 |
 |
 |
||
|
Minority Oppression in Bangladesh |
||||
|
||||
|
|
Report of the Public Inquiry Commission(5th Installment) By Mukto-mona Dhaka Source 5
(a). Mental State of Minorities and their thoughts One can
very well imagine the mental state of those physically tortured, incapable to
resist, deprived of administrative protection, helpless week people. They were
as if a silent, unconscious, lifeless-matter-like creatures bearing human
names. After this crisis they became devoid of consciousness & utterly
perplexed, and lost power of thinking. They have some how managed to express
stories of their mortification and answer queries of the journalists and
members of survey teams of different organizations, that too very reluctantly.
Let us cite a few examples. 1. A
housewife named Prabharani (40) wife of Paresh Chandra Mistry, of
village Lejpata within Daulatkhan upazila in the district of Bhola expressed
her heart-ache story with tears in her eyes- �We are people of this country.
How long will we live in our own land as foreigners ? ..... Bearing such
heart-ache pain we do not wish to live any more. We can�t express our
feelings to anyone, nor could we show our pain to any one. Only Iswar (God)
knows how are we? ..... How long we shall have to continue such life ? ...
Please tell Madam Khaleda Zia about our feelings. ..... We do not do any
politics, don�t go to poling booths, - nor shall we go in future. Please
tell her to look at us with little sympathy and compassion. .... Let her do
some thing for our safety, ... we want a little peace.� (Prothom Alo, 23.
10. 01) 2. Paresh
Chandra, husband of Prabharani expressed his feeling of anguish in the
following manner: �Our helplessness dwindled to a lowest level. After
looting our properties from our house the beasts in human form raped my wife,
daughter, and daughter in law in my very presence. My wife was hiding herself
in a pond adjacent to the house with her nose a little up the water level; she
was dragged in from there. My daughter in law was hiding in a garden of
betel-nut trees behind the house with her six month old female child. On
hearing the cry of the child the beasts ran there, and gang raped her and my
college going daughter then and there. I could not utter a single ward. They
were standing with a Ramdao (a big chopper) on my neck. Even if they didn�t
hold the chopper I could have done very little. I had nothing to do, nor do I
have now- if I protest or raise my voice we would have to leave our abodes of
forefathers. ..... We don�t find any one standing on our side with
courage.� The devastated state of mind of
those uprooted minority families have been clearly exposed in a doleful voice
through those painful crying. We reproduce here a few specimens of �letters
to the editor� by members of minority community appearing in our national
dailies from which one might get a picture of their state of mind.
�Since those Pakistani days till today we the Hindus of Bangladesh have been victims of discrimination- in all fields such as getting a job, doing service, in education, in business etc and we have been persecuted now and then in various ways such as- looting and forcible occupation of our houses, shops and business centers, inflicting mental and physical torture, and extortion. Looting, ... killing, raping ..... in one ward, all kinds of thinkable repressions are being committed systematically on Bangladeshi Hindus for the last two months. In this atmosphere it has become almost impossible to survive. ...... There was only one way to survive----- to organize ourselves to protest and to resist and along with it much needed �protection� must invariably come from the administration, ... But the role of our government was just opposite; so it is impossible for Hindus to protect themselves on their own. Therefore at this age of 59 I am compelled to state
with heart-full cry that I cannot live in my own country because the
government of the country acting as an enemy; if I stay back all my properties
will be grabbed; mother, sister and daughter will be raped; On the contrarily
I can�t leave the country- because even if I leave my motherland empty
handed leaving behind all my properties the BDR will stop us; if I make an
attempt to enter India BSF will shoot us. Under these circumstances Hindu
population of this country has no way out except committing en masse
suicide.� (Sangbad, 18th November, 2001) A minority Purba Raja Bajar, Dhaka 1215 �
�Will there be an end to
Minority-Deprivation ?� �I saw in news papers of 4th October that terrorists have directed to stop Sandhyarati (evening deity greeting by waving lamp) and Kirtan (act of singing the name of god, especially of Lord Krisna) at Bhatikhana Akhra (a Vaisnava gymnasium (place) of worship). On the same day some miscreants passed stool at the gate of Lord Krishna-temple in Chittagong. ..... Why such hatred and malice ? .... Persecution is continuing throughout the country. Such evil doings are happening in the very face of police and civil administration, but government is not taking any action. Before election minorities were asked not cast their votes, and following election terrorists are taking revenge against minorities on the charge why did they vote for �boat�. Do these events not constitute terrorism and communalism? As for Hindus some are fleeing from one place to another for fear of life, and some are roaming about here and there after being robbed of every thing. All these events are doings of BNP and its 4-party election alliance. .....The current situation even surpassed the barbarism of Pakistani soldiers in 1971. Many, I have heard, saying if the minorities do not feel good here let them leave the country. But where must we, the minorities, go ? .... Bangladesh is my motherland and my homeland. .... We demand our right to live here with safety & dignity.� (Sangbad, 15. 10. 01) Geeta Pali, 1133 Battery Gali, Dampara, Chittagong �
�A minority speaking� � I am a religious minority. Yes, this is my only identity in this country. One night a group of men entered our mahalla (ward) .....; they set fire on few houses after spreading patrol and kerosene- then they indulged themselves in barbaric & jubilant frenzy. In the darkness, the inmates some how escaped to save their lives. Instantaneously every thing was lost - burnt to ashes. In 1992, this was our Prayaschitta (penance) of destroying Babri Masjid in India. ... Following October, 2001 the barbaric picture of torture that I witnessed in my village on going home is really beyond description. .... Will we be not allowed then to survive in this country? Even after receiving higher education from the highest seat of learning I have an occasional feeling that as if the country is not mine. .... But we cannot leave the country. How could I betray with the soil of my beloved country? � (Janakantha, 18. 11. 01) Shankar Debnath Jagannath Hall, Dhaka University What the expatriate Bangladesh citizens, especially those belonging to minority community thinking about the present crisis could be sensed from the following letters quoted below. From Texas one Anup Deb has written: �
"Hindus in Bhola will not be forgotten" 'The
Daily Star readers of Bangladesh should be concerned about what is going
on in their home country. The rape of Hindu women in Bhola is not something a
Hindu from Bangladesh, like me, will easily forget. Yes, Afghanistan is
important but show some decency to support your fellow citizens. I can assure
you that in the coming years Hindus will not sit together with Awami League or
BNP. We demand equal rights and we demand the trial of these criminals and
rehabilitation of those affected. We demand justice.' (The Daily Star, 14. 11.
01) Anup Deb Arlingtor, Texas, USA Another
gentleman P. Chowdhury has this to say: * "Alien in homeland-- anguish of being Bangladeshi Hindu" �... on
October 15, the Daily Star published his (Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed) article, �
The anguish of being a Muslim American". The article
has caught my sight and feeling. I share his pain and sorrow exactly the same
way he has been feeling being a Muslim American after the incident of
September 11, as being a Bangladeshi Hindu I have been feeling it since the
October 1 election. I really find hard to believe that this is the country
where I was born! This is the country where I grew up! This is my dearest
motherland! Feeling like an alien in own land is much more painful than what
Dr Ahmed is experiencing in a foreign land. The atrocities the Hindus and other minority communities are facing today in Bangladesh are unparalleled! What is the fault of these innocent people? Nothing but alleged voting in favour of the Awami League! ... I can assure Dr. Ahmed what he has been facing in America is far less worse than what we have been experiencing here on our own soil. ... the average Americans are not as irrational and inhuman as the people here to start ransacking your houses, killing your friends, raping your daughters/sisters, ousting you out of their land. ... Moreover, the government is there to stand by you to protect your right. In contrast, here in Bangladesh administration is turning a blind eye as if nothing has happened or is happening! ... How will I be able to trust and depend on my friends and colleagues and acquaintances any more who I was coming along so long and suddenly find them surprisingly silent over my suffering and harassment! Dr Ahmed, you are fortunate enough than I am, because there are people in America who are urging not to equate Islam with terrorism and not to be vindictive to Muslims in general. Here even for this piece of writing I could be a target of violence act! ... history reminds me that nothing goes unchallenged. Minorities here also have the limit of patience! If the minorities are forced to feel totally insecure, then they will naturally adopt steps for self-protection like other minorities in the region. When that happens, the majority will become the bigger loser. We must all work together to avoid that from happening.� (Daily Star article, 19. 11. 01) P. Chowdhury, USA Feelings of an educated minority have been reflected in the attached article written almost 8 years ago. The title of the article written in Bengali is �The Minorities are surviving even through thousands of problems.� (See Appendix 8, page 97). From those views expressed above the devastated mind and mentality of minority community have been clearly reflected. The witnesses appearing before the Commission also expressed similar sentiments. In the opinion of the Commission thoughts & reflections of the minority community can be presented as follows. 1. A large section of minority community severely suffers from sense of insecurity. 2. The minority community feels that Civil administration or for that matter state�s entire security system (including Police, Answar, BDR & Army) failed to provide them with adequate protection during difficult days. In one ward their faith on the state system of Bangladesh has almost evaporated away. The following questions when they asked, �Is this my country ? Why haven�t we any rights here? Why can�t the state provide us with appropriate safety system.� expose lack of faith of the minorities in the power elite of Bangladesh and above all over the state of Bangladesh. 3. A large section of the minority community feels that they have been denied of their due rights from all walks of life from state to society- as for example, their rightful and adequate presence in government and non-government administration, security system- from police to army, and over all social activities is not felt significantly. The conscious section of the minority community thinks that the equal rights of all citizens as stated in the constitution in reality is not reflected in running the state. In simple terms, the minorities are not rightful sharer of the state power. Incidentally constitution of People�s Republic of Bangladesh at least in three articles unequivocally stated of equal rights of all citizens : �
All citizens are equal before the law and
are entitled to equal protection of law. (27) �
The State shall not discriminate against
any citizen on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth.
