US Islamic organizations decry anti-Christian violence in Pakistan

(Aug.19,2009): Two U.S. Islamic organizations have condemned the recent violence against Christians in Pakistan and said the perpetrators must be brought to justice. In separate statements, the Washington-based Islamic Society of North America and the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago, responded to the killing of eight Christians in the eastern Pakistani town of Gojra Aug. 1. The Christians, including four women and a child, were either shot or burned alive when a crowd attacked, setting fire to dozens of Christians' homes.
"Not only do we express our outrage at this behaviour in Gojra, we also deplore those interpreters of Islam and leaders, who use rhetoric that promotes a false sense of insecurity and paranoia in Muslim mobs," the Islamic society said in its statement. It said the region's "law and order authorities" were responsible for "these tragic riots. The Islamic society called on Muslims in Pakistan, to collectively rise to the occasion and demonstrate their sympathy and solidarity with the victims. The Pakistani government should take responsibility, apologize to the victims for its failure to provide protection, bring the perpetrators to justice and provide relief and support to the victims," it added. The Chicago council echoed the call to bring to justice those responsible for the deaths.
Both organizations said they have strong ties with Christians and were reaching out to convey U.S. Muslims' outrage over the violence.