As if the article below was not enough there seems to be more "anti-
bangladesh" propoganda circulating around the net. I just came across
one written by Rahul Gupta about the "ethnic cleansing" of
minorities. I will just present here the artcle he has written from
2002.
Ethnic Cleansing In Bangladesh
By Rahul Gupta
Vanishing Minority Population
Hindus comprised nearly 30% of the total population in Bangladesh in
1947. After the exodus of minorities following the partition of India
in 1947, the hindu population went down to about 22% by 1951. Due to
unabated persecution, intimidation, and forcible conversion to Islam,
the Hindu-Minority population kept on dwindling and now stands at a
meager 10.5% of the total population in Bangladesh (1991 census).
Interesting to note that minority Muslim population in adjoining West
Bengal (India) showed a positive growth rate and according to 1991
Census, stood at nearly 24% of the total population from only about
12% in 1947.
India and West Bengal Census Data
Source: Census of India 1991 (http://www.censusindia.net/), Data
Source : 1991 Census of India
Table 29: Population of India since 1901 Census
Table 24: Three Main Religions in every state, (India, 1991)
Hindus 687,646,721 82.00 %
Muslims 101,596,057 12.12 %
Christians 19,640,284 2.34 %
846,302,688 (Total)
West Bengal (1991)
Hindus 50,866,624 74.7 % (1961 : 78.8%, decreased
4.1%)
Muslims 16,075,836 23.6 % (1961 : 20%, increased
3.6%)
Christians 383,477 0.6 % (1961 : 0.5%, increased 0.1%)
West Bengal (1961-1991)
Year Total Hindu Muslim Chrsn Others
1961 34.92 78.8 20.0 0.5 0.1
1991 68.07 74.7 23.6 0.5 0.6
Bangladesh
In Bangladesh, hindu population was 28% in 1941; 22% in 1951, 18.5%
in 1961; 13.5% in 1974;
12.2% in 1981 and 10.5% in 1991. Hindu population decreased by 8%
from 1961 to 1991 (Ref 1, 2).
The vanishing minority population is understood from researching the
census documents published the government. Fifty years ago in 1941,
28.3 per cent of the total population was minorities. The population
of Hindu was 11.88 millions, while 588 thousand was other religious
and ethnic minorities (Buddhist, Christian and animist). Evaluation
of government statistics of 50 years, from 1941 to 1991, indicates a
large drop in the figure for minorities. A comparative picture shows
that the number of the Muslim majority increased 219.5 per cent while
the Hindu community increased by 4.5 per cent. (Ref 3).
If normal increase rate prevailed, the number of the Hindu community
in this country would have been 32.5 million, but the Hindu
population in Bangladesh stood at 12.5 million in 1991 Census (State
of Human Rights, 1994). Therefore the missing population is 20
million. (Ref 3).
Ethnic Cleansing In Bangladesh
Ethnic cleansing of minorities in Bangladesh (then East Pakistan)
started in 1947. Over half-a-century has passed with no end is in
sight. Minorities in Bangladesh, including women and children were
subjected to extreme brutality and torture following the last
National Election in Bangladesh held in October 2001, forcing many
families to migrate out of their "Homeland of generations" for
physical safety.
Fig: Kamala Debi of Lord Hardinge under district Vola lost every
thing due to barberious attack of communalist hooligans on Oct 10,
2001
In the recent past, there have been several cases of brutal killings
of prominent members of minority communities in the strategic
Chittagong and its Hill Tracts, by armed gang of Islamic fanatics.
Significantly, these tragic incidents were perpetrated in the wake of
Santu Larma - Khaleda Zia high-level talks at Dhaka on April 20, for
establishing permanent peace in the said region. That very day in
Rangamati (CHT), an armed gang of Bnp-Jei backed `United People's
Democratic Front' (Updf) attacked pro-Larma Chakma tribals resulting
in the death of four Chakma Buddhists. Next day (April 21), at Vill.
