Volume III Issue I
Table of Contents Contributors and Letter to Readers.......................................................3 Heat Wave Plus Energy Crisis Equals Disastrous Outcome.......................4 Polio - A Danger to Sindh.....................................................................5 Enforced Disappearances: A Reoccurring Problem.................................6 Terror Cases.......................................................................................7 Forced Conversion Reaching Outrageous Numbers in Sindh ...................8 Save the Children taken out of Pakistan..................................................9 Interview with Hassan Mujtaba............................................................10 Consulate Website in Sindhi...............................................................11 Sindhi American Youth Advocacy and Leadership Program...................12 Reflection on Youth Advocacy and Leadership Program........................15 SAPAC Sindhi American Political Action Committee 1050 17th Street NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC, 20036 sapac.sindh@gmail.com
Contributors
Sindhi American Political Action Committee Summer 2015 Interns: Pictured left to right: Tanisha Pierette, Maddison Stinson, Lindsey Otterbourg
The SAPAC interns have been hard at work this summer. From advocating on Capitol Hill during our Sindhi American Youth Leadership and Advocacy Days, to meeting with members of the State Department, and creating this issue of the Sindh Guardian. We are excited to present you with this issue of the Sindh Guardian, to inform you on some of the important occurrences in Sindh. As always, we thank you for your support of the Sindhi community everywhere and hope to continue to work with you to advocate for human rights in Sindh and a change in US policy. All the best, Tanisha, Maddison, and Lindsey
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Heat Wave Plus Energy Crisis Equals Disastrous Outcome By Tanisha Pierrette The summer heat in the middle of June has been frightful. Summer temperatures reached as high as 45C (113F) in Sindh. Temperatures reached are very dangerous to the human body, “the body becomes fatigue at 39C, the chances of heatstroke sets in at 40C and the body begins to shut down at 41C.” Due to Karachi’s main utility, K-Electric, prolonged power cuts and the “widespread abstention from water during daylight hours for the fasting month of Ramadan” over 1,000 people has died. Lack of power is making it impossible for people to keep cool without air conditioning and fans. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said it received orders to take immediate action to tackle the crisis, but the local government appears to be unresponsive as the death toll continued to rise. The army on the other hand set up heat stroke relief camps to combat the problem, providing aid and water and juice stations. Summer heat waves are nothing new to Sindh, but the concurring energy crisis is making life impossible this summer. To combat the energy crisis, Pakistan is looking into extracting coal reserves in Sindh which will bring energy security to Pakistan and accelerate the industrial development in the country.
Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company is involved in a venture with the Government of Sindh. “The development of the Thar Coal project will result in immense socioeconomic benefits for the region, and substantially increase the per capita income of people living in the Thar region.” Although this project is not set to begin until later this year and will take about 4 years to complete, it will be beneficial in the upcoming years because power outages will be a less of a problem and the population will be able to stay cool during Sindh’s extreme summers. Until then, the Sindh Government must be proactive when temperatures spike. In better news, temperatures are said to decrease with a change of wind pattern that will bring some relief from the suffocating heat in upcoming days.
“More than 1,000 of the 40,000 heatstroke victims have died since Saturday evening, of which 950 deaths were reported in Karachi alone,” said a senior official.
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Polio - A Danger to Sindh By Tanisha Pierrette With a drop in reported immunization coverage in Sindh, there is no wonder why cases of polio are rising in Karachi and other parts of Sindh. “The Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) Sindh, report portrayed Karachi as a major hub of the circulation of the polio virus” with about 80 percent of cases reported across Sindh. The World Health Organization and the UNICIEF reported 386 refusal cases during the last round of polio vaccination. “Another report compiled by local offices of the UNICEF and WHO, revealed an alarming situation with respect to refusal cases and the increase in “Report portrayed the number of polio Karachi as a cases.” major hub of the The Sindh circulation of the Government is very polio virus” worrisome about the spike of polio cases in Sindh, a majority being in northern Sindh. In the month of March four cases were reported in Sindh alone, which is very alarming to Sindh officials. Officials say a plan for the entire province and not just major cities is being mapped out. It can often be difficult for medical teams to reach rural areas when on vaccination missions and this barrier needs to be addressed with the help of the Sindh government to better campaign and help them reach remote areas.
