SCORES of religious and community organisations staged a peaceful protest in Phoenix today against the “genocide” of Hindus in Bangladesh.
Mervin Govender, one of the coordinators of the protest, described the atrocities against the minority grouping as a “human rights violation”.
"This is something that cannot be ignored. It is a human rights violation. We expect the United Nations to create some kind of declaration on this. It has spiralled out of control and minorities are being attacked. This is the start of many protests. We will be engaging with various stakeholders and will continue to raise our voices against what is happening to Hindus in Bangladesh," he said.
Anitha Hariram, a member of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Hindu Association of South Africa, said: “What is happening in Bangladesh is absolutely unacceptable. Furthermore, being Women’s Month, a lot of the women are being disrespected to the extent that they are being violated and paraded in the streets of Bangladesh. Are we as women going to sit back and not do anything to fight for our sisters?
“As the Hindus of South Africa, citizens of South Africa, we need to stand with our sisters and our brothers against these atrocities. Temples are being burnt, our Hindu brothers and sisters are being burnt alive in public. We are saying enough is enough. We are not going to stop here. We are going to take the protests across the country until our voices for our voiceless brothers, sisters and children in Bangladesh are heard,” she said.
Seelan Archary, the chairperson of the Shri Mariammen Temple in Mount Edgecombe, said: “I joined the protest to take a stand against the carnage, atrocities and genocide taking place against Hindus. They are being killed just because they are Hindus, and indiscriminately so, by Muslim extremists. We must call it out as it is; mass murder of Hindus. Women, children and men are being hanged, shot at, stoned, and burnt. Houses and temples are being demolished. It is a catastrophe."
Archary said they called for the authorities in Bangladesh to protect the Hindu minority.
“Just like India protected Bangladesh when it needed protection from Pakistan. The authorities need to step in now. We hope and pray our Hindu brothers and sisters in Bangladesh are protected and safe from these atrocities."
Young Bangladeshi professional Tanushree Shaha is outraged by recent mob violence against her family in the chaotic wake of premier Sheikh Hasina's ouster from power; fearful that her fellow Hindus could face more reprisals.
Hindus are the largest minority faith in mostly Muslim Bangladesh.
After Hasina's abrupt resignation and flight abroad on Monday brought an end to her 15 years of autocratic rule, numerous Hindu families came into the crosshairs of their neighbours.
"A group of people vandalised my uncle's shop," said Shaha, the 31-year-old manager of a handicrafts business in the capital Dhaka.
She told AFP the mob had stolen her cash till and emptied the shelves of his grocery store further north in the city of Mymensingh.
They then beat her and demanded more money to prevent future attacks.
Shaha was standing with more than 1 000 Hindus at a boisterous rally near Dhaka University, where the student protests that toppled Hasina began last month.
Shaha said the animosity towards Hindus ran deeper than the national upheaval of the past month.
"Whenever a government falls or a problem arises, we are victimised by opportunists," she said.
"The incidents include attacking homes, vandalising shops and places of worship," rights activist Rana Dasgupta said in a video statement.
"Women were abused too."
Additional information - AFP