Indian American Group welcomes Congressional Resolution on Gujarat Violence of 2002

Indian American Group welcomes Congressional Resolution on Gujarat Violence of 2002   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday, March 2nd, 2012 Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC - http://www.iamc.com) an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India's pluralist and tolerant ethos, has welcomed the introduction of Congressional Resolution H.Res 569 by Congressman Keith Ellison (D-MN) "recognizing the tenth anniversary of the tragic communal violence in Gujarat, India." "Congressman Ellison's resolution is an important effort to memorialize all those who were killed in the horrific sectarian violence of Gujarat in 2002," said Mr. Shaheen Khateeb, President of IAMC. "It is an opportunity to renew our pledge to continue the struggle for justice and reparation for the victims and to combat the discrimination and the economic hardships that plague minorities in Gujarat," added Mr. Khateeb.  The resolution quotes the US State Department's International Religious Freedom Report of 2003 which found that the communal violence claimed the lives of an estimated 2,000 people and displaced over 100,000 into refugee camps. The resolution cites Indian investigative magazine Tehelka's exposé wherein people who participated in the violence confessed on camera that such violence "was possible only because of the connivance of the state police and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi." Mr. Modi was denied a visa to the US by the Department of State on the grounds of egregious religious freedom violations under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. IAMC has called on all people of conscience to call upon their local Congressional representatives and urge them to become a co-sponsor of the House Resolution H.Res 569. In observance of the 10th anniversary of the Gujarat violence, Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) as part of the Coalition Against Genocide, is organizing candle light vigils across various cities in the US during the weekend of March 3rd - 4th 2012.  Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation.   For more information please visit our new website at www.iamc.com.   FULL TEXT OF HOUSE RESOLUTION H.RES 569 http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c112:H.RES.569:      CALL TO ACTION:   Call your Congressperson to support the resolution by becoming a co-sponsor Click on the following link, enter your zip code and get contact numbers of your congressperson: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/officials     Participate in a vigil near you (March 3rd-4th, 2012) http://iamc.com/news/anniversary-gujarat/     Light a candle in the virtual candle light vigil on facebook    Like the facebook page and light a virtual candle https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gujarat-Genocide/256516174422867       RELATED LINKS:   India: A Decade on, Gujarat Justice Incomplete - Human RIghts Watch, Feb 24, 2012 http://www.hrw.org/news/2012/02/24/india-decade-gujarat-justice-incomplete    Muslims are Gujarat's new outcastes: Survey - DNA, March 2, 2012 http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_muslims-are-gujarats-new-outcastes-survey_1657290    2008: US State Department confirms Modi will not be given visa http://www.coalitionagainstgenocide.org/press/cag.pr.28aug2008.php    27 US Lawmakers want Modi's visa ban extended; Coalition Against Genocide gets support from more congresspersons http://www.coalitionagainstgenocide.org/press/cag.pr.09aug2008.php    US Congressman Joe Sestak of Pennsylvania writes to State Department http://www.coalitionagainstgenocide.org/press/cag.pr.06aug2008.php    2008: Letter from Representative Betty McCollum to the US Department of State http://coalitionagainstgenocide.org/press/mccollum.letter.08jul2008.pdf      2008: USCIRF Urges Denial of U.S. Visa to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi http://coalitionagainstgenocide.org/press/uscirf.letter.08jul2008.php    India: Gujarat Chief Minister Endorses Unlawful Killings, Human Rights Watch, December 7, 2007 http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/12/07/india17510_txt.htm   No entry for Modi into US: visa denied - Times of India, March 18, 2005 http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2005-03-18/india/27866126_1_business-visa-gujarat-riots-immigration-and-nationality-act NO ENTRY FOR MODI - By Vijay Prashad, Outlook Magazine, March 12-25, 2005 http://www.frontlineonnet.com/fl2207/stories/20050408003313100.htm   2005 House Resolution H.RES 160 -- 'Condemning the conduct of Chief Minister Narendra Modi for his actions to incite religious persecution and urging the United States to condemn all violations of religious freedom in India.' http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c109:H.RES.160:   'Did this letter stop Modi?' - Rediff.com, March 18, 2005 http://www.rediff.com/news/2005/mar/18pitts.htm   'Understanding Gujarat Violence' By Ashutosh Varshney, Contemporary Conflicts, Mar 26, 2004 http://conconflicts.ssrc.org/archives/gujarat/varshney/    International Religious Freedom Report 2003, US Department of State http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/irf/2003/24470.htm   "We have no orders to save you" - Report by Human Rights Watch http://www.hrw.org/legacy/reports/2002/india/   Concerned Citizens Tribunal - Gujarat 2002, An Inquiry into the Carnage in Gujarat http://www.sabrang.com/tribunal/volI/index.html         Contact: Zafar Haq phone/fax:  1-800-839-7270     email: info@iamc.com        Address:     6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270     email: info@iamc.com

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