To combat polio health officials must raise awareness to the importance of vaccination and make it more accessible to parents in rural areas to get their children vaccinated. Polio is an infection virus that can cause paralysis but is preventable with multiple doses of the polio vaccine. A reoccurring problem is that when some children do receive a dose, it is often difficult for their parents and medical teams to follow up on the other doses because of inaccessibility of different regions in Pakistan, especially Sindh. Pakistan continues to be one of only three nations that have not yet eradicated polio. 27 polio cases have been reported globally this year and a massive 24 comes from Pakistan. “In order to make Pakistan a polio-free country it must be a high national priority to eradicate polio by taking vigorous steps and initiatives at all levels.” The Pakistani government on a national level is teaming up with the United States’ Center of Disease Control in Atlanta to receive a $1.5 million grant to synergize Polio Eradication Initiative. Although vaccination coverage has increased from 47.3 % to 53.8 % from in 2013 this is still not satisfactory to the health of the nation. With the help of international community and local governments making it their mission to reach all parts of Pakistan it is very plausible to eliminate polio not in Sindh but in Pakistan as a whole.
References Federal, Sindh govts committed to making country polio-free: Ibad. (2015, July 3). Retrieved July 8, 2015. Mansoor, H. (2015, March 23). Increasing polio cases in northern Sindh perturb govt. Retrieved July 8, 2015. Rasheed, S. (2015, June 27). Will Pakistan be the only remaining country with Polio virus? Retrieved July 8, 2015. Wasif, S. (2015, July 2). From CDC, USA: $1.15m financial aid sought to fight polio - The Express Tribune. Retrieved July 8, 2015.
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Enforced Disappearances: A Reoccurring Problem By Lindsey Otterbourg In just the past month, five people have been missing in Sindh: Raja Dahir, Kamlesh Meghwar, Allah Wadhayo, Irfran Jamali, and Waqar Tunio. The age range of these people varies from high school student to young adult. Though these mens’ background vary somewhat, what they all have in common is that they have no criminal background. They are all innocent people who have been subjected to serious human rights violations and need to be released and returned to their families. Unfortunately, many of them probably will not be. Disappearances occur frequently in Sindh and it can be hard to keep track of all the people that have gone missing. With the help of human rights journalist Hassan Mujtaba, we have compiled the profiles of these men, gathered information on disappearances, and are raising awareness of these human rights abuses so that they do not continue to happen. Some of these men, including Kamlesh Meghwar, were linked to Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz, a banned nationalist organization that started in the 1970s and advocates for Sindhudesh, an independent Sindh. G.M. Syed formed the Jeay Sindh Movement but it became more violent in the 2000s when one of his followers, Shafi Burfat, formed Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz, which promotes armed combat. On the whole however, Sindhi nationalists are extremely peaceful. Asif Baladi, the leader of Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz, explains, “We are peaceful and do not believe in armed struggles. Therefore, the act of both the armed struggle and abducting nationalists is part of a bigger conspiracy. There is no armed struggle in Sindh. So, then, why are our young nationalists abducted?”
These disappearances often involve extreme violence and brutality. In a published letter to his wife, Shaheed Muzafar Bhutto, describes some of the awful things he endured while being tortured by the ISI. The ISI is Pakistan’s premier intelligence service, Inter-Services Intelligence. The ISI captured Shaheed in 2006 and subjected him to all kinds of torture. This included beating, lashing, being required stand for days at a time, putting acid on his body, forcing him to vomit, hanging him from a ventilator by his hands, being subjected to extreme cold in the winter, prohibiting him from urinating, and other cruel punishment. Even though these specific injustices occurred in 2006, these type of human rights violations still unfortunately occur all the time in Sindh, due to the ISI. The Sindhi American Political Action Committee urges the US government to take action and talk to Pakistani leaders so as to stop these violent disappearances from continuing. In 2011, SAPAC urged Brad Sherman, a member of the Sindh Caucus, to speak out against these disappearances. Sherman wrote to the president of Pakistan at the time, President Zardari. He explained to him the importance and urgency of releasing Muzaffar Bhutto. Unfortunately it was too late for Muzaffar, as his captors ended up killing him before he could be released. This is an example of the good will that diplomats and congress members should exercise. Certainly in the future similar efforts will have the capacity to pay off. SAPAC urges all congress members and all diplomats to continue to pressure the Pakistani government, and particularly those in Sindh to release current missing people and to prevent the disappearance of any more people.
