WHO WILL PROTECT NIGERIA’S NORTHERN CHRISTIANS?

Picture Credit - Hassan John is West Africa Editor, GCN
and Priest of the Anglican Diocese of Jos
WHO WILL PROTECT NIGERIA’S NORTHERN CHRISTIANS?

Baroness Cox has returned from a fact-finding mission to Nigeria, where thousands of Christians have reportedly been killed in escalating attacks led by Fulani militia. She visited the Anguldi Refugee Camp in Jos, Plateau State, which provides shelter to 2,600 IDPs, and spoke to a number of survivors. Extracts of their testimonies are recorded below.

The scale of suffering:
The Christian Association of Nigeria estimates that, between January and June this year, around 6,000 people have been killed by Fulani militia.
The Global Terrorism Index in 2016 and 2017 named Fulani militants as the fourth deadliest terrorist group in the world, with only Boko Haram, ISIS and al-Shabab being accounted deadlier.
There are almost two million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Nigeria. The vast majority have been displaced by the insurgencies of Boko Haram and Fulani militia.

Baroness Cox at the ANCA-WR Gala 2018


Please watch this inspirational speech by Caroline recipient of the "Advocate for Justice" Award. 

Published on YouTube 15 Oct 2018

British House of Lords Member and recipient of ANCA-WR's "Advocate for Justice" Award, Baroness Caroline Cox delivered the following powerful remarks at the 2018 ANCA-WR Gala.

More than 1,000 activists, community leaders, public officials, supporters, and generous donors attended the Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region’s Annual Gala on October 7 in Beverly Hills.

Artsakh’s Angel | Baroness Caroline Cox of the British House of Lords

Baroness Cox was described as Artsakh's Angel at an awards ceremony for ANCA, attended by over 1000+ at the International Ballroom at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, Los Angeles. Baroness Caroline Cox was awarded the "Advocate for Justice"

The Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region announced that it will bestow its 2018 “Advocate for Justice” Award to Caroline Cox, a Member of the British House of Lords, at the 2018 ANCA-WR Gala in recognition of her consistent efforts aimed at advocating the interests of Artsakh and its people, as well as bringing international attention to the plight of Artsakh and the injustices waged against it by Azerbaijan.

HART 2018 visit to Nagorno-Karabakh and the Lady Cox Rehabilitation Centre


HART 2018 visit to Nagorno-Karabakh and the Lady Cox Rehabilitation Centre

Members of the HART team recently returned from celebrating the 20th anniversary of The Lady Cox Rehabilitation Centre in Stepanakert, Nagorno-Karabakh with its founder, Vardan Tadevosyan and his committed team of health workers. Fighting against a culture that kept people with disabilities behind closed doors, Vardan and his team now treat over 1,600 patients a year with therapeutic services such as physiotherapy, speech therapy and occupational therapy.

President Ashot Ghulyan Commends The Caroline Cox Rehabilitation Center

Ashot Ghulyan
Ashot Ghulyan, President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno- Karabakh) commends the The Caroline Cox Rehabilitation Center - 

In a tweet posted yesterday, President Ashot Ghulyan said -

"The Caroline Cox Rehabilitation Center marks the 20th anniversary. Through the efforts of Baronessie Cox and the Government of Artsakh, the Center has become one of the best in the world. It is a solid family where humanity is a faith, and solicitude and charity - a way of life."



Artsakh Foreign Minister receives Baroness Caroline Cox

(C) Ministry Foreign Affairs
of the
Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh Republic)
Artsakh Foreign Minister receives Baroness Caroline Cox -

Reported today by the ARMENPRESS - 17:25, 10 September, 2018

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 10, ARMENPRESS. On September 10, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh Republic) Masis Mayilian received a delegation led by Baroness Caroline Cox, member of the House of Lords of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Artsakh foreign ministry said in a press release.

