Amina Lawal, the Nigerian mother condemned to death...

Amina Lawal, the Nigerian mother condemned to death by stoning said she wants Miss World contestants to go to Nigeria for the beauty pageant due to be held in Abuja. Amina's declaration was made during an interview with an HOC delegation that visited Nigeria from October 14 - 18. A video clip of the interview was broadcast in a press conference Hands Off Cain held in Rome . HOC General Secretary Sergio D'Elia said the delegation's impression of Amina was very different to the portrait painted of her in media reports. "Amina as we saw her seems a world away from the clichéd image portrayed by the international press of a victim, unaware of Islamic law, in rebellion against God and prey to the nightmare of a forthcoming stoning," he said. The delegation met Amina at the Italian Embassy in Abuja. She was accompanied by her daughter Wasila, born of a relationship Amina had with a man from her village following her second divorce. Though condemned to death for adultery under Sharia law, she is not in jail, and is free to leave her home state of Katsina, which has however banned entry to foreign media since her death sentence. "When I was condemned to death I didn't feel anything, and I still don't feel anything now, I'm still a Muslim even though Sharia law has dealt me this punishment," Amina said, describing her feelings regarding the death sentence meted out to her by an Islamic court, which she is currently appealing. She doesn't believe it is possible for a person to change their destiny."Only God can do that, I have no dreams or aspirations, only God can decide if life will smile at me". She says she doesn't dream about her imminent stoning, as recently reported in Italian media"I don't have nightmares. I ask God to help me. I pray. God's will be done." Newspapers don't make it to her village and there is no television either, so she was unaware of the Miss World contest due to be held in Nigeria. The HOC delegation informed her that some participants, out of solidarity with her, have decided to boycott the event and that others have decided to participate so as to protest her plight. "Let them come," she stated after thinking a while. "I know things will work out because people are coming from all over the world to see me."