References
Raja Dashir
Missing persons information form Hassan Mujtaba http://tns.thenews.com.pk/mystery-of-the-missing-persons-in-sindh/#.VaZ0ECpVikp https://sthinkers.wordpress.com/2012/06/26/muzafarbhutt/ http://www.sindhipac.org/pdf's/Sherman_4-12-2011.pdf
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Terror Related Cases in Sindh Never Brought to Court by Lindsey Otterbourg According to the Sindh Assessment of 2015, on January 30th, 2015 at least 61 Shias were killed and over 50 were injured in a bomb attack on Karbala-eMoalla Imambargah, a Shia place of commemoration in Sindh. These attacks were carried out by the Jundullah, a faction of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Admed Mawrat, a spokesperson for Jundullah, said, “We claim responsibility for attack on Shias in Shikarpur very happily. Our target was the Shia community… They are our enemies.” There were over 300 people inside the Imambargah, peacefully worshipping, when a bomb exploded. Unfortunately this type of story is not uncommon. According to the Human Rights Commission on Pakistan, “Violence in Karachi has become so commonplace that reports of ever more gruesome excesses against the citizens are usually taken in the stride.” According to the South Asia Terrorism Portal, Sindh has already experience over 133 terror related fatalities in 2015. Sindh remains the second worst terror-affected region in Pakistan but is the highest in civilian casualties relating to terror cases, with 99 fatalities in 2015. When westerners think of terrorism, they often think of it taking place in their own countries. However, most of the terrorism that occurs in the world actually takes place in extremist countries themselves, such as Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.
The goal of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1997 was “to provide for the prevention of terrorism, sectarian violence and for speedy trial of heinous offenses”. Under this act, the Pakistani court must decide a case within seven days of the charges being framed against an individual. As of July 6, 2015, hundreds of terror-related cases were still undecided and had been pending in the provincial judiciary. Over 200 of these cases have been on hold for over 8 years. This is mainly due to prosecution failure to implement the apex court national judicial policy. This results in a backlog of cases. The Sindh High Court recently shared these details with the apex court, which formulates guidelines for early disposal of criminal trials. At the beginning of 2015, Human Rights Watch noted in its World Report that violent attacks on religious minorities rose significantly in 2014, as Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s Government again failed to guarantee religious freedoms. Human Rights Watch Deputy Asian Director, Phelim Kine, has acknowledged these violent tendencies, “Pakistan’s Government did little in 2014 to stop the rising toll of killings and repression by extremist groups that target religious minorities...The Government is failing at the most basic duty of government, to protect the safety of its citizens and enforce rule of law.” The Sindhi American Political Action Committee urges the Pakistani government to enforce the Anti-Terrorism Act. When such trials go on for years at a time, it is impossible to bring injustices to light. Additionally, it encourages terrorists to commit these acts because they know that retribution will be light or nonexistent. By following recommendations set by organizations like Human Rights Watch, Pakistan, particularly Sindh, will ensure a more peaceful and religiously tolerant region, something that is desperately needed in the region.
Karbala-e-Moalla Imambargah
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Forced Conversion Reaching Outrageous Numbers in Sindh By Maddison Stinson Over the past year, the issue of forced conversion has grown exponentially in Sindh and is targeting the most vulnerable of the Sindhi community, Sindhi Hindus. Just this year, there have been 15 reported cases of young Hindu girls being kidnapped and forcibly converted to Islam by much older men. The Sindhi Hindu Youth Wing and the Pakistan Hindu Seva (PHS) held a press conference on Wednesday July 15, 2015 in Karachi to bring light to these horrid occurrences. The PHS stated “In only 20 per cent of the cases can it be said that conversion was voluntary and not forced upon the girl after abduction.” This forced conversion has become such a large problem, especially in the rural villages of Sindh. 900 to 1000 girls were forcibly converted in 2014 and the number continues to grow. The Hindu population has shrunk to 8 percent in Sindh, where in 1947, with the creation of Pakistan, the Hindu population of Sindh was 30 percent.
Once these girls are kidnapped and converted, it is very rare that they are ever returned home. Due to the culture of intimidation used by these kidnappers, the girls are too afraid to go against them, and instead say that they chose to convert, thus leaving the court system useless in these cases. If the culprits of the crimes are caught, the Pakistani government releases them almost immediately. This is mainly due to the government’s vested interest in these Muslim men, who fulfill most of the jobs in Sindh, where Sindhi Hindus are not receiving jobs, even after the government installed a minority quota of 5 percent. For these reasons and many more the Sindhi Hindus remain extremely marginalized. This population shift is in direct correlation to the religious persecution these Sindhi Hindus encounter every day at the hands of the Islamist Pakistani government. The PHS stated it best as “Even when Hindus consider themselves Pakistanis above all, they are treated as second-class citizens.” The Sindhi American Political Action Committee urges for the end to these heinous crimes and for the Pakistani government to hold true to the Lahore document, which promises religious freedom to the Sindhi people. The crimes that take place against the Sindhi Hindu people are abominable and the people carrying out these crimes need to be persecuted and handled effectively.