Hingla in Rouzan locality of Chittagong, Gyanjyoti Borooah (55 yrs),
a locally popular Buddhist Monk, running an Orphanage / Monastery was
brutally killed. Thereafter on April 28/29, another Chakma Buddhist
named Gyandarshi Chakma was shot dead at village Babupara in
Mahalchhari (Cht). One of his companion sustained bullet wounds. The
same night, Madan Gopal Goswami, a Hindu Priest of was gunned down
in Gachhabil area of Manikchhari (Cht). These cases of utmost
brutality generated strong resentment among local Chakmas and Hindus.
Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it
from religious conviction." -Pascal
Fig: A Hindu being beaten by Muslims in a mosque in Bangladesh. He
was captured outside the mosque while going home. After Friday
prayers were over, the Muslims came out and grabbed the first Hindu
they could. Mr. Vimal Patak a Bangladeshi born Hindu was beaten to
death with sticks as the Muslim mullas (priests) chanted "kill the
Kafir!" (non-muslim). With folded hands he begged for his life and
died a brutal death.
Some "recent" incidents (2002)
( 1 ) 20th April 2002, at Moulavibazar district of Bangladesh, in
Laxmipur village under Kulaur Police station several armed Muslim
fundamentalists attacked the houses of Dulal Debnath and Jitendra
Debnath, both members of the Hindu minority community. The houses
were set ablaze. The group of miscreants led by Iuyas Mian of
Balichiri village forcefully captured their lands. A case has been
filed against them at the Kulaur police station.
( 2 ) 8th May, 2002, N. M. Jahangir Alam-A well known journalist
of the newspaper Sambad which is published from Dhaka, was beaten up
by Muslim fundamentalists. Because he was accused of publishing
several news, reporting the poor conditions of the Hindu minority of
Bangladesh. He filed a case at the near by Police Station but the
police did not show the any interest in arresting the miscreants
Fig: Bangladeshi newspapers continuously featured on Minority
Oppression after BD election
( 3 ) 5th May, 2002-in the morning, At the Dolu Bridge area
situated in the Shattkaniya sub-district of South Chattagram, a group
of Muslim fundamentalists kidnapped Rupam Mullick, a Hindu resident
and damaged his arms and legs.
( 4 ) 23rd May, 2002, near Sadhurpara situated at the Chandgaon
police station of Chattagram, the local Muslim fundamentalists
forcefully captured the lands owned by a Hindu widow Charubala Nath
(80).
( 5 ) 8th May, 2002,-in Narikelbaria village of Bakharpara sub-
district situated at Jessore, a local Muslim extreamist, Saiful along
with Kabir and other fundamentalists demanded, more than 1 lakhs
takas (U.S. $2,000) as Jizya tax (tax imposed by non-Muslims on
Muslims) from a business Subodh Saha. But Subodh refused to pay the
tax. As a result the fanatics took a glass bottle fill with hot water
and vehemently beat Subodh with it. He was badly injured. His two
legs were damaged. Another person called Bablu Saha, who came to
protect Subodh was also beaten up.
( 6 ) 10th May, 2002, at night, a Hindu journalist named Manik
Mazumdar's office was destroyed by a group of right wing Muslim
fundamentalists. Manik Mazumdar is the president of reporter's union
of Madhukhali sub-district in Faridpur.
( 7 ) 25th April, 2002, 9 o'clock at morning in Thakurgaon
district, Chandramohan Sarkar, headmaster of Shapla Adarsha Uchcha
Vidyalaya was forcefully resigned from his post because of being a
Hindu, by Muslim fundamentalists.
( 8 ) 7th May, 2002, at the Shathkhira sub-district, in the
Sreerampur village a Hindu housewife was raped by a reactionary
Muslim fanatic named Shafiqul Islam. A case has been filed but no
adequate action has been taken by the police against the accused.
( 9 ) 9th May, 2002, at night, a Hindu religious place-''Aditya
Asram'' situated in the Khashipur village under the Banshkhali police
station of Chattagram was demolished by some Muslim activists. A
group of 30 to 40 muslim fundamentalists along with sharp weapons
attacked the ''Aditya Asram''. The priest of the temple-Pradipananda
Purimoharaj was deeply injured by the fundamentalists. The property
of the ''Ashram'' has been looted & taken away by the attackers.
