Wednesday’s Peace For All Rally in assist of non secular minorities in Bangladesh on the US Capitol. Picture: Arts4All Basis.
Join our QNS electronic mail publication to get information, updates, and native insights delivered straight to your inbox!
Queens-based non-profit the Arts4All Basis joined U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar of Michigan to carry a “Peace For All Rally” on the US Capitol Wednesday, calling for an finish to violence, atrocities and persecution of susceptible, indigenous and minority populations in Bangladesh.
Group leaders of varied backgrounds gathered exterior the Capitol Constructing Wednesday, Dec. 18, to name on Congress to take motion in opposition to rising violence in Bangladesh and stop the genocide, human rights violations and displacement of minorities in Bangladesh, which has seen an increase in spiritual extremism and focused assaults on minority religions since July.
Members of non secular minorities in Bangladesh, which is without doubt one of the largest Muslim nations on this planet, face harassment and violence, together with mob violence directed in opposition to their homes of worship, in keeping with a US State Division report.
Arts4All, a non-profit devoted to educating, advocating and empowering people and communities to be artists of change, held final week’s peace rally in a bid to focus on the position that the US can play in safeguarding the human rights of one of many “most vulnerable populations” on this planet.
Dr. Sumita SenGupta, the founding father of the Arts4All Basis and co-organizer of the peace rally press convention, stated spiritual minorities in Bangladesh are “facing extinction” except motion is taken to scale back tensions within the area.
“Our message is simple: we call for peace and for all of the world governments to collaboratively work together and unify in preserving and protecting all human life,” SenGupta stated at Wednesday’s rally.
Wednesday’s rally additionally heard how the interim Bangladeshi authorities run by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, who changed the ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August, faces a vital and fast problem of addressing the resurgence of non secular and ideological extremism in addition to geopolitical instability within the area.
Studies from the United Nations point out that lots of of individuals have misplaced their lives and tens of 1000’s have been displaced on account of spiritual persecution in solely the previous few months.
U.S. Rep. Thanedar, who co-organized Wednesday’s rally, stated it was essential to focus on “with a sense of urgency” the human rights violations ongoing in Bangladesh.
“Whether at home or abroad, we cannot remain silent while innocent people are subjected to unspeakable acts of violence due to their religious beliefs,” Thaneder stated. “This is not merely a matter of foreign policy—it is a test of our moral resolve.”
Thanedar introduced Wednesday that he has despatched a number of letters to the USA State and Treasury Departments suggesting fast, tangible steps, together with humanitarian safety for persecuted minorities from Bangladesh by designating them as eligible for non permanent protected standing within the US. He has additionally referred to as for congressional oversight, calling on Congress to convene hearings to evaluate the scenario and discover coverage responses that shield human rights.
Thanedar additionally referred to as on the State and Treasury Departments to impose sanctions on these perpetrating these “heinous acts” in opposition to minorities in Bangladesh.
At a separate press briefing on Wednesday, Vedant Patel, the State Division’s principal deputy spokesperson, stated the State Division has been “deeply troubled” by reviews that lots of of Bangladeshis have been forcibly disappeared over the previous 20 years.
“Enforced disappearance is an egregious human rights violation that inflicts the trauma of indeterminate detention or disappearance on its victims. It also inflicts the trauma of uncertainty on the families,” Patel stated. “We welcome efforts by the interim government to investigate these crimes and encourage fair and transparent processes to provide justice for the victims and their family members.”
Bangladesh’s Hindu inhabitants, which makes up round 8% of the nation’s inhabitants, has been essentially the most focused group based mostly on their spiritual beliefs, with 1000’s of Hindu houses, companies and temples vandalized, burnt and destroyed.
