UN WARNS LACK OF FUNDS THREATENS RESPONSE TO FOOD CRISIS IN AFRICA’S SAHEL REGION

UN WARNS LACK OF FUNDS THREATENS RESPONSE TO FOOD CRISIS IN AFRICA'S SAHEL REGION

Senior United Nations officials today made impassioned appeals to the international community to make more resources available to assist millions of people affected by the severe food and nutrition crisis in the Sahel region of West Africa, cautioning that global inaction could lead to a humanitarian disaster.

"We are appealing, all of us, for an end to global indifference that we have found so far," said Anthony Lake, the Executive Director of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), at a joint news conference in Geneva with his counterparts from the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

"I know that there is a certain fatigue. I have read comments in blogs and elsewhere that 'here we go again; once more a famine; once more African children are dying; once more there is an appeal for help.'

"By acting vigorously and properly now, we can head off future crises… by building now in this crisis, health systems, community nutrition centres, more water bore holes… we can build capacity for the future," he said.

Mr. Lake, who had just returned from a visit to Chad, noted that of the estimated 15 million people affected by the drought and conflict-related crisis in the region, about 1.5 million are children who face the prospect of severe acute malnutrition.

"I was in a town called Mao in central Chad a few days ago and visited a nutrition centre and they reported that admission rates at the nutritional centre for children suffering from severe acute malnutrition are already higher than at any point in last year's lean season.

"This could be very bad and we are now across the region entering the so-called lean season, when families are drawing down the grains that they were able to harvest last year, but these families are in particular peril because in the drought of 2010 they had already sold off livestock, taking their kids out of school… therefore they are in a weakened position for this year's crisis," said Mr. Lake.

He said UNICEF and partners have been ramping up their response, but needed to accelerate the relief effort further.

UN agencies and partners last December appealed for $724 million to fund the humanitarian response to the crisis in the Sahel, but only 50 per cent of that funding requirement has so far been received, Mr. Lake said.

"To those who are fatigued, we would say that people and children, of course, are not simply statistics. All these are families fighting courageously in circumstances that few of us can imagine," he said.

He spoke of meeting Fatuma, a young girl in a tent in Chad, who the previous week was among other children who were on the verge of death. "As I spoke to her mother I kept thinking about this not only being a life saved, but this is a whole future that was saved."

"Let's not look at them as objects of pity and charity, let's look at them as people we need to support in their brave struggle for survival," he said. He stressed that taking action immediately will be more cost-effective than waiting for the situation to deteriorate further.

"In the earthquake in Haiti, and even in the floods of Pakistan, the international community had very little warning. So we had to react as quickly as we could, but almost by definition we were always going to be too late.

"Here we've warnings for the last few months. Here we are working to try to stop it from getting worse. Some day there will be no excuse for looking back and saying why did we not do more, more quickly," said Mr. Lake.

High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres said the situation in the Sahel was the result of the combined effects of drought, food insecurity, water scarcity, environmental degradation and conflict.

An estimated 250,000 people have been displaced by the political upheaval in Mali, half of the number internally. Some 48,000 sought refuge in Mauritania, 28,000 in Niger and 32,000 in Burkina Faso. A few thousand have gone to Algeria.

"The truth is that there is very little attention to the crisis in the Sahel," said Mr. Guterres. "Most of the focus of the international community has been on the Syrian crisis."

He said that too much attention was also paid to the coup and the military situation in Mali at the expense of humanitarian needs, and urged the international community to show solidarity with people in neighbouring countries who are sharing their meagre resources with the Malian refugees. "The response of the international community is very, very insufficient," he said.

Describing the food and nutrition situation in the Sahel as a public health crisis, Margaret Chan, the Director-General of WHO, urged the world to turn the situation into a window of opportunity to improve conditions there.

"We need to ask ourselves, can we turn this peril into an opportunity? That is why we would like to bring this crisis to the attention of the international community," she said.



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Ahmed Hassan Arwo

UN WARNS LACK OF FUNDS THREATENS RESPONSE TO FOOD CRISIS IN AFRICA’S SAHEL REGION

UN WARNS LACK OF FUNDS THREATENS RESPONSE TO FOOD CRISIS IN AFRICA'S SAHEL REGION

Senior United Nations officials today made impassioned appeals to the international community to make more resources available to assist millions of people affected by the severe food and nutrition crisis in the Sahel region of West Africa, cautioning that global inaction could lead to a humanitarian disaster.

