Volume 1, Issue 2
April 2013
SINDHI AMERICAN POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE
SINDH GUARDIAN
Inside this issue: USAID and Pakistan
2-3
Chinaâ€&#x;s Influence in Pakistan
3
Religious Extremism is a Beginning of the End
4-6
Persecution of Sindhi Hindus
7
Page 2
SINDH GUARDIAN
USAID and Pakistan by Kwame Simmons A well-known and publicized fact, the US has been providing aid support to Pakistan since the inception of the nation in 1948. A video on the USAID website provides a brief overview of aid objectives and projects since 1948. Aid has been long afforded to Pakistan but the purpose undeniably shifted following the September 11th attacks of 2001. In 2008, a bill sponsored and shepherded through Congress by then Senator and now Secretary of State John Kerry provided even more support. Aid to Pakistan took on a new life providing economic and humanitarian shields against the proliferation of extremism. USAID focused on helping relieve Pakistanâ€&#x;s energy crisis, enhance education, improving access to healthcare, and empowering entrepreneurs. Recent USAID projects have also been focused in Sindh. Education has been touted by almost every major candidate in elections around the world and for good reason. Without a stable, reliable education system there cannot be a viable society, workforce, or government. Education is inarguably the foundation of a stable and progressing nation. In its major education project, titled the Sindh Basic Education Project, USAID has undertaken helping facilitate entry to education. Experts agree that a productive start to education makes it more likely that students will continue education later in life. As USAID describes the project: The program aims to create school environments conducive to teaching and learning. The program funds the construction and rehabilitation of schools affected by 2010 floods and supports the Government of Sindh's policy of merging, consolidating, and upgrading schools through new construction. The Sindh Basic Education Program also seeks to improve early grade reading in primary schools, mobilize communities to increase girls' enrollment and improve the nutritional status of children, and offer technical assistance to build the capacity of the Sindh Department of Education. -USAID There is $86 million appropriated to the project going towards teacher training, facility upgrades, and general support to Sindh education. Funding is currently scheduled to continue through September 2016. Important to the project is improving female enrollment in education, a problem that plagues not only the
Photo credit: www.c-span.org Sindh but Pakistan as a whole. The aid supplements the Sindh Education Reform Program which the World Bank says is improving many aspects of education in Sindh. Economic viability depends on a thriving middle class of not only workers but makers as well. For this reason USAID has taken to supporting aspiring entrepreneurs through the Entrepreneurs Project which is appropriated nearly $27 million across Sindh, Punjab, and the KP. Like the education program, women are specifically encouraged to participate. Scheduled to complete in June 2014, the project trains individuals and NGOs on entrepreneurial principles needed to thrive in the market. USAID says that so far they have trained over 19 thousand entrepreneurs through the project. There is a widely recognized energy crisis in Pakistan. USAID is helping remedy the situation through the upgrading of several dams and power plants. Two of the projects are located in Sindh, the Guddu Power Station and Jamshoro Power Station, both of which are scheduled for completion this year. USAIDâ€&#x;s goal: Add 1,200 megawatts to the national grid, 900 megawatts of which will be completed by 2013, benefiting more than two million households and businesses, spurring economic growth. The Guddu repairs are estimated to add 75 megawatts of energy while Jamshoro will add 158 megawatts says USAID. All told, they also estimate that all the projects will cover 20 percent of the national energy deficit.
Page 3
VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2
Healthcare facilities are in dire need of facility and operational expansion. Two Sindh specific projects are hoping to address the problem head on: the expansion of the Jinnah Post Graduate Hospital and a new healthcare facility in Jacobabad. Both seek to expedite the time it takes to see a healthcare provider, Jacobabad in the North and Jinnah in the South of Sindh. Jinnah, a popular and overwhelmed healthcare destination in Karachi, has a reputation for excruciatingly long lines to see a medical provider. Along with a relief of waiting times, the expansion hopes to bring critical fistula care to the region. In Jacobabad the new healthcare facility, known as the Jacobabad Civil Hospital will have 130 beds and seek to serve lower
income families in particular. Through a partnership with private entities, the facility will give free basic healthcare to families. In addition to healthcare services, the building will be built using green technology that not only uses less energy but makes building management easier. Many projects outlined above are ongoing with expected completions in the next year or two. The effectiveness has yet to be seen; only implementation and time will tell what effect they will have on Sindhi life in Pakistan.