Sources: Correspondent, July 15,2015, Seeking their rights: Forced conversions still an issue for Hindus in Sindh, http:// tribune.com.pk/story/921649/seeking-their-rights-forced-conversions-still-an-issue-for-hindus-in-sindh/ UNPO, March 12, 2015, World Sindhi Congress Organizes Protest in Geneva http://unpo.org/article/18037
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Save the Children taken out of Pakistan By Maddison Stinson On June 12, 2015 the Pakistani police forcibly removed the non-governmental organization, Save the Children, from their offices in Islamabad due to “anti-Pakistani” activities that the organization allegedly performed. Save the Children is charged with administering a fake vaccination program to aid the United States CIA to track down Osama Bin Laden. The doctor who did administer the program, Shakil Afridi, was linked to the organization and the organization claims that they had no connection with the fake program. Due to previous persecution from the Pakistani government, Save the Children has not had any foreign workers in their offices for the past 18 months. This decrease in staff hindered the amount of aid it was able to give, which came to a complete stop on June 12th, 2015 when the Pakistani government and military raided Save the Children’s office in Islamabad and locked the gates, with a military officer standing present twenty four hours a day. It is believed that such hasty actions were made by the government due to pressure by the ISI, whom has been putting pressure on many western organizations claiming they are performing “western espionage”. Sindh receives the most aid of any province in Pakistan, utilizing about 80 percent of Save the Children’s aid. This aid includes food, health care and education. Save the children had provided the children of Sindh these benefits for over 30 years. Save the Children has also put a strong focus on providing vaccines to people living in the “tribal regions” of Sindh. These people living in the tribal regions are the most persecuted by the government because they are ethnically Sindhi. This standoff lasted over 2 weeks, during which Sindh received a record-breaking heat wave that took the lives of thousands of children and adults. If Save the Children had been available, many lives could have been saved. Save the Children was only reinstated into Pakistan with a call from the United States government and other western allies who threatened to cut over one million dollars of funding to the government. Under the new agreement, Save the Children is now under tighter restrictions and is being monitored by the Pakistani government. This incident proves how a small amount of pressure form western allies can change the decisions of the Pakistani government. Even after the re-opening of Save the Children, no explanation has been provided as to why it was shut down in the first place. According to sources, there are over 19 other nongovernmental organizations that the ISI wants to be shut down due to alleged anti-government actions. Due to these recent events, now is the time for SAPAC and other advocacy groups to call our government officials to action. As we have seen with the Save the Children incident, even with a small amount of pressure for the U.S government and other aid donors worldwide, effective and significant changes can be made. Map courtesy of BBC Sources: BBC World News, Pakistan Orders Save the Children to Leave Country, 12 June 2015, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-33105128 Masood, Salman, Reversing Course, Pakistan say Save the Children can Stay, 22 June 2015, http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/23/world/ asia/reversing-course-pakistan-says-save-the-children-can-stay.html?_r=0
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Interview with Hassan Mujtaba by Maddison Stinson Hassan Mujtaba has been an international investigative journalist for over twenty years, with a focus in the Sindh region of Pakistan. Mujtaba has held many prestigious jobs including reporter for BBC world and currently writes a weekly column for the Daily Jung. He won the International Excellence award from John Hopkins and currently lives in New York with his wife and son. Interview took place in June 2015 The SAPAC summer interns sat down with Mr. Mujtaba to interview him on the problems that he sees in Sindh, especially for the Sindhi people. When asked about what the largest problems faced by the Sindhi community, he stated that the largest issue would be the continual disappearances of the Sindhi people, carried out by the ISI. With these forced disappearances, journalist and human rights activists are some of the main targets. The second largest issue is violence against women, minorities and members of the LGBT community. This violence has been taken out in many ways, such as the persecution of LGBT individuals and the Pakistani government not allowing researchers into Pakistan to conduct research. Another way the ISI’s aggressive techniques were seen was with a woman in northern Pakistan who was writing a report on the human rights abuses in Pakistan was tied up and threatened so that she would not share her research globally. Another significant issue in Pakistan he told us about was censorship. The people have no idea what is going on due to the fact that the media is so censored. The reporters and papers have stopped trying to put out the real news at risk of being accused of being against the state. Journalists are afraid to report on what is actually happening because they run the risk of being tortured and killed. When asked how he would change the foreign policy in Pakistan, Mujtaba said that he would ask for more transparency from the government. He said that the foreign contributors such as the United States should be made aware of the human rights abuses and that if they were made aware, they would be able to affect change by withholding funding or by simply making a call. He also stated that the UN could put a hold on humanitarian and military aid until these human rights abuses are stopped. He stated that the MQM is using strong-arm tactics to control the government and he urges the United States to view them as a terrorist group. He feels that this is the reason that there are separatist movements in Sindh.