Welcoming Caroline Cox’s visit to Artsakh, the Minister noted its importance from the point of view of observing the current situation in the republic and the achievements in different spheres. The Minister highly appreciated her consistent efforts aimed at protecting the rights and legitimate interests of the citizens of Artsakh abroad, raising awareness of the international community on Artsakh, disseminating truthful information about the conflict between Azerbaijan and Nagorno Karabakh, as well as solving humanitarian issues in the republic.

Rehabilitation Center named after Baroness Caroline Cox celebrated the 20th anniversary of its foundation

Thanks to @ANCA_WR for the picture :)
Rehabilitation Center named after Baroness Caroline Cox celebrated the 20th anniversary of its foundation -


Stepanakert Rehabilitation Center named after Baroness Caroline Cox celebrated the 20th anniversary of its foundation on September 9th Baroness Cox attended -

Vardan Tadevosyan, the executive director of the center, said in his speech that the construction of the center was a big challenge both for the Baroness and him, as they were not sure that the idea would have success.

''There were many people with disabilities in Artsakh as a result of the Artsakh War. Despite the great need, there was not a rehabilitation center which would have an appropriate treatment program for the people with disabilities.

Baroness Cox of Queensbury; Fired With Passion For Human Rights

Baroness Cox of Queensbury; Fired With Passion For Human Rights

Please click on the link to read this great article and podcast by Anne RinaudoThursday 16 Aug 2018

Listen: Baroness Cox of Queensbury in conversation with Stephen O’Doherty.

Caroline Cox qualified as a nurse, graduated as a social scientist and in 1982 was made a life peer. Baroness Caroline Cox of Queensbury is a Christian, and sits in the House of Lords. She is also a passionate advocate for human rights and the rights of women especially.

She is the founder of the Humanitarian AId Relief Trust (HART) and is actively engaged with their work around the world in Africa, Eastern Europe and in Timor Leste.
Timor Leste malnutrition

On a recent visit to Australia, Baroness Caroline Cox spoke about her work with Open House. On her way, the energetic Baroness also visited a HART Australasia project in Timor Leste which is working with a local partner to address the severe childhood malnutrition problems in the country.


‘I was the first baroness I’d ever met!’ – Baroness Caroline Cox


‘I was the first baroness I’d ever met!’ – Baroness Caroline Cox

This is a great radio interview recorded Thursday, August 16th, 2018 and copy kindly sent to Caroline whilst she was on her travels in Australia by Dr. Joseph Dsouza . This interview conducted by Vision Christian Radio  is one of the best ones I have come across for some time and I would encourage you to listen to it via the links provided. (Andrew Haigh) 

“It was quite a shock.”
Baroness Caroline Cox is CEO and Founder of the Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust and a long time fighter for the freedoms of Western society now under threat.

We have to keep a constant watch to protect our political, cultural, and spiritual heritage.

Sky News Australia Interview - Push to protect Muslim women in UK from Sharia Law

A cross-bench member of the British House of Lords has introduced a private member's bill to protect Muslim women in Britain from Sharia Law. Baroness Caroline Cox told Sky News she believes in the freedom of religion, but says elements of the practice are incompatible with fundamental UK laws and values.


As many of her friends know Baroness Cox is currently away supporting the local Partners for her charity work Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust (HART). Whilst away she had an opportunity to speak out for Muslim Woman world-wide for an interview with Sky News Australia. 

We were overwhelmed by the positive support across social media and for all those that shared the link of her interview. Here is a selection of pictures and the link to her news interview.


Feel free to leave a comment here below 

‘Our suffragettes would be turning in their graves’: Baroness fights against Islamic law

Listen to Baroness Cox in her latest interview on the radio in Australia -

A British parliamentarian is speaking out against sharia, saying the practices would make suffragettes “turn in their graves”.

Baroness Caroline Cox has introduced a private member’s bill to protect Muslim women living in Britain from sharia decisions.

“Here’s a lady we need to listen to,” says Alan Jones. 

