From: budaraju@cae.wisc.edu (Srinivas Budaraju)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.indian
Subject: Bombay Riots - An Eye Witness Report
Date: 24 Jan 93 19:33:34 GMT
Article-I.D.: doug.1993Jan24.133334.6095
Organization: U of Wisconsin-Madison College of Engineering

This is an eye witness account of the first three days of communal
violence that broke out in Bombay, from Jan 11, 1993 to Jan 13, 93
by John D'Mello, Department of Sociology, St. Pius College, Bombay.
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Jan 11, 1993

While returning by train from Dadra-Nagar Haveli area in Gujarat, riots
broke loose again in Bombay. On the way we could see several spots where
fires were burning. People started stoning our train. We were told to 
keep the doors closed. At Goregaon, we just opened the doors a wee bit
and I managed to get down and made it safely to the college.

Things are bad in Bombay again. Over 550 deaths. There seem to be stabbings
and burnings. Veritable bedlam in areas. Houses being burned, shops being 
looted and then set on fire, people being burnt to death. Gangs are 
roaming about with big swords and attacking anybody who even vaguely
looks like a Muslim. They are stopping cars and rickshaws, and asking
people for their licence, and if their name is Ahmed or Iqbal or Yusuf,
then their rickshaws are set on fire. Others have been stripped to look
for marks of circumcision. This time it is clearly the Shiv Sena that
has targeted the Muslims. Bal Thackeray, the leader of the Shiv Sainiks,
seems to [have] given the war cry. The Police Commissioner, Mr. S.G. Bapat
apparently cooperated with the Shiv Sena. Thackeray says he wants to
teach the Muslims a lesson.

Jan 12, 1993

I have just returned from the terrace where all of us gathered to see the
fires burning. It seem[ed] to be close to the Seminary. We were all very
concerned but helpless.

The situation is desperate. The Shiv Sainiks are mad. They come in swarms
of 25 or 30 with big talwars and fire bombs and threaten, then set fire
to the houses and shops of the Muslims. Very often a resisting Muslim
is killed on the spot cold-bloodedly. The police will not do a damn
thing. The fire brigade too comes after 2 hours, if they come at all.
They claim that they have been answering 356 calls in six days. The 
army is totally ineffective. The army periodically marches down the
street, but as soon as they leave the area the violence and killings
start again.

In Goregaon, my parents are telling me that the whole place is under
curfew. Curfew is lifted only from 6.00 AM to 7.00 AM. For the last
three days they have been unable to buy food. Everything is closed,
schools, colleges, banks, businesses, etc. What is worse is the 'lootmar'
that accompanies this lawlessness. Only Muslim stores are being looted.
It is far far worse than the Los Angeles riots. They were not even
one tenth of what is happening here. Cruelty, mercilessness, etc.

Next to my parents home in Goregaon, there is a tiny chawl. The people
from there are running in and out bringing cupboards, tables, chairs -
all stolen from Muslim furniture shops.

Everybody is saying that it is a political fight between Mr. Sharad Pawar
and Mr. Naik. Pawar wants to oust Naik and so do the Shiv Sainiks. In
the process the poor Muslims are the scapegoats. Everybody I know is
feeling sorry for them. But what can be done? A few priests gave 
shelter to Muslims have received threats from the Shiv Sainiks.

Jan 13, 1993

This morning some of us went to explore the damage that had been caused
by the fires here in Goregaon. 20-25 families had their homes 
destroyed. Some factories too owned by Muslims, mostly of paper and
scrap metal. It seems it was a very planned operation. Shiv Sainiks
came in large droves and first broke down a small bridge which
separates the homes of Hindus and Muslims. They then set fire to the
Muslim homes. When we went there, the Muslim people were all standing
there rather dazed and stupified. They seem scared and frightened. In
the afternoon we organised some people and I drove them over to
distribute some food (rice and dhal). Everybody else were just standing
around and looking on - they were too afraid even to help. Everyone
seems afraid of the Shiv Sainiks. This evening we shall make a drive
of clothes, blankets and bedsheets and take them to the Muslim families
once again.

This [is] the worst communal violence Bombay has ever seen. The local
Marathi newspapers are against the Muslims and talk of teaching them
a lesson. 95 percent of the families and people who have been hurt,
killed, looted ... have been Muslims. The Biharis and South Indians
whi have been sent back to their home towns have mostly been Muslims.
The attack on them was very well planned and executed. In this spate
of violence, it is estimated that 75,000 Muslims have left Bombay.
Muslim men are now shaving off their beards and buying crosses to
escape from being killed.

-John D'Mello
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-Srinivas				budaraju@cae.wisc.edu
Newsgroups: soc.culture.indian