|
PROTEST TO NIGERIAN AUTHORITIES
FOR GROSS VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND STATE TERRORISM
Alert Update: Prolonged Violence and Detention of Shia
minority in Nigeria
26 October 2007.
Following the death of a popular Sunni cleric in Sokoto,
the persecution of the Shia community at the hands of
Nigerian security forces has increased.
-------------------------------------------
Islamic Human Rights Commission
-------------------------------------------
Contents
1.Summary
2. Background
3. Action Required
1. Summary
The collective punishment of the Shia community in
Sokoto has not ceased, as their homes continue to be
demolished by local authorities, while the 115
detainees, who were arrested following the killing of
Sunni cleric Umar Danmaishiyya, have yet to be tried.
2. Background
After the killing of Sunni cleric Umar Danmaishiyya on
18 July 2007, Shia members of the group known as the
'Islamic Movement' and 'The Muslim Brothers' were
collectively blamed for the killing by Sokoto's local
authorities. Subsequently, the police arrested and
detained 115 of the group's members. Since the
assassination, 68 homes have been destroyed and more
than 50 women and children have gone missing. Further, 7
members have been murdered; some were reportedly burned
alive in their homes, while one was hacked to death and
mutilated. All this was reportedly carried out by a
combined force of federal military, state police and
mobs under police protection.
It is reportedly believed by the Shia community of
Sokoto that the local government had used the
assassination of the Sunni cleric as a ploy to
indiscriminately attack them. In weeks following the
initial killing, the state government destroyed the
group's centre, clinic and school.
Although the state commissioner of the Nigerian police
declared on the BBC Hausa Service that there was no
evidence linking members of the Sokoto's Shia community
to the cleric's assassination, the state government
continued to collectively punish the minority sect.
Thus far, the 115 detainees have been held for over
three months, while none have been charged with killing
or conspiracy to kill Umar Danmaishiyya. On the 3
October 2007, the home of Kasimu Omar was demolished
alongside three other homes. Interestingly, the official
reason was the government's plan to build a police
station and clinic in its place. On 17 October 2007, the
court postponed the group's trial date for the sixth
time, with the chief Magistrate of Sokoto refusing to
preside over their case.
Unfortunately, the Nigerian judicial process in the
country is reportedly one of the slowest in the world.
Over 60% of inmates in their prison system are awaiting
trial. They live with ordinarily convicted criminals and
are regularly subjected to rape, torture and various
other dehumanizing conditions. Many die while waiting to
be tried.
Please refer to our previous alert about the crisis in
Sokoto at:
http://www.ihrc.org.uk/show.php?id=2892
3. Action Required
a) Write to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in your
country requesting them to make representations to their
Nigerian counterparts concerning this blatant repression
of religious minorities.
UK campaigners can write to:
Rt. Hon. David Miliband MP
Foreign & Commonwealth Office
King Charles Street
London
SW1A 2AH
Fax: +44 0207 839 2417
Email:
private.office@fco.gov.uk
b) Write to the Nigerian Ambassador expressing your
concern for members of the Islamic Movement in Sokoto
and calling for an end to the aggression against them.
UK campaigners can write to:
H.E. Mr D C B Nwanna
High Commission for the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Nigeria House
9 Northumberland Avenue
London.
WC2N 5BX
Fax: 0207 839 8746
Email:
information@nigeriahc.org.uk
c) Write to the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of
Religion requesting her to urge the Nigerian authorities
to end the religious persecution of the Shia community
in Sokoto.
UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief
Dr Asma Jahangir
131-E/1
Gulberg-III
Lahore
Pakistan
Fax: +92 42 576-3236
Email:
aghs@brain.net.pk
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Updated sample letters are given below for your
convenience. Please note that model letters can be sent
directly or adjusted as necessary to include further
details. If you receive a reply to the letter you send,
we request you to send a copy of the letter you sent and
the reply you received to IHRC. This is extremely
important as it helps IHRC to monitor the situation with
regards to our campaigns and to improve upon the current
model letters.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sample Letter to Rt. Hon David Miliband MP
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Date]
Rt. Hon. David Miliband MP
Foreign & Commonwealth Office
King Charles Street
London
SW1A 2AH
Dear Mr David Miliband,
Re: Prolonged Violence and Detention of Shia minority in
Nigeria
I am deeply concerned about the increasing persecution
of the Shia community in Sokoto, following the death of
the popular Sunni cleric Umar Danmaishiyya.
Homes of members of the Shia community continue to be
destroyed by local authorities. The number of Shias
murdered since the killing of the Sunni leader has
increased as well, with some of the bodies having been
mutilated. Furthermore, many women and children who had
reportedly gone missing have yet to be found.
In addition, 115 members of the Shia group, who were
arrested following the murder Umar Danmaishiyya, have
been held for over three months now. None have been
charged with killing or conspiring to kill Umar
Danmaishiyya. On 3 October 2007, home of Kasimu Omar,
who is one of the Shia leaders detained, was demolished
alongside three other homes, with the official reason
for the demolition being the government's plan to build
a police station and clinic in its place. Hopes of the
group receiving a fair trial or of being released in the
near future are quickly diminishing as the court again
postponed the group's trial date for the sixth time,
with the chief Magistrate of Sokoto refusing to preside
over their case.
