US House of Representatives special order on Bangladesh Hindus

[Guest guest]

US House of Representatives issues special order on Bangladesh Hindus

 

Pallone Introduces Special Order:

Persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh

May 17 2004

 

Following the meeting with HAF, a special order

was introduced in the US Congress today by

Congressman Pallone of NJ re the persecution of

Hindus in Bangladesh

 

>From http://thomas.loc.gov

 

PERSECUTION OF HINDUS IN BANGLADESH -- (House of

Representatives - May 17, 2004)

[Page: H3057] GPO's PDF---

 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of

the House, the gentleman from New

Jersey (Mr. Pallone) is recognized for 5 minutes.

 

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening to

express my deep concern over the persecution of

Hindus in Bangladesh. The coalition government of

the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, BNP, which came

to power on October 1, 2001, has initiated a

violent campaign. And since the BNP's

parliamentary victory

nearly 3 years ago, a campaign of terrorism,

murder, and religious cleansing has been unleashed

on

Hindus living in Bangladesh. I had written a

letter to Bangladesh's Prime Minister Zia in 2002

about this

violent persecution, but I have received no

response to date; and it is a fact that unabashed

violence has

continued freely.

 

Although the latest wave of violence has been

ensuing since the BNP took power in 2001, Hindus

have

been a disappearing minority in Bangladesh at the

hands of Bangladeshi forces that have employed

human rights abuses, atrocities, and

ethno-religious cleansing tools. In 1941, Hindus

comprised 28

percent of the population; but by 1991, the Hindu

population dwindled to a meager 8 percent. A large

part

of this decrease in the Hindu population can be

attributed to the 1971 genocide by the then-Muslim

East

Pakistan Party, whereby 2.5 million Hindus were

murdered and 10 million Hindus fled to India as

refugees.

 

Reminiscent of the Jewish Holocaust, Hindu homes

were marked by a yellow H, which in fact guided

the

pillagers to their homes. Over the following 30

years, thousands of Hindu temples were destroyed,

Hindus were systematically disenfranchised from

holding political power, and prejudicial

legislation

ensured an unstable existence for Hindus. In fact,

Islamic extremists have routinely dispossessed

Hindus

and, for that matter, Christians and Buddhists, of

their ancestral properties and land, burned down

their

homes, and desecrated and razed temples, which has

resulted in forcing many to flee as refugees.

 

Mr. Speaker, I have reviewed numerous reports that

attest to the current violent persecution in

Bangladesh. These reports have been written by the

International Federation of Bangladeshi Hindus and

Friends, Amnesty International, the U.S. State

Department's Annual Report on International

Religious

Freedom, CNN, BBC, and multiple Bangladeshi

newspapers that reflect the testimonies of the

Hindu

victims.

\

This campaign of minority cleansing in progress in

Bangladesh has to be stopped. Since 1971, when

Bangladesh was born as a secular democratic

country out of Islamic Pakistan, all minority

populations

have declined, and this Islamization must be put

to an end through the government's leadership. In

an

effort to uphold pluralistic democracy in

Bangladesh and protection

[Page: H3058] GPO's PDFof Hindus and all

minorities, the following must be implemented:

 

[Time: 19:45]

First, restoration of secularism in the

constitution of Bangladesh, as it existed in the

first constitution of

independent Bangladesh in 1972.

Second, passage of affirmative action and hate

crime laws that acknowledge the minority

communities of

Bangladesh.

Third, production of a white paper on atrocities

against the minorities over the years, and

assurance that

the perpetrators of the ongoing pogrom are brought

to justice.

Fourth, repatriation of the refugees, displaced

people, with full compensation to the victims.

Fifth, ending of oppression of journalists and

writers who report minority and human rights

violations.

Six, termination of the illegal torture in custody

of members of secular parties.

And seventh, allowance of an independent

commission to investigate the atrocities

perpetrated against

the minority groups.

 

Mr. Speaker, I hope that these goals can be

achieved and the Government of Bangladesh can take

the

necessary steps to international human and civil

rights.

 

Please visit and support Hindu American Foundation

www.hinduamericanfoundation.org

--- End forwarded message ---