"We are appealing, all of us, for an end to global indifference that we have found so far," said Anthony Lake, the Executive Director of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), at a joint news conference in Geneva with his counterparts from the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

"I know that there is a certain fatigue. I have read comments in blogs and elsewhere that 'here we go again; once more a famine; once more African children are dying; once more there is an appeal for help.'

"By acting vigorously and properly now, we can head off future crises… by building now in this crisis, health systems, community nutrition centres, more water bore holes… we can build capacity for the future," he said.

Mr. Lake, who had just returned from a visit to Chad, noted that of the estimated 15 million people affected by the drought and conflict-related crisis in the region, about 1.5 million are children who face the prospect of severe acute malnutrition.

"I was in a town called Mao in central Chad a few days ago and visited a nutrition centre and they reported that admission rates at the nutritional centre for children suffering from severe acute malnutrition are already higher than at any point in last year's lean season.

"This could be very bad and we are now across the region entering the so-called lean season, when families are drawing down the grains that they were able to harvest last year, but these families are in particular peril because in the drought of 2010 they had already sold off livestock, taking their kids out of school… therefore they are in a weakened position for this year's crisis," said Mr. Lake.

He said UNICEF and partners have been ramping up their response, but needed to accelerate the relief effort further.

UN agencies and partners last December appealed for $724 million to fund the humanitarian response to the crisis in the Sahel, but only 50 per cent of that funding requirement has so far been received, Mr. Lake said.

"To those who are fatigued, we would say that people and children, of course, are not simply statistics. All these are families fighting courageously in circumstances that few of us can imagine," he said.

He spoke of meeting Fatuma, a young girl in a tent in Chad, who the previous week was among other children who were on the verge of death. "As I spoke to her mother I kept thinking about this not only being a life saved, but this is a whole future that was saved."

"Let's not look at them as objects of pity and charity, let's look at them as people we need to support in their brave struggle for survival," he said. He stressed that taking action immediately will be more cost-effective than waiting for the situation to deteriorate further.

"In the earthquake in Haiti, and even in the floods of Pakistan, the international community had very little warning. So we had to react as quickly as we could, but almost by definition we were always going to be too late.

"Here we've warnings for the last few months. Here we are working to try to stop it from getting worse. Some day there will be no excuse for looking back and saying why did we not do more, more quickly," said Mr. Lake.

High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres said the situation in the Sahel was the result of the combined effects of drought, food insecurity, water scarcity, environmental degradation and conflict.

An estimated 250,000 people have been displaced by the political upheaval in Mali, half of the number internally. Some 48,000 sought refuge in Mauritania, 28,000 in Niger and 32,000 in Burkina Faso. A few thousand have gone to Algeria.

"The truth is that there is very little attention to the crisis in the Sahel," said Mr. Guterres. "Most of the focus of the international community has been on the Syrian crisis."

He said that too much attention was also paid to the coup and the military situation in Mali at the expense of humanitarian needs, and urged the international community to show solidarity with people in neighbouring countries who are sharing their meagre resources with the Malian refugees. "The response of the international community is very, very insufficient," he said.

Describing the food and nutrition situation in the Sahel as a public health crisis, Margaret Chan, the Director-General of WHO, urged the world to turn the situation into a window of opportunity to improve conditions there.

"We need to ask ourselves, can we turn this peril into an opportunity? That is why we would like to bring this crisis to the attention of the international community," she said.



--
Ahmed Hassan Arwo

LIBYA: NO DEATHS OR INJURIES REPORTED AFTER EXPLOSIVE DEVICE THROWN AT UN CONVOY

LIBYA: NO DEATHS OR INJURIES REPORTED AFTER EXPLOSIVE DEVICE THROWN AT UN CONVOY

No one was hurt today when an explosive device was thrown at a United Nations convoy travelling through the Libyan city of Benghazi, a spokesperson for the world body said.

The incident happened around 2:30 p.m. local time, according to Hua Jiang, spokesperson for the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).

The convoy was carrying the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of UNSMIL, Ian Martin, who was in Benghazi for various engagements.

"Luckily nobody was hurt but the SRSG cut short his visit and has returned to Tripoli," Ms. Jiang told UN Radio.

She added that it is not known who the perpetrators were.

"The matter now is handled by the local authorities. As far as we understand, an investigation has been launched," said Ms. Jiang.

Among Mr. Martin's activities in Benghazi was an address at the University of Benghazi, where he spoke about issues related to UN assistance to Libya in its democratic transition, including the electoral process, public security and human rights.