China’s Influence in Pakistan by Allison Schlaeger Many have made speculations over the relationship between China and Pakistan. The whispers are loudest in the US where outdated perceptions of communism and a red threat still linger past the fall of the wall. The reality is that economic investment and eventual stability is a foreign policy goal of both the United States and Pakistan, and the two have managed to work together towards that end. China‟s economic and political alliance can be traced back to a bilateral trade agreement signed in 1963. The agreement brought agricultural produce to the famine stricken Chinese people during a time of stark political isolationism. Pakistan was in many regards China‟s saving grace. Since that time the Chinese and Pakistani governments have worked towards strengthening their ties and furthering stability in the region. After Musharraf‟s rise to power in 1999, the Pakistani economy saw increased trade liberalization in international commerce and foreign investment. There is no doubt that the policies were strongly influenced by the Chinese who gained the most from the economic reforms. The pre -Musharraf economic realities proved bleak as growth in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) dropped and levels of poverty and unemployment steadily rose.
Tracking Chinese investment show a focus in commercial and infrastructure based projects with a dramatic rise to $7 billion annual investment in 2007. China stands ready to continue the investment, but they face a market racked with instability. The Chinese investment in Pakistan is not a guarantee. In terms of pure economic promise, India stands to be a far better market for Chinese investment. However, Chinese interest has remained out of loyalty and mutual goals. The dramatic increase in fundamental Islamist radicalization further increases the necessity for economic stability within Pakistan. The impact of illegitimate organizations promoting violence has brought negative attention to Pakistan. Nationally, these organizations threaten state failure as the destabilization they create drives away economic investment. The risk is most prevalent in the Baluchistan, the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP), and Sindh. Sindh desperately needs the economic investment China is capable of giving, but sits in a cycle of poverty and radical violence. The two feed off each other, creating a desperate need for large-scale economic investment. However, the plight of Sindh parallels the risk of Pakistan as a whole. If the country cannot maintain their internal
stability China move their economic investments elsewhere. Being viewed as an economic liability will not lead to anything remotely positive for Pakistan in the future. Malaise towards Pakistan – China relations within the US comes from a place of misconception. China‟s use of economic superiority in the region to stabilize and bolster trade economies helps achieve the economic and security goals of Pakistan, China, and the United States. If the US is truly unhappy about China‟s potential sway within the region, perhaps it should bestow greater importance and investment in Pakistan and especially in Sindh.
Page 4
SINDH GUARDIAN
Religious Extremism is a Beginning of the End by Zahid Hussain Mirani A well known writer somewhere in his book had rightly said that the major reason behind the chaos in the world is the word “belief”. This word has shaken the very roots of humanity. People are battling throughout the world, not because of the universal peace restoration, but to gain power and defend their beliefs. God is unseen and untouchable. Yet, for millions of the years, followers of God have disguised him in mosques, churches, temples and many other places. Why should one follow another human being? All human beings are born the same way. The color of blood of all human beings is the same; however, colors can be different. From the very beginning of this world, humans have remained in search of power. One group might aggressively defeat another, and the defeated group will seek revenge. This pattern can be seen amongst groups, such as tribes throughout the world. In Pakistan, the same game is playing on the ground of politics and religion. The white collar criminals have claimed to be religious men whose doctrine is no more but an extreme ignorance in this age of information. They call it sacred education for the people. In reality, they want to destroy the liberty of the people who live in peace and prosperity. No one has the right to impose any religion on other people forcibly. Here, the situation is totally different. Disguised offenders spread silly and ignorant beliefs within peaceful society. According to these mullah type people, they are the soldiers of God. How foolish they are! Why did God not reveal that order upon a poor of the poorest? Why has God selected offender groups of the people to preach of sectarian violence and spreading terror within the society? By spreading terror, they try to win the hearts of the people, which is impossible for them. Baloch are exhausted to live more with Pakistani federation, while in KPK Pashtuns demand for a separate territory to live in. Same waves are roaming in Sindh province, where nationalists want separate land from Pakistan. Whose hands are behind them to boost them for states within states? Religion has remained a shelter for extremists where by millions of innocent people were put to death mercilessly. The same groups are playing an active role to revise the closed chapters of the barbaric period of human history. Their actions must be stopped by peaceful minds. Religious extremists are gaining ground in the peaceful land of the Sindh, an area which has remained a beacon light for the world. An old version of the law “might is right” has always been the ambition of the people around the world. Religion itself cannot be criticized as it is only a