Baroness Cox to Receive ‘Advocate for Justice’ Award at ANCA-WR Gala

Baroness Cox to Receive ‘Advocate for Justice’ Award at ANCA-WR Gala

It was reported today in Asbarez (Armenian: Ասպարէզ "Arena") is an Armenian-American bilingual daily newspaper published in Armenian and English in Los Angeles, California.............

GLENDALE—The Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region announced that it will bestow its 2018 “Advocate for Justice” Award to Caroline Cox, a Member of the British House of Lords, at the 2018 ANCA-WR Gala in recognition of her consistent efforts aimed at advocating the interests of Artsakh and its people, as well as bringing international attention to the plight of Artsakh and the injustices waged against it by Azerbaijan.

“Over the course of three decades, Baroness Caroline Cox has consistently utilized her powerful voice and all resources at her disposal to bring peace and justice to the Armenian people of Artsakh and to highlight the aggressive actions of the Azeri government and military against freedom-loving people who simply want to live in an independent state of their own choosing. As such, Baroness Cox is highly deserving of the ANCA Western Region’s prestigious Advocate for Justice award, and we look forward to her traveling from Britain to allow our community to publicly recognize her and express our collective gratitude for all she has done and continues to do for Artsakh and for our Cause,” stated Nora Hovsepian, Chair of the ANCA-WR.

Baroness Cox: We are prolonging the war in Syria. Islamic State is far worse than Assad

Baroness Cox: 
We are prolonging the war in Syria. Islamic State is far worse than Assad

Originally Published 24th April 2018 on Premier Christianity 

You can translate this article by viewing on  desktop mode and selecting the Google translate button!

Hours after airstrikes by the US, Britain and France, a delegation of Church leaders and peers from the UK travelled to Syria. Widely criticised by the national newspapers for peddling propaganda for the Assad regime, one of the delegates, Christian peer and human rights campaigner, Baroness Caroline Cox appeared on Premier Christian Radio's News Hour to share her side of the story

We visited Damascus, Homs, Aleppo and the Christian town of Maaloula, which had been taken by Islamic State, and we met a wide range of people. It was a pastoral visit. We were invited by the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch, the Grand Mufti and other Church leaders.

Talking to Syrian people, everybody whom we met including the Church leaders, say that the alternative to Bashar al-Assad would be much, much worse. For some they have actually moved to appreciating the fact that it is he, with Russian help, who’s helped to get most of Syria rid of ISIS and all the other Islamist terrorists. They’re the greatest enemy of all, with the atrocities they perpetrate. You don’t hear much about that on our media here.

A statement from Caroline on her latest visit to Syria



Statement on Syria, April 2018

Earlier this month, I visited Syria at the invitation of the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch. The visit provided an opportunity to meet Christian and Muslim religious leaders, the Speaker of Parliament, MPs from many parts of Syria and opposition MPs, artists, musicians and intellectuals and members of local communities in Damascus, Saidnaya, Maaloula, Homs and Aleppo.

The visit also provided an opportunity to establish a relationship with the humanitarian aid organisation St. Ephrem Patriarchal Development Committee (EPDC) to initiate a programme helping women to develop entrepreneurial activities in the Christian town of Maaloula, which had been invaded by Jihadists who perpetrated atrocities, including killing three men who refused to convert to Islam, desecrating holy places and destroying many people’s homes. The project will help these women, who had lost everything, to rebuild their lives and to support their families.

UK FOREIGN POLICY HAS ESCALATED CRISIS IN SYRIA





UK FOREIGN POLICY HAS ESCALATED CRISIS IN SYRIA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

A British delegation of clergymen, parliamentarians, journalists and academics visited Syria last week, arriving in the region during the missile attacks by the USA, the UK and France.