UNSMIL was established by the Security Council last year to assist the North African nation in its post-conflict efforts following the toppling of the regime of Muammar Al-Qadhafi.



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Ahmed Hassan Arwo

BAN CONDEMNS LATEST ESCALATION OF VIOLENCE IN SYRIA

BAN CONDEMNS LATEST ESCALATION OF VIOLENCE IN SYRIA

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned the latest escalation of violence in Syria despite the Government's commitments to withdraw troops, and called on authorities to immediately cease all military action against the Syrian people.

In a statement issued by his spokesperson last night, Mr. Ban deplored "the assault by the Syrian authorities against innocent civilians, including women and children, despite the commitments by the Government of Syria to cease all use of heavy weapons in population centres."

On Monday, the Syrian Government informed the Joint Special Envoy of the United Nations and the League of Arab States, Kofi Annan, that it would complete the withdrawal of troops by 10 April. However, Mr. Ban stressed that this timeline, as endorsed by the Security Council, "is not an excuse for continued killing," adding that this violates the consensus position of the Council for a peaceful politic
al settlement to the crisis to be ushered in by the full implementation of Mr. Annan's six-point proposal.

"The Secretary-General demands that the Government of Syria immediately and unconditionally cease all military actions against the Syrian people. He reiterates that it is the responsibility of the Syrian authorities to now deliver on what they have promised, and to implement, fully and unconditionally, all the commitments under the six-point plan of Joint Special Envoy Annan," the statement said.

Yesterday Mr. Annan told the General Assembly that, as agreed with the Syrian authorities, a UN team had arrived in the country to start technical preparations for the potential deployment of observers to monitor a cessation of armed violence, and the full implementation of his six-point peace plan.

Mr. Annan's proposal, which was submitted during his visit to Damascus last month, seeks to stop the violence and the killing, give access to humanitarian agencies, release detainees, and
kick-start an inclusive political dialogue.

In a telephone conversation last night, the Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmet Davutoglu informed Mr. Ban about the stream of refugees arriving in Turkey, with Mr. Ban expressing his grave concern at the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation, which is now affecting more than one million people.

"The Syrian authorities remain fully accountable for grave violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. These must stop at once," Mr. Ban said.

The UN estimates that more than 8,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed, and tens of thousands have been displaced since the protests in Syria -- part of the broader Arab Spring movement across North Africa and the Middle East -- began in March last year.



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Ahmed Hassan Arwo

SOUTH SUDAN: AS CIVILIAN DISARMAMENT TAKES PLACE, UN URGES RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

SOUTH SUDAN: AS CIVILIAN DISARMAMENT TAKES PLACE, UN URGES RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) today urged South Sudanese security forces to ensure human rights are respected as the civilian disarmament process takes place in the country's Jonglei state.

While the disarmament process has largely been peaceful and orderly, there have been reports of human rights violations in a number of disarmament locations, UNMISS said in a news release.

"We are very concerned about these reports of human rights violations during disarmament and have conveyed this to the Government," said the Special Representative of the Secretary-General to South Sudan, Hilde F. Johnson.

"We are nevertheless encouraged by the actions taken to make sure that the alleged perpetrators are held to account. UNMISS will be closely monitoring the follow-up to these incidents. Those responsible must be brought to justice," she said.

The reported v
iolations include alleged beatings, mistreatment and harassment of civilians when security forces have conducted house-to-house searches. There have also been cases of civilians arbitrarily detained, abuse in detention, and a few reported individual cases of sexual violence and individuals being shot.

UNMISS stated that the reports indicate that the human rights violations seem to be individual and random cases rather than systematic, but stressed that conducting the disarmament process in a peaceful manner is vital to end the cycle of violence in Jonglei. "This is even more important now that the process moves into a more challenging phase," said Ms. Johnson.

As part of its human rights and protection mandate, UNMISS is monitoring the disarmament process. So far, more than 27 monitoring missions have been conducted by UNMISS across the state.

>From its monitoring to date, UNMISS said that, overall, the process has largely been orderly. "I welcome the Government of South Sudan's le
adership and effort in this regard, and call for continued restraint," Ms. Johnson said, adding that UNMISS will continue to closely monitor the situation.



