Sri Lanka, Muslims and Catholics together to save the life of Rizana Nafeeq.
(December 14, 2010) In Sri Lanka, Catholics and Muslims are mobilizing together
to save the life of Rizana Nafeek, the Muslim maid sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia
for the alleged murder of a newborn. On Sunday, three mosques in the district of Galle
in southern Sri Lanka, hosted prayers for the girl, and organized a petition to be
sent to King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, asking him to grant a pardon and save
the life of the young Sinhalese woman. Fr. George Sigamony, national director
of Caritas Sri Lanka, has been working for the release of Rizana since 2007. Since
the beginning of this case, he has appealed to all Catholics to pray for the salvation
of the girl. A statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission, AHRC, released on Monday
said that "A campaign entitled" Save Rizana ", organized by Janasansadaya and AHRC
was launched in Galle 10 December - the World Day for Human Rights." It said more
than 1,500 people participated in the campaign. The Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa
has officially asked for a pardon for Rizana, according to an announcement released
by the presidential secretariat. Rizana Nafeek has been locked in a Saudi prison
since 2005. The Muslim girl, originally from a poor family in the village of Mutur,
the eastern district of Trincomalee, had arrived in Saudi Arabia when she was just
17 years old - with a false passport - to work as a maid. If the sentence is confirmed
by the king, she could be executed at any time.