Egypt: Dispelling the curse of the pharaohs

Lord Carnavon was among the first, who entered Tutankhamun's tomb. Together with the British archaeologist Howard Carter, he stepped into a silent world, which had been lying untouched since three thousand years, after the legendary Egyptian boy king was laid to rest in the Valley of the Kings. Shortly after this adventure in 1922, the British aristocrat died mysteriously. Fast spread the rumor that the curse of the pharaohs had killed him and other people, who were connected to the discovery. The curse, they said, would kill anybody who disturbed the pharaohs. A myth was born. The fact that Lord Carnavon died of an infected mosquito bite, did not find much takers. Later, scientists proposed there could have been an unknown disease, lying dormant in the closed chambers of the tomb.

Mr. Zahi Hawass, secretary general of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, does not believe in death bringing curses. He announced now a scientific investigation into the pharaonic mystery. A team of scientists, he said, was preparing for an extensive study. It is planned to examine so far unexcavated tombs for dangerous substances, gases and germs. Over the centuries, germs could have developed in the mummified human remains.

But the curse of the pharaohs could just be fantasy without material base also. Egypt's ancient rulers used to "protect" their tombs with curse inscriptions. "If anyone enters my tomb, he will be eaten by a crocodile, a hippo and a lion!" threatens a recently discovered inscription. Those curses did not mean that happens, said Hawass. He described how he, during an excavation, had been accidentally knocked unconscious in an ancient tomb some years back. People would have certainly thought of the curse, if something had happened to me, he said. But it was only an accident.

Nigeria: Amina Lawal case back in court

The Sharia Appellate Court of Katsina state is currently hearing the appeal of Amina Lawal Kurami. The judgement is expected on 25 September.

Amina was sentenced to death by stoning by a Sharia court in Bakori on 22 March 2002, because she gave birth to a baby girl, 10 months after her divorce. That was at least one month too late. Under Islamic criminal law, pregnancy out of wedlock - what so ever are the circumstances - is punishable with death by stoning.

Stoning is one of the most barbarian ways of execution. Victims are digged in up to their neck and pelted with stones on their head and into their face till they are dead. This is practice in Saudi Arabia, in the UAE, in Afghanistan (still now under the new USA backed government [Bulletin #102]) and in Pakistan [Bulletin #95 and #97]. It was practice in Iran till January 2003, when stoning was banned to ease trade relations with the EU. In Nigeria, several stoning sentences have been handed down in adultery cases since the northern states re-introduced Islamic criminal law after the end of military rule (1999). Up to now none of them has been executed.

The judgement against Amina Lawal unleashed a storm of protest in Nigeria and all over the world. In this atmosphere, Safiyatu Husseini from Sokoto state, another unwed mother condemned to be stoned to death, was acquitted by an Islamic court of appeal in March 2002. In Amina's case, however, the Islamic high court in Funtuas ignored all opposition on moral and legal grounds and upheld the stoning sentence on 19 August 2002 in fundamentalist spirit.

Pressure on the Nigerian government increased. President Obasanjo, a Christian, tried to calm down western protest without taking any risk to loose the support of the powerful governors of the northern states. The explosive case against Amina Lawal was put on ice for more than one year, while Nigeria went to the ballots. President Obasanjo was re-elected in tumultuous general elections in April 2003 (the first under a civilian government).

The long postponed hearing of Amina Lawals appeal was finally scheduled for 27 August. After her lawyers presented their case, the court adjourned without judgement. If the decision, which may now be taken on 25 September (or subsequently), is anything else but a clear acquittal, the next appeal can be filed at the federal, regional court of appeal in Kaduna. This is a secular court. Even if it upholds the condemnation for adultery, the punishment would melt down to a jail-term. Several stoning sentences have been quashed or changed into prison sentences this way. After the federal, regional court of appeal, the case could further go up to the federal high court and finally to the Supreme Court. Nigerian government representatives have expressed that they would welcome such a development, as this was the only possible way to legally challenge Sharia. [See related articles in Bulletin #88, #93 and #102.]

Pakistan: Woman accused of blasphemy killed in prison

Naseem Bibi, 45, was jailed in Lahore's Kotlakhpat Jail in Punjab province since May 2002. Accused of blasphemy, she was awaiting her trial. She died on 25 August, tortured and beaten to death by fellow jail inmates. The jail authorities tried to hush up the case, saying she died of "heart failure". Her lawyer Pervez Aslam informs that his client had complained since one week that she was threatened and attacked. The jail authorities had been alerted, but failed to protect her. He demanded an inquiry.

