Press Release

HHR Protest 6th July 2003

HHR Protest 6th July 2003 Hindu Human Rights Group (HHR) is very concerned about the largely unreported ongoing persecution and determined ethno-religious cleansing of the shockingly reduced minority Hindu population in Bangladesh. We have just witnessed the military intervention by Western democracies in Iraq to overthrow a tyrannical regime. Indeed, Prime Minister Blair was instrumental in articulating the case for international intervention in Yugoslavia for the ethnic cleansing of the Kosovo Albanians. Yet witness Rwanda where the genocide of an ethnic community was ignored. Are the Hindus of Bangladesh in the same category? Are they, like the Tutsis of Rwanda, deemed to be too far away, economically unimportant, or just the wrong colour to warrant international help? The factual reports of sheer horror are mindless and endless. The draconian property "Law" in Bangladesh has officially sanctioned the violent seizing of 3 million acres of ancestral Hindu land under successive "Enemy Property Acts". In 2001, the South Bangladeshi village of Bola witnessed gang raping of 200 Hindu women. Even a Hindu girl of seven was not spared. These atrocities continue to this day. Multiple examples can be cited: Hindus are verily facing a reign of terror under the extremist regime which as a deliberate clear cut strategy of genocide of all Hindu and other minorities including liberal Muslims. When is genocide not recognised as a crime against humanity? When are government sponsored massacres, child rape, destruction and expulsion of minorities not crimes against humanity? It is clear that without international INSTITUTIONS' intervention, SUCH AS DIPLOMACY OF UN, IMF, World Bank, United States, European Union and India, the blood, tears, misery, suffering of millions will be on our conscience. Lets not become complicit in great evil by doing and saying nothing.

Join us opposite 10 Downing Street (Westminster) on Sunday 6 July 2003 at 11:30 am.

We thank you for your support.

Review of our campaign on 6th July 2003

Following the successful demonstration outside 10 Downing Street on Sunday 6 July, 2003, the Hindu Human Rights Group would like to thank all those volunteers who turned up to highlight the genocide and other humiliations being perpetrated upon the Hindus of Bangladesh. Any normal human being who had a conscience would feel it a duty to protest when the rape of seven year old girls, random killings, wanton destruction and the ethnic cleansing of an entire indigenous community goes without so much as a mention by the mainstream media and western governments. Nevertheless HHR does feel very obliged to all those who took the time to attend and take the issue to our political representatives in the UK.

Although the protest was to highlight the human rights abuses faced by Hindus, and most of the volunteers were Hindu, HHR is also very thankful to those non-Hindus who also turned up to empathise with the victims of the present Bangladesh genocide as fellow human beings. In particular mention must go to the UK branch members of Betar, an international Jewish youth and cultural organisation who not only turned up, but also highlighted the issue on their website. Hindu Human Rights Group also received an email of support from Canada's B'nai Brith, a well established and respected Jewish civil rights organisation which has supported victims of hate, racism and prejudice of all communities in North America. The support, sympathy and common sense displayed by these two organisations is proof that there are human rights activists out there who do recognise that Hindus of Bangladesh have for too long been the ignored victims of hate and terrorist violence. Let us hope that others too will also take up this mantle for the sake of all humanity.

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