( 10 ) 4th May 2002, at night, near the Biyanibazar of Sulhet
district, a Hindu Brahmin girl of the Uttabhag village has been
kidnapped by a group of Muslim fundamentalists and raped mercilessly.
5th May, the villagers rescued her but she was totally senseless.
( 11 ) 3rd May, 2002, at night, in Kumilya district of Bangladesh
Brajendra Bhowmick, a Hindu villager of Haludia situated under
Mujaffargunge Union was attacked by armed right wing Muslim
fundamentalists. The houses of Subhash Chandra Bhowmick, Nakul
Chandra Bhowmick and Bimalendu Bhowmick have been set a blaze. The
local police station is still indifferent regarding the incident.
( 12 ) 8th May, 2002, at night, in the Nator district of
Bangladesh, the villagers of Bashantapur at Shingra sub-district were
attacked by armed Muslim extremists. The houses of Niren, Nitai,
Atul, Prabhat, Dinesh, Ajit, Krishna, Jitendra, Basudev and Sukumar,
all Hindus were looted. The families have decided to leave
Bashantapur for India.
( 13 ) Recently, near the Patuakhali sub-district of Bangladesh,
at Khachipara and Kalishuri village of Banpual-the Hindu minorities
have been forcibly interned at their homes to keep them under
observation. Shishutosh Dash, Bhabaranjan Das, Debendranath Sarkar
and Hiron Kumar Sarkar were forced to sign and give away all their
houses and properties to the Muslim fundamentalists. They only cried
in silence and left their land to move away to any other place.
( 14 ) 20th April, in evening, at Uttapara sub-distict of
Shirajgunga a Hindu clothes merchant, Nitai Sarkar has been attacked
by some muslim exrremsits. Clothes from his shop were stolen that
valued nearly, 1 lakh (U.S. $ 2,000) takas. Being mercilessly beaten
he is now under treatment.
( 15 ) 15th April 2002, in the Chagal Naiya sub-distict of Pheni
district, Khrishna Das (60) and Ujjal Das (27) Hindu vilagers of
Sattar village has been severely tortured by local right wing Muslim
fundamentaliss, because they refused to pay the jizya tax according
to their demands.
( 16 ) 20th May 2002, at Bargauna district of Bangladesh, in
Bukabania Zabar of Bamma sub-distrcits some Hindu owned lands
surrounding a temple were captured by the Muslim partymen. They
belonged to the fundamentalists group of the Bangladesh National
Party. They have started to build their party office in that area.
Forceful Conversion of Two Minor Hindu Girls to Islam-Attack on
Family Members:
Monday, August 05, 2002
Two minor Hindu girls, namely Miss Sushma Rani Malo (15 year old),
daughter of Shri Anil Chandra Malo and Miss Putul Rani Malo (15 year
old), daughter of ShriMonoranjan Malo of village Kulpaddy, Police
Station and District of Madaripur, were kidnapped from their houses
one kilometer from Madaripur police station. The guardians of the
victims described in a very heart-rending manner to Advocate
Rabindra Ghosh, President HRCBM, Dhaka, Bangladesh, that their minor
daughters were students of Class VIII. The minor girls were
kidnapped by some Muslims of the same village, led by the Imman of
Madaripur Sadar Hospital Mosque. They were forced to sign an
affidavit that they are 19 years of age and they wanted to convert
to Islam at their own will on 25th of July, 2002. In addition, they
were allured and detained and compelled by some Muslims of the same
locality, particularly the supporters of Jamal-E-Islami Party, to
swear an affidavit by a Notary Public at Madaripur. The victims,
Putul Rani Malo and Sushma Rani Malo, came back to their parents on
25th July, 2002, in the evening. On hearing the news that the two
girls had gone back to their parents some Jamal-E-Islamic supporters
numbering about 250/300 surrounded the houses of the victim-girls at
about 11 P.M. at night. The criminals started assaulting Arun Chandra
Malo(26), brother of victim Sushma Rani Malo.
