VOICE OF GLOBAL UMMAH

VOICE OF THE GLOBAL UMMAH

Volume 20, March 22, 2008

Mehrun-Yusuf Behavioral Care

St. Louis, Missouri

EDITOR: Hajji Mohamed Ziauddin

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH THE MOST BENEFICENT AND THE MOST MERCIFUL

PLIGHT OF OUR CHILDREN – (Last and final) PART II:

AFRICA:

NIGERIA

Supporting Victims of Witchcraft Abuse and Street Children in Nigeria

Stepping Stones (2007)- Nigeria's recent report into child abandonment and trafficking in Nigeria.

This report was recently presented at a conference organized by AFRUCA - Africans Unite Against Child Abuse - in London and lead to a call for urgent action to be taken to explore the link between the branding of children as witches, child abandonment and the risks of child trafficking with a view to devising better safeguarding mechanisms for vulnerable children.

Nigeria acts as the second largest source of child trafficking victims to the UK and the state where Stepping Stones Nigeria works, Akwa Ibom State, has the highest rate of trafficking in Nigeria. There are a number of transit camps in operation in the state and trafficking of children is widespread.

COTE DE IVORIRE

In a 135 page report, “My Heart is Cut”: Sexual Violence by Rebels and Pro-Government Forces in Cote d Ivorire", details the widespread nature of sexual violence. Above report documents how women and girls have been subjected to individual and gang rape, sexual slavery, forced incest et.c. The report documents girls as young as six being raped and various other human rights violations including torture, killing, mutilation and even CANNIBALISM.

In addition to sexual violence associated with open hostilities, pro govt forces targets women and girls whom they suspected of supporting the rebels, PARTICULARLY WOMEN WHO WERE MUSLIM, came from the north or from neighboring Burkina Faso and Mali or were thought to support opposition political parties.

PHILLIPINES:

Who could forget Father Shay Cullen tape that was broadcast on CNN that showed HUNDREDS OF CHILDREN AS YOUNG AS 5 YEARS OLD LOCKED IN CAGES STACKED A HALF-DOZEN HIGH. Above broadcast highlighted an issue the world could not ignore, and hit hardest in North America, where many of the children’s regular customers live.

Most were child prostitutes caught in the Philippines rampant sex tourism trade. Father Shay had been known to advocate for the neglected and forgotten children in the Philippines. The 65 year old Catholic missionary leads an organization in the Philippines called PREDA that has been rescuing children exploited by pimps and brother owners, then sold to tourists who have come to prey on them. “He spends his days with young girls who are sexually, physically and emotionally abused on a daily basis, as well as with johns who are convinced they are doing the girls a favor by paying them for sex. He stated: “THE WORST KIND OF SLAVERY TODAY IS CHILD LABOUR AND THE WORST FORM OF THAT IS THE SEX TRADE”.

MORE THAN SIXTY THOUSAND FILIPINO GIRLS WORK AS CHILD PROSTITUTES. They are recruited by pimps in rural areas of the country from unsuspecting, desperately poor families who send their daughters to the city to earn extra money. “It’s everyone from the sleazy to the elite.” Father Shay says of the tourists who frequent child brothels. “All levels of society and every nationality”.

Girls are sold in the brothels and on the streets for as little as $25 and can see as many as 10 customers a day. If they don’t make enough money, they are beaten. “The girls rescued by sting operations at PREDA’s rehabilitation center undergo a PRIMAL THERAPY SESSION WITH SOCIAL WORKERS TO DEAL WITH THE PAIN AND FEAR THEY HAVE ENDURED. It’s a heart-wrenching scene – a dozen or so girls sprawled out on the floor, wailing at the top of their lungs and pounding the floor in agony. Tears stream down their faces and their bodies shake as they relive years of abuse. Father Shay and the others try to console them. “Unless we make combating child prostitution and sex tourism a global priority, thousands more children will have their lives torn apart.”

HOW THE UMMAH COULD REACH OUT TO HELP OUR CHILDREN:

Many Muslims on learning about the shocking and deplorable plight of children feel helpless since most of such issues are beyond one’s immediate ability to change. However what is happening “OUT THERE” may be beyond our control, but how we react to it ‘MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE BEYOND OUR CONTROL”. Let each of us ask ourselves that in this year of 2008, what could we do to make a positive difference in the life of a distressed Muslim child or a Muslim orphan?

It is unfortunate, that in the United States, we do not have one single MUSLIM BIG BROTHER AND BIG SISTER program that would enable a special child from a single parent family or from a home of a distressed family to have a ROLE MODEL. Many well meaning people of all religions do help children in various ways and of course there is tremendous room for improvement in our ability to reach out and help the children. Obviously there are different ways to assist the children including sponsoring a child from overseas.