Hence, I request you to urge your Nigerian counterparts
to put an end to this religious persecution of the Shias
in Sokoto. I urge you to call for an independent and
impartial investigation into the events surrounding the
assassination of Umaru Danmaishiyya and into all
subsequent acts of violence including the disappearance
and deaths of several Shias in Sokoto and to fully
compensate those whose homes were destroyed. Please
ensure that all detainees are treated in accordance with
international human rights standards, and that they are
either charged and tried in a court of law or
immediately released.
I look forward to hearing from you soon on this urgent
matter,
Yours sincerely,
[Your Signature]
[Your Name]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sample Letter to H.E. Mr D C B Nwanna
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Date]
H.E. Mr D C B Nwanna
High Commission for the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Nigeria House
9 Northumberland Avenue
London.
WC2N 5BX
Dear Mr D C B Nwanna,
Re: Prolonged Violence and Detention of Shia minority in
Nigeria
I am deeply concerned about the increasing persecution
of the Shia community in Sokoto, following the death of
the popular Sunni cleric Umar Danmaishiyya.
Homes of members of the Shia community continue to be
destroyed by local authorities. The number of Shias
murdered since the killing of the Sunni leader has
increased as well, with some of the bodies having been
mutilated. Furthermore, many women and children who had
reportedly gone missing have yet to be found.
In addition, 115 members of the Shia group, who were
arrested following the murder Umar Danmaishiyya, have
been held for over three months now. None have been
charged with killing or conspiring to kill Umar
Danmaishiyya. On 3 October 2007, home of Kasimu Omar,
who is one of the Shia leaders detained, was demolished
alongside three other homes, with the official reason
for the demolition being the government's plan to build
a police station and clinic in its place. Hopes of the
group receiving a fair trial or of being released in the
near future are quickly diminishing as the court again
postponed the group's trial date for the sixth time,
with the chief Magistrate of Sokoto refusing to preside
over their case.
In carrying out these acts of aggression, the Nigerian
government is in breach of the African Charter on Human
and Peoples' Rights and the Constitutive Act of the
African Union as well as sections 36, 38, 40, 42, 43 and
45 of the Nigerian Constitution.
I request you to press your government to end to this
religious persecution of the minority community in
Sokoto. I urge you to call for an independent and
impartial investigation into the events surrounding the
assassination of Umaru Danmaishiyya and into all
subsequent acts of violence including the disappearance
and deaths of several Shias in Sokoto and to fully
compensate those whose homes were destroyed. Please
ensure that all detainees are treated in accordance with
international human rights standards, and that they are
either charged and tried in a court of law or
immediately released.
I look forward to hearing from you soon on this urgent
matter.
Yours sincerely,
[Your Signature]
[Your Name]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sample Letter to the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of
Religion or Belief Dr Asma Jahangir
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Date]
Asma Jahangir
UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief
131-E/1
Gulberg-III
Lahore
Pakistan
Dear Ms Asma Jahangir,
Re: Expulsion, Killing and Detention of Religious
Minority in Nigeria
I am deeply concerned about the increasing persecution
of the Shia community in Sokoto, following the death of
the popular Sunni cleric Umar Danmaishiyya.
Homes of members of the Shia community continue to be
destroyed by local authorities. The number of Shias
murdered since the killing of the Sunni leader has
increased as well, with some of the bodies having been
mutilated. Furthermore, many women and children who had
reportedly gone missing have yet to be found.
In addition, 115 members of the Shia group, who were
arrested following the murder Umar Danmaishiyya, have
been held for over three months now. None have been
charged with killing or conspiring to kill Umar
Danmaishiyya. On 3 October 2007, home of Kasimu Omar,
who is one of the Shia leaders detained, was demolished
alongside three other homes, with the official reason
for the demolition being the government's plan to build
a police station and clinic in its place. Hopes of the
group receiving a fair trial or of being released in the
near future are quickly diminishing as the court again
postponed the group's trial date for the sixth time,
with the chief Magistrate of Sokoto refusing to preside
over their case.
I request you to strongly urge the Nigerian government
to an end to this religious persecution of the minority
community in Sokoto. I urge you to call for an
independent and impartial investigation into the events
surrounding the assassination of Umaru Danmaishiyya and
into all subsequent acts of violence including the
disappearance and deaths of several Shias in Sokoto and
to fully compensate those whose homes were destroyed.
Please ensure that all detainees are treated in
accordance with international human rights standards,
and that they are either charged and tried in a court of
law or immediately released.
I look forward to hearing from you soon on this urgent
matter.
Yours sincerely,
[Your Signature]
[Your Name]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IHRC is an NGO in Special Consultative Status with the
Economic and Social Council of the United Nations
Please help IHRC by visiting
http://www.ihrc.org.uk/catalog
and making a donation or buying an item from our on-line
store.
If you want to subscribe to the IHRC list please send an
email to
subscribe@ihrc.org
If you want to unsubscribe from the IHRC list please
send an email from your subscribed email address to
unsubscribe@ihrc.org
If you are reusing this alert, please cite the source.
For more information, please contact the office on the
numbers or email below.
"And what reason have you that you should not fight in
the way of Allah and of the weak among the men and the
women and the children, (of) those who say: Our Lord!
Cause us to go forth from this town, whose people are
oppressors, and give us from Thee a guardian and give us
from Thee a helper."
Holy Qur'an: Chapter 4, Verse 75
Join the Struggle for Justice. Join IHRC.
Islamic Human Rights Commission
PO Box 598
Wembley
HA9 7XH
United Kingdom
Telephone (+44) 20 8904 4222
Fax (+44) 20 8904 5183
Email:
info@ihrc.org
Web:
www.ihrc.org
|
