被迫害记者：为了活命被迫背井离乡的痛苦

作者 Qaiser Felix

卡塞尔∙菲力克斯曾与亚洲新闻通讯社合作。昨天，他在梵蒂冈圣伯多禄大殿举行的“擦干眼泪”守夜祈祷中做出了见证。他介绍了巴基斯坦少数派基督徒的处境，他因信仰受到迫害，被迫逃离祖国和家乡，因为伊斯兰极端势力威胁要杀死他全家。在亚洲新闻通讯社和耶稣会神父们的帮助下，今天，他在威尼斯生活、工作

梵蒂冈城（亚洲新闻）—“都结束了，丢下你的工作和城市，赶紧带着你的家人尽快逃走”。这是亚洲新闻通讯社社长和其它机构组织给巴基斯坦记者菲力克斯的建议。他因信仰受到迫害，被迫逃离祖国和家乡，因为伊斯兰极端势力威胁要杀死他全家。在梵蒂冈圣伯多禄大殿举行的“擦干眼泪”守夜祈祷中，他在教宗面前见证了自己的经历，介绍了巴基斯坦少数派基督徒的处境。

卡塞尔∙菲力克斯曾与亚洲新闻通讯社合作，专门收集整理巴基斯坦基督徒受迫害情况的资料。当伊斯兰极端势力开始对她的妻子进行死亡威胁后，被迫举家出逃。在亚洲新闻通讯社和耶稣会神父们的帮助下，今天，他在威尼斯生活、工作，“获得了新生”。

以下是他的见证全文。其间，他呼吁“不要丢下”无数为了见证福音而面临生命危险的兄弟姐妹们。

Holy Father, my name Qaiser Felix. In Pakistan I was a journalist for many years. I belong to the Catholic minority and my faith was at the core of all my work. I travelled to every region of my country to tell the difficult life Christians are forced to lead in Pakistan, discriminated by the law against blasphemy and often victims of brutal violence, even murder.

I loved my job. For me it was more than just a job to feed my family; it was my struggle. I wanted to give voice to the suffering of the persecuted Christian minority. That is why I felt so proud when in 2007 I received an international award from the Association of Catholic journalists, and became the national secretary for South Asia for the same association.

However, my articles and my growing fame brought me to the attention of some terrorist groups who considered my words an open attack on the country and Islam.

The first acts of intimidation and threats against my wife and children pushed me to ask for help from my agency’s editor and various organisations. They all gave me the same, direct and irrevocable answer: “It's over. Quit your work and leave the city. Save your family and run as fast as you can.”

It was the same news agency editor who organised my departure for Rome. So I suddenly found myself in a foreign country, far from the people dearest to me.

In Italy I cannot practice my profession as a journalist because it is too hard to get my diploma recognised and getting a qualification is too difficult. Still, I did not give up.

At the beginning it was very hard. My wife and my two children were left in Pakistan; it was not possible to bring them with me. I desperately needed to send them money.

Here in Italy I had to reinvent my life, and I had to wait to write again. I accepted odd jobs in Rome. I attended training courses and through the Centro Astalli I visited schools to tell my refugee story to secondary school students.

Then in 2011, after more than two very difficult years, I was able to reunite with my wife and two children. When we hugged I realised that the worst was over, that together we could make it. And so we did.

Today, thanks to Jesuit priests, my wife and I work at a student college in Venice. The children, who are now teenagers, go to school and are good at it. They learnt Italian quickly and well, and now their future is here.

To experience persecution and the fear of death is a terrible thing, especially for my children. Faith in the darkest hours was my lifeline. My colleagues and friends at AsiaNews and the Centro Astalli were a providential Godsend to me.

In such an important moment, allow me to remember those who stayed behind in my country: the many fellow Christians who are persecuted, the men and women who every day risk their lives because of human rights violations and persecution. Do not leave them alone; they need our prayers and our help.

I am here today also for them to bear witness to the life and the greatness of God the Merciful. Thank you, Holy Father!