Join Gujarat Genocide Anniversary Campaign

Indian Muslim Council-USA, will launch a nationwide series of public events to mark the first anniversary of anti-Muslim pogrom in India. The campaign will commence with a joint press conference on Capitol Hill with Washington based policy institutes and Human Rights leaders on February 27th. In a build up to the nationwide campaign, IMC-USA outreach director, Zahir Jan Mohamed briefed congressional staff and US Muslim leadership in Washington, D.C, on February 24th on the deteriorating conditions of Muslims in India.

February 28th marks the day in 2001 when the Hindu ultra-nationalist forces unleashed a well-planned pogrom against Muslims in the Indian state of Gujarat. By the time the pogrom finally fizzled out 2 months later, thousands of Muslims were massacred, many in a brutal fashion, hundreds of women and girls were raped and then butchered, more than 150,000 made refugees and property worth billions of dollars destroyed.

Indian human rights activists and International human rights organizations have expressed alarm over the boasts of the ultra-nationalist leaders that Gujarat was a successful experiment which they intend to repeat all over India. They point to the increasing attacks on Muslims in the neighboring state of Madhya Pradesh and a march on the Indian parliament earlier this week by the militant Hindu clerics.

Things to do for the Anniversary:

- Pray for the victims in India and for the safety of all peace loving people in India

- Hold a program in your community to mark the anniversary.
Documentary screenings and distribution of reports on the genocide will increase awareness. Contact IMC-USA if you need help.

- Hold meetings with your local inter-faith groups and human rights groups.
Download material from www.imannet.org or e-mail IMC-USA at info@imc-usa.org or call (516) 567-0783

- Write letters to your local newspaper and television
Urge them to cover the Gujarat pogrom at its anniversary and with especial attention to the funding that the Hindutva-militants are getting from the US. Point out that India is too big a country, too huge a market and a nuclear power to be allowed to be completely taken over by extremists who killed Gandhi and openly admire Hitler.
See The Other Face of Fanaticism by Pankaj Mishra in the New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/02/magazine/02HINDU.html?pagewanted=1

- Write to your Congressperson, senators and local city/town/county and state legislators.
Hindutva groups are rapidly infiltrating the power centers in the US. They are already spreading hatred against Muslims and other secular groups in the U.S. News reports now indicate that the FBI is investigating Hindutva groups in the U.S. While many organizations and individuals including IMC-USA worked to get this investigation started, many of you get the direct credit for writing to government officials and law enforcement agencies about the activities of Hindutva extremists. This goes to Prove that Activism Pays.
US widens probe of charities tied to militants, Financial Times
http://tinyurl.com/6hw4

For the sake of the victims of Gujarat we must renew our resolve to NEVER FORGET them and to continue to work to bring to justice the perpetrators of crimes against humanity. This will also save future victims, because let us not forget that the Hindutva-fascists are preparing for more Genocides.

Never Again ! Act Now to Prevent the Next Holocaust ! Help Fight Fascism !!

- Print and distribute the attached file
- Forward this email to your friends and ask them to subscribe to our list.
- Raise awareness in your community.