As far as the global Ummah is concerned, there are hundreds of Muslim social service agencies helping Muslim children in various ways. Due to limitations in space and time, we may not be able to list all of them. Although any Social Service Agency willing to share to us about their services are welcome to e-mail us at below address and we will be glad to review and put them on spotlight.

As an example of a small but growing Muslim organization that is doing extraordinary and phenomenal work in helping the Muslim Orphan children is ICCCT (International Centre for Children Charitable Trust). Below are highlights taken from their website http://www.iccct.org/.

International Centre for Children Charitable Trust

“And they question thee concerning orphans. Say: To improve their lot is best”. Al Qur’an 2:220

ُواْ الْخَبِيثَ بِالطَّيِّبِ وَلاَ تَأْكُلُواْ أَمْوَالَهُمْ إِلَى أَمْوَالِكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ حُوبًا كَبِيرًا

Al Qur'an: “And give to the orphans their property, and do not substitute worthless (things) for (their) good (ones), and do not devour their property (as an addition) to your own property; this is surely a great crime”. (Chapter #4, Verse #2)

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَأْكُلُونَ أَمْوَالَ الْيَتَامَى ظُلْمًا إِنَّمَا يَأْكُلُونَ فِي بُطُونِهِمْ نَارًا وَسَيَصْلَوْنَ سَعِيرًا

AlQur'an: “(As for) those who swallow the property of the orphans unjustly, surely they only swallow fire into their bellies and they shall enter burning fire.” (Chapter #4, Verse #10)

Bukhari translation: Narrated Sahl bin Sa'd: The Prophet said, "I and the person who looks after an orphan and provides for him, will be in Paradise like this," putting his index and middle fingers together. (Book #73, Hadith #34)

Muslim translation: Abu Huraira reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: One who looks after the orphan whether he is his relative or not, I and he would be together in Paradise like this, and Malik (explained it) with the gesture by drawing his index finger and middle finger close together . (Book #042, Hadith #7108)

(ICCT) is a charity working with a global network of local communities to help provide necessities of life to disadvantaged orphans in Sri Lanka.

HISTORY:

ICCCT was incorporated in response to the Asian Tsunami of 26 December 2004 which saw more than 30,000 dead and hundreds of children left orphans. More than 50% of whom who died in Sri Lanka were Muslims even though the Muslims constitute a mere 7.1% of the population.

14,724 houses were fully damaged and in the Kalmunai Municipal Council area 97,432 persons were displaced and 76,052 persons were in the refugee camps.

ICC is in the process of developing an orphanage for the needy. We have acquired 12 acres of land and plan to accommodate around 1,000 children (boys and girls). Your contribution will help develop the land (to build fence, well, and hostel).

The “sponsor a child” project provides foster care for orphaned children. ICC has currently sponsored more than 75 children in Sri Lanka. At just a dollar a day, you too can become a sponsor.

During every Ramadan, since 2005, ICC has distributed Zakatul Fitr for the needy. In 2007, Zakatul Fitr was distributed to deserving families in Algama, Attanagalla in Western Province and Ninthavur and Zakatpuram in Eastern Province to 485 families. Insha Allah, this will be continued every year and the Zakatul Fitr will be distributed before Eidul Fitr prayers.

Our vision is establishing Orphanages worldwide and supporting orphaned children with tender loving care to empower orphans so that they become self sustainable.

ICC has sponsored around 80 orphans and distributed Qurbani to more than 10,700 families since 2005.

ICC is operating in 6 of the 9 provinces of Sri Lanka assisting 51 orphans of whom some are assisted for the past 3 years and some are assisted for one year.

In 2005, 7 orphans were helped; in 2006, 24 orphans were helped and in 2007, 46 orphans were helped making a total of 77 orphans by the grace of Allah SWT.

In the month of Hajj, ICC distributes Qurbani meat to the poor, destitute and the needy in Sri Lanka. We distributed meat to around 10,000 families since 2005. See below for more details and to make your contribution.

For additional information or offer to assist ICCCT, please contact:

Alhaj Dr. Sheik Muhammed Ali

Tel:+649 815 0700 Mob: +6421 167 72 92

E-mail: drasmali@gmail.com

Acknowledgements:

http://www.thestar.com/: “Helping girls flee brothels” – Cragin and Marc Kielburger 6/4/07

fighthumantraffickingnews.blogspot.com: “Cote di Voire: Peace Process Fails to Address Sexual Violence” Human Rights Watch Reports 8/2/07)

As usual, feel free to e-mail your valuable comments to info@mehrunyusuficds.com.