They visited Syria at the invitation of Ignatius Aphrem, the Syriac Patriach, and met Christian and Muslim religious leaders, the Speaker of Parliament, MPs from many parts of Syria and opposition MPs, internationally-respected artists, musicians and intellectuals, the humanitarian aid organisation St Ephemeral Patriarchal Development Committee (EPDC) and members of local communities in Damascus, Saidnaya, Maaloula, Homs and Aleppo.

Lady Cox Rehabilitation Centre - “It’s not just a Center,” said Dr. Dorian.


Wonderful comment in this news paper about the Lady Cox rehabilitation centre

Dr. Dorian shared insights about the invaluable work of the Lady Cox Rehabilitation Center, first established in 2000 through a partnership of local health officials and then-Speaker of United Kingdom’s House of Lords, Baroness Caroline Cox (a trained nurse).

“It’s not just a Center,” said Dr. Dorian. “A center connotes walls and a building – a box. The Lady Cox Rehabilitation program thinks outside of the box – actually it’s created an environment where there is no box – serving the people in their homes and villages throughout Artsakh.”

The Baroness Cox Rehabilitation Center provides high-quality, specialized medical care each year to approximately 1,000 local and regional patients, and has treated over 15,000 to date. Among those receiving treatment – both at the Center and in their homes – are patients with spinal cord injuries, elderly stroke victims, and infants and children born with disabilities, such as cerebral palsy and spina bifida. The Lady Cox Center sends trained rehabilitation nurses to communities across Artsakh, serving those who do not have access to the Stepanakert location. The Center strives to dispel cultural stigmas, many rooted in the Soviet-era, associated with disabilities, and works – via speech, occupational and other therapies – to ensure that its patients are given the opportunity to live happy and fulfilling lives.

Baroness Cox speaking up for the people of Syria

www.hart-uk.org/
Here is the link to the recent question by Baroness Cox about Ghouta, Syria 

Here is a link to a page on Syria 

My Lords, is the Minister aware that Eastern Ghouta has been occupied by ISIS and other jihadist groups, such as the Army of Islam, which have been bombing Damascus for years—I saw that bombing coming in when I was last in Damascus— and that recently the shelling on Damascus has become so intense that the sky is blackened, especially over Christian areas, and reports are coming in that many people have been killed and injured in Damascus itself? Does the Minister therefore agree that one of the best ways forward would be for those who support the jihadis, such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar, to encourage them to accept the peace arrangements that have been offered to them by the Government of Syria, which would shorten the suffering which everyone sees and knows is horrendous?

Reply -

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon Minister of State
The noble Baroness talks about peace, and of course any initiative which is aimed at that is important. But let us be clear. She raises an important point about groups that operate within Syria. She knows that I am aware of this and that I support ensuring that they are not armed in a way which can cause further destruction to Syria. But at the same time, when we look at the situation in Syria today, the continuing war has been caused by the persistence of the Assad regime. It is backed by Russia, which is why we are imploring Russia to take action. What we are seeing happening in Eastern Ghouta is because of what the Assad regime is doing. It needs to relent in its bombardment, and action needs to be taken so that we can get the 700 people who need medical aid out and provide humanitarian assistance to the 400,000 under siege.

Baroness Caroline Cox welcomes Armen Sargsyan’s nomination for Armenia’s next president - Panorama AM News Reports

Panorama Am News
Baroness Caroline Cox, a member of the British House of Lords, has addressed a video message welcoming the decision of the Republican Party of Armenia to nominate the candidacy of Armenian Ambassador to the UK Armen Sargsyan for Armenia’s next president.

“I just heard the excellent news that the present Ambassador of Armenia to the UK Armen Sargsyan has been invited to stand for the presidency of the Republic of Armenia. I am absolutely delighted. I have known Mr Sargsyan for many-many years, since he was the Prime Minister of Armenia, he has been three times the Ambassador of Armenia in the United Kingdom. So he brings wonderful experience and knowledge and he has so much to offer in terms of his diplomatic skills and his many-many other areas of expertise and relationships. I think he has been a wonderful Ambassador for Armenia,” she said in the video message.