set of rules to implement them for social control, however; failing of these rules often turn the heads of the people towards mutiny. In recent months, more than 400 shias (the followers of Hazrat Ali 4th Caliph of Islam) have been killed brutally in bomb blasts. According to the media reports, Sipah-e-Sahaba (a religious militant wing of deobandi doctrine) was responsible behind the genocide of Shia killing. It is said that religion and state are both the strong social institutes which can be effective elements for social control. On the contrary, in Pakistan both institutes completely failed to restore the peace and prosperity. Living in Pakistan is beyond the doubt a miracle where no one has sure about living more moment on the globe. Pakistan is no doubt a secure shelter for the militant wings developing their inside programs. The rapid growth of religious extremist mindsets is a threat to the peace loving people of Sindh and Pakistan. They spread terror rather than love within society. According to their doctrine, shias are infidels hence they must be killed to down their number.
Growing Religious Extremism in Shikarpur: Shikarpur has a unique and glorious past history wherein it was called a “Paris of the East”. It has now lost its glory after the partition of sub-continent. There was peace, love and prosperity, but presently fear of death is always knocking the doors of every citizen. No one feels secure in any way in the whole city. Hindu communities did tremendous work for their native city of Shikarpur in their own times. Educational institutes, hospitals, business centers, recreational places were the fashion of the day. However, soon after the forced migration of Hindu communities, the city turned collapsed and lost its uniqueness and glory. Presently, there is a number of mosques, madarssahs of bralvies, Deobandis, Shiites but why are their teachings are totally in vain? Why is their preaching ineffective for the prevailing socio-economical ills? There is a need to research the current school of thought of all these religious wings who have controlled the liberty of the people. It is observed that Tableegi (preachers) are well organized groups of the deobandi who have been cultivating the relations and converting the people into their religious doctrine. They have strong roots in the city from which they operate other parts of the province as well. Here I would not like to disclose their other activities, but the major universal crime they are committing
VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2
is the violence of childrenâ€&#x;s rights openly. All deobandi madarssahs send their talibs to the vicinity of madarssahs to beg for food from the surroundings. They do not have any proper mess system in their madarssahs. Children learn to beg at an early age which is an open violation of the human rights. Other than this, they do not impart Islamic education to the talibs. They are taught to hate other sects. Islam does not teach that type of nurturing the child in any way, but the mullahs (owner of madarssahs) have adapted that nurturing system. Their teachers teach them to hate other sects such as Shiites, bralvies as the enemies of Islam. The people who send their children are those who cannot afford the costly fees of the schools, while on the other hand government schools completely failed to provide quality education. They brain wash the teenagers to follow their doctrine in any way. They are strong followers of the talibans, and they spread the message of the talibans in other parts of Sindh. The people of Shikarpur do not have need to be preached these teachings which are proven as poisonous for the innocent people of Shikarpur. Role of the Religious Institutes in sustaining social control: Religion itself is a way of living life according to some rules formulated for the people. It is an institution to sustain the social control, however; history is an eye witness of the failure of religion to get the desired results. Semi-literate Mullahs have trapped the very core programs of the religion and have misinterpreted and misused it according to their own interest. This has resulted in sectarian violence within society. In Pakistan, religious wings were intentionally promoted to control the society under the so-called fake traditions by the fake semi-literate mullahs. Shikarpur once was a prosperous city which lost its glory soon after the partition of sub-continent. Presently, talibans are deeply rooted within city. Religion has failed to cope with the social ills owing to the misinterpretation. None of any religious party has any healthy program for the society except killing their own Muslims. They spread only sectarian violence within society. There is no message of oneness of God in the teachings Muslims believe in, however; they trigger to jihad only. According to them, Jihad is a war against the Mushriks (disbelievers) who share the power of God with his messenger. That is the major cause behind the chaos and collapse of the religion in society. None of the religious institutes contributed their role in maintaining social control within Muslim society. They accelerate sectarian violence through bomb blasting to kill their own Muslims brutally.
