Another Atheist Blogger Hacked on the Street of Dhaka, the Bangladesh Capital
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Sukla Sen
Mar 31, 2015, 2:00:47 PM3/31/15
to foi...@insaf.net
[Bangladesh is admittedly in a ferment.
While the forces that led to the birth of Bangladesh are now both
weakened and discredited to a very significant extent and the forces
of dark traditions have again been able to entrench itself and spread
the venomous tentacles far and wide, despite periodic defeats
following episodic successes; the state and society of Bangladesh
still unmistakably bear the birthmarks which are as yet far from
removed.
And, new forces - the educated urban youth, have cropped up to defend
the values of secularism and rationalism rooted in nationalism based
on distinctiveness of language and ethnic culture as contrasted from
one rooted in religious revivalism.
Hence the turmoil.
Hence the outcome is so crucial, just not for Bangladesh alone.]
http://sacw.net/article10932.html
ISLAMISTS STRIKE TERROR TO QUELL INDEPENDENT THINKING AND ATHIEST IDEALISTS
Bangladesh: Blogger Oyasiqur Rhaman killed in knife attack of 30 March
2015 - reports and statements
30 March
printable version of this article printable version
Diminish font size Enlarge the font
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Dhaka Tribune - March 30, 2015
Radical Islamists strike again
Mohammad Jamil Khan, Abid Azad
Two members of third gender catch killers of blogger Oyasiqur
Radical Islamists hacked to death secular blogger Md Oyasiqur Rahman
Babu yesterday morning in Tejgaon, Dhaka allegedly for his atheist
views.
A travel agency executive, Oyasiqur's murder was premeditated. Three
assailants swooped on Oyasiqur, 27, armed with machetes around 9am on
Dipika Mosque Lane of Begunbari, close to Tejgaon Textile Engineering
University, when he was going to office in Motijheel.
While fleeing, two of the killers - Zikrullah, a student of
Hefazat-e-Islam's Hathazari Madrasa in Chittagong, and Ariful, student
of Mirpur Darul Uloom Madrasa - were held by two hermaphrodites as
locals remained reluctant to chase the killers. The other member of
the team, Abu Taher, escaped.
The duo was handed over to police, who later recovered the machetes
from the crime scene, Tejgaon industrial police OC Salauddin said.
The incident took place only a month after secular blogger and former
Buet teacher Avijit Roy and his wife Rafida Ahmed Bonya came under
attack by extremists. Avijit succumbed to his injuries at a hospital.
Police are yet to solve the case but claim that the killers might be
linked to the banned Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir and Ansarullah
Bangla Team.
Deputy Commissioner of Tejgaon zone Biplab Kumar Sarker told reporters
that in preliminary interrogation the arrestees said they had killed
Oyasiqur for writing on religious issues. "We are investigating
whether they are involved with any organisation."
Known as Oyasiqur Babu on Facebook where he had more than 2,600
friends, the blogger used to write under pseudonyms on popular blogs.
On his Facebook account, Oyasiqur wrote several notes opposing
irrational religious beliefs, superstitions and radical Islamists.
[. . .]
http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2015/mar/31/radical-islamists-strike-again
o o o
Editorial in Dhaka Tribune - 31 March 2015
Oyasiqur's murder was preventable
Tribune Editorial
It is not enough to act after murders have been carried out. Act to
end impunity for incitement and protect citizens
The brutal hacking to death of blogger and writer Oyasiqur Rahman in
Tejgaon on Monday morning cannot be treated as an isolated incident.
In its nature and apparent motivation, it has clear similarities with
the murder of Shahbagh activist Rajeeb Haider two years ago and comes
just weeks after the deadly attack on Avijit Roy.
The government has to do more to live up to its duty to protect all
citizens. Authorities must not delay in fully investigating the
background to Oyasiqur's murder and identifying connections with other
attacks.
In the last 10 years, over 15 academics and writers have been murdered
in similar circumstances after personal death threats were made
against them for their views on religion and related matters.
