Canada Refusing to Offer Asylum to Persecuted Christians

LifeSite ^ | March 21, 2006 | Gudrun Schultz

[NYer]

TORONTO, Ontario, March 21, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Canadian immigration frequently fails to recognize the claim of refugee status from Egyptian Coptic Christians, reported CTV news yesterday. In at least half the cases, claimants are sent back to Egypt to face increased persecution.

The 2005 Country Report on Human Rights from the U.S. State Department said Egypt is responsible for "numerous human rights abuses," in particular against religious minorities. The report lists numerous cases of "religious discrimination" against Coptic Christians and says there is widespread "torture and abuse" in Egyptian prisons.

Christians who have made refugee claims in the west will almost certainly be imprisoned and possibly tortured if they are sent back to Egypt.

"Just being detained in a prison is probably intimidation enough," said Paul Rowe, one of Canada's top experts on Christians in the Middle East and political science professor at Trinity Western University.

"Anyone who is a dissident will also face a certain amount of torture or certainly degrading punishment of various different sorts," he said.

Since 2000, the Immigration and Refugee Board's records show that about half of the refugee claims of Egyptians were denied. The records don't show how many of those were Christians. Currently there are approximately 20 Egyptian Christians facing deportation from Canada.

In one case, the claimant sought refugee status after being beaten, he says, by a group of Muslim men because of his religion. A Muslim member of the IRB heard his claim, and denied him refuge. His case was appealed and he will receive another hearing.

Christians in the Middle East frequently face persecution for their faith, from restrictions on their religious freedom to imprisonment, torture, and even death.

In Afghanistan today a man is on trial for his life for converting to Christianity from Islam. Under Sharia law, rejecting Islam may carry the punishment of death.

Abdul Rahman converted to the Christian faith 16 years ago, while working with a Christian aid organization helping refugees in Pakistan. His family, estranged in a custody battle over his two children, denounced him to the authorities, reported the BBC today. When arrested, he was carrying a bible.

This is thought to be the first time an Afghan Christian has been put on trial for his life because of his faith.

If he recants, he will be "forgiven," said trial judge Ansarullah Mawlazezadah.

"We will invite him again because the religion of Islam is one of tolerance. We will ask him if he has changed his mind. If so we will forgive him," he told the BBC on Monday. If not, Mr. Rahman faces the possibility of death by execution.

Despite the reluctance of the IRB to offer asylum to persecuted Christians, refugees claiming homosexual persecution are assured of finding protection in Canada. Although sexual orientation is not specified under Canada's legislation, the category "membership in a particular social group" allows claims on grounds of sexual orientation.

To express concerns

Office of the Prime Minister
80 Wellington Street
Ottawa
K1A 0A2

Fax: 613-941-6900
pm@pm.gc.ca

GOV'T BILL GRANTS "FAMILY CLASS" TO IMMIGRATING HOMOSEXUAL COUPLES
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2001/feb/01022203.html

[Squawk 8888]

(((.)))

[LongElegantLegs]

"We will invite him again because the religion of Islam is one of tolerance. We will ask him if he has changed his mind. If so we will forgive him," he told the BBC on Monday. If not, Mr. Rahman faces the possibility of death by execution.

I think that says it all so well...

[NYer]

The word Copt is derived from the Greek word Aigyptos, which was, in turn, derived from "Hikaptah", one of the names for Memphis, the first capital of Ancient Egypt. The modern use of the term "Coptic" describes Egyptian Christians, as well as the last stage of the ancient Egyptian language script. Also, it describes the distinctive art and architecture that developed as an early expression of the new faith.

The Coptic Church is based on the teachings of Saint Mark who brought Christianity to Egypt during the reign of the Roman emperor Nero in the first century, a dozen of years after the Lord's ascension. He was one of the four evangelists and the one who wrote the oldest canonical gospel. Christianity spread throughout Egypt within half a century of Saint Mark's arrival in Alexandria as is clear from the New Testament writings found in Bahnasa, in Middle Egypt, which date around the year 200 A.D., and a fragment of the Gospel of Saint John, written using the Coptic language, which was found in Upper Egypt and can be dated to the first half of the second century. The Coptic Church, which is now more than nineteen centuries old, was the subject of many prophecies in the Old Testament. Isaiah the prophet, in Chapter 19, Verse 19 says "In that day there will be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the LORD at its border."

Encyclopedia Coptica

The Coptic Catholic Church is an Alexandrian Rite church sui juris particular Church in full communion with the Pope of Rome.

