From: alakd@synopsys.com (Alak Deb)
Subject: Stop the fundamentalists
Organization: Synopsys Inc.
Distribution: usa
 
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1992 21:56:18 GMT

The forces of fundamentalism have unleashed a reign of terror all over 
South Asia. Neither the destruction of Babri Masjid nor the carnage,
and destruction of religious buildings that has followed can go 
uncondemned. We are standing on the doors of the 21st century and
looking forward at something that appears to be another dark age of
orthodoxy and fundamentalism for the subcontinent, and perhaps even for
the whole world!


There is a one small corner of the sub-continent, Bangladesh, where
the carnage, the looting, the destruction is particularly significant
because of its one sided nature. The hard working and highly productive 
Hindus of Bangladesh constituting about 15% of the population have no 
commensurate representation in the government, have no political will, 
and are rabidly discriminated against. As a result there is a constant
awareness of a lack of dependability on social instituitions for 
defending their way of life, their property, and their livelihood. It
is no wonder thus that there exists a strong pressure to emigrate as a 
solution to this problem, a feeling that feeds on itself and fullfils 
the prophecy. Every wave of religious conflict in India takes a heavy 
toll on the unprotected Hindus of Bangladesh, who have been left 
politicallly impotent by years and years of such discriminatory 
attitudes.


Today, the democratic government of Bangladesh upholding an Islamic
constituition, stands by when in Dhaka, Sylhet, Sunamganj, Chittagong,
Cox's Bazaar, and Barisal mobs have destroyed most hindu temples in the 
city, have attacked and put to torch many residences of hindus, killed 
maimed and raped, while police looks on. Many will never be able to 
recover what they have lost. Most will lose faith on the nascent 
democratic and progressive forces in the country. 


No sane human being, no man who beleives himself to be civilzed, no
Muslim, no Christian, no Jew, no follower of a religious faith should
by inaction condone such a behavior. If the Government of Bangladesh
fails to see its functional responsibility and succumbs to the ugly
nature of fundamentalism, then it is our, the citizens of the world,
of the United States, and of Bangladesh, whose moral responsibilty
it is to make them aware of their duty.

Let me end by re-quoting a poem that applies somewhat although not
totally to the hindus of bangladesh written by an Indian muslim and 
a noted Kannada poet, K.S. Nissar Ahmad, translated and posted on 
s.c.i.by C.P. Ravikumar:
 
                        Like Your Step Children
                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

                                -- K.S. Nissar Ahmad
 
        Do not treat us like your step children, Mother,
        Do not treat us like your step children.
        You say we bite the breast that feeds
        You blame us for infernal incestuous deeds
        You call us agents of the villain next door
        You say we relate to the other land more ...
        Why do you bunch us harmless blossoms
        With the venomous weeds of yester years?
        Why the suspicious look in your eyes?
        Do not treat us like your step children, Mother,
        Do not treat us like your step children.

        To the rest of the world you boldly proclaim
        We are all born equal to play a fair game.
        And here we cannot find a home to rent
        For the landlord reads the religion in our name!
        (He is willing, he meekly explains,
        His old mother and her customs are to blame.)
        What nomadic existence, Mother,
        Do not treat us like your step children.

        In this land we saw the light of dawn,
        Here is where we shall wither and die,
        Here is where we shall laugh and cry.
        Like sand on the bank of a river we lie
        Scorching in the sun, thirsty and tired
        Even as clear water flows by.
        Open your eyes and look at us, Mother,
        We are your children, pick us up, Mother.

        Treat us not like your step children, Mother,
        Treat us not like your step children.

        Translation : C.P. Ravikumar

Ultimately it must be the hindus of Bangladesh who must stand up for
their political and social rights however futile it might appear!

	--------- Alak