It is long overdue for the government to learn the lesson that it is
not enough to act after murders have been carried out. More needs to
be done to prevent such attacks by ensuring protection for people and
groups who have been threatened and fully progressing cases against
those who carry out violence.
The government needs to ensure full follow-up enquiries against any
persons who issued threats against Oyasiqur.
It must also end impunity for people and groups who praise, threaten,
or incite deadly violence by taking firm steps against anyone who
issues death threats. Failure to do so is unacceptable as it only
emboldens individuals who are minded to carry out such acts. The
government must overcome past failings and act on its responsibility
to protect citizens.
-- See more at: http://www.dhakatribune.com/editorial/2015/mar/31/oyasiqurs-murder-was-preventable
o o o
Imran: Government's indifference behind murder of secular writers
Arif Ahmed
http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2015/mar/31/imran-governments-indifference-behind-murder-secular-writers
o o o
PNG -
The New York Times - March 30, 2015
Bangladesh Killings Send Chilling Message to Secular Bloggers
by Ellen Barry
DHAKA, Bangladesh -- When the steamy, clamorous evening had settled
over this city, and Oyasiqur Rhaman had finished his day's work at a
travel agency, he would turn to one of his favorite pastimes: Poking
fun at fundamentalist Islam.
Mr. Rhaman, 27, blogged under the name Kutshit Hasher Chhana, or The
Ugly Duckling, and he specialized in sharp-edged satire. In one post,
he adopted the persona of a self-important believer fielding questions
from an atheist. (An example: "See, the captive women, impressed at
the heroism of the Muslim fighters, used to engage in sex with them
willingly. Don't you see that it gave pleasures to them as well?") He
posted photos of sausages wrapped in pastries, labeled "pigs in a
burqa."
On Monday morning, after he left home for the travel agency, Mr.
Rhaman was killed for what he had posted. Three young men -- among them
students of madrasas here in the capital and in Chittagong --
surrounded him and sliced at his head with machetes, cutting deep
gouges into his forehead, face and throat. His body was left on the
pavement in a pool of congealing blood.
Two men were captured by local residents and handed over to the
police, according to Mohammad Salahuddin, who heads the district
police station. Those men said an acquaintance known as Masum had
instructed them to kill Mr. Rhaman because "he made some comments
against Islam" on social media, but that they had not read the
comments themselves.
The killing closely followed the pattern of another five weeks
earlier, when young men with machetes surrounded a secular blogger and
author, Avijit Roy, as he left a book fair.
Mr. Rhaman took Mr. Roy's murder to heart, changing his Facebook
profile image to read "I am Avijit." Over the next few days, he also
mourned the 2013 killing of another blogger, Ahmed Rajib Haider, known
online as Thaba Baba, and vowed to keep fighting.
"The pen will remain active, will continue till the death of your
belief," he wrote. "Get Islam destroyed, get Islam destroyed, get
Islam destroyed."
A writer using the name Biswaoy Balok, or Amazing Boy, responded in
the comments section: "Son of a dog, you will also be killed."
The deaths of Mr. Roy and Mr. Rahman this month have sent a chilling
message to the country's secular bloggers, who say they are competing
for the hearts and minds of young people exposed to oceans of material
promoting conservative Islam.
[. . .]
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/31/world/asia/suspects-held-in-hacking-death-of-bangladeshi-blogger.html
o o o
JPEG - 63.3 kb
The Guardian - 30 March 2015
Bangladesh blogger becomes second to be murdered in a month
by Jason Burke in Delhi and Saad Hammadi in Dhaka
Washiqur Rahman's murder is latest attack on progressive activists
following similar killing of American atheist blogger in February
[. . .]
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/30/blogger-hacked-death-bangladesh-dhaka
o o o
PNG - 3.8 kb
The Independent (UK) 30 March 2015
Atheists are being hacked to death in Bangladesh, and soon there will
be none left
by Rory Fenton
I've spoken to liberal bloggers in Dhaka and they're terrified of what
might happen to them
[. . .]
