UN Report on Egyptian Baha'is Published in IRIN
The human rights weekly update published in IRIN (Integrated Regional Information Networks) by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs on 30 November 2006, focused on the human rights violations concerning Egyptian Baha'is. The report described the current legal battle endured by the Baha'is in order to obtain their full citizenship rights as equals to all other citizens of Egypt. The Baha'is in Egypt have always been legitimate citizens of Egypt based on their birthplace, their ancestry and their extensive heritage in that country.The report expounded on the Supreme Court session held on 2 December to rule on the fate of civil and human rights of Baha'i Egyptian citizens.
It concluded by stating:
"The question before the Supreme Administrative Court is whether or not Egyptian Baha'i citizens have the right to obtain official identification documents that listed their religious affiliation, or left the 'religion' line blank or inserted the word 'other' instead of stating one of the three officially recognised religions in Egypt: Islam, Christianity and Judaism.
These three alternatives were available for Egypt's Baha'i citizens for decades until the Interior Ministry's Civil Status Department decided four years ago to force them to follow one of the three recognised religions only."
Subsequently since the publication of this report, the Supreme Administrative Court in its session of 2 December decided to postpone its ruling until it reconvenes on 16 December 2006 for a final judgement on the case. Human rights organizations in Egypt as well as worldwide are following this case with great intensity and are in full support of granting the Baha'is their full citizenship rights. An extensive brief on behalf of the Baha'is was also submitted to the supreme court on 2 December by the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR).
I sense from reading your blog, every day, that there is a slow, steady, gathering of the forces of Justice, of light, and even of other individual interests who will all ultimately benefit from the public recognition and ascendency of these virtues in the Egyptian society and will inspire those international souls who follow such proceedings. There is also an implied defeat of the forces which showed their hand 4 years ago, and they will try to recoup their defeat, and loss of face to be sure. However we should be confident that darkness does not exist as a reality, it is only the absence of light.
ReplyDeleteBilo, I cannot complete my day without reading your blog.
Edo River rising
The challenge is that I am unable to keep up with the flood of daily developments and publications pouring out in the Egyptian and world media on this particular crisis. What you see here is just the tip of the iceberg!
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