The silence of the western world to the grave situation in India is not shocking. One has almost come to expect the ‘civilised’ world to look the other way as long as it possibly can. Not only was the West, even the reaction of Muslim nations very muted to the serious threat facing their coreligionists in India. Hundreds, perhaps thousands have died across the subcontinent in violence sparked by fundamentalist Hindus insisting on demolishing a 15th century mosque to build a temple. The subsequent collapse of the Janata Dal government is not an issue of any great importance as compared to the threat faced by millions of non-Hindus.
The minorities in India were never before in as great a danger of annihilation. The ugly face of Brahminism was on display to the world in 1984 when the Golden Temple was attacked with tanks and artillery. Today the same sinister face of death is staring 80 million Indian Muslims in the face. The whole world knows this but will not say anything.
The U.S. could send a quarter million troops to defend Saudi Arabia on a “matter of principle”! What Saddam Hussein did in Kuwait is relatively minor as compared to what the Hindus have been doing to the Sikhs and the Muslims for over four decades, Why has no one raised even a finger to help them Internal matter of a democratic nation ? Why, even a bill to stop development aid to India could not be passed in U.S. Congress despite the support of over 200 solid friends of the Sikhs. The only condition sought to be imposed was the entry into Punjab of Amnesty International, an independent and respected human rights organisation to verify for itself that Sikhs were facing a genocide.
The western media makes a lot of noise for a few days with graphic footage and extensive reports on inside pages as is being witnessed today over the Babri issue. But then Tiananmen Square was on the front pages and in a matter of weeks was forgotten much to the relief of western governments.
In truth, the so called third world is only a market to be exploited by the ‘civilised’ nations who are made uncomfortable by any tensions anywhere despite the cold war having ended. Tensions breed insecurity and uncertainty which adversely affect markets. The Gulf crisis sent the price of oil through the roof despite the U.S. having a massive buffer stock. Every nation has the right to defend its economy even as a ‘matter of principle’ but it must not be done in the name of championing the cause of oppressed people.
Mr Max Madden, a British MP who visited Punjab earlier this year, had horrible reports of rapes and torture to tell. But it seems no one heard him? The Punjab Human Rights Organisation has documented thousands of cases of extra judicial killings, torture and disappearances but what effect these have on even the U N are hard to tell.
Meanwhile, Sikhs and Muslims are engaged in a life and death struggle against fascist Hindus. A very heavy price will be exacted in terms of human lives unless India is brought to its senses soon and made to stop butchering its minorities.
Article extracted from this publication >> November 9, 1990
