Bangladesh
28.07.03
Urgent Interventions
Bangladesh: politically motivated rape of three Hindu women
Case BGD 280703.VAW
Violence Against Women / Rape / Targeting of religious minorities
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Bangladesh.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by a reliable source of a politically motivated attack against members of a minority religious group in Bangladesh. In this case, three Hindu women were raped on July 5, 2003
According to the information received, a gang of men attacked the homes of Hindu families in the village of Biswanathpur in the sub district of Kaligaonj in Satkhira, Bangladesh. During the course of the attack three women were raped and several houses were destroyed. The report indicates that the attack was politically motivated and targeted the Hindu minorities in an effort to drive them from their land.
According to the information received, the three women were released from the hospital on July 21. The doctors and police are allegedly not cooperating and the victims have not received an official medical examination. The police reportedly warned the victims not to undergo a medical examination and threatened harm to the victims’ husbands if they did have such an examination. The victims have reportedly been threatened and although a complaint has been filed, it was apparently drafted by the police and has no merit.
In a previous appeal, OMCT expressed concern about violence targeted against the minority Hindu population in Bangladesh, and particularly the rape of Hindu women in the course of politically motivated attacks (Case BGD 180303). In that appeal, OMCT noted that religious minorities have continually been targeted in Bangladesh with the direct and indirect support of the authorities. OMCT further expressed concern that several hundreds of minority persons have been killed, thousands of minority women have been raped, and thousands have been forced to flee Bangladesh since October 2001, when the current government came to power.
OMCT recalls that the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, in article 4(c), states that States should “exercise due diligence to prevent, investigate and, in accordance with national legislation, punish acts of violence against women, whether those acts are perpetrated by the State or by private persons.”
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned by this report of a politically and religiously-motivated attack against these three women, and their homes. OMCT condemns the use of violence, notably as a means of stifling political opposition. OMCT calls on the authorities to guarantee that the investigation is thorough, prompt and impartial and that the perpetrators of these acts are brought to justice.
Action Requested
Please write to the authorities in Bangladesh, calling on them to:
i. guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the three victims of rape, and, more generally, the members of religious minorities in Bangladesh;
ii. ensure that the three women receive medical treatment for their injuries and receive adequate compensation;
iii. guarantee a thorough and impartial investigation into these attacks, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
iv. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
· Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, Office of the Prime Minister, Gona Bhaban, Sher-e Bangla Nagar, Dhaka, Bangladesh, Fax: + 880 2 811 3244/ 3243/ 1015 / 1490, Email:pm@pmobd.org or psecretary@pmobd.org
· Minister of Home Affairs, Mr Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, Ministry of Home Affairs, Bangladesh Secretariat, Building 4, Dhaka, Bangladesh
· Ambassadeur, Ali, Toufiq ,Rue de Lausanne 65, CH-1202, Genève, Suisse, e-mail : mission.bangladesh@ties.itu.int, fax: +4122 738 46 16
Please also write to the embassies of Bangladesh in your respective country.
Geneva, July 28th, 2003
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Violence Against Women / Rape / Targeting of religious minorities
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Bangladesh.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by a reliable source of a politically motivated attack against members of a minority religious group in Bangladesh. In this case, three Hindu women were raped on July 5, 2003
According to the information received, a gang of men attacked the homes of Hindu families in the village of Biswanathpur in the sub district of Kaligaonj in Satkhira, Bangladesh. During the course of the attack three women were raped and several houses were destroyed. The report indicates that the attack was politically motivated and targeted the Hindu minorities in an effort to drive them from their land.
According to the information received, the three women were released from the hospital on July 21. The doctors and police are allegedly not cooperating and the victims have not received an official medical examination. The police reportedly warned the victims not to undergo a medical examination and threatened harm to the victims’ husbands if they did have such an examination. The victims have reportedly been threatened and although a complaint has been filed, it was apparently drafted by the police and has no merit.
In a previous appeal, OMCT expressed concern about violence targeted against the minority Hindu population in Bangladesh, and particularly the rape of Hindu women in the course of politically motivated attacks (Case BGD 180303). In that appeal, OMCT noted that religious minorities have continually been targeted in Bangladesh with the direct and indirect support of the authorities. OMCT further expressed concern that several hundreds of minority persons have been killed, thousands of minority women have been raped, and thousands have been forced to flee Bangladesh since October 2001, when the current government came to power.
OMCT recalls that the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, in article 4(c), states that States should “exercise due diligence to prevent, investigate and, in accordance with national legislation, punish acts of violence against women, whether those acts are perpetrated by the State or by private persons.”
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned by this report of a politically and religiously-motivated attack against these three women, and their homes. OMCT condemns the use of violence, notably as a means of stifling political opposition. OMCT calls on the authorities to guarantee that the investigation is thorough, prompt and impartial and that the perpetrators of these acts are brought to justice.
Action Requested
Please write to the authorities in Bangladesh, calling on them to:
i. guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the three victims of rape, and, more generally, the members of religious minorities in Bangladesh;
ii. ensure that the three women receive medical treatment for their injuries and receive adequate compensation;
iii. guarantee a thorough and impartial investigation into these attacks, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
iv. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
· Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, Office of the Prime Minister, Gona Bhaban, Sher-e Bangla Nagar, Dhaka, Bangladesh, Fax: + 880 2 811 3244/ 3243/ 1015 / 1490, Email:pm@pmobd.org or psecretary@pmobd.org
· Minister of Home Affairs, Mr Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, Ministry of Home Affairs, Bangladesh Secretariat, Building 4, Dhaka, Bangladesh
· Ambassadeur, Ali, Toufiq ,Rue de Lausanne 65, CH-1202, Genève, Suisse, e-mail : mission.bangladesh@ties.itu.int, fax: +4122 738 46 16
Please also write to the embassies of Bangladesh in your respective country.
Geneva, July 28th, 2003
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.