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URGENT ACTION
APPEAL
Section
1: Background
HRCBM
(Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities) is deeply
concerned about the situation of members of the minority
communities in Bangladesh over the past several months.
Following the general election on October 1, 2001, which was
won by a coalition led by Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)
with a large majority, BNP and Jamat-E-Islami supporters
reportedly attacked minorities. Although some perceived this
as a political persecution, our careful observation indicates
the atrocities are preplanned, systematic and racially
motivated. The first sign of significant racially motivated
attacks were observed in the Sovereign Bangladesh dated back
in 1980 when General Ershad took over power and declared
Bangladesh as Islamic State (Ref: Section
2A of
Bangladesh
Constitution: The state religion of the Republic is
Islam, but other religions may be practiced in peace and
harmony in the Republic. Section 8 (1A) of Bangladesh
Constitution: Absolute trust and faith in the Almighty
Allah shall be the basis of all actions). Even in state policy
a clear-cut discrimination is visible. The representation of
minorities in government jobs is declining drastically and so
is the minority population, which has declined from nearly 29%
at 1971 to 12% in 2001. According to 1992 statistics prepared
by HBCUC (Hindu, Buddha and Christian Unity Council) the
number of minority representations in the government are as
follows:
- Bangladesh Army: Less than 500 minorities in 80000
Soldiers.
- Bangladesh
Rifles: Less than 300 minorities in 40000 Armed Border
Guards.
- Police: Less than 2000 in 80000 police
forces.
A further detail about minority
representation in the government is available in http://www.hrcbm.org/NEWLOOK/religi_dis.html
Since the general election more than four
(4) million minorities are affected in the continuing
atrocities in which thousands of minority families were
reportedly driven off their land by groups affiliated to the
BNP-led coalition who, in some cases, allegedly burnt their
homes and raped minority women. Even 5 years old girl did not
escaped the widespread gang rape. Numerous minority people
were reportedly killed. BBC Reported on Thursday, 22 November,
2001, that nearly 100,000 people entered India over the last
month-and-a-half, which has been growing since then.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/
world/south_asia/newsid_1670000/1670410.stm
Amnesty
International has been calling on the Government of Bangladesh
to bring perpetrators of these attacks to justice regardless
of their position in society or in any political
party.
Section 2:
Growing Influence of Right Wing Forces and Attack on
Minorities
HRCBM has been deeply concerned about the
continued growth of right wing fanatic forces and ongoing
violation of human rights against the minorities in
Bangladesh. Since the October 2001 general election in
Bangladesh that brought Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-
Jamat-E-Islam led coalition government of Prime Minister
Khaleda Zia to power, the right wing forces are growing and
the minorities, especially the Hindus, have been the primary
victims of inhuman atrocities. Thousands of women, including 5-year old minor girls
to 70-year old senior citizens and amputees, have been
gang-raped, tortured and killed, houses burnt, properties
looted and hundreds of thousands of Hindus forced to leave the
country. The recent reports in Bangladesh newspapers and media
show that the attacks on other minority communities are also
going on unabated. The attack on the Christian community is on
the rise even after continued protest and appeals to
Bangladesh government, world leaders, UN and other world
bodies for the protection of the minorities and bringing the
criminals to justice.
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