CCA lauds Pakistan’s Supreme Court for the Acquittal of Asia Bibi from Blasphemy Death Sentence

Programme Review and Programme Direction

Two key deliberative sessions during the 15th CCA General Assembly are the Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions.

The Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions will both be conducted in three groups relating to the CCA’s programme areas, namely, (i) General Secretariat (GS), (ii) Mission in Unity and Contextual Theology (MU) and Ecumenical Leadership Formation and Spirituality (EF); and (iii) Building Peace and Moving Beyond Conflicts (BP) and Prophetic Diakonia (PD).

Assembly participants will have the option to join one of three groups for both the Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions. For the sake of coherence, the assigned group will remain the same for both sessions.

General Secretariat

The General Secretariat oversees the coordination of programmatic, administrative, and financial activities of the organization. The GS comprises various departments such as church and ecumenical relations, relations with ecumenical partners, finance, administration, and communications, which provide crucial support and services for the implementation of programs and contribute to the overall functioning of the CCA.

Programmes: Relations with member churches and councils, ecumenical partners; advocacy at the United Nations; ecumenical responses to emerging issues in solidarity; income development and finance; and communications.

Mission in Unity and Contextual Theology (MU) and Ecumenical Leadership Formation and Spirituality (EF)

Under the MU programme area, the CCA accompanies Asian churches to strengthen their mission and witness in multi-religious contexts, revitalise and nurture church unity and the Asian ecumenical movement, and develop contextual theological foundations.

Programmes: Asian Movement for Christian Unity (AMCU); Congress of Asian Theologians (CATS); Asian women doing theology in the context of wider ecumenism; contextualisation of theology in Asia and ecumenical theological education.

The EF programme area focuses on nurturing and developing ecumenical leaders in Asia. The programme aims to enhance spiritual formation and theological understanding, enabling people to actively engage in ecumenical dialogue and collaboration.

Programmes: Ecumenical Enablers’ Training in Asia (EETA); Asian Ecumenical Institute (AEI); Youth and Women Leadership Development; Ecumenical Spirituality and Nurturing of Contextual Liturgical Traditions; Asia Sunday

Building Peace and Moving Beyond Conflicts (BP) and Prophetic Diakonia and Advocacy (PD)

The BP programme area is dedicated to promoting peace, justice, and reconciliation in Asia’s diverse contexts. Through training, advocacy, and dialogue, the programme addresses the root causes of conflicts, empowers communities, and fosters sustainable peacebuilding initiatives.

Programmes: Pastoral Solidarity Visits; Churches in Action for Moving Beyond Conflict and Resolution; Young Ambassadors of Peace in Asia (YAPA); Ecumenical Women’s Action Against Violence (EWAAV); Eco-Justice for Sustainable Peace in the Oikos.

The PD programme area focuses on promoting justice, human rights, and social transformation in Asia. Through advocacy, capacity-building, and raising awareness, the programme addresses systemic injustice, empowers marginalised communities, and advocates for prophetic actions and meaningful change.

Programmes: Human Rights advocacy; Migration, Statelessness, and Trafficking in Persons; Asian Ecumenical Disability Advocacy Network; Asian Advocacy Network on the Dignity and Rights of Children (AANDRoC); Ecumenical Solidarity Accompaniment and Diakonia in Asia (ESADA); Health and Healing; Good Governance; Action Together to Combat HIV and AIDS in Asia (ATCHAA).

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01 November 2018

cover-Asia-Bibi-acquittal-could-be-close-says-familyThe Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) lauded Pakistan’s Supreme Court for the acquittal of Asia Bibi, an illiterate, Christian mother who has been spending nine years behind bars as she was convicted and sentenced to death in 2010  on charges of committing blasphemy.   

The Supreme Court of Pakistan has overturned the death sentence on Wednesday 31 October 2018 in a historic ruling.

The General Secretary of CCA Dr. Mathews George Chunakara stated that “the reversal of the judgment of the high court, as well as trial court and setting aside Bibi’s conviction in a ruling by Pakistan’s Chief Justice Saqib Nisar, is laudable”.

“It is credible that despite extremist Islamist groups and mobs clamouring for Asia Bibi ’s death sentence, the Supreme Court stood firm on its decision based on facts, not misguided emotions and insinuations, to overturn the blasphemy conviction and the death sentence”, added the CCA General Secretary.

Mathews George Chunakara further stated that the decision of the Supreme Court was a hopeful sign of the commitment of the judiciary in Pakistan to uphold the independence of the judiciary, and protection of the rights of the vulnerable religious minorities in the country.

 The CCA General Secretary appreciated the bold steps taken by   Prime Minister Imran Khan who addressed the issue directly and unambiguously as well as strongly defended the decision of the Supreme Court.

 “The prime minister’s determination of issuing a stern warning to religious extremists who have been agitating against the verdict to acquit Asia Bibi is commendable”, he added. 

The allegations against Ms. Bibi date back to 2009, when Muslim field labourers working alongside refused to share water with her because she was Christian. Bibi was subsequently convicted and sentenced to death in 2010, despite her advocates maintaining her innocence and insisting the argument was a personal dispute.

 Blasphemy is an incendiary charge in a Muslim majority Pakistan, where even unproven allegations of insulting Islam can provoke a violent and bloody death at the hands of extremist Islamists.

 It was reported that 62 people have been killed for blasphemy since 1990 "even before their trial could be conducted in accordance with the law".

 Although Pakistan´s beleaguered Christian community rejoiced Wednesday at the acquittal of Asia Bibi, they live now amidst fear and lack of security.

 The blasphemy law supporters and Islamic extremists together with miscreants are organizing protests on streets, and pelting stones at police in main cities in the country.

 It was reported that several parts of the Country remain tensed of protests. Majority schools remain closed, hospitals placed on high alert. The railway network in Lahore is suffering disruptions due to protests and suspension of mobile phone signals.

CCA urges authorities in Pakistan to ensure the security of the acquitted along with her family as well as the lawyers who have been consistently arguing her case in courts. 

 Please click here to download Statement-of-CCA-General-Secretary.pdf