Human Rights: November 2004 Archives

by HAROON HABIB
in Dhaka

India denies as baseless the Bangladeshi claim that the Border Security Force tried to push in "Bangla-speaking Indian Muslims" across the border and the Bangladesh Rifles thwarted it.

BANGLADESH Sangbad Sangstha (BSS), the state-run news agency of Bangladesh, reporting on the border situation, said on November 7: "The Border Security Force (BSF) has detained Bangla-speaking Indian Muslims in Indian villages along the northwestern frontiers to push them into Bangladesh at an opportune moment". The previous day it had reported that "the Border Security Force of India again started its abortive push-in bids along the northwestern frontier on Friday night (November 5), creating a tense situation anew". Quoting `official sources', BSS stated that men of the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR), with the help of the Ansar-VDP (Village Defence Party) and people of the area, thwarted three major push-in attempts by the BSF on the border at Lalmonirhat, Panchagarh and Jaipurhat. It also gave details of the "abortive bids."

Human Rights Watch
London, November 23, 2004

The Malaysian government’s plan to begin arresting and deporting hundreds of thousands of undocumented migrant workers in the coming weeks may result in widespread rights abuses, Human Rights Watch said today. Refugees and victims of human trafficking may be caught up in the sweeps and deported instead of receiving protection.

By Tamaskar Tandon and Goldy M. George

Countercurrents.org

On 16th August 2004, the next day of Independence Day, nearly 250 Dalits were attacked by caste Hindus numbering about 800 at the village of Gumka, in the Chattisgarh state of India. More than 150 people including 35-40 women are injuried in this gruesome attack. The police and local administration is taking a lethargic attitude towards the culprits. Here is a fact finding report prepared by Adv. Tamaskar Tandon and Goldy M. George of Dalit Study circle.