Catholic Ping - Please freepmail me if you want on/off this list

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[FourPeas]

Despite the reluctance of the IRB to offer asylum to persecuted Christians, refugees claiming homosexual persecution are assured of finding protection in Canada. Although sexual orientation is not specified under Canada's legislation, the category "membership in a particular social group" allows claims on grounds of sexual orientation.

Why don't I find this surprising.

[FormerLib]

Considering how Canada has embraced the homosexual agenda, they probably like the idea of Christians being persecuted.

[starfish923]

There have been Christians in Egypt for almost 2000 years. Their "persecution" isn't much different than ever. They have a place in Egypt and it's not horrible. I've been there twice and it's a whole lot better than the Christians' position in Pakistan.

I THINK there's more to this story that we are reading. Just a guess.

[GMMAC]

PING!

[markomalley]

Sorry, but no surprise...

[Sometimes A River]

Only Muslims can be persecuted.

[GMMAC]

"I THINK there's more to this story that we are reading. Just a guess."

Maybe starting with the lack of any acknowledgment that we've had a change of government up here and that even an openly Christian Prime Minister - especially one heading up a relatively weak minority government - can't reasonably be expected to turn a long entrenched leftist public service around completely in barely 2 months.
With 'friends' like Lifesite ...

[Reagan 76]

I guess this means that South African whites can forget any claims they have as well.

[memorandum1]

Toronto and Ottawa need to disappear in two giant sinkholes. Then Canada would be our 51st Red State.

[CondorFlight]

"They have a place in Egypt and it's not horrible."

Except then the Muslims are having riots and killing a few Copts (as happened recently when a nun was stabbed).

Your life there is always precarious if you are not a Muslim.

[doc30]

In one case, the claimant sought refugee status after being beaten, he says, by a group of Muslim men because of his religion. A Muslim member of the IRB heard his claim, and denied him refuge.

This is the heart of the matter. The person deciding the case of a persecuted CHristian is a Muslim and there is no provision for resolving conflit of interests in cases like this. To me, it sounds like the Muslim working in Immigration deliberately denied refugee status to a Christian from the Middle East as a form of active discrimination. This Muslim wanted to see this Christian tortured in Egypt and was more than happy to abuse his government position to do so. Just an example of what Muslims will be like in Western countries when in positions of authority. Islam will be first.

[Alex Murphy]

Ping to read later

[F.J. Mitchell]

Apparently the religion of peace has intimidated Canada into submission to the law of sharia.

Interesting how Canada is such a gracious welcoming host to the Islamaniac persecutors of Christians, while so rude and disdainful toward the Christian pilgrims fleeing from persecution by those same Islamaniacs.

It is a ugly practice to behold, whether driven by cowardice or stupidity,

[fanfan]

Ottawa, Canada's 4^th largest city voted Conservative overwhelmingly in the last election.

If you got rid of Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver, we'd be talking.

[little jeremiah]

Christian persecution... I don't know if you want it for the list. Heartbreaking.

[Uncle Jaque]

Re #17;

"...whether driven by cowardice or stupidity."

Don't forget "Money" as a significant factor.

Arabs have a lot of it, and a lot of money in the right hands can have a lot of influence in how matters are decided.

My guess would be that these Coptic Refugees are being essentially bought back for punisment, in order to discourage others from attempting an escape.

I would not be surprised, actually, if they don't get much more sympathy or sanctuary here in America, and probably for the same reason.

I fully expect an increasing number of Muzzies running for public office in every government where they have immigrated in significant numbers (with a mysteriously unlimited amount of campaign funds) and infiltrating key institutions, as the Socialsits have been so successful in doing for about the past 40 years.

Remember; a lot of Muslims vote; either as Citizens or illeagaly where it is easy to vote fraudulently (like ME, a "Sanctuary State").

It will take a while to establish a majority in a Democratic system, but when they do, kiss the Constitution goodbye as it is displaced by the Koran and Sharia.

There are a lot of ways to conquor a nation other than swarming in with hoards of horse cavalry or battering down the walls with siege cannon.

And they know it.

The persecution of Jews and Christians will continue to ramp up and spread over most of the Earth, probably in most of our lifetimes. I would not be surprised to see an eventual wholesale slaughter of "Infidels" that will trivialize the Nazi Holocaust by comparison. And that fairly soon.

As it has long been prophecied that it would.

We ain't seen nuthin' yet, Amigos;

Jews will be hunted down for extermination, and survivors will be driven back into Israel for a last stand (a'la Massada) against seemingly impossible odds.

See Ezekiel chapters 38-9 for details.

Some Christians might be given the old "convert or die" option, and those willing to renounce Christ might get to exist a little longer.

Although I would not carachterize existance as a slave under Sharia as "life", particularly.

Are we ready?