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/atheists-are-being-hacked-to-death-in-bangladesh-and-soon-there-will-be-none-left-10144599.html
o o o
Statement by Reporters Without Borders
PNG - 14.2 kb
Government's failure to protect bloggers condemned
Published on Monday 30 March 2015.
Washiqur Rahman, a 27-year-old blogger, was hacked to death with
machetes today by three men in Tejgaon, an industrial district of
Dhaka. Police arrested two of the men but the third got away.
Police told local media that Rahman's blog posts were the motive for
the attack but did not mention any in particular.
"We are appalled by this latest barbaric act and the additional threat
it represents for freedom of expression and information, which is
already endangered by the almost daily violence to which bloggers and
journalists are exposed in Bangladesh," said Benjamin Ismaïl, the head
of the Reporters Without Borders Asia-Pacific desk.
"We offer our condolences to Rahman's family and friends, we condemn
the government's failure to protect bloggers, especially those who
cover or comment on religion, fundamental freedoms and extremism of
all kinds, and we again urge the prime minister to combat this growing
violence or else all non-religious thinkers will flee and strict
self-censorship will dominate all public debate in Bangladesh."
When unidentified individuals slew writer and blogger Avijit Roy and
badly injured his wife, Rafida Ahmed Banna, in Dhaka on 26 February,
Reporters Without Borders condemned the inadequacy of the resources
deployed to bring the perpetrators and instigators of crimes against
journalists and bloggers to justice.
Reporters Without Borders also urged the authorities to allocate
resources to protect bloggers who are the targets of online threats by
radical religious groups and bloggers known for their commitment to
freedom of expression.
Rahman is the third blogger to be killed since the start of 2013 in
Bangladesh, which is ranked 146th out of 180 countries in the
Reporters Without Borders press freedom index.
o o o
JPEG - 17.5 kb
Alert at Committee to Protect Journalists
Second Blogger Hacked to Death in Bangladesh
March 30, 2015, New York--Bangladeshi authorities should investigate
the murder of a blogger in the capital, Dhaka, and hold the
perpetrators to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said
today. Washiqur Rahman Babu is the second blogger to be hacked to
death in public in Bangladesh in the past five weeks.
"The Bangladeshi government must urgently establish accountability in
this murder case and others--otherwise the rest of the country's
bloggers, commentators, and journalists covering sensitive topics
remain at grave risk of being attacked as well," said CPJ Asia Program
Coordinator Bob Dietz. "We call on Bangladeshi authorities to ensure a
thorough, effective, and timely investigation into the killing of
Washiqur Rahman Babu."
[. . .]
https://www.cpj.org/2015/03/second-blogger-hacked-to-death-bangladesh.php
o o o
JPEG - 6.7 kb
Post on Amnesty International USA Site
Bangladesh: Horrifying murder of blogger must be a wake-up call
March 30, 2015
The horrifying murder of a blogger who was hacked to death in Dhaka
this morning, the second violent killing of a Bangladeshi blogger in a
month, must be a "wake up call" to the authorities on the need to
create a safe environment for journalists and activists to express
their views, said Amnesty International.
Washiqur Rahman was killed near his home in Bangladesh's capital
Dhaka. Two men have been arrested near the scene. Police has said the
blogger was attacked for his alleged "anti-Islamic" writings.
His murder comes a month after US-based writer and atheist blogger
Avijit Roy was killed with a machete while visiting the Bangladeshi
capital. He had previously received threats for his atheist views.
Police have arrested one suspect.
"The despicable murder of Avijit Roy last month should have led
authorities to step up protection measures for bloggers and others at
risk. The killing of Washiqur Rahman today is another clear example of
the Bangladeshi government's utter failure to ensure the safety of
those at risk. How many more bloggers will have to be attacked before
action is taken?" said Abbas Faiz, Bangladesh Researcher at Amnesty
International.
"Authorities must immediately and thoroughly investigate both
killings, ensure those suspected of committing the crimes are brought
to justice and ensure meaningful protection for journalists and
bloggers at risk of attack.
"Perpetrators must see that they will not get away with these heinous
acts and must be brought to justice. The lack of prosecutions on these
types of cases, even after investigations are carried out, sends a
message that these barbaric actions are tolerated.
