The purpose of SAFNE is not only to pray for the problems and people of South-Asia but also a means by which people of south Asian origin may build bonds with each other and form a spiritual community were we may openly rejoice in the worship of our Lord and Savior. But today our special thoughts and prayers are to be directed to the Bangladesh & its people. First Let us thank the Lord for improving this country in the past few years. Bangladesh has improved in education, technology and business since it gained victory & self rule.
DEC 16th marks "Victory Day" for Bangladesh after it achieved independence from Pakistan. This feat of independence came after 9 months of struggle in which many Bangladeshis (women, literates, public servants, artists, intellectuals, religious minorities, youth, educated and others) were massacred. In addition more than 10 million Bengali refugees fled to India to escape the horrors of war. The Pakistani occupation forces killed Bangalee intellectuals and professionals on December 14, 1971. This day is called the "Martyred Intellectuals Day". According to many including Ahmad Javed from Andover, MA the rate of killing surpasses the deaths of Jews in the Nazi regime.
Note:- These facts are not against any specific religion but in support to the people who need prayer & help. India and its neighbors suffer the same problems as listed below.
INTRODUCTION On DEC 16th 1971 Bangladesh achieved independence from Pakistan. It is called the 33rd Martyred Intellectuals Day Bangladeshis have named this date “Victory Day”, yet within Bangladesh the minority populations have yet to taste victory. Bangladesh was one of the mildest Islamic states. Initially Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, and traditional tribal peoples lived side by side in peaceful coexistence. Bangladesh was originally a secular state. All minorities were respected. In fact minorities accounted for 30 % of the total population of Bangladesh. (My mother and Sheik Mujibars family went to see the Biblical movie "Ten Commandments" in Bangladesh. This was the level of tolerance at that time. This peaceful coexistence changed after the departure of the British. As India was divided into religious partitions. Communal harmony was no longer stressed. Domination of a specific culture and religion would soon become the norm in Bangladesh.
BANGLADESH A SECULAR NATION Bangladesh’s first prime minister Sheik Mujibur Rahman and his party’s (Awami League, AL) policy was based on four principles— nationalism, secularism, socialism, and democracy. In addition the 1972 constitution created a strong prime ministership, an independent judiciary, and a unicameral legislature on a modified British model. This democratic model would not last. Due to slow political, and economic reforms dissatisfied army officers assassinated Mujib in Aug 1975. This was the first of many coups, governments, and military dictator ships to occur. Political instability became the norm until the late 90s with the domination of two rival political leagues. (The Bangladesh Nationalist Party or BNP and the Awami Party.)
CREATION OF AN ISLAMIC STATE From the time of Bangladesh’s conception, Islamic Mullahs have pushed to the creation of an Islamic Bangladesh. In 1988 the parliament passed a large number of legislative bills, including a controversial amendment making Islam the state religion. By becoming an official Islamic republic, all Bangladeshi citizens regardless of religious backgrounds would have to live under Islamic Law. This move empowered the Islamic majority seeking an identity closer to Islamic Ideal and the global Islamic community. The creation of an Islamic state accelerated the seeds of intolerance by those who only wanted Bangladesh to be inhabited by Muslims. Islamists focused their energies on three main agendas. 1) The conversion of non-Muslims to Islam. 2) The push for “Land Grab” had non-Muslims having to leave their land and thereby leave Bangladesh. 3) The marginalizing of non-Muslims within Bangladesh society.
EXILE & EXODUS Many minorities in fear for their lives or desperate to leave the repressive situation of Bangladesh have fled to neighboring India. In 1971 the minorities in Bangladesh made up @ 30% of the population. Today the minority population stands at @15%. Harsh daily living for minorities has effectively cut the population of minorities in Half! Many Muslims have fled their countries of origin to have a better life in the West. Yet most minorities in Bangladesh are not able to migrate due to their second citizen status. By having a second-class status imposed on them, minorities are disproportionately poor when compared to their Muslim brothers. We need to pray that people get to live on their own land in peace & harmony, free from discrimination.
POVERTY & FLOOD Adding to communal problems of Bangladesh is its poverty level. For many years Bangladesh was rated the poorest county in the world during the early 1970s. Land became a major asset. With land came wealth, status, and position. [Bangladesh has one of the highest density rates in the world. There are currently @130 million Bangladeshis living in a country no bigger than the state of Wisconsin]. If this was not enough, different parts of the country is ravaged repeatedly by floods causing famine, drought and loss of life and agriculture. We need to pray for the Poverty & natural disasters to flee from this nation for its progress.