Baroness Caroline Cox added she is delighted to see Armen Sargsyan in the post of the Armenian president.

Source Panorama.am Please visit their news feed to see original article.

Baroness Cox says that many Syrians are deeply concerned by the UK’s continued commitment to impose a transition of power, including the removal of President Assad

(C) Politics Home www.politicshome.com 
There are no easy solutions to the problems in Syria. This is partly because there are many different layers to the conflict: the fighting between Government forces and Islamist militias; struggles between Kurds and Turks; and the proxy wars involving other nations. The crisis remains one of the worst humanitarian disasters of our time, resulting in massive internal displacement and outflow of refugees, affecting people of all ethnicities and religions. The situation is profoundly tragic.

Yet the darkest days of the war appear to be over. ISIS and other Islamist military forces have been driven out from their main strongholds by the Syrian army, assisted by Russia. Reconstruction projects are underway. People are beginning to return to their homes. President Assad, meanwhile, is reasserting his authority. Whether Her Majesty’s Government like it or not, he is winning the war and will almost certainly remain in power.

I visited Syria last month with two colleagues from the House of Lords: Lord Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury; and Lord Hylton, a fellow Crossbencher. We were invited by the Syriac Orthodox Patriach and met a variety of religious leaders, representatives of diverse political parties (including the political opposition), nationally and internationally respected artists, musicians and intellectuals, the humanitarian aid organisation St Ephremel Patriarchal Development Committee and members of local communities. All of those whom we met expressed dismay and anger at the devastating impact of British foreign policy.

Their concerns:

  1. Regime change: Despite the well-documented criticisms of the Syrian Government, many Syrians are deeply concerned by the UK’s continued commitment to impose a transition of power, including the removal of President Assad. Everyone we met passionately believes that Syrians should have the right to determine their own future and to elect their own leadership, without foreign interference. As there is no remaining ‘moderate’ armed opposition, it is feared that forced regime change will – to quote three former British ambassadors to Syria (The Times, 21 Dec 2016) – create a “chaotic situation similar to, or perhaps even worse than, those in Iraq and Libya”.
  2. Opposition forces: The British Government has provided massive financial support to so-called ‘moderate’ opposition forces (HL Hansard, 19 Oct 2017). However, we heard time and again that these forces, including the Free Syrian Army, are now dominated by jihadist militants. (One example was powerfully publicised in a recent BBC Panorama investigation ‘Jihadis You Pay For’.) The vast majority of these opposition forces have extremist ideologies, with no intention of creating democracy in Syria.
  3. Sanctions: All of those with whom we met spoke of the serious damage caused by sanctions and the destruction of industrial infrastructure. These greatly harm civilians, for whom it is very difficult to obtain employment, and adequate supplies of food, medicines and medical equipment.

When it comes to devising policies in the Middle East, we have to respect the wishes and concerns of the people in their own country. Yet British foreign policy, as it stands, has failed to adjust to new conditions. There is an urgent need to re-think our priorities and to allow the people of Syria to decide their own future.

This article appeared in Politics Home which is essential reading for those keen on UK politics. Please click on this link to visit the original article.

Happy New Year - HART - A unique charity where you can make a difference

(C) 2018  www.hart-uk.org
HAPPY NEW YEAR

If you are looking to support or sponsor a new charity then look no further than - HART (Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust) started in 2004 when it became a UK registered charity (1107341) and the founder Baroness Caroline Cox wanted to be able to give aid and advocacy for war torn lives a voice to the voiceless and aid to those in need who might have slipped off the radar of the politicians and media.

Please help make a difference to those in need by clicking the donate button. Thank you for your support.

Now in its 14th successful year HART is unique as a charity due to HART’s CEO and founder, Baroness Cox, exercises her unique position in the House of Lords to advocate for our local partners and raise awareness of human rights issues in their countries. Here are some of the highlights from Baroness Cox from the latest news letter-