A Poem by Hasan: SONG OF THE DISAPPEARED God knows How many faces God knows How many eyes All’re disappeared. He is missing She is missing They all missing I am missing You’re missing We all missing People are missing. The time has to pass The time doesn’t pass Blindfolds on eyes Noise of the aero-planes And all we could hear Are five times azans* Freedom we see While sleep Separation we find When awake What kind of the world Is yours! What kind of godliness! That’s ow I got disappeared You got disappeared We are where We don’t know Where we’re? Nobody brings the news Nobody gives the news Nobody tells the news One who were Pies of our eye Are dead Or alive?
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U.S. Consulate Karachi Website Now in Sindhi!
SAPAC would like to thank Brian Heath, the U.S Consul General for Karachi, as well as Richard Olson, the U.S Ambassador to Islamabad for this magnificent change.
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Detailed Report on Sindhi American Youth Advocacy and Leadership Program by Lindsey Otterbourg On Thursday June 25th and Friday June 26th, 2015, eight students from multiple states participated in the Sindhi American Youth Advocacy and Leadership Program. This program consisted of the students being split into different groups and holding meetings on Capitol Hill with members of congress and their staffers. The age rage of the students varied from middle school to college. On Wednesday June 24th, the students attended a meet and greet where they enjoyed Indian cuisine and got to know each other through ice breaker games. The students were also given their packets which had a map of Capitol Hill, contact information sheets of the executive director and her interns, and an educational handout on current human rights violations in Sindh. After having some time to eat dinner and read through the handout the students played a game of jeopardy that the SAPAC interns had put together. The students really enjoyed the game and the candy prizes. It was a great way for them to learn the information that they would be presenting to Congress the next day. At the meet and greet students were also briefed on how they should speak to Congress, i.e., making eye contact, smiling, and having good hand shake. The students seemed to enjoy themselves at the meet and greet and it was a great start to the program. On the morning of Thursday June 25th, the SAPAC interns got tickets for the Washington Monument and then met Executive Director, Fati Gul, and the students on Capitol Hill. The students then began their meetings from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm with a break for lunch. The students were split into four groups, with each group led by either an intern or Fati. Some meetings were attended by just one individual group, and some meetings had groups collaborate together. During the meetings congressmen and women were given a letter inviting them to join the Sindh Caucus, as well as a packet with an informational handout and a case of the disappearance of Raja Dahar Bhambhro. The students did an excellent job of taking initiative, speaking up, and presenting important facts during the meetings. For lunch on Thursday everyone met up in the cafeteria and reflected on how the meetings were going, as well as gave each other advice. Meetings resumed in the afternoon, including a meeting with Congressman Adam Schiff, a member of the Sindh Caucus. Congressman Schiff was very kind and thoughtful during the meeting. He told them that his staff would look into the audit on USAID in Sindh.
Taking on the Hill: Students prepare for their first meeting of the program outside of the Hart Senate Office Building.
