| Submit your comments on this article |
| India-Pakistan |
| If Ethnic Cleansing Works Once, Why Not Try Again? |
| 2003-03-19 |
| Edited for brevity By Rosemary Morris Special to ASSIST News Service In February/March 2002 a market survey was taken of Muslim traders, homeowners in Gujarat, India, particularly in the Ahmedabad area. What followed that particular survey was the ethnic cleansing, and horrific genocide of vulnerable Muslim men, women and children resulting in thousands being killed, and many thousands ending up in refugee camps. Several human rights groups went to Gujarat during 2002 and brought out their reports and submitted to the authorities but nothing changed. The Gujarat government just said it was communal riots, but from all the reports done both by national and international human rights groups, it was a definite, systematic attack on the Muslim community from the fascist forces in Gujarat. In March 2003, we see that there is a new move on another minority community, but this time it is the Christian community. The Gujarat government have admitted that there has been some 'informal' gathering of statistics of the Christian community. It has been reported in the media the Gujarat police have started a discreet survey of Christians in some parts of the state, filing information on the size of the families, their job profiles and sources of foreign funds. However, both the police, the local government either blame each other for obtaining these surveys and information, and now the Gujarat government blames central government!!!! It has been stated by the home minister of the State of Gujarat that MP Ram Vilas Paswan had raised a question regarding religious conversions and in order to give a complete reply, the Central government had asked for statistical information!!! It has to be seen as a targeted survey simply by seeing the questions asked! They survey asks for name, details of Christian institutions in the area; how many people converted in the village during the past year; how many new institutes have started in the past year; details about converted Christians in the village; and what are the reasons behind the conversions in the district. Several families in Ahmedabad city have been visited late at night (10.0 -11.0 pm asking the questions such as when they converted and who converted them. Not only is this intimidation but also harassment. |
| Posted by:Kathy |
| #9 In fact, the Gujarat riots were a mob reaction to a murderous attack on a civilian train - Sabarmati Express - by Muslim terrorists. According to eye-witnesses, 6 or 7 attackers carried 20 liter fuel containers toward the train and deliberately doused Hindu women and children, and then set it alight. Muslims covered up the identities of their accused co-religists. As justice through civil means was being obstructed, Hindus took cause to exact mob retaliation. Keep this in mind: the percentage of Muslims in India has increased from 8% at Partition, to 13% now. During the same period, GW Bush's Pakistani friends and beneficiaries have ethnically cleansed Hindus from 18% to 1%. |
| Posted by: Anonon 2003-03-19 19:24:45 |
| #8 Point taken Kathy. When it comes down to it, is there really ANY objective news source? As consumers of info, I guess its partly our job to ascertain the truth or fiction out there. Either way, thanks for the post. |
| Posted by: mjh 2003-03-19 14:16:44 |
| #7 mjh, you're right of course that Assist is not an objective news source. I'm not sure there's an objective news source reporting on local Indian issues, but if someone knows of one please pass that info along. I should have noted that in the post but was in a bit of a hurry this morning. That said, Gujarat doesn't have a stellar track record in supporting religious freedom, so although I can't say if this is true it certainly isn't entirely out of character. |
| Posted by: Kathy 2003-03-19 13:50:01 |
| #6 The enemy of my enemy is my... Who would we rather align with, long run, Pakistan in it's current political configuration or India under the NDA-BJP-RSS Government? |
| Posted by: Brian 2003-03-19 13:10:46 |
| #5 Fred, I feel I have to contest your assertion that "the hinduvta bully boyz are just as bad as the Islamic bully boyz." The Hindu extremists don't have the support of multiple foreign powers and limit their activities to Indian soil. Plus they have a legitimate bone to pick with the Islamists. That puts them up a notch or two in my book. |
| Posted by: Scooter McGruder 2003-03-19 11:09:45 |
| #4 The Christians don't fight, which is the reason why both sides detest them: they drain away valuable manpower and resources, as well as show up the inadequacies of the religions from which the converted departed. Yeah, it'll probably happen. And, as usual, nothing will be done except huffing and puffing and the occasional "they deserved it!" from the bigots of the religion of secularism. |
| Posted by: Ptah 2003-03-19 09:51:41 |
| #3 I won't be surprised if it does happen. The hinduvta bully boyz are just as bad as the Islamic bully boyz. They just prefer to fight it out among themselves, and they regard the Christians as poaching on their territory. |
| Posted by: Fred 2003-03-19 09:40:24 |
| #2 I'm skeptical of any Gujarat anti-Muslim conspiracy. The Gujarat Muslims are as militant as any and I'm sure they deserved whatever they got. That said, if India start rounding up Christians I'll certainly be outraged. But I doubt it'll happen. |
| Posted by: Scooter McGruder 2003-03-19 09:03:33 |
| #1 Hmmm...I'm going out on a limb here...and saying that "Assist" news is not an objective source... |
| Posted by: mjh 2003-03-19 07:48:04 |