"The message must be crystal clear: freedom of thought and expression
are basic human rights which must be fully respected by all."
P.S.
The above content is reproduced here for educational and non commercial use
--
Peace Is Doable
While the forces that led to the birth of Bangladesh are now both
weakened and discredited to a very significant extent and the forces
of dark traditions have again been able to entrench itself and spread
the venomous tentacles far and wide, despite periodic defeats
following episodic successes; the state and society of Bangladesh
still unmistakably bear the birthmarks which are as yet far from
removed.
And, new forces - the educated urban youth, have cropped up to defend
the values of secularism and rationalism rooted in nationalism based
on distinctiveness of language and ethnic culture as contrasted from
one rooted in religious revivalism.
Hence the turmoil.
Hence the outcome is so crucial, just not for Bangladesh alone.]
http://sacw.net/article10932.html
ISLAMISTS STRIKE TERROR TO QUELL INDEPENDENT THINKING AND ATHIEST IDEALISTS
Bangladesh: Blogger Oyasiqur Rhaman killed in knife attack of 30 March
2015 - reports and statements
30 March
printable version of this article printable version
Diminish font size Enlarge the font
Text only
PNG -
Dhaka Tribune - March 30, 2015
Radical Islamists strike again
Mohammad Jamil Khan, Abid Azad
Two members of third gender catch killers of blogger Oyasiqur
Radical Islamists hacked to death secular blogger Md Oyasiqur Rahman
Babu yesterday morning in Tejgaon, Dhaka allegedly for his atheist
views.
A travel agency executive, Oyasiqur's murder was premeditated. Three
assailants swooped on Oyasiqur, 27, armed with machetes around 9am on
Dipika Mosque Lane of Begunbari, close to Tejgaon Textile Engineering
University, when he was going to office in Motijheel.
While fleeing, two of the killers - Zikrullah, a student of
Hefazat-e-Islam's Hathazari Madrasa in Chittagong, and Ariful, student
of Mirpur Darul Uloom Madrasa - were held by two hermaphrodites as
locals remained reluctant to chase the killers. The other member of
the team, Abu Taher, escaped.
The duo was handed over to police, who later recovered the machetes
from the crime scene, Tejgaon industrial police OC Salauddin said.
The incident took place only a month after secular blogger and former
Buet teacher Avijit Roy and his wife Rafida Ahmed Bonya came under
attack by extremists. Avijit succumbed to his injuries at a hospital.
Police are yet to solve the case but claim that the killers might be
linked to the banned Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir and Ansarullah
Bangla Team.
Deputy Commissioner of Tejgaon zone Biplab Kumar Sarker told reporters
that in preliminary interrogation the arrestees said they had killed
Oyasiqur for writing on religious issues. "We are investigating
whether they are involved with any organisation."
Known as Oyasiqur Babu on Facebook where he had more than 2,600
friends, the blogger used to write under pseudonyms on popular blogs.
On his Facebook account, Oyasiqur wrote several notes opposing
irrational religious beliefs, superstitions and radical Islamists.
[. . .]
http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2015/mar/31/radical-islamists-strike-again
o o o
Editorial in Dhaka Tribune - 31 March 2015
Oyasiqur's murder was preventable
Tribune Editorial
It is not enough to act after murders have been carried out. Act to
end impunity for incitement and protect citizens
The brutal hacking to death of blogger and writer Oyasiqur Rahman in
Tejgaon on Monday morning cannot be treated as an isolated incident.
In its nature and apparent motivation, it has clear similarities with
the murder of Shahbagh activist Rajeeb Haider two years ago and comes
just weeks after the deadly attack on Avijit Roy.
The government has to do more to live up to its duty to protect all
citizens. Authorities must not delay in fully investigating the
background to Oyasiqur's murder and identifying connections with other
attacks.
In the last 10 years, over 15 academics and writers have been murdered
in similar circumstances after personal death threats were made
against them for their views on religion and related matters.