The incidents are truly heart wrenching and most unfortunate but can
they really be considered religiously motivated. Aside from the
attack in the mosque it all seems to be more motivated by religious
and political ends in mind. I would like the alochoks to please try
and find out more about these 16 to 18 incidents. The main problem
with such incidents is not wether it happened or is not happening.
Each such incident gives people around the world a greater reason to
spread hatred and vice against Bangladesh and bengalis. Those who
know the truth should stand for it and bring light to the ignorant.
Personally I have seen and heard of similiar incidents in the state
of west bengal where I lived and some of the attacks were aimed at
muslims. They included extortion and politically motivated ends. No
one would ever consider that a religiously motivated crime. Why
discriminate against bangladesh? I have come across another more
recently written article that borrows from the article written by
Rahul Gupta. just going through the comments one can understand the
effects of such write ups.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/663591/posts
--- In alochona@yahoogroups.com, "Adhiraj Bose" <swarnayogi@...>
wrote:
>
> --- In alochona@yahoogroups.com, "Saleh, Asif" <asif.saleh@> wrote:
> >
> i must say that I am rather surprised that no one took the
> initiative to refute the claims made in the article produced below.
>
>
>
> > Dear Alochoks
> >
> > Since you have taken a major initiative about stopping
> misinformation
> > about Bangladesh, I would urge you to read the following and come
> up with an
> > objective, point by point rebuttal to the following appeal. I
> think there
> > are quite a number of misinformation and exaggeration in the
> following. We
> > also have the names of the congressmen in this list to whom we
can
> send this
> > rebuttal.
> >
> > I think here we have the exact messages and email that was
conveyed
> and to
> > whom it was sent. It wouldn't be hard to counter it.
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Asif Saleh
> >
> > ================
> > Moderator's Note
> > ================
> > [M:ER] Our thanks to Alochok Saleh for bringing this to our
> attention. We would
> > like to request Alochoks to examine the following article in
> meticulous detail
> > (the claims are quite astonishing) and raise their rebuttals on a
> point by
> > point basis. Your replies will be copied to Alochona eForce who
> will compile a
> > final statement for submission to the Congressmen in question. We
> would like to
> > request Alochok Saleh to make the names of the Congressmen
> available to
> > Alochona eForce by writing to alochona-eforce@yahoogroups.com
> >
>
======================================================================
> =========
> >
> > Link : http://www.bangladesh-web.com/news/mar/04/a04032002.htm#A2
> >
> > Community reception in honor of Congressman Joseph Crowley held by
> > Bangladeshi religious minority groups
> >
> > Alpana Guha
> >
> > E Mail : guhasb@
> >
> > On March 3, 2002, fourteen Bangladeshi religious minority
> organizations
> > based in the tri-state (New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut)
area
> held a
> > community reception in honor of Congressman Joseph Crowley, Co-
> Chairman of
> > Bangladesh Caucus, where producing piles of evidence, various
> speakers
> > argued that the ruling coalition government of "Islamic
hardliners"
> (The
> > Guardian, 10/2/'01) is in fact a pro-Taliban government, whose
> armed cadres
> > have been engaged in a campaign of minority cleansing in
Bangladesh
> ever
> > since they assumed power in early October, 2001.
> >
> > To establish that Prime Minister Khaleda Zia is an Islamic
extremist
> > herself, speakers quoted a letter written to her in 1992 by
> seventeen US
> > congressman, in which they had accused her of directly engaging
her
> > para-military forces along with the settlers to systematically
> murder 600
> > residents of the village of Logang in Chittagong Hill Tracts, and
in
> > December looking the other way the Muslim fundamentalists killed
15
> Hindus,
> > raped 2,600 women and razed 3,600 temples throughout Bangladesh
in
> 10 days.
