GENOCIDE IN PAKISTAN
I am amongst those who have been relentlessly waging a legal battle with the likes of Modi for justice for the victims of the 2002 genocide.
How many Muslims perished in it? By state data less than 1000, and by the reckoning of the civil society between 2000-3000. Despite its crass partisanship the state of Gujarat has sent close to a hundred people to the gallows for life. And like some others I am committed to pursue this further.
But when I reflect on the killing of Muslims worldwide I notice that barring such genocides as in Bosnia, Iraq, parts of Africa, Myanmar and parts of India, more Muslims are routinely killed by Muslims themselves.
When my team picks up news of the world for preparing our e-zines every night, we are dismayed that no day passes without at least one major killing of Muslims by Muslims, be it in Syria, Mali, Iraq, Afghanistan, Bangladesh or Pakistan.
And this is just the brutal, physical death. Ideological suffocation, curtailment of civil liberties, denial of basic human rights, foisting of antiquated taboos, perpetuation of false legacies… must be taking another huge toll.
Then add the casualties from undernourishment, poverty, starvation, floods, famines, earthquakes, diseases and epidemics.
All in all it is a sordid, painful saga, largely of the making of the Muslims themselves.
And sadly, very sadly, I still see no worldwide movement, radical rethink, daring leadership and sincere, rational action for the empowerment of the community as a rightful and dignified co-owner of contemporary world. I have discussed the entire gamut of these complexities in KHITAB-E-NAU and NAI SUBH. But resource constraint inhibits further action on this front.
Maulana Waheeduddin Khan once told me: if one wishes to help the Muslims, one needs to count upon the support of non-Muslims.
Peace of the world, as of now, unfortunately is intertwined with the peace amongst the major religious communities. Muslims must either learn the ways of peaceful co-existence or perish, or be relegated into isolation where they will cease to matter to the rest of the world.
Harsh? Challenge me with facts.
