living, to go to a convent school.
“My children are depressed and insecure," he said. "The police cannot help and there is no escape from clerics in this country. I am not sure how long we can hide.”
Father Emmanuel Yousaf Mani, director of the Catholic Bishop's National Commission for Justice and Peace says he has only just heard of the death threats.
“We met once after the demolition and they never told me,” he said. However, he added that the Bishop of Lahore has stepped in to offer them a place to stay at a Catholic facility which is always guarded.
Related reports
Church campaigns against ‘land grab’
Christians protest chapel demolition