> >
> > By citing three Amnesty International reports, a New York Times
> report and
> > numerous CNN, BBC, News Day, a Thikana report, and several
reports
> published
> > in Indian newspapers, the al-Qaeda has been highly active in
> Bangladesh for
> > years and that their activities has dramatically increased now
that
> their
> > Kashmir operation has been shut down Azad Kashmir. The most
> compelling
> > evidence were the CNN interview with the American Taliban John
> Walkar, in
> > which he revealed that Bengali was one of the three languages
> spoken in the
> > al-Qaeda camps in Afghanistan, and the BBC news that the
mastermind
> of the
> > recent train burning massacre in Gujrat was intercepted by the
> Indian police
> > on his way to Bangladesh.
> >
> > Speakers demanded that Prime Minister Khaleda zia immediately
> restore
> > secularism and pass an Affirmative Action law failing which a
part
> of the
> > country be designated for the minority communities where they
could
> live
> > with human dignity.
> >
> > After the presentation was over, Congressman Crowley acknowledged
> that the
> > American government was fully aware of al-Qaeda presence in
> Bangladesh and
> > that it was closely watching Bangladesh. He assured them he would
> talk to
> > high ranking Congressman like Benjamin Gilman, Gary Ackerman and
> others on
> > Monday in the morning to discuss how they could help the Christian
> > communities of Pabna who have been held hostage by the
> fundmaentlists.
> > He also assured the audience that he would report to President
> George Bush
> > about the on-going minority persecution problem in Bangladesh and
> as well as
> > the issue of al-Qaeda, and suggest ways to deal with them. In the
> > question-answer segment he emphatically reiterated the above
> commitments,
> > particularly that he was committed to restoring a secular
democracy
> in
> > Bangladesh.
> >
> > The speakers included Mr. Sitangshu Guha, Ratan Kumar Barua,
> Nabendu Dutta,
> > , Dr. Jiten Roy, Dr. Dwijen Bhattacharjya, Mr. Bidyut Sarker, Dr.
> Bholanath
> > Banik, Mr. Rup Kumar Bhowmik, Mr. Mohsin Ali, and Ms. Elizabeth
> Burns,
> > Mohendra vatt, Prabir Roy, Ms. Debjani Bhowmik, and Mr. Dilip
Nath.
> Besides
> > the national anthem of Bangladesh and America, such songs as Bob
> Dylan's
> > "The answer in blowin' in the wind" and Pete Seger's "We shall
> overcome some
> > day were played repeatedly.
> >
> > The Honorable Congressman Joseph Crowley
> > Representative of the 7th District, New York
> > 1517 Longworth HOB
> > Washington, DC 20515
> >
> > Re: The on-going government -sponsored minority persecution in
> Bangladesh.
> >
> > Dear Representative:
> >
> > As we have regularly informed your office, the minority cleansing
> campaign
> > in Bangladesh that began on October 1, when the ruling "Islamic
> hardliners"
> > (The Guardian, October 2, 2001), led by Prime Minister Khaleda
Zia
> won the
> > election with a two-thirds majority in the parliament, is raging
> endlessly.
> > While in 1992, Khaleda Zia used her para-military forces for
> systematically
> > murdering the civilian residents of the village of Logang, in the
> on-going
> > pogrom, she has engaged the armed cadres of her own party, BNP,
as
> well as
> > those of her allies: the Jamat-E- Islami and the Islamic Unity
> Council.
> > Exactly like 1992, despite being repeatedly urged by the Amnesty
> > International, European Union (EU), Prime Minister of India, and
> your
> > colleagues like Benjamin Gilman to stop the carnage, she has done
> nothing
> > but consistently deny it, cover it up and adopted sundry other
> clever
> > tactics and chicanery to divert world attention from the issue.
> > The minority communities of Bangladesh have literally been held
> hostage by
> > the armed cadres of the Islamic extremist rulers. As we provided
> you with
> > evidence on March 1, 2002, i.e. two days ago, three Christian
> villages have
> > been under siege for the past few days, where the armed cadres of
> BNP have
> > unleashed a reign of terror. Because of Khaleda Zia's inaction and
> > complicity in the on-going campaign of 'minority cleansing' we
are
> turning
> > to your office desperately seeking your assistance to stop this
well
> > organized, systematic government -sponsored minority cleansing
> campaign.
