Features
Sympathy - Antipathy
28-Jan-02 (CSW.org) "We are deeply concerned by the recent escalation of violence against religious minorities in Bangladesh and the reluctance of the government to investigate the incidents or offer adequate protection" -- Mervyn Thomas, Chief Executive of Christian Solidarity Worldwide.
17-Jan-02 (Daily Star) "Forty Hindus have been killed, hundreds of minority women raped, more than one thousand injured and over ten thousand homes, businesses razed or burned down and over 100,000 people rendered homeless by this time" -- Benjamin A Gilman, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Middle East and South Asia of the US Congress. In a letter to PM Khaleda Zia, expressing concern over recent violence against Hindus in Bangladesh.
03-Jan-02 (Rediff.com) "Reports emanating from Bangladesh pertaining to persecution of minorities are a matter of concern. The issue will be taken up with Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, They have initiated some action but they are not sufficient" -- Indian PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee before leaving for Kathmandu.
30-Dec-01 (Daily Star) - "It is even more disturbing to see the reluctance of our elected government to accept the problem as it exists. Smart solution requires identification of the problem and understanding its intricacies. Without the willingness to accept the problem as a problem, establishing a high profile government commission is nothing but a futile venture." -- Mohammad A. Zaman, Raleigh, NC, USA.
26-Dec-01 (Daily Star) - "From state point of view, we don't see anyone as Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist or Christian. Everybody is the citizen of Bangladesh, We believe in communal harmony. All will perform their respective religious rituals maintaining cordial relations." -- Khaleda Zia (Prime Minister of Bangladesh)
17-Oct-01 (Daily Star) "The minister dismissed most of the press reports on the subject (repression on minority) as being 'baseless, exaggerated and politically motivated'. How many cases of mayhem, rape or appropriation of property will have to occur before reports on them would be deemed as credible and unexaggerated?" -- Daily Star Editorial
