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(House of Representatives
- May 17, 2004)
The SPEAKER pro
tempore: Under a previous order of the House, the
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) is recognized for
5 minutes.
Mr. PALLONE:
Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening to express my deep concern
over the persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh. The coalition
government of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, BNP, which
came to power on October 1, 2001, has initiated a violent
campaign. And since the BNP's parliamentary victory nearly
3 years ago, a campaign of terrorism, murder, and religious
cleansing has been unleashed on Hindus living in Bangladesh.
I had written a letter to Bangladesh's Prime Minister Zia
in 2002 about this violent persecution, but I have received
no response to date; and it is a fact that unabashed violence
has continued freely.
Although the latest wave
of violence has been ensuing since the BNP took power in 2001,
Hindus have been a disappearing minority in Bangladesh at
the hands of Bangladeshi forces that have employed human rights
abuses, atrocities, and ethno-religious cleansing tools. In
1941, Hindus comprised 28 percent of the population; but by
1991, the Hindu population dwindled to a meager 8 percent.
A large part of this decrease in the Hindu population can
be attributed to the 1971 genocide by the then-Muslim East
Pakistan Party, whereby 2.5 million Hindus were murdered and
10 million Hindus fled to India as refugees.
Reminiscent of the Jewish
Holocaust, Hindu homes were marked by a yellow H, which in
fact guided the pillagers to their homes. Over the following
30 years, thousands of Hindu temples were destroyed, Hindus
were systematically disenfranchised from holding political
power, and prejudicial legislation ensured an unstable existence
for Hindus. In fact, Islamic extremists have routinely dispossessed
Hindus and, for that matter, Christians and Buddhists, of
their ancestral properties and land, burned down their homes,
and desecrated and razed temples, which has resulted in forcing
many to flee as refugees.
Mr. Speaker, I have reviewed
numerous reports that attest to the current violent persecution
in Bangladesh. These reports have been written by the International
Federation of Bangladeshi Hindus and Friends, Amnesty International,
the U.S. State Department's Annual Report on International
Religious Freedom, CNN, BBC, and multiple Bangladeshi newspapers
that reflect the testimonies of the Hindu victims.
This campaign of minority
cleansing in progress in Bangladesh has to be stopped. Since
1971, when Bangladesh was born as a secular democratic country
out of Islamic Pakistan, all minority populations have declined,
and this Islamization must be put to an end through the government's
leadership. In an effort to uphold pluralistic democracy in
Bangladesh and protection of Hindus and all minorities, the
following must be implemented:
First, restoration of secularism in the constitution of Bangladesh,
as it existed in the first constitution of independent Bangladesh
in 1972.
Second, passage of affirmative
action and hate crime laws that acknowledge the minority communities
of Bangladesh.
Third, production of a
white paper on atrocities against the minorities over the
years, and assurance that the perpetrators of the ongoing
pogrom are brought to justice.
Fourth, repatriation of
the refugees, displaced people, with full compensation to
the victims.
Fifth, ending of oppression
of journalists and writers who report minority and human rights
violations.
Six, termination of the
illegal torture in custody of members of secular parties.
And seventh, allowance
of an independent commission to investigate the atrocities
perpetrated against the minority groups.
Mr. Speaker, I hope that
these goals can be achieved and the Government of Bangladesh
can take the necessary steps to international human and civil
rights.
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