> >
> > As you can see from the attached pile of evidence, which include
> Amnesty
> > International reports and a New York Times report, led by the
> leaders of the
> > BNP, Jamat-E- Islam and Islamic Unity Council , bands of armed
> Muslim
> > fundamentalists have kept routinely dispossessing the Hindus,
> Buddhists, and
> > Christians of their ancestral homes and properties, desecrating
> their
> > temples, destroying their deities, torching their dwelling houses
> after
> > looting them, brutally torturing them, gang-raping their girls
and
> women (as
> > young as seven and as old as seventy and about 200 hundred in one
> night and
> > mother and daughter together) and women and murdering them.
> >
> > The weapon of choice in the current pogrom has been gang-rape
> instead, which
> > is not only the most effective instrument for forcing the
> minorities to
> > leave the country quietly, but also a crime that can't be proved.
> As we have
> > provided you with evidence, the police not to accept cases of even
> > gang-rapes from the minorities (please see The Dailystar
editorial
> of
> > 2/19/'02, for example). Furthermore, by jailing a noted
journalist
> because
> > he went to India and filmed the Bangladeshi refugees, and cutting
of
> > electricity supply and discontinuing granting government
> advertisements (a
> > solid source of income for the Bangladeshi newspapers) to The
Daily
> > Janakantha,, which consistently reported incidents of minority
> persecution,
> > Prime Minister Khaleda Zia has successfully stifled the voices of
> the
> > handful of courageous newspapers that used to report the
harrowing
> incidents
> > of gang-rapes, brutal murders, and extortion of "infidel
protection
> tax"
> > from the minorities by the armed cadres of BNP and Islamic
> extremists. By
> > taking this step Prime Minister Khaleda Zia has been able to deny
> the
> > foreign embassies and donor organizations access to information
> about the
> > pogrom.
> >
> > Typically, after looting their property, razing/burning down
their
> homes and
> > gang-raping their girls, the ruling Muslim fundamentalists impose
> and extort
> > "infidel security tax" from them and leave such ultimatum as:
> Unless you all
> > convert to Islam by .....you will be driven out of the country
> (please
> > refer, for example, to the incident of Daspara in Mireshwarai in
> Chittagong,
> > The Daily Janakantha, Dhaka: November 8, 2001), which has forced
> thousands
> > of Hindus to leave their motherland for Indian refugee camps.
> According to
> > published reports, about four million (The Daily Janakantha,
Dhaka:
> November
> > 4, 2001) Hindus, Buddhists, and Christians have been affected by
the
> > on-going pogrom, so far.
> >
> > The Islamic extremists have always done that to the minorities of
> Bangladesh
> > which is why the minority population has dropped from 20% in 1971
> down to
> > 12% today; however now that they are in power and thus can
utilize
> the
> > entire administrative machinery for that purpose, they cannot
> survive
> > without your intervention.
> >
> > We are convinced that Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's evil scheme of
> > transforming Bangladesh into a "pure" Islamic theocratic state
like
> > Afghanistan is moving on schedule because the United States has
> ignored the
> > issue as it did in 1992. To our great dismay, we have noticed
that
> the U.S.
> > consulate in Bangladesh and the Department of State hold exactly
> the exactly
> > the same view that the "ruling Islamic hardliners" have
> consistently wanted
> > the civilized world to believe. Unfortunately, the US government
> believe it
> > completely ignoring the Amnesty International reports, EU report,
> newspaper
> > (including the New York times) reports, and what we have to say
as
> insiders.
> > We would like to reiterate that this "campaign" is clearly
> motivated by the
> > goal of transforming Bangladesh into a "pure" Islamic republic
like
> > Afghanistan, to do which the rulers have the necessary numbers in
> the
> > parliament.
> >
> > As is well known, like the Pakistani government the
ruling "Islmaic
> > hardliners" of Bangladesh also established training centers in the
> > madrassahs 'Islamic seminaries' all over Bangladesh during their
> two decades
> > of rule in the past (please read the Thikana news published in
> 1997).
