|
WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 27,
2006) – The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) held a press
conference today on Capitol Hill to release its much anticipated
second annual report on the status of human rights of Hindus
in South Asia, Afghanistan and Fiji. Representative Ileana
Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), senior ranking member of the House International
Relations Committee, co-hosted the press conference held in
the Rayburn House Building. In her remarks, Ros-Lehtinen expressed
serious concern over the facts presented in the human rights
report and welcomed the document as a crucial resource.
|
Executive
Director, Ishani Chowdhury presenting a copy of the
Hindu American Foundation's 2nd Annual Hindu Human Rights
Report to Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehitnen (R-FL) at
Capitol Hill. Also present (L-R): Nikhil Joshi, Esq.,
Member of Board of Directors; Rajit Das, Intern; and
Dr. Aseem Shukla, Member of Board of Directors.
|
“As an ardent human rights advocate
in the United States Congress, I will continue to work with
my colleagues to ensure that all are afforded the protection
they deserve,” said Ros-Lehtinen during her address.
“Especially, Hindus who are persecuted by extremist
groups.”
A House resolution calling attention to
human rights violations against Hindus prompted by, among
other things, the HAF report is being prepared and the congresswoman
is expected to deliver a separate floor statement highlighting
human rights violations that are particularly severe in Bangladesh.
“The second annual report on Hindu
human rights is an objective compilation from reports by credible
human rights groups of the genocide, ethnic cleansing, terrorism,
and discriminatory laws that Hindus face everyday in parts
of South Asia and beyond,” said Ishani Chowdhury, Executive
Director of HAF. “This report documents a humanitarian
tragedy that fills an important void existing in reports by
both governments and other human rights organizations.”
The 105-page document is entitled "Hindus
in South Asia & the Diaspora: A Survey of Human Rights
(2005)". The report has garnered a broad
array of endorsements from several members of Congress,
various academics and human rights and religious leaders of
diverse faiths.
“By documenting human rights violations
against Hindus in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Fiji
and the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, the Hindu American
Foundation continues to raise global awareness of these abuses,”
said Congressman Joseph Crowley (D-NY), as he joined Senator
Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Joe Wilson (R-SC), Jim Ramstad (R-MN)
and many other members of the U.S. Congress whose endorsements
of the report continue to be received daily at HAF offices
in Washington, D.C.
The 2005 report individually documents over
500 incidents of murder, arson, rape, desecration of temples,
usurpation of property and other forms of violence against
Hindus over a single year in Bangladesh. The report confirms
a continuous rise in such attacks since the 2001 general election
brought the Bangladesh National Party to power in coalition
with Islamist political organizations. In 2005, according
to the HAF report, Pakistan witnessed a spate of Hindu temple
destructions, kidnappings and forced conversions of Hindu
girls. Furthermore, the government of Pakistan continues a
grim policy of aiding and abetting Islamist organizations
recognized as terrorist groups by the U.S. State Department
such as the Lashkar-e-Toiba.
HAF included Fiji in the 2005 report as part
of its long-term goal of highlighting human rights abuses
against Hindus in the diaspora beyond South Asia. Despite
comprising 38% of the island nation’s population, Hindus
and their religious institutions are routinely attacked in
Fiji. The heavily influential Methodist Church there has called
for conversions of Hindus and establishment of a Christian
state.
“Everyone who is concerned with obtaining
the necessary human rights and privileges for people of all
religions should be indebted to the Hindu American Foundation
for bringing into the light the serious discriminatory practices
and unacceptable behavior which in any way makes for insensitive
treatment of Hindus and their faith,” said Ernest Weiner,
Executive Director of the Northern California Region of the
American Jewish Committee.
After reviewing the report, Iftekhar Hai, President of United
Muslims of America Interfaith Alliance condemned extremist
violence and said, “It gives me great pain to note that
extremist Muslims, a tiny minority, are unleashing terror
on our Hindu brothers and sisters.”
Rabbi Abraham Cooper, Associate Dean and
co-founder of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a widely respected
international human rights organization, heaped similar praise
on HAF. “The Simon Wiesenthal Center welcomes this report
which will help the international community and Non-governmental
Organizations to have a broader understanding of the human
rights situation in that important region of the world.”
Several academics on campuses around the
U.S. also reviewed this year’s report. “This report
by the Hindu American Foundation…is a real eye-opener,”
observed Professor Nathan Katz, Professor of Religious Studies
at Florida International University. “As a minority
in Islamic societies that consider them to be ‘idolaters,’
Hindus in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan face unimaginable
persecution routinely.”
The HAF report was simultaneously released
by Global Human Rights Defence in the Hague, Netherlands,
where that organization is committed to spreading awareness
about the contents of the report in the European Union.
HAF leadership hoped that this year’s
report will again serve as a credible source of information
for governmental and human rights organizations. The HAF report
calls for concrete action by responsible governments to end
religious persecution. The foundation plans to follow the
report with coordinated activities to raise awareness of Hindu
human rights in Washington, D.C. and at international venues
throughout the year.
The report can be downloaded, viewed or purchased
online at http://www.hinduamericanfoundation.org/reports.htm#hhr2005
Related Images
|
Executive
Director, Ishani Chowdhury presenting a copy of the
Hindu American Foundation's 2nd Annual Hindu Human Rights
Report to Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehitnen (R-FL) at
Capitol Hill. Also present (L-R): Nikhil Joshi, Esq.,
Member of Board of Directors; Rajit Das, Intern; and
Dr. Aseem Shukla, Member of Board of Directors. |
|
Congresswoman
Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) endorsing the Hindu American Foundation's
2nd Annual Hindu Human Rights Report at the official
Press Conference at Capitol Hill. |
|
(L-R)
Ramesh Rao, PhD, Member of the HAF's Executive Council;
Dr. Aseem Shukla and Nikhil Joshi, Esq., Board of Directors
Members; Art. A. Estopiñán, Chief of Staff
for Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) and Ishani
Chowdhury, Executive Director for the Hindu American
Foundation. |
The Hindu American Foundation
is a non-profit 501(c)(3), non-partisan organization, promoting
the Hindu and American ideals of understanding, tolerance
and pluralism.
|