Page 5
Recent Incidents of Bomb Blasting and failure of security agencies: State has completely failed to provide security to the public, which causes uncertainty within society. Domestic sectarian violence is leading the country towards civil war, which obviously is an indicator to invite external forces to control the state. The first sectarian violence was the TWO-NATION theory based on belief which created a new Islamic state of Pakistan. However, the dream did not come true during the whole period of 66 long years. After Baluchistan, the same tides of terrorism have set foot on the peaceful soil of Sindh. It has filled the hearts of the native people with a strong hatred against the militant wings, sipah sahaba and lashkar-e-jhnagvi. According to some prominent personalities of the Shikarpur, “Sindh is a land of sufis (mystics) where sufis have right to live in�. People of Shikarpur are feared from sipah sahaba and lashkar-e-jhnagvi. It is declared that lashkar-e-jhangvi and sipah shaba are banned by the government of Pakistan, but there existence is a question for the international peace committees. They openly spread terror on public platforms, but silence of the state on these sensitive issues is an indicator of a silent storm.
Role of Religious Organizations in Development: No religious organization has contributed in social development yet but spreading terror and hatred against each other. They do not have any development program which can reduce the unrest within society. They have only art of gathering people to address what is paradise and hell. People are poverty stricken, and they are in dire need for immediate relief. No religious organization was observed as active during disasters. Where were they when people were at the mercy of death? Where were they when floods hit the country, killing many and destroying the infrastructure? International religious organizations were at work, but the national religious organizations failed to give attention to those in need. Organizations such as lashkar-e-jhangvi and Sipah Sahaba, jesh Muhammad, Sipah Muhammad, Islahulmuslmeen, ansarulmuslmeen and a number of other religious organizations have Ameer (leaders) live in luxuries, but they turned deaf ears to these major development issues. From where do they buy weapons? Who provides funding to carry on their programs? Their business might be illegal such as trafficking, drug smuggling, and heroin supplies. In other words, they are fully sponsored by the state institutes to do anything in any part of the country.
Page 6
SINDH GUARDIAN
ground to win the hearts of these people. Future generation is paralyzed by their old traditional ways and unhygienic education. It will destroy them completely; even their existence on the globe will be as swimming against the tides. The international community must take this condition seriously as the same groups can jump into the neighbor states of Pakistan. This threat is a clear sign of insecurity for the other peaceful people of the world. Growing taliban movement in the world will surely threaten developed countries, hence; they must intervene to stop their hidden, barbaric programs. The salvation of the people is in the ending of these religious organizations from the face of earth.
(Continued from page 5)
Which class of the people follows them? In regards to the growing extremism in Sindh, it can be conclude that people are severely stricken by both of the socio-economical conditions. Religious organizations are a wrath of God for the poor people of this land. People do not have any solid employment opportunities, hence their inclination towards these extremists mindsets. It has been closely observed that above 70% of the people are joining them are poverty stricken, while the remaining people are white collar criminals as were in past history. These organizations are a combination of illiterate and semi-literate people which obviously results in turmoil and civil unrest. People send their children when they either are not satisfied with education or because of lack of finance. Government educational institutes are unsatisfactory to provide adequate education towards the children, hence; the religious organizations are gaining the
Source: Following data has been taken from the internet which reveals the barbarism of religious extremists
Civilians
Security Force Personnel
Terrorists/ Insurgents
Total
2003
140
24
25
189
2004
435
184
244
863
2005
430
81
137
648
2006
608
325
538
1471
2007
1522
597
1479
3598
2008
2155
654
3906
6715
2009
2324
991
8389
11704
2010
1796
469
5170
7435
2011
2738
765
2800
6303
2012
3007
732
2472
6211
2013
751
111
447
1309
Total*
15906
4933
25607
46446
*Data till February 24, 2013
Page 7
VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2