DISUNITY The greatest irony of the discrimination of Muslims against their minority brothers and sisters is that the Bangladesh people are made of the same cloth. Once Bangladesh was a Hindu society. With the arrival of the Turks. In most cases, but not all, the poor Hindus converted to Islam in order to seek parity and equality with their upper class Hindu counterparts. Christianity in Bangladesh has never been a threat to either Islam or Hindu society. Currently Christians make up @. 005 to . 004 percent of the population. The tribal peoples which at most make up 2 to 3.5% of the population has traditionally stayed within their lands. We need to pray for national unity and brotherhood in Bangladesh.
PERSECUTION To achieve the aim of expelling minorities and gaining valuable land multiple tactics were and are being used today. The minimization of minorities in history, politics, government, and culture. A lack of game full employment due to ones religion. The use of intimidation and violence in order to remove occupants or covert minorities to their religion. The use of gang rape as weapon to intimidate and force migration of minorities. Murder, assault, battery, destruction of homes, churches, temples, and businesses. Lack of police protection and corruption in general. [Note: Bangladesh was rated as the most corrupt nation in the world by the IMF]. We need to pray for the persecution to be removed against the helpless & persecuted.
IGNORANCE Unfortunately, the minorities of Bangladesh receive little attention by the world media, particularly in the West. Western governments seeking to avoid bad relations with Islamic governments and Leery of additional conflicts with Islamic states have turned a blind eye towards the minority prosecution in Bangladesh. This blind eye may also be due to the fact that the Western nations now have millions of Muslims residing within their borders. (The United States has about 4.5 million Muslim immigrants within its borders, Britain has about 1 to 1.2 million Muslims.) We need to pray for support and help to the persecuted in Bangladesh.
Discrimination by the radical /religion-based majority is both immoral and irrational. One cannot gain grace with God by doing harm to ones neighbor. (Ahmad Uddin, Atlanta)
E-mail:- Ahmed_Uddin@SAFNE.com
SOME LINKS:-
http://hrtribune.com/News/gang_rape_chuadanga.html (NEW)
http://thedailystar.net/2003/12/15/d3121501033.htm
http://bengalimission.org
http://www.persecution.com/link/features.cfm
http://www.mayerdak.com/humanist.htm
http://www.hrcp-web.org/
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/2183596.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/2183204.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/2182764.stm
http://www.probashi.org/
http://members.tripod.com/DCOSTA_J_FAMILY/christianity_in_bangladesh.htm
http://www.homelandbangladesh.com/
http://www.bangladesh-christian.com/main.htm
http://www.wfn.org/1996/05/msg00704.html
http://www.hrcbm.org/
http://www.hrcbm.org/news/sangbad_11_032003_harkat.html
http://www.hrcbm.org/NEWLOOK/bargmara_10_212003.html
GENERAL
http://www.faithfreedom.org/
http://www.peacemonger.com/edition12/special.htm
http://home.att.net/~Local_Catholic/Catholic-Bangladesh.htm
http://213.92.16.98/ESW_lista_chiesa/english/
http://213.92.16.98/ESW_articolo/0,2393,41931,00.html
http://www.mcjonline.com/
http://www.fiu.edu/~fiuisa/index1.html
http://www.nriworld.com/associations/details.asp?code=3813
http://web.amnesty.org/report2004/countrylist-eng
http://www.hrcp.cjb.net
http://www.amnestyusa.org/annualreport/index.html
http://www.just-international.org/PROTECTION-OF-PLACES-OF-WORSHIP.cfm
http://www.bharatvani.org/books/demogislam/part2.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3660458.stm
NEW
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/470432.cms
http://www.hinduhumanrights.org/Bangladesh/kennedy.htm
http://www.fisiusa.org/fisi_pages/news_crisis_bangladesh.htm
http://www.hinduhumanrights.org/
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/2996073.stm
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=6372&Valider=OK
http://www.hrcbm.org/news/plight_minor.html
http://thedailystar.net/2004/01/09/d4010901033.htm
http://www.banglarights.net/HTML/organizarion.htm
http://www.hvk.org/articles/1202/201.html
http://desitalk.newsindia-times.com/2004/07/02/ny-14-top.html
Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities
P.O. Box 5493
Santa Clara, CA 95056
USA
http://www.hrcbm.org
http://www.hrtribune.com
E-mail: appeal@hrcbm.org
Ph: 212-592-3627
Fax: 212-202-6251