> > Thousands of Talibans trained in those madrassahs went to fight in
> > Afghanistan and Kashmir, a fact which should not be difficult to
> understand
> > after the American Taliban John Walker reported that the three
> languages
> > spoken by the Taliban fighters in Afghanistan were Bengali,
Arabic
> and Urdu
> > (CNN on December 20, '01). Now that the Afghan war is over, and
the
> Kashmir
> > operation based in the Pakistani part of Kashmir has been shut
down
> under
> > American pressure, the thousands of them have moved to Bangladesh
> and have
> > engaged in the task of transforming Bangladesh into a "pure"
> Islamic state.
> > The streets of Dhaka saw huge rallies back in 1997, (see attached
a
> Thikana
> > article published in 1997). In our estimate there are about 5
> thousand
> > Afghan veterans and altogether 15 thousand trained Talibans
> currently living
> > in Bangladesh. With this huge number of Islamic extremists in the
> country,
> > Bangladesh is rushing headlong toward Talibanaization of the
> country. Unless
> > it were for the U.S. led attack on the El-Queda operation in
> Afghanistan, we
> > have no doubt in our minds that Bangladesh would have been
declared
> an
> > Islamic republic by now.
> >
> > Therefore, the minorities of Bangladesh cannot possibly survive
in
> their
> > struggle for existence without US intervention. Our question is:
> Why can't
> > America and its allies intervene in Bangladesh like it did in
> Bosnia, thus
> > saving its minority population and promoting a pluralistic
> democracy, before
> > it becomes another Afghanistan ? We strongly suggest that America
> intervenes
> > now, dealing with Prime Minister Khaled Zia the way it has with
> Pervez
> > Musharraf, the President of Pakistan, rather than waiting for a
> cataclysmic
> > situation to arise.
> >
> > One mustn't trust Khaleda Zia's promises, because she has
> historically
> > flouted polite requests and suggestions made by the civilized
world
> to stop
> > minority persecution. A much tougher stance on the part of the
> United States
> > and imposition of economic embargo is indispensable for forcing
the
> ruling
> > "Islamic hardliners" to stop the carnage and agree to a permanent
> solution
> > to this problem. This conclusion is based on the following
specific
> reasons:
> >
> > In 1992, Prime Minister Khaleda Zia directly employed her para-
> military
> > forces in ethnic cleansing, and then defying the request made by
> the US
> > Congress to stop mistreating the minorities, she supported a
> country wide
> > anti-minority pogrom seven months later. Similarly, despite being
> repeatedly
> > urged by the European Union (EU), various human rights groups,
> e.g., the
> > Amnesty International, and US Congressmen to stop the on-going
> pogrom, she
> > has done nothing to stop it. While in 1992, she used the para-
> military
> > forces, in the current pogrom, she has engaged the armed cadres
of
> her party
> > to rape and murder the minorities. Moreover, she hasn't punished
> even one
> > rapist or murderer yet.
> >
> > Her President, Mr. B. Chowdhury, and many of her cabinet
ministers
> have
> > indulged the chief imam of Bai-ul-Mukarram, the central mosque in
> Dhaka, Mr.
> > Obaid-Ul-Huq, to declare in their presence America and President
> George Bush
> > to be terrorists and call upon the Muslims to destroy American
> interests
> > everywhere.
> >
> > The Khaleda Zia government has encouraged the notorious pro-
Taliban
> Muslim
> > fundamentalist Members of Parliament, Delwar Hossain Sayeedi (i)
to
> declare
> > that the courts should be dictated by edicts and (ii) issue a
> fatwa 'edict'
> > to destroy the Hindu and Buddhist deities like those of Buddha in
> Bamian,
> > Afghanistan, under the Talibans (temples have been routinely
> attacked,
> > desecrated and deities destroyed since that edict was issued.).
> > Rather than apologizing to the minorities for her failure to
> protect them
> > she is still denying her complicity in this colossal crime
against
> them.
> > The air of Bangladesh is filled with the anguished cries of the
> victims of
> > the on-going government-sponsored pogrom. The blatant violation
of
> human
> > rights in Bangladesh must stop. The rape victims and survivors of
> the
> > on-going pogrom as well as the survivors of the Logan massacre
> alike deserve
> > to get justice, and these goals can only be achieved with your
> active help.