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Ahmed Hassan Arwo

UN COMMITTEE HEARS PROPOSALS ON THE ISSUE OF PALESTINIAN POLITICAL PRISONERS

UN COMMITTEE HEARS PROPOSALS ON THE ISSUE OF PALESTINIAN POLITICAL PRISONERS

The head of a United Nations committee on Palestinian rights said today that it had heard the indignation of the world concerning the treatment of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons and detention centres.

The chair of the General Assembly's Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, Abdou Salam Diallo, said that international law must be respected, noting that the committee had reaffirmed the right of Israel to live in security. Indiscriminate attacks against Israeli civilians must stop.

The Committee chair was speaking at the close of the International Meeting on the Question of Palestine, which aimed to raise awareness on the situation of Palestinian political prisoners and at mobilizing the international community to bring this issue to a solution by ensuring the prisoners' release and reintegration into society.

International law must be respected, Mr. Diallo said in his remarks, adding that the Committee reaffirmed the right of Israel to live in security and attacks against Israeli civilians must cease.

He added that international initiatives at the diplomatic level, together with civil society organizations' initiatives, would surely lead to improvement of the situation of Palestinian prisoners.

The two-day meeting in Geneva covered three thematic areas: the legal and humanitarian aspects of the arrests and detentions; the legal status of Palestinian prisoners under international law; and Palestinian political prisoners in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian political process.

Proposed measures to address the issue of Palestinian political prisoners included the use of existing remedial mechanisms, such as requesting the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on the issue of prisoners of war status, and the adoption of a General Assembly resolution on the issue.



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Ahmed Hassan Arwo

LIBYA: UN MISSION VOICES CONCERN OVER VIOLENCE IN NORTH-WESTERN TOWNS

LIBYA: UN MISSION VOICES CONCERN OVER VIOLENCE IN NORTH-WESTERN TOWNS

The United Nations mission in Libya today expressed deep concern over the recent intensification of violence in three towns in the north-west and deplored reports of a growing number of casualties.

The UN Support Mission for Libya (UNSMIL) urged parties involved in the fighting around the towns of Zuwara, al-Jumail and Regdalin to immediately cease hostilities while talks continue, and welcomed efforts by authorities and local leaders to broker a ceasefire and restore calm.

"The Libyan people sacrificed their lives to secure their freedom for a new, democratic Libya for all its citizens," said the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of UNSMIL, Ian Martin, in a press release. "I call on all parties to recall this sacrifice and resolve their differences without resort to the use of force."

The latest clashes around Zuwara, coming on the heels of fighting in the south, underline the need for the authorities to accelerate efforts to build strong security institutions, including the integration of revolutionary fighters and the collection of heavy weapons from members of the public, the UNSMIL statement said.

The mission added that the clashes were a legacy of four decades of autocratic rule, stressing the need for all members of the Libyan society to recognize the need to work towards reconciliation.

Briefing the Security Council in January, Mr. Martin said security remains a major concern in Libya. Clashes in different parts of the country highlighted the risks associated with the abundance of weapons and the diverse armed "brigades" operating with unclear lines of command and control.



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Ahmed Hassan Arwo

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM PARABLE OF SURATUL SPIDER

What can we learn from the parable of - The Spider?

The word "Parable" comes from Greek and means "comparison". Parables are told in the Quran to illustrate a lesson from a religions point of view and to convey a moral wisdom. It is a teaching method that makes it easier to understand and to remember deep truths in an effective way. This kind of profound meaning can only be understood by those who seek true knowledge and attains it by the Grace of Allah.  One great comparison is mentioned in Chapter 29, Al Ankabut - The Spider. To get an in-depth view, the chapter also narrates the stories of Qarun, Firaun and Haman from the period of Musa's  Prophet hood. These were all tyrant people who oppressed the Children of Israel and committed great sins.  Click HERE to read full article.

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Ahmed Hassan Arwo

SYRIA INFORMS UN-ARAB LEAGUE ENVOY OF COMMITMENT TO TROOP WITHDRAWAL DEADLINE

SYRIA INFORMS UN-ARAB LEAGUE ENVOY OF COMMITMENT TO TROOP WITHDRAWAL DEADLINE

The Syrian Government has informed the lead international envoy dealing with the crisis in that country that it will complete the withdrawal of troops and heavy weapons from population centres by 10 April, the President of the United Nations Security Council said today.

The Joint Special Envoy of the United Nations and the League of Arab States, Kofi Annan, briefed the Council via video-link in a closed-door session, telling the 15-member body that he was informed of Syria's decision in a letter he received yesterday from the country's foreign minister.