It is long overdue for the government to learn the lesson that it is
not enough to act after murders have been carried out. More needs to
be done to prevent such attacks by ensuring protection for people and
groups who have been threatened and fully progressing cases against
those who carry out violence.
The government needs to ensure full follow-up enquiries against any
persons who issued threats against Oyasiqur.
It must also end impunity for people and groups who praise, threaten,
or incite deadly violence by taking firm steps against anyone who
issues death threats. Failure to do so is unacceptable as it only
emboldens individuals who are minded to carry out such acts. The
government must overcome past failings and act on its responsibility
to protect citizens.
-- See more at: http://www.dhakatribune.com/editorial/2015/mar/31/oyasiqurs-murder-was-preventable
o o o
Imran: Government's indifference behind murder of secular writers
Arif Ahmed
http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2015/mar/31/imran-governments-indifference-behind-murder-secular-writers
o o o
PNG -
The New York Times - March 30, 2015
Bangladesh Killings Send Chilling Message to Secular Bloggers
by Ellen Barry
DHAKA, Bangladesh -- When the steamy, clamorous evening had settled
over this city, and Oyasiqur Rhaman had finished his day's work at a
travel agency, he would turn to one of his favorite pastimes: Poking
fun at fundamentalist Islam.
Mr. Rhaman, 27, blogged under the name Kutshit Hasher Chhana, or The
Ugly Duckling, and he specialized in sharp-edged satire. In one post,
he adopted the persona of a self-important believer fielding questions
from an atheist. (An example: "See, the captive women, impressed at
the heroism of the Muslim fighters, used to engage in sex with them
willingly. Don't you see that it gave pleasures to them as well?") He
posted photos of sausages wrapped in pastries, labeled "pigs in a
burqa."
On Monday morning, after he left home for the travel agency, Mr.
Rhaman was killed for what he had posted. Three young men -- among them
students of madrasas here in the capital and in Chittagong --
surrounded him and sliced at his head with machetes, cutting deep
gouges into his forehead, face and throat. His body was left on the
pavement in a pool of congealing blood.
Two men were captured by local residents and handed over to the
police, according to Mohammad Salahuddin, who heads the district
police station. Those men said an acquaintance known as Masum had
instructed them to kill Mr. Rhaman because "he made some comments
against Islam" on social media, but that they had not read the
comments themselves.
The killing closely followed the pattern of another five weeks
earlier, when young men with machetes surrounded a secular blogger and
author, Avijit Roy, as he left a book fair.
Mr. Rhaman took Mr. Roy's murder to heart, changing his Facebook
profile image to read "I am Avijit." Over the next few days, he also
mourned the 2013 killing of another blogger, Ahmed Rajib Haider, known
online as Thaba Baba, and vowed to keep fighting.
"The pen will remain active, will continue till the death of your
belief," he wrote. "Get Islam destroyed, get Islam destroyed, get
Islam destroyed."
A writer using the name Biswaoy Balok, or Amazing Boy, responded in
the comments section: "Son of a dog, you will also be killed."
The deaths of Mr. Roy and Mr. Rahman this month have sent a chilling
message to the country's secular bloggers, who say they are competing
for the hearts and minds of young people exposed to oceans of material
promoting conservative Islam.
[. . .]
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/31/world/asia/suspects-held-in-hacking-death-of-bangladeshi-blogger.html
o o o
JPEG - 63.3 kb
The Guardian - 30 March 2015
Bangladesh blogger becomes second to be murdered in a month
by Jason Burke in Delhi and Saad Hammadi in Dhaka
Washiqur Rahman's murder is latest attack on progressive activists
following similar killing of American atheist blogger in February
[. . .]
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/30/blogger-hacked-death-bangladesh-dhaka
o o o
PNG - 3.8 kb
The Independent (UK) 30 March 2015
Atheists are being hacked to death in Bangladesh, and soon there will
be none left
by Rory Fenton
I've spoken to liberal bloggers in Dhaka and they're terrified of what
might happen to them
[. . .]
