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Odhikar Report on Hefajat Deaths:
Questions aplenty
[Bangla Daily Star] Odhikar's fact-finding report, "Assembly of Hefajat-e Islam Bangladesh and Human Rights Violation", is a composition of half-truths, biased and one-sided presentation of what happened on May 5 and in the early hours of May 6 in the capital, according to an analysis by The Daily Star.The June 10 report says nothing about the destructive activities by Hefajat men, the involvement of Jamaat-Shibir activists and their instigation of acts of violence. But it has elaborately described the role of law enforcers and pro-ruling party men. Hundreds of unruly Hefajat men were involved in widespread violence, including arson and even torching of bookshops that sold copies of the holy Koran. Though many TV channels broadcast the incidents live, Odhikar is completely silent about it. It has depicted Hefajat-e-Islam as a very peaceful organization and its leaders and activists as innocent individuals. While being flushed out of Shapla Chattar, Hefajat men attacked a policeman with bricks near the Alico building in Motijheel, leaving him dead on the spot. A correspondent of The Daily Star covering the event on that night witnessed it, but the Odhikar report made no mention of it. The 28-page report starts with an introduction of Hefajat and its objectives. It termed Hefajat a people's platform, a non-political and socio-cultural organization, and mentioned its objectives were to promote "social dialogue to dispel prejudices that affect community harmony and relations". In reality, Hefajat's character is completely the opposite of what the Odhikar report states. The organization's recent activities, provocative speeches of its leaders, the 13-point demand, its anti-women and anti-constitutional stance clearly go against the spirit of community harmony. It is against the secular education policy and has staged violent demonstrations against the government's avowed policy of equal rights for women. Hefajat is no longer a non-political organization. Practically, it is now a political force -- very much aligned with the BNP, Jamaat and other Islamist and smaller political parties. Posted by: Fred 2013-09-01 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=375017 |