"Mr. Annan said he wished that he had this confirmation of action sooner," Ambassador Susan Rice of the United States, which holds the rotating presidency of the Council for this month, told reporters after the session.

Nonetheless, "he urged the Government of Syria to start immediately and to ensure that forces move no further into population centres," she said. "And as he related, that commitment was provided by the Syrian authorities."

Mr. Annan was appointed Joint Special Envoy earlier this year to try to resolve the crisis in Syria, where more than 8,000 civilians have been killed since March 2011 when a popular uprising began.

When he was in Damascus last month, Mr. Annan put forward a six-point proposal to end the crisis that seeks to stop the violence and the killing, give access to humanitarian agencies, release detainees, and kick-start an inclusive political dialogue.

Ms. Rice noted that Syria's commitment to complete the cessation of all forward deployment and use of heavy weapons, as well as its withdrawal from population centres, by 10 April, constitutes certain steps of that plan.

At the Friends of Syria meeting that took place in Turkey yesterday, Mr. Annan's deputy, Nasser Al-Kidwa, had constructive exchanges with the opposition to urge them to cease their operations within 48 hours of a complete cessation of Government hostilities, Ms. Rice reported.

She said the Joint Special Envoy said he is expecting details from the Syrian Government very shortly on the other aspects of his plan, including key requests for humanitarian access, the two-hour daily humanitarian pause, as well as access for the media and the political process.

In addition, a team from the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO), joined by some of Mr. Annan's staff, will travel again to Syria this week to continue preparations for a potential "monitoring and supervisory mission" of the UN.

"Mr. Annan asked the Security Council to support the April 10 deadline and, given the urgency of the situation, to begin consideration of a potential UN monitoring mission," said Ms. Rice, adding that the head of DPKO, Hervé Ladsous, also briefed the Council on the contingency planning for such a mission.

"All members of the Security Council expressed full support for Joint Special Envoy Annan and called for his six-point plan to be implemented immediately, including a political process leading to a transition that meets the aspirations of the Syrian people for democracy, a key point reiterated more than once by the Joint Special Envoy," Ms. Rice stated.

She added that some Council members expressed concern that the Syrian Government not use the next days to intensify the violence and expressed "some scepticism about the bona fides of the Government" in this regard.

"But in general, Council members expressed a willingness to consider Mr. Annan's plan for a monitoring mission if indeed a cessation of violence is achieved," she said.



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Ahmed Hassan Arwo

الصلاة والقلب مقطع مؤثر ورائع مع الشيخ محمد حسان

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اتباعك للنبى طريقك للجنة - مقطع مؤثر

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AFTER SUCCESSFUL POLLS, YEMEN MUST ADDRESS SECURITY AND HUMANITARIAN CONCERNS – UN

AFTER SUCCESSFUL POLLS, YEMEN MUST ADDRESS SECURITY AND HUMANITARIAN CONCERNS – UN
New York, Mar  7 2012  5:10PM
Following a successful presidential election last month, Yemen must continue making progress in its transition process to address a growing humanitarian crisis as well as a precarious security situation, the United Nations envoy to the country said today.

On 21 February, thousands of Yemenis headed to the polls to vote in presidential elections, which resulted in the victory of Abbed Rabbo Mansour al-Hadi. The Secretary-General's Special Adviser on Yemen, Jamal Benomar, who has been working closely with Yemeni authorities to implement a transition roadmap, congratulated the country on the high turnout, calling it an important development in the country.

"Turnout was much higher than many people had expected and many youth participated and voted for the new president," Mr. Benomar told reporters in New York following a closed-door session with the Security Council. "President Hadi now has a strong mandate to lead this transition."

Mr. Benomar, who recently visited Yemen, said that a new phase in the transition process is starting and stressed that there are many challenges laying ahead, including the organization of a national dialogue conference, constitution reform as well as reform of the electoral system, and organization of general elections by the end of the transition period in two years.

In his briefing to the Council, the envoy highlighted the economic, security and political challenges ahead. In particular, he expressed concern about Al-Qaida controlling certain regions in the southern part of the country.

"In the long months of the crisis, the State lost control as it collapsed in a number of areas around the country, benefiting Al-Qaida, and this is now going to be a major challenge in this new phase," he said.

Mr. Benomar also emphasized that there is a growing humanitarian crisis in the country as 6.8 million Yemenis experience food insecurity, with three million in need of immediate assistance. Yemen also has the second highest rate of chronic malnutrition in children in the world after Afghanistan.