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/atheists-are-being-hacked-to-death-in-bangladesh-and-soon-there-will-be-none-left-10144599.html
o o o
Statement by Reporters Without Borders
PNG - 14.2 kb
Government's failure to protect bloggers condemned
Published on Monday 30 March 2015.
Washiqur Rahman, a 27-year-old blogger, was hacked to death with
machetes today by three men in Tejgaon, an industrial district of
Dhaka. Police arrested two of the men but the third got away.
Police told local media that Rahman's blog posts were the motive for
the attack but did not mention any in particular.
"We are appalled by this latest barbaric act and the additional threat
it represents for freedom of expression and information, which is
already endangered by the almost daily violence to which bloggers and
journalists are exposed in Bangladesh," said Benjamin Ismaïl, the head
of the Reporters Without Borders Asia-Pacific desk.
"We offer our condolences to Rahman's family and friends, we condemn
the government's failure to protect bloggers, especially those who
cover or comment on religion, fundamental freedoms and extremism of
all kinds, and we again urge the prime minister to combat this growing
violence or else all non-religious thinkers will flee and strict
self-censorship will dominate all public debate in Bangladesh."
When unidentified individuals slew writer and blogger Avijit Roy and
badly injured his wife, Rafida Ahmed Banna, in Dhaka on 26 February,
Reporters Without Borders condemned the inadequacy of the resources
deployed to bring the perpetrators and instigators of crimes against
journalists and bloggers to justice.
Reporters Without Borders also urged the authorities to allocate
resources to protect bloggers who are the targets of online threats by
radical religious groups and bloggers known for their commitment to
freedom of expression.
Rahman is the third blogger to be killed since the start of 2013 in
Bangladesh, which is ranked 146th out of 180 countries in the
Reporters Without Borders press freedom index.
o o o
JPEG - 17.5 kb
Alert at Committee to Protect Journalists
Second Blogger Hacked to Death in Bangladesh
March 30, 2015, New York--Bangladeshi authorities should investigate
the murder of a blogger in the capital, Dhaka, and hold the
perpetrators to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said
today. Washiqur Rahman Babu is the second blogger to be hacked to
death in public in Bangladesh in the past five weeks.
"The Bangladeshi government must urgently establish accountability in
this murder case and others--otherwise the rest of the country's
bloggers, commentators, and journalists covering sensitive topics
remain at grave risk of being attacked as well," said CPJ Asia Program
Coordinator Bob Dietz. "We call on Bangladeshi authorities to ensure a
thorough, effective, and timely investigation into the killing of
Washiqur Rahman Babu."
[. . .]
https://www.cpj.org/2015/03/second-blogger-hacked-to-death-bangladesh.php
o o o
JPEG - 6.7 kb
Post on Amnesty International USA Site
Bangladesh: Horrifying murder of blogger must be a wake-up call
March 30, 2015
The horrifying murder of a blogger who was hacked to death in Dhaka
this morning, the second violent killing of a Bangladeshi blogger in a
month, must be a "wake up call" to the authorities on the need to
create a safe environment for journalists and activists to express
their views, said Amnesty International.
Washiqur Rahman was killed near his home in Bangladesh's capital
Dhaka. Two men have been arrested near the scene. Police has said the
blogger was attacked for his alleged "anti-Islamic" writings.
His murder comes a month after US-based writer and atheist blogger
Avijit Roy was killed with a machete while visiting the Bangladeshi
capital. He had previously received threats for his atheist views.
Police have arrested one suspect.
"The despicable murder of Avijit Roy last month should have led
authorities to step up protection measures for bloggers and others at
risk. The killing of Washiqur Rahman today is another clear example of
the Bangladeshi government's utter failure to ensure the safety of
those at risk. How many more bloggers will have to be attacked before
action is taken?" said Abbas Faiz, Bangladesh Researcher at Amnesty
International.
"Authorities must immediately and thoroughly investigate both
killings, ensure those suspected of committing the crimes are brought
to justice and ensure meaningful protection for journalists and
bloggers at risk of attack.
"Perpetrators must see that they will not get away with these heinous
acts and must be brought to justice. The lack of prosecutions on these
types of cases, even after investigations are carried out, sends a
message that these barbaric actions are tolerated.