(28(1)) �
No citizen shall on grounds of religion,
race, caste, sex or place of birth be ineligible for, or discriminated against
in respect of any employment or office in the service of the republic.
(29(2)). 4. The burning feeling of the minorities is that sine 1947 following partition of India the state and a powerful section of the society have been behaving with the minority community in such a manner that a sense of feeling has been created in the mind of the community that this country does not belong to them. And through this mental agony children of the community are being brought up from one generation to another. A sense of inferiority complex has developed in their mind and behaviour. Because of such influence the minority community is gradually transforming itself into an entity incapable of resisting, and anti-reactive population. The natural instinct of a human being �to resist� is now extinct from their mind; they are turning into a lifeless and unexcited mass-entity. 5. Another mental agony the minorities, especially Hindus, suffer from is that they are to absorb slanting remark and doubt of their loyalty to this country. They hear very often such disgraceful utterances coming from a common man to a highly placed official at the state level. What pain and frustration such remarks create in minority-mind is not appreciated by the remark-makers; their mind becomes bitter against the sate itself. 6. Another inner feeling of pain of minority-mind is that not only the government, even common citizens fail to appreciate their real condition. A common remark they often listen in streets, in working places: �Brothers, you are being looked after in this country with so much care and affection usually meted to a son in law.� Such utterance is a clear indication that this country does not belong to minority community as house of a father in law rightfully does not belong to a son in law. 5(b).
What does Minority Community want ?
(a). Hopes and aspiration of a common man belonging to the minority community is quite identical with those of a common man of the majority community; their need and wants are very small & simple. A common minority citizen wants to live in his own land with peace and safety, a secured life with his mother-wife-daughter-daughter in law, he wants to educate his son & daughters according to his ability. (b). The repressed minorities clearly stated that they don�t want to participate in voting- they want their names to be struck off from voter-list in all future election. The state system that cannot ensure of security and safe casting of votes, or cannot protect from persecution of minorities following election atrocities in such state system inclusion of their names in voter-list is just a mockery so far they are concerned. (c). Even under such terrible unfavorable environment they consider Bangladesh as their homeland and love it very much. They want to live here with equal rights, and demand a complete security and a guarantee of equal citizenship right from the state. 2. Need and wants of right-conscious members of the minority community (a). Right-conscious members of the community want to participate in all development activities of the state by sharing state power on the basis of merit and merit alone. They demand a guarantee of their community�s due representation from defence service to government and public service on the basis of merit. (b). Abolition of all discriminatory laws including the vested property act (even after latest amendment). (c).
True secularization of the country�s constitution after bringing in adequate
and necessary amendments i.e. restoration of ideal of secularism and four
original fundamental principles of state policy in the constitution. 5 (c). Why
they are being persecuted? Minority point of view. Minorities
themselves identified following factors those were, and still are, active
behind repression on them. (a).
Members of the minority community are taken for granted as supporters of Awami
League. This assumption has made them vulnerable target of attacks of the
miscreants supporting opponent political parties. (b).
Grabbing of properties (c).
Realization of political interest and objective, and forcible migration. 5
(d). Where does lay the solution of this problem- according to their
view? After
critically examining the statements of the witnesses appearing before the
commission and talking to a cross-section of leading members of the community,
the Commission got the impression that according to them a solution might be
found if following steps were taken. (a). The problem is very complex indeed. It is intermingled with psychological complexity of the minority and unconcerned mentality of the majority community. Right from a common man to an educated one belonging to the majority community-all have to understand the sentiments and problems of the minority communities with a feeling of co-sufferer and sympathy. They have to realize � why a Hindu gentleman feels uneasy to wear dhoti (a loincloth for men), why a minority housewife is hesitant to put on sindur (vermilion) on her sinthi (line of parted hair near forehead) or wear shankha (conch-bangles) on her hand, or why a minority child is afraid of identifying himself as Hindu ? (b). The state must ensure complete security & safety of the minority community, and materialize their rights provided in country�s constitution. The administration at all level must be neutral and effective. (c). The state and the society in general, must take adequate and effective series of measures so that an atmosphere of tolerance and secularism, and concept of pluralism could be created. To achieve this goal necessary amendments are to be incorporated in the constitution, and all discriminatory laws must be abolished. |
|
|
 |
|
 |
||
|
||||