The envoy called on the international community "to support Yemen in this time of need, both in the humanitarian front and also for Yemen's economic recovery." Currently the $446 million humanitarian appeal for the country is funded at only 15 per cent.

We must protect true meaning of marriage, says Roman Catholic leader

We must protect true meaning of marriage, says Roman Catholic leader
The true meaning of marriage is in danger of being lost under David Cameron’s plans to extend it to same-sex couples, the leader of five million Roman Catholics in England and Wales will warn this weekend.

The Archbishop of Westminster, the Most Reverend Vincent Nichols Photo: DAVID ROSE



By John Bingham, Religious Affairs Editor

Redefining marriage to include homosexuals would be a “profoundly radical step” stripping it of its “distinctive nature”, the Archbishop of Westminster, the Most Reverend Vincent Nichols, will say.


The warning, the most significant intervention yet into the debate on gay marriage, is in a letter to be read from the pulpit in 2,500 churches during Mass this Sunday. It has been seen by The Daily Telegraph as the Government prepares to announce the terms of a national consultation on a proposed change to the law on marriage.

The last time the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church intervened on a political issue, during the threat to impose quotas on faith schools in 2007, ministers climbed down within days.

Significantly, the letter, co-signed by the Archbishop of Southwark, the Most Reverend Peter Smith, adopts a strikingly moderate tone, in contrast with that of Cardinal Keith O’Brien, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland, who accused the Coalition of a “grotesque subversion” at the weekend.

As well as setting out Church teaching, it appeals to wider society, arguing that marriage is a “natural institution” with a meaning understood far beyond the confines of the religion. It says that extending it to same-sex couples would reduce marriage to a vague commitment between two people. The archbishops argue that marriage between a man and a woman is “at the foundation of our society”, but also praise the “remarkable example of courage and fidelity” displayed by many who have suffered marital breakdown.

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While quoting the Catechism, which defines marriage as a sacrament, they say that their “instinctive understanding” of marriage as a setting both for secure relationships and bringing up children will be shared by wider society. “Neither the Church nor the State has the power to change this fundamental understanding of marriage itself,” they write. “Nor is this simply a matter of public opinion.”

Crucially, they argue against changing the meaning of civil, as well as religious, marriage. The Government had hoped to neutralise opposition from a coalition led by the former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey, by offering reassurances that churches would not be forced to marry gay couples.

Writing in The Daily Telegraph last week the equalities minister, Lynne Featherstone, insisted that the Government was not “trampling over tradition” but “allowing a space” for homosexual rights to be respected alongside religious belief.

The archbishops’ letter has been sent to bishops across England and Wales and is being circulated to parishes this week. It is accompanied by a cover note asking priests to encourage their parishioners to sign a petition set up by Lord Carey’s Coalition for Marriage, opposing the redefinition of marriage.

More than a million people attend Roman Catholic services each week, out of an estimated five million Catholics in England and Wales. In 2007, a letter issued by the then Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, helped secure the future of faith schools as the Labour government came under pressure from unions to end state funding.

Alan Johnson, the then education secretary, had attempted to impose quotas on faith schools, forcing them to reserve a quarter of places for non-churchgoing families. Faced with the lobbying campaign spearheaded by the Church, he climbed down within days.

Churchgoers will be encouraged to take part in the Government consultation when it begins and lobby their MPs directly.

“The reasons given by our Government for wanting to change the definition of marriage are those of equality and discrimination,” the archbishops write. “But our present law does not discriminate unjustly when it requires both a man and a woman for marriage. It simply recognises and protects the distinctive nature of marriage.

“Changing the legal definition of marriage would be a profoundly radical step. Its consequences should be taken seriously now.”

Changing the law would “gradually and inevitably” change society’s understanding of the purpose of marriage, they say.

“It would reduce it just to the commitment of the two people involved. There would be no recognition of the complementarity of male and female or that marriage is intended for the procreation and education of children.”

Setting out their ideas on marriage they add: “The roots of the institution of marriage lie in our nature.

“This pattern is, of course, affirmed by many other religious traditions — understood as a lifelong commitment between a man and a woman, and for the creation and upbringing of children, marriage is an expression of our fundamental humanity.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9124963/We-must-protect-true-meaning-of-marriage-says-Roman-Catholic-leader.html

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Ways to Paradise - Imam Siraj Wahhaj

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المعصية والحرمان من الرزق - مقطع رائع