"The message must be crystal clear: freedom of thought and expression
are basic human rights which must be fully respected by all."
P.S.
The above content is reproduced here for educational and non commercial use
--
Peace Is Doable
Sukla Sen
Apr 1, 2015, 1:30:20 AM4/1/15
to foi...@insaf.net
The following is a mail received from an old friend, having a Muslim name.
The name is deleted as it was a personal mail.
Make no mistake about it. This is not an ISOLATED incident. It is a
widespread culturally nurtured phenomenon over many years. It may
not always manifest itself as violent killing ... but it is a part of
a continuum. "thou shalt not insult my prophet, thou shalt not
insult my religion and now thou shalt not question my beliefs" and a
horrendous "OR ELSE" attached to it. The government surely has a
responsibility but government can only pass and enforce laws. People
and societies develop "cultures". Look at this video (I hope you
understand enough Hindustani to be able to appreciate the drivel this
guy is talking about). It might seem unrelated to the killing of open
minded speakers and writers, it might seem like sexual perversion ...
it is that ... but look at the expression on the faces of the
audience. Look at the pleasure, awe, admiration and belief in their
faces. It is this that creates the "culture" I am talking about. It
will take many years to change this and frankly, I don't even know
where to begin. These preachers/maulvis and their ilk are VERY
dangerous.
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=326854407523534&set=vb.157142881161355&type=2&theater
End
For those who do not follow Hindustani, the cleric in the video clip
is describing the beauty of a woman in paradise to his captivated
audience.
It's really noteworthy how his eyes are glistening while giving a
seemingly eyewitness (!!!) account.
Sukla
--
Peace Is Doable
The name is deleted as it was a personal mail.
Make no mistake about it. This is not an ISOLATED incident. It is a
widespread culturally nurtured phenomenon over many years. It may
not always manifest itself as violent killing ... but it is a part of
a continuum. "thou shalt not insult my prophet, thou shalt not
insult my religion and now thou shalt not question my beliefs" and a
horrendous "OR ELSE" attached to it. The government surely has a
responsibility but government can only pass and enforce laws. People
and societies develop "cultures". Look at this video (I hope you
understand enough Hindustani to be able to appreciate the drivel this
guy is talking about). It might seem unrelated to the killing of open
minded speakers and writers, it might seem like sexual perversion ...
it is that ... but look at the expression on the faces of the
audience. Look at the pleasure, awe, admiration and belief in their
faces. It is this that creates the "culture" I am talking about. It
will take many years to change this and frankly, I don't even know
where to begin. These preachers/maulvis and their ilk are VERY
dangerous.
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=326854407523534&set=vb.157142881161355&type=2&theater
End
For those who do not follow Hindustani, the cleric in the video clip
is describing the beauty of a woman in paradise to his captivated
audience.
It's really noteworthy how his eyes are glistening while giving a
seemingly eyewitness (!!!) account.
Sukla
Peace Is Doable
Sukla Sen
Apr 1, 2015, 1:42:59 AM4/1/15
to foi...@insaf.net
And, my response:
Dear XXX,
Many of us had fervently hoped that with the advance of the industrial
society, "reason" will by and by replace "faith".
Not that nothing of that sort has happened.
But the emergent picture is far complex and complicated. With the
benefit of actual experience, it has got to be acknowledged that the
cause-and-effect relationship is a far more tangled one than one had
imagined it to be.
So, the struggle in the sphere of "culture" per se has gained much
greater salience. It can no longer be airily dismissed as something
called "superstructure".
Sukla
Dear XXX,
Many of us had fervently hoped that with the advance of the industrial
society, "reason" will by and by replace "faith".
Not that nothing of that sort has happened.
But the emergent picture is far complex and complicated. With the
benefit of actual experience, it has got to be acknowledged that the
cause-and-effect relationship is a far more tangled one than one had
imagined it to be.
So, the struggle in the sphere of "culture" per se has gained much
greater salience. It can no longer be airily dismissed as something
called "superstructure".
Sukla
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