> > Even the very the survival of the Hindus Buddhists and Christians
of
> > Bangladesh in this pogrom depends solely on how much pressure you
> exert on
> > Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and her Islamic extremist partners to
> stop this
> > carnage. We fervently urge you to use your good office to save the
> > unfortunate Hindus, Buddhists and Christians of Bangladesh, who
> have been
> > persecuted by the Muslim fundamentalists and successive
governments
> for
> > decades, and who are now faced with the prospect of forced
> expulsion and
> > extermination.
> >
> > We are seeking a permanent solution rather than a band-aid one to
> the
> > problem of minority persecution in Bangladesh. We believe that
this
> can be
> > achieved only if the United States adopt the policy that it did
> with the
> > Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, because they are the same
> kind of
> > people -"Islamic hardliners". We strongly suggest that, as a
> preliminary
> > step in that direction, the Khaleda Zia government be dnied all
> financial
> > aid until she comes up with a permanent solution to the problem.
> > Such an extreme measure is clearly necessary because her regime
has
> used
> > past economic assistance to establish and support training camps
and
> > madrassahs, which have recruited and trained thousands of jihadis
or
> > Talibans. By bring a line item in a bill condemning Prime
Minister
> Zia for
> > her complicity in this colossal crime against the minorities of
> Bangladesh
> > repeatedly, and writing a joint letter with your colleagues in
the
> Congress
> > to President George W. Bush and Secretary Collin Powell,
requesting
> them to
> > intervene immediately, by suspending economic aid that do not
hurt
> children.
> >
> > We demand that Prime Minister Khaleda Zia immediately take the
> following
> > steps to promote a pluralistic democracy in the country:
> >
> > (i) Restore secularism in the constitution, thus promoting a
> pluralistic
> > democracy in Bangladesh, as had been envisioned in the original
> constitution
> > (of 1972).
> >
> > (ii) Create minority regions after the model of American Indian
> > reservations.
> >
> > (iii) Pass a Minority Protection Act which must include an
> Affirmative
> > Action Law and a Hate Crime Law. And, in order to conform to the
> proposed
> > affirmative action law, guarantee that the 25% of both national
and
> > international business opportunities be reserved for the
> minorities, and the
> > same percentage (25%) of the places in the medical and
engineering
> colleges,
> > all government agencies, e.g., police forces, armed forces, civil
> service
> > (including foreign service) be reserved for the minorities.
> >
> > (iv) Following in the footsteps of Pakistani President Musharraf,
> dissociate
> > with the Muslim fundamentalist terrorists, i.e. the pro-Taliban
> forces in
> > the government, and order the police to protect the minority
> communities,
> > and arrest and prosecute the arsonists, rapists and murderers,
most
> of whom
> > belong to her own party, BNP.
> >
> > (v) Repatriate the refugees and displaced people, and fully
> compensate the
> > victims.
> >
> > (vi) Stop torturing/jailing journalists and writers, such as Mr.
> Shahriyar
> > Kabir, and penalizing newspapers for reporting minority
persecution
> and
> > human rights violations.
> > (vii) Allow an independent commission to investigate the
atrocities
> > perpetrated against the minority groups both during her tenure as
> Prime
> > Minister in the 1990s and in the on-going pogrom. Such a
commission
> mustn't
> > include any representatives of the government or be escorted by
any
> > government agents.
> >
> > (viii) Form a special force to protect the minorities, which must
be
> > composed of the members from the various minority ethno-religious
> > communities, and be under the command of the ministry of Minority
> Affairs.
> >
> > In closing, we would like to further suggest that if you decide
> exercise
> > your power to rescue the religious minorities under siege in
> Bangladesh,
> > time is of the essence. By acting now to save the minorities, you
> can also
> > prevent the country from becoming a second Afghanistan.
> > With deep gratitude for your anticipated attention and help.
> >
> > Sincerely,
> >
>
------------------------------------
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