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After the meetings on Thursday students had dinner and then went to the Washington Monument where they were able to go to the top and see incredible views of DC. On Friday morning, meetings resumed at 9:00. Students again did an excellent job running the meetings and had even more confidence than they did on Thursday. After lunch meetings continued, including a meeting with the Human Rights Commission for Representative McGovern. Meetings lasted until 3:00pm on Friday and then students met up in Congressman Schiff’s office, where his staff escorted the group on a tour of the Capitol Building. Students enjoyed this tour and it was a fun event to conclude with after a long two days of meetings. This event was a great success. Students gained leadership skills, confidence and the knowledge on Sindh to bring back to their own community and share with their peers. Not only this, but they reached out to over 50 members of Congress. All of these Congress members now have much more knowledge on the human rights violations occurring in Sindh, such as lack of education, forced conversion, rape, kidnap and frequent disappearances. Additionally, they are much more aware of the misuse of US foreign aid in Sindh. Many were surprised to hear that USAID allocated $155 million and none of it has gone to good use yet. Figures like these caught their attention and will hopefully direct them as they vote on US foreign policy. To continue the good effects that have already come from this program, SAPAC has started a Sindhi American Youth Leadership program. For this, students can volunteer to become a Sindhi American Youth Leader in their community. This involves them keeping in contact with their representative and senators, as well as advocating for Sindhi people all over the world. SAPAC is so appreciative to have been able to spend time with these bright young students who will surely continue to advocate for and raise awareness of Sindhi people everywhere.
Meet and Greet Thursday Night: Students wear traditionally Sindhi scarves to signify the group coming together as a family.
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House of Representatives: Mahima and Saira about to enter a meeting outside of a House office building.
Revi ewi ng talking points: Allissa and Kevin were the two of the collegeaged students in this program. They helped to lead younger students throughout meetings. We watched as their leadership assets grew throughout each meeting.
Meeting with a Congressman: Students meet Congressman Adam Schiff, a member of the Sindh caucus. Schiff assisted with getting the US Consulate Website in the Sindhi language. He also brought in members of his team to take a deeper look into the misallocation of funds through USAID.
SAPAC Director: Fati Gul explains issues of fund misallocation to Congressman Schiff.
First meeting of the day: Students meet with a staffer for Senator Barbara Boxer.
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Reflection on Sindhi American Youth Advocacy and Leadership Program By Simran Jagtiani It is easy to fall into a sort of ethnocentrism when living in a country with so many opportunities and so much freedom. As well-informed citizens, we are plagued by issues of economic downfall, terrorist threats and every day crime as long as it occurs in our own nation. Our perspective is confined by events that transpire within the borders of the United States. Therefore, it does not come as a surprise when a majority of this country’s population knows nothing of the significant concerns in smaller, often defenseless provinces. These issues, encompassing everything from religious persecution to extreme poverty, are so deeply entrenched within these areas that they affect nearly every resident on a daily basis. Sindh is one of these regions.
Sindhi American in Action: Simran on the Hill during the This peace-loving, accepting province within advocacy days. Pakistan is marginalized and abused to such a degree that it becomes hard for us to fully comprehend what the average Sindhi endures every day. The Sindhi American Political Action Committee is working to spread awareness of these human rights abuses in order to incite change. They are encouraging every American to step out of the boundaries of this country and take a look at the mistreatment occurring in a region that is often ignored. I was one of the lucky few to take part in the Sindhi American Youth Advocacy and Leadership Program, which is the latest of many initiatives that SAPAC has implemented to get Sindhis involved in the action. Students from all over the country, ranging from 12 to 19, gathered in the nation’s capital for a three day conference. On the first day, we learned about the history and current state of Sindh through a well-organized and comprehensive presentation by the SAPAC interns. Using this knowledge, we headed to Capitol Hill to take over 50 meetings in two days with various Congressmen and women, Senators, and Congressional staffers. We split up into groups to spread the message and educate each office as thoroughly as possible…and they actually listened to us. When one imagines a group of kids walking into the Hart Senate Office Building, armed with folders and passion about their cause, it is hard to believe that government employees will take the time out of their busy schedules to truly care about and understand the issue. Yet every staff member took our meetings seriously, with most even leaving on a note of newfound respect for Sindh. This entire program was a learning experience. I learned that Sindh is ranked the lowest in the world in terms of education. I learned that women are brutally kidnapped, raped, and forced to convert to Islam, which is the presiding religion of Pakistan. I learned that very few people are fighting for Sindh’s rights. However, I think the most important lesson I learned is that these tough times for Sindh do not have to be permanent. We can all play a part to spur change, as long as we step outside the views of our nation, recognize the issues plaguing others, and take the initiative to do something about it.
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Please consider donating to SAPAC The Sindhi American Political Action Committee is committed to raising awareness of human rights violations in Sindh and affecting US foreign Policy. To do this we need financial support. We use these funds for events such as our Youth Advocacy and Leadership Program. These sort of events are only possible through the contributions of people like you. Please consider donating to SAPAC, every amount makes a difference in the lives of Sindhi people. To donate please visit www.sindhipac.org/contribute.php
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