Stop atrocities against Sindhi Hindus in Pakistan
| Source: VSK- JODHPUR Date: 9/25/2012 4:13:17 PM |
NEW YORK, 25 Sept 2012 : Dozens of activists gathered in front of Pakistani Consulate in New York, here on September 21st, 2012 to protest over atrocities against Pakistan's religious minorities.
Violence against religious minorities in Pakistan has grown at an alarming rate in recent years. This has led to the exodus of Sindhi Hindus and Christians from Pakistan. There is increased number of cases of forced-conversions of teenage Hindu girls and their forced marriages to Muslim men. The case of Rinkel Kumari, a 17 year old Hindu girl from the Sindh, Pakistan generated outcry from human right groups, both inside and outside Pakistan as well as from international media. The Supreme Court of Pakistan did not protect Ms. Kumari and legally sanctioned such kind of practices.
According to Pakistan’s penal code blasphemy against Islam is punishable by death. Non-Muslim minorities who are accused of blasphemy are often tortured and even killed without a fair trial. Other minorities in Pakistan such as Sikhs, Ahmadis, and Shias experience similar unprovoked discrimination and violence.
The protest was organized by International Sindhi Women’s Organization (ISWO), Sindhi Association of North America (SANA), World Sindhi Congress (WSC), and World Sindhi Institute (WSI). The protesters gathered in front of Pakistani Consulate carrying placards displaying slogans such as “STOP Forced Religious Conversions of Sindhi Hindus in Pakistan,” “Restore Human Rights of Hindus, Christians, Ahmadis, Sikhs, and other minorities in Pakistan,” “STOP Forced Marriages of Sindhi Hindu Girls,” “Withdraw blasphemy charges against 14-year old Rimsha Masih,” and “Eliminate ‘hate content’ and religious biases from school curricula in Pakistan.”
“Religious minority women are facing multi-fold discrimination: on the basis of gender, religion, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.” said Samina Panwhar of ISWO.
Frahan kaghzi of WSC said, “To escape religious-based hatred, violence and torture, thousands of Sindhi Hindus are fleeing Sindh, which has been their home to them and their ancestors for thousands of years.”
A joint memo prepared by ISWO, SANA, WSC, WSI was presented to the Consulate General of Pakistani government and the lack of a legal and political system to safeguard the fundamental rights of Sindh Hindus in Pakistan. The memorandum demanded from Government of Pakistan,justice for minorities of Pakistan and stopping of the abductions, forced conversions, and forced marriages of Hindu girls, targeted accusations and charges of blasphemy against innocent children and women of minorities. It also demanded that the that Rinkel Kumari’s case be brought before the Supreme Court again: Blasphemy charges against Rimsha Masih be immediately withdrawn: an independent and credible inquiry committee be formed to systematically investigate the incidents of violence and discrimination against religious minorities.
The memorandum asked that the Constitution of Pakistan be revised to eliminate discrimination based on religion, caste, or creed; catalysts in spreading religious hatred and instigating violence against minorities in the media be strictly scrutinized with efforts to fairly report on current events; and religious bias and hatred be eliminated from academic curricula and replaced with education and awareness of human rights and ethnic diversity to promote peace and harmony.
Prominent community activists Mr Khalid Channa of SANA, Ms. Shahida Soomro, Mr Ghulam Nabi Unar and Dr S Awan of NY attended this protest.
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