Abstracts
Theme: Peace and People’s Rights
Panel: Religious Minorities
Session: Post partition Struggle and Contributions
 Religious and ethnic minorities within a state: Lessons learnt from Bangladesh and the UK
Ansar Ahmed Ullah*
Abstract
The paper will look at how the Pakistani state policy led to alienation of its Bengali citizens within the Pakistani framework during its rule from 1947 to 1971. It will examine the state of Bangladesh with its foundation based on secular democracy and how it too has failed to accommodate its own minorities by reverting to majority rule and disregarding minority rights.
The paper will further examine the UK experience and how the British Government, in order to protect ethnic minority community, has enacted the Race Relations Act, and is currently extending to cover minority religious communities and trying to engage minority communities via community cohesion. The paper will discuss how inappropriate policies has lead to discontent and violation of minority rights and how appropriate policies may lead to better accommodation of different religious groups by promoting a sense of belongingness.
Finally, the paper will identify common threads, i.e. language, culture, and faith, that may bind a nation together (what does it mean to be British?) and examine structural and policy responses of both Bangladesh and the British Government and will recommend transferable, workable, adaptable and relevant policies that could be applied to Pakistani setting for the welfare of religious minority.
*Ansar Ahmed Ullah was the Lead Officer for Twinning and International Partnership working between Sylhet Municipality, Bangladesh, and Horsens Municipality, Denmark, and the EC & Commonwealth Local Government Forum. Recently he organised a conference in London to address the issue of Bangladesh’s minority rights.
Religious Minorities for Struggle for Rights in Pakistan
Peter Jacob
Abstract
The author would be looking at the external and internal processes of discovering a new identity after independence and the issue of faith and nationalism. He would be covering the awakening for rights and contribution in the 70s; the decade of reflection and action in the 80s, the years of initiatives in the 90s and finally the Post 9/11 attacks and its responses.
He would also be discussing the restoration of joint electorates and the years ahead, as well as the overall prospects of a social change and religious minorities; rights vs. privileges and the relationship with civil society.
Recent Persecution of Minorities in Bangladesh
Shahriar Kabir*
Abstract
The recent persecution that started on the minority religious and ethnic communities in Bangladesh under government patronization since the four party alliance assumed power has now taken a multidimensional character. It first started with torturing the Hindu community, then spread to the Christian, Buddhist and indigenous communities. Recently, this persecution has spread to the Ahamadya Community. In order to convert Bangladesh into a monolithic Islamic country the government of four party alliance comprised of Jamat e Islami and Islami Oikyo
Jote is encouraging all kinds of repression of the minorities. By creating an atmosphere of terror they are forcing the minority communities to leave their homeland.
Due to the influence of militant fundamentalists over political, social, economical spheres, our age old-tradition of communal harmony and humane values are on the verge of extinction. The rise of fundamentalism and communalism here in Bangladesh would affect other neighboring countries too. Since President General Pervez Musharraf is trying to curb Islamic militancy in Pakistan, the Bangladesh government is sharing power with them.
In our subcontinent, fundamentalists, either Muslims or Hindus have the same objectives. Their target is to destroy secular-democracy, peace and amity in order to set up a theology based state free from different faiths, races and diverse opinions. This was observed in Taliban ruled Afghanistan.
* Shahriar Kabir is a free lance journalist, writer, film maker and human rights defender of Bangladesh, author of more than 70 books both fiction and non-fiction. His non-fictions are mostly on human rights, communalism, fundamentalism, history and the spirit of the Bangladesh liberation war. He is involved with civil society initiatives for secular democracy. He is at present the General Secretary of South Asian People's Union against Fundamentalism & Communalism. Shahriar Kabir was imprisoned twice (first in November 2001 and second time in December 2002) since the present four party alliances comprised of Jamat e Islami and Islami Oikyo Jote assumed power; because of his protest against government sponsored minority persecution that started after the last parliamentary election of October 1, 2001. Amnesty International declared him a Prisoner of Conscience and several international forums of journalists and human rights defenders campaigned for his unconditional release. He has received a number of awards at home and abroad for his outstanding contribution to Bengali literature, visited more than thirty countries and addressed at least sixty international conferences, seminars and workshops on various issues mostly related with peace, communal harmony and human rights.
Baha’is Contribution towards the State
Sabir Afaqi*
The Baha’i faith came into Pakistan in 1844. In 1872, a prominent Baha’i scholar, Jamal Effendi, visited Lahore Sialkot, and Kashmir, and later in 1920 a few Baha’is settled in Karachi. They were active to relinquish prejudice. Some prominent Baha’is served Muslim refugees coming from India. On 6 November 1947, Sikhs killed some Baha’is while they were coming by trucks from Jammu to Sialkot. Many Baha’i families migrated from India to Pakistan.
Baha’i community consists of local Baha’is of Iranian origin refugees. This community introduced hotel industry in Quetta, Karachi, Hyderabad, Lahore and other cities. They have been loyal to the government and country and are serving in education, health, literature, army, banking, law, and trade. They did a lot for the uplift of society and for creating harmony among minorities and majority in Pakistan. *Prof. Dr. Sabir Afaqi did his Masters in Arabic, Persian and Urdu from the Punjab University, Lahore, Pakistan. He earned his Ph.D. in Persian from Iran. He retired as associate professor from the AJK University, Muzaffarabad, Pakistan. He is a famous poet, critic, anthropologist and writer of English, Urdu, Persian, Gojri and Punjabi languages.
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