Persecution of Sindhi Hindus by Katie Mount Sindh is a province full of culture. Since the inception of Pakistan in 1947, Sindh has been home to a large minority population. There are 2.5 million Hindus living in Pakistan. About 90% of those Hindus live in the Sindh region. The Hindu community is subjected to extreme violence and discrimination on a daily basis. Hindus are often viewed as a symbol of India. Therefore, the tumultuous relationship between India and Pakistan has led to Hindus receiving hostile backlash. They are viewed as „unclean‟ scavengers and unfit to receive equal treatment. The rise of extremism has transformed Pakistan into an aggressive breeding ground for religious intolerance. The Islamic fundamentalism has entered Sindh, leading to major violence against Sindhi Hindus. In particular, young, Hindu girls are being forced to convert to Islam. They are abducted, raped, tortured, and brainwashed. The girls are told that their families will be killed if they do not cooperate. Under threat, the girls proclaim that they voluntarily converted to Islam. A highly publicized example is that of the abduction and conversion of Rinkle Kumari. On February 24, 2012, 19 year old Rinkle was abducted from her family‟s home in Mirpur Mathelo. Within hours, her father received a call from Mian Aslam who informed him that Rinkle had embraced Islam. She had not only been converted to Islam, but she was married to a Muslim boy named Naveed Shah. The next morning, Rinkle was brought to a civil court in Ghotki. When Rinkle saw her family in the court, she begged the judge to let her be with her mother. She told the judge that she had been kidnapped and wanted to return to her family. The court was adjourned, and Rinkle was placed in police custody. When Rinkle‟s family visited her in custody, she revealed that she was under threat to change her statement.
When the court reconvened, her family was deliberately misinformed of the time and venue so that they would miss the hearing. Under duress, Rinkle stated that she had converted to Islam and married Naveed of her own free will. The court gave judgment that Rinkle was now Muslim and legally married. While the Hindu community was devastated, the Muslim community celebrated its triumph. Unfortunately, cases such as this are not uncommon. Many more cases go unreported. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan estimates that 20-25 Hindu girls are subjected to forced conversions every month. Muslim boys are taught that it is their duty, as Muslims, to convert others to Islam. One of the highest honors is to convert young girls. Shortly after conversions, young girls frequently disappear. Many of these girls are either killed or sold into the sex trade. The lack of registration for Hindu marriages perpetuates forced conversions. Extremists use the lack of legal sanction to their benefit. Hindu women are vulnerable to forced conversions and marriages because their Hindu marriages are not legally recognized. Therefore, if a married Hindu woman is forced to marry a Muslim man, she has no way of proving that she is already married.
Further discrimination can be found in the education system. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom conducted a 2011 study regarding the depiction of religious discrimination in the Pakistani education system. The investigation found that textbooks used in Pakistani primary and secondary schools nurture intolerance of religious minorities, especially the Hindu community. Hindus are depicted as immoral extremists who are the adversaries of Pakistan. For example, a grade 10 Pakistan Studies textbook stated, “Hindus were against the creation of Pakistan. Despite their utmost opposition, when Pakistan was created, they used all means to weaken and harm Pakistan.” Children are indoctrinated from a young age to view Hindus as enemies of the state. Visas are very difficult to obtain, so leaving is not an option. When Hindus try to flee Pakistan, they are made to promise they will return. One incident involved the federal investigative agency forcibly stopping an estimated 150 Hindus at the Lahore border. They were forced to sign an affidavit promising that they would return to Pakistan. Hindus are trapped with little chance of escape. The founding father of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, once stated, “You are free; you are free to go to your temples. You are free to go to your mosques or to any other places of worship in this State of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion, caste or creed - that has nothing to do with the business of the State.” Unfortunately, his sentiment has not been carried into the present day. Sindhi Hindus are not „free‟ to practice their religion, nor are they free from discrimination.
SINDHI AMERICAN POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE
Phone: 202-496-5300 E-mail: sapac.sindh@gmail.com
The Sindhi American Political Action Committee (SAPAC) is an organization which works to raise public awareness about issues relating to Sindh and the Sindhi people throughout the world. SAPAC emphasizes the significant link between the Sindh region and US national interests. For this purpose, SAPAC aims to advocate on behalf of the Sindhis and to positively influence American policies toward Sindh.
Visit Us Online!
The information and views set out in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of SAPAC.