Naseem Bibi was living together with her two teenage sons. Her neighbor used to make advances at her, which she rejected. In May 2002, he decided to revenge. He called police and alleged that Naseem had burned a copy of the Quran. She denied the allegation. Though there were no other witnesses for the deed, the neighbor's false claim was enough to file a blasphemy case against her. Pakistan's blasphemy law is a dirty weapon of elimination. Those, against whom it is turned, have few chances to escape, whether it is wielded by religious fundamentalists or "misused" by any other hate-driven fanatic.

India: In memoriam Abraham T. Kovoor

On the occasion of his 25th death anniversary on 18 September

Professor Abraham Thomas Kovoor represents a colorful era in the history of the Indian Rationalist Association. His direct and trenchant criticism of all kinds of spiritual frauds enthused the audience wherever he appeared and initiated a new dynamism in the rationalist movement, especially in India. A powerful orator, he drew crowds all over the country and charlatans were on the run. He threw up challenges against paranormal claims and exposed frauds like Sai Baba. He has been central figure in the rationalist fight against superstition for nearly two decades.

Born in Kerala as the son of the first Vicar General of Marthoma Church, he completed his education in Calcutta and worked as a junior professor in C.M.S. College. Later he migrated to Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) and taught in several colleges there. After his retirement in 1959, he devoted his life to the rationalist movement. He built up the Ceylon Rationalist Association and was elected its president in 1960 - this office he retained till his death.

In 1961, Kovoor traveled in Europe and established contacts with the World Union of Freethinkers. He visited Italy, France, Germany and England. In London, he met the leaders of the National Secular Society. Their journal The Freethinker carries an article about Kovoor's visit in the issue of 31 August 1962.

Back in Ceylon, Kovoor started to study about paranormal claims in different parts of India and Ceylon. His case studies met with remarkable media attention. He started to write articles about his encounters with spiritual frauds in the pseudonym "Narcissus".

A major turning point in this phase of Kovoor's life and a mark stone on his way to become a rationalist hero in India, was his meeting with Joseph Edamaruku in 1962. One fine day, Kovoor entered Edamaruku's office at Kottayam, introducing himself as a member of the Forum of Freethinkers, a rationalist group founded by Edamaruku. He brought some of Narcissus' articles for publication in Edamaruku's journal Vilambaram (The Declaration). This was the beginning of a unique friendship and co-operation, which lasted till Kovoor's death.

In the Sixties and Seventies, Kovoor traveled several times through the length and breadth of India and addressed hundreds of meetings. His brilliancy of oratory enlivened with scientific approach and spirit of critical thinking worked like magic in Indian villages and towns. He denounced the supernatural and life after death and challenged godmen to do miracles under fraud proof conditions. During his last visit to India in 1976, Kovoor visited Sai Baba ashram and challenged him to face his test – which the Baba refused. The media reports followed hot on the heels of one another. Kovoor had become a celebrity. On the base of one of his case studies, a popular feature movie was made in three languages.

A T Kovoor died on 18 September 1978. He did not want any ceremonies for his funeral. "I am not afraid of death and life after death", he wrote in his will. "To set an example, I don't want a burial." He donated his eyes to an eye bank and his corpse to the medical college for anatomy studies. His skeleton he wanted to be given to the science laboratory of Thurston College in Colombo. Everything was done according his last wishes.

The Indian Rationalist Association is greatly indebted to A. T. Kovoor for its present day growth.

Malaysia: Divorce via SMS

Muslim men can divorce their wives now via text message on mobile phone, ruled a recent decision of an Islamic court in Malaysia, which provoked heated Cabinet debates. The government did not like the idea and finally overruled the court decision. "We decided that while it may be correct from other angles, it is not the way to get a divorce," said Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. The opinion among religious advisers to the government remained split.

According to Islamic law, a Muslim man can dissolve his marriage with a "triple talaq", that means just by saying three times the word talaq! to his wife in front of a witness. The controversial court decision upheld a divorce, which was communicated via short message service, thereby establishing that SMS divorcing was in accordance with Sharia.